Maple Leafs "window" officially closed.

[GoBuds14]

Look at last seasons stats. SA/G, GA/G, Team SV%. Top 10.

I know the statistics, although the divisions make it almost impossible to compare to the rest of the league. Again, I think they’re solid in both areas, maybe with enough wiggle room to be top 10. I’m not sold on the bottom 2 defence, although Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie, Holl were quite good last season

 

[RorschachWJK]

Let's hope that window gets painted shut.

Well, one might think that during 54 years, it has probably been painted a few times...

 

[A1LeafNation]

I know the statistics, although the divisions make it almost impossible to compare to the rest of the league. Again, I think they’re solid in both areas, maybe with enough wiggle room to be top 10. I’m not sold on the bottom 2 defence, although Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie, Holl were quite good last season

And Dermott was a solid #5-6. So at worst we pick up a bottom pairing guy if Liljegren or Sandin aren't up to the task.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

I do absolutely get it. They cooled off. Doesn’t change the fact that you nit picked a game # to fudge the point.

Finally. They were not on a hot streak.

Thanks for your honesty.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

You’re in every Leaf thread, but you’re clearly not a Leaf fan. What is it about the Leafs that keeps drawing you back in?

Bad memory of 1967.

Eve of "Terre des Hommes". I was 17, on the verge of turning 18.

But seriously, I don't have the time to follow all teams.

For a while, it was the Bruins.

Now, it's the Leafs.

I don't dare to go on the Canadiens' Board.

I prefer to keep my illusions about the honesty and fair-mindness of Montréal's fans.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Again, what is your point? Do you consider that playing every night? Do you not understand this will be the first year that Sandin is expected to come in and have a regular role with the team?

My point is simple: He will have to take a major step forward.

 

[GoBuds14]

Bad memory of 1967.

Eve of "Terre des Hommes". I was 17, on the verge of turning 18.

But seriously, I don't have the time to follow all teams.

For a while, it was the Bruins.

Now, it's the Leafs.

I don't dare to go on the Canadiens' Board.

I prefer to keep my illusions about the honesty and fair-mindness of Montréal's fans.

Lol I respect that answer

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Look at last seasons stats. SA/G, GA/G, Team SV%. Top 10.

So you think Campbell's going to go on another one of those insane runs he had last year? Him putting up those numbers is the only way the Leafs will have top 10 goaltending next season.

 

[GoBuds14]

So you think Campbell's going to go on another one of those insane runs he had last year? Him putting up those numbers is the only way the Leafs will have top 10 goaltending next season.

For sure a big question mark, I do like they have Mrazek. 2 capable goalies should help keep both guys motivated and fresh, it’s worked for a lot of teams. But let’s be real, neither guy is elite

 

[Lshap]

I know the statistics, although the divisions make it almost impossible to compare to the rest of the league. Again, I think they’re solid in both areas, maybe with enough wiggle room to be top 10. I’m not sold on the bottom 2 defence, although Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie, Holl were quite good last season

This is how I see the Leafs. The meme about their D sucking can be put to bed – after watching them play my Habs there's no question Toronto's D is good. How good is the question. Top-10 is very optimistic, but not impossible.

For me, the major question mark is goaltending. I like Campbell. He's too good to be dismissed as a fluke, but too untested to be declared an upper-tier starter. If I had to guess, that will be the Leafs' achilles heel.

Leafs' offence remains scary, although depth might be a problem (but I don't feel qualified to dive deep).

And I agree 100% about comparing league-wide stats between divisions that played against different competition.

 

[The90]

So you think Campbell's going to go on another one of those insane runs he had last year? Him putting up those numbers is the only way the Leafs will have top 10 goaltending next season.

I’d say if that will repeat it’ll be a result of team defence not an other worldly performance. Campbell made all the saves he should make last year. Difference between that and an elite goalie is they make saves they shouldn’t make.

I don’t think they’re top 10, middle of the road is a more honest assessment.

 

[A1LeafNation]

So you think Campbell's going to go on another one of those insane runs he had last year? Him putting up those numbers is the only way the Leafs will have top 10 goaltending next season.

I think Mrazek and Campbell are a similar duo to Andersen and Campbell. Mrazek has been putting up better numbers than Andersen the last two seasons.

 

[PaulD]

So many good players making impacts for the Leafs just thrown away due to Money Mitch and Moolah Matthews contracts. How long can they continue cycling League Min players. The amount of Hall of Fame 38 year old home discount type players has to run dry eventually no?

And don't think for a second some guys in the room arent asking themselves the very same question.

 

[UrbanImpact]

It was closed the moment JT signed his contract and when Marner and Mathews took Dubas to the shed and worked him in the contract negotiations.

 

[Pyrophorus]

One time line
2020 season.
When divisions were normal and the leafs had unto play the 24 teams in the states too.
Not just the six light weights in Canada

When did we finish close to the Devils?
Certainly wasn't the past season, where FLA picked up.

Looks like 2 timelines to me.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

It's the same team as last year, how has their window closed?

Top 10 offence.
Top 10 defence.
Top 10 goaltending.

Can't get out of the first round but they still have the pieces to contend or pieces to trade in order to be a contender.

Dubas won't make it if they lose again in the first round, but the bones of this team are fine.

/thread

As others have said already you can’t compare the various divisions based on last year. The best you can say is that the Leafs were Canada’s top team in the regular season. And I think it’s fair to predict they will be the best Canadian team this year too.

In terms of where I’d rank them:
1. Top 3 offense
2. Average D
3. Average to below average goaltending. They don’t have a bona fide proven starter like many teams do. Campbell has never started for a full 82 game season. They do have two decent 1A/1B goalies but I prefer the teams with a proven starter.

 

[PaulD]

When did we finish close to the Devils?
Certainly wasn't the past season, where FLA picked up.

Looks like 2 timelines to me.

Who the hell mentioned the Devils.......besides you, just now.

In brought up one time line - 2020

Loafs bubble team battling for wild card spots with " Panthers, jackets , Rangers.
All well behind front runners Boston and Tbay.

One time line
No Devils in this equation

 

[Pyrophorus]

Who the hell mentioned the Devils.......besides you, just now.

In brought up one time line - 2020

Loafs bubble team battling for wild card spots with " Panthers, jackets , Rangers.
All well behind front runners Boston and Tbay.

One time line
No Devils in this equation

Sorry, Rangers.
...and again we didn't finish close to them.

 

[GoBuds14]

As others have said already you can’t compare the various divisions based on last year. The best you can say is that the Leafs were Canada’s top team in the regular season. And I think it’s fair to predict they will be the best Canadian team this year too.

In terms of where I’d rank them:
1. Top 3 offense
2. Average D
3. Average to below average goaltending. They don’t have a bona fide proven starter like many teams do. Campbell has never started for a full 82 game season. They do have two decent 1A/1B goalies but I prefer the teams with a proven starter.

I pretty much agree with all of this. I see a lot of posters (not your post) argue that their defence is horrible, which just isn’t the case. They’re solid and we’re solid last year, however they’re clearly not in the upper echelon in this area. I look at the goaltending in a similar light, they have potential to be very solid for the Leafs, but they won’t be a top 5 tandem.

What does this add up to? Anyone’s guess, I think good enough to win a round if the stars align but they don’t look like a Stanley cup winning team at all

 

[PaulD]

Sorry, Rangers.
...and again we didn't finish close to them.

Leafs ............70 36 25 9 81
Rangers....70 37 28 5 79

Yea, not even close.

No worries , we must have been thinking of different seasons
Cheers

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Sorry, Rangers.
...and again we didn't finish close to them.

2 points is not close?

That was the difference in 2019-2020...

Unless that's not the season being discussed.

 

[PaulD]

I pretty much agree with all of this. I see a lot of posters (not your post) argue that their defence is horrible, which just isn’t the case. They’re solid and we’re solid last year, however they’re clearly not in the upper echelon in this area. I look at the goaltending in a similar light, they have potential to be very solid for the Leafs, but they won’t be a top 5 tandem.

What does this add up to? Anyone’s guess, I think good enough to win a round if the stars align but they don’t look like a Stanley cup winning team at all

Not at all.
Leafs fans are now starting to do what alot of my fellow Hab fans have been doing for years of losing.......comparing the team to last years team.
Comparing their team to the heavy weight contenders takes a lot of kool aid.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I think you’re vastly overrating what Hyman brings. Much harder to get a Matthews or Marner skill set. It would’ve been nice to keep Hyman but it’s not a huge loss and our forward group is better overall now imo. We’ll all find out the answer soon enough.

How so? I'm not calling him an all-star or a potential MVP candidate. I'm saying what he brings isn't so easily replaced by the collection of players with zero track record that Dubas brought in.

If he'd brought in a Coleman or re-acquired a guy like Conor Brown, that would be something else. Both those guys have a resume of being able to fill a similar role to Hyman. But none of the guys Dubas brought in have any history of doing what Hyman does.

 

[GoBuds14]

Not at all.
Leafs fans are now starting to do what alot of my fellow Hab fans have been doing for years of losing.......comparing the team to last years team.
Comparing to the heavy weight contenders takes alot of kool aid.

I think this upcoming years Leaf team looks close to the same as last seasons, they’ll win a good share of regular season games, but I don’t see them being good enough defensively to be a real contender AND they have questionable depth in the bottom 6

 

[JAK]

You literally went back as many games as was convenient to find the worst possible record, instead of just putting their entire record out.

You can nit pick a stat all you want, but don’t try to ride out on a white horse because of it. It’s still a cherry picked stat (and you know that)

Totally. And under keefe once that evened out, what was the total record? Oh right, don’t want to post that. Doesn’t paint the picture you want it to

All those custom 27 game trends that are always used. In statistics we’ll use 27 instead of 30 now because that’s where beachamp draws the line lol. Good joke

I’d prefer an honest stat that doesn’t go back to look for the worst possible record and to cut it off there.

Edit: He literally cuts it at a point where they win 9/10 games. I didn’t even have to check and knew that would be the case. Good stuff beachamp!

Have you never seen a team play much better under a new coach, and then drops off to the regular team playing ability? It happens almost every coaching change.

You’re in every Leaf thread, but you’re clearly not a Leaf fan. What is it about the Leafs that keeps drawing you back in?

So it's okay for Leafs fans to turn every thread to be about the Leafs, but not okay for any other fans to participate in a Leafs thread?

If you want a circle jerking cheer squad thread, go back to the Leafs forum.