The leafs snuck in as a wild card and haven't won a series yet. Like the Flames took a step back a season after making the playoffs, the same could happen to the leafs next year.
I would expect Marner, Nylander, and Matthews will not all eclipse their surprising point totals of this season as if anything one or maybe even all three will regress a bit. I don't think they will go back to being a bad team but they are no lock for the playoffs next season.
The leafs snuck in as a wild card and haven't won a series yet. Like the Flames took a step back a season after making the playoffs, the same could happen to the leafs next year.
The Flames in 2014-2015 were riding an unsustainable PDO while posting bottom-5 possession numbers.
The Leafs this year have middle-of-the-pack possession numbers. They also have/had more top-end talent than the Flames did/do.
Then you factor in goaltending. I mean, the only thing Jonas Hiller and Frederik Andersen have in common is that they once tended goal for Anaheim. Andersen is an elite goalie while Hiller was practically playoffs Elliot for half the 2015-2016 season.
I would expect Marner, Nylander, and Matthews will not all eclipse their surprising point totals of this season as if anything one or maybe even all three will regress a bit. I don't think they will go back to being a bad team but they are no lock for the playoffs next season.
There was nothing surprising about Matthews or Marner if you followed their junior careers or the draft hype. They're the new Toews-Kane, IMO. Maybe not in terms of team success, but individual talents.
Injuries aside, they should be a playoff lock for next year. I'd expect Shanny and Lou to address their top-4 D hole this offseason.
Their fans love the leafs, not the game. If there were another franchise in the world's biggest hockey market (per capita), a lot of the sheep would have left the herd.
Ok. Fair enough. I don't doubt you are right. I don't care. I love the passion.
And if you don't love that kind of ####, then you don't love the game much either. Which is fine. Nothing wrong at all with being a Flames fan only either.
The Flames in 2014-2015 were riding an unsustainable PDO while posting bottom-5 possession numbers.
The Leafs this year have middle-of-the-pack possession numbers. They also have/had more top-end talent than the Flames did/do.
Then you factor in goaltending. I mean, the only thing Jonas Hiller and Frederik Andersen have in common is that they once tended goal for Anaheim. Andersen is an elite goalie while Hiller was practically playoffs Elliot for half the 2015-2016 season.
The point is, the leafs are far from a lock to make the playoffs next year.
And let's see Andersen win something before we include him with the true elites like Price or Lundqvist, shall we?
The point is, the leafs are far from a lock to make the playoffs next year.
And let's see Andersen win something before we include him with the true elites like Price or Lundqvist, shall we?
Barring injuries, they are all but a lock for the playoffs next year.
They actually played well this season, despite dressing 8-9 rookies in their lineup. They made a season of it against the best team in the NHL.
