Power Rankings- TML 26th

[Beleafer4]

I dont agree with a lot of the rankings, but w.e. TSN always plays it safe.

Leafs are being underrated. I hope they finish that low though.

 

[ULF_55]

I don't believe TSN has taken into account the leadership of Phaneuf on defense and Kessel on offense.

I'm saying the entire season rests on Kessel staying healthy.

Healthy Kessel = playoffs.

 

[67Cup]

I understand the ranking but all rankings are even more speculative than usual with the radically shortened season. Let the season roll!

 

[indigobuffalo]

Andrei Markov a top pairing Dman played 13 games last year, adding a healthy #1 Dman makes a difference.

Captain Gionta a regular 25-30 goal scorer played only 31 games (8-7-15 points) due to injury.

Max Pac (33 goals) + Eric Cole (35 goals) >> Phil Kessel (37 goals) 2 X 30 goal scorers verses 1 and if Lupul does it its a break even at best.

Price verses Reimer is not a fair match.
- Montreal -14 goal differential verses Toronto -33.
- Montreal 226 goals against 5th best in the NHL verses Toronto 264 ga 29th worst overall.
- Montreal PK% #2 overall in NHL verses Toronto #28th overall

Alexander Galchenyuk verses Morgan Rielly

Montreal playoffs 5 of past 6 seasons verses Toronto 0 of last 6.

Montreal new GM and Coach = Toronto new GM & Coach.

These two teams are not close in comparison.

The Habs are trending downwards, whereas the Leafs have bottomed out and haven't done anything to get worse. They added McClement to improve the PK, and Reimer missed quite a few games due to injury, and wasn't the same coming back.

Add van Riemsdyk to the top 6 and the Leafs have built themselves a stronger forward group. The Habs added Prust and Moen to the bottom 6, so they got tougher too, but nothing fixes their troubles scoring goals.

Not saying you don't have valid points in some cases, but there are considerations in the opposite direction too.

IMO the Habs will take longer to get out of the basement than the Leafs.

 

[7even]

I don't believe TSN has taken into account the leadership of Phaneuf on defense and Kessel on offense.

I'm saying the entire season rests on Kessel staying healthy.

Healthy Kessel = playoffs.

I think this year is going to be just all over the place. Think about it -- a 5 game hot streak makes up roughly 1/10 of the total points available to you. That's crazy.

If the Leafs start out with their patented "win one game in the first ten" this season is over before it began. Hell, even a 1-4 start is pretty devastating. It's going to be a wild one, that's for sure

 

[ULF_55]

The Habs are trending downwards, whereas the Leafs have bottomed out and haven't done anything to get worse. They added McClement to improve the PK, and Reimer missed quite a few games due to injury, and wasn't the same coming back.

Add van Riemsdyk to the top 6 and the Leafs have built themselves a stronger forward group. The Habs added Prust and Moen to the bottom 6, so they got tougher too, but nothing fixes their troubles scoring goals.

Not saying you don't have valid points in some cases, but there are considerations in the opposite direction too.

IMO the Habs will take longer to get out of the basement than the Leafs.

Doesn't that depend on Galchenyuk?

Price is young
Subban is young
Galchenyuk is a kid

 

[ConnorTO]

holy crap the oilers are almost an NHL12 fantasy team!

lets watch them dominate the conference and sweep all teams

1st overalls = success !

 

[Mess]

I don't believe TSN has taken into account the leadership of Phaneuf on defense and Kessel on offense.

I'm saying the entire season rests on Kessel staying healthy.

Healthy Kessel = playoffs.

Wink, wink, nudge nudge say no more.

Last season with a healthy Kessel finishing 6th overall in NHL scoring and the Leafs finished 5th last overall.

Kessel will need to duplicate last years point pace for Leafs to simply break-even in the standings, & if he declines or is injured is game over as far as playoff aspirations. Ditto for Phaneuf as he finished 12th in Dman scoring on the same bottom 5 team.

New coach playing better defense will put a strain on offensive numbers in a more conservative attack style for individual players but perhaps make the biggest difference in the standings where "defense wins championships" is the recipe for success.

 

[7even]

Wink, wink, nudge nudge say no more.

Last season with a healthy Kessel finishing 6th overall in NHL scoring and the Leafs finished 5th last overall.

Kessel will need to duplicate last years point pace for Leafs to simply break-even in the standings, & if he declines or is injured is game over as far as playoff aspirations. Ditto for Phaneuf as he finished 12th in Dman scoring on the same bottom 5 team.

New coach playing better defense will put a strain on offensive numbers in a more conservative attack style for individual players but perhaps make the biggest difference in the standings where "defense wins championships" is the recipe for success.

Not sure if I agree there. Anaheim still had great production from their big guns under Carlyle.

On the other hand, we all saw what happened to Washington under Hunter. So who knows? This is gonna be fun one.

 

[67Cup]

Agreed, Leaf offensive numbers will likely go down with a more defense oriented coach. We just don't know if the defensive numbers will improve enough to compensate for the likely loss in offense. Just one of the many imponderables this season. But the odds are good the Leafs will be drafting high again. This is another argument against disposing of high draft choices before what is projected as a very good draft.

 

[Kurisu]

Not sure if I agree there. Anaheim still had great production from their big guns under Carlyle.

On the other hand, we all saw what happened to Washington under Hunter. So who knows? This is gonna be fun one.

helps thier numbers when Carlyle couldn't play his plugs most of the time and had to run his big guys

 

[Mess]

Doesn't that depend on Galchenyuk?

Price is young
Subban is young
Galchenyuk is a kid

Nice blueprint for building from the goalie out through strong defense and strength down the middle through center ice potential right there for Montreal and its future young core building blocks.

 

[Bob b smith]

How are we behind the habs?

On paper, I think many Habs fans would tell you, it's a coin flip who's worse. 27th no upgrade except Markov healty for now...

 

[Man Bear Pig]

 

[Joufreau]

Anyone surprised at this? I'm not...leafs will not be pushing for a playoff spot this year....what else is new?

 

[rdawg1234]

Nice blueprint for building from the goalie out through strong defense and strength down the middle through center ice potential right there for Montreal and its future young core building blocks.

Goalie yes, who they got years ago. Subban was a 2nd round pick.

Anyway they are horridly weak down the centre, Gomez, Gionta and Desharnes are tiny centres.

Galchenyuk also may end up playing on the wing, and he definitely didnt look amazing in the bigger games at the WJC, yes he got 8 points, but most were in the early weaker games. Alot of harder games you wouldn't even be able to tell it was him on the ice.

He's got potential, but to think he's gonna be the difference maker and somehow make them awesome this year I just dont see it.

 

[Hero]

Weird that we're above Fla and Wpg

 

[rdawg1234]

Shortened season will make it a little different.

Past two years we've always come out strong out the gate(what 2010-11 we went 5-0? and then last year 4-0-1?)

Kessel tends to score ALOT in the early games, which tends to win us alot of those games.

Goaltending is a huge question mark, which could very well be our downfall. I dont think the #1C problem will keep us out of the playoffs if we have solid goaltending.

 

[RoyalGremlin]

at least theres nowhere to go but up.

 

[habs03]

Goalie yes, who they got years ago. Subban was a 2nd round pick.

Anyway they are horridly weak down the centre, Gomez, Gionta and Desharnes are tiny centres.

Galchenyuk also may end up playing on the wing, and he definitely didnt look amazing in the bigger games at the WJC, yes he got 8 points, but most were in the early weaker games. Alot of harder games you wouldn't even be able to tell it was him on the ice.

He's got potential, but to think he's gonna be the difference maker and somehow make them awesome this year I just dont see it.

Gionta is a RW


GM Bergevin has said, that he likes that Galchenyuk can play the wing, but that the Habs believe he is a center not a wing in the NHL.

Looking down the road the Habs have only Desharnais that is "tiny", Galchenyuk is 6'1, Eller 6'2.

 

[7even]

at least theres nowhere to go but up.

This man gets it

 

[rdawg1234]

Gionta is a RW


GM Bergevin has said, that he likes that Galchenyuk can play the wing, but that the Habs believe he is a center not a wing in the NHL.

Looking down the road the Habs have only Desharnais that is "tiny", Galchenyuk is 6'1, Eller 6'2.

pretty underwhelming still. Eller hasnt exactly proven anything beyond being a 3rd line C.

Galchenyuk has alot of growing to do. Galchenyuk is their only true top 6 centre that deserves that place, but he's a couple years away.

we'll see, they have some decent prospects, definitely alot of work to do just like us.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

Carey Price + healthy Markov + off season last year..

Montreal has been in the playoffs 5 of the past 6 seasons, only missing last year, so that could simple be considered an anomaly (off season, for whatever reason).

Toronto has been in the playoffs 0 of the past 6 seasons.

Sorry but I have to point out, that Andrei Markov is awful.


It's odd that we're behind the habs considering how suspect their defense is (I mean, I guess so is ours).... interesting to say the least.

 

[Drew75]

The best thing I think could happen for the Leafs this year is:

a) pass on Lou - sorry, we need a goalie, but that contract will screw us for years when we have to have $3mil cap hit year after year when he retires early - for the long term health of this franchise - no thank you!

b) Go with the status quo - moving guys like Connelly, Lombardi, MacAurther for pics at the deadline

c) Buy out Komisarek at the end of the year when it won't count against the cap. In fact, the Leafs should be trading for another bad contract to buy out as well (we get two), and taking another 1st in exchange

d) draft high, and preferrable more than once in the first round.

e) use the massive cap space, flexibility, and the rush of struggling teams having to drop $10million to get a centre and a goalie (not counting the ones we drafted high )

Based on that - I'll take a low spot in the power rankings now with a smile!

 

[KuleminFan41]

Shortened Season does not expose Toronto's horrible lack of Conditioning.

I think we make the Playoffs - Unfortunately. Without Phil Kessel who will be injured majority of season.

So if we win the cup,you'd be the most angry Leafs fan huh?