Is Tampa for real or just a matter of a weak division?

[JayfromNB1219]

No one said that the East is weak. And it was a question

always a fair question... but 3 of the top 7 teams in the league in one division does tend to show the strength in the division, add in the fact that my team (the leafs) have not feasted on the weaker teams in their division and have done most of their damage outside of the Atlantic I would have to say Tampa is legit as they come in terms of their team, they've beat up on almost everyone in the league and that says it all

 

[Kamiccolo]

That at least makes sense except now I am left wondering why the 3rd best team in the division being only 3 points ahead of the 9th best team in the NHL is somehow a criticism of the division.

Not only that but they are also 3 points out of being third in the NHL lol. Agenda is obvious.

Also you know this thread is terrible when the MAIN boards are defending the Leafs

 

[CauZuki]

Three are in the Top 5 of the league.

Because they dominate their own weak division...Duh

 

[killa3312]

Tampa has an awful record vs the Central though. Nashville, STL and Minny all beat them twice (swept the season series).

Nashville has Tampa’s number, no question there, but “awful”? They’re like 18-8-2 against the Central which still puts them well ahead of a 100 point pace over 82 games. Tampa Bay is also 42-7-3 since their 17-7-1 start and Nashville got them early both times and Tampa arguably outplayed them in both games, honestly.

 

[Hoek]

Maybe the Atlantic is weak because Tampa keeps beating the shit out of them.

 

[Cygnusx1018]

Metro division is trash. Wide open shinny hockey. West might be bad but, its a grind it out conference. Tougher to get wins. Tampa isn't winning the cup. Mark my words. Boston is the best team in that division. You get past Boston, you have a chance.

The division with the Capitals, Penguins, Islanders, Hurricanes and Blue Jackets is trash... Seems legit

 

[RoloTonyBrownTown]

Is there a brain bigger than a galaxy brain? Because this is it.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

This one thread managed to insult Tampa, Boston, and Toronto fans. Think about this, who would have ever thought those 3 fan bases could be United by anything? Well done OP.

 

[Master P]

Is there a brain bigger than a galaxy brain? Because this is it.

We may never know

 

[Srsly]

I've never wanted to see a favorite get swept so badly in my life and I've always had a soft spot for the Bolts dating from back in the Martin St Louis days. I wish people would cool their jets on the Tampa train, but I get where the excitement stems from. Tampa is just as strong as their stats indicate and I have a hard time framing the Atlantic as a weak division given the strength of the Leafs, Bruins and of course the Bolts. I've been watching games in the west as well due to my vicinity to LA and I have to say that the East seems to be the stronger overall division this season, at least in my eyes.

 

[Drake1588]

Tampa is definitely for real. The division is also weak. It probably only adds ten points max to their final total of ~130, though. The other 120 points is all them.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Tampa is definitely for real. The division is also weak. It probably only adds ten points max to their final total of ~130, though. The other 120 points is all them.

The division is weak...sure...or the top 3 teams are miles better than the rest of the division. Also the fact 1 team has a winning record against every division by a big margin..

 

[CupsOverCash]

I've never wanted to see a favorite get swept so badly in my life and I've always had a soft spot for the Bolts dating from back in the Martin St Louis days. I wish people would cool their jets on the Tampa train, but I get where the excitement stems from. Tampa is just as strong as their stats indicate and I have a hard time framing the Atlantic as a weak division given the strength of the Leafs, Bruins and of course the Bolts. I've been watching games in the west as well due to my vicinity to LA and I have to say that the East seems to be the stronger overall division this season, at least in my eyes.

Why do you all the sudden want them swept?

 

[vanarchy]

Tampa has handed out ass-kickings to every division and has lost 14 times in regulation in the entire year.

So why even ask this silly question?

 

[PaulGG]

Seems to imply west teams are somehow more real? Recall that an expansion team was best the west had last season.

 

[Hoek]

Why do you all the sudden want them swept?

Because non-fans are talking us up so much, so we must suffer even though it's not us.

 

[Huck Cheever]

The Stanley cup will be Tampa's in 16 games this playoffs lol

 

[Evincar]

Seems to imply west teams are somehow more real? Recall that an expansion team was best the west had last season.

It actually implies that every division is weak.

 

[FastEddie]

Paging through Tampa's season they only swept Florida and Montreal among the bad teams in the Atlantic(if you even consider Montreal bad, I don't). 2-1 against Ottawa(one being an OT win), with the 4th game next week, and maybe 3-1 against Buffalo and Detroit. With a fair number of OT/SO wins. They also dominated Boston and Toronto by pretty similar margins, and for that matter most teams regardless of division.

Also, it's worth noting that this isn't the divisional format the NHL had after the lockout. They will only play Ottawa 4 times and Pittsburgh 3. If the most that amounts to is 6-8 divisional games against bottom feeders it still wouldn't explain their 19 point lead over 2nd place Boston(who played the same teams in similar numbers) and Calgary. But you only need to look at their season to see they dominated just about everyone equally except maybe the Central.

 

[Danrs112]

Paging through Tampa's season they only swept Florida and Montreal among the bad teams in the Atlantic(if you even consider Montreal bad, I don't). 2-1 against Ottawa(one being an OT win), with the 4th game next week, and maybe 3-1 against Buffalo and Detroit. With a fair number of OT/SO wins. They also dominated Boston and Toronto by pretty similar margins, and for that matter most teams regardless of division.

Also, it's worth noting that this isn't the divisional format the NHL had after the lockout. They will only play Ottawa 4 times and Pittsburgh 3. If the most that amounts to is 6-8 divisional games against bottom feeders it still wouldn't explain their 19 point lead over 2nd place Boston(who played the same teams in similar numbers) and Calgary. But you only need to look at their season to see they dominated just about everyone equally except maybe the Central.

They swept Detroit also.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

I'm offended by this thread. My feelings are hurt.

 

[Sweetpotato]

You just made a strong argument for that thesis , Sir

And you sir have my favorite post in this thread, well done XD

 

[northeastern]

I don't understand why people think their division is weak. The bruins and learn are top 5 in the league, sure the bottom has the sens and sabers but every division has 60/70 point teams...

 

[Adele Dazeem]

This Tampa team will go down in history as one of the most stacked teams.

 

[TT1]

"weak division"

says the metro fan