Leafs win 20 times in 31 games, third fastest in franchise history

[dangomon]

The Leafs won their 20th game last night against EDM in their 31st game of the season. This is tied for third fastest mark to 20 wins in franchise history. The only seasons quicker were 1934-35 (28 GP) and 1946-47 (30GP).

Seems like people always have something to complain about with the Leafs, whether it be Freddy's slow start, the shots against totals, the young forwards slumping etc. but this team continues to win consistently. Tough December scheduling should be fun, but I see no reason why they can't continue winning at this pace and surpassing 100 points easily.

As tweet by the LeafsPR twitter.

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[SprDaVE]

Winning is fun. The weird thing is that they can play so much better but it's been a bit of a weird season so far. We couldn't get a save in October but were dominating much of the games in that month. November has seen us getting some of the best goaltender we've had in decades but some scoring slumps and bad play stretches sort of stinks that up a bit.

Either way, it's nice to see that we're a top 5 team in this league right now. A lot of things have gone our way. I hope they can keep it up.

We all want this team to win and I think we can all agree that there is room for improvement.

 

[Mugzy97]

Not good enough, the expectation was to win all 31 of these games so far.

 

[Gary Nylund]

The Leafs won their 20th game last night against EDM in their 31st game of the season. This is tied for third fastest mark to 20 wins in franchise history. The only seasons quicker were 1934-35 (28 GP) and 1946-47 (30GP).

Seems like people always have something to complain about with the Leafs, whether it be Freddy's slow start, the shots against totals, the young forwards slumping etc. but this team continues to win consistently. Tough December scheduling should be fun, but I see no reason why they can't continue winning at this pace and surpassing 100 points easily.

As tweet by the LeafsPR twitter.

This is the third thread I've seen today where this has been brought up. I feel it only fair to add some perspective - with 3 on 3 OT and shootouts, it's much easier to put wins on the board than it once was so calling this an "all-time" record is a stretch. We're having a good season and we look to be a team on the rise, no need to make things sound better than they really are. JMHO.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Winning is fun. The weird thing is that they can play so much better but it's been a bit of a weird season so far. We couldn't get a save in October but were dominating much of the games in that month. November has seen us getting some of the best goaltender we've had in decades but some scoring slumps and bad play stretches sort of stinks that up a bit.

Either way, it's nice to see that we're a top 5 team in this league right now. A lot of things have gone our way. I hope they can keep it up.

We all want this team to win and I think we can all agree that there is room for improvement.

Not to be a nit but I'm pretty sure we're 6th overall.

 

[Mess]

Its quite odd considering so many complaints we hear daily about bad line combos and poor coaching decisions by Babcock to get the Leafs this much success.

A coach is generally judged by his teams Win-Loss record, and the stats show he is doing an exceptional job this year.

 

[SprDaVE]

Not to be a nit but I'm pretty sure we're 6th overall.

We're fourth overall with 41 points. Nashville has 40 points but 2 less games played.

Technically we're top 5 right now but maybe not once games played are evened out. We're also fourth overall in GF/GA differential.

 

[dangomon]

We're fourth overall with 41 points. Nashville has 40 points but 2 less games played.

Technically we're top 5 right now but maybe not once games played are evened out. We're also fourth overall in GF/GA differential.

This early in the season I think it's beneficial to disregard overall points a bit and look at P%. This puts us 6th, which factors in the games in hand to some extent.

 

[Mess]

Many thought Tampa Bay would be the class of the East this year and the team the Leafs would be chasing in the Atlantic Div and so far after 1/3 of a season our Leafs are hanging in there keeping the high powered Lightning within striking distance.

Got to give Babcock full credit for keeping the Leafs steady and moving in the right direction showing last year wasn't a fluke and why he was a Jack Adams coach of the year finalist and considered among the best and this job.

 

[SprDaVE]

Many thought Tampa Bay would be the class of the East this year and the team the Leafs would be chasing in the Atlantic Div and so far after 1/3 of a season our Leafs are hanging in there keeping the high powered Lightning within striking distance.

Got to give Babcock full credit for keeping the Leafs steady and moving in the right direction showing last year wasn't a fluke and why he was a Jack Adams coach of the year finalist and considered among the best and this job.

If only Babcock would take a page out of Coopers book and actually tried to have a first line, or at least having linemates that can keep up with each other, maybe there would be less negativity in terms of capabilities.

 

[SprDaVE]

This early in the season I think it's beneficial to disregard overall points a bit and look at P%. This puts us 6th, which factors in the games in hand to some extent.

Agreed... but either way, not much of a difference even if you look at P%.

 

[Gary Nylund]

This early in the season I think it's beneficial to disregard overall points a bit and look at P%. This puts us 6th, which factors in the games in hand to some extent.

This. I don't what the site is that lists in order of PPG% but just looking at the standings by points I can see that we're 6th, just barely ahead of CLB and WPG. We're a top 10 team, that's cool. And with the teams so closely bunched together there's not really much difference between 4th and 8th so let's see where we are a month from now.

 

[ULF_55]

If only Babcock would take a page out of Coopers book and actually tried to have a first line, or at least having linemates that can keep up with each other, maybe there would be less negativity in terms of capabilities.

How often, in modern Cap Era, has the 1st. place team won the Cup?

 

[Mess]

If only Babcock would take a page out of Coopers book and actually tried to have a first line, or at least having linemates that can keep up with each other, maybe there would be less negativity in terms of capabilities.

Also less wins and points potentially also.

What might be most impressive about Leafs first 1/3rd of the season 20 wins is that Leafs best player Matthews has missed 5 games, and Leafs won all 5 in his absence. So its not about a 1st line its about good coaching delivery positive results.

Probably only going to be a matter of time before some unsatisfied fans accept and enjoy the team results and decide to stop questioning the coaching methods to achieve them, and simply accept its good coaching that is reason behind them.

 

[SprDaVE]

How often, in modern Cap Era, has the 1st. place team won the Cup?

Not sure but that shouldn't matter much? The league is so balanced, especially teams in the playoffs, that I wouldn't bet a whole lot of money for one team to win it all.

Pittsburgh were the 2nd best team last season.

 

[SprDaVE]

Also less wins and points potentially also.

What might be most impressive about Leafs first 1/3rd of the season 20 wins is that Leafs best player Matthews has missed 5 games, and Leafs won all 5 in his absence. So its not about a 1st line its about good coaching delivery positive results.

Probably only going to be a matter of time before some unsatisfied fans accept and enjoy the team results and decide to stop questioning the coaching methods to achieve them, and simply accept its good coaching that is reason behind them.

Nothing positive about last night I can tell you that much.

This isn't about questioning the coach, who make mistakes all the time by the way, something he admits. It's about wanting the best for the team and I think there are legit question marks about the team despite being where we are.

If you think we've played great hockey, I'm not sure what to tell you.

 

[ULF_55]

Not sure but that shouldn't matter much? The league is so balanced, especially teams in the playoffs, that I wouldn't bet a whole lot of money for one team to win it all.

Pittsburgh were the 2nd best team last season.

I guess Babcock's goal might not be to end up first overall, but to build his team into a Cup contender, which might mean leaving some offense in the cupboard for a better prepared group.

While they're safely in a playoff position he doesn't need to load up the 1st. or 2nd. line.

Perhaps his line composition is more about building than it is winning.

 

[Morgs]

It's nice having these wins, especially through this bad stretch of play. But it's without a doubt not sustainable if we're going to keep getting killed in certain aspects. Eventually we aren't going to have all-world goaltending to solve our problems.

So many easy fixes to really improve our team, but stubborn Babs being stubborn Babs.

 

[SprDaVE]

I guess Babcock's goal might not be to end up first overall, but to build his team into a Cup contender, which might mean leaving some offense in the cupboard for a better prepared group.

While they're safely in a playoff position he doesn't need to load up the 1st. or 2nd. line.

Perhaps his line composition is more about building than it is winning.

I think Cooper is showing that you can even better by "loading" up a line, or playing skilled players together.

Criticising line choices doesn't mean I or someone else doesn't like what Babcock is doing. He's a great coach and it's obvious with the results we've seen.

 

[ULF_55]

I think Cooper is showing that you can even more by "loading" up a line, or playing skilled players together.

Criticising line choices doesn't mean I or someone else doesn't like what Babcock is doing. He's a great coach and it's obvious with the results we've seen.

Perhaps, but I think Cooper's core is about now, and other than Point and Sergachev, are veterans. Leafs core has a gap between their future and those on their later stages of their career.

 

[Bluelines]

I guess Babcock's goal might not be to end up first overall, but to build his team into a Cup contender, which might mean leaving some offense in the cupboard for a better prepared group.

While they're safely in a playoff position he doesn't need to load up the 1st. or 2nd. line.

Perhaps his line composition is more about building than it is winning.

I think you hit it on the head, he is building a team that he can put any line out against any other line and has confidence that every line will have consistency to its game.

He probably does not want to create a team that rely too much on one line, just in case one line slumps or we have injuries or the other team shuts down our best line. We've seen one line teams dominate the regular season only to be punted out of the playoffs in the 1st or 2nd round... Washington I'm looking at you...

 

[ShaneFalco]

I'll give credit where credit us due - the wins are nice. But the lines just aren't working very well but they've been getting the bounces and some grade-A goal-tending.

 

[dangomon]

I'll give credit where credit us due - the wins are nice. But the lines just aren't working very well but they've been getting the bounces and some grade-A goal-tending.

Send one more message 6,999 is just not sitting well with me!

 

[al secord]

I won't be satisfied until Hyman is off of Nylander's line.

 

[hoglund]

The Leafs won their 20th game last night against EDM in their 31st game of the season. This is tied for third fastest mark to 20 wins in franchise history. The only seasons quicker were 1934-35 (28 GP) and 1946-47 (30GP).

Seems like people always have something to complain about with the Leafs, whether it be Freddy's slow start, the shots against totals, the young forwards slumping etc. but this team continues to win consistently. Tough December scheduling should be fun, but I see no reason why they can't continue winning at this pace and surpassing 100 points easily.

As tweet by the LeafsPR twitter.

current stats can no longer be compared to past because in the past there was no such thing as an overtime win in regulation. Same with total points, you're comparing apples to oranges.