Are the Toronto Maple Leafs a Playoff Team?

[Lebda4Norris]

I think that they will finish 8th. Allow me to explain. First, sort the Eastern teams into groups, based on their likeliness of making the playoffs.

Locks (90% and up) Penguins, Capitals, Flyers, and Bruins.

Safe Bets (70-89%) Lightning, and Sabres.

Long Shots (11-30%) Jets, Islanders, Devils.

Basement-Dwellers (10% and down) Panthers, Senators.

and that leaves us with this remaining group...

Playoff Contenders (31%-69%) Rangers, Leafs, Canes, Habs.

I think will Toronto will most likely fall into this group, meaning they will finish 7th-10th.

Why They Will Make the Playoffs:

-Toronto finished 10th last year, and drastically improved their roster this off-season.

-They will now have James Reimer for a whole year, as oppose to JS (slow as a rock) Giguere.

-They are a young team who will naturally improve. All of their core is either at an improving age or one where they will most likely remain the same.

-They have 7 top-six forwards when all healthy (first time since the lockout).

-They got rid of my favourite Norris-deserving star.

Please don't argue with the percentages, they are just a guideline.

[IceCap]

Honestly? No.

[rvrdgsfn]

Now.... No, not even close. In a few years, I think they could be a contender again.

[Lebda4Norris]

Now.... No, not even close. In a few years, I think they could be a contender again.

How are they not even close? I would say they finished close last year, and they definitely improved this off-season.

[ninersdd]

If a team get seriously ravaged by injuries, then I will give you guys a big outside shot. Even then, the Canes and Devils, and maybe even the Jets are better then the Leafs.

[The_Admiral]

They'll finish 8th if they overachieve and three or four teams underachieve. Still not a very good team. The league's a better place when Toronto's doing well, though.

The Flyers aren't a lock with their top two centers traded away for relatively little, by the way.

[SenatorJake]

Why They Will NOT Make the Playoffs:

-Every single summer I hear Leafs fans telling me that they had a strong last half during the previous season. However, these year-end results never seem to amount to an impressive performance the following year. This can usually be attributed to the fact that the Leafs team during the last half of the season is composed entirely of new players that have not been scouted and evaluated by other teams.

-They will now have James Reimer who is very much an unproven NHL starter. (see: Elliott, Brian)

-They are a young team with a coach who's playing style is completely outdated. This same coach will also not hesitate to throw his own players under the proverbial bus if they don't provide results instantly after being inserted into the lineup.

-They have 7 top-six forwards but only one legitimate first liner.

-They still have Dion "I Turned Up The Stereo So I Get To Be Captain" Phaneuf, who hasn't done much in the past 2 seasons.

[rvrdgsfn]

Now.... No, not even close. In a few years, I think they could be a contender again.

How are they not even close? I would say they finished close last year, and they definitely improved this off-season.

The leafs are a good team, but still young compared to the powerhouse teams in the East. I'm not putting the leafs down, in fact I think they do have a shot, just not now. It takes a few years to build up.

[BigBubba]

Here's my view:

-Flyers are not a lock. They should be in the second group, but not a lock

-The 'Canes have Staal, Ward, Skinner, and that's about it. Not a lot of depth.

-The Rags are probably the most likely of the "bubble" group, a la Brad Richards.

-The Habs are soft, small, and weak

-The Leafs are inexperienced. However, when they made a big rush at the end of last season, they were still in it, so they can perform well under a fair amount of pressure.But they just cannot have a big losing streak early on. A great second half doesn't matter when you have a crappy first half. So if they can stay away from 8-game losing streaks, stay healthy, and have certain players at least come near to last year's success, then they're looking mighty fine.

[BigBubba]

Why They Will NOT Make the Playoffs:

-Every single summer I hear Leafs fans telling me that they had a strong last half during the previous season. However, these year-end results never seem to amount to an impressive performance the following year. This can usually be attributed to the fact that the Leafs team during the last half of the season is composed entirely of new players that have not been scouted and evaluated by other teams.

-They will now have James Reimer who is very much an unproven NHL starter. (see: Elliott, Brian)

-They are a young team with a coach who's playing style is completely outdated. This same coach will also not hesitate to throw his own players under the proverbial bus if they don't provide results instantly after being inserted into the lineup.

-They have 7 top-six forwards but only one legitimate first liner.

-They still have Dion "I Turned Up The Stereo So I Get To Be Captain" Phaneuf, who hasn't done much in the past 2 seasons.

I assume you mean Kessel, so what about Kulemin as well? Would be a first-liner on more than a few playoff teams.

[SenatorJake]

I assume you mean Kessel, so what about Kulemin as well? Would be a first-liner on more than a few playoff teams.

Hmmm... yeah. He's definitely a top end second liner right now, but for me to consider him a legitimate first liner he would have to duplicate and even improve on his performance from last year.

As is always the case with very young players, I think cautious optimism is probably the best policy for Leafs fans.

[BigBubba]

I assume you mean Kessel, so what about Kulemin as well? Would be a first-liner on more than a few playoff teams.

Hmmm... yeah. He's definitely a top end second liner right now, but for me to consider him a legitimate first liner he would have to duplicate and even improve on his performance from last year.

As is always the case with very young players, I think cautious optimism is probably the best policy for Leafs fans.

I see what you mean. He played like a first-liner last year, but I do agree with you: he must duplicate his performance again to be a proven, accepted first-liner in the league.

[Lebda4Norris]

Why They Will NOT Make the Playoffs:

-Every single summer I hear Leafs fans telling me that they had a strong last half during the previous season. However, these year-end results never seem to amount to an impressive performance the following year. This can usually be attributed to the fact that the Leafs team during the last half of the season is composed entirely of new players that have not been scouted and evaluated by other teams.

-They will now have James Reimer who is very much an unproven NHL starter. (see: Elliott, Brian)

-They are a young team with a coach who's playing style is completely outdated. This same coach will also not hesitate to throw his own players under the proverbial bus if they don't provide results instantly after being inserted into the lineup.

-They have 7 top-six forwards but only one legitimate first liner.

-They still have Dion "I Turned Up The Stereo So I Get To Be Captain" Phaneuf, who hasn't done much in the past 2 seasons.

Elliot in his first real season SP- 90.2 GAA 2.77

Reimer in his first real season SP 92.1 GAA 2.61

BIG difference.

I have to admit, you're right about the top-six forward thing but..

1. Look at Carolina.

2. You could argue Kulemin is as well. He finished in the top 30 in goal scoring. By definition, a first liner should be a top 90 forward.

True, but the difference between evaluated and non-evaluated players isn't substantial enough to make me believe that the Leafs weren't playing well when they were the 3rd-best team down the stretch.

[BrySmalls]

I just don't envision the Leafs being a playoff team this season. My biggest concern is if the Nikolai Kulemin - Mikhail Grabovski - Clarke MacArthur line can repeat or exceed their production from last season.

[Lebda4Norris]

Question to the doubters:

If Reimer and the 2nd line repeat their surprising production from last season, are the Leafs a playoff team?

[Lebda4Norris]

Now.... No, not even close. In a few years, I think they could be a contender again.

How are they not even close? I would say they finished close last year, and they definitely improved this off-season.

The leafs are a good team, but still young compared to the powerhouse teams in the East. I'm not putting the leafs down, in fact I think they do have a shot, just not now. It takes a few years to build up.

Fair enough.

[SenatorJake]

Question to the doubters:

If Reimer and the 2nd line repeat their surprising production from last season, are the Leafs a playoff team?

Maybe. In my opinion, they will all have to be better than last year because the East has become more competitive this summer.

[The_Admiral]

I'm counting on Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and New York making the playoffs. Montreal, Tampa, Philadelphia, Toronto and Florida (puke) are bubble teams. Everyone else in the East is a work in progress and best served tanking for draft position. How the Flyers rebound from losing Richards and Carter will probably be the determining factor in the Leafs' postseason prospects.

[SenatorJake]

I'm counting on Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and New York making the playoffs. Montreal, Tampa, Philadelphia, Toronto and Florida (puke) are bubble teams. Everyone else in the East is a work in progress and best served tanking for draft position. How the Flyers rebound from losing Richards and Carter will probably be the determining factor in the Leafs' postseason prospects.

In my opinion, the Flyers won't really be part of that "playoff bubble" pack this year, in fact I think they'll sit atop the Atlantic division for most of the season.

Brière & Giroux is still a pretty lethal 1-2 punch at centre and Bryzgalov is a major improvement over Boucher/Bobrovski.

[oddball]

Question to the doubters:

If Reimer and the 2nd line repeat their surprising production from last season, are the Leafs a playoff team?

So if Reimer and the 2nd line repeat, what about the first line? You have Kessel and who? You have a defense that has huge question marks in Komisarek, Finger, Phaneuf. Can Lilles reproduce his point production on a team without goal scorers? Here's the problem with Toronto, they are a team built the way Brian Burke likes, tough and big. Yet, they really have no scoring. You're hoping Joffrey Lupul becomes that first line presence that he has the talent for and yet he has been traded four times which says something about him. I wonder what kind of locker room guy he is and his work ethic. It makes you wonder why he's not been able to stick with a team for more than two years. That's usually a big red flag. On a team with questionable leadership and questionable psyche, do you really want a talented guy that has been traded four times and could split the locker room?