Does Toronto make it out of the 1st round next year?

[robertmac43]

i said no, they lost a lot of experienced depth and those roles need to be filled by rookies with no playoff experience

Players that are coming off of a Calder Cup win. Plus they are simply better players. Would you rather have an experienced Komorov or an "inexperienced" Johnsson?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

We also had the fourth most shots against per game, so it just means that Andersen played well. We need to stop pushing this "we had a lower GAA than Tampa" thing.

I wish I could "like" this post a hundred times since it's one of the few unbiased takes I've seen.

 

[IPS]

We also had the fourth most shots against per game, so it just means that Andersen played well. We need to stop pushing this "we had a lower GAA than Tampa" thing.

Where the f*** was Andersen's Vezina nomination then?

Vasilevsky was better than Andersen last year, and the Leafs let in less goals than Tampa. And the Leafs D is a ton better than HFBoards haters say.

Pretty obvious facts across the board. Last time I presented these facts I heard some shit about 18 games of Curtis Mcelhinney being the difference between Tampa and Toronto's D.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Where the **** was Andersen's Vezina nomination then?

Vasilevsky was better than Andersen last year, and the Leafs let in less goals than Tampa. And the Leafs D is a ton better than HFBoards haters say.

Pretty obvious facts across the board. Last time I presented these facts I heard some **** about 18 games of Curtis Mcelhinney being the difference between Tampa and Toronto's D.

there are no "nominations". They vote and then release the top 3. Andersen finished 4th in vezina voting, which was honestly a little high for me

but to be fair, using shots against as a measure for defense is pretty useless. Systems are a bit more advanced than that

 

[IPS]

there are no "nominations". They vote and then release the top 3. Andersen finished 4th in vezina voting, which was honestly a little high for me

but to be fair, using shots against as a measure for defense is pretty useless. Systems are a bit more advanced than that

Point still stands. Toronto's a top 3 team in the east when it comes to GA. It's just comical watching HFBoards try and diminish the Leafs. Gonna be even more hilarious when they win the cup.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

i said no, they lost a lot of experienced depth and those roles need to be filled by rookies with no playoff experience, their d hasn't improved, and their core still hasn't made it out of the first round, but the jt signing could make it interesting.

Not entirely accurate. Up front we're losing JVR (59 career playoff games), Bozak (18 career playoff games), and Komarov (15 career playoff games). All three of whom are being replaced by Tavares (24 career playoff games), Kapanen (13 career playoff games), and Johnsson (6 career playoff games). JVR is the most battle tested of the bunch, but has worst point-per-game than Tavares in the playoffs, and Kapanen isn't terribly far off of Bozak's and Komarovs totals. Johnsson only has one series under his belt, but he did just go through the grind of winning a Calder Cup, and Kapanen is a national hero for Finland after scoring the WJC OT Winner in 2016.

Point being, these guys aren't strangers to big stages and have tasted NHL Playoff hockey. They aren't as inexperienced as you claim.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Point still stands. Toronto's a top 3 team in the east when it comes to GA. It's just comical watching HFBoards try and diminish the Leafs. Gonna be even more hilarious when they win the cup.

Agreed on that. It's like they think if the Leafs win a series because Andersen was good, Bettman will come out and reverse the decision or something. Teams win because of good goaltending and lose because of poor goaltending all the time. The defensive side of the game includes using the defense to help your goalie make saves and stop the puck from going in. I'm not sure why the Leafs are supposed to apologize for keeping the puck out of their net better than people want them to

 

[major major]

The most likely opponent is one of Boston or Tampa. So I voted no. I think the Leafs are getting scary good but that's a brutal draw - and both of those teams look to be getting better.

 

[Devonator]

I would say of course.....right now the Leafs along with the Caps are the best of the second tier teams...Tampa is by itself at the top....however things are very close so you could have 4 or 5 different teams coming out on top in the East....however regarding the first round, I cannot see the Leafs losing baring any serious injuries.....unless they have to face Tampa first....then they are pooched....

 

[Newsworthy]

I voted yes.

 

[Kamiccolo]

We also had the fourth most shots against per game, so it just means that Andersen played well. We need to stop pushing this "we had a lower GAA than Tampa" thing.

My issue with this is in other threads they will claim that Andersen "worries" them and isn't that good. So if both the defense and goaltending are bad, how the hell were they 12th in GA?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

McDavid has 9 points in 13 games... Matthews had 2 points in 7 games

McDavid's production dropped tremendously in the playoffs (43%). Matthews had a FAR superior points production rate (20% better than McDavid) in his first playoffs and kept his production almost identical. Yet somehow we are talking about "Matthews choking for a 3rd time"?

Classic HF stupidity.

 

[joe dirte]

Excuses and prayers...

Exactly right. And also, the leafs only won any games because of the refs. We know because you said so over, and over, and over. Those leafs.... all about excuses.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

My issue with this is in other threads they will claim that Andersen "worries" them and isn't that good. So if both the defense and goaltending are bad, how the hell were they 12th in GA?

Babcock system.

 

[hockey4sale]

After adding proven winner and team first guy in JT no doubt, Bruins are shaking

 

[LeafFever]

I wish I could "like" this post a hundred times since it's one of the few unbiased takes I've seen.

So showing GA is biased?

 

[LeafFever]

Babcock system.

There's always an excuse.

 

[LeafFever]

They lost JVR, Bozak, Komarov. All guys who contributed to special teams big time. I know Polak wasn't very liked by the Leafs fan base, but you also lost him. Those roles are now going to be filled by Tavares and rookies.

Also, I know people just assume this drastic improvement from guys like Tavares, Marner, Matthews. No one knows how everyone is going to gel together.

All I'm saying is I'd pump the breaks on the expectations. There's going to be a lot of Leafs fans potentially eating crow at seasons end.

So non-Leaf fans will be right for once then?The track record of predictions for the Leafs is beyond brutal on here. I would list them, but I don't have time.
People are eating a lot of crow recently that hate the Leafs. I thought Tavares was a lock to resign with the Islanders?
And Leo Komorov couldn't even crack our lineup once our young guys established themselves in the playoffs. Is he really a loss? Bozak is goen at C..and Tavres has replaced him.

 

[LeafFever]

Lets be honest that's almost entirely because of Andersen

When will this myth die?
He wasn't even a Vezina finalist. His save % was .918. He had 2 full months of bad goaltending in the season. Stop with this nonsense. If he was as amazing as you say the stats would not be average and he would havce been much more consistent. He was so brutal in October and March/April.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Improved defensively by letting go:
JVR
Bozak
Komarov (poor defensively last year)
Polak
+
Reduced role for Hainsey

Last year Polak, Hainsey and Zaitsev let a ton of shots against. ALSO, take in the position they played for us last season. All played RHD for us, which absolutely screwed our LHD of Rielly Gardiner Dermott.

The best possible way right now is to run these lines:

Marleau - Matthews - Nylander
Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Johnsson - Kadri - Kapanen
Leivo - Matthews/Tavares/Kadri - Brown

Rielly - Carrick
Gardiner - Dermott*
Borgman/Rosen - Zaitsev
Hainsey

^ That forward group is MUCH better defensively than last season, and that D group can actually skate/move the puck.

 

[Coffey]

After adding proven winner and team first guy in JT no doubt, Bruins are shaking

What has he won at the NHL level?

(unless you are a Bruins fan, in which case lol I get it)

 

[tacogeoff]

make the playoffs if they stay injury free on the backend. get put out the first round.

 

[LeafFever]

make the playoffs if they stay injury free on the backend. get put out the first round.

It's pretty funny people can think this team might not make the playoffs.
Who will pass them? Will no other East teams drop?
In order to miss, you must think their GA will be far worse next season.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

There's always an excuse.

I have trouble understanding how it's a negative you need to defend when it's actually a good thing. Your coach can run a system that covers for poor defense and an average (overall) goaltender who fluctuates from terrific to awful.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

What has he won at the NHL level?

(unless you are a Bruins fan, in which case lol I get it)

Olympic gold?