another great counterpoint. I concede.
- clark_griswold

ok fine.

Montreal has the better centres. Plekanec is better than Bozak at 1, Kadri better than Desharnais at 2, Eller better than Bolland at 3. that alone proves you wrong.

i don't think the leafs have a great shot, just a better one than van. Look at our points last year compared to yours; i believe you had 2 more? Your 'stars' are older and softer than kleenex. All of our good players are in their prime or getting there. You have lost players, we have added. Yes, we choked, something you canucks fans know well.

See how i gave reasons to back up my post, instead of 'delusional, blah blah, leasf suck, blah blah'...but i digress
- clark_griswold

this myth that the Canucks are Old is tiresome. The Sedins are in their prime, Kesler, Bieksa, Hamhuis, Burrows, Higgins, Booth, Luongo are all in their prime. Edler, Garrisson, Hansen, Tanev, Corrado, Richardson, Kassian are all getting better/ developing...

Your team didn't play the western teams against whom they perform poorly, but more importantly the Canucks own the East every year in terms of wins/ points.

Your team added guys for the 3rd line on good teams. Clarkson never reached 50 pts ever, has one 20 goal season in 7 seasons. Bolland 3rd liner who couldn't make it on the top two lines in Chicago cuz that's not the role he plays.

Who exactly from the core did the Canucks lose? Schneider? We had two no. 1 goalchies. Luongo is a legit no. 1. you added Bernier who may be a legit goalie, but may be Toskala 2.0 as well.

You want reasons. ask yourself if the Leafs can realistically finish in the top 3 of their division ahead of the Habs (who just won their division), Bruins, Wings, or Sens (who added Bobby Ryan and will have healthy players again)...

You are unrealistic and it happens every year in Toronto. I've seen it more than I would care to in this market.

I like the odds.

I think Ottawa and Toronto should be higher. Montreal or Ottawa as sucker bets. If I had to choose one, I would say Ottawa.

well at least they rip on your team,

for the last few weeks, every single time i have a comment, all we hear is "detroit is bankrupt hahaha"
- digitalbath

If Ken Holland was in charge of the city as well, all would be good.

Leafs have my bet, Vancouver and Montreal are sucker bets. Montreal's team will go down in history as being one of the worst ever Division champions.

we are...we weren't even supossed to be there, besides taking the ECC to game 7
- JIMI-JAMES

The Maple Leafs are built for the playoffs more than they are for the regular season, I will give you that. Ultimately, it will come down to depth of D and goaltender performance.

I guess we will agree to disagree! Lol.
So, this is a betting thread. Would you be willing to bet a months pay that the leafs will finish 1st among Canadian teams?
- SmielmaN

i'll bet a month's pay we finish ahead of the habs. 1st amongst all Canadian teams is too much of a variable

ok fine.

Montreal has the better centres. Plekanec is better than Bozak at 1, Kadri better than Desharnais at 2, Eller better than Bolland at 3. that alone proves you wrong.
- DoubleDown

Eller better than bolland. Did i read that right? just making sure....

[quote=clark_griswold]again, people like that are just angry. I'd be angry too if my life sucked.
- eks_fugly_wife[/quot
did u hear det is broke

yes i did hear the city is bankrupt, but it's unneccessary to bring that up in a hockey thread is my point.

ok fine.

Montreal has the better centres. Plekanec is better than Bozak at 1, Kadri better than Desharnais at 2, Eller better than Bolland at 3. that alone proves you wrong.
- DoubleDown

Not sure I'd take Eller over McClement even to be totally honest. Kid has made strides, just thought his development should have hit full swing by now. Seems like something is holding him back

Yikes
- DoubleDown

Yikes what, every single example is 100% true...

Eller better than bolland. Did i read that right? just making sure....
- clark_griswold

again we are talking playoffs, bolland seems to be a pretty decent playoff performer

Markov regresses back into his injury plagued self, deharnais is your version of bozak, kessel is better than anyone on your team by a mile, one dimensional or not.

i have no defense for clarkson and phaneuf being 'dust' because it must be true so i'd only look stupid making comparisons with briere and subban.
- clark_griswold

Does your butt hurt, bud?

again we are talking playoffs, bolland seems to be a pretty decent playoff performer
- clark_griswold

Cup winning goals definitely create playoff performance decency

Not sure I'd take Eller over McClement even to be totally honest. Kid has made strides, just thought his development should have hit full swing by now. Seems like something is holding him back
- jerseyleaf

You can't be serious?

Eller has improved every year and was our best centre by the end of the year last year.

I have full confidence in that young man's abilities, guy doesn't play at all on the powerplay and still manages to improve his point totals every year while being responsible defensively.

Yikes what, every single example is 100% true...
- Cooshie

oh, of course it is sweetheart, of course it is.

Eller better than bolland. Did i read that right? just making sure....
- clark_griswold

guy scored 14 points last season playing on that team.

what exactly do you think you have in Bolland?

Eller better than bolland. Did i read that right? just making sure....
- clark_griswold

Why bother - did you see his comment about Phil being "alright but one dimensional"?

You may as well debate with a brick wall.

this myth that the Canucks are Old is tiresome. The Sedins are in their prime, Kesler, Bieksa, Hamhuis, Burrows, Higgins, Booth, Luongo are all in their prime. Edler, Garrisson, Hansen, Tanev, Corrado, Richardson, Kassian are all getting better/ developing...

Your team didn't play the western teams against whom they perform poorly, but more importantly the Canucks own the East every year in terms of wins/ points.

Your team added guys for the 3rd line on good teams. Clarkson never reached 50 pts ever, has one 20 goal season in 7 seasons. Bolland 3rd liner who couldn't make it on the top two lines in Chicago cuz that's not the role he plays.

Who exactly from the core did the Canucks lose? Schneider? We had two no. 1 goalchies. Luongo is a legit no. 1. you added Bernier who may be a legit goalie, but may be Toskala 2.0 as well.

You want reasons. ask yourself if the Leafs can realistically finish in the top 3 of their division ahead of the Habs (who just won their division), Bruins, Wings, or Sens (who added Bobby Ryan and will have healthy players again)...

You are unrealistic and it happens every year in Toronto. I've seen it more than I would care to in this market.
- kaptaan

the 3rd line is DAMN important, having depth is much more effective than being top heavy with a few stars for the playoffs.

The sedins are far from their prime; their prime was winning art ross trophies. Now they are lucky to crack 70 points. I love how kessel is soft, yet against his nemesis bruins he was a monster while the sedins were ghosts against a tough boston team (not to mention LA or SJ). Your D is very strong, not debating that. But to bring up Higgins, and booth? Come on.

To answer your question, i DO think the leafs finish in the top 3 along with BOS and Det. The sens have a few key piecese (spezza, karlsson) that we don't but i'll take our depth over them. I do respect the sens for sure, they earned it last year. Not much to say about the habs I haven't already said. Not built for the playoffs.

I'd say clarkson and bolland would look damn good in Canucks uniforms, the kind of players that grind the hell out of you and come up big, rather than shying away from it like too many canucks currently do.

Leafs have my bet, Vancouver and Montreal are sucker bets. Montreal's team will go down in history as being one of the worst ever Division champions.
- Leafland

More monumental than your Game 7 3rd period collapse?

You can't be serious?

Eller has improved every year and was our best centre by the end of the year last year.

I have full confidence in that young man's abilities, guy doesn't play at all on the powerplay and still manages to improve his point totals every year while being responsible defensively.
- Scabeh

I saw the guy take alot of shots, albeit pretty terrible ones. I can say his passing got better, as well as his defensive game, but his shooting needs some SERIOUS work still. (At times he reminded me of Colton Orr trying to score, and that's not a good visual lol)

Does your butt hurt, bud?
- Komisaurus Rex

very much so. it's 'dust'

More monumental than your Game 7 3rd period collapse?
- Komisaurus Rex

have you ever made a post without involving ? cause they are great arguments

Why bother - did you see his comment about Phil being "alright but one dimensional"?

You may as well debate with a brick wall.
- Cooshie

never mind, you guys are right. Habs top 9 doesn't compete with Toronto's. congrats fellas.

this myth that the Canucks are Old is tiresome. The Sedins are in their prime, Kesler, Bieksa, Hamhuis, Burrows, Higgins, Booth, Luongo are all in their prime. Edler, Garrisson, Hansen, Tanev, Corrado, Richardson, Kassian are all getting better/ developing...

Your team didn't play the western teams against whom they perform poorly, but more importantly the Canucks own the East every year in terms of wins/ points.

Your team added guys for the 3rd line on good teams. Clarkson never reached 50 pts ever, has one 20 goal season in 7 seasons. Bolland 3rd liner who couldn't make it on the top two lines in Chicago cuz that's not the role he plays.

Who exactly from the core did the Canucks lose? Schneider? We had two no. 1 goalchies. Luongo is a legit no. 1. you added Bernier who may be a legit goalie, but may be Toskala 2.0 as well.

You want reasons. ask yourself if the Leafs can realistically finish in the top 3 of their division ahead of the Habs (who just won their division), Bruins, Wings, or Sens (who added Bobby Ryan and will have healthy players again)...

You are unrealistic and it happens every year in Toronto. I've seen it more than I would care to in this market.
- kaptaan

BAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Vancouver fans are really losing it!