[POLL] Is Toronto going to make it out of the first round?

[TheImpatientBoomer]

Montreal - yes, they are more experienced at every important position and have better depth on F and D.
In saying that, I don't think it will be 5 or less. I think it'd go 6 but Leafs do beat the Habs.

Both teams have inexperienced goalies but the Leafs players on both F and D tip the scales and will dominate most games but also allow Montreal to show their potential and steal a few games.

Ottawa - yes, they eek out a 7 game win but Ottawa takes a pound of flesh and plays a physical, loose style that has a nothing to lose mentality.

I expect a couple high scoring games to start the series but Leafs defense will adjust and close it out in game 7.
The Sens are close to becoming a real threat but need another year or two of playoff experience to take that next step.

Florida - No, Florida is just a better built team for those grind out games and will physically wear out the Leafs players.
The Panthers have shown multiple times they can shut down 2 or 3 of the core 4 forwards and usually it's Matthews and Marner.

I still don't fully believe in the Leafs goalies and Toronto may win game 1 or 2 but Florida have more adjustments to their style of play and better lineups to tilt the scale in a 6 game series win by the Panthers.

 

[M88K]

Depends on who they get, they could still potentially face one of the Florida teams, if that happens, no. Against the Sens/Canadians (most likely scenario) yes

 

[DuncanMacpherson]

Probably. Let’s assume they play the Sens, I give Toronto about an 80% chance of winning that series but don’t count Ottawa out, they have a solid team.

 

[cjm502]

Highly doubtful, it is their destiny to get bumped in the first round and make it to the second every once in a while just to keep fans on their toes. Unlikely that this is one of those every once in a while years.

 

[AvroArrow]

Anyone can just make up percentages

100% chance I'm right

 

[DuncanMacpherson]

Leafs vs Habs this year they are 2-1 with one game remaining.

Leafs vs Sens this year, they are 0-3.

Season series doesn’t mean much

 

[NyQuil]

OEL should be compared to bottom pairing defender not sure who that is for the sens

The bottom pairing is Kleven-Matinpalo.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Too early. Ask the night before Game 7.

 

[TMLegend]

The Habs are the only team I'm confident they'll beat. If it's anybody else I'm picking against them in round 1 in my pool.

 

[leafsfan5]

I think the Sanderson/Zub pair is getting overlooked here too. They are one of the best (maybe THE best) purely defensive pairing in the league and Sanderson is well above average doing the heavy lifting offensively. If I were to rank the pairings I'd probably have it as something like this:

1. Sanderson/Zub
2a. Tanev/McCabe
2b. Rielly/Carlo
3. Chabot/Jensen
4. OEL/whoever
5. Kleven/whoever

I think anyone claiming it's either side "AINEC" are out to lunch. They seem like comparable groups at face value. Personally give the Senators the slight edge because A) I'm a homer and B) I think the gap between Sanderson/Zub and whoever the Leafs top pairing is offsets the slight edge the Leafs have on pairing 2 and 3.

If the 4Nations wasn't Jake Sanderson's coming out party I think this playoffs will certainly be it. This guys is legit.

This seems like a pretty fair analysis overall, the defence for both teams are close.

Sanderson is clearly the best d-man on either team but Toronto has the better top 4

 

[Do Make Say Think]

If they lose to Ottawa, that would be next level pathetic.

I expect the Leafs to destroy us, if they don't, they won't be going far. Ottawa is not playing well at all right now and we'll be a deer stuck in the headlights.

 

[quackquackquack]

WHEN they lose, will Leafs fans call for the team to run it back for the 8th time? Or will reality set in that they need a retool?

 

[daver]

Nothing gives me more pleasure than tormenting Leaf fans so I usually would post some clevery worded insult.

But I think the Leafs make it to the SCF this year

 

[HockeyVirus]

Leafs vs Habs this year they are 2-1 with one game remaining.

Leafs vs Sens this year, they are 0-3.

I remember when the Sens swept us in the season series and we swept y'all in the playoffs

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Montreal - yes, they are more experienced at every important position and have better depth on F and D.
In saying that, I don't think it will be 5 or less. I think it'd go 6 but Leafs do beat the Habs.

Both teams have inexperienced goalies but the Leafs players on both F and D tip the scales and will dominate most games but also allow Montreal to show their potential and steal a few games.

Ottawa - yes, they eek out a 7 game win but Ottawa takes a pound of flesh and plays a physical, loose style that has a nothing to lose mentality.

I expect a couple high scoring games to start the series but Leafs defense will adjust and close it out in game 7.
The Sens are close to becoming a real threat but need another year or two of playoff experience to take that next step.

Florida - No, Florida is just a better built team for those grind out games and will physically wear out the Leafs players.
The Panthers have shown multiple times they can shut down 2 or 3 of the core 4 forwards and usually it's Matthews and Marner.

I still don't fully believe in the Leafs goalies and Toronto may win game 1 or 2 but Florida have more adjustments to their style of play and better lineups to tilt the scale in a 6 game series win by the Panthers.

Agree with pretty much all of this.

 

[I am Canadian]

WHEN they lose, will Leafs fans call for the team to run it back for the 8th time? Or will reality set in that they need a retool?

There's not a lot of Leaf fans that are happy this has been run back so many times, believe us.

 

[Sol]

I had no idea they were even a playoff team. That should answer your question.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I remember when the Sens swept us in the season series and we swept y'all in the playoffs

If you can remember back that far, then you also remember, leafs winning one playoff series in last 20 years, an NHL worst, other than the new Seattle team.

 

[Sundinisagod]

Against Florida 5% chance

Everyone else 50/50

 

[TheBeastCoast]

WHEN they lose, will Leafs fans call for the team to run it back for the 8th time? Or will reality set in that they need a retool?

This might be a lot for you to learn in one go but I will give it a shot anyways...the fans don't decide what happens with the team they cheer for.

 

[the valiant effort]

Chip n chase outta your own zone gets real old in a 7 game series.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Yes. I think the bigger question is do they win the cup this year?

 

[HockeyVirus]

If you can remember back that far, then you also remember, leafs winning one playoff series in last 20 years, an NHL worst, other than the new Seattle team.

Hopefully we get to play the Senators because at least we know that will be 2

 

[Golden_Jet]

Hopefully we get to play the Senators because at least we know that will be 2

Well maybe you might know, but you’ve been wrong the last 7 out of 8 years. A broken clock is even right once every 12 hours.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Well maybe you might know, but you’ve been wrong the last 7 out of 8 years. A broken clock is even right once every 12 hours.

No sense getting ourselves all worked up. Senators might be choking the WC2 spot as we speak and all of this for them to just be run over by Washington round 1 instead. Would be sad.