Around the League - PLAYOFFS!?

[ToneDog]

Boston has been a .500 team since Jan 1, even with their OT and shootout wins. That isn't a small sample size. That is just what they are, and what I expect they will be through the final 23 games (if not less since their schedule is more difficult the rest of the way compared to the last 20ish games). Provided the Leafs even split the two games with Boston, they will pass them, as will Florida.

They were 9-2-3 in January and 3-3-4 in February.

 

[LeafChief]

Boston hasn't won a regulation game in 8 or 9 games. I assume the mainstream media is covering this at length, right?

 

[Evilhomer]

They were 9-2-3 in January and 3-3-4 in February.

When you just take wins and losses, it's .500. I don't think they will get as many loser points as the quality of their opponents gets better down the stretch. In any event, I'm less fussed about whether the Leafs finish second or third in the division (if they are unable to finish first), so long as they get Boston in the first round.

 

[Jojalu]

They were 9-2-3 in January and 3-3-4 in February.

So tgey have won 12 out of 24 games.

Picked up a tonne of OT loser points, which we have heard are a sign of a bad team

 

[Dekes For Days]

Yeah, I think people really underestimate how good Tampa's defense was during those Cup years. It's wasn't Vasi standing on his head every night.

It tends to be overestimated because of Vasilevsky. 2020 and 2021 Vasilevsky hold the #1 and #2 spot for most total goals saved above expected in a playoff run since it started being recorded in 2007. Those two years, he essentially averaged giving them a 1 goal advantage every playoff game they played, all on his own.

 

[BallardEra]

Malkin has 0 goals in his last 10 and 1 in his last 16.

Gonna be hard for Sid to carry the weight with Guentzel hurt and Rust leaving the game last night with what might be a serious injury too.

 

[ToneDog]

So tgey have won 12 out of 24 games.

Picked up a tonne of OT loser points, which we have heard are a sign of a bad team

Yup and why I am saying with their goaltending they will continue to pick them up and why it will be difficult for the Leafs to pass them in the standings.

When you just take wins and losses, it's .500. I don't think they will get as many loser points as the quality of their opponents gets better down the stretch. In any event, I'm less fussed about whether the Leafs finish second or third in the division (if they are unable to finish first), so long as they get Boston in the first round.

The Leafs are a better team on the road but I don't give them much of a chance to win a game #7 in their barn.

 

[Evilhomer]

Yup and why I am saying with their goaltending they will continue to pick them up and why it will be difficult for the Leafs to pass them in the standings.

I wonder if they bite the bullet and trade Ullmark now or wait until the off-season. I'm sure it will be the latter, but if they want to shake up their team....

 

[Evilhomer]

The Leafs are a better team on the road but I don't give them much of a chance to win a game #7 in their barn.

I don't think a Leafs/Bruins series would get to a game 7, but I agree that having home ice would be better than not having it, even if the Leafs have a better road record right now.

 

[Jojalu]

Yup and why I am saying with their goaltending they will continue to pick them up and why it will be difficult for the Leafs to pass them in the standings.


The Leafs are a better team on the road but I don't give them much of a chance to win a game #7 in their barn.

I agree.

Toronto would have to stay red hot. They also would have to beat the Bruins twice in reguation, as well as win the two games in hand to have any kind of chance.

The good news is even when the Leafs were not playing great, they were still difficult to beat in regulation as well.

 

[ULF_55]

Old time fight for sure, like I said on the main, I don’t think Rempe will last long fighting heavies with the strategy of taking 25 bombs to land 20 or 25. Unless he has a skull like Tie Domi. Certainly an auspicious start to his career. I’d be interested in seeing him go with Jackeye, I read on the Montreal board that Arber wasnt interested in engaging in Laval.

7-Eleven That's Hockey: Is tough guy Rempe a disaster waiting to happen? - Video - TSN

21-year-old towering Rangers forward Matt Rempe dropped the gloves on his first-ever shift in the NHL and has fought three times in his first five games. Is tough guy Rempe just a disaster waiting to happen? 7-Eleven That's Hockey host Gino Reda weighs in.

www.tsn.ca

They just showed results of his 3 fights.

Not a good showing, and yes someone has to get him to play hockey and let the game unfold before it's over for him.

 

[Dreakmur]

Like us, Tampa built a top team in this league.
Like us, Tampa built a good offensive team.
Like us, Tampa built a good defensive team.
Unlike us, Tampa drafted the goalie of a generation with their 2nd pick of a draft 12 years ago.

Unlike us, Tampa Bay built a well rounded team, with elite players at every position. Their GM understood that it takes more than pie charts to build a winner.

 

[Jojalu]

Unlike us, Tampa Bay built a well rounded team, with elite players at every position. Their GM understood that it takes more than pie charts to build a winner.

I won't call it luck, but if you swapped Vasy with the goalie of the Leafs in any of the past 5 years, not including last year, we probably are singing a different tune.

I am not saying they would have won a Cup, but he would have been a difference maker in a lot of series

 

[Dreakmur]

I won't call it luck, but if you swapped Vasy with the goalie of the Leafs in any of the past 5 years, not including last year, we probably are singing a different tune.

I am not saying they would have won a Cup, but he would have been a difference maker in a lot of series

The core 4 excludes having a goalie like Vasy.

That's exactly the better balance I was talking about. Rather than spending 11 million bucks on their 4th best forward, they wisely used some of that money to have elite players in net and on defense.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Unlike us, Tampa Bay built a well rounded team, with elite players at every position.

Both teams built a well-rounded team. One team drafted the goalie of a generation with their 2nd pick of a draft 12 years ago, and circumvented the cap to afford him.

 

[Dreakmur]

Both teams built a well-rounded team. One team drafted the goalie of a generation with their 2nd pick of a draft 12 years ago, and circumvented the cap to afford him.

Oh yeah, you could barely tell the difference between the two.....

Rielly vs Victor Hedman
Muzzin vs. Ryan McDonagh
Brodie vs. Mikail Sergachev
Holl vs. Erik Cernak

3rd pair of Dermott and Bogosin vs. David Savard and Jan Jutta

 

[Duffman955]

Is it possible for us to finish 1st in the division?

If not, would you rather face Boston or Florida in the playoffs?

 

[Dekes For Days]

Oh yeah, you could barely tell the difference between the two.....

Rielly vs Victor Hedman
Muzzin vs. Ryan McDonagh
Brodie vs. Mikail Sergachev
Holl vs. Erik Cernak

3rd pair of Dermott and Bogosin vs. David Savard and Jan Jutta

Sandin actually played more than Dermott in the 2021 playoffs, both of those groups were quite good, and a team's defensive results are about a lot more than your personal perceptions of just 6 names on the roster.

Is it possible for us to finish 1st in the division?
If not, would you rather face Boston or Florida in the playoffs?

Possible to finish 1st, but very unlikely. Personally, I'd rather face Boston. Worse team, and a chance to make up for 2018 and 2019.

 

[Dreakmur]

Sandin actually played more than Dermott in the 2021 playoffs, both of those groups were quite good, and a team's defensive results are about a lot more than your personal perceptions of just 6 names on the roster.

Yes, we had a lot of good defensive forwards. They helped keep the defensive metrics looking good. The actual blueline, even at it's absolute best, was barely better than average.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Yes, we had a lot of good defensive forwards. They helped keep the defensive metrics looking good. The actual blueline, even at it's absolute best, was barely better than average.

You underrate the blueline, and there's no reason to dismiss defensive impacts throughout a lineup. It's clear what the actual difference was. Vasilevsky.

 

[Dreakmur]

You underrate the blueline, and there's no reason to dismiss defensive impacts throughout a lineup. It's clear what the actual difference was. Vasilevsky.

You over-rate the blueline…. And even if you’re right, it doesn’t matter. Having an elite goalie makes them more balanced and better built…. But you’re not right - they had elite defensemen too.

 

[OddyOh]

If not, would you rather face Boston or Florida in the playoffs?

Given the way the leafs are winning against tough teams, I’d take Florida this time. Revenge for falling flat on their faces last year.
Also, the Leafs will NEVER get fair officiating vs Boston, so let someone else have that frustration in the first round for once.

 

[Menzinger]

While the Leafs have certainly had some controversy with contracts, they can at least keep their players. Guy's having a fantastic season on a winning team and still wants out.

 

[BallardEra]

Forsberg looked like crap in net for the Sens that first period. I’d be shocked if he came out to start the second period.

 

[rumman]

Oh yeah, you could barely tell the difference between the two.....

Rielly vs Victor Hedman
Muzzin vs. Ryan McDonagh
Brodie vs. Mikail Sergachev
Holl vs. Erik Cernak

3rd pair of Dermott and Bogosin vs. David Savard and Jan Jutta

Perspective……..