Leafs favorite for the Atlantic division this year?

[Ianturnedbull]

Only half his goals and points at even strength, and the worst +/- among forwards.

Decent as a 3C and on the PP, but I have concerns about the 2C.

Ok. I see what you mean.

To be honest with you is it common to have your 2C produce 80 points in 80 games? It seems to me that you're lucky your team's 2C gets to 60 points.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Ok. I see what you mean.

To be honest with you is it common to have your 2C produce 80 points in 80 games? It seems to me that you're lucky your team's 2C gets to 60 points.

Kadri got 20 goals and 36 points at even strength at 2C.

Tavares got 18 goals and 41 points at 2C.

I don't really think you should keep pretending that PP points have anything to do with whether you are playing 2C or 3C at even strength.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Kadri got 20 goals and 36 points at even strength at 2C.

Tavares got 18 goals and 41 points at 2C.

I don't really think you should keep pretending that PP points have anything to do with whether you are playing 2C or 3C at even strength.

What does this mean? What is Tavares pretending? If you're speaking of his 11 million $ contract then ok. He's not dominant, and it's a big waste of money. He's slowed down? Yes. Is he not a 2C? I'm pretty sure he is.

 

[notDatsyuk]

What does this mean? What is Tavares pretending? If you're speaking of his 11 million $ contract then ok. He's not dominant, and it's a big waste of money. He's slowed down? Yes. Is he not a 2D? I'm pretty sure he is.

Do you think that the points picked up on the powerplay are dependant on whether a player is on the first, second, or third line at even strength?

(I didn't say Tavares was pretending.)

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Do you think that the points picked up on the powerplay are dependant on whether a player is on the first, second, or third line at even strength?

(I didn't say Tavares was pretending.)

Say what it is you want to say. What are you saying?

Points picked up on the PP are dependent on the other team being short-handed.

A powerplay can never be even strength.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Say what it is you want to say. What are you saying?

He's trying to pretend that somebody who plays in the 2C slot well, and produces like a 1C, is actually a 3C because this past year where he was one of the best PP players in the league, he picked up a few less points than general 1C production at 5v5, putting him at a 5v5 production level populated with a bunch of players who are considered 1Cs and 2Cs.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

They certainly lost less than Boston, and likely less than Tampa, but the rest?

I'm less optimistic that the replacements are an improvement (happy to be wrong), and I still have concerns about our 2C situation.

A favourite, sure, but not the favourite.

The rest don't matter, nobody is taking Detroit or Montreal seriously, Ottawa and Buffalo have good pieces but neither has a goaltender, and Florida's defense is gutted for the first 2-3 months

 

[notDatsyuk]

Say what it is you want to say. What are you saying?

Points picked up on the PP are dependent on the other team being short-handed.

A powerplay can never be even strength.

Exactly. So powerplay points have no bearing on whether a player is on the first or second or third line at even strength.

At even strength, Tavares didn't get 80 points, he got 18 goals and 41 points.

Using the argument that 80 points means he's a 2C is misleading at best.

 

[notDatsyuk]

The rest don't matter, nobody is taking Detroit or Montreal seriously, Ottawa and Buffalo have good pieces but neither has a goaltender, and Florida's defense is gutted for the first 2-3 months

True, but the original statement was that we had lost far less than everyone else.

Boston yes, Tampa maybe, Florida temporarily, but not necessarily the rest.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Exactly. So powerplay points have no bearing on whether a player is on the first or second or third line at even strength.

At even strength, Tavares didn't get 80 points, he got 18 goals and 41 points.

Using the argument that 80 points means he's a 2C is misleading at best.

So he's a 1C?

 

[notDatsyuk]

So he's a 1C?

18 goals and 41 points at even strength puts him well down into the mid to low end of 2Cs last year (and how many of them played most of the season with either the #1 or #6 best passer?).

My point was just that PP points aren't relevant to a discussion of even strength play.

 

[Fogelhund]

SO, what do we think now?

Boston lost Hall, Krejci and Bergeron
Tampa lost Killorn, Colton, Perry and now Vasilevsky out for minimum two months for surgery.

If the Leafs can't take the division this year, they should be shot. More than any other season, we need to come out of the gate quickly this year, and lead from game one on.

 

[Squiffy]

SO, what do we think now?

Boston lost Hall, Krejci and Bergeron
Tampa lost Killorn, Colton, Perry and now Vasilevsky out for minimum two months for surgery.

If the Leafs can't take the division this year, they should be shot. More than any other season, we need to come out of the gate quickly this year, and lead from game one on.

Vegas is certainly onboard. Significant favourite to win Atlantic.

 

[HockeyVirus]

SO, what do we think now?

Boston lost Hall, Krejci and Bergeron
Tampa lost Killorn, Colton, Perry and now Vasilevsky out for minimum two months for surgery.

If the Leafs can't take the division this year, they should be shot. More than any other season, we need to come out of the gate quickly this year, and lead from game one on.

Agree completely. If there is a year to win the division this is it.

And knowing our luck, we finish first just to face one of the Bruins or Bolts in round 1 from the 2nd wildcard spot

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Hard to imagine us as favourites when apparently the Sens and Sabres have a better D-Corps than us.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Hard to imagine us as favourites when apparently the Sens and Sabres have a better D-Corps than us.

I saw that. Sabres were the worst defensive team in the league last season but are somehow in the top of the league.

I admit I am not sold on our D core as is, but last year it was top 10 easily and it's basically exactly the same. Holl out Klingberg in

 

[Sypher04]

Our D core has proven over the past few years it’s greater than the sum of its parts. Our personnel and system has allowed us to be a well above average defensive team, if anything we’ve struggled generating a meaningful offensive contribution from the backend, hence the Klingberg signing

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I saw that. Sabres were the worst defensive team in the league last season but are somehow in the top of the league.

I admit I am not sold on our D core as is, but last year it was top 10 easily and it's basically exactly the same. Holl out Klingberg in

Leafs Defence has something to prove it seems. Far as I’m concerned the D-Corps is underrated at this point. Rielly being injured most of last year and the small sample size that was the disastrous Florida series have people very down on them.

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

We will win the Presidents Trophy [period]

 

[Fogelhund]

Hard to imagine us as favourites when apparently the Sens and Sabres have a better D-Corps than us.

Ya... I mean, it's really hard to take that seriously.

We were 5th in the league last year in GA.

The Sabres... 26th.

The Sabres have some good young D... and Dahlin is elite, but I feel like a team that gives up 300 more shots against than us, probably isn't better defensively.

The Senators.. 20th, gave up 150 more shots than us. Chabot, had the same number of points as Mo...

They've got the Oilers ahead of us too... LOL... 17th in GA, also have up 150 more shots than us..

Pittsburgh too? Because the added Karlsson?

 

[notDatsyuk]

I'm still somewhat concerned about the defence, but if Nylander at centre works out, it may solve both our 2C and 3C problems.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

SO, what do we think now?

Boston lost Hall, Krejci and Bergeron
Tampa lost Killorn, Colton, Perry and now Vasilevsky out for minimum two months for surgery.

If the Leafs can't take the division this year, they should be shot. More than any other season, we need to come out of the gate quickly this year, and lead from game one on.

I said back in July they were the favorite, now that Vasi is out until December they should be an even bigger favorite.

If they don't win the Atlantic this year somebody needs to be fired.

With Boston losing Hall, Bergeron and Krejci, Florida starting the year without Ekblad and Montour, and now Tampa losing Vasi, not to mention Killorn and Colton.

There is no excuse, NO EXCUSE not to win the Atlantic, NONE, not with the talent on this team.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I'm actually surprised we're not a bigger favourite for the division. Very slightly, the Avs, Oilers and Canes are slightly bigger favs for their divisions.

We have the biggest gap to the 2nd team. The problem with our division is that it's way deeper than any of the others. There's 6 teams that can reasonably take it if everything goes right while the others have 3-4.

 

[bearcountry17]

bruins dont need bergeron when they have the refs

29th in PPs drawn, 6th most penalties called despite being hands down the best team in the league but sure.

 

[Gallagbi]

29th in PPs drawn, 6th most penalties called despite being hands down the best team in the league but sure.

Did you just quote a 2 month old post on an opposing team's board? I cant imagine how bored id have to be to even find a post like that on the B's board.