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Sportsnet: 100-point-plus team and likely first-round “favourites

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ottomaddox

ottomaddox

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Oct 31, 2017
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Season Preview Time!

Justin Bourne answers the question:

"Are the Leafs gonna be good this this season?"

Best quote:

"In the end I see a 100-point-plus team and likely first-round “favourites,” whatever the heck that’s worth in the NHL. So to answer my own question, yes, I think the Leafs are going to be good. Setting the bar at “Yeah but what will they do in the playoffs” may be fair in the big picture, but there’s a whole marathon to run before they get there.

At least on the way, Leafs fans should expect to see some good hockey this season."

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/expect-toronto-maple-leafs-2021-22/sn-amp/
Click to read more...
 
First round "favourites" would at least make for a change of pace in this division.
 
What exactly makes this team first round favorites? If they end up with Tampa in the first round, are they still favourites? I just don't see why people think this is a particularly good team, sorry. They have no one outside the top 4 forwards
 
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Suntouchable13 said:
What exactly makes this team first round favorites? If they end up with Tampa in the first round, are they still favourites? I just don't see why people think this is a particularly good team, sorry. They have no one outside the top 4 forwards
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Nobody said they are first round favourites right now. The quote (from one sports media guy) is they will be a 100 pt and "likely" first round favourite. Which to me, translates into likely 1st or 2nd in the division - probably 2nd behind Tampa.
 
We were favourite's for the first time in 2021 since probably 2004.

Would be nice to be favourite's again and have the odds on our side.
 
Regular season means nothing and will get long and tedious after the rush of having hockey back wears off. All that matters is what happens in April if they get there.

It will be nice to just put a game on in the background though.
 
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There are too many question marks on our roster to be considered an automatic playoff team in our division, let alone to be considered favorites.

I think we should make the playoffs if we stay relatively healthy, but as others have stated, it's all about the results. The regular season has never meant less to me than it does now.
 
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Really depends on injuries. Can Matthews play a full season? Is Tavares declining and how will he respond post injury?

Will Marner get his mojo back? Can Campbell and Mrazek work as a tandem? Will the bargain bin depth signings contribute?

There's so many questions going into this season I could see the team beating 105 points or failing to make the playoffs.
 
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I think we are easily a top 16 team in the NHL.

Problem is the Eastern Conference is far better than the West, the Pacific division in particular is a joke. The Metro has 5 playoff caliber teams, the Atlantic has 4 playoff caliber teams (although I'm skeptical about the Panthers). A good team is going to miss the playoffs next year in the East, especially if there is a surprise team (Devils, Rangers, Sens)

A couple of bad teams are going to coast into the playoffs in the West.
 
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DuncanMacpherson said:
If the Leafs win the President’s trophy would that mean anything to anyone?
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Well sometimes Presidents Trophy Winners win the cup. Sometimes they go deep in the playoffs. Right now the bar is so low that the average fan would be surprised they win a playoff series.

I don't think it would be nothing.
 
Crosscrease14 said:
Really depends on injuries. Can Matthews play a full season? Is Tavares declining and how will he respond post injury?

Will Marner get his mojo back? Can Campbell and Mrazek work as a tandem? Will the bargain bin depth signings contribute?

There's so many questions going into this season I could see the team beating 105 points or failing to make the playoffs.
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More questions than answers and now that we go back to normal division and play everyone again so its going to be interesting to see how all this unfolds.

I think it could go either way, particularly if the Leafs lose Rielly or Muzzin for any length of time that might make this year Leafs a marginal playoff team battling for a wildcard, but with their high end talent they could also put up 100+ points.

But we have really gotten to a point now, where the regular season is only for deciding playoff opposition and now its those results that will matter.
 
I will take my guess after i see how it shakes out in camp. Logically i see a positive progression just because we will not have a injured Andersen killing us.
Robertson taking a left wing spot changes our depth significantly and instantly.
Rielly might get traded
Team toughness equation remains to be seen etc
 
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DuncanMacpherson said:
If the Leafs win the President’s trophy would that mean anything to anyone?
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Yes, but it would be cancelled out immediately IF a first round exit occurred.


A presidents trophy season takes a great team with a lot of consistency, injury depth, and good team chemistry. All things that are also needed for playoff success. Therefore, a presidents trophy would be a great achievement and would also put us against the "easiest" opponent in the first round.

However, as I mentioned before, a presidents trophy ans a first round exit wouldn't make any Leaf fan happy with the season. Pretty much all Leaf fans would prefer squeeking into the playoffs and then winning a round.
 
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Favourite in the playoffs usually means top four in the conference, which includes Tampa, Boston, Florida, Pittsburgh, Washington, Islanders, Rangers, Philadelphia, and Carolina.

I don't think 100 points will take first or second in the East, and in the last two full seasons, it has earned a playoff spot, but not top four.

I suspect it will take a minimum of 105, and likely closer to 110, to take second in the East.

So, 100+ point season, probably; playoffs, almost certainly; favourite, I'm not so sure.

What I expect: heroics in the regular season, and heartbreak in the playoffs.
 
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