Playoff Race Thread - The Stretch Run

[stickty111]

Just to lose in the first round by a team that can check

Yup the speedy Canes got swept by a team that can check in the Isles.

Wait

 

[stickty111]

Goalie lost the game, but getting help on the scoreboard again today.

 

[LeafsNation75]

The Flyers are going to defeat the Panthers 6-2.

I was also worried the Panthers were going to have another miracle comeback because at one point they were losing 4-0 and made it a 4-2 game in the 3rd period.

 

[1specter]

This 'race' is like watching two drunks stumbling around and seeing which one falls backwards over the finish line first. Pathetic really

 

[cbbb25]

This 'race' is like watching two drunks stumbling around and seeing which one falls backwards over the finish line first. Pathetic really

Its looking like 3rd place in the Atlantic is going have a worse record than both WC spots.

Toronto hasnt won a game in regulation since January 29th and Florida has gone 1-5-1 since beating the leafs. Neither Florida nor Toronto look good at all. Though insanely far back both Buffalo and Montreal have been gifted the "dream" of still making playoffs because how garbage the Leafs and Panthers have been.

 

[beerme1]

Its looking like 3rd place in the Atlantic is going have a worse record than both WC spots.

Toronto hasnt won a game in regulation since January 29th and Florida has gone 1-5-1 since beating the leafs. Neither Florida nor Toronto look good at all. Though insanely far back both Buffalo and Montreal have been gifted the "dream" of still making playoffs because how garbage the Leafs and Panthers have been.

Stupidly, Sunday's game has some meaning beyond the usual Buf - Tor friendship rivalry. But I think not really. You have to have an epic fail if BUF or MTL really become players in the race.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Tough with a loss, but it's one game closer to the playoffs and we basically didn't give up points to any rivals in the playoff hunt. Slightly positive night.

 

[qqaz]

I thought the Leafs played well enough to win that Dallas game. Good game against a tough opponent. Andersen was just back from injury and had some rust, while Bishop played great.

Our loss before that (overtime against MT) could easily have been a win.

The two losses before that (FLA collapse and NYR game) were both on Hutch, essentially. the FLA game especially we were the better team and games like that will usually get wins.

So all of our recent losses were not that bad. Losses, sure, that hurt in the standings. But the team, as a whole, has been doing just fine. The stars are scoring, the D is holding up without Rielly, the backup problem has been solved, and the record with the new coach is good.

The only thing keeping this team out of the playoffs is injuries, shaky goaltending, and poor 60 minute efforts. But there's lots of reason for optimism.

 

[Warden of the North]

Florida has EDM, SJS, ANA, LA coming up.

Without McDavid I see that as 4 straight wins for them.

We have OTT, BUF, PITT, PITT. Need at least three wins there

 

[Blanche Blanche]

I thought the Leafs played well enough to win that Dallas game. Good game against a tough opponent. Andersen was just back from injury and had some rust, while Bishop played great.

Our loss before that (overtime against MT) could easily have been a win.

The two losses before that (FLA collapse and NYR game) were both on Hutch, essentially. the FLA game especially we were the better team and games like that will usually get wins.

So all of our recent losses were not that bad. Losses, sure, that hurt in the standings. But the team, as a whole, has been doing just fine. The stars are scoring, the D is holding up without Rielly, the backup problem has been solved, and the record with the new coach is good.

The only thing keeping this team out of the playoffs is injuries, shaky goaltending, and poor 60 minute efforts. But there's lots of reason for optimism.

The Goalie situation is what bugs me the most.

Freddy has always been hot and cold in multi game stretches. This season he is mainly cold. Heck even Hutch had a win streak going.

I had that same feeling when I saw sparks flail around and be out of position and be over reacting to everything in net. But... Now after watching Campbell in a Leafs uniform despite small smaple size, I see Freddy as someone who misreads some plays from time to time and will let a flukey one get by him.

Positioning and the lil details that the eye pickup are telling me Campbell is more poised than Freddy.

History has taught us that Freddy will always eventually go COLD.

We cant have that next 5 years of our window. Toughest part is this... Now we finally have an actual Backup that can play a tandem role with a coach that will help. But donwe wait and see if ita Freddys play? Is he exhausted?

Mcbackup wasnt utilized fully with Babs.
Dubas was blind and dumb with Sparks
He was wrong waiting around with Hutch and Kask as only backup Goalies.

Now the timing is all very much in crunchtime with our Cap, Freddys contract soom and our D problem.

In summary we need to know what Freddy is so we can decide on what to do - and the fact that we dont know what he is like fully rested
Is because Dubas is an idiot.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Florida has EDM, SJS, ANA, LA coming up.

Without McDavid I see that as 4 straight wins for them.

We have OTT, BUF, PITT, PITT. Need at least three wins there

Edmonton still lost to Tampa despite them not playing Stamkos, Kucherov and Cerelli.

Let's just hope with Florida also on a losing streak that it will continue.

 

[Havoc]

Pretty big fail for us.

Florida drops 5 in a row and we're still basically tied with them. That's really disappointing.


If we lost 5 in a row at this point in the season, our season would be over.

edit - my stats are off for florida's losses but all i know is they've been getting smacked lately

 

[Hockey Crazy]

Pretty big fail for us.

Florida drops 5 in a row and we're still basically tied with them. That's really disappointing.


If we lost 5 in a row at this point in the season, our season would be over.

edit - my stats are off for florida's losses but all i know is they've been getting smacked lately

Right but we were 3 points back and are now 2 pts up?

 

[Havoc]

Right but we were 3 points back and are now 2 pts up?

We were 1.) 4 points back, 2.) then went up 2.
3.) Then it was tied. 4.) Then we went a point back. 5.) Now back up 2.



From point 2 to 5 is a fail in my books. Should be up a good 6 points right now. It's rare a team you're predicted to go neck and neck with until the end drops so many games like Florida did. We didn't go in for the kill shot.

edit- not to mention the +2 we should have when we dominated and then lost.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

This 'race' is like watching two drunks stumbling around and seeing which one falls backwards over the finish line first. Pathetic really

Its looking like 3rd place in the Atlantic is going have a worse record than both WC spots.

Toronto hasnt won a game in regulation since January 29th and Florida has gone 1-5-1 since beating the leafs. Neither Florida nor Toronto look good at all. Though insanely far back both Buffalo and Montreal have been gifted the "dream" of still making playoffs because how garbage the Leafs and Panthers have been.

Well, the Panthers are 5-4-1 in the last 10 games, same record as us in the last 10 I think. What is funny is that we may limp into the playoffs playing .500 hockey. Thankfully, other than the top 2 teams, no teams in the Atlantic are playing very well & its not the deepest, most competitive division.

 

[Vaive50]

Florida has EDM, SJS, ANA, LA coming up.

Without McDavid I see that as 4 straight wins for them.

We have OTT, BUF, PITT, PITT. Need at least three wins there

There's no guarantee that all of those 3 California games will automatically be Florida wins. The Kings just beat the Flames on Wednesday. Last week, the Sharks beat the Flames and the Oilers. The Ducks have won 6 of their last 11 games so yeah these Cali teams can win. Even the game against the Oilers is no automatic win as the Oilers have beaten the Pred and Hawks before Tampa barely beat them (2-1 and an empty netter). Remember that the Flames and Oilers are also fighting for their playoff lives.

 

[egd27]

Florida has EDM, SJS, ANA, LA coming up.

Without McDavid I see that as 4 straight wins for them.

We have OTT, BUF, PITT, PITT. Need at least three wins there

The rest of the way:

Fla - 25 games

Home	12
Road	13
Top 10	6
Bottom 10	11

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Tor - 24 games

Home	11
Road	13
Top 10	9
Bottom 10	9

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

2 Head to Head

 

[cbbb25]

The rest of the way:

Fla - 25 games

Home	12
Road	13
Top 10	6
Bottom 10	11

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Tor - 24 games

Home	11
Road	13
Top 10	9
Bottom 10	9

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

2 Head to Head

Not looking good for the Leafs. Also the spin in here to make the Leafs sound like a good top tier team is laughable. Some people cherry pick since coaching change, others 10 games others the last 15 games ect..

How about just looking at the entire season, thats the best guess going forward. Every team has ups and downs and they shouldn't be judged the worst they've played or the best they've played. Boston went 3-7 recently, Buffalo went 9-1 earlier in the year. The Leafs are what they are. They are a playoff bubble team, that might finish as low as 11th or as high as 3rd in the Atlantic.

 

[stickty111]

Not looking good for the Leafs. Also the spin in here to make the Leafs sound like a good top tier team is laughable. Some people cherry pick since coaching change, others 10 games others the last 15 games ect..

How about just looking at the entire season, thats the best guess going forward. Every team has ups and downs and they shouldn't be judged the worst they've played or the best they've played. Boston went 3-7 recently, Buffalo went 9-1 earlier in the year. The Leafs are what they are. They are a playoff bubble team, that might finish as low as 11th or as high as 3rd in the Atlantic.

Record since coaching change is not cherry picking. Those are actual facts. You can believe what you want though.

 

[1specter]

Not looking good for the Leafs. Also the spin in here to make the Leafs sound like a good top tier team is laughable. Some people cherry pick since coaching change, others 10 games others the last 15 games ect..

How about just looking at the entire season, thats the best guess going forward. Every team has ups and downs and they shouldn't be judged the worst they've played or the best they've played. Boston went 3-7 recently, Buffalo went 9-1 earlier in the year. The Leafs are what they are. They are a playoff bubble team, that might finish as low as 11th or as high as 3rd in the Atlantic.

It's a bit ridiculous to not look at a team after a coaching change, considering the coach has a direct impact on how the team performs, and arguably one of the biggest impacts as they manage ice time, line combinations, line matching deployment, and implement systems/strategies, while essentially acting as motivators and managers. Also teams will tune coaches out, we've seen it happen time and time again.

 

[Gabriel426]

It’s quite sad that when you are looking around the league. The difference between playoff teams and non playoff teams is goaltending. If you have two solid goalies, you are a playoff teams regardless of your forwards and dmen.
Once playoff comes, that’s where having talents will win out.

 

[thewave]

It’s quite sad that when you are looking around the league. The difference between playoff teams and non playoff teams is goaltending. If you have two solid goalies, you are a playoff teams regardless of your forwards and dmen.
Once playoff comes, that’s where having talents will win out.

Why is it sad? Was it ever some secret that you build from the net out? I mean, is this information that Dubas was not let in on when he saddled us with the most horrible backup tender in history? I mean, complain all you want but it's not like it was ever some secret and neither is a butter soft team heading for the PO. Kyle was so new age that he rooked himself.

 

[Gabriel426]

Why is it sad? Was it ever some secret that you build from the net out? I mean, is this information that Dubas was not let in on when he saddled us with the most horrible backup tender in history? I mean, complain all you want but it's not like it was ever some secret and neither is a butter soft team heading for the PO. Kyle was so new age that he rooked himself.

Was making a general comment more than just Dubas and the Leafs.
I don’t think Dubas was trying to be original with the Goalies. He picked Sparks over McBackup and Picard bc he thought Sparks was the better goalie. He was wrong. Hutch was the goalie he could afford due to the Cap. I don’t think it is fair to say Dubas thought he was trying something new, more like he picked the wrong goalie(Sparks) and forced to use Hutch. Even if McBackup stayed, don’t think Leafs could afford him last summer.

 

[willmma]

Our goalies struggled. Andy was up and down. Hutch struggled too.

We replaced Hutch with Campbell, so far he's been better than Hutch.
I think Andy got some needed rest, but got a bit rusty. He will get better.

I am feeling confident we will see better results soon.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Was making a general comment more than just Dubas and the Leafs.
I don’t think Dubas was trying to be original with the Goalies. He picked Sparks over McBackup and Picard bc he thought Sparks was the better goalie. He was wrong. Hutch was the goalie he could afford due to the Cap. I don’t think it is fair to say Dubas thought he was trying something new, more like he picked the wrong goalie(Sparks) and forced to use Hutch. Even if McBackup stayed, don’t think Leafs could afford him last summer.

Besides Dubas decisions with who he picked to be their #2 Goalie, it's not like Mike Babcock did them any good with his always playing them on the 2nd night of a back to back no matter who the opponent was.

Earlier this season in October they were playing Columbus on a Monday and Boston on a Tuesday. Despite Andersen having a 12-3 record vs Boston and getting a win against them the previous Saturday, Babcock still started Hutchinson against Boston on the second night of the back to back.