Maple Leafs are better, but are they a playoff team?

[bustaheims]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

 

[maplesyrup]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

... a much needed ray of sunshine on an otherwise (personally) sucky day... cheers for that. 

 

[Zee]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

Great that we won't play the Bruins until March.  Hopefully Leafs can continue that solid play against the rest of the league before those next games.  I want a solid playoff spot assured by then.

 

[drummond]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

Great that we won't play the Bruins until March.  Hopefully Leafs can continue that solid play against the rest of the league before those next games.  I want a solid playoff spot assured by then.

Do not get too excited. There is also Buffalo syndrome. The Leafs usually blow these game too.

 

[Zee]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

Great that we won't play the Bruins until March.  Hopefully Leafs can continue that solid play against the rest of the league before those next games.  I want a solid playoff spot assured by then.

Do not get too excited. There is also Buffalo syndrome. The Leafs usually blow these game too.

You're a real downer you know?

 

[cw]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

Great that we won't play the Bruins until March.  Hopefully Leafs can continue that solid play against the rest of the league before those next games.  I want a solid playoff spot assured by then.

Do not get too excited. There is also Buffalo syndrome. The Leafs usually blow these game too.

I don't know precisely all the reasons why but the Sabres are struggling some this season. Down the stretch last season, when the Sabres were white hot playing .700 hockey to the playoffs, the Leafs beat them three times in regulation. I'm sure they won't be easy games but I'm not convinced the Leafs can't give these guys a tough game now.

 

[Zee]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

Great that we won't play the Bruins until March.  Hopefully Leafs can continue that solid play against the rest of the league before those next games.  I want a solid playoff spot assured by then.

Do not get too excited. There is also Buffalo syndrome. The Leafs usually blow these game too.

I don't know precisely all the reasons why but the Sabres are struggling some this season. Down the stretch last season, when the Sabres were white hot playing .700 hockey to the playoffs, the Leafs beat them three times in regulation. I'm sure they won't be easy games but I'm not convinced the Leafs can't give these guys a tough game now.

First game against Buffalo this season, and more importantly Connolly's first game back as an ex-Sabre.  Hopefully he can do what ex-Leafs seem to love doing against the Leafs, namely rack up some points and make the home fans cringe that they let him go.  Connolly's 2 goals last night were encouraging, hopefully he carries that momentum into Friday and buries the Sabres.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

Great that we won't play the Bruins until March.  Hopefully Leafs can continue that solid play against the rest of the league before those next games.  I want a solid playoff spot assured by then.

Do not get too excited. There is also Buffalo syndrome. The Leafs usually blow these game too.

I don't know precisely all the reasons why but the Sabres are struggling some this season. Down the stretch last season, when the Sabres were white hot playing .700 hockey to the playoffs, the Leafs beat them three times in regulation. I'm sure they won't be easy games but I'm not convinced the Leafs can't give these guys a tough game now.

First game against Buffalo this season, and more importantly Connolly's first game back as an ex-Sabre.  Hopefully he can do what ex-Leafs seem to love doing against the Leafs, namely rack up some points and make the home fans cringe that they let him go.  Connolly's 2 goals last night were encouraging, hopefully he carries that momentum into Friday and buries the Sabres.

One thing Connoly did extremely well as a Sabre is take apart the Leafs on the PP. I'm glad we have him on our side this time since our PK is awful.

 

[cw]

16-7-3 against teams that aren't the Bruins - that's a 102 point pace over the 76 games against the rest of the league.

Great that we won't play the Bruins until March.  Hopefully Leafs can continue that solid play against the rest of the league before those next games.  I want a solid playoff spot assured by then.

Do not get too excited. There is also Buffalo syndrome. The Leafs usually blow these game too.

I don't know precisely all the reasons why but the Sabres are struggling some this season. Down the stretch last season, when the Sabres were white hot playing .700 hockey to the playoffs, the Leafs beat them three times in regulation. I'm sure they won't be easy games but I'm not convinced the Leafs can't give these guys a tough game now.

First game against Buffalo this season, and more importantly Connolly's first game back as an ex-Sabre.  Hopefully he can do what ex-Leafs seem to love doing against the Leafs, namely rack up some points and make the home fans cringe that they let him go.  Connolly's 2 goals last night were encouraging, hopefully he carries that momentum into Friday and buries the Sabres.

Leafs win 4-3 over visiting Sabres Mar 29th
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20102011/GS021135.HTM
3 stars
1. TOR L 16 C.MACARTHUR
2. TOR C 43 N.KADRI
3. BUF L 26 T.VANEK

Leafs win 4-3 over visiting Sabres Mar 20th
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20102011/GS021024.HTM
3 stars
1. TOR G 34 J.REIMER
2. TOR C 81 P.KESSEL
3. TOR C 84 M.GRABOVSKI

Visting Leafs win 2-1 over Sabres Feb 16th
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20102011/GS020855.HTM
3 stars
1. TOR R 19 J.LUPUL
2. TOR C 81 P.KESSEL
3. BUF G 30 R.MILLER

They beat Ryan Miller in all three games. Aside from Kessel getting two stars, they spread the heroism around.

The Leafs can beat these guys.

 

[ZBBM]

Obviously, a win streak would go a long way to firm up their chances and a losing streak ...

A winning streak is, I think, essential to their chances.  They haven't had one since the start of the season.  In fact, I'll predict that if they win 5 games in a row at any point from here on in, they'll make the playoffs.

I don't think they'll have a long losing streak.  (Long meaning 5 games or more.)  The goaltending is solid enough and they have enough depth to avoid that.

 

[Zee]

Without the Bruins games Leafs have a goal differential of +15 (87 for, 72 against)

 

[Bender]

I think the team'll have better numbers by season end.

 

[skrackle]

The Leafs are still clinging to a playoff spot, which they certainly weren't doing this time last year. I have to say I'm discouraged by their results in games against my 'measuring stick' teams: Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Vancouver. So far, they are 0-7 against these teams.

This tells me that right now the Leafs aren't a contender. But I already knew that. Can they consistently beat the teams in their current weight class? Can Brian Burke improve the roster this season? Can they hang on to a playoff spot and play meaningful games down the stretch? I'll keep tuning in to find out.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't really think Buffalo should be a measuring stick team, at least if the measuring stick is elite teams as the rest of those are.  They are just a personal trouble for the Leafs.

 

[skrackle]

I don't really think Buffalo should be a measuring stick team, at least if the measuring stick is elite teams as the rest of those are.  They are just a personal trouble for the Leafs.

The Sabres are a measuring stick team for me, based on the fact that they've been a decade-plus nemesis for the Leafs, and they are a divisional rival. The Leafs have to start winning some games against Buffalo when they are still realistically fighting for a playoff spot.

I'd like to see signs of the corner being turned this season, but it will happen when it happens.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

I don't really think Buffalo should be a measuring stick team, at least if the measuring stick is elite teams as the rest of those are.  They are just a personal trouble for the Leafs.

The Sabres are a measuring stick team for me, based on the fact that they've been a decade-plus nemesis for the Leafs, and they are a divisional rival. The Leafs have to start winning some games against Buffalo when they are still realistically fighting for a playoff spot.

I'd like to see signs of the corner being turned this season, but it will happen when it happens.

I have to agree that the Sabres are a measuring stick.  If the Leafs want to be in the playoffs, the have to finish ahead of the Sabres.  The Sabres are that 6th to 8th place team that the Leafs have to beat.

But I disagree that the season will turn around when it happens, because it will only happen when RW is fired.  Leafs are going downhill from here. 

 

[Fanatic]

Leafs are only a loss or two away from being out of the top 8. This is not what I expected a month ago. I knew it would be tight, but I did not think they would fall so far and so fast.

 

[Madferret]

Leafs are only a loss or two away from being out of the top 8. This is not what I expected a month ago. I knew it would be tight, but I did not think they would fall so far and so fast.

3 wins in 10 games will do that.

 

[Zee]

Leafs are only a loss or two away from being out of the top 8. This is not what I expected a month ago. I knew it would be tight, but I did not think they would fall so far and so fast.

I didn't expect to lose 7 out of 9 games either.  I thought those days were behind us, I was wrong.  (Yes 2 were in OT/SO but still 7 losses)  2-5-2, ugly.

 

[Mack674]

I think theyre going to miss the playoffs again - by 2 or 4 points ish. Theyve been pretty bad for a month now. 7 point lead on division rivals completely evaporated.