Toronto is better than last year, here's why...

[Shaner]

Everyone is so hell bent on saying that Toronto won't make the playoffs, they suck, they're old, etc, etc, etc. Have you guys even thought about what you're saying.
Lets compare the Leafs of this year to the Leafs of last year (who were a really good team).

The Leafs lost Mogilny, but gained Allison in return.

Comparable players with comparable talent. Allison is often injured, but then again, so is Mogilny. If Allison stays healthy, this move will be the best one the Leafs have made in a long, long time. Allison is a better and younger player than Mogilny, if healthy.

Lost Nieuwendyk, gained Lindros

Lindros is a better player if he stays healthy. It's not even a comparison anymore as Nieuwy is old and was also often injured. Lindros is a power forward is he's healthy, Niuewendyk was not. If Lindros plays even 50 games, this move is great, because Nieuwendyk wouldn't have played more than 50 games.

Lost Roberts, gained Oneil.

I loved Roberts, but he's old and wasn't the warrior he once was. He also wasn't able to put up points anymore. Roberts was a serious injury risk, Oneil is not. Oneil is a great, gritty player who should put up 25-30 goals. He had a bad year with Carolina last year, but that whole team had a bad year. Oneil is not a question mark and is not an injury risk. This is a great move and Oneil is a great player.

Lost Leetch, gained Khavanov.

Ok, this is one that hurt the Leafs. Leetch was great, even at his old age. This will hurt our powerplay and our offense, but Khavanov is a good defender and will be successful in keeping the puck out of the net. He also moves the puck well. Our defense took a step back on this one, but it's not a huge step.

Lost Renberg and Reichel.

THANK GOD!!! It's about time we lost those pylons. They were holding our team back.

Belfour.

He's old and therefore is an injury risk, but if healthy, he'll be an elite goalie in the leage. He's not an acrobatic goalie, he doesn't jump around or dive from post to post. He's always in front of the puck and reads the plays very, very well. He's great if healthy. If injured, we might be in trouble. We don't have a proven backup.

Antropov and Ponikarovsky.

Both these guys are young players with tons of potential. They are huge question marks though. Antropov was supposed to break out 3 years ago, but hasn't yet. Will this be his year? Who knows. If not, the Leafs haven't lost or gained anything, as he didn't do a damn thing before. If he breaks out, it's a huge gain for the Leafs. Ponikarovsky will have a big year. He started to break out of his shell last year. If he gets lots of ice time, expect decent numbers from this guy. He's also somewhat of a power forward. He'll crash and bang and he's not easy to move in the corners or in front of the net. This is added bonus to the Leafs as he keeps getting better and better.

Stajan.

This kid will be better than the last year, obviously. He may not have a huge year, but he'll put up some good numbers for a kid his age. He's a good playmaker too. This will only help the Leafs.

Steen.

Good, young kid. Is better than either of those bums Renberg or Reichel. Can only help the Leafs, he can't hurt them.


So the Leafs are a better team than last year. Even if Lindros and Allison get hurt, it's no different than last year when Mogilny and Nieuwendyk were often hurt.

Also, the Leafs are not an old team. They are not young either, but they're not old.

Belfour is the only old player on the Leafs. Roberts, Niuewendyk, Francis, Reichel, Leetch are all gone. They were old, but that was last year. The Leafs don't have an old team anymore. They will be perfectly fine this year and will have home ice advantage in the playoffs.

[mingming]

It's not a matter of the Leafs being better than last year, it's how other teams improved so much more than the Leafs did over the off-season.

[thelefteyeguy]

Had this argument with a fellow Sens fan 2 weeks ago. It got quite heated.

He had some valid points and so did I. I do agree that the line up on paper is definitely better. The only thing I did agree with him on is the *potential* injury (but mind you...the prev leafs also had lots of injuries).

Leafs defense is really banged up right now.

Without Klee...im quite worried.

[mingming]

Had this argument with a fellow Sens fan 2 weeks ago. It got quite heated.

He had some valid points and so did I. I do agree that the line up on paper is definitely better. The only thing I did agree with him on is the *potential* injury (but mind you...the prev leafs also had lots of injuries).

Leafs defense is really banged up right now.

Without Klee...im quite worried.

Ottawa will ALWAYS find a way to lose to the Leafs.

[Ziggy007]

Renberg and Reichel? Maybe my memory is foggy but they left long before the lockout...

[Dibble]

It's not a matter of the Leafs being better than last year, it's how other teams improved so much more than the Leafs did over the off-season.

I concur.

The Leafs have the scoring power much like they did for the past few years. But the fact is, all the other teams (Ottawa, Boston, Montreal, Buffalo) in their division have improved a heck of a lot with regards to offence and defence. The leafs defence core has probably gotten worse this year than before... and pair that up with rule changes and you've got yourself a high scoring battle - offence vs. offence. The leafs are gambling on a scoring frenzy where they come out on top, and with the looks of it, that might be fairly tough although exciting nonetheless. Then again, that works in favour for someone who's injury prone like Lindros, so who knows.

[poedua]

It's not a matter of the Leafs being better than last year, it's how other teams improved so much more than the Leafs did over the off-season.

I agree 100 %

Saying you're better than the previous year is like looking in the rear view mirror and patting yourself for a job well done - it's a moot point.

The Leafs can be improved and yet still miss the playoffs this year ( even with more talent ) if their improvements catch match the likes of Ottawa and Philly.

Best to look ahead out the front window and see how the road to the Cup has changed - I think Ottawa ands Philly have done that and built their team accordingly.

Take the Leafs..

Goalie
Top 4 defenceman
Top 6 forwards

and compare them to the same from Ottawa, Philly, Boston, Tampa, Pittsburgh & Montreal etc.

Do THAT analysis, not comparing today's Leaf's to yesterday's Leaf's, and you'll see the Leafs are ' average ' at best and can't dominate anyone in that group.

[Carnage]

But the fact is, all the other teams (Ottawa, Boston, Montreal, Buffalo) in their division have improved a heck of a lot with regards to offence and defence.

Buffalo didn't change at all. They're basically the same team minus SAtan and Zhitnik.

The only reason Buffalo gets mentioned as improved is because they're a young fast team who should take advantage of the "new" NHL.

But they're still an average team at best.

[Shaner]

You people are nuts if you think Boston, Montreal, Pittsburgh and Buffalo are better teams than the Leafs.

Montreal is using 6 rookies this year and a couple average veterans. Their best player is Kovalev, who is great when he wants to be, but he often shows a serious lock of intensity. He'll put up good numbers, but he doesn't have anyone around him who can help. Montreal didn't get better this year, not at all. They pobably got wrose.

Buffalo has nobody and won't make the playoffs AGAIN this year.

Pittsburgh changed dramatically, but they still have no proven goaltender,
absolutely no defense and a coach who doesnt' know what he's doing. This team is going to give up about 340 goals this season, and there's no way they will be able to score enough to keep up with the ones they let in. They might make the playoffs if they're lucky.

Philly is a good team that worries me. They are big, strong and skilled. No arguments about them.

Ottawa is good as well, but they have been favoured to win for 5 years now. It's the same thing every year. Sure, they improvided with Heatley, but Hasken isn't much of an improvement. The Sens didn't lose to the Leafs because of Lalime, not at all. Look how many goals the Sens scored in their 4 losses to the leafs in the playoffs last year? They scored 1 goal in 4 losses. They were shutout 3 times in the playoffs, how is that Lalime's fault? He let in 2 bad goals during those 7 games, so how can he be blamed for losing the series? The Sens lost because they weren't good enough, period! Hasek would help if he could steal some games, but he's not the Hasek of old. He won't steal games left and right for the Sens, therefore, they will not be all that much better than last year. One player (Heatley) doesn't make that big of a difference.

Boston is a joke! Every year they do great in the regular season, then they completely fold in the first round of the playoffs. They are not a good team, period!


Listed to what you're saying guys. You're saying "every team has improved so much..." How is that even possible? There's only so many good players to go around, how can every team improve that much?

The Leafs will finish in the top 4. Ottawa, Philly and Tampa Bay will likely win their divisions, rounding ou the top 3, but the Leafs will occupy the 4th spot. They will also be just fine in the playoffs. I hope they don't face Philly until at least the 3rd round, but Ottawa doesn't worry me very much. Every year people say Ottawa is the team to beat, and every year they are the team that gets beaten. What makes you think this year is different?

[bluetroll]

if you went to see the final pre-season game... u'd agree that this guy is correct...

Allison is a monster, very strong on the puck...

and the young guns, steen and stajan, play absolutely amazing together...

poni and antropov... they're great when they decide to play hard....

[Dibble]

if you went to see the final pre-season game... u'd agree that this guy is correct...

Allison is a monster, very strong on the puck...

and the young guns, steen and stajan, play absolutely amazing together...

poni and antropov... they're great when they decide to play hard....

I must say, the games that the Leafs player against Detroit in the pre-season were pretty good.

The thing that worries me the most is the fact that, after this year, what will happen to the Leafs? Most of the best are signed under at least a 3 year contract, and most of our (I'm from Toronto) players that we just signed are on a 1-year contract.

Stajan and Steen are pretty good for young guys, and they'll definitely make a name for themselves with the club over the years. Lets just hope antropov can do something this year.

[Yaowsers]

It's good to have hope but we're finished this season. No playoffs.

[volcomstone]

It's good to have hope but we're finished this season. No playoffs.

lol I highly doubt that....

[Shaner]

It's good to have hope but we're finished this season. No playoffs.

You're not a true Leaf fan

[bluetroll]

It's good to have hope but we're finished this season. No playoffs.

why do you hafta be a negative nancy?