People Say I'm A Dreamer...
Well the NHL seasons ‘officially’ gets underway today as the Toronto Maple Leafs step onto the ice for the first time against their hated rivals from up north, the Ottawa Senators. And while we’re probably going to get blown out tonight, at home no less, I still have a gut feeling that, yes, Toronto WILL indeed make the playoffs this season after a couple of years watching 16 other teams compete for the Stanley Cup.
Why am I confident this bunch, largely the same group that didn’t make the playoffs last year, will finish better than 8th in the Conference?
Reason #1: Mats Sundin is a great player. He’s no Sidney Crosby, and does have nights (or stretches of nights) where he is almost invisible, but when he’s on, he is dominant. And you’ve got to think that after not making the playoffs for a couple of years, and being the age that he is (35 or 36) he is running out of time to play on a winner. Now do I think the Leafs can win the Stanley Cup this year? That’s a bit of a stretch…but as we saw back in 93-94, heart and grit can take you a long way, and I think Mats’ heart is really, really in it this year. I expect him to have a very nice year and lead this team to a 6th or 7th place finish in the conference. Then, in the playoffs, anything can (and sometimes does) happen.
Reason #2: Coach Paul Maurice is a very good coach. He’s had a year to whip these guys into shape and mold them into the kind of team that he wants. There is no ‘adjustment period’ like there was last year, the guys know what Paul wants out of them, and if they don’t give it to him ASAP, they’ll be in big trouble. I’ve always felt that the Leafs don’t play with enough urgency…or haven’t in the past few years. I know that you can’t go balls out all night, every night…but they can’t have those stretches of 6 or 7 games where they go in the tank…every team slumps, but the Leafs always seem too comfortable when they are slumping, so hopefully Maurice won’t let the boys get away with that this season.
Reason #3: We now have 2 good goalies. We may not have 1 great goalie, but with 2 solid keepers, we should be able to avoid the problems that we’ve faced the past 2-3 years when our #1 guy goes down, or isn’t playing well. Newcomer Vessa Toskala (formerly of the San Jose Sharks) is a good goalie. How he handle the pressure cooker of playing in T.O. is yet to be seen (and if the pre-season is any indication, he is going to be under the biggest microscope on the planet this year) but the fact is Andrew Raycroft, as unspectacular as he was last year, was still a good goalie and probably suffered from playing in too many games…so having another guy not only pushing him, but who’s equal to him in talent (or better as many have hoped) will make the Leafs a better team. Having another potential #1 starter has got to be good for at least 3-4 more wins this year, and seeing as how we missed the playoffs by 1 point last year, that’s a good thing.
Reason #4: The kids are being developed properly for once. Gone are the days of trading young prospects for veteran guys on the downside of their career. Players like Alex Steen, Matt Stajan, Kyle Wellwood, Carlo Colaiacovo, Ian White, Nik Antropov, Alex Ponikarovsky are all expected to contribute significantly this year…only this time it isn’t just wishful thinking. Pony and Antropov both looked really good on the first line with Mats last year, and while I doubt we’ll see them both playing with him this year (Jason Blake will probably replace one of them on the top line) if they do end up playing with him, they should only get better. I’ve been a Nik Antropov fan since he was drafted, and have put up with a lot of flack for liking someone who is always injured…but the guy is a 6’5 forward with amazing hands and vision…he’s just got bad knees. If he can stay healthy for 70 games this year, he’s going to turn some heads.
Reason #5: Jason Blake will score 30 goals. Jason Blake might score 40 goals. If he scores 40 goals, we are in the playoffs. I can’t remember the last time we had a guy that ‘might’ score 40 goals. Plus, the guy can fly. He adds speed to a team that really needs it. Plus, it takes a little pressure off Darcy Tucker, who while a very good player, is not a 40 goal scorer. 20 is more like it.
Reason #6: Brian McCabe can not be as bad as he was last year…can he?
So there you have it…6 good reasons why the Leafs will make the playoffs. Sure, the defence is still extremely suspect outside of Tomas Kaberle, and the goalies haven’t looked that great in pre-season (but its fucking pre-season people…so calm the fuck down already newspaper writers) and the Senators, Penguins, Rangers and Sabres all look like they are going to be very good this year…but that leaves 4 spots for everyone else. Why not us?
I mean, its not like the Canadiens are going to be any good this year. =)
Go Leafs Go!
Why am I confident this bunch, largely the same group that didn’t make the playoffs last year, will finish better than 8th in the Conference?
Reason #1: Mats Sundin is a great player. He’s no Sidney Crosby, and does have nights (or stretches of nights) where he is almost invisible, but when he’s on, he is dominant. And you’ve got to think that after not making the playoffs for a couple of years, and being the age that he is (35 or 36) he is running out of time to play on a winner. Now do I think the Leafs can win the Stanley Cup this year? That’s a bit of a stretch…but as we saw back in 93-94, heart and grit can take you a long way, and I think Mats’ heart is really, really in it this year. I expect him to have a very nice year and lead this team to a 6th or 7th place finish in the conference. Then, in the playoffs, anything can (and sometimes does) happen.
Reason #2: Coach Paul Maurice is a very good coach. He’s had a year to whip these guys into shape and mold them into the kind of team that he wants. There is no ‘adjustment period’ like there was last year, the guys know what Paul wants out of them, and if they don’t give it to him ASAP, they’ll be in big trouble. I’ve always felt that the Leafs don’t play with enough urgency…or haven’t in the past few years. I know that you can’t go balls out all night, every night…but they can’t have those stretches of 6 or 7 games where they go in the tank…every team slumps, but the Leafs always seem too comfortable when they are slumping, so hopefully Maurice won’t let the boys get away with that this season.
Reason #3: We now have 2 good goalies. We may not have 1 great goalie, but with 2 solid keepers, we should be able to avoid the problems that we’ve faced the past 2-3 years when our #1 guy goes down, or isn’t playing well. Newcomer Vessa Toskala (formerly of the San Jose Sharks) is a good goalie. How he handle the pressure cooker of playing in T.O. is yet to be seen (and if the pre-season is any indication, he is going to be under the biggest microscope on the planet this year) but the fact is Andrew Raycroft, as unspectacular as he was last year, was still a good goalie and probably suffered from playing in too many games…so having another guy not only pushing him, but who’s equal to him in talent (or better as many have hoped) will make the Leafs a better team. Having another potential #1 starter has got to be good for at least 3-4 more wins this year, and seeing as how we missed the playoffs by 1 point last year, that’s a good thing.
Reason #4: The kids are being developed properly for once. Gone are the days of trading young prospects for veteran guys on the downside of their career. Players like Alex Steen, Matt Stajan, Kyle Wellwood, Carlo Colaiacovo, Ian White, Nik Antropov, Alex Ponikarovsky are all expected to contribute significantly this year…only this time it isn’t just wishful thinking. Pony and Antropov both looked really good on the first line with Mats last year, and while I doubt we’ll see them both playing with him this year (Jason Blake will probably replace one of them on the top line) if they do end up playing with him, they should only get better. I’ve been a Nik Antropov fan since he was drafted, and have put up with a lot of flack for liking someone who is always injured…but the guy is a 6’5 forward with amazing hands and vision…he’s just got bad knees. If he can stay healthy for 70 games this year, he’s going to turn some heads.
Reason #5: Jason Blake will score 30 goals. Jason Blake might score 40 goals. If he scores 40 goals, we are in the playoffs. I can’t remember the last time we had a guy that ‘might’ score 40 goals. Plus, the guy can fly. He adds speed to a team that really needs it. Plus, it takes a little pressure off Darcy Tucker, who while a very good player, is not a 40 goal scorer. 20 is more like it.
Reason #6: Brian McCabe can not be as bad as he was last year…can he?
So there you have it…6 good reasons why the Leafs will make the playoffs. Sure, the defence is still extremely suspect outside of Tomas Kaberle, and the goalies haven’t looked that great in pre-season (but its fucking pre-season people…so calm the fuck down already newspaper writers) and the Senators, Penguins, Rangers and Sabres all look like they are going to be very good this year…but that leaves 4 spots for everyone else. Why not us?
I mean, its not like the Canadiens are going to be any good this year. =)
Go Leafs Go!
posted by neil at 4:46 PM
1 Comments:
WOrd! I'm with you on all of these well-thought-out bullets. I can't take anymore playoff impotence.
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