Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup contenders?

[Channelcat]

The Leafs will never be contenders. You don't go there to win.

 

[BraveCanadian]

The tying goal at 5 id say yes, but honestly the way he curled and dragged that puck and shot it through McCabes legs... thats a maybe.

The bad line change that lead to a 3 on 1, but Samsonov made the save, but lost sight of the puck. That's baaaaaad.

Maybe they meant he was only expected to save 2 of the goals against ?

I hope that's the case as that stat is another advanced stat that's pointless to have as it can be easily dismissed as faulty.

I think he should have had that 5th one for sure.. and unfortunately it is another advanced stat that is essentially meaningless. However, they will just say that over a larger sample it is more correct.

 

[ozzie]

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.

 

[Ghetty Green]

They may miss the playoffs still. The Atlantic is savage.

Nah. Atlantic is full of frauds and bad teams. They'll finish top 3 as usual and bow out early in the playoffs

 

[34]

Nah. Atlantic is full of frauds and bad teams. They'll finish top 3 as usual and bow out early in the playoffs

Hahaha sure

 

[Laus723]

They lack that drive that Cup winners have in the post-season. Diving in front of pucks, going down the tunnel and swallowing the hurt to come back out, pushing the envelope to get a call or get the job done for a goal, etc.

Nah. Atlantic is full of frauds and bad teams. They'll finish top 3 as usual and bow out early in the playoffs

An Atlantic team went to Finals the last 5 years. And won it twice. Early??

 

[Ghetty Green]

An Atlantic team went to Finals the last 5 years. And won it twice. Early??

i was referring to the Leafs

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Too much talent to not be considered contenders. But…

 

[Laus723]

i was referring to the Leafs

Well, you said the Atlantic was full of frauds and bad teams. So….

 

[Ghetty Green]

Well, you said the Atlantic was full of frauds and bad teams. So….

Yeah, I was replying to another posters comment

 

[34]

i was referring to the Leafs

backpedaling is not a good look. You threw an outlandish claim out and got straightened out on it. Take it like a man buddy.

 

[notsocommonsense]

Currently, not a chance. If they can do something about their awful goaltending and defensive structure, they can turn it around

 

[Larry Hanson]

I wouldn't say that they are favourites but they are certainly contenders. If they get a hot goalie streak going in the playoffs they could go far.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Maybe. Want Mrazek back? Their goaltending stinks. The cross your fingers and throw somebody random out there method doesn’t work in the small pads, high scoring era.

 

[AuraSphere]

Their 2nd goalie cant outduel our 3rd goalie coming in cold? I hope Woll is Hasek 2.0 because the Leafs D sucks

Samsonov is not our 2nd goalie - this was likely his last game as a Leaf. Sure you can argue any goalie would have given up 2-3 goals with the Leafs D - but this was very much a winnable game with average goaltending.

I'd say Samsonov would be behind Jones and Hildeby at this point on the depth chart

 

[34]

Samsonov is not our 2nd goalie - this was likely his last game as a Leaf. Sure you can argue any goalie would have given up 2-3 goals with the Leafs D - but this was very much a winnable game with average goaltending.

I'd say Samsonov would be behind Jones and Hildeby at this point on the depth chart

100%. Samsonov is likely out now. Could be curtains for him.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Nope. Lack of goaltending, aging defensemen and a serious lack of attention to detail throughout, especially defensively. This team goes nowhere anytime soon. They needed a major shakeup last offseason. They opted for tweaks instead that in my opinion were downgrades (some they had no choice over because of cap issues). The easiest thing would have been to change the coaching staff. Not because Keefe et al deserved it, merely because it's the easiest major change to make and they needed something major.

 

[BrockLobster]

12 GA in 6 periods vs the CBJ say no...no theyre not

 

[34]

12 GA in 6 periods vs the CBJ say no...no theyre not

Samsonov says hi. That is all on him.

i still say not a contender regardless.

 

[Coffey]

Great thread @Bounces R Way

 

[Hank Plank]

Short answer: no
Long answer: nope

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

No.

I made the post in the main GDT, but this past game only 2 of the 6 goals were bad/should have been stopped. The d f***ed up on more.

Toronto's defensive system is bad. The d-core is bad.

I actually think the leafs have a very good defensive system. They should be last in the league for chances against with that d-core. But they play a good defensive system and forwards are very defensively responsible which gives them good results

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Not with that defense and goaltending.

 

[HabsQC]

I think last year was an anomaly and they'll come back to their normal selves this year : a heartbreaking 1st round exit

 

[12ozPapa]

Yes or no and also if you want why?

Leafs are in year #8 of Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Year #6 of prized UFA signing John Tavares. Since the beginning of the 2019-20 season they have the 4th most points of any team in the NHL. Those kind of results speak for themselves, Toronto clearly has a very good hockey team. But are they capable of winning the ultimate prize?

With that core, no. Period.