The Stretch Run

[freer]

I want to see heads rolled, so if it takes missing the playoffs to do it, I'm all for it.  Absolutely hate being a in-between team.

To ask for heads to roll now is unfair to both Nonis and Carlyle who have had to deal with having crappy lineups for the past 10 years.  True, the Leafs lack the skill set and personnel to compete with Anaheim, Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, but the Leafs do have the ability to make some noise in the playoffs.

By not making any moves at the trade deadline it shows Nonis actually cares about the future of the organization.  Sure he could have got a top player or two that would have helped the Leafs take a run at the cup, but at what expense?  Making trades such as those gives the teams short term success but also creates long term instability.  Depending on the matchups I truly believe the Leafs can make it to the third round, second for sure, so we want to fire Nonis and/or Carlyle for improving the team from last season???  I want to give Nonis the opportunity to see what he can do to improve the team during the off season, and base his employment status on those actions.

IMO they show last night they are able to compete with team like Anaheim, lets hope it carries on this evening against the Sharks.

 

[Bender]

It's pretty crazy to think that in the last 18 games they've been playing at a .750 clip.

 

[dappleganger]

It's pretty crazy to think that in the last 18 games they've been playing at a .750 clip.

Hoprfully play at a .750 clip in the playoffs.  ;D

 

[Newfoundlandleaf]

Would love to see 6 points from the California games. But 4 would be a more realistic expectation....

 

[freer]

They Played very well on the last extended Road trip, beating PHO and COL. So anything is possible.
GLG

 

[Britishbulldog]

I must say that this thread has taken a new twist for me LK.  I have gone from looking to see how the Leafs would remain #3 after winning the LA game to seeing if the Leafs will drop below Carolina based on the games remaining for Toronto, NJ, Ottawa and Carolina.

 

[93forever]

Can we rename this thread the long roll downhill or maybe the Titanic-Leafs model?

 

[Britishbulldog]

If Toronto can pull off 3 wins in their last 7 games then they will end up with 86 points. and a 30 ROW.
- Columbus has 9 games left and I can't see them not getting at least 8 points with wins and ties for at least 88 pts and 34 ROW.
- Detroit has 9 games left and I can't see them not getting at least 8 points with wins and ties for at least 88 pts and 31 ROW.
- New Jersey has 9 games left and I could see them getting 10 points with wins and ties for at least 86 pts and 33 ROW.
- Ottawa has 9 games left against no power houses except Pittsburgh and I could see them getting 12 points with wins and ties for at least 86 pts and 30 ROW.

I would see only Washington and Carolina having a hard time not matching atleast 86 points but if Carolina did get 86 points they already have 31 ROWs and would beat Toronto in the tie-breaker on that alone.

If we fans aren't looking at the playoffs but the league standings as a whole then the only teams not able to catch the Leafs would be Buffalo, Edmonton, Florida, NYI, and Calgary put the Leafs at 6th pick this year.  Not that I want the Leafs to tank.  I honestly don't.  I really see them as a flawed team with not much confidence or ability to win desperate games for the rest of the season.

 

[princedpw]

Can we rename this thread the long roll downhill or maybe the Titanic-Leafs model?

Yes, this thread hasn't quite turned out to be the fun romp to the playoffs we'd hoped it to be.

 

[Keonist]

I haven't experienced such ambivalence toward the Leafs ever I don't think.  It seems like such a waste of 80 games to see them heading into the playoffs after such a let down. So what do you do, Wish for wins just to face Boston? they seem the most likely playoff opponent in round 1, just because that's the way it rolls for Leafs and their fans.
I watch the players being interviewed today, trotting out cliches, trying to stay positive and the weird thing is, with this bottleneck at 80 points they might just get in.
I guess I just seem to have lost my interest because the bad team I watched all year suddenly and totally unexpectedly have grown way worse than I thought they were. I never had cup delusions for 2014, but God I did think they might have been able to avoid Boston in round 1 and maybe get us into round2.
Now?  The floor has dropped out from under us.