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Speculation: Atlantic Division Predictions

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No predictions. I'm tired of hearing how fabulous the Fab four are. How great Dubas is. Last year in an easier division everything seemed perfect. Til it wasn't. I personally would have blown it up a bit heading into this season. For whatever reason the Leafs chose not too. That's fine. Just SHOW ME how good you are. Or how overrated you always have been. I will watch every night. Especially April, no since even mentioning the month of May. Please my favorite team in all of sports show up and SHOW ME SOMETHING. Thanks.
 
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Notsince67 said:
This team is better positioned at goaltending than many recent years.
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I wish I could agree with you but no way I can.

Freddy played 60+ games and even tired and banged up and still managed around a 918 save %.
That was on a poor overall defensive team that also had a crappy defensive core leaving Freddy on his own a lot.

Mrazek played on a excellent defensive team with solid defense and only 40 games each of his 2 best seasons and still only averaged around a 910 save % while staying pretty fresh playing only half the games.
This Leaf team is more like the Flyers team he got traded to and who expected him to anchor them down the stretch and in the playoffs and he could not stop a beachball on a poor defense team and fell to below 900 % and Flyers let him walk.

Carolina also let him walk and then turned around and signed Freddy and I trust their talent evaluators way more than ours.

Campbell has not proven he can be a real starter and he has talent but is weak in confidence.
In ways he reminds me of Sparks,you could see talent but his head would not allow him to prosper.

2 average goalies who you never know what you get when they play is nota 1a/1b split but more of a 2a/2b cross your fingers they have a good game split.

I know you will not agree with my evaluation but this is how I see it and why I see another step back instead of forward for the team.
We are not as good at goalie/defense or overall depth as before and we waste another year.
 
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EGL22 said:
.

Mrazek played on a excellent defensive team with solid defense and only 40 games each of his 2 best seasons and still only averaged around a 910 save % while staying pretty fresh playing only half the games.
This Leaf team is more like the Flyers team he got traded to and who expected him to anchor them down the stretch and in the playoffs and he could not stop a beachball on a poor defense team and fell to below 900 % and Flyers let him walk.

Carolina also let him walk and then turned around and signed Freddy and I trust their talent evaluators way more than ours.
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1. Leafs are better defensively than the Canes.

2. Why would you trust Carolina's ability to evaluate goalies more than the leafs'?
 
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EGL22 said:
I wish I could agree with you but no way I can.

Freddy played 60+ games and even tired and banged up and still managed around a 918 save %.
That was on a poor overall defensive team that also had a crappy defensive core leaving Freddy on his own a lot.

Mrazek played on a excellent defensive team with solid defense and only 40 games each of his 2 best seasons and still only averaged around a 910 save % while staying pretty fresh playing only half the games.
This Leaf team is more like the Flyers team he got traded to and who expected him to anchor them down the stretch and in the playoffs and he could not stop a beachball on a poor defense team and fell to below 900 % and Flyers let him walk.

Carolina also let him walk and then turned around and signed Freddy and I trust their talent evaluators way more than ours.

Campbell has not proven he can be a real starter and he has talent but is weak in confidence.
In ways he reminds me of Sparks,you could see talent but his head would not allow him to prosper.

2 average goalies who you never know what you get when they play is nota 1a/1b split but more of a 2a/2b cross your fingers they have a good game split.

I know you will not agree with my evaluation but this is how I see it and why I see another step back instead of forward for the team.
We are not as good at goalie/defense or overall depth as before and we waste another year.
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You seem to want to compare to Andersen of old. We all loved that guy and knew he was important to the team. The problem however is we haven’t often seen that guy in the last 2 years. As this leafs team has grown and learned to defend Andersen’s game has regressed. I don’t know if Freddy is just one of those goalies who needs lots of volume of shots against to be successful, which isn’t us anymore, or that his injuries have just derailed his effectiveness, but he’s been mediocre for quite some time now. Maybe he refinds it, but we aren’t requiring a replacement for 2018 Freddy and Mrazek historically has been much better than what we got recently from Andersen
 
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I have Toronto finishing 6th in the division.

6. Toronto
7. Detroit
8. Buffalo
 
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Here's how the Leafs line up against their division rivals using GSVA (Game Score Value Added) from theathletic.com:

Screenshot_20211012-152316_Sheets.jpg



Screenshot_20211012-152339_Sheets.jpg



Screenshot_20211012-152405_Sheets.jpg
 
zeke said:
1. Leafs are better defensively than the Canes.

2. Why would you trust Carolina's ability to evaluate goalies more than the leafs'?
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I think the Canes take a step or two back defensively this year with the transition from Hamilton to DeAngelo, and the slow bleed out of some of their defensive depth, but you still have to respect a Slavin, Pesce led unit with some Jordan Staal action at center. Will reserve judgement on whether they're better or worse than the Leafs.

Canes goaltending carousel is just baffling. Andersen in, Mrazek out is whatever (Mrazek could be a better fit in Toronto based on play style and Andersen's play/health will be the Canes problem) but the whole Ned song and dance just made no sense.
 
In order of final standings.
  • Toronto - gunning for the President's trophy and they're going to add an actual top line LW by the TDL. Face the Islanders in the 1st round of the playoffs.
  • Tampa - take a big step down but are carried to 2nd place by MVP level performances from Vasilevsky and Kucherov. Nobody breaks out and replaces Gourde and Coleman like most people are assuming.
  • Boston - Slow start as they figure out their goaltending but finish the season as the hottest team in the NHL. They're not going to let Bergeron's final season go to waste.
  • Florida - Poor depth + Bobrovsky's slightly below average performance buries them.
  • Ottawa - suck ass all season but win a bunch of meaningless games in the 2nd half to give every dumbass on TSN false hope that they're actually good.
  • Montreal - just suck ass all season. Nobody cracks 40 points. Nick Suzuki contract is a punchline by January.
  • Detroit - Seider is Rasmus Ristolainen 2.0.
  • Buffalo - Year one of the Eichel curse.
 
Sypher04 said:
Uhh, Seattle 2nd in the league. Yikes
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That 105 has them 2nd best, that would mean Seattle is in contention for the Pres Trophy. I think most teams are 80 points or better, I can't recall a season where there was not at least a few stinkers in the 60's
 
Stephen said:
I think the Canes take a step or two back defensively this year with the transition from Hamilton to DeAngelo, and the slow bleed out of some of their defensive depth, but you still have to respect a Slavin, Pesce led unit with some Jordan Staal action at center. Will reserve judgement on whether they're better or worse than the Leafs.

Canes goaltending carousel is just baffling. Andersen in, Mrazek out is whatever (Mrazek could be a better fit in Toronto based on play style and Andersen's play/health will be the Canes problem) but the whole Ned song and dance just made no sense.
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I don't know why we need to reserve judgment just because its the leafs.

The Leafs were better defensively than the Canes last year, and they just replaced their best dman with a no-D headcase.
 
BrannigansLaw said:
And why not? Did you think Vegas would make the Cup Final in their first year?
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so u dont want to talk about the stupidity of toronto finishing 6th ?
ok fine ... have u even looked at the seatte roster ? you telling me thats a first or second place team ?
and to your point yes vegas had a MUCH better lineup overall
 
Ashdown2 said:
so u dont want to talk about the stupidity of toronto finishing 6th ?
ok fine ... have u even looked at the seatte roster ? you telling me thats a first or second place team ?
and to your point yes vegas had a MUCH better lineup overall
Click to expand...

No, I don't. Crazier things have happened than a decent team having a down year.

And yeah I'm sure you thought they'd make the Cup Final. 100%
 
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