Can they break the streak?

[charliolemieux]

If you go from sub .900 goaltending to 920+, it means so many points. No doubt they can grab a top 4 spot.

Please explain how you see this team even with Luongo putting up more points than NYR, PIT, PHI and BOS, plus who ever the lucky teams is from the SE who gets the 3rd spot?

Top 4 Will not happen.

 

[Winreims]

PIT
NYR
PHI
BOS
Are the best teams. In the East .

WAS
CAR
BUF
OTT
TBL
Should be good enough to fight for the postseason.

FLA
NYI
MTL
NJD
WPG
Will their new youth, and continued development be enough to propell them into the mix? Goaltending could mean the difference between the basement and playoffs.

TOR
Same goaltending. Same #1C. Our best young Offensive Dman is out with concussion symptoms. Is KEssel in shape? Will Kulemin return to 30g form? Will Carlyles system be successful?

So many questions.

If they can come out hot then they have a chance. An early bad stretch like Boston had will bury this team. The LEafs simply aren't strong enough to dominate for long enough to make up a 8-10pt gap between them and the last playoff spot.

Will they make it?
Coaches gotta coach and players gotta play. We will see, but the chances are slim.

I'd argue that the Lightning's goaltending situation is the same if not worse than ours. I see them near the bottom again unless they shore that (and some D problems) up. Ottawa did nothing to improve and lost some key pieces from last year if my memory serves me correct, so I see them slipping a bit.

But like it's been said, we need a goalie. If we can get a proven goaltender, I can see us pushing towards 8th at least.

 

[Frankie]

I disagree with that does NJ's first cup have an asterisk next to it? no one remembers that they won the shorten season. I wonder if they ever considered lossing one round of playoffs for an extra couple weeks of the season.

i remember. it doesn't count in my mind.

you just said yourself, the leafs' biggest problem is the 82-game season. which is what is required in a legitimate season. this is basically going to be only half a season. not valid.

 

[Frankie]

Let's say that happnes to the Leafs this season, how many others will say Toronto only made the Playoffs because of a 48 or 50 game schedule and haven't made them playing a full 82 game schedule. With a lot of Leafs haters out there those comments will happen if they make the Playoffs this season. Personally I don't care about stuff like that because I want to see them in the Playoffs, however a lot of other fans don't and would make that excuse.

and that will be a valid point. its half a season. its not legit.

that's why i'm saying this now, before this half-season begins and before the ridiculous arguments start. whatever happens, its tainted and it doesn't count.

 

[ACC1224]

Let's say that happnes to the Leafs this season, how many others will say Toronto only made the Playoffs because of a 48 or 50 game schedule and haven't made them playing a full 82 game schedule. With a lot of Leafs haters out there those comments will happen if they make the Playoffs this season. Personally I don't care about stuff like that because I want to see them in the Playoffs, however a lot of other fans don't and would make that excuse.

It will mean the same as any other year. All teams will play the same amount of games.

 

[-DeMo-]

Let's say that happnes to the Leafs this season, how many others will say Toronto only made the Playoffs because of a 48 or 50 game schedule and haven't made them playing a full 82 game schedule. With a lot of Leafs haters out there those comments will happen if they make the Playoffs this season. Personally I don't care about stuff like that because I want to see them in the Playoffs, however a lot of other fans don't and would make that excuse.

as I've said I believe firmly that this team is still incapable of playing an 82 game schedule so in a normal season they wouldn't make the playoffs, so if they do make the playoffs it's for sure a valid opinion.

 

[Winreims]

I don't care what people say about us if we make the playoffs because of a 48 game season. Good for us!

 

[achtungbaby]

I don't think they do it but will be pleasantly surprisedif they do. I don't want to sell the farm to do so.

 

[charliolemieux]

I'd argue that the Lightning's goaltending situation is the same if not worse than ours. I see them near the bottom again unless they shore that (and some D problems) up. Ottawa did nothing to improve and lost some key pieces from last year if my memory serves me correct, so I see them slipping a bit.

But like it's been said, we need a goalie. If we can get a proven goaltender, I can see us pushing towards 8th at least.

TBL might not have much better goaltending than we do but they have the luxury of playing in the SE and having Stamkos. We'll see how Connolly develops but he has 30pts in 33gp in the AHL.

What would you have OTT do? They have two of the top prospects in the world coming up this year. Mika Z. and Lehner. Then there is Silfverberg. Ottawa is going to be just fine.

 

[Winreims]

TBL might not have much better goaltending than we do but they have the luxury of playing in the SE and having Stamkos. We'll see how Connolly develops but he has 30pts in 33gp in the AHL.

What would you have OTT do? They have two of the top prospects in the world coming up this year. Mika Z. and Lehner. Then there is Silfverberg. Ottawa is going to be just fine.

The SE has improved this year with the moves Carolina made.

As for Ottawa, All of those players mentioned are unproven in the NHL. As many questions we believe the Leafs have to answer, the Sens and their fans have just as many believe me. Outside of Karlsson and Cowen their D is average and aging, Alfie is another year older. I didn't like them trading Foligno either. They had a breakout (and shocking) season last year, but I don't know.. I see them slipping for some reason.

 

[charliolemieux]

The SE has improved this year with the moves Carolina made.

As for Ottawa, All of those players mentioned are unproven in the NHL. As many questions we believe the Leafs have to answer, the Sens and their fans have just as many believe me. Outside of Karlsson and Cowen their D is average and aging, Alfie is another year older. I didn't like them trading Foligno either. They had a breakout (and shocking) season last year, but I don't know.. I see them slipping for some reason.

THe SE is still the weak sister of the three divisions.

I hate Ottawa but I'll buy you a beer if we finish ahead of them this year with our current lineup. They might slip but I doubt they slide past us, unless Burke makes some moves.

 

[Winreims]

THe SE is still the weak sister of the three divisions.

I hate Ottawa but I'll buy you a beer if we finish ahead of them this year with our current lineup. They might slip but I doubt they slide past us, unless Burke makes some moves.

Oh they don't fall below us with our lineup as is, no way (but I'll take that beer if it happens ). Like you said about Burke making moves, I believe we need a proven goaltender before we finish anywhere near the playoffs imo. I was just saying that I don't see Ottawa in the top eight this year for some reason.

 

[RogerRoeper*]

Please explain how you see this team even with Luongo putting up more points than NYR, PIT, PHI and BOS, plus who ever the lucky teams is from the SE who gets the 3rd spot?

Top 4 Will not happen.

Because those teams are not locks for the top 4 spots at all.

 

[charliolemieux]

Oh they don't fall below us with our lineup as is, no way (but I'll take that beer if it happens ). Like you said about Burke making moves, I believe we need a proven goaltender before we finish anywhere near the playoffs imo. I was just saying that I don't see Ottawa in the top eight this year for some reason.

The top 8 is going to be damn hard to get into.

LIke I said in my post there are 4 teams that stand above the others. (Bos, NYR, Pit, Phi) Then one spot goes to the SE winner, so that is 5 spots gone.

So that is 3 spots left for 10 teams to fight over.

Even with a good goalie it will be next to impossible to make the playoffs.

 

[onebighockeyfan]

The Leafs can win all 82 games and someone will still find something to complain about. Not worth caring about.

That's about as likely as the Leafs being cup contenders. Some posts here are way to optimistic, they Leafs have done nothing that improve the team significantly enough since last year. Whoever thinks otherwise is just wrong.

 

[onebighockeyfan]

Because those teams are not locks for the top 4 spots at all.

What are you talking about, these 4 teams are much stronger than the Leafs will be, even if they land Luongo and a #1C.

 

[Leafs For Life*]

How much conspiracy theories and saying it doesn't count posts would come from other fans if we won the cup this year?

 

[Disgruntled Observer*]

I thought this lockout was all about protecting the smaller markets.

But now the leafs can spend almost $30 million more than the poor teams.

What happened?

I guess it's good for us in the long run.

What a ridiculous advantage.
With our new $30 freaking million advantage, I'm sure Burke will find a way to get us into the playoffs.
And his supporters will rant on and on about how much of a genius Burke is for doing it.
But leaf fan realists will know that it doesn't take a "genius" to make the playoffs when you have a $30 million advantage.

 

[charliolemieux]

Because those teams are not locks for the top 4 spots at all.

OFcourse not. They will 95% have 2 out of the top 3 and 99% sure 3 out of the top 4. The SE winner gets a top 4 spot too. Unless you see someone other than Boston winning the NE, and either NJD or NYI winning the ATL the Leafs have no chance at a top 4 spot at all.

 

[RogerRoeper*]

I thought this lockout was all about protecting the smaller markets.

But now the leafs can spend almost $30 million more than the poor teams.

What happened?

I guess it's good for us in the long run.

What a ridiculous advantage.
With our new $30 freaking million advantage, I'm sure Burke will find a way to get us into the playoffs.
And his supporters will rant on and on about how much of a genius Burke is for doing it.
But leaf fan realists will know that it doesn't take a "genius" to make the playoffs when you have a $30 million advantage.

I don't really see this as a great deal for big market teams at all.

 

[charliolemieux]

I thought this lockout was all about protecting the smaller markets.

But now the leafs can spend almost $30 million more than the poor teams.

What happened?

I guess it's good for us in the long run.

What a ridiculous advantage.
With our new $30 freaking million advantage, I'm sure Burke will find a way to get us into the playoffs.
And his supporters will rant on and on about how much of a genius Burke is for doing it.
But leaf fan realists will know that it doesn't take a "genius" to make the playoffs when you have a $30 million advantage.

So Toronto is going to spend $30M more than NYR, PIT, PHI, BOS, MTL, BUF, CAR, TBL, WAS, OTT, and WPG?

NO they aren't. Try the truth sometime. It is what real "realists" swear by.

 

[RogerRoeper*]

The cap is going down. And the small market teams get more revenue sharing. This is more of a win for the poor teams.

I don't see how this is good news for the rich teams at all from a competitive standpoint.

 

[Pyrophorus]

I don't care what people say about us if we make the playoffs because of a 48 game season. Good for us!

Damn Right!

 

[threeGo]

Please explain how you see this team even with Luongo putting up more points than NYR, PIT, PHI and BOS, plus who ever the lucky teams is from the SE who gets the 3rd spot?

Top 4 Will not happen.

Just some delusional fans. I hope we get Mackinnon.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

That's about as likely as the Leafs being cup contenders. Some posts here are way to optimistic, they Leafs have done nothing that improve the team significantly enough since last year. Whoever thinks otherwise is just wrong.

What? Winning 82 games isn't likely?