I get what you are saying, but the regular season is meaningless now. Fresh season and clean slate for everyone. Even my Lightning's historic season means jack squat now.

The Leafs added Tavares and Muzzin. The former is a having a career year and living a dream. That alone is almost good enough to win a round if he puts the team on his back. Tavares can be a game-breaker.

I don't think they will get past the 2nd round, yet. But, I do think the Leafs are rising and the Bruins are fading - this is probably the year that the Leafs make that fact apparent. (or at least I hope so, because I have zero love for the Bruins and their crew of dirty players and face-lickers).
- GalacticStone

If that really was the case, the Ottawa Senators would be in the playoffs.

Reality is, the season does matter because it gives us 82 games to test teams enough to show what they can and can't do.

On paper, yes, the Leafs should be better. But the game is played on ice, not paper and the results haven't been good enough to say they're actually significantly better than last year.

Dear Diary,

Today Galactic was a pretty cool guy
- poopstash

It's the pot. The minute I run out, I become a bumhole again. LOL.

If that really was the case, the Ottawa Senators would be in the playoffs.

Reality is, the season does matter because it gives us 82 games to test teams enough to show what they can and can't do.

On paper, yes, the Leafs should be better. But the game is played on ice, not paper and the results haven't been good enough to say they're actually significantly better than last year.
- JohnFergusonJr

The Sens won't see the playoffs again until Melnyk is eaten by an alligator while vacationing in Florida.

Anderson concerns me and the Leafs' depth on defense concerns me. Outside of that, I think they stack up well against the Bruins. If Anderson can outduel Rask, I think they take this series.

If that really was the case, the Ottawa Senators would be in the playoffs.

Reality is, the season does matter because it gives us 82 games to test teams enough to show what they can and can't do.

On paper, yes, the Leafs should be better. But the game is played on ice, not paper and the results haven't been good enough to say they're actually significantly better than last year.
- JohnFergusonJr

There are a number of teams that crawled into the playoffs playing lousy for the last month - including the Jets, Preds, Leafs and even Boston. The Leafs play over the last couple of months has been dreadful, one reasonable excuse is having to use players like Marincin, Holl and Ozhiganov for significant minutes. Heaven knows, Gardiner is not great in his own zone but he's miles ahead of those three. GO LEAFS!

If that really was the case, the Ottawa Senators would be in the playoffs.

Reality is, the season does matter because it gives us 82 games to test teams enough to show what they can and can't do.

On paper, yes, the Leafs should be better. But the game is played on ice, not paper and the results haven't been good enough to say they're actually significantly better than last year.
- JohnFergusonJr

Again, that's because of their backup.

The Sens won't see the playoffs again until Melnyk is eaten by an alligator while vacationing in Florida.

Anderson concerns me and the Leafs' depth on defense concerns me. Outside of that, I think they stack up well against the Bruins. If Anderson can outduel Rask, I think they take this series.
- GalacticStone

Or until that person gets pissed off enough they take back their liver.

The Sens won't see the playoffs again until Melnyk is eaten by an alligator while vacationing in Florida.

Anderson concerns me and the Leafs' depth on defense concerns me. Outside of that, I think they stack up well against the Bruins. If Anderson can outduel Rask, I think they take this series.
- GalacticStone

Don't think he hangs out in Florida - He's a tax evader and a permanent resident of Barbados.

Difference is though, the Bruins can play defense in front of him. Leafs can't.
- JohnFergusonJr

Leafs brought the Bruins to within 1 period of winning with Andersen posting .896 in seven games last year.
I guess the feeling is Tavares has 0 impact, Andersen is as bad or worse, same with Matthews, Kadri gets suspended 3 games...

I just wanna know what Babs was sayin to Matthews at practice dammit!! Looked like at least one f bomb in there..... where's all the lip readers when we need em!!!???

Again, that's because of their backup.
- RogerRoeper

Blaming Sparks and only Sparks is so very naive.

Blaming Sparks and only Sparks is so very naive.
- JohnFergusonJr

But they would have had more points than last year...

But they would have had more points than last year...
- RogerRoeper

Their PP, PK and GAA are all worse than last year but you're going to still blame Sparks for all that?

The Leafs score more goals this year than last year. Pretty much everything else isn't as good.

If that really was the case, the Ottawa Senators would be in the playoffs.

Reality is, the season does matter because it gives us 82 games to test teams enough to show what they can and can't do.

On paper, yes, the Leafs should be better. But the game is played on ice, not paper and the results haven't been good enough to say they're actually significantly better than last year.
- JohnFergusonJr

One big difference is health. Last year's team was surprisingly healthy overall, while this year has had significant injury issues on the D, in addition to a flu bug that seemed to go through the entire team.

Between that and some poor goaltending, the team has been doing just fine in terms of the process - it just needed a little bit better luck...

Blaming Sparks and only Sparks is so very naive.
- JohnFergusonJr

No he was not the only one to blame. It seems obvious though they jettisoned him for shooting off his mouth Plus every game he played seemed to be guaranteed win night for the opposition. The two pure sh!t goals he let in by the post against Carolina were among the worst I can ever remember. Competed with that piece of sh!t that John Ferguson Jr traded a first a second and a fourth for. Remember this bag of poop?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inT0MU5w68c

Their PP, PK and GAA are all worse than last year but you're going to still blame Sparks for all that?

The Leafs score more goals this year than last year. Pretty much everything else isn't as good.
- JohnFergusonJr

I will grant you that the PP has been awful - Can't see any reason Shanny and Dubas will allow Hiller to run the power play next year.
Leader on Leafs for PP points was Marner and Rielly at 21 points. By contrast, Yandle had 39 power play points for the Panthers. Makes me want to puke really. There are a few things better this year and reason for some hope:

Break out seasons for Marner, Rielly, Kapanen and even Hyman - GO LEAFS

One big difference is health. Last year's team was surprisingly healthy overall, while this year has had significant injury issues on the D, in addition to a flu bug that seemed to go through the entire team.

Between that and some poor goaltending, the team has been doing just fine in terms of the process - it just needed a little bit better luck...
- lumlums

Since Jan. 1st, not really. A lot of poor efforts against poor teams and not by the players who were called up because of injuries either.

People can speculate about the reasons why they aren't as good but the majority of the stats show they aren't as good as last year.

And with a lot of the issues falling on "systematic" reasons, it might not be the players (even though the D objectively needs improvement) and may actually be the coaching staff. Maybe not Babcock, maybe his assistants, who knows...

Their PP, PK and GAA are all worse than last year but you're going to still blame Sparks for all that?

The Leafs score more goals this year than last year. Pretty much everything else isn't as good.
- JohnFergusonJr

Their pp has been awful. Absolute poop. No excuse and yet they run out the same thing expecting it to change.

Other then that leafs haven’t had a full lineup since 1 game in February. They’ll have a full lineup and we won’t see marincin, oz, Holl, sparks coming up. Say what you want about that but those guys are the reason for goals against.

This team lacks confidence when they don’t have a full lineup or sparks starts. Well see what happens and how they react to the playoff pressure this year.

Since Jan. 1st, not really. A lot of poor efforts against poor teams and not by the players who were called up because of injuries either.

People can speculate about the reasons why they aren't as good but the majority of the stats show they aren't as good as last year.

And with a lot of the issues falling on "systematic" reasons, it might not be the players (even though the D objectively needs improvement) and may actually be the coaching staff. Maybe not Babcock, maybe his assistants, who knows...
- JohnFergusonJr

Why are you here?

Why are you here?
- Procrastinator

Same thing everyone else is doing here.

Trying to take over the world.

Blaming Sparks and only Sparks is so very naive.
- JohnFergusonJr

Andersen:
- 2017-2018 GAA: 2.81
- 2018-2019 GAA: 2.77

McBackup:
- 2017-2018 GAA: 2.15

Sparks:
- 2018-2019 GAA: 3.15


Sparks allowed 23 more goals in just 2 more games played this year than McBackup (last year). If Sparks had allowed the same number of goals as McBackup the Leafs would’ve had 3 less total goals scored on making them a top 10 team in GAA.


2017-2018 PK: 81.39%
2018-2019 PK: 79.70%

Having McBackup’s numbers would’ve mean a better PK this year.


2017-2018 PP: 25.00%
2018-2019 PP: 22.01%

Cants blame Sparks here. The PP has been a disappointment and they have to improve.

Same thing everyone else is doing here.

Trying to take over the world.
- JohnFergusonJr

That's the Brains job, not Pinkys

That's the Brains job, not Pinkys
- bobbyisno1

Damn that brings back a lot of childhood memories.

Andersen:
- 2017-2018 GAA: 2.81
- 2018-2019 GAA: 2.77

McBackup:
- 2017-2018 GAA: 2.15

Sparks:
- 2018-2019 GAA: 3.15


Sparks allowed 23 more goals in just 2 more games played this year than McBackup (last year). If Sparks had allowed the same number of goals as McBackup the Leafs would’ve had 3 less total goals scored on making them a top 10 team in GAA.


2017-2018 PK: 81.39%
2018-2019 PK: 79.70%

Having McBackup’s numbers would’ve mean a better PK this year.


2017-2018 PP: 25.00%
2018-2019 PP: 22.01%

Cants blame Sparks here. The PP has been a disappointment and they have to improve.
- Steven_Seagull

This is a poor argument. Andersen was routinely letting in 4+ goals in the past 10 games. Was that Sparks' fault too?

There were also many occasions prior to that where the Leafs were outplayed and Andersen stole them points when they (the defense) didn't play well.

This is a poor argument. Andersen was routinely letting in 4+ goals in the past 10 games. Was that Sparks' fault too?

There were also many occasions prior to that where the Leafs were outplayed and Andersen stole them points when they (the defense) didn't play well.
- JohnFergusonJr

I posted the numbers and this is the response? GG

I posted the numbers and this is the response? Hi UG
- Steven_Seagull

Fixed