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

TheDoldrums

Registered User
May 3, 2016
12,154
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Kanada
If the All-Canadian division happens we've never been set up better for a playoff run. Don't have to beat any teams that look scary to make the final four. Majority of our team has been practicing together while some of the other Canadian teams haven't had their facilities open. It's there for the taking.
 

Rants Mulliniks

Registered User
Jun 22, 2008
22,958
6,029
One thing I like is that in a shortened schedule, you basically need to bring it every night. Can't afford slumps really or you'll bury yourself. Time to step up boys!

Actually over 20 years ago I did up a mock league of my preferences. 20 teams, 10 US, 10 Canada. Conferences split by country. Cup final always has one from each country. I will have to dig it up but my schedule was 50 - 60 games. You played every team twice (home and away) with the rest designed to increase rivalries in house. This is probably the closest I will see to that mock up.
 

Mess

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Feb 27, 2002
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But the Leafs odds of advancing against a Canadian opponent are no different than if they played an American team. A Canadian team advancing is of no benefit to the Leafs unless its them doing it.

I don't see how this is anymore an Asterix season vs the multiple other times the league has changed division or playoff formats in an ad hoc manner.

Sure alignment happens sometimes but you still play all the teams in the league numerous times throughout the season.

This suggestion is a 56 game regular schedule all played against only 6 teams, while not playing the other 24 teams even a single time in the regular season. When has that ever happened in NHL history previously?

Of those 7 CDN teams 4 are guaranteed to make the playoffs, and 2 are guaranteed to be in round #2 no matter what happens. You're never going to get any better odds than that !!!.

Considering last year the top 10 best teams in the standings all played in the USA, so that puts all 7 of the CDN in the bottom 20 in strength of competition. So you're eliminating 1/3 the leagues best teams from the Canadian Div competition, while guaranteeing 1 of those a final 4 spot in the playoffs in round #3.

So while Toronto gets to play Ottawa 9-10 times in the regular season, a team like Boston from our original Div needs to play Pens (Crosby/Malkin), Was (OV) and Philly 9-10 times etc just to qualify for the playoffs. Strength of Schedule of Div is not balanced, where equal odds of advancement would assume all teams are equal in strength so it doesn't matter whom you play.

For a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup they only have to beat 6 other Canadian teams, and max 2 or 24 USA teams or 8 teams total to hoist the Cup and potentially never face Boston, TB, Pitts, Washington etc even a single game.

Our Leafs are never going to get a better opportunity then this Astrix filled pandemic season to advance to round #2 alone, to break that 16 year streak of not advancing past round #1 when we had to play all the good teams most of which all resided in the USA since a Canadian team hasn't won the Cup in 27 years. :)
 
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BoredBrandonPridham

Registered User
Aug 9, 2011
7,573
4,061
Sure alignment happens sometimes but you still play all the teams in the league numerous times throughout the season.

This suggestion is a 56 game regular schedule all played against only 6 teams, while not playing the other 24 teams even a single time in the regular season. When has that ever happened in NHL history previously?

Of those 7 CDN teams 4 are guaranteed to make the playoffs, and 2 are guaranteed to be in round #2 no matter what happens. You're never going to get any better odds than that !!!.

Considering last year the top 10 best teams in the standings all played in the USA, so that puts all 7 of the CDN in the bottom 20 in strength of competition. So you're eliminating 1/3 the leagues best teams from the Canadian Div competition, while guaranteeing 1 of those a final 4 spot in the playoffs.

So while Toronto gets to play Ottawa 9-10 times in the regular season, a team like Boston from our original Div needs to play Pens (Crosby/Malkin), Was (OV) and Philly 9-10 times etc just to qualify for the playoffs. Strength of Schedule of Div is not balanced.

For a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup they only have to beat 6 other Canadian teams, and max 2 or 24 USA teams or 8 teams total to hoist the Cup and potentially never face Boston, TB, Pitts, Washington etc even a single game.

Our Leafs are never going to get a better opportunity then this Astrix filled pandemic season to advance to round #2 alone, to break that 16 year streak of not advancing past round #1 when we had to play all the good teams most of which all resided in the USA since a Canadian team hasn't won the Cup in 27 years. :)

It's not all that insightful to just list the teams in the divisions and who they play, and a couple of the best players on those teams. If you really want to make a point about whether or not there should be an asterisk on the season, can you give an insight into how much a difference it actually makes to play the collective difficulty in our division v.s. the collective difficulty of the league, including the bad teams outside our division and the good teams inside our division?

Given number of wins last season, average number of wins for all Canadian teams (not including leafs) is 33.6, and average number of wins for all teams (not including leafs) is 34.6. So on average one win across the entire league. I don't really see the big deal.
 
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Advanced stats

Registered User
May 26, 2010
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Last 2 weeks of July look to be insane.

Presumably the Stanley Cup finals run till the 18th or so.

July 17: expansion draft submission lists
July 21: expansion draft.
July 23: entry draft
July 28: free agency begins.

...all while the Olympics are on.
 

Big Muddy

Registered User
Dec 15, 2019
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An asterisk doesn’t necessarily need to be negative, it’s just a way to denote an unusual situation.
Correct. I'm not taking the emotional approach here. This is a different set up versus what has been customary over the last number of years (decades perhaps).

Its interesting that we play against the other Canadian teams which I believe should (stuff can happen obviously) make it a little easier for us, and noting that having at least one Canadian team in the final four isn't something (via rules & playoff format) that's usual i.e., hasn't happened a lot lately. IIRC, its not something that has happened often over the last few decades. I think its an opportune time for us to have a good year.

It was also interesting that the two teams (TBL & Dallas) that were in the Cup finals last year end up in the same division. That is also noteworthy from the perspective of a contrast to how things have worked out in different ways under the new playoff format.
 
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Big Muddy

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Dec 15, 2019
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If the All-Canadian division happens we've never been set up better for a playoff run. Don't have to beat any teams that look scary to make the final four. Majority of our team has been practicing together while some of the other Canadian teams haven't had their facilities open. It's there for the taking.
I agree. The stars have aligned nicely for us. Now we need to execute.
 
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LeafsOHLRangers98

Registered User
Jun 13, 2017
6,572
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So the Taxi squad will basically let you carry 29 skaters at all times.

F: 13
Matthews
Marner
Nylander
Tavares
Hyman
Mikheyev
Kerfoot
Thornton
Simmonds
Spezza
Vesey
Robertson
Barabanov

Taxi: 4
Engvall
Petan
Boyd
Anderson

Possible: Brooks/Korshkov/Kossila/Malgin

D: 8
Rielly
Muzzin
Brodie
Holl
Dermott
Lehtonen
Sandin
Bogosian

Taxi: 1

Liljegren

Possible: Marincin/Rosen/Kivihalme

G: 2
Andersen
Campbell

Taxi: 1
Dell

Could see us dropping Boyd and adding another D for depth ahead of Marincin but other than that the depth is looking great.
 

Gabriel426

Registered User
Jun 30, 2015
16,521
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This Canadian division will be tougher than most think and playoffs will be a battle like always, as like all playoffs, Leafs will have to win against good teams.

Do players need to pass waiver to get on Taxi Squad?
 
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Deebo

Registered User
Jan 28, 2005
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Toronto
It's not all that insightful to just list the teams in the divisions and who they play, and a couple of the best players on those teams. If you really want to make a point about whether or not there should be an asterisk on the season, can you give an insight into how much a difference it actually makes to play the collective difficulty in our division v.s. the collective difficulty of the league, including the bad teams outside our division and the good teams inside our division?

Given number of wins last season, average number of wins for all Canadian teams (not including leafs) is 33.6, and average number of wins for all teams (not including leafs) is 34.6. So on average one win across the entire league. I don't really see the big deal.

It isn't a big deal, just a lame attempt to deglitimize any success the Leafs may have this season.

Every claimed "advantage" this format gives the Leafs, applies to every team in the league, this will be true no matter how many times the same nonsense is posted with slightly different words.

Every US team only plays with in thier division and will not play 23 teams even a single time in the regular season.
Every division guarantees 4 teams in the playoffs
Every division guarantees 2 teams in round 2
Every division guarantees 1 team in round 3
Every division has has at least 2 bottom 10 teams (Pacific has 4, including 3 of the bottom 5 teams from last year)
 

TheBeastCoast

Registered User
Mar 23, 2011
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Dartmouth,NS
Sure alignment happens sometimes but you still play all the teams in the league numerous times throughout the season.

This suggestion is a 56 game regular schedule all played against only 6 teams, while not playing the other 24 teams even a single time in the regular season. When has that ever happened in NHL history previously?

Of those 7 CDN teams 4 are guaranteed to make the playoffs, and 2 are guaranteed to be in round #2 no matter what happens. You're never going to get any better odds than that !!!.

Considering last year the top 10 best teams in the standings all played in the USA, so that puts all 7 of the CDN in the bottom 20 in strength of competition. So you're eliminating 1/3 the leagues best teams from the Canadian Div competition, while guaranteeing 1 of those a final 4 spot in the playoffs in round #3.

So while Toronto gets to play Ottawa 9-10 times in the regular season, a team like Boston from our original Div needs to play Pens (Crosby/Malkin), Was (OV) and Philly 9-10 times etc just to qualify for the playoffs. Strength of Schedule of Div is not balanced, where equal odds of advancement would assume all teams are equal in strength so it doesn't matter whom you play.

For a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup they only have to beat 6 other Canadian teams, and max 2 or 24 USA teams or 8 teams total to hoist the Cup and potentially never face Boston, TB, Pitts, Washington etc even a single game.

Our Leafs are never going to get a better opportunity then this Astrix filled pandemic season to advance to round #2 alone, to break that 16 year streak of not advancing past round #1 when we had to play all the good teams most of which all resided in the USA since a Canadian team hasn't won the Cup in 27 years. :)
Are you going to continue this misleading and stupid point incessantly without ever responding to the people who have tried to explain why your weird fixation on the Canadian teams in this season is just flat out wrong. It is really really weird seeing a supposed Leaf fan working this hard to try and delegitimize the Leafs season before it even begins. Do better.
 

SeaOfBlue

The Passion That Unites Us All
Aug 1, 2013
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So the Taxi squad will basically let you carry 29 skaters at all times.

F: 13
Matthews
Marner
Nylander
Tavares
Hyman
Mikheyev
Kerfoot
Thornton
Simmonds
Spezza
Vesey
Robertson
Barabanov

Taxi: 4
Engvall
Petan
Boyd
Anderson

Possible: Brooks/Korshkov/Kossila/Malgin

D: 8
Rielly
Muzzin
Brodie
Holl
Dermott
Lehtonen
Sandin
Bogosian

Taxi: 1

Liljegren

Possible: Marincin/Rosen/Kivihalme

G: 2
Andersen
Campbell

Taxi: 1
Dell

Could see us dropping Boyd and adding another D for depth ahead of Marincin but other than that the depth is looking great.

I think Sandin would have to come off of the main roster, and if there is an AHL season, we likely don't see prospects sitting on the taxi squad.

I think we see Dell in net, Marincin and Rosen on defense, and then Engvall and a couple of UFA's at forward. If we lose Anderson, Boyd, and Petan, on top of Malgin, from our AHL roster, we are without 2/3's of our AHL top 6 without anyone to really replace them. I highly doubt we go into the season like that. We could also sign a guy like Bowey to be on the taxi squad and then have Rosen in the AHL. Bowey may benefit from our development staff, even if he does not play very often.
 
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Big Muddy

Registered User
Dec 15, 2019
8,583
4,085
Observations regarding the Canadian division through the lens of last year.

22.6% of NHL teams are Canadian.

Regular season results for Canadian teams:

1 team placed in the top 10. (10% of total teams), Edmonton was 9th seed

2 teams placed in the top 12 (6.5% of total teams)

Calgary was the next highest seed at 17th.

5 of 7 Canadian teams placed in the bottom half of the standings

Playoff results for Canadian teams:

0 teams in the Conference finals

 
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TheTotalPackage

Registered User
Sep 14, 2006
7,302
5,449
Official on paper, which is good. Whether they can nail down all the details by then is another matter.

The training camp situation seems sketchy. The 7 teams off the last 9.5 months will have two weeks and only four days more than the rest? And 10 days for the remaining teams and no pre-season games. Cramming a lot in a short period of time.
 
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Leafsfan74

Registered User
Jul 2, 2018
4,781
4,914
This Canadian division will be tougher than most think and playoffs will be a battle like always, as like all playoffs, Leafs will have to win against good teams.

Do players need to pass waiver to get on Taxi Squad?

Nothing is easy in professional team sports.

I will say, if the NHL were looking to find a shot in the arm and a story to help the league drive more than diehard fan interest, a Cup in Toronto especially could provide a boost. Especially with American born Matthews on the team, as he has a huge following south of the border.
 

fahad203

Registered User
Oct 3, 2009
36,023
18,847
So the Taxi squad will basically let you carry 29 skaters at all times.

F: 13
Matthews
Marner
Nylander
Tavares
Hyman
Mikheyev
Kerfoot
Thornton
Simmonds
Spezza
Vesey
Robertson
Barabanov

Taxi: 4
Engvall
Petan
Boyd
Anderson

Possible: Brooks/Korshkov/Kossila/Malgin

D: 8
Rielly
Muzzin
Brodie
Holl
Dermott
Lehtonen
Sandin
Bogosian

Taxi: 1

Liljegren

Possible: Marincin/Rosen/Kivihalme

G: 2
Andersen
Campbell

Taxi: 1
Dell

Could see us dropping Boyd and adding another D for depth ahead of Marincin but other than that the depth is looking great.


I can’t see Petan anywhere near this team. Dude is not good. He was given every opportunity. He’s an AHLer that’s here he should stay.

I also don’t see Vessey over Engvall actually has some upsides and kills penalties. He was decent in the playoffs too and it was just his rookie year. I think he’s part of the main squad to start.
 

Menzinger

Kessel4LadyByng
Apr 24, 2014
40,973
32,364
St. Paul, MN
Going to be interesting. Early games will probably have a lot of line experiments.

At the same time with just 56 games too, each one is more valuable to win than during a regular 82 game season
 

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