| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| admin |
Posted - 02/17/2011 : 14:43:51
Just on the outside looking in, will the Toronto Maple Leafs make the Playoffs this season? |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Duke |
Posted - 03/05/2011 : 11:06:01
Sorry guys, guest 2284 is me, wasn`t logged on.
p.s.....RC...have some faith in your hockey team, you never know your luck in the Big City... |
| Guest2284 |
Posted - 03/05/2011 : 11:03:29
Ive always believed a team plays as well as their goal - tender. Without strong goal-tending you have NOTHING. This Reimer kid has given the leafs players hope and a chance to win EVERY hockey game they play, this hasn`t happened since Belfour in 2004..
This is the first time that the leafs have had solid goal-tending , night - in...night - out since 2004, the last year they made the playoffs.
Goal-tending means everything...remove Miller from Buffalo and Ward from the Hurricanes and lets see how many points they will have on a season....jack - s**t, thats what they will have.
Hockey players are only human like everyone else, if you know that no matter how hard you play.......eventually your goalie is going to let in that bad goal every night....you will never suceed as a team....this has been the leafs scenario since the lock-out.
I`m not saying the leafs have had great hockey teams...but...without a great goalie on just average hockey teams you will have a ....0 % chance to win. |
| n/a |
Posted - 03/04/2011 : 09:07:16
Guest 0012: I am guessing that no matter what, you would post something negative about the Leafs - you are exactly the kind of poster a Toronto thread always invites, loads of hate.
But a few comments from me anyways . . .
1) I have never booed Wilson, I just hated him as a coach, thought we could have better. I still think that, although I have to say he has really toned down his a-hole act.
2) Never was a Burke hater, so can't comment.
3) Waffle man is 100% behind the Leafs, at all times . . . I know, because he actually called in to the FAN590 a couple of weeks ago, it was awesome. A true Blue fan, he is.
4) The more you delete Burke additions the more the Leafs win? So by your logic, getting rid of Phaneuf, Aulie, Kessel, MacArthur, Komisarek, Armstrong, Brown, Bozak, Lebda, and Lupul would make the team . . . better?
I would disagree with that. And, btw, the Monster hasn't been dealt yet, still with the Leafs (farm team).
Guest 2712:
Yeah, there certainly has been a total 180 degree attitude change from last year. The few occasional slackers we have had in the past (Kessel, Komisarek, Phaneuf among them) have all picked it up a few notches, and the rest of the team is hungry, young, and all have a no quit attitude. It is amazing that, despite the somewhat lesser overall talent, what a change attitude makes.
And a big part of that has been Reimer . . . who seems to have this magical hold on the defence of making them play better as well. In my opinion, Reimer has never been "lights out", just very solid . . . but we all see how differently this team plays in front of him.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
| Guest2712 |
Posted - 03/04/2011 : 08:23:11
major improvements in the last couple of months:
- goaltending. Reimer has been very impressive.
- they're using their team speed effectively through the neutral zone with crisp tape to tape passes.
- a resiliant forechecking effort creating turnovers in the offensive zone.
- much improved defence in their own end
- winning battles along the boards
- a no quit attitude
- overall consistent energy and effort night in and night out
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| Guest0012 |
Posted - 03/04/2011 : 05:56:41
wonder if all the people that boooed wilson out of the arenas are behind them also.
wonder if the burke haters are behind them also
wonder if the waffle man is behind them also
finally - it looks like the more you delete the burke additions to the team - the more your beloved leafs win?
monster, beauch, versteeg, etc... |
| n/a |
Posted - 03/04/2011 : 04:44:20
Let's be clear first off: I voted no, and I stick by it . . . it is so improbable that the Leafs could potentially continue to win and make their way in the playoffs, with such a young team, lead by a rookie in goal . . . that I have to vote no, it's just logic.
But the Leafs here, right now, defy logic.
Beauchemin gone? Kaberle gone? Phaneuf starts to play like a high calibre offensive d-man. Komisarek starts to play solid defence. Lebda is able to play a mistake free game against the best team in the east.
Versteeg gone? Kessel goes on a hot streak and starts getting game winners and important goals. Boyce steps in as a fresh rookie and adds offence.
This team is the most amazing, resilient Leafs team I have seen in years and years . . . yes, not since the days of Gilmour and Cujo have I been this excited to watch Leaf games. And frankly, I have never been so optimistic about the Leafs long-term future as I am right now.
It's been a fantastic run, and I love the way those boys are playing. Keep it up guys, we're behind you every step of the way! Especially Beans - you might even see him wearing Leaf colours by the time the playoffs start, lol.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
| ryan93 |
Posted - 02/21/2011 : 15:26:39
While they obviously have a shot, sitting 7 points out with 23 games to go (as well as having a game in hand on teams 6 through 8), but i just don't see it happening.
Stranger things have happened, Montreal, NYRangers & Carolina are all struggling right now, so all it takes is the Leafs to string together a couple of wins, while one of the above (though Montreal might be out of reach, 12 points up) continues to slide & the Leafs are right there. |
| The Duke |
Posted - 02/21/2011 : 14:46:57
Gonna be very tough, but not impossibe, Reimer has to be outstanding from now to the end of the season.
One things for sure, the leafs have 2 games left againist Buffalo, 1 againist Atlanta and 1 againist Carolina.....they have to win all 4. |
| Guest4623 |
Posted - 02/20/2011 : 20:59:26
Leafs have no chance when Kessel is on the TRADING block .. |
| Guest8263 |
Posted - 02/18/2011 : 13:04:06
The last rites were read a long time ago.....RIP....again
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| TheRC |
Posted - 02/18/2011 : 10:01:17
I don't think playoffs will happen, unless the Leafs extend their win streak to 8 or 9 wins. Considering how the team has played all year, and the likelyhood that some of their players are on the way out before the trade deadline, I suspect that is quite unlikely.
The Leafs played their absolute best the past two games and even then only *just* managed to win. These close wins came against a Boston team which didn't seem to be at their best, and the other against Buffalo, which is part of the same pack of mediocre teams trying to claw their way into that last spot to which the Leafs belong.
That said, playing Ottawa and NYI offers some of the easiest points to be had in the East, but it won't be enough to just win those games; Florida, Atlanta, Buffalo and Carolina all have to string together a few losses for those wins to matter.
At this point it's going to take great play AND good luck.
"If at first you don't succeed, you fail" |
| Beans15 |
Posted - 02/18/2011 : 09:37:57
Looking at the math makes it hard to think the pace can keep up. Never say never, but it looks like a little bit more than a stretch. Considering the deadline is days away and there are talks about more deals from TO, who know what team will be on the ice on Mar 1st. If Kaberle is dealt it will be a blow to an already below average PP. MacArthur is an RFA next year and depending on what his new agent is looking for, he might price himself into a deadline deal. Burke also went on record the other day saying that he has approached teams saying the Leafs have cap space if teams are looking to bury contracts.
I just don't see this team having the chops to continue top teir play for 20+ games and who knows what the team will look like in 2 weeks.
Too little, too late. |
| Pasty7 |
Posted - 02/18/2011 : 09:04:04
When we were talking standings at the begining year i rememeber distintcly saying the Leafs will be one of the 6 teams battling for the final 3 playoff spots... and look where they are ,, i think as everyone said it is too little late but i could see them makeing a hard run right up untill the final 2 regualar season games,, finishing 11th to 9th
"I led the league in "Go get 'em next time." - Bob Uecker
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| n/a |
Posted - 02/18/2011 : 05:01:55
100% agree with polishexpress . . . it's too little too late, there are too many 3 point games prohibiting this, and . . . too many teams in front. All that with a very young team that has characteristically taken two steps forward, but then always takes a step or two back.
Next two games are huge, no doubt . . . which means that, we probably lose one. That is just the way it has historically gone.
But who knows - if Reimer plays off his head, the offence starts to gel like it seems they are doing (Kessel/Lupul looks decent) . . . maybe th Leafs could at least inject a lot of hope, and more importantly, make that Boston draft pick a mid rounder.
One thing though - IMHO, this could be a year which has one of the lowest points needed ever to get in the playoffs. Could be 86, 87 . . . but this is just a guess.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
| polishexpress |
Posted - 02/17/2011 : 22:44:37
6pts out of a playoff spot @ 56pts, 58 games played.
To make the playoffs, you usually need 90 or more points. (last year was 88, years before were over 90 in the east)
So to make 90 pts, the leafs need 34pts in 24 games remaining.
Does a 15-5-4 sound reasonable for the leafs to achieve?(or any combination of wins and ot losses that would give you 24pts)
If they were to maintain the pace they are at, yes. But more than likely, they are not going to make such a run.
The minimum number of wins they need to get to achieve the 90pt marker is 10 games, and then they would need a 10-0-14 run, nearly impossible!
My guess is they'll probably get the 10 wins, but end up losing a couple more in regulation, and end the year somewhere between 70pts-85pts. |
| Guest4125 |
Posted - 02/17/2011 : 15:24:30
it's the Leafs, so just when you think they're on a roll they crap the bed and go on a losing streak. the next two games against OTT and NYI might give us a clearer picture, as these are two teams that they should beat........but these are also the games where they tend to dissapoint.
my guess is no they won't because chances are Kaberle is on the move, and without him their PP and breakout offence takes a big hit. |
| admin |
Posted - 02/17/2011 : 15:10:37
At the time of this posting the Leafs were 6 points out of a playoff spot with 24 games remaining - and were on a 6-3-1 streak. Statisitcally the team was improving, but is it too little too late? |
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