I think so too. The team can play loose and tune out the noise (for a change). The coaching staff will keep them in line. If they lose, then they are playing as expected, if they win, they are heroes. This is the first time I can ever remember as a Leaf fan that a team had this kind of environment to work with.
I know lots of us want them to lose, personally, I just want to see our players improve. They don't need to lose to improve, they need to grow as a team from the ground up. I want to see improvements as a team regardless of the standings.
I want a Leafs team, not a bunch of players with Leaf jerseys acquired through trades and free agency.
Okay. so. let me ask you this question - for the Leafs to be the Flames:
#1. are you expecting players from the Marlies to come up? (ie: Nylander, Brown, whomever) and we're running on rookie power enthusiasm?
or - is our top six (that ran through Phil Kessel) of JVR/Bozak/Lupul, PA Parenteau/Winnik/Spaling, Holland, Panik and Carrick (maybe) supposed to score apprx. 200+ goals? (we scored 211 last year, the lowest playoff team scored 221. One was Montreal. (so they had Carey Price) and one was Pitsburgh.
Fact: management said they are not kicking up players unless they are ready. from everything listening to Dineen and Dubas - they feel that Nylander needs more time in the AHL. and I'm not sure if Brown is going to kick up any sooner). Maybe Levio will.
#2: the Leafs barely had any offense from their defense last year
and as of today we don't have Franson's powerplay points. So this comes back to option #1: if the offense isn't coming from the forwards, are our defense capable of getting up to 200+ goals?
#3: they may be able to prevent goals against, but can they eliminate 30 goals? (after Montreal & New York the lowest goals against average was Washington at 203, and the highest was 230). . The Leafs allowed 262 goals.
Fact: Babcock will have a better system in place. which could eliminate the goals against, and we are counting on Bernier to be steady. (which. we are). as well as Reimer, insert, eyebrow raise.
#4: We are going to assume that the players signed for 1 year deals, especially if they are playing well ... won't be traded. Calgary's success was all on the backs of their players of the future (ie: firmly under contract). They traded away expiring contracts.
The Leafs are
trying to eliminate a lot of the contracts on the roster.
---Bozak
---Lupul
---Polak (could be in play)
---Robidas (could be in play)
---Phaneuf (should be in play)
---Hunwick
---Parenteau
Babcock said it himself:
we have to get Hunts more draft picks, for this process to work. meaning, the idea that management won't be trying to ship 1/2 the team off, especially if they are performing well.... doesn't make much sense to me.
Please note - I am not saying I am going to be alll "root, root, root, for home team's loss." here . If this team makes the playoffs. hurr-freaking-rah. I would be pumped. If they do it and they are 14th, depending on who is doing the heavy lifting of the team, I'll be happy.
But looking at the team constructed as it is - and using all of the factors as they are - I believe thinking "this Leafs squad is going to be like Calgary." is really shooting for the moon here. If - other aspects change with the roster (ie: we do have a lot of Marlies on the roster for example - and they are doing all the heavy lifting) then that would make me so incredibly happy.
Babcock will probably gain us more points, and we'll be tougher to play against structurally, but to just think that the leafs as they are with the potential line up, excluding Marlies, can some how:
Score apprx 221
Allow maximum 211
not maximize resources by trading a roster that almost 1/3rd is on a 1 year contract, and 3 people who are still being shipped out
can make up
30 points in the standings... (at least).
I believe in dreaming big, but again, that is a massive eyebrow raise.
I mean who are they going to beat realistically?
Montreal: no
Tampa: no
Rangers: no
Washington: no
Columbus: No
Florida still can't score, but Luongo.
Boston is nuts, but there's still Rask and Chara even though he's old
Philadelphia has no defense, but they've got the offense.
Detroit doesn't have Babcock, but they've got Dats + Zetterberg and Blashill's a disciple.
Islanders are crazy so who knows
Buffalo, I don't know. (i'd laugh though).
Ottawa who knows (but again: more firepower than we have right now).
Pittsburgh. (i'd laugh hard. I really would).
so... yeah.
it's not even having low expectations. Come Sept 15th, I'll be the most optimistic person about the situation, but at the same time those are the realities that we're facing.