Its been 3 long years since we've seen any playoff hockey for the Buds and this year could be no different. But lets think about this for a minute the Leafs even though they couldn't keep the puck out of the net they certainley had no problem putting it in the net. The Leafs were still top 10 in the league for goals scored and really only lost Sundin this summer.
Now does that mean the team is doomed without him "NO" simply put this team has a lot of new faces on it and there are still changes in the works with the rumored exchange of McCabe and one other Leaf player going to the Panthers for Van Ryn and another Panther (Rumored to be David Booth).
The Leafs have Nikolai Kulemin who scored 33 points in 57 games, they also have Niklas Hagman who scored more goals then Tucker last year and provides more speed then him as well. The Defence is a lot stronger with the additions of Finger and Frogren and not to mention the strong continued play of Kaberle and Stralman.
The goaltending is some of the best in the East I would go as far to say that its top 3. Toskala had terrific numbers on a poor defensive squad and will be better this season with a strong coach leading the way.
The Leafs also hope for big things from Mikael Grabovski and Nik Antropov as well as Alex Steen who may flurish with more minutes.
I think anyone predicting the Leafs to miss the playoffs has there reasons especially because they've missed them the last 3 years. But I think this year will be different and until January we can't really predict what will happen lets give them a chance before we dump on them.
The Source
7 comments:
The poster above me is an ignorant ape.
^^obviously a wanna-be european montreal fan
No. The Leafs are not better than last year. The Leafs will have problems putting the puck in the net. Banking on the kids to produce is a bad idea. They are rookies. Don't expect so much.
I agree. Their defense is unproven at best, Toskala had one full season (last year) and he will need to repeat that before we call him a top 3 goaltender (any body remember Jim Carrey from Washington??), and Kulemin may score but so did Ovechkin in his rookie year. I agree the Leafs have some good building blocks but you say they only lost Sundin? That was their major catalyst.
We need to be more realistic I think.
Wow Source, did you use spelling/grammar check this time? :P
Anyway, I agree that the Leafs will have a hard time scoring without their major catalyst, Sundin. They need that number 1 center. Hopefully Fletcher's homerun trade will include one.
i'm a leafs fan yet not nearly as stupidly delusional as this post ...
top 3 goaltending? haha ... do the names fleury, brodeur, lundqvist mean anything to you?
not to mention, miller, ward, vokoun and price ...
toskala is highly overrated take a look at where his sv% and gaa ranked in the league last year then try to say he's top 3 in the east
brodeur has amazing stats cus he plays on a defensive team.
lundqvist is pretty good. i'd say he's in the top 3 in the east.
i don't think fleury's that good
toskala needs some defense to put up better numbers. if they play wilson's defensive system this year, he'll have a better save % and gaa, even if his W/L record suffers.
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