Is this the best Leafs team since 67?

[Claypool]

The best Leafs team since the 60s isn't even as good as an expansion team's first season? Yikes.

 

[The Panther]

I'm not sure this year's Leafs team is really as good as their record suggests. I'm not saying they aren't, mind, I'm just saying I'm not sure. I guess the playoffs will tell the story. Leafs this year have been kind of an on-off explosive offensive team with on-off porous defence. If the offense is 'off' and the porous is 'on' in the first round, they're going down quickly. But it would be good for the League to see Toronto back in contention, so I hope they do something...

Anyway, my answer to the OP is "no". The 1977-78 team was .575 and beat the Kings before upsetting the hugely-favored Islanders in the second round. Although their regular season might not be quite as good as this year's team, that was a huge upset at the time. Of course the 1992-93 and 1993-94 teams were very deep and very gritty, too, but just with not-so-good goaltending. But back-to-back trips to the Conference Final gives them the edge over this year's team, so far. Then, there were basically six years in a row of regular-season teams as good or better than this year's from 1998-99 to 2003-04 (including a 1st-place finish in 1999-00). The 2003-04 team might have been the best of the bunch, I dunno.

If this year's team goes to the third round, there can be a fair argument they're the best team since 1967. But does anyone see them going to the third round...? Well, we'll find out soon enough...

 

[LeafsNation75]

This years Leafs team just matched it's most wins tonight in a season with 45.

 

[glucker]

Ok then, when did that happen ?

67. Hence the title.

 

[glucker]

I'm not sure this year's Leafs team is really as good as their record suggests. I'm not saying they aren't, mind, I'm just saying I'm not sure. I guess the playoffs will tell the story. Leafs this year have been kind of an on-off explosive offensive team with on-off porous defence. If the offense is 'off' and the porous is 'on' in the first round, they're going down quickly. But it would be good for the League to see Toronto back in contention, so I hope they do something...

Anyway, my answer to the OP is "no". The 1977-78 team was .575 and beat the Kings before upsetting the hugely-favored Islanders in the second round. Although their regular season might not be quite as good as this year's team, that was a huge upset at the time. Of course the 1992-93 and 1993-94 teams were very deep and very gritty, too, but just with not-so-good goaltending. But back-to-back trips to the Conference Final gives them the edge over this year's team, so far. Then, there were basically six years in a row of regular-season teams as good or better than this year's from 1998-99 to 2003-04 (including a 1st-place finish in 1999-00). The 2003-04 team might have been the best of the bunch, I dunno.

If this year's team goes to the third round, there can be a fair argument they're the best team since 1967. But does anyone see them going to the third round...? Well, we'll find out soon enough...

They’re a young team, so inconsistent performance is kind of to be expected.

If everything is clicking come the playoffs, which right now, it seems to be... they can give any team in the league a run for their money in 7 games. And odds are their toughest match ups will be in the first two rounds.

 

[The List Of Jericho]

He's 39th and there's less than 10 games to go. Regardless, just make a list of players and it's pretty obvious they don't fit in the top 30 yet, unless Marner can continue his last 30 or so games into next year. But a lot of people expected Nylander to carry his World championship performance into the season this year and that didn't happen, so I'd be wary of expecting there to still be no bumps in the road. They will probably get there (I'm more confident in Marner), but there's just too many good players these days:

Crosby, McDavid, Malkin, Kucherov, MacKinnon, Giroux, Getzlaf, Kopitar, Hall, Ovechkin, Marchand, Bergeron, Stamkos, Barkov, Matthews, Scheifele, Wheeler, Seguin, Kane, Tavares, Benn, Gaudreau, Backstrom, Tarasenko, Stone, Voracek, Kuznetsov, Kessel, Pastrnak, Draisaitl, Staal, Barzal, Laine, Eichel, Panarin, Forsberg, Couturier, Rantanen, Carter, Huberdeau

is 40 players. I find it hard to argue for either over at least 11 of them

MacKinnon, Hall, Staal, Barzal, Huberdeau, Stone, Couturier, Carter, Voracek, Rantanen are all guys that are relatively new and breaking out or older guys that are just getting to the next level....I would consider Nylander and Marner at the level or near the level of all those guys. MacKinnon being the extreme because he is having such a phenomenal year but needs to prove this year wasn’t a fluke.

 

[The List Of Jericho]

You really want to tempt fate for the sake of a cheap dig ?

You better keep .

I don’t think they’ll go in all that confident but will see I guess. It’s crazy that the Bruins core is much the same from that series nearly 5 years ago, it may or may not be a good thing

 

[Regal]

MacKinnon, Hall, Staal, Barzal, Huberdeau, Stone, Couturier, Carter, Voracek, Rantanen are all guys that are relatively new and breaking out or older guys that are just getting to the next level....I would consider Nylander and Marner at the level or near the level of all those guys. MacKinnon being the extreme because he is having such a phenomenal year but needs to prove this year wasn’t a fluke.

But Marner and Nylander are even less proven than all of these guys other than Barzal and Rantanen and to some degree Couturier (offensively). Most of them have shown their average seasons are in the range Marner and Nylander are at this year but are producing better this year and/or have in the recent past. I can see them at a similar level to several, but that's also only 10 players of a 40 player list.

 

[Rorschach]

93 Leafs had forwards, defense, goaltending and oodles of veteran leadership throughout that lineup. It took a supreme effort by Wayne Gretzky himself to take them out in the playoffs.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

The best Leafs team since the 60s isn't even as good as an expansion team's first season? Yikes.

It could turn out a lot of franchises can't match Vegas' first season.

 

[TheNumber4]

It probably is, the Leafs have been a mediocre franchise for a long long time.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

The good old chicken or egg question !

So many high-scoring players because of Lemieux or ... ?

Lemieux didn't play the following season and they still all scored high points and made the Hall of Fame, so your question is pretty easily answered.

 

[canuck2010]

I'll need to get my B&W TV out and watch a few highlights. Then I'll comment.

 

[bionic]

I'll need to get my B&W TV out and watch a few highlights. Then I'll comment.

Dude you had a black and white tv in the 90's and rarle 2000's jeesh get with the times.

 

[pucky]

Does the OP realize that the Leafs gave up 41 shots to the Red Wings including 19 in the 2nd period?

It seems like this Leafs team give up 40+ shots every game. I guess that has been the norm for a number of years?

 

[Ratboy]

The 1993 team was something special.

This current team has exceeded my expectations. They're flying, they have great goaltending, they can outscore anyone it seems. Work needs to be done on the backend so I expect that to be an issue this year, but damn they're fun to watch.

 

[JianYang]

93 Leafs had forwards, defense, goaltending and oodles of veteran leadership throughout that lineup. It took a supreme effort by Wayne Gretzky himself to take them out in the playoffs.

You need to remind me who was on that defense. I seem to remember a competent defense, but not like a standout one. I think Pat burns teams typically were good at keeping pucks out, but on paper, I don't remember that team for it's defensive roster.

 

[LeafsNation75]

You need to remind me who was on that defense. I seem to remember a competent defense, but not like a standout one. I think Pat burns teams typically were good at keeping pucks out, but on paper, I don't remember that team for it's defensive roster.

Here is a link to their roster from 1993 with all their stats.

1992-93 Toronto Maple Leafs Roster and Statistics | Hockey-Reference.com

 

[Paradoc]

Does the OP realize that the Leafs gave up 41 shots to the Red Wings including 19 in the 2nd period?

It seems like this Leafs team give up 40+ shots every game. I guess that has been the norm for a number of years?

They outshot Tampa Bay and Nashville at their home field just a couple of days ago. The Leafs generally play to the opponent's level of play so that doesn't really surprise me nor should you worry about their performance.

 

[LeafsNation75]

They outshot Tampa Bay and Nashville at their home field just a couple of days ago. The Leafs generally play to the opponent's level of play so that doesn't really surprise me nor should you worry about their performance.

I'm not saying the Leafs need to take non playoff teams lightly, however isn't it better when they can play even better against playoff teams like Tampa Bay and Nashville who will be in the playoffs.

 

[JianYang]

Here is a link to their roster from 1993 with all their stats.

1992-93 Toronto Maple Leafs Roster and Statistics | Hockey-Reference.com

Yeah, looks like a team with dangerous forwards at the top end of the lineup, good goaltending, but just okay on defense.... Maybe that's just me.

 

[Deadly Dogma]

Does the OP realize that the Leafs gave up 41 shots to the Red Wings including 19 in the 2nd period?

It seems like this Leafs team give up 40+ shots every game. I guess that has been the norm for a number of years?

They took the night off till the 3rd. It happens. I have seen this team when all 4 lines are firing on all cylinders and If the Leafs are playing their best I feel that can beat any team.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Best team ever since 67. If the CF is not reached in playoffs it will be a huge disappointment.

Probably one of the worst Cup winning teams we've had.

Were they better than the Barilko year?

 

[Pyrophorus]

I really do.

Part of their success was smoke and mirrors...

I want everyone to remember this.
This will be the excuse when we win it next.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Does the OP realize that the Leafs gave up 41 shots to the Red Wings including 19 in the 2nd period?

It seems like this Leafs team give up 40+ shots every game. I guess that has been the norm for a number of years?

No mention of shots by Nashville?
The agenda is showing.