Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup contenders?

[authentic]

Agree. Teams like that don't win the Stanley Cup. After several years of failing, you'd think the front office would see and make significant changes but they don't. They just keep running it out there hoping something will magically change. That's the definition of insanity. If they fail this year, where do they go from here? Resign Nylander at $10m? Let him walk? How do you fix your terrible D? Too many holes. Same as Oilers.
That being said anything can happen in the playoffs. Get on a roll and Matthews gets even hotter, you never know.

If the Leafs just had good goaltending they would go far. They’ve played 15 games with a goalie with an .840 sv% and look at their record.

 

[pekka55]

If the Leafs just had good goaltending they would go far. They’ve played 15 games with a goalie with an .840 sv% and look at their record.

I mean they've tried a dozen goalies over the years and never went far. Good goaltending is just one piece of the puzzle.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Leafs are looking to be pimped-slapped again by Florida.

The Leafs need to move back into the Western Conference. What slim playoff success they have had in the last 50 plus years came within the Western Conference.

 

[jackjohnson]

Leafs may not make playoffs with that goaltending

They are just crazy enough to add offense at deadline

 

[koyvoo]

None of the things people are talking about I this thread in terms of them being a playoff thread is anywhere near as important as whether or not their best players play their best hockey when it matters.

If the leafs ever have playoff success, they might or might not have to have strong goaltending, but they definitely have to have their star players be their best when it counts. That’s the only way they’ll have success. It’s never going to happen with Marner and Mathews producing a fraction of what they produce in the regular season, even if they had prone Hasek in net. Year in, year out, that’s what it’s been.

 

[DKH]

They need to wait 18 months and sign Ullmark as a UFA

The 60’s Leafs that won 4 Cups were balanced- three good lines, outstanding defense, excelled goaltending and a team loaded with character and selfless players

I haven’t looked at the east standings much this year, but i was surprised to see that Leafs are almost not in a playoff spot And are 3-4-3 in their last 10. Yikes.

Offense A-
Defense B-
Goaltending C-

Woll is their only chance

Never should have traded Rask to Boston

 

[The90]

and you care why? Leafs D is the worst then it has been in 4 years. We actually were very good the past few years - like comfortably in the top 8 but haters always talked shit about how bad we were defensively. It goes to credibility. Haters such as yourself have none. when we were great defensively last year, you all said the same thing as this year. Currently we're not as good defensively still better than whatever team you cheer for. How do I know? Because you are concerned enough to comment - I couldn't care less for whatever team you cheer for. Their failures don't concern me - yet here you are devoting time to the Leafs. If we were so irrelevant and a non-factor you wouldn't pay us any mind.

This year the d and goaltending is what everyone thought it has been for the last 4 years.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I am not sure their D and goaltending can win it.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

The Leafs need to move back into the Western Conference. What slim playoff success they have had in the last 50 plus years came within the Western Conference.

They made the ECF in 1999 and 2002. And there's an argument that the WCF trips in 1993 and 1994 were easier ['93 Chicago got swept by St. Louis; '94 the Leafs got the 8-seed Sharks after both Detroit and Calgary lost in the WCQF].

Today? I don't see the Leafs having any more success in the West than they currently have in the East.

 

[authentic]

I mean they've tried a dozen goalies over the years and never went far. Good goaltending is just one piece of the puzzle.

Name one good goaltending performance they got consistently over the years…

The Leafs have played against a better goalie than theirs in basically every single playoff series. The one series where the other goalie barely outperformed ours we won

 

[Svechhammer]

If you make the playoffs you're a contender and Toronto will make the playoffs.

As for goaltending, one goalie going on a hot streak is all it would take for a team like the Leafs to win it all. Not many people had Bob going supernova last year and it happened, so never say never.

 

[authentic]

None of the things people are talking about I this thread in terms of them being a playoff thread is anywhere near as important as whether or not their best players play their best hockey when it matters.

If the leafs ever have playoff success, they might or might not have to have strong goaltending, but they definitely have to have their star players be their best when it counts. That’s the only way they’ll have success. It’s never going to happen with Marner and Mathews producing a fraction of what they produce in the regular season, even if they had prone Hasek in net. Year in, year out, that’s what it’s been.

Their star players have been better than the other teams on several occasions. Their goaltending hasn’t

 

[TheGreatOne11]

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

Now, is this iteration of the Leafs a cup contender? Absolutely F'ing not.

We need a serious direction change, the experiment is over. You can't win this top heavy and that light on the backend, not to mention the only hope is thru a basically rookie goalie playing well lol.

We need to realize its time to correct course, change the dynamic. I'd go as far as an entire regime change. This is like what, 7 years of this core now?

Time to dump the regime, put a new vision in place and start again. We got out of the 1st round ONCE.

My god. It's just time ladies and gentleman. Lets actually build towards a cup instead of whatever Frankenstein this team could become just to get out of the 2nd round by spending more 1sts with nothing to show for it.

 

[pekka55]

Name one good goaltending performance they got consistently over the years…

The Leafs have played against a better goalie than theirs in basically every single playoff series. The one series where the other goalie barely outperformed ours we won

Point was that they've tried a ton of goalies. At some point you have to wonder if it's the goalies that all happen to suck in Toronto or if the fault is actually in how the team plays defence.

 

[General Fanager]

and you care why? Leafs D is the worst then it has been in 4 years. We actually were very good the past few years - like comfortably in the top 8 but haters always talked shit about how bad we were defensively. It goes to credibility. Haters such as yourself have none. when we were great defensively last year, you all said the same thing as this year. Currently we're not as good defensively still better than whatever team you cheer for. How do I know? Because you are concerned enough to comment - I couldn't care less for whatever team you cheer for. Their failures don't concern me - yet here you are devoting time to the Leafs. If we were so irrelevant and a non-factor you wouldn't pay us any mind.

I enjoy hockey and like many others I enjoy posting on this site about it. Criticizing a team or its players doesnt make me a hater. You have chosen to make this personal and I know the reasons why.

Its cause you cant call me wrong. I was right about what I said and you got upset but you couldnt call me wrong so you chose to make it about something else.

Its ok I get it. You are upset about another loss for your team but I am not the one to blame.

 

[centipede2233]

The leafs are not winning the cup with the coaching, management and most importantly the defence that they have. Teams like vegas, blues, capitals, penguins and lightning had all world coaching at that time with big mobile defensive d men with some snarl. The leafs only snarl on the back end is 40 yr old giordano, FML

 

[General Fanager]

Agree. Teams like that don't win the Stanley Cup. After several years of failing, you'd think the front office would see and make significant changes but they don't. They just keep running it out there hoping something will magically change. That's the definition of insanity. If they fail this year, where do they go from here? Resign Nylander at $10m? Let him walk? How do you fix your terrible D? Too many holes. Same as Oilers.
That being said anything can happen in the playoffs. Get on a roll and Matthews gets even hotter, you never know.

The worst part is there was a guy there who finally saw the light but Shanny didnt like that and let Dubas go....

 

[PaulD]

Name one good goaltending performance they got consistently over the years…

The Leafs have played against a better goalie than theirs in basically every single playoff series. The one series where the other goalie barely outperformed ours we won

Uh yea. News flash. Goaltending is important.
Get one.
Stop blaming losses on the sieves Maple Leafs management insist on signing.

 

[PaulD]

The worst part is there was a guy there who finally saw the light but Shanny didnt like that and let Dubas go....

After going out in first round to Columbus then Montreal, then Tbay, then Florida in second round.
Winning one round in four seasons (with a team Shanny and Dubas both claimed to be a contender) ....... the only surprise really is Keefe is still there.

 

[Satire]

Toronto and Edmonton share a similar Achilles heal - goaltending. It's pretty tough to make a deep run without some stellar goaltending.

Edmonton lost to Vegas because of it. Florida and Montreal recently made the finals because of it. You need to have someone step up and hold the fort. If Toronto gets that they are absolutely a contender.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

They made the ECF in 1999 and 2002. And there's an argument that the WCF trips in 1993 and 1994 were easier ['93 Chicago got swept by St. Louis; '94 the Leafs got the 8-seed Sharks after both Detroit and Calgary lost in the WCQF].

Today? I don't see the Leafs having any more success in the West than they currently have in the East.

True. The past holds that the Leafs need to play weak playoff teams to see a measure of success.

I guess the best argument for a Western move is that the Leafs have proven that they cannot beat bottom Eastern teams like Columbus and Montreal, much less the better Eastern teams. Western teams are an unknown...and therefore hold the slight potential for theoretic success.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Name one good goaltending performance they got consistently over the years…

The Leafs have played against a better goalie than theirs in basically every single playoff series. The one series where the other goalie barely outperformed ours we won

1. When you say "the Leafs have always played against someone who had a better goalie" that's a pretty damning indictment of the Leafs front office, all the way to the top. But hey, they're spending like half the salary cap on 4 forwards and a defenseman. Pretty clear what the brass thinks is most important.

2. I'd say the Leafs have had at least adequate, if not really good, goaltending 3 times since this group got together.

A) 2017, the first time this group made the playoffs. Frederik Andersen was 2.68, .915 in net. The Leafs lost in 6 games, every game was a 1-goal game, 5 of the games in the series (and both of them after it was 2-2) went to OT. But again ... 1st trip there for everyone.

B) 2020, in the bubble. Andersen was 1.84, .936 in the 5 games. That's goaltending that should be good enough to win you a series. Instead, the Leafs got stoned by ... Joonas Koorpisalo. And Elvis Merzlikins. And after exchanging blowing 3-0 leads in Games 3 and 4, the Leafs spent Game 5 throwing shots at the net from all over the ice ... from every bad angle and every low-scoring area they could, instead of trying for high-percentage, high-danger chances. We all know how that ended.

C) 2021, when Jack Campbell posted 1.81, .934 for the Leafs. That was the series Tavares went out in Game 1! Ok, fine. Great teams find a way to battle through adfversity. Besides, the Leafs were up 3-1 in that series, then never led in any game the rest of the way. 37-year old Jason Spezza (who had 10-20-30 in the regular season) outscored Mitch Marner (20-47-67 to lead the team) and matched Auston Matthews (41-25-66). Goaltending wasn't the problem; the lack of production from the star guys and the overall lack of want to win once sitting 60 minutes away from advancing did them in.

If you want to argue lack of timely goaltending, ... OK. The Blues suffered from that for years, they finally got it with Binnington in 2019. But I can remember numerous discussions here about how Patrick Lalime sucked ass as a playoff goalie because of his 21-20 record and always losing to Toronto, and his career 1.77, .926 mark where in nearly all of his 20 losses the Senators barely scored and in 9 of his 20 losses he gave up 2 or fewer goals (2x only 1 in an OT defeat) + 2 other losses where he allowed 2 through 60 minutes and then lost in OT ... that was all irrelevant. At some point, the goalie has done all he can and it's on the guys in front of him to ... well, maybe score a goal or two. And if but the other team has always had a better goalie is the excuse, ... well, make sure that line is fresh in about 4 months.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

They are contenders but I don't think Keefe is the coach to take them to the cup. The guy makes costly mistakes and gets out coached.

 

[BLNY]

Jones and Samsonov do not inspire confidence. Woll: we'll see if he can be the man when it counts.

Their d corps lacks depth. Rielly, McCabe, Giordano, Liljegren, Brodie, Gregor will not be good enough when the going gets tough.

They've tried to add some edge to their forward core, but the perception that they're a one-dimensional group still remains. Will Matthews and Marner become the leaders they need to be?

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Toronto and Edmonton share a similar Achilles heal - goaltending. It's pretty tough to make a deep run without some stellar goaltending.

They're both top-heavy at the expense of good roster depth. Would better goaltending help? Probably, but ultimately it's about 6 guys doing all the work and hoping the other 12 don't f*** up so much that it undoes what those 6 do when out on the ice. And at some point, better goaltending can't fix all the meager effectiveness / writ large ineffectiveness of half of the roster.