Is the North Division the closest we will see to a 6 team NHL?

[illpucks]

A common thing on here is I hear XXXX player did that in a 6 team league. With no inter-division gameplay, the North Division has 7 NHL teams that play 56 games vs each other. Do you think this is similar to how it was when there was 'original 6'?

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[GordonGraham]

Not even close to it, when you had 6 teams the talent was on those 6 teams, now its still split 31 ways add the North being the weakest division in the league

 

[Goose]

I mean it sort of feels like it in the sense of getting to know your opponents so well. I understand the Leafs’ opponents this year better than I ever have before, I’m surprised by how much I’ve been enjoying it.

It won’t happen for a lot of reasons, but I’d be happy to see not only a Canadian division, but an entire separate conference where Canadian teams didn’t play an American team unless it was the Finals or Semi-Finals.

I love not having to watch certain American teams at all, just as I’m sure there are fans in those States happy not to have to watch Canadian teams they don’t care about.

I’d miss seeing certain superstars, but that’s a trade-off I could live with.

 

[Seanaconda]

Not even close to it, when you had 6 teams the talent was on those 6 teams, now its still split 31 ways add the North being the weakest division in the league

North has the strongest offense in the NHL so yes its kinda like the original six with weak goalies and weak defense. The north put back into their old leagues would still be racking up points .

Fans of teams outside of the North are insecure about their teams so all they can do is yell at the sky saying the North division isn't real hockey when its the best hockey to watch out of the four divisions.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

North has the strongest offense in the NHL so yes its kinda like the original six with weak goalies and weak defense. The north put back into their old leagues would still be racking up points .

Fans of teams outside of the North are insecure about their teams so all they can do is yell at the sky saying the North division isn't real hockey when its the best hockey to watch out of the four divisions.

Wow so defensive. No one in outside of the North cares about the meaninglessness in that division.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

North has the strongest offense in the NHL so yes its kinda like the original six with weak goalies and weak defense. The north put back into their old leagues would still be racking up points .

Fans of teams outside of the North are insecure about their teams so all they can do is yell at the sky saying the North division isn't real hockey when its the best hockey to watch out of the four divisions.

It's not insecurity it's reality. The highest placing north team last season was 12th overall. East for example has 4 of the top 7 teams from last year and currently 5 teams over .600 point percentage.

Lots of exciting players in the north but it is looking like the weakest division. You think Toronto would be running wild like that if they were in the east, not a chance.

 

[WillTheThrill]

It's not insecurity it's reality. The highest placing north team last season was 12th overall. East for example has 4 of the top 7 teams from last year and currently 5 teams over .600 point percentage.

Lots of exciting players in the north but it is looking like the weakest division. You think Toronto would be running wild like that if they were in the east, not a chance.

They would be right up there with Boston and Tampa, like they have been for the last 4 years.

 

[Cotton]

Not even close to it, when you had 6 teams the talent was on those 6 teams, now its still split 31 ways add the North being the weakest division in the league

Yeah, that isn’t close to being true.

 

[Buzzman17]

No olympics would be closest to original six in terms of talent.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

They would be right up there with Boston and Tampa, like they have been for the last 4 years.

Boston and Tampa were #1 and #4 overall last year. Toronto #13.

 

[dogbazinho]

Nothing notable about the North.

 

[Eat The Rich]

Boston and Tampa were #1 and #4 overall last year. Toronto #13.

The Leafs also spent the first two months of last season trying to get their coach fired.

Take a look at their record after they fired Babcock. .628 pts% vs .478 with Babcock.

It's clear to anyone who watches the Leafs that the terrible start to last season was responsible for their final league standing.

 

[Critical13]

Wow so defensive. No one in outside of the North cares about the meaninglessness in that division.

Weird, you guys seem to talk about it a lot.

 

[Chips]

Yeah, that isn’t close to being true.

At best, it’s the second worst.

 

[DueDiligence]

The Leafs also spent the first two months of last season trying to get their coach fired.

Take a look at their record after they fired Babcock. .628 pts% vs .478 with Babcock.

It's clear to anyone who watches the Leafs that the terrible start to last season was responsible for their final league standing.

But if they were so good how come they lost to the Bluejackets in the play-ins?

 

[Cotton]

At best, it’s the second worst.

At best it’s the second best.

 

[lawrence]

A common thing on here is I hear XXXX player did that in a 6 team league. With no inter-division gameplay, the North Division has 7 NHL teams that play 56 games vs each other. Do you think this is similar to how it was when there was 'original 6'?

well no, since the original 6 they had the best players in North America playing among the 6 teams.

 

[IrishInOntario]

But if they were so good how come they lost to the Bluejackets in the play-ins?

You mean the same Blue Jackets team that swept the 62-16-4 Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round a year prior?... Good teams never get upset...

It's the playoffs. Shit happens.

 

[BTP]

It's not insecurity it's reality. The highest placing north team last season was 12th overall. East for example has 4 of the top 7 teams from last year and currently 5 teams over .600 point percentage.

Lots of exciting players in the north but it is looking like the weakest division. You think Toronto would be running wild like that if they were in the east, not a chance.

Of course they would. They'd be right up there with Boston and Tampa like always. North has the best offense. Its not the weakest division.

 

[Community]

But if they were so good how come they lost to the Bluejackets in the play-ins?

Are you saying TBL wasnt a top team in 2018-2019?

The Leafs are a young team that couldnt handle the playoffs last year, but its clear as day to anybody that has watched the Leafs team this year that this is the best Leafs team in a LONG time.

Their youth seems to have finally clued in and started giving 100% each night, Brodie coming in and Holl stepping up have given them a legit good defense, our vets (Thornton, Bogosian, and simmonds) have been fantastic additions, and our coaching has implemented a system that is favourable for our players.

Despite numerous injuries, losing our top 2 goalies at the same time, and a humiliating OTT loss our team has consistency fought back.


Could they choke in the playoffs again? Absolutely, but this is the best a Leafs team has looked 20 games into the season in the cap era.

 

[Divine]

Any division the Leafs play in is by default the weakest division in the league

When the Leafs were in the Atlantic, it was the Atlantic

You can switch the Leafs and the weakest team from the consensus strongest division, and that division will now become the weakest division in the league if the Leafs do well

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

wtf kind of thread is this? You do know that all 4 divisions are structured the same way, right? All division are just 7-8 teams playing each other over and over

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Of course they would. They'd be right up there with Boston and Tampa like always. North has the best offense. Its not the weakest division.

Last four seasons leafs have placed 13th, 7th, 7th, 14th overall in the nhl. This year they're running away with 1st, and it's clearly because of the weak division. Don't get me wrong I think they're a good team, but more like 5-10 than 1st.

 

[TheNumber4]

Yes with Global Warming, the United States will melt away. Canada will be the only habitable climate in the NHL. And the North Division will be all that's left.

 

[Divine]

Last four seasons leafs have placed 13th, 7th, 7th, 14th overall in the nhl. This year they're running away with 1st, and it's clearly because of the weak division. Don't get me wrong I think they're a good team, but more like 5-10 than 1st.

They got a better team this year on paper than any previous year. They got TJ Brodie for nothing. Signed Thornton & Simmonds who are both playing well