Honesty: we can’t make any conclusions about this team based on the regular season

[Zybalto]

Outside of a handful of players the North is a joke division.

Was gonna ask you to name the players but then I was thinking it would be interesting to come up with all star teams from every division and do a poll on that.

Dont have time right now but would just be cool to do, dont you agree?

 

[dangomon]

The regular season is literally the only thing we can draw conclusions from.....

I get the sentiment that "it doesn't matter until the playoffs", but this is our team, with new players and a system thats had a year to set in now. Comparing this team to last years play-in team is unreasonable, and even more unreasonable to go back to the other playoffs exits.

Two Canadian teams are going to win a playoff round this year, and because of that the goal posts are going to shift from "well you haven't won a round" to "well you only beat the Canadian teams", and it's poppycock. Success is success.

The Canadian teams have a 25% chance at the cup, same as every division, so we gain steam now and hopefully carry it over to the playoffs.

 

[Ciao]

Outside of a handful of players the North is a joke division.

I think you're all wet.

There's no reason I know of to think the North is any better or worse than any other division.

Since teams don't play outside their division, there is no point of comparison between the divisions. It's rather like the National League and the American League within a season, without an All-Star game, and before they started interlocking play. There is simply no way to tell which league, or division, is better or worse.

Even when the division champions meet, it means little as to the overall strength of the division.

 

[stopclickbait]

See you in a couple months, then!

Take care!

If only the same people who share this opinion after every win would do that.

1 lost happens

"this team cant beat the weak teams in the division they will never win a playoff series"

Leafs win

"So what they won, NoNE oF THiS mAtTers uNlEsS tHeY wIn A pLaYoFFs sErIeS"

We get it whiners you will never be happy, the worthless opinion of saying the same thing adds nothing.

 

[Morbo]

I have a feeling if we were 9-8-2 right now we wouldn't be hearing that the regular season doesn't mean anything.

yep. if they were losing it would mean everything.

 

[Martin Skoula]

yep. if they were losing it would mean everything.

Hell even if we were still first by 2-3 points with more OT/SOs we'd still be hearing about the fact that we're not dominating means we're doomed.

 

[Scion]

I love how many people bring up how bad the North division is defensively, but completely neglect to mention that it is also the best offensive division in hockey. Between: Matthews, Draisatl and McDavid you could argue this division has 3 of the 5 or so best offensive talents in hockey with Marner not far behind.

 

[Scion]

Worst teams for Goals against/60 this year:

(Ill try to include Edmonton)

22. Oilers
23. Wings
24. Flyers
25. Pens
26. Jackets
27. Caps
28. Preds
29. Sharks
30. Canucks
31. Sens

Cant just go flat Goals against with the North playing so many games. Are the bottom 2 teams in the North? Yea....but the gulf between all the divisions in goals against/team average isnt as bad as you make it out. I think I might look at last years divisions....

The flip side to the argument is that the North is dominating the league in GF/60 as well. It's kind of a dumb argument to use GF and GA to rank the best or worst defensive divisions since the team who ranks first in GF will also rank last in GA and vice versa given that they are all playing the same teams.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

If only the same people who share this opinion after every win would do that.

1 lost happens

"this team cant beat the weak teams in the division they will never win a playoff series"

Leafs win

"So what they won, NoNE oF THiS mAtTers uNlEsS tHeY wIn A pLaYoFFs sErIeS"

We get it whiners you will never be happy, the worthless opinion of saying the same thing adds nothing.

They will “never” be happy? The “whiners” as you call them have made it pretty clear what will make them happy. Playoff success. It says so in the title of this very thread.

 

[Zybalto]

The flip side to the argument is that the North is dominating the league in GF/60 as well. It's kind of a dumb argument to use GF and GA to rank the best or worst defensive divisions since the team who ranks first in GF will also rank last in GA and vice versa given that they are all playing the same teams.

Its why we have to be suspicious of those that use them to further their arguments in a way to disparage the North and, in particular, the Leafs.

It's actually troubling to see so many on the Leafs board running down the team with such arguments. You would have to figure that fans of a team would do the opposite and argue from a standpoint of the divisions offensive superiority instead of going to the negative version.

 

[7even]

Alright look this is how it is, they dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins and then promptly lost to a zamboni driver, and that was after our trifecta of game 7s, so if you're comfortable believing in this team at this point then I wish you all the best in the rest of your short life because the only creature on gods green earth with the capacity for that much unwarranted, undying optimism is a golden retriever. But me, I'll believe it when I f***ing see it and not a minute before.

 

[Rondo Hatton]

I have a feeling if we were 9-8-2 right now we wouldn't be hearing that the regular season doesn't mean anything.

It's seems I can't "like" comments at the moment. Perhaps I'm in the penalty box for some reality based comment I made somewhere here. But I like this comment very much

Contrary to popular opinion, the regular season means a lot. Not only determining who you play in the PO and home ice, but on the more basic and obvious level. It has informed your players how to play your opponents, what your limitations and theirs are and the rest. Let's let the season play out and enjoy the success we're having now and not give in to the haters trolling of "haven't won in the play offs". Everybody always in such a rush to end the season before it begins.

 

[PromisedLand]

We know and knew they can beat the likes of Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver. We know they can turn up the heat against these teams. We often seem to struggle in the crunch time against teams that play a more playoff style of hockey , something a large part of us have agreed upon here for a while.

This regular season doesn’t really answer questions about the improvements the team has made to better handle those teams. No Boston, no St. Louis, no Vegas, no Columbus. Can they play a tight game against teams that clog the neutral zone, forecheck heavy, and limit scoring, at least better than they used to? I don’t think we can say one way or another until the playoffs.

fair but quite frankly; if we make the conference finals watching the fans of other candian teams implode especially the habs, sens, jets, nucks, oilers would be pretty AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

It will be clear who is Canada's team once and for all

 

[zeke]

The points thing I understand a little as you still have to earn the points to put them in the bank (even then points% is the way to go IMO)

People still don't understand that missed points get "banked" just like points get "banked", and that looking at just points alone ignores a massive part of a team's record.

 

[zeke]

The flip side to the argument is that the North is dominating the league in GF/60 as well. It's kind of a dumb argument to use GF and GA to rank the best or worst defensive divisions since the team who ranks first in GF will also rank last in GA and vice versa given that they are all playing the same teams.

Or at least, to be consistent, then the Leafs currently ranking 10th in goals against per game even against the highest scoring division in hockey means that they're actually closer to a top 5 defensive team in the league.

To be consistent.

 

[BlueForever75]

People need to give it a rest. Regardless of what division the Leafs are playing in they are playing against the top players in the world. The best player McDavid 8 times this season. You do understand that the teams we play against is a rivalry every game. It is any time the Leafs play a Canadian team. Games are not easy, and just goes to show the Leafs have been up for mostly all games. And when they havent been, they still find a way to win even playing bad. That is a sign of a very good team.

So people can say that it would be different if they played Boston or TB or Florida. But reality is that they are playing good teams and their records are as bad as they are because the Leafs are beating mostly everyone in their division.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Or at least, to be consistent, then the Leafs currently ranking 10th in goals against per game even against the highest scoring division in hockey means that they're actually closer to a top 5 defensive team in the league.

To be consistent.

Yup, we should be happy indeed with our defensive play this season.

IMHO our division is weak. But it's not THAT weak. And who cares anyway, the playoffs is where the winners and the losers get sorted out so we'll see what happens then.

GLG!!

 

[willmma]

The regular season is literally the only thing we can draw conclusions from.....

I get the sentiment that "it doesn't matter until the playoffs", but this is our team, with new players and a system thats had a year to set in now. Comparing this team to last years play-in team is unreasonable, and even more unreasonable to go back to the other playoffs exits.

Two Canadian teams are going to win a playoff round this year, and because of that the goal posts are going to shift from "well you haven't won a round" to "well you only beat the Canadian teams", and it's poppycock. Success is success.

The Canadian teams have a 25% chance at the cup, same as every division, so we gain steam now and hopefully carry it over to the playoffs.

Imagine a Canadian team winning the cup. Well that means the entire league sucks. How bad is this league if someone from the suckiest division wins. Think about that.

 

[Lauro]

Yes, regardless of the strength or weakness of the North Division, it would be interesting now to see how they do against teams they are less comfortable with. Like Boston, Carolina or the Islanders.

 

[MattySnipes]

Dont understand fans that think like this but hey more power to you.

We arguably have one of the most talented Leafs teams ever assembled in the past few years but all you hear fans say is...oh they have to prove it in playoffs. Regular season means nothing anymore.

56-82 games is a large sample size to see how team plays. I understand the playoffs is the holy grail and that's where great teams come through but a lot of things happen in playoff round and it's possible it doesn't go your way all the time. There have been issues with defending leads, winning 1 goal games, etc.

So far it seems they've worked on those issues (it shows the way they started season all 1 goal game wins), better and clean breakouts. Tight gaps and good NZ play.

Fans doing a disservice to themselves if all they want to see this team do is win a playoff round(s). You're missing the ride to get there.

 

[willmma]

GF - GA / GP

Leafs #2 in the league

Team	GP	GF	GA	Diff	GF/GP	GA/GP	Diff/GP
Tampa Bay Lightning	15	54	36	18	3.6	2.4	1.20
Toronto Maple Leafs	19	72	51	21	3.79	2.68	1.11
Colorado Avalanche	14	44	29	15	3.14	2.07	1.07
Carolina Hurricanes	16	59	43	16	3.69	2.69	1.00
Boston Bruins	16	49	36	13	3.06	2.25	0.81
Vegas Golden Knights	15	45	33	12	3	2.2	0.80
Winnipeg Jets	18	61	48	13	3.39	2.67	0.72
Dallas Stars	12	40	32	8	3.33	2.67	0.67
Montréal Canadiens	17	57	46	11	3.35	2.71	0.65
Florida Panthers	16	55	46	9	3.44	2.88	0.56
Edmonton Oilers	20	72	62	10	3.6	3.1	0.50
St. Louis Blues	18	58	54	4	3.22	3	0.22
Los Angeles Kings	16	50	47	3	3.13	2.94	0.19
Minnesota Wild	14	38	36	2	2.71	2.57	0.14
Philadelphia Flyers	15	51	49	2	3.4	3.27	0.13
New Jersey Devils	13	36	35	1	2.77	2.69	0.08
New York Islanders	17	41	40	1	2.41	2.35	0.06
Chicago Blackhawks	19	55	54	1	2.89	2.84	0.05
Washington Capitals	17	57	58	-1	3.35	3.41	-0.06
New York Rangers	16	39	41	-2	2.44	2.56	-0.13
Arizona Coyotes	17	43	47	-4	2.53	2.76	-0.24
Pittsburgh Penguins	16	48	53	-5	3	3.31	-0.31
Calgary Flames	18	46	54	-8	2.56	3	-0.44
Columbus Blue Jackets	19	54	63	-9	2.84	3.32	-0.47
Vancouver Canucks	22	64	78	-14	2.91	3.55	-0.64
Buffalo Sabres	14	33	42	-9	2.36	3	-0.64
Anaheim Ducks	18	33	49	-16	1.83	2.72	-0.89
San Jose Sharks	16	41	57	-16	2.56	3.56	-1.00
Nashville Predators	17	39	57	-18	2.29	3.35	-1.06
Detroit Red Wings	20	39	64	-25	1.95	3.2	-1.25
Ottawa Senators	20	47	80	-33	2.35	4	-1.65

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

If you are going to take away credit for GF you have to give credit for GA.

 

[Martin Skoula]

If the entire team gets Covid the day before the playoffs and the Marlies lose to Montreal round 1, does that mean this is a failure and we need to trade the core?

 

[Notsince67]

Alright look this is how it is, they dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins and then promptly lost to a zamboni driver, and that was after our trifecta of game 7s, so if you're comfortable believing in this team at this point then I wish you all the best in the rest of your short life because the only creature on gods green earth with the capacity for that much unwarranted, undying optimism is a golden retriever. But me, I'll believe it when I f***ing see it and not a minute before.

Cynicism, to me, is trying to make people as unhappy as you are - Ricky Gervais

 

[7even]

Cynicism, to me, is trying to make people as unhappy as you are - Ricky Gervais

If I were unhappy I wouldn't still be here.

 

[Notsince67]

If I were unhappy I wouldn't still be here.

Deep down you believe.