Prediction Contest: Toronto Maple Leafs 2018-2019: Contender or Pretender?

[Al14]

If they make the playoffs, they'll be 1 and done. Hoping for better, expecting the worst.

 

[PromisedLand]

In hindsight, would you have moved JVR, Bozak, or Komarov at last season's deadline if it meant having assets which could be part of a trade fix the current problems with this team?

Yes x 100. some posters called for it (including myself) but apparently leafs management and most posters here were deluded into thinking that Leafs were a strong contender last year

 

[Trapper]

Is there something in between contender and pretender?
This is a playoff team (and the right matchup, someone gets hot, other team injuries) can benefit us.

Now as for one of the top tier to win the Cup, I'm not convinced.
Experience, heavier players, better D (both on the back and at forward), guys that still have a lot to prove.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Dubas inherited a 105 point team and signed Tavares, so he didn't make it worse.

The problem is also he didn't make it a lot better either because he either refuses to, or does not recognize Leafs weaknesses in team build and player composition.

A team is only as strong as its weakest link, and if you have flaws they will be exploited.

Toronto 58 points
Boston 57 points
------ Wild Card ------
Montreal 57 points
Pittsburgh 56 points
----- Non Playoffs ----

Very little wiggle room here at present and 6 weeks to the trade deadline.

Leafs have games in hand on the Habs tho.. 3 to be exact

 

[18leafsfan18]

Tampa-Pitt and TOR-WSH is how I see things play out if the Leafs gets past the Bruins, Murray's up and down season will likely cost Pittsburg a higher seed.

Playoffs don't reseed each round anymore. Teams play for a "divisional champion" now, which sucks for teams in the Atlantic.

 

[Kamiccolo]

I said first round exit. IMO, this team is a contender. They have the talent, but the issue is that most of the team lacks heart, they don't want to get beat up in the corners, and go missing when teams tighten up in the middle of the ice and force them to fight for pucks instead of use their speed.

If Matthews line gets going, JT and Marner keep clicking, and we get some timely scoring from the Kadri / Kap line, AND Andersen plays like he did in October / November, then yeah this team can win the cup.

That is a LOT of assumptions though. I don't think they have the right amount of heart. They don't want it enough. Happy to just be a celebrity in Toronto and have the media and fans suck them off every game.

 

[ToneDog]

Just listening to Pierre McGuire on Leaf Lunch and he is bullish on the Leafs chances if they can get the right shutdown dman. I agree but I do not think we can get that shutdown dman without subtracting from our forwards. McGuire thinks that dman can be Keith. Also thinks Montour would be good but Ducks are not moving him or Manson. Funny many laughed at Kipper when he suggested Montour+ for Nylander.

Please no responses that McGuire is an idiot because you will only make yourself look foolish.

 

[Al14]

Leafs have games in hand on the Habs tho.. 3 to be exact

Our Leafs always seem to piss away games in hand though.

 

[18leafsfan18]

I said first round exit. IMO, this team is a contender. They have the talent, but the issue is that most of the team lacks heart, they don't want to get beat up in the corners, and go missing when teams tighten up in the middle of the ice and force them to fight for pucks instead of use their speed.

If Matthews line gets going, JT and Marner keep clicking, and we get some timely scoring from the Kadri / Kap line, AND Andersen plays like he did in October / November, then yeah this team can win the cup.

That is a LOT of assumptions though. I don't think they have the right amount of heart. They don't want it enough. Happy to just be a celebrity in Toronto and have the media and fans suck them off every game.

How can you measure the teams "Heart" and how can you be sure that they all "just care about being a celebrity" ?

This is a bit of a ridiculous take to me.

 

[18leafsfan18]

Just listening to Pierre McGuire on Leaf Lunch and he is bullish on the Leafs chances if they can get the right shutdown dman. I agree but I do not think we can get that shutdown dman without subtracting from our forwards. McGuire thinks that dman can be Keith. Also thinks Montour would be good but Ducks are not moving him or Manson. Funny many laughed at Kipper when he suggested Montour+ for Nylander.

Please no responses that McGuire is an idiot because you will only make yourself look foolish.

McGuire is annoying, but he is pretty knowledgeable about the game.

Do you think Keith remains worth the cap hit for the rest of his contract ?

 

[ToneDog]

McGuire is annoying, but he is pretty knowledgeable about the game.

Do you think Keith remains worth the cap hit for the rest of his contract ?

I'd be hesitant about Keith. McGuire just said I'd be hesitant to trade Kadri and not interested in trading Kappy. Pierre might be annoying but I respect most of what he says.

 

[Peiskos]

Leafs are lacking an element to their game that would make them a legitimate contender, this Leafs team doesn't seem capable of altering its style of play when they run into a team that shuts them down. They just continue attempting the same plays over and over again and a large part of that falls of the coaching staff.

It appears this Leafs team is only capable of playing a speedy skilled game, but a true contender should be able to play all styles. If we need to get physical and grind out wins we should be able to do that, if we need to trap we should be able to do that, but we can't because we are lacking those players.

 

[glue]

The timing of this pole is bad, right now Leafs are playing very poorly and there is significant concern. If the leafs turn it around and start playing as well as we know they are capable of, I think they beat anybody they face in round 1 (yes even Boston). But I have a hard time seeing them beat Tampa

 

[rumman]

7 mins in

I somewhat agree with his analysis........in the regular season.........playoffs, not so much. I don't think anyone wants a goon, but thinking a Wilson/Ferland/Watson/Anderson wouldn't help and isn't necessary? Oh boy, I'm starting to think my faith in this guy actually being a legit NHL GM is quickly waning.

 

[rumman]

First round exit again. Called it at the beginning of the year (we're too soft) that too many of our players disappear when we play hard-hitting, tough teams. Our team needs to start standing up for each other and if nothing changes we'll continue to be a first round exit team.

I watch Boston play and when the smallest guy on the ice (Krug) gets his ass kicked for coming to the aid of a team mate I realize how far our team has to come. Their whole team plays like this which is why our mentally weak team has so many issues with them.

I'm not saying we need meatheads but we need a couple heavy hitting grinders and a tough as nails defenseman that put the team first instead of themselves. It tends to rub off on players.

sadly, I'm in agreement, this isn't a non contact beer league, Leafs are going to get hammered.

 

[egd27]

Yes x 100. some posters called for it (including myself) but apparently leafs management and most posters here were deluded into thinking that Leafs were a strong contender last year

I disagree. I think "most" posters realized a Stanley Cup was extremely unlikely last year. They did however believe that they could get past the first round and perhaps gain some valuable playoff experience.

Not selling at the deadline gave them the best chance of that happening.

Our Leafs always seem to piss away games in hand though.

And other teams always take advantage of games in hand.

The classic fatalistic Leaf Fan.

 

[slozo]

Wow.
This thread is littered with the fractured psyches of broken Leaf fans . . . too damaged by the Leafs failures of the past to see the forest for the trees.

This is a very good team. We're not perfect, and yes, obviously we're going through a bit of a slump for sure right now, but we're still a very very good team.

Hopefully with a year or two, threads like this don't pop up instantly every time there's a bad loss or a bit of a bad run of sloppy games.

For the record, we're a contender. That's no guarantee of making the 2nd, 3rd round or final . . . but it's an undeniable fact. Playoffs is always a bit of a crapshoot.

 

[coupe93]

First round exit again. Called it at the beginning of the year (we're too soft) that too many of our players disappear when we play hard-hitting, tough teams. Our team needs to start standing up for each other and if nothing changes we'll continue to be a first round exit team.

I watch Boston play and when the smallest guy on the ice (Krug) gets his ass kicked for coming to the aid of a team mate I realize how far our team has to come. Their whole team plays like this which is why our mentally weak team has so many issues with them.

I'm not saying we need meatheads but we need a couple heavy hitting grinders and a tough as nails defenseman that put the team first instead of themselves. It tends to rub off on players.

I tend to agree.

 

[HOF Paul Henderson]

Washington, Boston and Tampa should be extremely hard for this group to beat.

I’m confident against the rest of the East.

 

[ToneDog]

Washington, Boston and Tampa should be extremely hard for this group to beat.

I’m confident against the rest of the East.

Unfortunately if there are no upsets, those would be the 3 teams on the road to the SC final.

 

[Mess]

Washington, Boston and Tampa should be extremely hard for this group to beat.

I’m confident against the rest of the East.

Unfortunately if there are no upsets, those would be the 3 teams on the road to the SC final.

Round #1 Bruins
Round #2 Caps
Round #3 Lightning

 

[ToneDog]

Round #1 Bruins
Round #2 Caps
Round #3 Lightning

If they are not a WC, it would be Bruins, TB and Caps.

 

[Loosie]

We're contenders, but the bi-polar aspect of this fanbase will say we're not because of recent play. I can already see 4 people think we're not even making the playoffs.

 

[Torontonian]

Ill go with Good team and will make ECF.. Leafs are just in a slump that every team goes through. But with Leaf fans and their extreme bi-polar and hot takes seem think that were a trash team and wont even make the playoffs lmfao

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I am somewhere between 1st and 2nd round exit. If we get home ice advantage then we make 2nd round but it is so so close. If we come in 3rd to Boston it is 1 and done.