Bottom seeded teams getting eliminated early aren't considered pretenders. That is considered right where they should be. Teams in the top four or five in each conference, getting smoked in the first round, are considered pretenders.

Case in point your Leafs, have pretender written all over it.
- MidnightMarauder

Ahhh drop the ego. The Leafs are a team pulling together and developing under the expansion and development that is life and love. There is nothing to fear but fear itself, as there is nothing to lose on our part (tons to lose as a team whose supposedly been primed to win for years in NYR though). The Leafs are in the playoffs for the first time in 9 years and with ppl undermining us such as you we pertain as a SERIOUS threat that believes in themselves (believing is everything). Don't be surprised when your fear of our success becomes a reality, because it will be a reality, our fan base is collectively getting more positive by the day and the team we got is thriving off that energy. That is something you can't see, and that is something that will catch each and every one of you by surprise. GO LEAFS GOOO!!!!

Ahhh drop the ego. The Leafs are a team pulling together and developing under the expansion and development that is life and love. There is nothing to fear but fear itself, as there is nothing to lose on our part (tons to lose as a team whose supposedly been primed to win for years in NYR though). The Leafs are in the playoffs for the first time in 9 years and with ppl undermining us such as you we pertain as a SERIOUS threat that believes in themselves (believing is everything). Don't be surprised when your fear of our success becomes a reality, because it will be a reality, our fan base is collectively getting more positive by the day and the team we got is thriving off that energy. That is something you can't see, and that is something that will catch each and every one of you by surprise. GO LEAFS GOOO!!!!
- Rysko81

Dude, can you do some Reiki treatment on me please. I got a sore shoulder and sh1t.

Who said anything about think.
You got Bozak, Kadri and Grabo down the middle, enough said.
Look, i know its been awhile since yall witnessed the playoffs but you have to remember the game completely changes. The whistles get put away, the game slows down and it turns into a tough grind. You got a inexperienced leaf team that is going to resort to a trap system while ur top two lines on going to be picked apart by the opposing teams shut down lines. You think Lupul, Kadri and Kessel are going to have all that room for those nifty little passing plays while the opposition plays protect the net with 5 guys crowding the zone? For those of you fans that think season matchup numbers mean something come playoff time you are in for a cruel surprise, trust me....im a nucks fan after all.

While Toronto has the D, and some would say goaltending to go the yard, the center depth is weak, and that is the overall key to playoff success.
- Whiskey-Tango

just a thought the nucks have just enough points as the leafs do this season and nucks play in the weakest division, just a little qft, and the nucks center depth isnt all that either so stop tooting the horn, and hopefully the hawks meet the nucks again in the playoffs, us hawks fans enjoy watching bolland own you guys and breaking luo's will, but you guys got to get out the first round this year, nucks are weak this year, first round bump

just a thought the nucks have just enough points as the leafs do this season and nucks play in the weakest division, just a little qft, and the nucks center depth isnt all that either so stop tooting the horn, and hopefully the hawks meet the nucks again in the playoffs, us hawks fans enjoy watching bolland own you guys and breaking luo's will, but you guys got to get out the first round this year, nucks are weak this year, first round bump
- Hawkeyes

Unfortunately agree.

just a thought the nucks have just enough points as the leafs do this season and nucks play in the weakest division, just a little qft, and the nucks center depth isnt all that either so stop tooting the horn, and hopefully the hawks meet the nucks again in the playoffs, us hawks fans enjoy watching bolland own you guys and breaking luo's will, but you guys got to get out the first round this year, nucks are weak this year, first round bump
- Hawkeyes

lol come on, all this first round exit stuff is a little harsh, we made it past the first round 4 years in a row. While we did get bumped early last year it would not have mattered if it was in the first, second or third as the kings proved to be unbeatable, not to mention Keith's unfortunate influence. In terms of center depth, a healthy Kesler and the addition of Roy actually makes it one of the better years in terms of center depth.

lol come on, all this first round exit stuff is a little harsh, we made it past the first round 4 years in a row. While we did get bumped early last year it would not have mattered if it was in the first, second or third as the kings proved to be unbeatable, not to mention Keith's unfortunate influence. In terms of center depth, a healthy Kesler and the addition of Roy actually makes it one of the better years in terms of center depth.
- Whiskey-Tango

Don't even bother with these haters.

Van wins presidents trophy.. dominates.. and lose first round. Lower seed teams have been making noise for a decade now.

Regular season means jack poop nowadays.. and frankly.. I'm glad this team has had to deal with adversity this year.. and may not win the division (although odds are they do) and finally have low expectations and will have a chance to surprise teams.

Sedin, Kesler and Roy is by far the deepest/best 3 centers this team has ever seen.. in its entire history. And if CS can play to his ability.. this team can beat any body.

I'm more confident heading into this playoffs then I was last year.. LA was the worst possible match up and it showed.

I will be happy if we get San Jose, St Louis or Minny. I think any of those teams are beatable in a 7 game series.

Just want playoffs to start now!

lol come on, all this first round exit stuff is a little harsh, we made it past the first round 4 years in a row. While we did get bumped early last year it would not have mattered if it was in the first, second or third as the kings proved to be unbeatable, not to mention Keith's unfortunate influence. In terms of center depth, a healthy Kesler and the addition of Roy actually makes it one of the better years in terms of center depth.
- Whiskey-Tango

Ya the dif is,sure made it past the 1st round 4 yrs in a row hell 2 yrs ago you went to the final and got beat in game 7..The next yr everyone picked you to win the cup but what happened? oh ya the 8th seeded team crapped all over you in 5 games..Your so called best goaltender in the league got benched 2 games in and lost his starter roll to a backup..SO yes it does matter what round you went out in..SO now your saying you have the best centers your team has had in yrs and you still are only 1 point better then the leafs that according to everyone has no top centers and no top goalie and no exp...

You make yourself look like a tool with every post you do here..If you wana crap all over other teams in your posts then you better damn well be prepared to get crapped on right back..

P.S The sedins are soft and getting old,Roy is a joke hence why he was traded good luck making it 5 games this yr..

Bottom seeded teams getting eliminated early aren't considered pretenders. That is considered right where they should be. Teams in the top four or five in each conference, getting smoked in the first round, are considered pretenders.

Case in point your Leafs, have pretender written all over it.
- MidnightMarauder

No I disagree. If the Leafs were to play Boston in the 1st round and somehow beat them I would call them Cinderella. Lets face it your hatred for the Leafs is showing the fact the Leafs are even in 5th place in the conference is probably upsetting to most fans.

Also i like the fact that no one will give the Leafs a chance to beat the Bruins in the first round. It will be the exact same position they were in 1993 when they were supposed to be swept by the Redwings.

Maybe that will pump the team up and they could perhaps go on a run like that 93 team and this time there is no Gretzky factor. Ohh wait but there is the Crosby factor.

Don't even bother with these haters.

Van wins presidents trophy.. dominates.. and lose first round. Lower seed teams have been making noise for a decade now.

Regular season means jack poop nowadays.. and frankly.. I'm glad this team has had to deal with adversity this year.. and may not win the division (although odds are they do) and finally have low expectations and will have a chance to surprise teams.

Sedin, Kesler and Roy is by far the deepest/best 3 centers this team has ever seen.. in its entire history. And if CS can play to his ability.. this team can beat any body.

I'm more confident heading into this playoffs then I was last year.. LA was the worst possible match up and it showed.

I will be happy if we get San Jose, St Louis or Minny. I think any of those teams are beatable in a 7 game series.

Just want playoffs to start now!
- kneughter

Our pop gun offense will probably be our undoing in the first round,in fact I think if the season was 82 games we would probably be out

No, you're not. You're the best team in the world, who has had a few unfortunate injuries (because NO OTHER TEAM has injuries, you know), and gets screwed by the refs every night. Your team is CLEARLY the class of the Atlantic, despite holding it up from underneath. More talent than any other team on the planet. I know this, because Servalli tells me this every time I read the Daily News....
- dcb1

The bitter is strong with this one...

- systemtool

Perfect.

Dude, can you do some Reiki treatment on me please. I got a sore shoulder and sh1t.
- Aetherial

I don't know what you're saying here at all, but I agree with your avatar.

For real in the East: Pittsburgh & Boston

Pretenders: NYR, NYI

Dark horse: Washington

For real in the West: L.A. & Chicago

Pretenders: Anaheim, Vancouver

Dark Horse: None

just a thought the nucks have just enough points as the leafs do this season and nucks play in the weakest division, just a little qft, and the nucks center depth isnt all that either so stop tooting the horn, and hopefully the hawks meet the nucks again in the playoffs, us hawks fans enjoy watching bolland own you guys and breaking luo's will, but you guys got to get out the first round this year, nucks are weak this year, first round bump
- Hawkeyes

Cool -- the hopes and dreams of an entire country ride on your shoulders.

Pens 2nd round exit mark it down.

Blues vs Bruins to play for the cup

Blues will ride a hot goalie but Bruins will prevail in 7.

Pens 2nd round exit mark it down.

Blues vs Bruins to play for the cup

Blues will ride a hot goalie but Bruins will prevail in 7.
- MrBigglesworth

Blues have to make it to the playoffs first. 3 points separate them and 9th.

Pens 2nd round exit mark it down.

Blues vs Bruins to play for the cup

Blues will ride a hot goalie but Bruins will prevail in 7.
- MrBigglesworth

I marked it down, thanks.

I planned ahead and marked it down on toilet paper.

The wizard of Croz was on the ice this morning.

Based on what? The match ups haven't even been set yet. They could be playing any one of BOS, MON or OTT. Boston has obviously had their number for a few years now but MON or OTT is a coin flip.

Really, the question is premature. Let's see it again in 2 weeks. A lot can happen between now and then.
- BlueBallz

Ottawas gotta worry about staying in it and not who they might be playing. They are backing into the playoffs right now with the rangers and Islanders nipping at their heels.

Ryan Rishaug‏@TSNRyanRishaug2m
Tambelinni has been fired by Oilers. Confirmed.

Who said anything about think.
You got Bozak, Kadri and Grabo down the middle, enough said.
Look, i know its been awhile since yall witnessed the playoffs but you have to remember the game completely changes. The whistles get put away, the game slows down and it turns into a tough grind. You got a inexperienced leaf team that is going to resort to a trap system while ur top two lines on going to be picked apart by the opposing teams shut down lines. You think Lupul, Kadri and Kessel are going to have all that room for those nifty little passing plays while the opposition plays protect the net with 5 guys crowding the zone? For those of you fans that think season matchup numbers mean something come playoff time you are in for a cruel surprise, trust me....im a nucks fan after all.

While Toronto has the D, and some would say goaltending to go the yard, the center depth is weak, and that is the overall key to playoff success.
- Whiskey-Tango

They can't all be hard-nosed grinders like the sisters.
Seriously?
Your brand of funny puts the half in wit.

I don't know what you're saying here at all, but I agree with your avatar.
- jmatchett383

It's all about thriving off the positive energy ... man.

Eklund: Quebec Announcement Coming? 32 Teams?

Anything ever happen with this?

Can I take my eyes off Carolina yet?

I hate to say it, but the Habs are just not a playoff team. Prust was a start, but the smurfs at center can't get it done in the post season. Sucks to say it, but it's true.
- JLO961

Yup!

Yup!

- shmenge

Nice new pads though