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Eastern Conference playoff picture: Leafs HOST Tampa Bay

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They might be our most likely opponent at the moment, but the odds we don't play them are greater than the odds we do.

Fortunately we'd catch them with their worst roster over the past five years.
 
BrannigansLaw said:
Division is easily still up for grabs but I’m not exactly confident we’re going to win the goaltending duel whenever we eventually have to play one of the FLA teams in the playoffs. Campbell vs Vasi/Bob doesn’t inspire much confidence.

We need to win this division and hopefully get WSH round 1. Let the FLA teams beat each other up and take advantage in round 2.
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Campbell last year blows anything Bob has done in the playoffs, literally ever. Vasi is understandable though.
 
Besides having >30 games left. We can never predict injuries or goalie voodoo.
Hot soup and a groin injury elsewhere could see us surpass one of the sunshine state teams. Conversely, Soup turning to slop could make our assholes pucker if boston catches fire
 
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leafsfan5 said:
We should be going 9-1-0 or 8-2-0 in this run. So many easy games to pickup points. Only tough one is Minnesota, they have a solid team

If we want the division this is a run we need to go on
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Wash is good.

7-3, 7-2-1.

So 6-4 is more likely.

For those who forget. Home ice was a disaster last year in the playoffs for most teams. Especially in the 2nd rd with 75% of rad teams winning
 
I don't understand this topic.

There's 34 games still to go.

How are all the first round match ups pretty well fixed with this many games still to go?

Or am I missing something here?
 
you know what? bring it on. it's not like we have an average team. far from it. our problem is mental, not skill. we have the ability to beat any team. some are harder to beat, of course, but the players have so much to prove and the pressure wouldn't be on them, especially if we play Tampa.
 
Jojalu said:
Wash is good.

7-3, 7-2-1.

So 6-4 is more likely.

For those who forget. Home ice was a disaster last year in the playoffs for most teams. Especially in the 2nd rd with 75% of rad teams winning
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Washington is alright, no longer a cup contender but still a playoff team (only on pace for 44 wins this season), I don't worry about them

6-4 isn't good enough for a team of Toronto's level that's chasing a division title. By points% the average position of the teams we're playing for the next 10 is 23rd in the NHL. Leafs are too good to go 1 game above 500 in that kind of schedule
 
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danron1376 said:
you know what? bring it on. it's not like we have an average team. far from it. our problem is mental, not skill. we have the ability to beat any team. some are harder to beat, of course, but the players have so much to prove and the pressure wouldn't be on them, especially if we play Tampa.
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How would the pressure not be on the Leafs? there is an incredible amount of pressure on them to finally get out of the first round.
 
A first round series against Tampa does seem to be the safest bet at the moment. There's still enough hockey to be played to not take anything for granted just yet though.
 
hfman said:
There's 34 games still to go.
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Well, the 8 playoff teams are pretty much decided.

And our chances of catching Florida drop weekly. Our chances of first place are 20% so we are very likely playing Tampa.
 
hfman said:
I don't understand this topic.

There's 34 games still to go.

How are all the first round match ups pretty well fixed with this many games still to go?

Or am I missing something here?
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I think they're just projections for fun, pretty much meaningless.
 
It's going to be a difficult 1st round for the Atlantic division because there is only 1 bad team and they won't make the playoffs. It will probably be another year when many will complain that the Leafs can't even win a round in the playoffs.
 
Division title is within reach but we can't be bleeding points like we did against Calgary and Vancouver recently. Got to bank points against the non-playoff set and be money in one-goal games to get it done.

Probably goes without saying that we'll need the Campbell we got in the first part of the year (as well as some help from Mrazek in spot starts).
 
I believe Tampa Bay will win the Atlantic when all the dust settles, just like I believed pre-season.

I do agree that the 4 team from the Atlantic that will compete in this years playoffs are pretty much determined .. The struggles of the NYI and Philly this year mean the 4th place team in the strong Atlantic Div will win the wildcard spot.
 
rojac said:
After Monday's game against Montreal, the Panthers, Lightning, and Leafs will have all played 49 games. Let's assume that Toronto wins which would make the standings:

Florida 73
Tampa Bay 70
Toronto 69

Looks a bit too close to definitively call Florida the division winner.

All three teams will have 33 games left.

Toronto has 3 games left against Florida and 2 games against Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay has 1 game left against Florida and 2 games left against Toronto.
Florida has 3 games left against Toronto and 1 game against Tampa Bay.

I think it is well within the realm of possibility for Toronto and/or Tampa Bay to catch Florida.

EDIT: Updated post to show 2 games between Tampa Bay and Toronto not 1 as the post originally (and incorrectly) claimed.
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Thank you I was thinking the leafs had games left against Tampa and the Panthers.

Going to be some good games I hope the leafs bring there 'A' game..
 
The path to the final in the East is tough for whoever you look at. The top eight teams are really all potenital finalists with many of the lower seeds the teams with the most successful playoff experiences.

Based on PlayoffStatus.com, the Leafs have the best chance to finish 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic Division at 33%.

First round opponents in order of probablility are:
Tampa Bay at 58% (even odds for home ice advantage)
Florida at 14% (higher odds to start on the road)
Boston at 14% (higher odds to start at home, low probability of not having home ice advantage)

None of those first round matchups fills me with confidence. The FLA one might be the best based on experience... but FLA is hella-good.

There are going to be four good teams that are eliminated in this years first round... and all are going to be disappoined I think. Sure hope we are not one of them (again), and I hope the Leafs push for the division title.
 
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