We are serious contenders!

[JT AM da real deal]

Vas and Freddy likely square off in round 2. The better goalie will decide that series. Freddy needs to steal one in Tampa. A Stanley Cup goalie has to do that 1 time every series.

 

[Morbo]

6th in the standings. tied for 2nd in ROW. 3rd in goal differential.

4th in goals for. 7th in goals against(and most of the season with a worse defence than they have now)

If that is not a contender, what do you call that?

Find me another team with those numbers that isn't one.

 

[AllDay28]

Lets say we had even an average to above average offence, our backend would be under a lot more scrutiny, we have the ability to outscore a lot of problems, serious problems. The playoffs will expose this really badly, we won't be able to outscore everyone, so that differential will mean nothing.

Point being is our scoring will go down, and with the way we defend, that goals against won't go down.

A team like Nasville will not care about how much they score, but boy they will still defend, and I would bet they would have one of the best differentials in the playoffs.

Or we could outscore every team in the playoffs, and Freddy is MVP, it can go anyway. I just think out of the top contenders, we have the ability for a 1st round exit if we can't score, because we don't keep the puck out of our net very well (again unless Andy has an MVP playoffs)

how many cups does Nashville have? why we setting the bar on teams that never win? Why not tell me how CHicago and Los Angeles were put together. You know, winners..

 

[56 Years No Cup]

well, yeah.

Leafs and Bolts have given up pretty much the same amount of goals.

They've both scored pretty much the same amount of even strength goals (leafs actually have scored more).

But the Bolts have scored 25 more PP goals.

If only we had a better PP to make up that differential.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

I think a lot of that is on Freddy, he masks a lot, and yes that counts. If he goes MVP, we are going far in the playoffs, I will fully admit that. But Freddy plus an offence scoring 200+ goals masks a lot of things.

Having a top goalie does give us some edge in the D department.

Again, we are a contender, I just don't think we are a serious one without our PP being even average, and Freddy going nuclear. Anybody can see how badly we defend.

Last nights NY game is somewhat like what would happen in the playoffs if we didn't have an elite tender. The difference is we wouldn't get 55 shots, we would be facing the best teams, plus we still can't defend as a team.

Maybe we all watch a different team, if I am wrong, than my apologies, truly.

Never apologize for having an opinion. And a solid one, at that.

 

[DanM]

Never apologize for having an opinion. And a solid one, at that.

Thank you!

I had Zeke and others attacking me for sharing my opinion on team flaws that I was worried about.

So I felt the need to apologize and state that I am a Leaf fan

 

[zeke]

Zeke, I get it, I pushed a button, and I didn't gush over our playoff chances, and if I angered you, my apologies. I want more than anything to win a cup.

What I mean't by goals, is that our offence covers up a lot of liabilities. The fact is our differential is this high because we can score so much, and not because our D is so strong. If we had even an above average offence, we would have a lot more scrutiny about our backend.

So when they playoffs start, and we cannot score as much, the offensive numbers will decrease, but our D (or from how it looks today) will not pick it up a notch, and that differential will not be even close to the same.


Take a Nashville, Tampa, Wpg, Calgary (maybe) all will score less in the playoffs, but I feel their D will step up, and their differential will still look fantastic.

We just don't defend well, I mean how can we say we do?

again, we're 8th in goals against. that has nothing to do with our offense.

 

[Trapper]

Regular season stats tell me we are a good team.
What do post season stats say?

 

[DanM]

again, we're 8th in goals against. that has nothing to do with our offense.

Let me ask you a question, Freddy has been lights out most of the year, this has for sure masked things (including GA), do you honestly think we have a legit top notch D? you believe we play within a sound defensive structure from our top C down?

Because goal differential can be affected by many variables, such as a solid goalie.

Another question, if Anderson is average (not bad) do you have faith our sound defensive structure, and top D would be able to withstand that? Or if we can't score on the PP or 5X5 as well (not bad, just average) against a top team, would we keep the puck out of our own net enough?

Because I feel teams like Tampa, Nashville, Calgary, and Boston for sure could.

 

[DanM]

how many cups does Nashville have? why we setting the bar on teams that never win? Why not tell me how CHicago and Los Angeles were put together. You know, winners..

You mean Chicago with Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Campbell (and this is just the top 4 lol)

Or

L.A. with Doughty, Martinez, Muzzin, Scuderi, Regher (at one point) Mitchell?

Plus both teams being sound defensively throughout the lineup...

Yeah, those teams played a much better defensive game.

 

[Loosie]

Let me ask you a question, Freddy has been lights out most of the year, this has for sure masked things (including GA), do you honestly think we have a legit top notch D? you believe we play within a sound defensive structure from our top C down?

Because goal differential can be affected by many variables, such as a solid goalie.

Another question, if Anderson is average (not bad) do you have faith our sound defensive structure, and top D would be able to withstand that? Or if we can't score on the PP or 5X5 as well (not bad, just average) against a top team, would we keep the puck out of our own net enough?

Because I feel teams like Tampa, Nashville, Calgary, and Boston for sure could.

Didn't you just admit that Tampa has similar flaws as us?

As well you goalie is part of your defence. What would happen if we had great D and a crappy goaltender?

Also if we can't score on the PP or 5X5 against a top team you're not winning no matter how good your D is.

Look at LA. They have allowed only 8 goals more than we have, but they've only scored 132 goals (a full 63 less than us). Good D!

Is our D a top D in the league? No, but it's top 10. And a top 10 D and our offence is a contender in this league.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Regular season stats tell me we are a good team.
What do post season stats say?

yeah, it is a huge red flag that the Leafs haven't done anything in the post season yet this year

 

[FraumBallard]

6th in the standings. tied for 2nd in ROW. 3rd in goal differential.

4th in goals for. 7th in goals against(and most of the season with a worse defence than they have now)

If that is not a contender, what do you call that?

Find me another team with those numbers that isn't one.

I would be concerned that they are way too soft.
Numbers won't count for much when your face is up against the glass and you're afraid to get hit.
That is the immediate future of this team if Shanahan doesn't tell Wonder Boy to get some toughness.

 

[LeafFever]

I have never in my life seen a team with such a low GA destroyed like the Leafs D does.
What's the reasoning for them being as low GA as Tampa has?

 

[FraumBallard]

if grinding the puck into the boards is entertaining.

Heart.
Character.
Pride.
Some people don't value that.
I think we will see that it matters a lot.
Dismiss it if you like.
You will be proven wrong.

 

[FraumBallard]

yeah, it is a huge red flag that the Leafs haven't done anything in the post season yet this year

Funny.
Well done.

 

[FraumBallard]

You mean Chicago with Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Campbell (and this is just the top 4 lol)

Or

L.A. with Doughty, Martinez, Muzzin, Scuderi, Regher (at one point) Mitchell?

Plus both teams being sound defensively throughout the lineup...

Yeah, those teams played a much better defensive game.

Clean.
Crisp.
And .
True.
Good post.

 

[FraumBallard]

Let me ask you a question, Freddy has been lights out most of the year, this has for sure masked things (including GA), do you honestly think we have a legit top notch D? you believe we play within a sound defensive structure from our top C down?

Because goal differential can be affected by many variables, such as a solid goalie.

Another question, if Anderson is average (not bad) do you have faith our sound defensive structure, and top D would be able to withstand that? Or if we can't score on the PP or 5X5 as well (not bad, just average) against a top team, would we keep the puck out of our own net enough?

Because I feel teams like Tampa, Nashville, Calgary, and Boston for sure could.

Solid post.
100% agree.

 

[FraumBallard]

again, we're 8th in goals against. that has nothing to do with our offense.

Yeah.
It's a team game.
GA has everything to do with our offence.
Logic.
Just Sayin'.

 

[FraumBallard]

Thank you!

I had Zeke and others attacking me for sharing my opinion on team flaws that I was worried about.

So I felt the need to apologize and state that I am a Leaf fan

You are not alone.
I love the Leafs.
Always have.
They have flaws.
It's okay to point them out.

 

[LeafFever]

My favourite argument is they aren't contenders because of no series wins since 04. Really, who the heck cares? In 40 years of watching hockey I have never picked teams based on past playoff success. Your predictions would be brutal if you did that.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

no we are not- too soft, need another d, power forward, play AM With Willy, fire PP coach, need a better backup and get THAT SPEEDY PEST 4TH LINER UP FROM THE MARLIES. bench LINDHOLM.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

Marleau to 4th line too.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

You mean Chicago with Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Campbell (and this is just the top 4 lol)

Or

L.A. with Doughty, Martinez, Muzzin, Scuderi, Regher (at one point) Mitchell?

Plus both teams being sound defensively throughout the lineup...

Yeah, those teams played a much better defensive game.

Based on your Chicago example we're arguably only one defenseman away then. That's pretty damn close. Also I'd say our defense corps is similar to Pittsburgh's when they won back-to-back Cups.

 

[FraumBallard]

the biggest difference is their PP is unstoppable, and they get way more PPs.

Hmmm.
Why might they get more pps?
I wonder.
Hmmm.