Confirmed with Link: NHL & NHLPA Reach tentative agreement on 56 game schedule

[Big Muddy]

Not really though. People would find reasons to question if the Leafs won in a regular year....that doesn't lend validity to it. Random people bitching and moaning on the internet means jack.

Sure, I agree that fans will be fans, especially when it comes to all things Maple Leafs. I think what will be different is that they'll actually have a reason this year that has some merit.

 

[Rob Brown]

As (or prior to) the playoffs began, people were commenting that is was an unusual year for sure with unusual circumstances. But in the end, the idea that this was the toughest Cup to win seemed to be where people landed.

Yes, I agree lol. My point is this year won't have an asterisk either.

 

[Mikeyg]

Have you been pulling out Dubus's excel sheets from his garbage?

Have you ever enjoyed something just to enjoy it? Or always miserable?

 

[Deebo]

The reality is people would find a reason to question it no matter what. That is actually real world. The US teams are in no different a situation then the Canadian teams are in. That is just a fact. All 31 teams are playing this season under the same set of rules with the same path to win a title. Some teams in the states have been gifted a far easier path deep in the playoffs as a result while others a much harder one. That is just life.

Some Leaf fans want to preemptively discredit any success the Leafs may have this upcoming season, it's bizzare.

 

[Rob Brown]

???

Thought you said this: "4 teams make the playoffs from each division and you play out of your division for the first two rounds of the playoffs."

Yeah...you play your division in the playoffs in order to get out of it. As in, the Leafs have to play in the Canadian division in order to get out of it. He worded it differently but that is what he meant.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Ya, I'm not sure about that. With this format, its divisional play right through the regular season to the end of the 2nd round (and the beginning of final four conference final). This format got us away from some tough competition. I can't imagine fans from other teams in the U.S. not recognizing this, and/or making an issue of it. That seems more real world.

Not as bad as the Norris/Smythe/Patrick/Adams divisional setup. In the 1987-88 the Leafs were 2nd last and made playoffs with 52 pts, while the Rangers were 11th and missed with 82 pts.

 

[Mess]

Ya, I'm not sure about that. With this format, its divisional play right through the regular season to the end of the 2nd round (and the beginning of final four conference final). This format got us away from some tough competition. I can't imagine fans from other teams in the U.S. not recognizing this, and/or making an issue of it. That seems more real world.

In a 56 game shortened schedule season in an all Canadian Div means 9 games minimum against the other 6 teams + 10 games for 2 others. So 56 games played to eliminate 3 of the 7 Canadian teams to make the playoffs with 1 of those 4 guaranteed to be in the final 4.

Then best of 7 series in round #1 and best of 7 in round #2 in all Div play means a Canadian team could play 2 other Canadian teams 9-10 (reg) + 7 (playoffs) for a total of 16-17 games each.

So Leafs could play Ottawa 10 X to make the playoffs, then Edmonton for 7 more in round #1 and Calgary for #7 more in round #2 before joining the USA 24 team tournament in progress in round #3.

All Canadian teams guaranteed further advancement in the playoffs needing to only be best of 6 others until the final 4, while not playing a single game against 22 of the 24 American based teams will never be seen as normal when the Stanley Cup is awarded as the best team in NHL when you don't actually play 22 of 30 or almost 75% of all NHL teams. IMO

That's almost as abnormal as there could literally be. It be the equivalent of Canada inviting last years SCF finalists Tampa Bay and Dallas up to play in an All Canadian tournament and then awarding the Stanley Cup to one those 7 Canadian or 2 USA teams as the only teams eligible for the 2021 Pandemic Stanley Cup.

 

[ShameOnYouZidlicky]

I'm curious to see how roster sizes will be changed

 

[Buds17]

I'm sure I'll take some heat for making this post, but IF the Leafs are lucky enough to bring home the Cup this year does that solidify Thornton, Spezza, and Tavares as locks for the Hall of Fame? Thornton should make it regardless, but I think this would put a borderline case like Spezza over the top and would solidify Tavares as a future HOFer.

This isn't a comment on our actual odds of winning, just a little thought exercise I dreamt up last night when I was falling asleep.

Not sure that a Cup win changes much. For me, Thornton has done enough to warrant that eventual induction as is. I also agree that Spezza is a borderline case. Finally, it's too early in Tavares' career right now. I think he's trending fairly well though.

 

[123offtheglass]

Would have preferred being in the same division. I think the Leafs would have been near guaranteed a 3rd or 4th place finish.

There's no Boston or Tampa Bay in an all-Canadian division but there are also less patsies:

Roughly at the same level as the Leafs are supposed to be: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg
Possibly coming back up to contention (plus they have the X factor of great goalie): Montreal
Patsies: Ottawa

Besides Ottawa at #7, it's insane how close 1-6 is; should be a fun division to watch, especially in a 56-game season. I could see a division-clinch/playoff-miss going down to the wire.

My guess:
1. Leafs
2. Flames
3. Canucks
4. Canadiens
5. Oilers
6. Jets
7. Ottawa

Wherever Harmonic signs may shake it up.

 

[Buds17]

I'm not entirely set on the order of 1st to 4th place. I think Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary will be the playoff teams within the division though. Unfortunate circumstances for it aside, this temporary division should prove to benefit the Leafs.

 

[GLobello]

Besides Ottawa at #7, it's insane how close 1-6 is; should be a fun division to watch, especially in a 56-game season. I could see a division-clinch/playoff-miss going down to the wire.

My guess:
1. Leafs
2. Flames
3. Canucks
4. Canadiens
5. Oilers
6. Jets
7. Ottawa

Wherever Harmonic signs may shake it up.

Top 4 make playoffs so you got Edmonton missing. That would cause a lot of fireworks but I don't think it happens. Leafs are the best team in this division easily. I have;

Leafs
Oilers
Canucks
Jets
Flames
Habs
Sens

 

[justashadowof]

Besides Ottawa at #7, it's insane how close 1-6 is; should be a fun division to watch, especially in a 56-game season. I could see a division-clinch/playoff-miss going down to the wire.

My guess:
1. Leafs
2. Flames
3. Canucks
4. Canadiens
5. Oilers
6. Jets
7. Ottawa

Wherever Harmonic signs may shake it up.

Indifferent feelings about most Canadian teams excepting Vancouver and Montreal who feel like rivals. I see the Jets as potentially the best team in the division: best forward group top to bottom, middling defense group, quality goalie. I think the Canucks will continue to rise although Holtby could falter. Flames had a mediocre season but they shored up their goaltending. And the Oilers always seem to underachieve. Montreal got harder to play against but they'll have trouble scoring. I don't think the Leafs got better in the off-season. Only Brodie is an upgrade player IMO. The half dozen other vets are past their prime and will get in the way of the team's young stars as much as help IMO. I think the Leafs can finish in the top 4 but won't do well in the playoffs again.

1. Jets
2. Canucks
3. Leafs
4. Flames
5. Oilers
6. Canadiens
7. Senators

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Another aspect of this would be whether most/some hockey fans put an asterisk on the winner of the Stanley Cup this year.

Did they put an asterisk on Tampa Bay's win in 2020?

A Stanley Cup win in a 56 game schedule and lengthy playoff is worthy of no asterisk imo.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Do the US teams play out of division games?

Great point when diminishing the value of a Canadian team winning the Cup. After all, I assume the other divisions are only playing teams in their own division.

 

[Leafsfan74]

Did they put an asterisk on Tampa Bay's win in 2020?

A Stanley Cup win in a 56 game schedule and lengthy playoff is worthy of no asterisk imo.

League sets the rules, the teams all compete on equal terms.

No asterisk will be given, nor would it be warranted.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

League sets the rules, the teams all compete on equal terms.

No asterisk will be given, nor would it be warranted.

It would be akin to minimizing a Stanley Cup win in a regular season because you play in a weak division and good teams got eliminated along the way so that you had an easy path to a Stanley Cup. Nobody should say, "yeah, but you didn't play the President Cup winner, or a divisional winner so the Cup should have an asterisk". Let's enjoy the ride and the possibility of a Stanley Cup win for a Leaf team that is very good and could compete against any team in the league this year.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

1) Leafs - Since the only real downgrade the Leafs had from last year was losing Kapanen, but we added a major upgrade in Brodie and improved our depth, we should easily be #1. Main concern is Andersen, but if he holds up and there are no injuries/major struggles from top players, we should be up there.

2) Jets - This one was a bit of a toss up for me, but the Jets have the next best overall team. Like the Leafs, it mostly comes down to performing. They did not get worse, but they did not get much better either (Eakin to Stastny being their main move).

3) Flames - I think adding Markstrom will be huge for them. Goaltending has been a major question mark for years and now they have two quality goalies in Markstrom and Rittich. They did lose their defensive depth, but it is still a pretty solid defense and their forward group is more or less the same. IDK if they have enough to be #1, but #2 or #3 should be the expectation IMO.

4) Canucks - This one is a toss up between the Oilers and Canucks. The Canucks roster lost a couple of key guys and did not really add anything except a Markstrom replacement. I think they regress, and outside of getting a hot goalie performance in the playoffs, they did not do all that well in the first place. Also have the worst record against Canadian teams in recent history.

5) Oilers - They could go as high as #2, but their goaltending still sucks, their defense is still pretty bad (and that is with Klefbom), they still lack depth all over the place, and it will still mostly come down to McDavid and Draisaitl. McDavid and Drasaitl will have to carry them, and can carry them far, but all of the teams above them have good core players themselves and have much better depth and goaltending.

6) Habs - Great wing group, solid defense, good goaltending, but the lack of center depth is going to kill them and they lack any kind of game-breaking talent. They could make the playoffs, but in general, I think they will be just outside of the pack at the end of things.

7) Sens - Should be really good in a few years, could make some noise, but generally they probably even expect to be last place again this year.

The Leafs are set up on paper to make it to the Final 4. It's up to the top guys (Marner and Andersen especially, given they underperformed last year) to make that happen, and for the depth guys to fall in line behind them. We are the best team in this Canadian Division, so the focus is squarely on the coaching and definitely the players to make it happen.

 

[weems]

Leafs should dominate a canadian division.

 

[Mess]

Did they put an asterisk on Tampa Bay's win in 2020?

A Stanley Cup win in a 56 game schedule and lengthy playoff is worthy of no asterisk imo.

A 56 game schedule against only 6 of the 30 teams, where an all Canadian Div only eliminates 3 of 7 CDN teams, and where 4 qualify for the playoffs, and a Canadian team is guaranteed a 1 in 4 or 25% odds to win the Stanley Cup before the season even starts in a league that has 31 teams. Where a Canadian team under the regular non pandemic rules isn't even guaranteed a playoff spot.

That is because this format guarantees a Canadian team makes the final 4, and can only play 2 of the 24 American teams this year (= do not play >90% of USA based teams) no matter what happens in the regular season or 1st 2 X rounds.

That is all set in stone due to this format.

A Canadian team hasn't won the Cup since 1993 (= 27 years ago) but this stacks the deck heavily in favour of a Canadian team with those 25% guaranteed odds of final 4 and all you have to do is win 2 playoff rounds against none Canadian teams thereafter. You have to love those odds as a Canadian team.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Leafs should dominate a canadian divsion.

That raises my eyebrows:

1. Leafs so high
2. Boston out of the playoffs but NYI in, and that high? I'd have swapped them.
3. Florida that much higher than Carolina? I'd have swapped them.

Interesting, to say the least.

 

[Deebo]

A 56 game schedule against only 6 of the 30 teams, where an all Canadian Div only eliminates 3 of 7 CDN teams, and where 4 qualify for the playoffs, and a Canadian team is guaranteed a 1 in 4 or 25% odds to win the Stanley Cup before the season even starts in a league that has 31 teams. Where a Canadian team under the regular non pandemic rules isn't even guaranteed a playoff spot.

That is because this format guarantees a Canadian team makes the final 4, and can only play 2 of the 24 American teams this year (= do not play >90% of USA based teams) no matter what happens in the regular season or 1st 2 X rounds.

That is all set in stone due to this format.

A Canadian team hasn't won the Cup since 1993 (= 27 years ago) but this stacks the deck heavily in favour of a Canadian team with those 25% guaranteed odds of final 4 and all you have to do is win 2 playoff rounds against none Canadian teams thereafter. You have to love those odds as a Canadian team.

Every division is guaranteed one team in the final 4.

All any team has to do is win 2 rounds outside of their division to win.

3/4 teams in the final 4 will be from a US team, as a fan of a US team you have to love those odds.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

That raises my eyebrows:

1. Leafs so high
2. Boston out of the playoffs but NYI in, and that high? I'd have swapped them.
3. Florida that much higher than Carolina? I'd have swapped them.

Interesting, to say the least.

Agree on Florida and Carolina, but Boston and NYI are separated by 2 points... So it is really too close to call.

I expect our division to be closer TBH. I think MTL will actually be a little bit further behind the pack in the #6 spot (i.e. like 5 points behind) but I can see only a couple of points separating 2-5. Leafs should dominate though, but maybe not that much

 

[weems]

That raises my eyebrows:

1. Leafs so high
2. Boston out of the playoffs but NYI in, and that high? I'd have swapped them.
3. Florida that much higher than Carolina? I'd have swapped them.

Interesting, to say the least.

Haha ya I personally dont think we'd win the division as much as his sim projects but I do think it speaks to the fact that we're probably the only elite team in the division.

 

[Deebo]

In a 56 game shortened schedule season in an all Canadian Div means 9 games minimum against the other 6 teams + 10 games for 2 others. So 56 games played to eliminate 3 of the 7 Canadian teams to make the playoffs with 1 of those 4 guaranteed to be in the final 4.
Then best of 7 series in round #1 and best of 7 in round #2 in all Div play means a Canadian team could play 2 other Canadian teams 9-10 (reg) + 7 (playoffs) for a total of 16-17 games each.
So Leafs could play Ottawa 10 X to make the playoffs, then Edmonton for 7 more in round #1 and Calgary for #7 more in round #2 before joining the USA 24 team tournament in progress in round #3.
All Canadian teams guaranteed further advancement in the playoffs needing to only be best of 6 others until the final 4, while not playing a single game against 22 of the 24 American based teams will never be seen as normal when the Stanley Cup is awarded as the best team in NHL when you don't actually play 22 of 30 or almost 75% of all NHL teams. IMO

In a 56 game shortened schedule season in an all Central Div means 8 against the other 7 teams So 56 games played to eliminate 4 of the 8 central teams to make the playoffs with 1 of those 4 guaranteed to be in the final 4.

Then best of 7 series in round #1 and best of 7 in round #2 in all Div play means a Central team could play 2 other Central teams 8 (reg) + 7 (playoffs) for a total of 15 games each.

So Tampa Bay could play Deroit 8 X to make the playoffs, then Columbus for 7 more in round #1 and Nashville for 7 more in round #2 before joining the Pacific, Canadian and Atlantic divisions.

All Central teams guaranteed further advancement in the playoffs needing to only be best of 7 others until the final 4, while not playing a single game against 21 of the 23 the Pacific, Canadian and Atlantic based teams will never be seen as normal when the Stanley Cup is awarded as the best team in NHL when you don't actually play 21 of 30 or almost 75% of all NHL teams. IMO