Maple Leafs are better, but are they a playoff team?

[maplesyrup]

So frustrating that the Sens were able to retool in a year and here we are, in what, year 4 of the rebuild?... and we're likely to need another year to be considered a playoff team. Now, I haven't given up hopes for this year but like I said in the "shopping" thread, I sincerely hope that any moves Burke makes aren't made with just this year in mind.

IMO, that's just Ratface and Dumbo picking up most of the slack. Sure, Michalek is having a good year and they have a good rookie defender, but you take Ratface and Dumbo off that team and I think they get blown out more than they win. That's my take.

I think there's more to this Sens team then just those guys to be honest with you. A few guys in that line-up outside of Alfredsson and Spezza kept up quite well with this very quick Leafs team and they were able to do so after playing the previous night. I have to give credit where credit is due.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I think there's more to this Sens team then just those guys to be honest with you. A few guys in that line-up outside of Alfredsson and Spezza kept up quite well with this very quick Leafs team and they were able to do so after playing the previous night. I have to give credit where credit is due.

Keeping up and scoring enough goals to win a game are a different story. I'm just saying that I'm not as impressed as you are with their overall team. Maybe in a few years those players you're talking about will be good players, but I still think the Leafs are ahead of where Ottawa is with building a contending team. Their top two players are old and our top two players are young. Ottawa still will have to develop and or trade for pieces to catch up to us.

We'll be contending before they will IMO.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

So frustrating that the Sens were able to retool in a year and here we are, in what, year 4 of the rebuild?... and we're likely to need another year to be considered a playoff team. Now, I haven't given up hopes for this year but like I said in the "shopping" thread, I sincerely hope that any moves Burke makes aren't made with just this year in mind.

Their team is over achieving.  I don't expect their younger players to play the way they are next season except for Karlsson.  Just think of a sophomore jinx. 

The Leafs on the other hand have been steadily improving.  Just think of the slow team a few years ago compared to this team.  The team a few years ago skated as if they were on sandpaper.  This season's team is one of the fastest in the league.

The only issue I am having right now, and maybe this should have been posted in the gas RW thread, but the scouting report on the Leafs is in order to have success against the Leafs is to clog up the middle.  No matter how fast the Leaf players are, if they are not able to get into the middle of the ice, they will have a difficult time scoring from the perimeter.  The Sabres, Rangers and turds have done that to the Leafs in the past 3 games, and RW has not made any adjustments yet on how to counter that strategy.  One way to counter this would be to have the puck carrier cross the blue line and wait for the other two forwards to go down the middle of the ice toward the net.  This will force the other team to collapse as they now have to defend 2 players instead of 1.  The puck carrier and the 2 d-men can circle the puck until one of them takes a shot.  With the traffic in front of the net, the goalie will have a difficult time seeing the puck.  There may also be rebounds.

 

[rdowdall]

I think there's more to this Sens team then just those guys to be honest with you. A few guys in that line-up outside of Alfredsson and Spezza kept up quite well with this very quick Leafs team and they were able to do so after playing the previous night. I have to give credit where credit is due.

Keeping up and scoring enough goals to win a game are a different story. I'm just saying that I'm not as impressed as you are with their overall team. Maybe in a few years those players you're talking about will be good players, but I still think the Leafs are ahead of where Ottawa is with building a contending team. Their top two players are old and our top two players are young. Ottawa still will have to develop and or trade for pieces to catch up to us.

We'll be contending before they will IMO.

I would hate to point out that technically, they are contending this year, and technically, the Leafs are not.

 

[rdowdall]

So frustrating that the Sens were able to retool in a year and here we are, in what, year 4 of the rebuild?... and we're likely to need another year to be considered a playoff team. Now, I haven't given up hopes for this year but like I said in the "shopping" thread, I sincerely hope that any moves Burke makes aren't made with just this year in mind.

Their team is over achieving.  I don't expect their younger players to play the way they are next season except for Karlsson.  Just think of a sophomore jinx. 

The Leafs on the other hand have been steadily improving.  Just think of the slow team a few years ago compared to this team.  The team a few years ago skated as if they were on sandpaper.  This season's team is one of the fastest in the league.

The only issue I am having right now, and maybe this should have been posted in the gas RW thread, but the scouting report on the Leafs is in order to have success against the Leafs is to clog up the middle.  No matter how fast the Leaf players are, if they are not able to get into the middle of the ice, they will have a difficult time scoring from the perimeter.  The Sabres, Rangers and turds have done that to the Leafs in the past 3 games, and RW has not made any adjustments yet on how to counter that strategy.  One way to counter this would be to have the puck carrier cross the blue line and wait for the other two forwards to go down the middle of the ice toward the net.  This will force the other team to collapse as they now have to defend 2 players instead of 1.  The puck carrier and the 2 d-men can circle the puck until one of them takes a shot.  With the traffic in front of the net, the goalie will have a difficult time seeing the puck.  There may also be rebounds.

I'm not so sure.  I think their coach is able to channel his inner Pat Quinn.

 

[groundskeeper willie]

I think there's more to this Sens team then just those guys to be honest with you. A few guys in that line-up outside of Alfredsson and Spezza kept up quite well with this very quick Leafs team and they were able to do so after playing the previous night. I have to give credit where credit is due.

Keeping up and scoring enough goals to win a game are a different story. I'm just saying that I'm not as impressed as you are with their overall team. Maybe in a few years those players you're talking about will be good players, but I still think the Leafs are ahead of where Ottawa is with building a contending team. Their top two players are old and our top two players are young. Ottawa still will have to develop and or trade for pieces to catch up to us.

We'll be contending before they will IMO.

I would hate to point out that technically, they are contending this year, and technically, the Leafs are not.

Contending for what? 'Cause the topic was Cup contenders, and as well as Ottawa is doing this year, they most definitely are not contending for the Cup.

 

[rdowdall]

I think there's more to this Sens team then just those guys to be honest with you. A few guys in that line-up outside of Alfredsson and Spezza kept up quite well with this very quick Leafs team and they were able to do so after playing the previous night. I have to give credit where credit is due.

Keeping up and scoring enough goals to win a game are a different story. I'm just saying that I'm not as impressed as you are with their overall team. Maybe in a few years those players you're talking about will be good players, but I still think the Leafs are ahead of where Ottawa is with building a contending team. Their top two players are old and our top two players are young. Ottawa still will have to develop and or trade for pieces to catch up to us.

We'll be contending before they will IMO.

I would hate to point out that technically, they are contending this year, and technically, the Leafs are not.

Contending for what? 'Cause the topic was Cup contenders, and as well as Ottawa is doing this year, they most definitely are not contending for the Cup.

They are in the playoffs and the Leafs are not.  Realistically, that is the first step.  Once you get in anything can happen.  I would say the basis for cup contention begins with making the playoffs.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

They are in the playoffs and the Leafs are not.  Realistically, that is the first step.  Once you get in anything can happen.  I would say the basis for cup contention begins with making the playoffs.

Good thing it doesn't matter until the end of the season. Even then, qualifying for the playoffs, doesn't mean your a contending team.

 

[Zee]

i'm gonna go ahead and answer the original question of "are they a playoff team" and change my answer to "No".

 

[Tigger]

i'm gonna go ahead and answer the original question of "are they a playoff team" and change my answer to "No".

Tune in next week for a new episode of Upstairs, Downstairs...

 

[Redleaf]

i'm gonna go ahead and answer the original question of "are they a playoff team" and change my answer to "No".

Based on last night's game?

 

[Zee]

i'm gonna go ahead and answer the original question of "are they a playoff team" and change my answer to "No".

Tune in next week for a new episode of Upstairs, Downstairs...

I'm serious this time.  Unless something changes drastically in the next week or so (one of the goalies playing like a true #1, a trade to help our team, a coach firing etc) this Leafs team as it currently stands will be on the outside looking in.

 

[pnjunction]

Well they can't afford too many more 3 game losing streaks that's for sure.  Pretty much wiped out the gains from the 4-game winning streak that preceded it, and those are hard to come by for this team.

 

[Tigger]

i'm gonna go ahead and answer the original question of "are they a playoff team" and change my answer to "No".

Tune in next week for a new episode of Upstairs, Downstairs...

I'm serious this time.  Unless something changes drastically in the next week or so (one of the goalies playing like a true #1, a trade to help our team, a coach firing etc) this Leafs team as it currently stands will be on the outside looking in.

It's hard to tell and though I was being sarcastic one week won't change a whole heck of a lot in the reality of what this team is right now, a middle of the pack group that was always going to have to fight/work very hard to get to the dance this year.

 

[Zee]

i'm gonna go ahead and answer the original question of "are they a playoff team" and change my answer to "No".

Tune in next week for a new episode of Upstairs, Downstairs...

I'm serious this time.  Unless something changes drastically in the next week or so (one of the goalies playing like a true #1, a trade to help our team, a coach firing etc) this Leafs team as it currently stands will be on the outside looking in.

It's hard to tell and though I was being sarcastic one week won't change a whole heck of a lot in the reality of what this team is right now, a middle of the pack group that was always going to have to fight/work very hard to get to the dance this year.

One week will change alot if the Leafs lose the next 3.

 

[Erndog]

We need some of nutmans optimism!

 

[rdowdall]

They are in the playoffs and the Leafs are not.  Realistically, that is the first step.  Once you get in anything can happen.  I would say the basis for cup contention begins with making the playoffs.

Good thing it doesn't matter until the end of the season. Even then, qualifying for the playoffs, doesn't mean your a contending team.

But if the Senators are in the playoffs, and the Leafs aren't, which one is further along for contending for the cup?

 

[Tigger]

i'm gonna go ahead and answer the original question of "are they a playoff team" and change my answer to "No".

Tune in next week for a new episode of Upstairs, Downstairs...

I'm serious this time.  Unless something changes drastically in the next week or so (one of the goalies playing like a true #1, a trade to help our team, a coach firing etc) this Leafs team as it currently stands will be on the outside looking in.

It's hard to tell and though I was being sarcastic one week won't change a whole heck of a lot in the reality of what this team is right now, a middle of the pack group that was always going to have to fight/work very hard to get to the dance this year.

One week will change alot if the Leafs lose the next 3.

That's not very likely is it? Even so, if they won the next 4 would it matter a whole lot?

You go ahead and be continuously pessimistic and consider the virtues of luck, premonition and whatnot though, I'll watch the team and see if they actually get better or not.

It's a long season and there's lots of hockey left, for good or bad.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

They are in the playoffs and the Leafs are not.  Realistically, that is the first step.  Once you get in anything can happen.  I would say the basis for cup contention begins with making the playoffs.

Good thing it doesn't matter until the end of the season. Even then, qualifying for the playoffs, doesn't mean your a contending team.

But if the Senators are in the playoffs, and the Leafs aren't, which one is further along for contending for the cup?

I do not expect the turds to be a long term cup contender.  Having too many young players who have no playoff experience will come back to haunt them, and long term, there are no guarantees.

This season, only the Bruins look like a cup finalist, and other than them, it is wide open as to who will face the Bruins in the Conference finals.

What I would rather see is a team build to ensure long term success, and that is what I see with the Leafs.  It has been slow, and a lot of players have come and gone over the past 7 years, but I can see the progression the team has made to where we are today.  There are still moves to be made, but most of the players in this lineup will be there when the team is in the playoffs.

 

[bustaheims]

As things stand right now, winning 4 of every 7 the rest of the way might get the Leafs into a playoff spot. Winning 5 of every 8 almost certainly does.