I am suggesting that the scoring of the lines will dry up like it does year after year...the only reason they are winning games right now is because they are out scoring their real problems...any unbiased person can see that...

Canucks were ahead in the nhl by the end of last year, with 1st in PP, and 2nd in PK...the Leafs are far from securing a playoff spot...do you think Wilson has all of a sudden become coach of the year or something? They've still got the same defensive problems they had last year, despite adding Liles, Gardiner and Franson...all it takes is 1 more injury to the leafs and they'll sink faster than the titanic...they started off strong last year too, look how far that got them...eventually the true superstars in the east are going to wake up like they always do around mid november - early december...and when that happens...the stats I posted about the Leafs are going to become far more evident...
- annoyance_101

TO be honest, I agree with you that we will drop off, but the reason isn't the players, it is the coach.

Our PP and PK are terrible because we lack a system.

We have one of the most goals against because he is making the defence play an offensive system, which doesn't bode well for a guy like Schenn, but is doing wonders for Phaneuf, Gardiner, Liles, and Gunnarsson.

Our goaltending has been half decent, and will improve as the year goes on.

If we just fixed this one place, given what I have seen from the players, the drop off wouldn't be anywhere near as significant as I expect it to be in the near future

You've got to be kidding me. The Sens offense sucks. They have one line, and then a bunch of plugs. You want to talk about scoring drying up? Spezza is scoring not only WAY above what he's done for the past 3 years, but above his career average, which includes the years him, Alfie, and Heatley racked up ridiculous point totals. Michalek is scoring MILES above what you can reasonably expect from him. Alfie is going on 39. Colin Greening is scoring at a higher pace than he did in the AHL. Gonchar, 37, suddenly playing like he's in his prime again. Not a chance in hell Karlsson keeps scoring like has been.

And you think the LEAFS scoring will dry up?


The Sens scoring is more likely to dry up, and probably drop off more significantly than the Leafs..... And then, you're left with a team that is giving up the most goals in the NHL. By a wide margin.

Ottawa is going to be a basement team this year. It's pretty much a sure thing.

And even if it does.... With Reimer in net, the goals against is pretty consistent with what it was last year, to start the season. With him back in net, the Leafs will be able to compensate for a bit of a drop in goal scoring.

Besides, as much as the Leafs have some guys scoring in bunches right now, there are others that haven't completely gotten going yet.

They may not stay where they are. I fully expect them to slip a bit. But not to the basement. Where I expect the Sens to slip to.
- prock

Sens points are dead on. Yance, you can't really argue with them.

TO be honest, I agree with you that we will drop off, but the reason isn't the players, it is the coach.

Our PP and PK are terrible because we lack a system.

We have one of the most goals against because he is making the defence play an offensive system, which doesn't bode well for a guy like Schenn, but is doing wonders for Phaneuf, Gardiner, Liles, and Gunnarsson.

Our goaltending has been half decent, and will improve as the year goes on.

If we just fixed this one place, given what I have seen from the players, the drop off wouldn't be anywhere near as significant as I expect it to be in the near future
- mfreedman

thats what i had said, asking prock if he thought wilson will become coach of the year or something, he's a terrible coach and eventually thats going to drastically catch back up with the leafs...once the offensive minded players tune him out, the leafs are going to be in for a world of hurt...

thats what i had said, asking prock if he thought wilson will become coach of the year or something, he's a terrible coach and eventually thats going to drastically catch back up with the leafs...once the offensive minded players tune him out, the leafs are going to be in for a world of hurt...
- annoyance_101

true, which is why I hope the slide happens soon.. If not he may be resigned..

thats what i had said, asking prock if he thought wilson will become coach of the year or something, he's a terrible coach and eventually thats going to drastically catch back up with the leafs...once the offensive minded players tune him out, the leafs are going to be in for a world of hurt...
- annoyance_101

I've already said I have no expectations of them staying where they are. And while I don't think Ron Wilson is a great coach, he's also not bad enough to let a pretty decent roster slip from where they are now, to the cellar of the East.

I've already said I have no expectations of them staying where they are. And while I don't think Ron Wilson is a great coach, he's also not bad enough to let a pretty decent roster slip from where they are now, to the cellar of the East.
- prock

He pretty much let it happen last year...leafs were 4-0 at the end of october last year...they are not much better than that this year yet...it could very well happen again...they need a different coach in a bad way....i cant say that for sure about the sens because their coach keeps changing from year to year so i'm not passing judgement on their system yet...i fully expect sens and leafs to finish last in the division at the very least...in which order, i'm not sure, but it should be close once both teams offense dries up...and also i would take spezza over connolly as a #1 any day of the week, despite what spezza has shown in the past 3 years...

He pretty much let it happen last year...leafs were 4-0 at the end of october last year...they are not much better than that this year yet...it could very well happen again...they need a different coach in a bad way....i cant say that for sure about the sens because their coach keeps changing from year to year so i'm not passing judgement on their system yet...i fully expect sens and leafs to finish last in the division at the very least...in which order, i'm not sure, but it should be close once both teams offense dries up...and also i would take spezza over connolly as a #1 any day of the week, despite what spezza has shown in the past 3 years...
- annoyance_101

The comparison was not that Spezza isn't better than Conolly. It was you have more faith in an offensive roster full of unproven players on Ottawa, and a roster full of weak defensive defensemen on Ottawa over the leafs depth at forward and pretty solid defensive roster.

The justifications you are using to try and Say TOR will finish last can just as easily be applied to OTT.

Then you say that OTT should finish ahead of the leafs, but again, the reasoning you use to say the leafs will finish in a worse position is the same as in OTT

He pretty much let it happen last year...leafs were 4-0 at the end of october last year...they are not much better than that this year yet...it could very well happen again...they need a different coach in a bad way....i cant say that for sure about the sens because their coach keeps changing from year to year so i'm not passing judgement on their system yet...i fully expect sens and leafs to finish last in the division at the very least...in which order, i'm not sure, but it should be close once both teams offense dries up...and also i would take spezza over connolly as a #1 any day of the week, despite what spezza has shown in the past 3 years...
- annoyance_101

Spezza over Connolly. Okay.

How about Kessel over Michalek?

Lupul over a decrepid Alfie?

Grabovski over.... whatever crap their second line centre is? Who is it, Zack Smith? Peter Regin, when he's healthy? LOL.

Kulemin and Macarthur over.... whatever crap they're playing on their second line?

The entire third line over the Sens third line? the entire 4th line as well? Reimer over Anderson? The entire Leafs D over what the entire Sens D currently is?

But, sure, I'll give you Spezza over Connolly.

The comparison was not that Spezza isn't better than Conolly. It was you have more faith in an offensive roster full of unproven players on Ottawa, and a roster full of weak defensive defensemen on Ottawa over the leafs depth at forward and pretty solid defensive roster.

The justifications you are using to try and Say TOR will finish last can just as easily be applied to OTT.

Then you say that OTT should finish ahead of the leafs, but again, the reasoning you use to say the leafs will finish in a worse position is the same as in OTT
- mfreedman

Ottawa ,will finish lower than the leafs ,the leafs are way deeper up front and have more experience on the backend.My only beef is that leaf fans where calling us for dead last before the season started .

And this BS spewed that we will be there for the 3 to 5 years ,is false the kids are looking good on the defense,next year you will start to see the forwards.Ottawa will not turn into the islanders or any basement dwelling team for that matter,we have done a good job of stockpiling and developing during these down years .

Ottawa ,will finish lower than the leafs ,the leafs are way deeper up front and have more experience on the backend.My only beef is that leaf fans where calling us for dead last before the season started .

And this BS spewed that we will be there for the 3 to 5 years ,is false the kids are looking good on the defense,next year you will start to see the forwards.Ottawa will not turn into the islanders or any basement dwelling team for that matter,we have done a good job of stockpiling and developing during these down years .
- top shelf 15

I assumed you would be bottom 5. I also said that I did not expect you to stay down there for too long. I had a 2 year rebuild before you were challenging for a playoff spot.

The only reason I had you out of the basement though was because of Anderson. I didn't think he would be stellar, but I assumed the likes of Pavelec/Mason would finish worse. I also said CGY would be in the basement, and I assumed DAL would be there too (ok that one was wrong)

I didn't think you would finish 30th, but then again it was still a possiblility for you

I don't expect it to continue like this. But it would take a pretty huge slide to sink out of a playoff spot any time soon.

I know you hate the Leafs and all, but they'd have to play like the Canucks have so far this year, for the ENTIRE year, to fall out of a playoff spot. Honestly, what is the likelihood of them being THAT bad for the rest of the year? Not very high.
- prock

I would like to agree with you.

It is a little early, but for the leafs to drop out of a playoff spot, they would have to be passed (in the standings) by 8 freaking teams!

If that happened, it would be perhaps on of the greatest collapses in the history of the NHL.

Like I said in another thread, 7 of the 8 teams in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after the US Thanksgiving day weekend last year, remained there and made the playoffs.

So I would say it would be a very safe bet that there will be a playoff game played in the ACC, in 2012 for the first time since 2004, an eight year drought.

Spezza over Connolly. Okay.

How about Kessel over Michalek?

Lupul over a decrepid Alfie?

Grabovski over.... whatever crap their second line centre is? Who is it, Zack Smith? Peter Regin, when he's healthy? LOL.

Kulemin and Macarthur over.... whatever crap they're playing on their second line?

The entire third line over the Sens third line? the entire 4th line as well? Reimer over Anderson? The entire Leafs D over what the entire Sens D currently is?

But, sure, I'll give you Spezza over Connolly.
- prock

This is the type of post that makes ALL other leaf fans in these forums look like Aholes by association.

I would challenge you to show us another posting by any other poster that even comes close to this one by comparison.

This post is the true definition of what a "Troll posting" is.

you would never see some thing like this from a Senator fan in the leaf forum.


I would just like to point out that the Senators did soundly beat the leafs that last time they played...............so how does that make the leafs look, if Ottawa is as bad as you would like us to believe?

This is the type of post that makes ALL other leaf fans in these forums look like Aholes by association.

I would challenge you to show us another posting by any other poster that even comes close to this one by comparison.

This post is the true definition of what a "Troll posting" is.

you would never see some thing like this from a Senator fan in the leaf forum.


I would just like to point out that the Senators did soundly beat the leafs that last time they played...............so how does that make the leafs look, if Ottawa is as bad as you would like us to believe?
- Doppleganger

How is it trolling? It's true. The guy tries to justify saying the Leafs will sink past the Sens, and justifies it by saying ONE player in ONE position is better for the Sens than the Leafs. It's ridiculous. The Leafs roster is better in just about every spot.

and honestly... The Sens soundly beat the Leafs? That's the pinnacle of stupid comments for the month. I'd wager no one says anything more stupid for the rest of November. They won by one goal.... A totally flubbed goal, by a goalie who is struggling pretty badly, and probably won't be in the NHL too much longer. And, even by HIS standards, it was pretty bad.

How is it trolling? It's true. The guy tries to justify saying the Leafs will sink past the Sens, and justifies it by saying ONE player in ONE position is better for the Sens than the Leafs. It's ridiculous. The Leafs roster is better in just about every spot.

and honestly... The Sens soundly beat the Leafs? That's the pinnacle of stupid comments for the month. I'd wager no one says anything more stupid for the rest of November. They won by one goal.... A totally flubbed goal, by a goalie who is struggling pretty badly, and probably won't be in the NHL too much longer. And, even by HIS standards, it was pretty bad.
- prock

It's trolling because you're a leaf fan, posting in a Senators forum using baiting insults and making personal attacks, for the sole purpose of generating a response, to somehow justify your pathetic little life.

It's trolling because you're a leaf fan, posting in a Senators forum using baiting insults and making personal attacks, for the sole purpose of generating a response, to somehow justify your pathetic little life.
- Doppleganger

Actually, that was the first personal insult.

I guess that makes you the troll.

toronto .679 (5th overall) 64.8% chance of making playoffs
Buffalo .615 (11th overall) 76.2% chance of making playoffs
Ottawa .500 (21st overall) 18.8% chance of making playoffs
Montreal .462 (26th overall) 37.8% chance of making playoffs
Boston .417(29th overall) 46.2% chance of making playoffs

Bostons huge win on Saturday put them a lot closer to contending for a playoff spot than their position in the standing may indicate.

Ottawa is now the least likely to make the playoffs, just as they were projected to be at the beginning of the season.

.

Boston .611--90.7% chance of making playoffs
Buffalo .600--68.8% chance of making playoffs
toronto .571--37.7% chance of making playoffs
Montreal .525--57.5% chance of making playoffs
Ottawa .524-- 23.6% chance of making playoffs

I think if you review the opening post of this thread, that I picked Boston to be the team to beat in the NE. I also suggested that the two Ontario based teams would closer to each other, than either one would be to the rest of their divisional rivals. In respect to each team's "Chances of making the playoffs" they are well behind the other three, at basically the one quarter mark of the season.

I've spoken to a few leaf fans, and there seems to be some truth to rumours that some fans see a need to trade for a veteran goaltender the longer Reimer remains injured.

Boston .611--90.7% chance of making playoffs
Buffalo .600--68.8% chance of making playoffs
toronto .571--37.7% chance of making playoffs
Montreal .525--57.5% chance of making playoffs
Ottawa .524-- 23.6% chance of making playoffs

I think if you review the opening post of this thread, that I picked Boston to be the team to beat in the NE. I also suggested that the two Ontario based teams would closer to each other, than either one would be to the rest of their divisional rivals. In respect to each team's "Chances of making the playoffs" they are well behind the other three, at basically the one quarter mark of the season.

I've spoken to a few leaf fans, and there seems to be some truth to rumours that some fans see a need to trade for a veteran goaltender the longer Reimer remains injured.
- Doppleganger

I think even with reimer healthy they still need a veteran goalie.

I think even with reimer healthy they still need a veteran goalie.
- sens rock

I don't know about "veteran". If you're thinking the mentor angle, I don't think Reimer really needs it. He seems to have his head screwed on straight (no jokes about his current situation please). He's also 23 years old, almost 24. He's not THAT much of a kid anymore. Really, they need ANY decent goalie to back him up, so they're not getting abysmal goaltending every time he needs a rest.

I don't know about "veteran". If you're thinking the mentor angle, I don't think Reimer really needs it. He seems to have his head screwed on straight (no jokes about his current situation please). He's also 23 years old, almost 24. He's not THAT much of a kid anymore. Really, they need ANY decent goalie to back him up, so they're not getting abysmal goaltending every time he needs a rest.
- prock

im not saying they need a 35 year old who has seen it all or anything. but they need someone who has more experience than gustavsson and scrivens.

im not saying they need a 35 year old who has seen it all or anything. but they need someone who has more experience than gustavsson and scrivens.
- sens rock

Absolutely. Someone they can put in there without being scared of the outcome. Hence, I say, not so much a veteran, just ANY goalie that can play. Hell, if it were a good young goalie, that would be good to put in there to learn, with 20 or so games, that would be fine with me too. Just ANYONE that can give them some decent goaltending.

Absolutely. Someone they can put in there without being scared of the outcome. Hence, I say, not so much a veteran, just ANY goalie that can play. Hell, if it were a good young goalie, that would be good to put in there to learn, with 20 or so games, that would be fine with me too. Just ANYONE that can give them some decent goaltending.
- prock

By all accounts there isn't much of a goalie market and with teams more desperate for goaltending than the leafs i don't think it makes sense for them to compete with what those teams may be willing to give up. I think trying to go after a guy like leighton or legace would be a good, low cost move.

By all accounts there isn't much of a goalie market and with teams more desperate for goaltending than the leafs i don't think it makes sense for them to compete with what those teams may be willing to give up. I think trying to go after a guy like leighton or legace would be a good, low cost move.
- sens rock

Sure.

Boston .611--90.7% chance of making playoffs
Buffalo .600--68.8% chance of making playoffs
toronto .571--37.7% chance of making playoffs
Montreal .525--57.5% chance of making playoffs
Ottawa .524-- 23.6% chance of making playoffs

I think if you review the opening post of this thread, that I picked Boston to be the team to beat in the NE. I also suggested that the two Ontario based teams would closer to each other, than either one would be to the rest of their divisional rivals. In respect to each team's "Chances of making the playoffs" they are well behind the other three, at basically the one quarter mark of the season.

I've spoken to a few leaf fans, and there seems to be some truth to rumours that some fans see a need to trade for a veteran goaltender the longer Reimer remains injured.
- Doppleganger

Can you update this?