How Long until the Leafs make the playoffs again?

[-DeMo-]

I expect 5 plus years, assuming we don't get McDavid, but it also depends on how deep the rebuild goes, look at a lot of the top 5 picks over the last 4ish years, hardly any of them are team leading guys at this point and most are not even making a big impact on there teams yet. any player whose not currently in the NHL will take 3-4 years before he can even be counted on to be a top player on a decent NHL team, so expecting a quick turn around is kinda long shot, of course that could change depending on how deep the rebuild is and if Management targets prospects as opposed to picks for the pick players like Kessel/Phaneuf etc.

 

[studebaker17]

there's no way to predict it really. If they have a really good 2015 draft and deal kessel, dion , and company for some decent prospects that can play right away can combine with the marlie grads we can start expecting in 2016/17 to be on the bubble. the possibility is there but everything needs to work out for that to happen. If the drafting doesn't produce it could take 10yrs really, it always takes luck to both have the right players available in your draft slots and you taking them. Not just the high picks, any team can pick the top draft slots but the successful teams all draft key players elsewhere to.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

You people are in for quite the surprise.

Ya, probably. I'll guess 2020.

 

[RyanOhReally]

I think this team has a lot of key pieces already in place. Assuming we keep roster players like Kessel (because we'll never find two suitors for both him AND Phaneuf and I'd rather keep Phil), JVR, Kadri, Holland, Komorov, Rielly, Gardiner, Bernier and include prospects like Nylander, Gauthier, Brown, Percy, Leipsic, Johnson and Bibeau. Also we'll get our #1 centre this draft whether he's truly a #1 or not. So basically we have this:

JVR - Strome/Marner - Kessel
Leipsic - Kadri - Nylander
Johnson - Holland - Brown
Komorov - Gauthier - RW#4

Rielly - RHD#1 (If only Chychrun was Right handed.. )
Gardiner - RHD#2
Percy - RHD#3

Bernier
Bibeau

Granted Im also very delusional, so whatever, even if some of these prospects hit then I think we'll be in for a 3-5 year rebuild.

 

[Faltorvo]

i utterly don't care one little bit how long it takes, not at all

the ONLY thing i care about is

HOW they build the team to get there.

 

[DesertHombre]

Seems like the majority of Leaf fans demanded a total tear down rebuild, yet the majority expect yo make it to the playoffs in 2-3 years. IMO that is being impatient. I think if they are solely using the draft and prospects then patience will be needed and it will be 5-7 years before these "yet to be drafted" players are contributing at a high level. Rookies often have a decent 1st year, then a "sophomore slump", then start to mature and become real players.
Be patient Leaf fans. If you demand a playoff appearance in two years......you'll just be repeating past mistakes.

 

[Moncherry]

Until the season is shortened to 48 games again.

 

[Leaf Lander]

5 yrs

Ty Brian Burke

 

[frankthetank91]

We're making the playoffs next year, cause that's just the way things work around here.

Seriously. I can see us dumping all the big names and playing the kids with the expectation to finish bottom 5 then end up making the playoffs.

 

[Bobs your uncle]

If the leafs are smart, they will keep Nylander in the AHL for at least next season to develop him properly.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I say it's 2-4 years with 4 being more realistic.

 

[Muston Atthews]

When's the next lockout year?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I think they're guininely going to do the rebuild thing.

We'll make the playoffs because we dont intend to. As I said, that's just the way things work here.

That was a quick turnaround from this morning. You just illustrated how easy it is for the Leafs to do a 180. Leafs may indeed make the playoffs next year, it isn't all doom and gloom, scorch the earth, as Shanny painted it to the season tickets holders.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Not next year or the year after.

It will be the year after that. Wild card spot mind you.

 

[Bobs your uncle]

Not next year or the year after.

It will be the year after that. Wild card spot mind you.

I think you are being optimistic.

 

[TheLeafsBro]

That was a quick turnaround from this morning. You just illustrated how easy it is for the Leafs to do a 180. Leafs may indeed make the playoffs next year, it isn't all doom and gloom, scorch the earth, as Shanny painted it to the season tickets holders.

Surely Dion, Kessel, Bozak and Lupul will definitely be gone though? 3 out of 4 of them at minimum. And you would still say we have a chance at making the playoffs if this were to happen? I don't see that being possible.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

If we hire a new coach. I will vote 1 year. I am assuming we hire a new coach so I am voting 1 year. The odds are apparently really against this if we are to take the letter to season tickets holders at face value by Shanahan. So this seems to be as good a reason for me to vote 1 year.

 

[Highlander23]

For some fans, making the playoffs seems like the ultimate goal, it shouldn't !! winning the cup is the objective, not sneaking into the playoffs...

 

[The Winter Soldier]

For some fans, making the playoffs seems like the ultimate goal, it shouldn't !! winning the cup is the objective, not sneaking into the playoffs...

These days sneaking into the playoffs can mean winning the cup. Philly came within a game of beating Chicago when they got in on the last day, and LA snuck in and won the cup as the 8th seed. Making the playoffs is not like in the 21 team days when 16 teams made it. It's tough now.

 

[TheLeafsBro]

These days sneaking into the playoffs can mean winning the cup. Philly came within a game of beating Chicago when they got in on the last day, and LA snuck in and won the cup as the 8th seed. Making the playoffs is not like in the 21 team days when 16 teams made it. It's tough now.

LA snuck in with Doughty, Kopitar and Quick in place with added pieces of Carter and Richards at deadline. Hardly a good comparison.

 

[rdawg1234]

It seems like everyone is already assuming that whatever guy we draft this season will, in only three short years, be playing on our 1st line on our way to the playoffs. And that isn't a guarantee (unless maybe we win the lottery).

that's pretty likely with a top 5 pick this season. Even if you just get a guy like Strome or Marner, they have comparable stats to a taylor hall, seguin, tavares, stamkos, RNH etc. in their draft year and would be #1-2 picks in most draft years.

essentially if they ARENT looking like 1st liners 3 years from now something is wrong.

you seem to be comparing late first rounders (percy/biggs) to early first rounders which are nothing alike, it's very common for top 5 picks to make their team and be impactful within 2-3 seasons of being drafted, not very common for late 1st rounders though.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

LA snuck in with Doughty, Kopitar and Quick in place with added pieces of Carter and Richards at deadline. Hardly a good comparison.

Didn't we come within 11 mins, 3 goal lead of upsetting a team that came within 2 games of winning the cup?

 

[rdawg1234]

My answer is 2 seasons until we are competitive, we will be a tank team next year for sure, definitely getting a top 5 pick and another great prospect as it will be all prospects and very few UFA additions.

but I do not think we'll be in the playoffs in two seasons, I think however that it will be similar to our 2010-2011 season, where we were competing until the last stretch of games and getting somewhat close to a spot. I think in 2016-2017 they will start padding the depth of the team with UFA's.

In 3 seasons we will almost surely be a playoff competing team(5th-8th spot type).

why do I say that? because I think people are confusing what our rebuild is with teams like Buffalo and Edmonton or even what we were in 08-09 for example. The difference between us and those builds is their cupboards were completely empty and they completely torched the team.

we already have been somewhat rebuilding since 2011-2012, by getting Rielly and Nylander. On top of that we already have an NHL starting goalie in Bernier and great secondary pieces in Kadri, JVR and possibly Gardiner if he pans out. Add in some near-ready prospects as well such as connor brown, percy, leivo, nylander, andreas johnson all of whom are looking pretty damn good on the marlies or in sweden in johnson's case.

we're not starting from scratch, we have prospects that are getting close to ready, it's simply about adding a couple top 5 picks these next two seasons and rebuilding the core, not necessarily rebuilding the entire team like EDM and BUF have been doing.

 

[TheLeafsBro]

Didn't we come within 11 mins, 3 goal lead of upsetting a team that came within 2 games of winning the cup?

Yeah and look where that core got us.. Perfect example of why you DON'T try and just sneak into the playoffs.

Edit: You sound just like Nonis trying to spin that atrocious collapse off as a positive of this core. Gross.

 

[RyanOhReally]

Didn't we come within 11 mins, 3 goal lead of upsetting a team that came within 2 games of winning the cup?

And Kessel was fairly dominant against Chara... Seems so long ago now...

That game is one of the biggest "If only" moments in my life