Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup contenders?

[BaconNater]

Why were they(Shanahan) so insisting on keeping the core 4? What convinced them that they could ever get it done keeping all of them together?

Trading Marner was the easiest move ever, I guess maybe the Leafs hoped they could win the Cup all they need to do is face 4 teams that do not have toughness or good coaching

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Never a contender since 1967. Always exposed as a fraud and pretender.

not a character team

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

They have a championship caliber forward group but at the moment with that blue line and the way their goalies are playing I think they have a better chance of missing the playoffs than they do winning the Cup, and I think there’s very little chance they miss the playoffs.

 

[Mr Positive]

Nurse is trash. Straight up. I like Ekholm but he is not better than Rielly.

say what you want, but Toronto is ahead in the standings, despite having among the worst goaltending in the NHL.

Nurse has been great this year. Everyone loves Ekholm but Nurse plays more minutes and vs tougher opposition.

Toronto looks like they would be in danger of dropping out of a playoff spot if the Atlantic weren't so bad this year. But honestly I do agree it's on the goaltending. Oilers had that same issue and it makes the defense look worse than it is.

I actually think that last loss was mostly a good sign as at least they kept the GA down.

I would bet that Toronto adds a goalie. Just like Edm having this critical weakness sinks them but it's something that can be fixed with one move

 

[Kevinsane]

I’ll never get over this.

 

[nbwingsfan]

The leafs, 5 points back of Florida, with 2 games in hand, not a contender.

Florida, 5 points ahead with 2 more games played, also, not a contender.


This is about the time Detroit has their annual choke no? Free falling in those standings.

The Wings are exactly where we expected to be in the standings with our top prospects not playing in the NHL yet.

Did you really expect the Leaf’s to have 3 less RW wins than the red wings at this point in the season?

Despite them being garbage, the Leaf’s have exactly one extra series win than the Wings since they last made the playoffs. Yikes.

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

Nurse is trash. Straight up. I like Ekholm but he is not better than Rielly.

say what you want, but Toronto is ahead in the standings, despite having among the worst goaltending in the NHL.

Saying nurse is trash just shows how little you know. Shocker for a leaf fan...
Nurse plays most minutes and toughest every year and is consistently top 15 in dman points and has good underlying numbers. Ekholm and bouch are easily better than reily and there isn't really an argument otherwise. Leafs have had 10 times better goaltending than oilers. Well has stolen several games and yet the leafs aren't anywhere to brag about.
Leafs have 603 point %
Oilers have 530 point %
Leafs have .998pdo oilers have .986pdo. Leafs getting more lucky than oilers.

 

[34]

Nurse has been great this year. Everyone loves Ekholm but Nurse plays more minutes and vs tougher opposition.

Toronto looks like they would be in danger of dropping out of a playoff spot if the Atlantic weren't so bad this year. But honestly I do agree it's on the goaltending. Oilers had that same issue and it makes the defense look worse than it is.

I actually think that last loss was mostly a good sign as at least they kept the GA down.

I would bet that Toronto adds a goalie. Just like Edm having this critical weakness sinks them but it's something that can be fixed with one move

Ekholm is solid. As much as I am not an Oilers fan he is exactly the type of D man the Leafs need. I dont see the upside of Nurse, I never have.

I agree that the Leafs are at risk of missing the playoffs. The goaltending has been the worst in the NHL.

Update, the Leafs just put Samsonov on waivers. FINALLY!

 

[Mr Positive]

Ekholm is solid. As much as I am not an Oilers fan he is exactly the type of D man the Leafs need. I dont see the upside of Nurse, I never have.

I agree that the Leafs are at risk of missing the playoffs. The goaltending has been the worst in the NHL.

Update, the Leafs just put Samsonov on waivers. FINALLY!

The upside of Nurse has always been that he is an amazing skater, has great puck skills and is a physical player. The downside was that he's had very poor decision making. But, this season he's cleaned up his game and so we have all the upside with minimal downside

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

The leafs, 5 points back of Florida, with 2 games in hand, not a contender.

Florida, 5 points ahead with 2 more games played, also, not a contender.

One part of that statement is the truth and one is a lie.
We remember what you said about the latter though.

One team is losing to bottom 10 teams, the other is beating top 10 teams.

It becomes comical watching the recycling of goalies and limited focus on finding a true starter for the Leafs though.
Razzle dazzle hockey baby, 70 goal rocket award winner Auston Matthews. LFG!!

 

[Laus723]

The leafs, 5 points back of Florida, with 2 games in hand, not a contender.

Florida, 5 points ahead with 2 more games played, also, not a contender.


This is about the time Detroit has their annual choke no? Free falling in those standings.

Still clueless.

 

[pekka55]

I’ll never get over this.

To be fair, it does say when and how many. The answer could be never and zero.

 

[The90]

The Wings are exactly where we expected to be in the standings with our top prospects not playing in the NHL yet.

Did you really expect the Leaf’s to have 3 less RW wins than the red wings at this point in the season?

Despite them being garbage, the Leaf’s have exactly one extra series win than the Wings since they last made the playoffs. Yikes.

The leafs have been brutal this year. No question. Just sucks for you that the best argument you can come up with is ‘durrrr regulation wins’ haha

The fun part is that Detroit is missing an entire top line to be considered a contender. Ol Stevey has the third line and 5/6 d spots looking decent though lol

I’d much rather ottawa and buffalo’s young core with elite talent over detroits.

Still clueless.

What’s clueless about what I said? It’s factual

One part of that statement is the truth and one is a lie.
We remember what you said about the latter though.

One team is losing to bottom 10 teams, the other is beating top 10 teams.

It becomes comical watching the recycling of goalies and limited focus on finding a true starter for the Leafs though.
Razzle dazzle hockey baby, 70 goal rocket award winner Auston Matthews. LFG!!

The leafs have literally beat the top 2 teams in the league this year. Handily too.

What part of what I said wasn’t truth?

 

[Laus723]

What’s clueless about what I said? It’s factual


The leafs have literally beat the top 2 teams in the league this year. Handily too.

What part of what I said wasn’t truth?

Lmao!!!! The first part was factual, the Leafs ain’t contenders. You still think regular season success translates.

The second half is just exhibit A. You somehow have no clue what a team needs to do to go deep in the playoffs. I mean, I get it, I thought we had what it took with the Panthers won the President’s Trophy…but we weren’t close. Yet.

 

[Dicky113]

They are oilers of the East. Great top 6, brutal D, brutal G.

Could they win? I can’t see it until they shore up their weaknesses

 

[nbwingsfan]

The leafs have been brutal this year. No question. Just sucks for you that the best argument you can come up with is ‘durrrr regulation wins’ haha

The fun part is that Detroit is missing an entire top line to be considered a contender. Ol Stevey has the third line and 5/6 d spots looking decent though lol

I’d much rather ottawa and buffalo’s young core with elite talent over detroits.


What’s clueless about what I said? It’s factual


The leafs have literally beat the top 2 teams in the league this year. Handily too.

What part of what I said wasn’t truth?

More wins with a top 3 prospect pool in the league to go with cap space to burn

Vs
Going on year 7 of a core with nothing but hilarious results, worst prospect pool in the league, zero cap space, might lose their 2nd best player for free this off season.

I’d take most teams young cores over whatever mess this is supposed to be in Toronto.

 

[The90]

Lmao!!!! The first part was factual, the Leafs ain’t contenders. You still think regular season success translates.

The second half is just exhibit A. You somehow have no clue what a team needs to do to go deep in the playoffs. I mean, I get it, I thought we had what it took with the Panthers won the President’s Trophy…but we weren’t close. Yet.

I do. A hot goalie. That’s it.

More wins with a top 3 prospect pool in the league to go with cap space to burn

Vs
Going on year 7 of a core with nothing but hilarious results, worst prospect pool in the league, zero cap space, might lose their 2nd best player for free this off season.

I’d take most teams young cores over whatever mess this is supposed to be in Toronto.

Good luck cashing those cheques big guy. Hopes and dreams.

 

[Laus723]

I do. A hot goalie. That’s it.


Good luck cashing those cheques big guy. Hopes and dreams.

Lmao, yeah. That’s it.

 

[Killer Orcas]

Imagine the goal tending duel between Toronto and Edmonton in the finals. Without better goal tending and team defense, they are 1/2 round material. They really haven't shown the ability to tighten up and play playoff type hockey.

80's hockey was fun to watch though !

 

[The90]

Lmao, yeah. That’s it.

I know it is. It’s quite literally the common denominator

 

[pekka55]

I know it is. It’s quite literally the common denominator

You think Toronto has sucked in the playoffs for decades because they always run into a hot goalie? No fault of their own, they just happen to be unlucky?

Winners create their own luck. Losers cry about others.

Toronto sucks in the playoffs because they can't competently build a team. This ain't EA Sports NHL where you can just load up all the snipers onto one team and then go and win every game 10-1.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

not a character team

Complete dearth of character.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Once Joseph Woll comes back yes.

Goaltending is an issue at the moment, but that goes for almost any team where their #1G is down. Samsonov is straight up garbage, unplayable, literally the worst goaltender in the league AINEC.

Worse than oiler version Jack Campbell?

 

[Laus723]

I know it is. It’s quite literally the common denominator

Lmao!

 

[Leonardo87]