Top 15 NHL Teams by Points %

[GOilers88]

Stating it’s “only a 6 point lead” when you look at the context is silly. 6 points is the largest lead any division leader has in the league right now. Every other division is separated by 1 game or less. Pro rate that 6 point lead out to a full season and you’re looking at a 22 point lead. And there is a reason for that: top to bottom the Leafs are just a different class of team from the rest of that division. They’re out scoring their opponents by an average of over 1 goal per game. The Leafs have top offensive talent challenged only by Edmonton, great forward depth (better than Edmonton) good enough goaltending, and their defensive group really isn’t an issue as long as they’re playing within the North division.

Is the division a lock? No. But to say that you don’t think that the best team in the division is going to win the division because they’re “only 6 points ahead of their division” isn’t an argument. You’re just sticking your finger up in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.

They could quite literally drop the next two games and this is all completely irrelevant due to the 8 point swing.

This is my point. The fact that a couple of games could completely change the outlook of their lead should tell you it's not as far off as people are making it out to be. People think the Leafs won't go through any sort of slide all season.

That's cool, they're allowed to think that. Just like I think it's likely that they do slide a bit. Is it fully possible they don't lose more than a handful of games all year? Sure. Do I think it's going to happen? Obviously not. Why is one seen as outrageously ridiculous and the other perfectly reasonable?

 

[Axel574]

St. Louis is really feeling the loss of Pietro and Binnington isnt quite the same Binner from a couple of years ago.

The Isles are pretty much where they should be. Did a comparison the other day on different records since Keefe took over as coach of the Leafs and heres Leafs vs. Isles:

Leafs: 43-19-7 (.674, 4th in the NHL)
Isles: 30-26-13 (.529, 21st in the NHL)

People always seemed shocked by this for some reason but everyone seems to have forgotten the biggest collapse in the standings last year was the Isles and its doubtful they even would have made the playoffs last year. Good bounce back in the playoffs after the break though and they've certainly been better than how they finished the season last year.

Are you still trying to convince yourself, and others, that the Leafs are better than the Islanders?

They might be... Who cares anymore.

 

[RogerR]

Are you still trying to convince yourself, and others, that the Leafs are better than the Islanders?

They might be... Who cares anymore.

Leafs are without a doubt better than the Islanders.

 

[Axel574]

Leafs are without a doubt better than the Islanders.

Congratulations... I'll start the parade.

 

[RogerR]

Congratulations... I'll start a parade.

You guys won 2 rounds last year. That's massive. You first.

 

[BlueOil]

Whats going on with the Wild? Havnt caught any of their games (didnt think I had to) but they seem to have found some offence to go with that D....or is it that they havnt played the Blues yet?

the wild skipped the last blues games with covid so no games together yet. with the depleted roster, i would expect the wild could keep winning

 

[Axel574]

You guys won 2 rounds last year. That's massive. You first.

Hmmm... I wasn't making any claims. In fact I said who cares which team might be better, it sure doesn't matter much this season.

 

[PenguinSuitedUp]

They could quite literally drop the next two games and this is all completely irrelevant due to the 8 point swing.

This is my point. The fact that a couple of games could completely change the outlook of their lead should tell you it's not as far off as people are making it out to be. People think the Leafs won't go through any sort of slide all season.

That's cool, they're allowed to think that. Just like I think it's likely that they do slide a bit. Is it fully possible they don't lose more than a handful of games all year? Sure. Do I think it's going to happen? Obviously not. Why is one seen as outrageously ridiculous and the other perfectly reasonable?

This is just it. Your entire argument is “this could happen” but you aren’t providing any justification of why it could happen. It’s an opinion without a backing of facts or logic as to why they wouldn’t outperform other teams over the long run. Whereas you can look at the Leafs, and you can look at the other teams in the division, and realized that the Leafs should be fully expected to win the division considering they are clearly the strongest team.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

We all know the point was that you were fishing for people to praise the Oilers for you. Reality check: the Oilers haven't had a top half of the league caliber team in the salary cap era. They're two injuries away from being the team Sens fans point at to feel better. And at the very least until your new management builds a completely new look depth, d and goaltending to back up that top 6 it's going to stay that way.

You might want to double check that before you embarrass yourself.

 

[Drewcifer]

Oh so I must have imagined the part where year after year they got to face a top 5 team in the first round despite being top 6 or so themselves?

Remember, this is what is being held against the Leafs this year:

"they realistically only need to beat 2 higher end teams to win it all this year due to their joke of a division while others have to go through a gauntlet due to the unbalanced divisions."

Geeee....sound familiar?

So the Leafs are the Wild of the Yeo and early Boudreau years. Congratulations.

 

[Drewcifer]

Whats going on with the Wild? Havnt caught any of their games (didnt think I had to) but they seem to have found some offence to go with that D....or is it that they havnt played the Blues yet?

They upgraded their goaltending (which was among the worst in the league last season) and added a star caliber forward.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Leafs are without a doubt better than the Islanders.

I would take the Islanders in a seven game series. Your team had issue with the Jackets, I think they would have the exact same issues with the Islanders.

 

[RogerR]

I would take the Islanders in a seven game series. Your team had issue with the Jackets, I think they would have the exact same issues with the Islanders.

Yes with a different roster,

 

[Bedards Dad]

They could quite literally drop the next two games and this is all completely irrelevant due to the 8 point swing.

This is my point. The fact that a couple of games could completely change the outlook of their lead should tell you it's not as far off as people are making it out to be. People think the Leafs won't go through any sort of slide all season.

That's cool, they're allowed to think that. Just like I think it's likely that they do slide a bit. Is it fully possible they don't lose more than a handful of games all year? Sure. Do I think it's going to happen? Obviously not. Why is one seen as outrageously ridiculous and the other perfectly reasonable?

If they lose the next 2, they are still up on Edmonton with a game in hand. They could also still be up on Winnipeg, unless Winnipeg wins the games in hand AND those other 2 games. No other team can catch them in 2 games.

While anything could happen, I wouldn't put money on Toronto dropping 2 in a row AND Winnipeg winning 4 in a row.

 

[tenken00]

Top 15 NHL Standings by "Points Percentage"

1. Toronto Maple Leafs - .773%
2. Tampa Bay Lightning - .763%
3. Las Vegas Golden Knights - .735%
4. Florida Panthers - .725%
5. Philadelphia Flyers - .676%

6. Winnipeg Jets - .675%
7. Carolina Hurricanes - .675%
8. Minnesota Wild - .667%
9. Boston Bruins - .667%
10. Washington Capitals - .650

11. Colorado Avalanche - .639%
12. Edmonton Oilers .609%
13. Pittsburgh Penguins .605%
14. NY Islanders - .600
15. Chicago Blackhawks - .591 %

Thoughts? Surprises?

NHL playoff matchups if the regular season ended today (going by points %):

North

#1 Toronto vs #4 Montreal
#2 Winnipeg vs #3 Edmonton

Central

#1 Tampa Bay vs #4 Chicago
#2 Florida vs #3 Carolina

East

#1 Philadelphia vs #4 New York Islanders
#2 Boston vs #3 Washington

West

#1 Las Vegas vs #4 St. Louis
#2 Minnesota vs #3 Colorado

 

[Seras]

I think Toronto run away with first, but I could also see any playoff team in the North snuffing them out in playoffs.

If Edmonton gets them in round 1 I could see McDavid just overtaking the series on his own

Yeah he could do that to any team in the NHL

 

[CupsOverCash]

Yes with a different roster,

So just because they have a different roster means that they will automatically be better than them? Usually gotta play the games to back up that kind of statement. I should know better though because every year the hype around the leafs is astronomical and then the playoffs happens....then ooof.. maybe yall win something important first before this endless insane overconfidence that exudes from that fan base. Something is in the water up there.

 

[GOilers88]

This is just it. Your entire argument is “this could happen” but you aren’t providing any justification of why it could happen. It’s an opinion without a backing of facts or logic as to why they wouldn’t outperform other teams over the long run. Whereas you can look at the Leafs, and you can look at the other teams in the division, and realized that the Leafs should be fully expected to win the division considering they are clearly the strongest team.

Over half a season left dude. But yeah, it's over. Done. Locked up. Just start the playoffs tomorrow. Never has a professional sports team ever lost a few games in a row. Absolutely crazy idea. How the f*** do you even justify how a team could possibly stumble a bit? Am I supposed to provide some in depth analytics that prove next week the Leafs will lose 2 games? Or if a team gets hot, do the stats prove that the team will stay hot, justifying the opinion that nobody can catch them?

You're essentially saying they won't stumble at all because of how the first 20 games have gone, and telling me I need to provide some proof that shows us they will stumble with 35 games left? How the f*** would someone even do that? Montreal started out red hot. Guess what, they stumbled. If you don't think it's at all possible for the Leafs to do the same then that's your opinion, and you're welcome to it. I won't ask you to justify it.

Good grief.

 

[Bedards Dad]

So just because they have a different roster means that they will automatically be better than them? Usually gotta play the games to back up that kind of statement. I should know better though because every year the hype around the leafs is astronomical and then the playoffs happens....then ooof.. maybe yall win something important first before this endless insane overconfidence that exudes from that fan base. Something is in the water up there.

It doesn't mean they are better, it means that what happened then has little relevance now.

 

[CupsOverCash]

It doesn't mean they are better, it means that what happened then has little relevance now.

It's the only thing we have to point at until they prove the world wrong. Bottom line they have been a shit playoff team. Nobody is going to trust them besides their own fans to go far until they prove it. Why is that so hard to understand? Way easier to wear blue colored glasses and assume the best outcome all the time. How has that worked out every year? Why is this going to be different?

 

[Mnwildzack]

Any chance we can get this thread back on track?

Looking further into Minnesota, they are the most surprising by far, IMO.

Especially when you consider there powerplay is running at sub 8%

Wild just needed Elite 1C Victor Rask to step up and center Kaprizov and Zuccarello. Ek and Greenway also stepped up. Fiala still needs to hit his stride.

 

[Bedards Dad]

It's the only thing we have to point at until they prove the world wrong. Bottom line they have been a shit playoff team. Nobody is going to trust them besides their own fans to go far until they prove it. Why is that so hard to understand? Way easier to wear blue colored glasses and assume the best outcome all the time. How has that worked out every year? Why is this going to be different?

Sorry, but it goes both ways, you can't play both sides of the same coin. Same goes for all teams with turnover, previous years accomplishments or failures can't be held over their heads.

Maybe stop making claims of who would win based on what happened when the teams had different players and use some statistical facts to back up an opinion.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Sorry, but it goes both ways, you can't play both sides of the same coin. Same goes for all teams with turnover, previous years accomplishments or failures can't be held over their heads.

Maybe stop making claims of who would win based on what happened when the teams had different players and use some statistical facts to back up an opinion.

Well when you continue to get crap in the playoffs and have the ego to match how bad they have been, better believe people are going to bring up old failures. Even if they are different teams. They aren't even that different. My point stays how they have a lot to prove before we give them that kind of love and attention they deserve.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Well when you continue to get crap in the playoffs and have the ego to match how bad they have been, better believe people are going to bring up old failures. Even if they are different teams. They aren't even that different. My point stays how they have a lot to prove before we give them that kind of love and attention they deserve.

Cool,you're allowed to have that opinion. I prefer to see what happens before making firm statements about something that needs to be proven.

And to be clear, no one cares if you love them, like them or hate them. People just hate definitive statements with little to no backing.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Cool,you're allowed to have that opinion. I prefer to see what happens before making firm statements about something that needs to be proven.

And to be clear, no one cares if you love them, like them or hate them. People just hate definitive statements with little to no backing.

Which is ironic and funny because that is exactly what I have been saying. Just in another way. This overconfidence is basically baseless. They have no reason to have this overconfidence other than the fact that they get overhyped endlessly. I understand you have a big fanbase so it's natural. But damn yall are endlessly needing to be humbled.