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Do you believe this team on paper is capable of winning the stanley cup?

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Do you honestly believe on paper this team is a cup winning team?

  • Yes

    Votes: 41 19.0%

  • No

    Votes: 127 58.8%

  • One...maybeeee two tweaks and then yes

    Votes: 36 16.7%

  • I always knew this team was a dumpster fire

    Votes: 12 5.6%
  • Total voters
    216
No. One of the most flawed teams in the NHL. You simply don't win in the modern game without a 1D and at least decent goaltending. There's no grit on the back end either. They're mobile, but they can get grinded in a 7 game series. Rielly isn't a 1D but he's paid in that realm. Realistically he's more of a 2D who plays second fiddle to an actual 1D. If he was beside a guy like McAvoy or Slavin then this team would be much better off. The money spent on Tavares was also a complete waste and set this team back years.
 
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SeaOfBlue said:
Yes, as it has been for years.

Whether that matters in the end comes down to the players.
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Team that hasn’t beat another team in nearly 20 seasons has been capable of it for years. If they are capable of it, is it just a personal choice not to?
 
Samsanov is making me think we might be a bit closer than I had expected.

I still think we need to bring in a 22 minute a night defender who can shut down top guys. I'd also like to see 1 more top 6 LW to push Bunts down to the 3rd line, and Engvall to the 4th.
 
Gary Nylund said:
Are we going to pretend that Pittsburgh was known as a strong defensive team?
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Pittsburgh can count on Malkin and Crosby showing up when they play.
Our big boys you may as well flip a coin to see if they're going to show up or not.
 
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SoVi3t said:
Pittsburgh can count on Malkin and Crosby showing up when they play.
Our big boys you may as well flip a coin to see if they're going to show up or not.
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Our big boys showed up last year but in any case, that has nothing to do with the subject of discussion.
 
Absolutely. This team is not without flaws, but you don't have to be perfect to win a cup. You need to get hot at the right time and while our guys have a tendency to go cold, that's not what on paper means. I think all of the talk about grit and grinding is entirely hindsight based and has next to nothing to do with the real issues regarding our losses. Marner disappearing in the playoffs for three years is #1, other goalies going supernova is #2, and then the rest of our issues get bundled into #3 (mental weakness, depth scoring, our own goaltending letting us down in key moments). We played a great series against Tampa last year, the boys keep playing like that and we'll get our chances.

We've got the forwards to win it all and then some. Our defense is good enough, though if Muzzin is done that's a real big hole to fill. Goaltending is a big fat question mark, but if goalies like Grubauer and Niemi can win cups, idk why Murray or Samsonov can't do it. Likelihood is low, but again, the question is whether we've got the tools on paper to do it. Unequivocally yes.

This is the hardest trophy to win in sports, so having the roster on paper is only the beginning.
 
SoVi3t said:
Pittsburgh can count on Malkin and Crosby showing up when they play.
Our big boys you may as well flip a coin to see if they're going to show up or not.
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The Pens have been stuck in the first round for forever now too.

From 2018-2021, Crosby had 6 points in 14 playoff games. What a gutless choker eh? During the same time period, Matthews had 17 points in 19 games.

I personally wouldnt call him that as his teams have been unlucky running into hot goalies while their goalies stunk it up along with injury issues (much like the Leafs) but most posters are incapable of that sort of nuance.
 
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Apotheosis said:
No. One of the most flawed teams in the NHL. You simply don't win in the modern game without a 1D and at least decent goaltending. There's no grit on the back end either. They're mobile, but they can get grinded in a 7 game series. Rielly isn't a 1D but he's paid in that realm. Realistically he's more of a 2D who plays second fiddle to an actual 1D. If he was beside a guy like McAvoy or Slavin then this team would be much better off. The money spent on Tavares was also a complete waste and set this team back years.
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Rielly is underpaid. He got 7.5 same time Nurse got 9.25. I was surprised he didn't get 8 million per.
This team would not even come close to a list of the most "Flawed" teams LOL
 
New User Name said:
I don't know how or why some on here are so led by the Toronto media in the last few years to actually believe the Leafs have had a legitimate chance of going all the way.
It boggles the mind how so many are so easily convinced of the impossible.
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The media never predicts the Leafs to win anything. Who are you following?
 
I don't see any team with Rielly as your #1D being a Cup contender .. I do like Rielly for his leadership and speed yes but his defensive play and physical strength is too much of a weakness
 
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Zybalto said:
The Pens have been stuck in the first round for forever now too.

From 2018-2021, Crosby had 6 points in 14 playoff games. What a gutless choker eh? During the same time period, Matthews had 17 points in 19 games.

I personally wouldnt call him that as his teams have been unlucky running into hot goalies while their goalies stunk it up along with injury issues (much like the Leafs) but most posters are incapable of that sort of nuance.
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Why would you not include the most recent season? The one where Sid had 10 points in 6 games, and also got injured late in series.
 
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JT AM da real deal said:
I don't see any team with Rielly as your #1D being a Cup contender .. I do like Rielly for his leadership and speed yes but his defensive play and physical strength is too much of a weakness
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So Flames and oilers are out of cup contention? (I like Flames D a lot, great depth). Truth be told, we've seen many mediocre teams going on runs the past few years that were very flawed.
 
Golden_Jet said:
Why would you not include the most recent season? The one where Sid had 10 points in 6 games, and also got injured late in series.
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I think he's been great all 4 years actually. Was expecting him to breakout.

Even though he only scored 6 points those 14 games, his underlying numbers were incredible. Running into hot goalies and having injured teammates are a legit excuse there.

[MOD]
 
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Healthy D with Lilly taking a step, and a 3C to rebalance the bottom 6- sure.

If Muzzin is done that's a huge hole.
 
I don't understand how people on paper can say were not a contender because our goalies are unproven when the cup favorite heading in the year has Georgiev as there starter who was terrible on NYR last year.
 
This top six with a bottom six overhaul could win. That would be assuming Muzzin gets healthy and Lil builds on last year. Otherwise we are also 2 D away as well.
 
TheGreatOne11 said:
Polls simple. I just would honestly like to know where everyone sits in regard to this question.

Even with Muzzin out I didn't see him as the deciding factor in us winning. I wish him all the health in the world for him and his family but there is still a chance it could be addition by subtraction depending on the replacement.

Having said that, I just honestly don't see this team being stronger than last years team, even when we inevitably string some wins together. I just don't see a deep enough team on the backend and in net especially, to get the job done.

Just wanted to see where Leaf Nation sat with this question.

Have a good one ladies and gents.
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This team is 100% good enough on paper to win. It’s not skill that’s the problem, it’s mental.
 
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