Root against Leafs Playoff Competition

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I'm also not sold on their D - a number of rejects  filling in (ie Bergeron, Gervais, Gilroy). Kubina may be hitting his best before date. Ohlund is on the IR with a couple of their depth dmen. Brewer I've never been 100% sold on - though he seemed better last year. About the only guy I like who is still developing is Hedman. I'm not very familiar with Clark who played out west.

Yeah, Ohlund had Arthro surgery on both knees yesterday and will be out at least 6 weeks I think and that's a good prognosis. People shook their head at the length of that deal when they signed him.
Like you said, the rest of them, other than Hedman are put together I think to compete while this team is able to, without tearing and ripping it down to build around Stamkos and Hedman, which I believe they will have to before too long.

I don't fault Yzerman at all, as he was left with a bit of a mess and he's making the best of it, but I think you guys are right. If you had to choose a team to falter in that group, it's most definitely Tampa.

 

[princedpw]

Another key to my concern for the Flyers was Pronger's health. He wasn't expected to be back to start the season from back surgery. But he made it back and seems to be ok. If he can stay healthy, they've got five decent Dmen and some depth.

I don't typically hope for opponents to get injured ... but (and this gets back to Nik's point about loathing the Flyers), it would be pretty good Pronger missed some time.  The Flyers performance really seems to hinge on him being in there.  If he is out for a while, that could hurt.  (Although, you take away an allstar from any team and they tend to suffer.)

 

[princedpw]

As far as faltering, for me it is Tampa too.  Last year, their GF-GA was only +7 -- tied with Montreal for worst in the East to make it in to the playoffs.  If I recall, they had a lot of Shootout/OT wins, for which luck is a significant factor and isn't necessarily repeatable.

 

[cw]

As far as faltering, for me it is Tampa too.  Last year, their GF-GA was only +7 -- tied with Montreal for worst in the East to make it in to the playoffs.  If I recall, they had a lot of Shootout/OT wins, for which luck is a significant factor and isn't necessarily repeatable.

They also had the luxury (in my opinion) of playing Florida, Atlanta and the Hurricanes (3 non playoff clubs - though the Canes not by much) a lot.

I don't expect Florida and Atlanta to be quite as easy this year. Florida lost Vokoun (significant loss replaced by Theodore) but they added a bunch of NHLers. Now that might be argued as a team of misfits but I think Campbell will help them (don't know about Jovanovski - he could go either way)  and so will a more respectable forward group. They won't be as good defensively but I think they'll score more to potentially more than offset the loss of Vokoun.

I think Atlanta underachieved in part because of their predicament of moving. They were pretty decent in the first half. I expect they'll be more consistent this year.

 

[cw]

Early on, Habs being tested by injuries again
The good news Tuesday was that Cammalleri's laceration on his left leg suffered Sunday afternoon was just a flesh wound, and he should be able to return within 10-14 days, Martin said.

As for Spacek, he suffered an upper body injury Sunday when Winnipeg's Evander Kane hit him near the Canadiens bench. That injury -- likely to the ribs -- will cost Spacek two to three weeks, Martin said.

Markov's return, meanwhile, remains a mystery and Campoli -- injured on opening night in Toronto -- is out until at least December.

Missing those three veterans leaves Josh Gorges and Hal Gill as Montreal's only two defensemen with more than 82 games of NHL experience.

Subban, playing his second full season, is third on the list with 81 games played, while the bottom three of Yannick Weber and rookie European imports Raphael Diaz and Alexei Emelin have 54 NHL games played combined.


Leafs need to bury these guys while they've got this opportunity.

I must say that Price looked very good against the Jets. I was almost embarrassed for the Jets on how easily he handled their shots. He's a guy who looks capable of holding it together for them.

EDIT: Rats! We only play them once (Oct 22) between now and Jan 21st. Others will have to do our dirty business.

 

[Bender]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

 

[slapshot]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

 

[Boston Leaf]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

good deal

 

[BrownRolo]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

good deal

The Leafs have played 2 games this season! It is madness to scoreboard watch so early!

 

[Fanatic]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

good deal

The Leafs have played 2 games this season! It is madness to scoreboard watch so early!

Exactly. Points in October don't count!  :

 

[Stronger Than All]

For some reason I thought this was about rooting against the Leafs making the playoffs.  Where's my coffeee?

 

[Erndog]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

good deal

The Leafs have played 2 games this season! It is madness to scoreboard watch so early!

I don't know.  Any time a West team beats an East team it's good for us. 

 

[Bender]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

good deal

The Leafs have played 2 games this season! It is madness to scoreboard watch so early!

I don't know.  Any time a West team beats an East team it's good for us.

TBH, I do it because I enjoy hoping for outcomes. It gives me a reason to follow more games other than the Leafs. But I started scoreboard watching late last year and by that point it was too late. I also feel like I'll have a better grasp on the ups and downs of the season.

I don't really see how that's considered "madness."

 

[Erndog]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

good deal

The Leafs have played 2 games this season! It is madness to scoreboard watch so early!

I don't know.  Any time a West team beats an East team it's good for us.

TBH, I do it because I enjoy hoping for outcomes. It gives me a reason to follow more games other than the Leafs. But I started scoreboard watching late last year and by that point it was too late. I also feel like I'll have a better grasp on the ups and downs of the season.

I don't really see how that's considered "madness."

Crazy, but you sound exactly like myself.  I like rooting for games/outcomes.  I love having an invested interest in an outcome.  Otherwise, why would we be watching sports? 

And like you, I started scoreboard watching late last year and to be honest, that was the most enjoyable time so why not start early, root for those West teams and pray/hope that Carolina/Montreal/NYI/NJ/Tampa and whoever implode!  Makes all the games much more enjoyable.

 

[slapshot]

So let's take a look at who's playing tonight!

LA @ NJ = Definitely want LA to take this one. Hopefully Anze and Richards light it up.
TB @ NYI = No idea here. Isles I guess, although TBay has played more games overall. They might be due.
WSH @ PIT = Pittsburgh all the way. Might as well let the leaders keep pushing on ahead.
CGY @ MTL = No brainer. Hopefully the Leafs ca. 2009 can pull off a win.
COL @ OTT = Colorado will hopefully pull this one away, but both teams were horrendous last year. Complete toss up in my mind.

Not a bad night overall, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Tampa lose, Jersey and Islanders win.  No extra points awarded.  Pitts and Wash are probably playoff locks anyway, so that won't likely didn't matter.

good deal

The Leafs have played 2 games this season! It is madness to scoreboard watch so early!

I don't know.  Any time a West team beats an East team it's good for us.

Exactly, it is meant to celebrate those nights when our main conference rivals all get thumped by either West Coast teams.

 

[iwas11in67]

Interesting game tonight.
Buffalo versus Carolina.
If Buffalo wins then Carolina doesn't leapfrog us in the standings.
If Carolina wins we leapfrog Buffalo into first place and 3rd in the conference.

 

[Bender]

Interesting game tonight.
Buffalo versus Carolina.
If Buffalo wins then Carolina doesn't leapfrog us in the standings.
If Carolina wins we leapfrog Buffalo into first place and 3rd in the conference.

Based on what? Goal differential? I forget how that works.

 

[sneakyray]

Interesting game tonight.
Buffalo versus Carolina.
If Buffalo wins then Carolina doesn't leapfrog us in the standings.
If Carolina wins we leapfrog Buffalo into first place and 3rd in the conference.

Based on what? Goal differential? I forget how that works.

games played...I think

 

[Bender]

Interesting game tonight.
Buffalo versus Carolina.
If Buffalo wins then Carolina doesn't leapfrog us in the standings.
If Carolina wins we leapfrog Buffalo into first place and 3rd in the conference.

Based on what? Goal differential? I forget how that works.

games played...I think

Well... we've only got a couple minutes left in the Buffalo game with Carolina up 3-2...

 

[moon111]

The best website I've seen so far on a team's chances to make the playoffs or not is at:
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL.html
Right now, I don't think they have enough games played to start charting. 
Although warning, the stats are usually brutally honest.