Who would you prefer in the first round?

[MapleLeafs94]

I know it's very early to be talking about this, the Leafs or any top 8 team in the east could have a meltdown and still miss the playoffs, but I think the playoff teams in the east are pretty much decided which is crazy considering it's the midpoint of the season. I do think it'd make for a fun discussion however.

Honestly any match up with said 8 teams could be a possibility. I'd imagine the most probable is finishing 2nd or 3rd in the Atlantic and getting one of the Flordia teams. Still great chances the Leafs finish on top in the division or even get passed by Boston putting them in the wildcard spot, potentially against a team in the Metro.

So who would you prefer in the first round? Maybe you just want the team we match up best against to end this first round hex we have going. Maybe you want to prove the haters wrong and want Tampa first, break the defending Champs and watch some high skill, high flying hockey. Maybe you want are dreaded foe in Boston and lay down a can of whoop ass the human brain can't even comprehend. So, what do you say fellow Leaf fans?

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[The Podium]

Florida

Our offense can match theirs, but I trust our D/G more.

Although Bob can be a real X factor

I’m not considering any Metro team, because it’s highly unlikely we get any of them.

And I don’t trust this team excising 2 playoff demons beating Boston in round 1.

 

[X66]

Ideally the Caps(if we win the division).

If we're looking just at Tampa/Florida, it's a coin flip either way.

Tampa losing that entire 3rd line is a huge blow, but they got the best goalie in the league and I'm just sick and tired of running into a stud goalie over and over lol.

Florida will be a tough opponent because their offence can compete with ours 5 on 5, defensively we have the edge though.

Our Special Teams should give us an edge against either team, but will it be enough if the refs put away the whistles?

 

[ACC1224]

Preference is to finish first in the Conference and face the weakest team that qualifies.

 

[MapleLeafs94]

Florida

Our offense can match theirs, but I trust our D/G more.

Although Bob can be a real X factor

I’m not considering any Metro team, because it’s highly unlikely we get any of them.

And I don’t trust this team excising 2 playoff demons beating Boston in round 1.

I think we got about a 30-40 percent chance of either finishing 1st in the Atlantic or one of the wildcard spots. Like I said in the OP, 2nd or 3rd in the Atlantic is most likely but we definitely have a good chance of matching up with a Metro team.

If I had to pick from the Atlantic I would probably choose Flordia like you though. Like you said, Bob is a x-factor but it could be either him playing lights out or just a complete tire fire and I'd be willing to gamble on the later. Their forward depth is scary though and they got the star power to match up against ours in Barkov, Huberdeau and Ekblad.

Tampa would probably be my last choice and seems like the most likely now unfortunately although things could change quick. Obviously playoff tested with star power for days, on top of all that a goalie who can steal a game any night. Would be a fun and competitive playoff series however it plays out I think though.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Washington or Boston would be ideal right now.

Their defense and goaltending is far from intimidating, and I think we can easily match up or exceed their offenses.

Then probably PIT. They are not the best team on the list, and have sucked in the playoffs since they have won the Cups, but we just always suck against them for some reason. Doesn't even matter if they are icing a **** team.

Then the Rangers. Shestyerkin can steal the show, but their defense is one of the worst in the league and that will sink them in the playoffs. Their offense is also not one of the better ones on this list, so they really are just another Montreal with a better offense and a worse defense.

Then it would be Carolina/Florida, but obviously they have had more overall success than Washington/Boston (mostly due to goaltending differences). I would bet on Andersen and Bobrovsky choking more than Vasilevsky and Shestyerkin though, but the difference in quality between those two and the Rangers makes me want to play the Rangers more.

Then Tampa because of their goalie being able to steal the show and having a better team than most others on this list. But ultimately I think we can beat them. We just need to limit our mistakes and hope Campbell doesn't let in softies... Because as good as Vasilevsky is, he is beatable.

The Leafs are their own worst enemy, as it has been the case the past 3 years. I am not scared of any of these teams right now. I am just scared the Leafs will let in crap goals and they will get goalied again despite outplaying the other team.

 

[MapleLeafs94]

Preference is to finish first in the Conference and face the weakest team that qualifies.

So which team out of them do you think is the weakest?

 

[Buds17]

Put together the best regular season that they possibly can and let the playoff chips fall where they may. I wouldn't view any prospective opponent as being either infallible or a pushover.

 

[Zybalto]

Tampa with home advantage.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think we got about a 30-40 percent chance of either finishing 1st in the Atlantic or one of the wildcard spots. Like I said in the OP, 2nd or 3rd in the Atlantic is most likely but we definitely have a good chance of matching up with a Metro team.

If I had to pick from the Atlantic I would probably choose Flordia like you though. Like you said, Bob is a x-factor but it could be either him playing lights out or just a complete tire fire and I'd be willing to gamble on the later. Their forward depth is scary though and they got the star power to match up against ours in Barkov, Huberdeau and Ekblad.

Tampa would probably be my last choice and seems like the most likely now unfortunately although things could change quick. Obviously playoff tested with star power for days, on top of all that a goalie who can steal a game any night. Would be a fun and competitive playoff series however it plays out I think though.

IDK... Florida's offensive success often runs with Barkov and Huberdeau. If they get shut down, you can shut down their depth quite easily... Which is also a big reason why they suck on the road when they can't dictate the matchups as easily. It is not much unlike ours with our Big 4, except you have to shut down twice the star power to achieve the same result here than in Florida.

 

[bax]

I don’t overly care but picked Boston for payback.

 

[Zybalto]

IDK... Florida's offensive success often runs with Barkov and Huberdeau. If they get shut down, you can shut down their depth quite easily... Which is also a big reason why they suck on the road when they can't dictate the matchups as easily. It is not much unlike ours with our Big 4, except you have to shut down twice the star power to achieve the same result here than in Florida.

Matthews vs. Barkov head to head on ice 5v5 numbers since the start of the 2017 season:

TOI: 62:40
Shots: 43-31 Matthews
Scoring Chances: 48-36 Matthews
High Danger Chances: 20-8 Matthews
Goals: 4-0 Matthews

Matthews PP against Barkov PK:
TOI: 5:34
Goals scored: 2

If we play Florida, might be a good idea for them to match Mr. Selke Barkov away from Matthews....

 

[saltming]

Florida

Our offense can match theirs, but I trust our D/G more.

Although Bob can be a real X factor

I’m not considering any Metro team, because it’s highly unlikely we get any of them.

And I don’t trust this team excising 2 playoff demons beating Boston in round 1.

This exactly.
I think Fla is slightly ahead of us on the development curve but it's so close that I think it's our best bet in theory.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

We need to get past round 1 no matter who we play .. right now looks like a rusty Tuka who would be best matchup .. Bobbo and Vasi a little too scary for my liking .. but whichever tender gets cold and inconsistent at season end would be my choice .. all 3 Atlantic teams will present a significant challenge and one with weakest tender is out best chance .. I hope everything stays very very close in standings all year long so we can decide our opponent near end of season

 

[ACC1224]

So which team out of them do you think is the weakest?

Hard to say with 1/2 a season left but probably Boston.

 

[MapleLeafs94]

Matthews vs. Barkov head to head on ice 5v5 numbers since the start of the 2017 season:

TOI: 62:40
Shots: 43-31 Matthews
Scoring Chances: 48-36 Matthews
High Danger Chances: 20-8 Matthews
Goals: 4-0 Matthews

Matthews PP against Barkov PK:
TOI: 5:34
Goals scored: 2

If we play Florida, might be a good idea for them to match Mr. Selke Barkov away from Matthews....

Impressive for sure but you got to take into consideration that we haven't played them in forever and Barkov and Huberdeau (especially him) have seemed to hit the next gear since we last even played them. More so Huberdeau really but still.

Regardless of all that, I wouldn't fear matching Matthews up against him but their defense is much improved since we last saw them and I'm sure how putrid they were defensively a couple years ago factors into those numbers.

 

[Zybalto]

Impressive for sure but you got to take into consideration that we haven't played them in forever and Barkov and Huberdeau (especially him) have seemed to hit the next gear since we last even played them. More so Huberdeau really but still.

Regardless of all that, I wouldn't fear matching Matthews up against him but their defense is much improved since we last saw them and I'm sure how putrid they were defensively a couple years ago factors into those numbers.

Bobrovsky is having a great season which is covering up many of their defensive flaws.

Going by shots against/xGA/etc.., they are middlish of the pack defensively. Oilers/Nashville/Ducks level D.

 

[MapleLeafs94]

Bobrovsky is having a great season which is covering up many of their defensive flaws.

Going by shots against/xGA/etc.., they are middlish of the pack defensively. Oilers/Nashville/Ducks level D.

Fair enough. I'm just saying from the 19-20 season and back they were always a team that had no problem scoring goals but were horrible defensively. Maybe my memory is just failing me but I'd have to imagine that even with mediocre defensive results this year, I think its fair to say they have improved in that department this year over years in the past.

 

[zeke]

I mean you have to prefer facing the panthers at this point.

Bolts are much better defensively and have Vasi, and still plenty of offense to hurt.

Panthers are crushing it offensively so far but don't look great anywhere else.

also, Bolts know how to win, Panthers don't yet.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I don’t care.

 

[lipstickjunkie]

Boston. Although we'd have to go through one of the Florida teams in round two anyway. But getting through the first round would be massive for this team, and Boston is probably the weakest (but still strong) opponent.

 

[Zybalto]

Fair enough. I'm just saying from the 19-20 season and back they were always a team that had no problem scoring goals but were horrible defensively. Maybe my memory is just failing me but I'd have to imagine that even with mediocre defensive results this year, I think its fair to say they have improved in that department this year over years in the past.

I think coaching made a big difference to their team (even if the coach has now departed for less than ideal reasons).

Seeing as they have lost more games than they have won on the road, they are certainly vulnerable there as well.

 

[MapleLeafs94]

I mean you have to prefer facing the panthers at this point.

Bolts are much better defensively and have Vasi, and still plenty of offense to hurt.

Panthers are crushing it offensively so far but don't look great anywhere else.

also, Bolts know how to win, Panthers don't yet.

So are you just going by most likely match ups or would you prefer Flordia over Boston and any Metro team too?

 

[Obo]

Boston. 100 times Boston.

We have a score to settle with them and if we can't manage that then we don't deserve to go to the next round.

 

[Madap]

Boston. Not only do I think they are one of the weaker teams, but we clearly have some mental issues we need to get over in the playoffs.

if we can exercise our demons against Boston, I believe there will be no stopping us afterwards.