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The Motherfucking 2021 Season Thread

BeLeafer

Well-known member
Have at it.

Big issues:

1. Keefe getting this team to play consistently at a high level through the regular season
2. Fred not shitting the bed with up and down play
3. Brodie having good chemistry with Mo
4. Finding some gems play from the margins (Lehtonen, Thornton, Simmonds, Bogosian, et al)

Predictions:
 
I really want to see what the likes of simmonds, thornton and bogosian can do for the team.

We know our elite guys are elite but what can we get from the new elements.
 
I feel like I've consumed maybe all of five minutes of Leafs news in the last two months. Feel totally out of it and need some trade or move to snap me back in. I also don't fully trust they'll be playing when they expect to.
 
Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Ottawa were all bottom 10 in xGA/60 last year. And Calgary and the Leafs weer 16th and 17th. This could be a crazy division.

Biggest question for me is can Matthews score 50 goals in 50 games, or will he need all 56 games.
 
As someone who is one of the tougher Leafs critic around here even I have to admit that they are so far and away the best team in the division. Montreal is the only team in their stratosphere. This could absolutely get silly. They'll have to ramp up their level of play in the playoffs when they play against real teams real quick...
 
Yeah, I don't see any team matching the Leafs in talent and depth. But in the end, they'll be judged by the playoffs.
I really dislike Calgary's 2 UFA signings. Edmonton still is mostly a 2 man team. Ottawa has great young talent, but still quite a ways away. Habs I can see being very good and 2nd in the division. Vancouver has a good future, but takes a step back this year. Jets have a very bad D. Halleybuyck has to repeat what he did last year. Like their forwards a lot.
Leafs
Habs
Oilers
Jets
Flames
Canucks
Sens
 
I forecast our division as follows:

1. Toronto
2. Montreal
3. Calgary
4. Edmonton
5. Vancouver
6. Winnipeg
7. Ottawa
 
This divisional set up is great for the Leafs and especially for postseason. They wouldn't face a Tampa, Boston, Pitts or Caps until the 'conference final'.

It is a bit worrisome that the Leafs have a ridiculously easy path to the final four relative to past years. This is a team that has played down to the opposition like few others I can recall. I'm sure they too can see the relatively easy path they have here. Keefe is gonna need to earn his keep this season.
 
The team has more balls and leadership this year. Should suddenly lead to more success and the leaderbean truculence bashers will be out in full force spinning the narrative. Kid Wonder has finally realized you can't create a team full of soft as butter talented stat sheet chasers and you need some ancillary pieces that play a different way and have experience in tough games. That, in addition to the soft divisional bracket lead me to believe our playoff slump ends this year. But it's the Leafs so who knows.
 
The team has more balls and leadership this year. Should suddenly lead to more success and the leaderbean truculence bashers will be out in full force spinning the narrative. Kid Wonder has finally realized you can't create a team full of soft as butter talented stat sheet chasers and you need some ancillary pieces that play a different way and have experience in tough games. That, in addition to the soft divisional bracket lead me to believe our playoff slump ends this year. But it's the Leafs so who knows.

The leafs were elite under Keefe last year, even with top-5 most significant injuries in the league and poor goaltending

It'll be wonderful seeing leafs fans pin the praise for their "surprising improvement" on signing Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, and Zach Bogosian, 3 guys who nobody wanted.
 
Sorry thought this was the around the league thread since you were talking seedings. I’ll move the posts off you want.

Also, chill out. Hockey’s back and I’m betting the Leafs/Habs will be scheduled 10 times.
Okay. I'm chilled. Just want discussion of the Leafs upcoming season in here.
 
The leafs were elite under Keefe last year, even with top-5 most significant injuries in the league and poor goaltending

It'll be wonderful seeing leafs fans pin the praise for their "surprising improvement" on signing Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, and Zach Bogosian, 3 guys who nobody wanted.

Not nobody. I am not overly thrilled with them and would have preferred more impactful leadership and experience but it is better than icing the same bunch of pups that couldn't beat Columbus last year. Will take what I can get.
 
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