Playoff Race Thread

[Gabriel426]

Injuries will always have impact, if there is no impact, it means the injured player is expandable.
Teams will find ways but Pens is better with Sid than without Sid.

 

[Gabriel426]

Think it's more the atrocious 3rd periods than points. You could easily argue we didn't deserve either game at all. But yes the points are boss here. We have been playing concerning hockey though lately

More like 6 days.
Look at all the comments prior to the Panthers game. We are 3-0 after the break, the team is playing well even against playoff teams....
Just like if Leafs win all the games next week, it will be like we are making the playoffs....will Matthews score 70....will Willie score 30.....JT is back....

 

[Coatsy79]

Agreed. And its starting to get annoying how fans and media alike are just completely ignoring the impact of losing our 1D.

I notice this a lot in the media, they never mention the missing players we have always just say we're under performing or something similar, yet any other team injuries are the first thing mentioned

 

[Pi]

People are worrying for no reason at all. Leafs will be better than Florida for that 3rd seed in the division at the end of the season.

I just hope they are fully healthy at the beginning of the playoffs. Kinda want Boston to drop down to 2nd in the division so we get to face them with Keefe behind the bench to see what things he tries in different situations. Win or lose, it would be the PERFECT way to compare where we were last year with Babcock and this year with Keefe.

Continue playing at the 20-9-4 pace we have been playing at and it should be no issue at all.

That would mean we finish the season with 101 points.

 

[AreBe]

I notice this a lot in the media, they never mention the missing players we have always just say we're under performing or something similar, yet any other team injuries are the first thing mentioned

Hmmm - "thinking" hmmm.
What would the reason be for this omission of important information?
So the media needs ratingd and clicks etc.
"Don't overreact Leafs have key injuries" not an interesting story.
"Maybe Dubas and his commitment to European styled skill is wrong and we need to bring in some good Canadian kids who know how to play when the playoffs start because clearly the team is fundamentally flawed- let's get some commentary on that thesis" now that's a fun story!
Skilled hockey vs Good Canadian Kid hockey.
Stupid Dubas it's time to trade that stupid Ivan Svensky who's stupid mother the stupid Russian figure skater Olympic gold medalist showed him how to skate and turn and accelerate. Get rid of him for Patrick O'Thuggo! That's what you need to advance in the playoffs! "

Opening up a philosophical debate about hockey and waiving some red meat type European players and skill players suck is very interesting, and very entertaining. That is a story that writes itself with every loss.

And Canadian devotees of the Gospel According to Hockey Night in Canada eat that debate up.

 

[Stephen]

I meant over a full season. Point remains that injuries have impacts; regardless of how a select few teams do with different injuries in small samples due primarily to other factors.

We have more or less the same sample size between the Penguins and Leafs, and one team has found a way to weather the storm and that's what I want to see the Leafs learn to do. It's not an ideal situation but to be a contender and then a champion, you have to get through these hurdles.

 

[Stephen]

Boston left us in the dust like back in October, but it was nice to see Detroit beating them today.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Hmmm - "thinking" hmmm.
What would the reason be for this omission of important information?
So the media needs ratingd and clicks etc.
"Don't overreact Leafs have key injuries" not an interesting story.
"Maybe Dubas and his commitment to European styled skill is wrong and we need to bring in some good Canadian kids who know how to play when the playoffs start because clearly the team is fundamentally flawed- let's get some commentary on that thesis" now that's a fun story!
Skilled hockey vs Good Canadian Kid hockey.
Stupid Dubas it's time to trade that stupid Ivan Svensky who's stupid mother the stupid Russian figure skater Olympic gold medalist showed him how to skate and turn and accelerate. Get rid of him for Patrick O'Thuggo! That's what you need to advance in the playoffs! "

Opening up a philosophical debate about hockey and waiving some red meat type European players and skill players suck is very interesting, and very entertaining. That is a story that writes itself with every loss.

And Canadian devotees of the Gospel According to Hockey Night in Canada eat that debate up.

He just did bring in some good ole Canadian hockey player. Kind of thinking he knows that too.Ge is likely bringing in more too. Now thats a story!

 

[57 Years No Cup]

The mood adound here is always strange.

The team took 3/4 points on back to back games while their backup played both. In most scenarios, that would considered to be positive thing...

I'm responding to your post because I thought it to be the appropriate time to do so for the question I asked.

My point is it's not about this short term results, or the injuries, or anything that's happening RIGHT NOW.

Do we believe, given this team's talent level, that this is a Cup Contender or not? At the beginning of the season most on here as well as the pundits in Vegas had us as a Stanley Cup favorite. It's obvious at this point we are not.

Whose expectations have been lowered, and whose haven't?

 

[57 Years No Cup]

we got this ****... this team is too good to not be in the playoffs

GO LEAFS!

Great. The bar is "high".

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Hmmm - "thinking" hmmm.
What would the reason be for this omission of important information?
So the media needs ratingd and clicks etc.
"Don't overreact Leafs have key injuries" not an interesting story.
"Maybe Dubas and his commitment to European styled skill is wrong and we need to bring in some good Canadian kids who know how to play when the playoffs start because clearly the team is fundamentally flawed- let's get some commentary on that thesis" now that's a fun story!
Skilled hockey vs Good Canadian Kid hockey.
Stupid Dubas it's time to trade that stupid Ivan Svensky who's stupid mother the stupid Russian figure skater Olympic gold medalist showed him how to skate and turn and accelerate. Get rid of him for Patrick O'Thuggo! That's what you need to advance in the playoffs! "

Opening up a philosophical debate about hockey and waiving some red meat type European players and skill players suck is very interesting, and very entertaining. That is a story that writes itself with every loss.

And Canadian devotees of the Gospel According to Hockey Night in Canada eat that debate up.

Did you launch that Class Action against the NHL yet?

 

[Martin Skoula]

I'm responding to your post because I thought it to be the appropriate time to do so for the question I asked.

My point is it's not about this short term results, or the injuries, or anything that's happening RIGHT NOW.

Do we believe, given this team's talent level, that this is a Cup Contender or not? At the beginning of the season most on here as well as the pundits in Vegas had us as a Stanley Cup favorite. It's obvious at this point we are not.

Whose expectations have been lowered, and whose haven't?

Individual parts of the team have been hot enough to be a contender, just not at the same time.

November Freddy + Matthews, Marner, and Nylander playing like they have the last few months is enough to get through a few rounds. Boston beat us with one line and a goalie, no reason we can't do the same.

 

[AreBe]

Did you launch that Class Action against the NHL yet?

Absolutely not! Match fixing is not illegal, especially when the league sells you a ticket to an "event" and not a "game."
Further, framing the Leafs as being in some funk caused by insufficient toughness and failures to have enough Good Canadian Kids is a great media story, unlike "Well, they have key injuries to key deference and that is why they are struggling" which is more accurate but has no legs or excitement, especially when you have 2 sports networks and their radio stations that need content and debating points-- stupid Ivan Svensky and his stupid passing and skating and scoring. Trade the kids for Patrick Thuggo now! A "Gud Pro" knows how to win. Stupid Dubas and his stupid scientific method and stupid analytics etc.

 

[Dekes For Days]

We have more or less the same sample size between the Penguins and Leafs

Yes, and both of them are small, and the record they end up with during a time when somebody is out isn't necessarily representative of how that team would do over an extended period with that player(s) out. If you believe the players to be valuable and worthy of a spot in the lineup, then that is you saying that losing those players has a negative effect on the team's ability to win, regardless of outcome in the individual games.

and one team has found a way to weather the storm and that's what I want to see the Leafs learn to do.

Both teams have found a way to weather the storm. Our underlying metrics have remained good. The difference is, Pittsburgh had good goaltending during that time and Toronto has had horrible goaltending during that time, and that is what's reflected in their records.

to be a contender and then a champion, you have to get through these hurdles.

No you don't. You can just be relatively healthy and do well.

People think there are so many qualifiers to win the cup, when in reality, it's just get in and have a good team that is firing at the right time.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Boston lost to Detroit in regulation. I guess their season is over too.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Do we believe, given this team's talent level, that this is a Cup Contender or not? At the beginning of the season most on here as well as the pundits in Vegas had us as a Stanley Cup favorite. It's obvious at this point we are not.

Whose expectations have been lowered, and whose haven't?

Most likely, the answer is yes. Two caveats though:

1)
We need to be relatively healthy.

2)
Andersen needs to find his game again as no team wins the cup without solid goaltending. Now maybe he's forgotten how to play hockey, then we're screwed. Most likely though, he's just going through a slump and when he recovers, we'll be fine.

People can yap all they want about injuries not being an excuse but the reality is that if you subtract from any team their #1 goalie, #1 Dman, an elite forward and another piece or two, they're not winning anything. Hopefully we can survive and still make the playoffs, then if Andersen's back to his normal self and if we get Rielly back and he gets into game shape quickly and there are no other surprises, watch out. I'd like to be in a better position then we're in today but when I consider all the injuries we've had, the fact that our start with Babcock put us in such a big hole and especially when I consider how bad our goaltending has been, I figure the fact that we're in 13th place overall and only 3 points behind CLB in 8th place is actually pretty good.

 

[18leafsfan18]

Well, Leafs in a playoff spot as of today.

But I expect to see a ton of posts why they "aren't really in a playoff spot" or "Games in hand are basically wins" or some other BS.

Team has played well the last 2 games, except in the 3rd periods (Worse vs the Ducks then vs Montreal).

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I'm responding to your post because I thought it to be the appropriate time to do so for the question I asked.

My point is it's not about this short term results, or the injuries, or anything that's happening RIGHT NOW.

Do we believe, given this team's talent level, that this is a Cup Contender or not? At the beginning of the season most on here as well as the pundits in Vegas had us as a Stanley Cup favorite. It's obvious at this point we are not.

Whose expectations have been lowered, and whose haven't?

I have believed this team was a cup contender since they signed Tavares, that Belief only got stronger when Barrie was acquired.

Granted Barrie hasn't worked the way I thought he would, and I didn't think that Hutch was going to piss away a minimum of 8 and probably closer to 14 points.

But my stance hasn't changed, they get in, they can win.

Last time I checked they still had Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Rielly, Andersen, Muzzin, Barrie, Kapanen and Johnsson this team is LOADED, if they can pick up ONE piece on defense and make it in they are going to be hard to beat because Rielly and Andersen will be healthy and the team will finally be what it was supposed tobe.

 

[willmma]

Leafs played 7 games after the break and are 4-2-1. Pretty good record. 642 pt%.

If we keep this rate going we will be a 99pt team

 

[GoonieFace]

Absolutely not! Match fixing is not illegal, especially when the league sells you a ticket to an "event" and not a "game."
Further, framing the Leafs as being in some funk caused by insufficient toughness and failures to have enough Good Canadian Kids is a great media story, unlike "Well, they have key injuries to key deference and that is why they are struggling" which is more accurate but has no legs or excitement, especially when you have 2 sports networks and their radio stations that need content and debating points-- stupid Ivan Svensky and his stupid passing and skating and scoring. Trade the kids for Patrick Thuggo now! A "Gud Pro" knows how to win. Stupid Dubas and his stupid scientific method and stupid analytics etc.

Are you a real human person or some sort of automated robot response. This is pure insanity. Whats O'Thuggo's advanced stats anyway?

 

[Gary Nylund]

Well, Leafs in a playoff spot as of today.

But I expect to see a ton of posts why they "aren't really in a playoff spot" or "Games in hand are basically wins" or some other BS.

Team has played well the last 2 games, except in the 3rd periods (Worse vs the Ducks then vs Montreal).

LOL wut? I don't believe I've every heard anyone ever say games in hand are basically wins, that's absurd. I have heard people act as if they're meaningless though which is just as absurd.

The Leafs PTS% has them in 13th place overall, but unfortunately that's only good for 10th in the East and 5th in the division. Call it BS if you don't like the facts but that's where we're at today. The teams are tightly packed together though, not much separating 9th from 13th so wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[DarkKnight]

Considering what Boston did last year despite being absolutely decimated by injuries, I find the excuse just that.

 

[Walshy7]

Considering what Boston did last year despite being absolutely decimated by injuries, I find the excuse just that.

so considering what one team has done one time, it should be applied to every single team from then on?

a team with a shit defense has lost their best dman, ceci!

haha ok ok Rielly and our #1 goalie where we have shit backups, Boston have 2 #1's and got very lucky to get that second goalie on a down swing only for him to kick back into starter gear.

 

[DarkKnight]

so considering what one team has done one time, it should be applied to every single team from then on?

a team with a **** defense has lost their best dman, ceci!

haha ok ok Rielly and our #1 goalie where we have **** backups, Boston have 2 #1's and got very lucky to get that second goalie on a down swing only for him to kick back into starter gear.

Elite teams find a way. Our injuries have also been spread out, nothing extraordinary.

 

[18leafsfan18]

LOL wut? I don't believe I've every heard anyone ever say games in hand are basically wins, that's absurd. I have heard people act as if they're meaningless though which is just as absurd.

The Leafs PTS% has them in 13th place overall, but unfortunately that's only good for 10th in the East and 5th in the division. Call it BS if you don't like the facts but that's where we're at today. The teams are tightly packed together though, not much separating 9th from 13th so wouldn't worry about it too much.

I was being a bit over the top with my comments.

I've seen tons of posters here throw out the Games in hand argument, which is valid.

However, it seems when Leafs have games in hand those posters consider them to be losses, when other teams have games in hand they are considered wins.

Leafs PTS% puts them in 4th in the division (FLA @ 0.593 Leafs @ 0.589). If Florida loses another game Leafs PTS% jumps over them.

Leafs PTS% is dropped a ton by a bad start with Babcock. Under Keefe they are way better (0.667).

PTS% changes drastically game by game and changes not just based on Leafs games, also when a team loses. Day to Day it changes, that's why IMO it's not the only thing to look at.