Do you want the Leafs to make the playoffs

[Matthew]

Still would have been nice for them to be able to draft a top dman for the future before they really start rolling and have nothing but later picks.

[The BBKL Insider]

leaf scouts are pretty good...plus i think jvr is traded for a dman this summer.

[Bruyns]

Still would have been nice for them to be able to draft a top dman for the future before they really start rolling and have nothing but later picks.

Still could get a top pair guy in the teens. Definitely not much in the cupboards right now for elite talent when it comes to D, but trading could solve that and with the cheaper contracts with all their young guys they can afford to pay for UFAs like a Shattenkirk.

[dave1959]

Still would have been nice for them to be able to draft a top dman for the future before they really start rolling and have nothing but later picks.

Still could get a top pair guy in the teens. Definitely not much in the cupboards right now for elite talent when it comes to D, but trading could solve that and with the cheaper contracts with all their young guys they can afford to pay for UFAs like a Shattenkirk.

Yep. Erik Karlsson was 15th in 2008, for example.

[Matthew]

Still would have been nice for them to be able to draft a top dman for the future before they really start rolling and have nothing but later picks.

Still could get a top pair guy in the teens. Definitely not much in the cupboards right now for elite talent when it comes to D, but trading could solve that and with the cheaper contracts with all their young guys they can afford to pay for UFAs like a Shattenkirk.

Yep. Erik Karlsson was 15th in 2008, for example.

One can't just point to one dman taken 15th and expect it to happen again.

There have been 7 dmen taken 15th since 1990:

Erik karlsson
Ryan pulock
Cody ceci
Alex plante
Jeff ware
Igor knyazev

Not that great a chance of getting a top pairing guy. It would be a lot nicer getting one last chance at a top pick and making sure their d had some stability moving forward.

[Bruyns]

nah, development and success is more important IMO. Lots of bad teams accumulate top picks and don't turn it into success and there are few guaranteed surefire picks in the NHL.

[hong57]

I just hope it won't be a one playoff and went back to bottom like calgary did

[Shep]

I just hope it won't be a one playoff and went back to bottom like calgary did

You're missing the point here. Leafs are doing it with 19-24 year old, Calgary did with vets and extreme luck according to advanced stats. The Leafs are on the upswing.

[kimmer]

U kids act like we humans have any control over how many games leafs kids wins and loses and determine its standings... world has no order we constantly live within chaos and randomness determined by God almighty. Just relax god.we may make playoffs this yr and not make it the next cuz fuckin injuries or something. And then matthews nylander marner develops like a motherfucker in yr 3 and then plow thru fuckers like no tmr for the next 5 seasons. Dont get all hung up on other franchise results god.

Only thing we know and should be happy about is the fact that the direction we chose is making headway and its working. Dont fret about the fuckin WEATHER because it may fluctuate time to time and meteorologists may not always get the weather pattern correct on a daily basis (seasonal). However it is apparent that CLIMATE change is a constant thing (long term franchise direction). Dont be a bunch of fucking noobs gasping that the weather changed for a day (a season)

[Lee]

In a playoff position :O

[Shoalzie]

You honestly can't count anyone out in the East right now. The Isles are in last place in the East but they're only 8 points out of the wild card. You can be in the playoffs one day and be in the hunt for a lottery pick the next.

It seems odd with the wild swings in the number of games played by each team. The Leafs have only played 42 while the Bruins are through 47 games. With the games in hand, if the Leafs can win those games, they can distance themselves from the stragglers on the outside. Hell, they can make a run at the Canadiens for first place.

To think about the draft with just over the half season gone...it's way too early to think about. Like I said, any team in the East can make a bid for a playoff spot. I'd say 2nd and 3rd positions in the Atlantic and the 2nd wild card be had by any team in the East if they want to put a good stretch of games together.

We down here are talking about the Wings tanking and saying 'screw the playoff streak'...they're just 6 points behind Ottawa and Toronto. It's just too early to count anyone out. Arizona and Colorado are the only two teams in the league who look hopeless for making the playoffs.

[Arian The Insider]

You honestly can't count anyone out in the East right now. The Isles are in last place in the East but they're only 8 points out of the wild card. You can be in the playoffs one day and be in the hunt for a lottery pick the next.

Noticed this as well when i was looking over the standings last night. Lots of hockey to still be played.

As a wings fan, would you prefer to squeak into the playoffs and see a likely first round exit or draft high and look towards next year? Just curious on how you view the state of that roster right now.

[Shoalzie]

I think there's a fine line between making the playoffs and being a team capable of winning a best-of-7 series against another playoff team. As crappy as the Wings have but how can you count them yet? They can potentially get in but I don't see them making any noise if they get in.

I don't see the accomplishment in getting in only to lose in the first round. They haven't gotten past the first round in the last 3 playoffs. Is it really that much of an accomplishment to get in and to not win a playoff round? I think most Wings fans would like to see them either bottom out and rebuild or get through the first round. I don't think there's a sentiment that we're just happy to get in.

To me, they're a flawed team. I didn't like the construction of the team heading into the season. They didn't do anything to improve the defense. They're fortunate to get some solid goaltending from Howard and now Coreau. I would've thought this team would be in buried last place if Mrazek didn't play well.

Offensively, they've been subpar. Vanek and Nielsen's additions have worked out but they can't overcome the inconsistent play of guys like Nyquist and Tatar. Larkin has had a quiet sophomore season. Zetterberg is somehow the leader in points. Mantha has been a pleasant surprise now that he's getting regular playing time. The power play is pitiful.

[hong57]

I just hope it won't be a one playoff and went back to bottom like calgary did

You're missing the point here. Leafs are doing it with 19-24 year old, Calgary did with vets and extreme luck according to advanced stats. The Leafs are on the upswing.

oh i thought it was first year with monahan and G

[Arian The Insider]

I think there's a fine line between making the playoffs and being a team capable of winning a best-of-7 series against another playoff team. As crappy as the Wings have but how can you count them yet? They can potentially get in but I don't see them making any noise if they get in.

I don't see the accomplishment in getting in only to lose in the first round. They haven't gotten past the first round in the last 3 playoffs. Is it really that much of an accomplishment to get in and to not win a playoff round? I think most Wings fans would like to see them either bottom out and rebuild or get through the first round. I don't think there's a sentiment that we're just happy to get in.

To me, they're a flawed team. I didn't like the construction of the team heading into the season. They didn't do anything to improve the defense. They're fortunate to get some solid goaltending from Howard and now Coreau. I would've thought this team would be in buried last place if Mrazek didn't play well.

Offensively, they've been subpar. Vanek and Nielsen's additions have worked out but they can't overcome the inconsistent play of guys like Nyquist and Tatar. Larkin has had a quiet sophomore season. Zetterberg is somehow the leader in points. Mantha has been a pleasant surprise now that he's getting regular playing time. The power play is pitiful.

I agree with this, just wanted to see if Wings fans see it the same way

[Arian The Insider]

I just hope it won't be a one playoff and went back to bottom like calgary did

You're missing the point here. Leafs are doing it with 19-24 year old, Calgary did with vets and extreme luck according to advanced stats. The Leafs are on the upswing.

oh i thought it was first year with monahan and G

Calgary had some really young guys too, but the point was their advanced stats suggested that it was more of a fluke season in terms of how high they finished. They were likely not going to sustain that success playing the way that they were.

[Bruyns]

Ya they were a 44% possession team which was 3rd worst in the league and had a penalty differential of +68 and were 13-7 in OT/SO. Everything pointed to that year being a complete fluke.

[Shoalzie]

That game last night was basically the Wings season in a nutshell...looks listless in that first period and I pretty much wanted to turn off the TV. They perk up in the second period to make it a game. They're able to force OT and pull it out in the shootout. A team that can look awful and respectable in the same 60 minute game...it's been aggravating to watch. Either get better or suck...I don't like this in between stuff. Glad the team is on 3-game winning streak but what prevents them from losing the next 5 games?