Leafs @ Oilers - Mar. 9th, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[Bates]

Having read every GDT this year, I can unequivocally say that some people have said the Leafs suck.

haha for sure, GDT's are somewhat toxic, I check in at the end This team is 4th OVERALL IN THE LEAGUE with a 21-year-old Marnthews core having a DECADE of their best hockey ahead.  Herman your insights are great, you should do twitter.

I wouldn't be willing to wager my money on the core being here for a decade.

 

[Joe S.]

Having read every GDT this year, I can unequivocally say that some people have said the Leafs suck.

haha for sure, GDT's are somewhat toxic, I check in at the end This team is 4th OVERALL IN THE LEAGUE with a 21-year-old Marnthews core having a DECADE of their best hockey ahead.  Herman your insights are great, you should do twitter.

Matthews has already been here for 3 years and committed to 5 more. I don?t think it?s crazy to think 2 more years could be added to that.

I wouldn't be willing to wager my money on the core being here for a decade.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Here's your list of the past 10 Cup winners, their total points on the regular season and their goal differential through the regular season:

2018 WSH  105 pts  +20
2017 PIT    111 pts  +48
2016 PIT    104 pts  +42
2015 CHI  102 pts  +40
2014 LA    100 pts  +32
2013 CHI*  132 pts  +90  *extrapolated from 48 games*
2012 LA      95 pts  +15
2011 BOS  103 pts  +51
2010 CHI    112 pts  +62
2009 PIT    99 pts  +25

2018-19 Leafs, projected:  107 pts  +62.  They have a points projection higher than all but 3 of the past 10 Cup winners and equal or greater goal differential than all but 1.  Only 1 of the past 10 Cup winners won the President's Trophy.  Like virtually every eventual Cup winner ever, the Leafs are very good and also flawed.  To obsess on the flaws of such a good team at the expense of enjoying the wins and the virtues seems such a depressing way to follow a team.

Great post.

Thank you.  I'd add that for all those 9 Cup winners who didn't win the President's Trophy, they were an average of 13 points behind the top regular season team.  That's pretty substantial.  LA won the Cup in 2012 in the 8th seed, knocking off the top regular season team and defending Cup finalist in 4 games to start the playoffs.

The Leafs probably won't win the Cup this year.  You know what, odds are, neither will Tampa.  But who knows.  It's an unpredictable sport, enjoy the ride.

 

[Kin]

Matthews has already been here for 3 years and committed to 5 more. I don?t think it?s crazy to think 2 more years could be added to that.

It's not but it's also worth pointing out that nobody really knows what situation the league will be in when Matthews' deal expires. There'll be a new CBA and a new national TV contract so the cap may be in a very different place than it is now.