General Leafs Talk

[Tigger]

Like what?

Winning every game while experiencing no adversity?

 

[TML fan]

Nobody expects that.

 

[Tigger]

Nobody expects that.

When the Leafs lose you wouldn't know it.

 

[TML fan]

Yeah, when they lose to teams like Carolina and other teams that they should beat if they fancy themselves a playoff team.

 

[Tigger]

Yeah, when they lose to teams like Carolina and other teams that they should beat if they fancy themselves a playoff team.

That 'should' part is not as easy to do as typing it, Carolina has beat Pittsburgh, Vancouver and Philly this year. Parity isn't just a homonym for something we do to Steve Simmons.

 

[TML fan]

Yeah, when they lose to teams like Carolina and other teams that they should beat if they fancy themselves a playoff team.

That 'should' part is not as easy to do as typing it, Carolina has beat Pittsburgh, Vancouver and Philly this year. Parity isn't just a homonym for something we do to Steve Simmons.

It's a safe bet that those three teams will all be in the playoffs this year. When you win a lot, the occasional loss to a bottom-feeder doesn't really amount to anything. When you're on the bubble it's potentially devastating, especially when you do it more than once.

That's not to say that the Leafs haven't beaten teams out of their league either, but just imagine where they'd be if they took those games from superior teams, as well as the ones against inferior (or should be inferior) opponents?

I think the problem here isn't that some of our expectations are too high, but that some of ours might be too low...

 

[Tigger]

Yeah, when they lose to teams like Carolina and other teams that they should beat if they fancy themselves a playoff team.

That 'should' part is not as easy to do as typing it, Carolina has beat Pittsburgh, Vancouver and Philly this year. Parity isn't just a homonym for something we do to Steve Simmons.

It's a safe bet that those three teams will all be in the playoffs this year. When you win a lot, the occasional loss to a bottom-feeder doesn't really amount to anything. When you're on the bubble it's potentially devastating, especially when you do it more than once.

That's not to say that the Leafs haven't beaten teams out of their league either, but just imagine where they'd be if they took those games from superior teams, as well as the ones against inferior (or should be inferior) opponents?

I think the problem here isn't that some of our expectations are too high, but that some of ours might be too low...

Maybe some have a goldilocks vibe, who can say for certain, however I think it's generally been acknowledged that a few things have to go right for the Leafs to battle for a playoff spot, that doesn't say high expectations to me yet I keep reading comments that do.

Taking games against top teams and bottom feeders is what the best teams do more than not and the Leafs aren't a top team, not yet, but yeah I can imagine it.

 

[maplesyrup]

It was twenty years ago today,
Cliff Fletcher brought in Gilmour to play...

 

[caver]

It was twenty years ago today,
Cliff Fletcher brought in Gilmour to play...

i remember it well. What a great time to be a Leaf fan. And that 92-93 season... wow! Now that was a trade to talk about. These days people have spent way to much time talking about the Kessel trade. If they want to complain about a Leaf trade they should check out Rask's number's for this year. Ouch!

 

[sucka]

New York rangers had a really nice uniform tonight at the winter classic. I wish the leads would use an old school off white cream like that in their sweater.

 

[Zee]

The 30 games in 10 game stretches so far.

First set - excellent
7-2-1

Second set
4-5-1

Third set
5-4-1

Next 10 games:
@ Buffalo
Vancouver
Los Angeles
Buffalo
@ NY Islanders
@ Florida
@ Carolina
@ Winnipeg
Tampa Bay
Winnipeg

Need to get on a roll.  The standings are way too tight.  Let's hope for at least 6 wins out of the next 10 games.  First few games can be tough, but starting with that Islanders game we need to get on a roll.  Florida is playing well so that game will be tough, but Carolina, Winnipeg, Tampa are all beatable.

So I was hoping for 6 out of 10, we've lost the first 2, now it's gotta be 6 out of 8.  Yikes.

To keep up the pace with other teams withing Eastern Conference it basically means to go 3-1 in remaining 4 to make it 5-4-1 (which is nothing spectacular, btw.) The Leafs must beat Carolina, Tampa and Winnipeg once. This may seem tough to achieve, but if the Leafs consider themselves as playoff material, they will have to beat those teams. Simple as that.

I know it's a lot to ask, but a 4 game winning streak starting tomorrow would be just what the doctor ordered.  6-3-1, back on track.

Its expected  this team has to win the next 4 games.

You called for a 7-3 run for this stretch of 10 games, so we've already fallen short.

Next 10 games:
@ Buffalo L
Vancouver L
Los Angeles OTL
Buffalo W
@ NY Islanders W
@ Florida L
@ Carolina OTL
@ Winnipeg L
Tampa Bay
Winnipeg

2-4-2, 2 left.  Best case is 4-4-2.

 

[Corn Flake]

New York rangers had a really nice uniform tonight at the winter classic. I wish the leads would use an old school off white cream like that in their sweater.

You mean the Leafs?  They do use a cream white trim in the new 3rd jersey.

 

[caver]

I haven't warmed up to Lupul just yet.  If someone else took the #1 LW spot, the Leaf's 3rd line would end up being 2/3rd of last year's first line.

I think it's possible that Lupul might have a breakout year and be one of those comeback/surprise players. Not probable,just possible.

I wish all my predictions were this good.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Gus starts versus Jets, Leafs will ride whichever goalie is winning from here on out according to Wilson.

 

[Zee]

Gus starts versus Jets, Leafs will ride whichever goalie is winning from here on out according to Wilson.

That's a positive, but also leads me to believe they're looking for a goalie. You don't have a bona fide #1 if you just say "play the last guy that won".  If Gustavsson plays well but loses against Winnipeg does he then go back to Reimer?

 

[L K]

Gus starts versus Jets, Leafs will ride whichever goalie is winning from here on out according to Wilson.

That's a positive, but also leads me to believe they're looking for a goalie. You don't have a bona fide #1 if you just say "play the last guy that won".  If Gustavsson plays well but loses against Winnipeg does he then go back to Reimer?

Between the two of them, neither is entitled to play at this point.  As good as Gus has been, he has too many "played well but gave up 3" type games.  You play the guy who wins until one guy stands out from the other.    If a guy has a good game but the team loses, unless it is a 1-0 shutout loss where the guy makes 47 saves, you don't need to run him the next night.

 

[Zee]

So a buddy of mine asked me:

"Are you a Leafs fan?"

and I say

"Yes"

and he says

"Which means as a Leafs fan and for the interest of the Leafs you will be cheering for the habs to beat winnipeg"

to which I reply

"No, I can never cheer for the Habs"

Leafs fan or not?  Do I want Winnipeg to lose because the Leafs are currently tied in points with them or do I hate the Habs so much that there's no way I can want them to win a game.

The way I see it, if this was game 82 and the Habs beating the Jets would help the Leafs get in, then ok, I'd be ok with the Habs winning.  Apart from that, I feel the Leafs have plenty of time to get in even if Winnipeg wins tonight.

 

[maplesyrup]

My vote would be for a decisive victory by either party (no 3 point game.)

 

[Highlander]

Always go with the odds and let the Habs kick the hell out of Winterpeg tonight. Because if the Loafs lose tomorrow night that is a 4 point swing. And if we finish in #9 position one behind the Peg, none of us will be smiling.

 

[leafsjunkie]

So a buddy of mine asked me:

"Are you a Leafs fan?"

and I say

"Yes"

and he says

"Which means as a Leafs fan and for the interest of the Leafs you will be cheering for the habs to beat winnipeg"

to which I reply

"No, I can never cheer for the Habs"

Leafs fan or not?  Do I want Winnipeg to lose because the Leafs are currently tied in points with them or do I hate the Habs so much that there's no way I can want them to win a game.

The way I see it, if this was game 82 and the Habs beating the Jets would help the Leafs get in, then ok, I'd be ok with the Habs winning.  Apart from that, I feel the Leafs have plenty of time to get in even if Winnipeg wins tonight.

Regardless of how much I hate the Habs, we want them to win in regulation tonight. As Greg Millen would say... 'No doubt about it' - lol