Was the Leafs season a regression?
- Thread starter NetflixandPhil
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tony d
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Yeah it was, their roster was the best it's been in this current run but they still can't get past Round 1. Some big changes coming for the Leafs this summer I think.
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GlitchMarner
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lomiller1
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I don’t see it. If I’m ranking cup favorites Vegas and SJ are both above the Leafs and both below Boston. Boston survived a crazy amount of early injuries but once they got healthy it was obvious that they were a step ahead of basically everyone but TB. The Leafs road some sh% early but when that subsided they were exposed as a middle of the pack among the 16 playoff teams.
Upsets happen, but make no mistake the Leafs winning would have been a significant upset. Obviously not CBJ over TB, shocking, but one of the more significant upsets nonetheless.
BruinLVGA
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I would say yes. They hired a top level center like Tavares who was supposed to be the big piece to push them over the (Bruins) hill and who delivered a 47 goals season + their core has one more year of experience, including direct playoffs experience vs the Bruins. Yet, they are -5 points compared to 17-18 and got bounced again by the Bruins in the first round.
Torontonian
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Wouldn't call it a regression, from a fans perspective you can call it that but our players made some good progression, Matthews learning how to play in his own end is a big stride, Marner now being a penalty killer and a decent forward in his own end is another big stride. Kapanen/Dermott/Johnsson are playing in their first full NHL season and both got 20 goals and 44 and 43 points, and Dermott looked good at times throughout the season. Our entire top 9 is under the age of 29 (apart from Marleau). It sucks to lose but there was progression made with some players this season.
Points wise the Leafs were a decent backup goalie away from being higher then 105 points.
Points wise the Leafs were a decent backup goalie away from being higher then 105 points.
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lomiller1
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We may never know the full details of the locker room fracture in Winnipeg, but it was clear for a while something was wrong just by watching them play. I haven’t heard anything about Nashville, but something was clearly wrong there as well. Whatever it was, both of these teams should have been top cup contenders, and wasted an opportunity.
Connor McConnor
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I'd say no. After watching every game from both last years vs. this years playoffs the performance was admirably better. For long stretches during this 7 game series the Leafs were the better team. This was a very even matchup that could have gone either way. Last year it was a complete fluke they managed to even get to game 7. I'd say the biggest issue remains on D and special teams. Almost every goal in game 7 was a direct result of a brutal defenseman turnover in their own zone.
GlitchMarner
Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Marner and Rielly were two guys who took big steps forward.
On the other hand, Nylander had a very disappointing season overall and Kadri was better the previous two seasons. Hopefully these guys bounce back if they're brought back.
At the start of the season we didn't hear about if the Leafs would win a cup, rather how many cups. I think that level of optimism will be toned down significantly next year. They are golfing in April again, I don'y know if it's regression, but they are certainly not in a better spot.
No, but it did show weaknesses.
Defence needs more beef.
Cant have Kadri golfing every playoffs, idiot.
Nylander has his fathers genes.
We have a need and 2 coins to trade for it.
Defence needs more beef.
Cant have Kadri golfing every playoffs, idiot.
Nylander has his fathers genes.
We have a need and 2 coins to trade for it.
LeafsNation75
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It's only a regression if you look at Toronto having 105 points and 49 wins in 2018 compared to 100 points and 46 wins in 2019. They still finished 3rd in the Atlantic and if it wasn't for the Bruins going on a streak of getting so many points in multiple games in a row, maybe Toronto finishes ahead of them in the standings.
GlitchMarner
Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
That's how DNA works.
Michael Nylander had some productive playoffs: Five points in six games (three goals) in 2003, six points in six games (three goals) in 2004, 13 points in 10 games (six goals) in 2007.
Pyrophorus
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BruinLVGA
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Re bolded... And if one cuts out any moderately good stretch of the Leafs, they wouldn't even make the playoffs (after all, Montreal ended with 96 points, only 4 less than the Leafs).
See the fault in that kind of reasoning?
A massive disappointment, but I don’t know that I’d call it regression. I don’t think they have some giant roster hurdle to get them to the cup (other than the cap), it just didn’t work out for them this year.
GMofOilers
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Nah finished right where expected.
Their defense is terrible, lucky they have Andersen to bail them out as much as he does.
Their defense is terrible, lucky they have Andersen to bail them out as much as he does.
Volica
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Coincidentally, they're also an average Andersen year away from being a bubble team.
You'd have to say so. The team's more talented than last season but they performed worse.
Defensive system's terrible indeed, but look at the D with which Penguins won in 2017.
The Moose is Loose
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Voted for regression because while yes, they had pretty much identical seasons, there were a lot of reasons they should have gone further.
1) Rielly smashing his career high and putting up Norris finalist like numbers
2) A literal 30 points worth of growth from Marner putting him just outside the top 10 leaguewide in points
3) Adding a top 10 center from free agency who was top 20 in points and top 3 in goals.
Considering this, having the exact same season, is definitely a regression.
1) Rielly smashing his career high and putting up Norris finalist like numbers
2) A literal 30 points worth of growth from Marner putting him just outside the top 10 leaguewide in points
3) Adding a top 10 center from free agency who was top 20 in points and top 3 in goals.
Considering this, having the exact same season, is definitely a regression.
Extremely minor regression however with better high-end players. Basically a repeat of the season before, however there should have been steps forward this year.
DrJustice
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I don't think so.
It was pretty evident that the Leafs were a much better team this time around compared to last season.
Were a much better matchup for Boston as well. Muzzin particularly I think had a big effect on slowing down the Bergeron line and forcing Boston to adapt.
With their youth I still think the window is wide open, they just have to learn how to break through.
It was pretty evident that the Leafs were a much better team this time around compared to last season.
Were a much better matchup for Boston as well. Muzzin particularly I think had a big effect on slowing down the Bergeron line and forcing Boston to adapt.
With their youth I still think the window is wide open, they just have to learn how to break through.
