Speculation: Too many "ifs" next season should make Toronto struggle make the playoffs

[LeafFever]

The Leafs won a lot of games last year that they were badly out played and badly out chanced. If 3 to 5 of those games turn the other way they’re on a battle for a playoff spot.

If they don’t change their team defence they’ll just spin their tires and waste another year. Last year, we knew on Jan. 01 the Leafs were not a contender.

The Leafs were dead-last 2 years ago. How was last year a waste? Did anyone expect a 105 point team at this point of the rebuild?
Some of you are ridiculously impatient.

 

[Nineteen67]

Was last year a wasted year?

I think we all knew the outcome by Jan.

 

[LeafFever]

I think we all knew the outcome by Jan.

Did you expect this outcome 2 years ago? They are way ahead of the rebuild plan.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Struggle to make the playoffs and not make the playoffs are different things.

I am suggesting that they may struggle to be 3ed or a wildcard team (if Dubas doesn't have a big offseason).

And I'm telling you you're being paranoid.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I think we all knew the outcome by Jan.

Is that a yes or a no?

 

[Nineteen67]

Did you expect this outcome 2 years ago? They are way ahead of the rebuild plan.

No right where they should be, trying to find the right mix.

What’s missing though?

 

[LeafFever]

No right where they should be, trying to find the right mix.

What’s missing though?

Every organization has something missing. Leafs are in great shape.

 

[Nineteen67]

Every organization has something missing. Leafs are in great shape.

What specific holes do the Leafs have?

I’m sure Dubas has a template that he’s filled with a job descriptions for each position and has attached names to some of those positions.

Which positions don’t have names? Which have names but don’t quite fill the job description?

 

[LeafFever]

What specific holes do the Leafs have?

I’m sure Dubas has a template that he’s filled with a job descriptions for each position and has attached names to some of those positions.

Which positions don’t have names? Which have names but don’t quite fill the job description?

I really don't think the Leafs will do much if they can't get Tavares. They need another top 4 D, but it might not happen.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Every organization has something missing. Leafs are in great shape.

Agreed. I've been following since the early 70's and I'd say our current roster is the best I've seen. I'm taking the playoffs as pretty much a given and setting my sights a fair bit higher than that.

 

[LeafFever]

Agreed. I've been following since the early 70's and I'd say our current roster is the best I've seen. I'm taking the playoffs as pretty much a given and setting my sights a fair bit higher than that.

People are quite hard on the Leafs faults compared to other teams.
BTW, I do like the Panthers to make the playoffs this year, but can anyone recall a time they have not had "Great Young Players"? They never go anywhere.

 

[Gary Nylund]

People are quite hard on the Leafs faults compared to other teams.
BTW, I do like the Panthers to make the playoffs this year, but can anyone recall a time they have not had "Great Young Players"? They never go anywhere.

Old habits die hard I guess. I'm pretty excited myself and I think we're really close to being a top contender. If Tavares signs here that would put us in that tier, if not then we'll have to look elsewhere for that improvement but we're close. And with all the young talent we have, I see zero reason to expect serious regression, more likely it's only a matter of time until we improve. Progress isn't always linear and we may take a step back along the way but this team clearly looks to be on the rise.. Barring a ton of injuries I'd be shocked if we missed the playoffs, it's not even worth talking about IMO.

 

[Nineteen67]

I really don't think the Leafs will do much if they can't get Tavares. They need another top 4 D, but it might not happen.

For starters - They need a center that can win faceoffs (55% would be great) and can play solid D and kill penalties. Is that Tavares!

They need a D man can play 25 mins and control the puck. Who is that?

 

[LeafFever]

For starters - They need a center that can win faceoffs (55% would be great) and can play solid D and kill penalties. Is that Tavares!

They need a D man can play 25 mins and control the puck. Who is that?

If you sign Tavares you can sacrifice a forward to improve the D via trade.
Let's go down the list of teams in the Eastern conference and see what their weaknesses are. The leafs are in fine shape.

 

[Boutette]

Say what now? You really do say some bizarre stuff, and come to weird assumptions.

You stated that we could us Horton's LTIR, that means punting his bonus pay to 2020. Unless you expect he won't get any bonus pay, right? I find it weird that you now think that the bonuses don't exist any more, or perhaps any of the RFA situations I mentioned. Bizarre.

 

[ottomaddox]

If you sign Tavares you can sacrifice a forward to improve the D via trade.
Let's go down the list of teams in the Eastern conference and see what their weaknesses are. The leafs are in fine shape.

And what about all the soft players that TOR has. Do we really compete or improve when we don't have the toughness to go deep in the playoffs?

We might lose Bozak. Who is our shootout wizards now?

I am not implying that Bozak is a wizard, but he has helped this team in the shootout.

 

[stickty111]

To many ifs should make Boston struggle struggle to make the playoffs. Last year was basically a wasted year for them.


You could do this with every team.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

As long as there's enough "ands" and "buts", I imagine we'll be fine.

 

[LeafFever]

And what about all the soft players that TOR has. Do we really compete or improve when we don't have the toughness to go deep in the playoffs?

We might lose Bozak. Who is our shootout wizards now?

I am not implying that Bozak is a wizard, but he has helped this team in the shootout.

Leafs finished dead-last in the S/O 2 years ago and made the playoffs. Even if their S/O record drops, I feel they'll be ok.
You need toughness to win? Are we still using that old cliche? You need talent.
Washington had too many soft euros they said..until this year. Talents shines through.
For all the concern over the playoffs all they needed was avg goaltending and they beat the Bruins with Kadri suspendeda and most of the core sucking.

 

[Menzinger]

And what about all the soft players that TOR has. Do we really compete or improve when we don't have the toughness to go deep in the playoffs?

We might lose Bozak. Who is our shootout wizards now?

I am not implying that Bozak is a wizard, but he has helped this team in the shootout.

Eh, teams vary so much year to year in shootout ability there’s really no way to plan for it.

Yeah Bozak seemed to do well at it, but any Leafs player may very well have a hot year for it too next season. A good reason why the shootout is dumb.

 

[LeafFever]

Eh, teams vary so much year to year in shootout ability there’s really no way to plan for it.

Yeah Bozak seemed to do well at it, but any Leafs player may very well have a hot year for it too next season. A good reason why the shootout is dumb.

We had Bozak when he had a career season and we still were last in the shootout. As you said, it's just a random skills competition. I'd rather not make any moves based on it.

 

[ottomaddox]

Leafs finished dead-last in the S/O 2 years ago and made the playoffs. Even if their S/O record drops, I feel they'll be ok.
You need toughness to win? Are we still using that old cliche? You need talent.
Washington had too many soft euros they said..until this year. Talents shines through.
For all the concern over the playoffs all they needed was avg goaltending and they beat the Bruins with Kadri suspendeda and most of the core sucking.

Are you implying that WSH had no toughness? Are you kidding me?

Maybe you are referring to staged fighting. I'm not referring to staged fighting. If Nylander and Gardiner want to continue playing playoff hockey with their tails between their legs then we are in for major disappointments.

 

[LeafFever]

Are you implying that WSH had no toughness? Are you kidding me?

Maybe you are referring to staged fighting. I'm not referring to staged fighting. If Nylander and Gardiner want to continue playing playoff hockey with their tails between their legs then we are in for major disappointments.

Yes they lacked toughness amongst their core for many years. They won because a guy like Kuznetsov went from a terrible playoff bust to a superstar. Giving it over to "Toughness" is dumb.
If Washington had that core playing like that in the playoffs they would have had more playoff success prior to this season.
That's all we need-Matthews/Nylander and Marner (He was great) and Freddy playing their best and they had Boston beat.
We had the worst goaltending of any team in the first round and we need toughness to win? .896 save %. Pathetic.

 

[ottomaddox]

Yes they lacked toughness amongst their core for many years. They won because a guy like Kuznetsov went from a terrible playoff bust to a superstar. Giving it over to "Toughness" is dumb.
If Washington had that core playing like that in the playoffs they would have had more playoff success prior to this season.
That's all we need-Matthews/Nylander and Marner (He was great) and Freddy playing their best and they had Boston beat.
We had the worst goaltending of any team in the first round and we need toughness to win? .896 save %. Pathetic.

yes.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Many fans seem to have little concern about the roster next season. I think many fans think that most of the UFA holes will be filled with graduating Marlies.

Polak, JVR, Moore, Bozak, Plekanec, and Komarov potentially all gone.

That's a grand total of 6 players to replace.

I know many of you can name off every Marlie plus Leivo and I still wouldn't be satisfied.

On paper the current team plus Polak, JVR, Moore, Bozak, Plekanec, and Komarov means 2nd or 3rd in the Atlantic. This current team plus all the "ifs" means no playoffs or possibly a wildcard spot.

The "ifs" are from a positive fans' perspective: if we trade for a D, if we find a couple of centers to replace the 3 that we lost, if the Marlies play well as NHLers, if Nylander plays center, if our elite prospects take a step, if no other Atlantic conference team takes a step, etc.

I just can't see us hitting a homerun with free agency, contracts, trades, and our Marlie Graduates creating a better team next year.

IMHO leaf fans can't be comfortable with this offseason, and I really can't see TOR to be better than a wildcard team.

Do you think TOR will be better next season? How so?

Are you seriously worried Moore, Plekanec, Polak and Komarov not returning? Did you lose sleep over how we lost Hunwick and Boyle last off-season?

Of the 4, Plekanec is the only 1 who really belongs in the NHL anymore and even then he only played all of 17 games for us.

The only real loss is JVR and even then 5 on 5 he's not a big loss. Bozak was bad 5 on 5 and was heavily sheltered. Those two were a major part of the defensive issues with this team.

This team has all of Dermott, Kapanen, Johnsson who are ready to play fairly significant roles for us next year and all of them played less than half a season for us this past year. Even Borgman played 48 games and is that much more ready to contribute. We've got Aaltonen that much more ready and added Lindholm as potential depth C options. Grundstrom and Liljegren have a good chance of coming up part way through the season and contributing. That's a lot of depth graduating.

Management also has a lot of cap space this off-season so fully expect them to add some useful vets.