the Last 4 games for the Leafs look tough. But Wash, Pens and CBJ will be cooling down waiting for the playoffs.. probably resting some players.

Pens and CBJ still fighting for positioning though. its going to be close

ottawa has the worst goal differential of all the teams currently sitting in a playoff series

discuss

ottawa has the worst goal differential of all the teams currently sitting in a playoff series

discuss
- daeth

Toronto has the worst GA ( BY FAR ) of any team in a playoff spot

discuss

you also need to be able to stop the other team from scoring..........Toronto is equally as bad at keeping the puck out as Ottawa is at putting it in.

of the 2 issues I think Ottawa, with their roster, is much more likely to figure out their scoring woes then the leafs are to learn how to play defence.
- sensarmy_11

what an odd thing to think. And completely baseless

The Leafs have a much better goal differential (removing edit, meant SO) Sens are even, leafs are +16

Underlying numbers Favor the Leafs. Standing are a Mirage, a few Shootouts go a different way and the Leafs are ahead.

Toronto has the worst GA ( BY FAR ) of any team in a playoff spot

discuss
- sensarmy_11

Goal differential is a much better indicator of success.
Sens are 17th in the NHL in shots against per Game. Better goaltending yes

what an odd thing to think. And completely baseless

The Leafs have a much better goal differential (removing edit, meant SO) Sens are even, leafs are +16

Underlying numbers Favor the Leafs. Standing are a Mirage, a few Shootouts go a different way and the Leafs are ahead.
- senstroll

Goal differential is a much better indicator of success.
Sens are 17th in the NHL in shots against per Game. Better goaltending yes
- senstroll

you leaf fans better get your talking points lined up .............. one day it's this stat, next day it's another ............ and then some days it's scoreboard.

Please pick one, and stick to it svp.

Scoreboard please
- walshyleafsfan

Goal differential is a much better indicator of success.
Sens are 17th in the NHL in shots against per Game. Better goaltending yes
- senstroll

going back to 2009 (as far as I bothered to check) I'd say goals against in the regular season have been slightly better for predicting success than goal differential. Almost without exception the cup winners have been ranked high in both though.

you leaf fans better get your talking points lined up .............. one day it's this stat, next day it's another ............ and then some days it's scoreboard.

Please pick one, and stick to it svp.
- D0PPELGANGER

You and Spatso kept banging on about scoreboards so I had to dumb it down a tad.

Please don't be under the impression that myself, as a Leafs fan, represent the millions of other Leaf fans. They have a mind of their own and valid opinions.

Thanks.

what an odd thing to think. And completely baseless

The Leafs have a much better goal differential (removing edit, meant SO) Sens are even, leafs are +16

Underlying numbers Favor the Leafs. Standing are a Mirage, a few Shootouts go a different way and the Leafs are ahead.
- senstroll

why is it baseless..............between scoring and defence what is more likely to be streaky?

Ottawa has a lot of good offensive players on their team who are very capable of putting up points but who've been a little streaky this year. their power play has also been bad (which is a system thing IMO) so if they figure that out the GF will increase quite a bit. there is also luck involved in offence, they mentioned during the broadcast last night that Hoffman is 1st in hit posts this year and dzingel was 3rd or 4th.......a few millimetres the other way and Ottawa probably has 7-8 more goals.

the leafs have a lot of high octane offensive guys who are just flat out lost in the defensive zone.....it's not streakiness or luck it's an inability to play defence.

why is it baseless..............between scoring and defence what is more likely to be streaky?

Ottawa has a lot of good offensive players on their team who are very capable of putting up points but who've been a little streaky this year. their power play has also been bad (which is a system thing IMO) so if they figure that out the GF will increase quite a bit. there is also luck involved in offence, they mentioned during the broadcast last night that Hoffman is 1st in hit posts this year and dzingel was 3rd or 4th.......a few millimetres the other way and Ottawa probably has 7-8 more goals.

the leafs have a lot of high octane offensive guys who are just flat out lost in the defensive zone.....it's not streakiness or luck it's an inability to play defence.
- sensarmy_11

Streaky? 75 games?

Is it streaky? Or it is what it is?

Atlantic Division ..... Regulation wins this season


Boston Bruins 34
Ottawa Senators 32
Montreal Canadiens 31
leafs 29

Tampa Bay Lightning 27

Buffalo Sabres 24
Florida Panthers 21

Detroit Red Wings 16

you also need to be able to stop the other team from scoring..........Toronto is equally as bad at keeping the puck out as Ottawa is at putting it in.

of the 2 issues I think Ottawa, with their roster, is much more likely to figure out their scoring woes then the leafs are to learn how to play defence.
- sensarmy_11

Except that the Leafs seem to have figured it out already. Their biggest problem this year was holding on to leads, and they've turned that around.

Streaky? 75 games?

Is it streaky? Or it is what it is?
- walshyleafsfan

I'm not suggesting they're gonna be a top 10 offensive team ( I don't think that would ever happen under boucher's system) but I do think that they've had stretches of games where they score 1 goal or less for a few games, and then another stretch where they're putting up 3+ goals for 5 or 6.

I think given the players on the respective rosters, and their abilities, I think Ottawa is more capable of increasing their GF then the leafs are of decreasing their GA............that won't always be the case, but as you've all pointed out 347 billion times, the leafs have a lot of rookies and young players who have a lot of offensive ability but aren't very good at playing defense. will they improve over time, probably.....but will they improve by the playoffs, probably not.

why is it baseless..............between scoring and defence what is more likely to be streaky?

Ottawa has a lot of good offensive players on their team who are very capable of putting up points but who've been a little streaky this year. their power play has also been bad (which is a system thing IMO) so if they figure that out the GF will increase quite a bit. there is also luck involved in offence, they mentioned during the broadcast last night that Hoffman is 1st in hit posts this year and dzingel was 3rd or 4th.......a few millimetres the other way and Ottawa probably has 7-8 more goals.

the leafs have a lot of high octane offensive guys who are just flat out lost in the defensive zone.....it's not streakiness or luck it's an inability to play defence.
- sensarmy_11

you leaf fans better get your talking points lined up .............. one day it's this stat, next day it's another ............ and then some days it's scoreboard.

Please pick one, and stick to it svp.
- D0PPELGANGER

Score board tends to have numbers for goals for and goals against.

It's also worth noting that when a Leaf's fan says something along the lines of "scoreboard please"... it's making fun of a sens fan.

We know the underlying stats greatly favour the Leafs.

Atlantic Division ..... Regulation wins this season


Boston Bruins 34
Ottawa Senators 32
Montreal Canadiens 31
leafs 29

Tampa Bay Lightning 27

Buffalo Sabres 24
Florida Panthers 21

Detroit Red Wings 16
- D0PPELGANGER

Atlantic Division........Regulation loses this year

Montreal 24
Ottawa 25
Toronto 24
Boston 30
Tampa 29
Florida 32
Buffalo 33
Detroit 33

- Feeling Glucky?

Other than Karlsson, Stone, Hoffman and Turris, I can't think of a good offensive player

Except that the Leafs seem to have figured it out already. Their biggest problem this year was holding on to leads, and they've turned that around.


- Feeling Glucky?

have they? you got pumped against buffalo, almost gave that game away last night (got outplayed badly in the 2nd and 3rd)......and now Andersen might be hurt and you might have to rely on mckilleney (however the hell you spell that).......

your defence and goaltending are nothing if not inconsistent. there are some nights you give up 1 or 2 goals..........and there are also a lot of night when you give up 5 or 6 goals.

the teams with the high octane offense and inconsistent D don't often do that well in the playoffs.

- Feeling Glucky?

players at 60 or more points

leafs 1 sens 1

players at 50 or more points

leafs 6 sens 4

players at 30 or more poinst

leafs 10 sens 9

players at 20 or more goals

leafs 4 sens 3


if we don't have a lot of good offensive players then you must not have that many either.

have they? you got pumped against buffalo, almost gave that game away last night (got outplayed badly in the 2nd and 3rd)......and now Andersen might be hurt and you might have to rely on mckilleney (however the hell you spell that).......

your defence and goaltending are nothing if not inconsistent. there are some nights you give up 1 or 2 goals..........and there are also a lot of night when you give up 5 or 6 goals.

the teams with the high octane offense and inconsistent D don't often do that well in the playoffs.
- sensarmy_11

No.one is expecting the Leafs to do well in the playoffs. No one expected them to even make the playoffs. All this is is a great learning experience for the babies. It's all house money now. Nothing that happens from now till the end of the season can damper what has been achieved this year.

It's all about the process.

players at 60 or more points

leafs 1 sens 1

players at 50 or more points

leafs 6 sens 4

players at 30 or more poinst

leafs 10 sens 9

players at 20 or more goals

leafs 4 sens 3


if we don't have a lot of good offensive players then you must not have that many either.
- sensarmy_11

I don't see the Sens listed as being higher anywhere?

No.one is expecting the Leafs to do well in the playoffs. No one expected them to even make the playoffs. All this is is a great learning experience for the babies. It's all house money now. Nothing that happens from now till the end of the season can damper what has been achieved this year.

It's all about the process.
- walshyleafsfan

I don't disagree with that at all.............this has definitely been a successful year for your team. they've exceeded expectations and are in a spot where nobody thought they'd be.

I think you can say the same thing about Ottawa........in fact I'm pretty sure most experts had ott and tor as the 2 bottom teams in the division at the start of the year.

the leafs will be better next year as their young players grow and evolve. I also think that Ottawa will be better next year as young players like white and Chabot are inserted into the lineup and old guys like neil and Kelly are removed.

in terms of who would win a playoff series this year...............personally I like Ottawa's tight D to beat the leafs run and gun, but I think either team could win the series.

I don't see the Sens listed as being higher anywhere?
- walshyleafsfan

I never once implied they were..........but if Toronto has so many good offensive weapons, and Ottawa is pretty much right with them or just behind....then why is it laughable to suggest that Ottawa has a lot of good offensive players?

average age of the leafs top 3 point getters at the start of the season: 19


average age of the sens top 3 point getters at the start of the season: 26.33

discuss