Have you looked at the leafs goaltending and defense.

So lets start with goaltending

Lehner had better save perctenage then Anderson. He was hurt for most of season and is finally healthy. Also he is one of two goalies that didnt have to get smaller pads because he is so big. Which make huge difference. Also Anderson has palyed on one of the best teams in nhl which help his stats and still lehner stats are better.

Defense

Risto> Reilly
Kuliov Mccabe>Maricin
Bogo>Polak
Gorges>Cowen
Franson>Rodbdas

The leafs have good top pair and besides that they are all a bunch of scrubs. While everyone is hating on the sabres defense they are not terrible. Risto is a stud. Bogo was on fire the last half of year after he recovered from injury almost averaging a point a game in the last 20. McCabe was very good last year and this being his second full year he has shown alot of promise. Kulikov was nice addition. They are much better then the leafs.
- hanleyaj

Those defensive selections on Toronto are great. Why not just throw Kaberle and Yushkevic in there, too?

Robidas just accepted an executive job with the Leafs, mentoring younger d-men. He'll never play another game. Cowen is in the middle of a buyout negotiation, and will never don a Leafs jersey again. And Marincin is (at very best) our seventh guy

Here's a more realistic picture:

Rielly > Risto
Gardiner > Bogosian
Zaitsev > Kulikov
McCabe = Hunwick
Polak < Franson
Carrick > Gorges (JG is garbage. No matter who the Leafs end up taking in the last spot, they will undoubtedly be superior to Gorges)

Buffalo will be last in the division

Also - every analyst on earth is predicting that Matthews will be a superior player to Eichel. Did you watch the World Cup at all? Eichel isn't in the same league

Higher SV% and lower GAA then your king last year....
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

How many games has Lehner put up in a year though? Can we even classify him as a #1 starting goaltender, or is he seeing as much action as a backup? This argument reminds me of playing EA NHL in the early 2000s.. if you had a goalie who had one shutout in one game, and you scratched him the rest of the season he would still win the Vezina

Have you looked at the leafs goaltending and defense.

So lets start with goaltending

Lehner had better save perctenage then Anderson. He was hurt for most of season and is finally healthy. Also he is one of two goalies that didnt have to get smaller pads because he is so big. Which make huge difference. Also Anderson has palyed on one of the best teams in nhl which help his stats and still lehner stats are better.

Defense

Risto> Reilly
Kuliov Mccabe>Maricin
Bogo>Polak
Gorges>Cowen
Franson>Rodbdas

The leafs have good top pair and besides that they are all a bunch of scrubs. While everyone is hating on the sabres defense they are not terrible. Risto is a stud. Bogo was on fire the last half of year after he recovered from injury almost averaging a point a game in the last 20. McCabe was very good last year and this being his second full year he has shown alot of promise. Kulikov was nice addition. They are much better then the leafs.
- hanleyaj

Hahaha, Ristolainen is in no way shape or form better than Reilly.

And other than him, I'll take Gardiner and Zaitsev over any Sabres dman every day of the week.

Cowen and Robidas aren't even on the team.

Those defensive selections on Toronto are great. Why not just throw Kaberle and Yushkevic in there, too?

Robidas just accepted an executive job with the Leafs, mentoring younger d-men. He'll never play another game. Cowen is in the middle of a buyout negotiation, and will never don a Leafs jersey again. And Marincin is (at very best) our seventh guy

Here's a more realistic picture:

Rielly > Risto
Gardiner > Bogosian
Zaitsev > Kulikov
McCabe = Hunwick
Polak < Franson
Carrick > Gorges (JG is garbage. No matter who the Leafs end up taking in the last spot, they will undoubtedly be superior to Gorges)

Buffalo will be last in the division

Also - every analyst on earth is predicting that Matthews will be a superior player to Eichel. Did you watch the World Cup at all? Eichel isn't in the same league
- AxlRose91

The World Cup what does soccer have to do with anything?

I dont think most Leaf fans hate Buffalo. Just Garth. Which for some reason makes alot of Sabres fans angry.
- systemtool

Everybody hates garth

Those defensive selections on Toronto are great. Why not just throw Kaberle and Yushkevic in there, too?

Robidas just accepted an executive job with the Leafs, mentoring younger d-men. He'll never play another game. Cowen is in the middle of a buyout negotiation, and will never don a Leafs jersey again. And Marincin is (at very best) our seventh guy

Here's a more realistic picture:

Rielly > Risto
Gardiner > Bogosian
Zaitsev > Kulikov
McCabe = Hunwick
Polak < Franson
Carrick > Gorges (JG is garbage. No matter who the Leafs end up taking in the last spot, they will undoubtedly be superior to Gorges)

Buffalo will be last in the division

Also - every analyst on earth is predicting that Matthews will be a superior player to Eichel. Did you watch the World Cup at all? Eichel isn't in the same league
- AxlRose91

No way rielly is better then Risto.
zaitsev has never played in nhl so lets just go back to realty because rookie defensemen struggle alot in nhl.

Hunwick is terrible and McCabe rookie season was better then a 31 years best season.

Josh gorges is good defensive player and will surely have better season then another rookie dman. My guess he gets sent back to ahl.

Mathews will not get more then 56 points. He had very good tournament but looked who he played with McDavid. He was able to find chemistry with him and they just played well together. Eichel was not able to find chemistry with his linemates and struggled. So unless mathews gets traded for Sekera and plays with Mcdavid he will not have more then 56 points. He will unfourtnatley get all the tough matchups because he will be first line center because leafs offense sucks. Eichel played second line and took alot of offensive faceoffs because we had the beast in O'Reilly.

I am not saying he is not a good player but Eichel had very good season and had talented players protecting him and playing with him. The leafs just do not have that. He will struggle alot in first season.

1: Tampa
2: Florida
3: Montreal
4: Buffalo
5: Ottawa
6: Boston
7: Toronto
8: Detroit

Tampa
Montreal
Florida
Ottawa
Buffalo
Boston
Toronto
Detroit
- Aetherial

Agree for the most part, though I think Ottawa is too high and Detroit too low. I think the Wings contend for a WC but miss out. I think Ottawa is terrible.

Crosby is easily in the conversation.
- mjones242

No team is more dependent on one player than MONTRÉAL. Pens are still competitive without Crosby. Price is the difference between 100+ points in Montreal and a bottom 5 finish.

tampa (playoffs)
florida (playoffs)
montreal (playoffs)
Ottawa (bubble)
Buffalo
Boston
Detroit
Toronto

No team is more dependent on one player than MONTRÉAL. Pens are still competitive without Crosby. Price is the difference between 100+ points in Montreal and a bottom 5 finish.

-DoubleDown
- DoubleDown

I never in my days expected to see a Habs fan admit this, even after last season. Much respect for you sir.

No way rielly is better then Risto.
zaitsev has never played in nhl so lets just go back to realty because rookie defensemen struggle alot in nhl.

Hunwick is terrible and McCabe rookie season was better then a 31 years best season.

Josh gorges is good defensive player and will surely have better season then another rookie dman. My guess he gets sent back to ahl.

Mathews will not get more then 56 points. He had very good tournament but looked who he played with McDavid. He was able to find chemistry with him and they just played well together. Eichel was not able to find chemistry with his linemates and struggled. So unless mathews gets traded for Sekera and plays with Mcdavid he will not have more then 56 points. He will unfourtnatley get all the tough matchups because he will be first line center because leafs offense sucks. Eichel played second line and took alot of offensive faceoffs because we had the beast in O'Reilly.

I am not saying he is not a good player but Eichel had very good season and had talented players protecting him and playing with him. The leafs just do not have that. He will struggle alot in first season.
- hanleyaj

OK, I had to read your comment a few times, to determine whether or not it was written in English. Still unsure, but I think I got the gist of it. I hope you're either 7 years old, or just moved here from Kazakhstan

Moving on...

Rielly is superior to Risto in all ways. All of them. Every single one

Zaitsev was leveraged as a top-pairing defender for Team Russia in the World Cup. He was far more valuable than Kulikov, and will continue to be so in the NHL. Better player all-around

You do understand why Matthews was chosen to play on the top line with McDavid, right? It wasn't due to "chemistry". They'd been playing on separate lines, so there was no way to accurately determine any pre-existing chemistry. Matthews was outplaying Eichel severely, so they promoted him. He should easily surpass Eichel's numbers from his first year. Eichel wasn't even nominated for the Calder as a rookie. Matthews is the projected favourite

Buffalo has a few nice pieces up front, but a lot of dead weight too. Lehner is a back-up goalie, and the defense is awful. Last place in the Atlantic. Sorry

Florida
Tampa Bay
Montreal
Boston
Ottawa
Detroit
Buffalo
Toronto

OK, I had to read your comment a few times, to determine whether or not it was written in English. Still unsure, but I think I got the gist of it. I hope you're either 7 years old, or just moved here from Kazakhstan

Moving on...

Rielly is superior to Risto in all ways. All of them. Every single one

Zaitsev was leveraged as a top-pairing defender for Team Russia in the World Cup. He was far more valuable than Kulikov, and will continue to be so in the NHL. Better player all-around

You do understand why Matthews was chosen to play on the top line with McDavid, right? It wasn't due to "chemistry". They'd been playing on separate lines, so there was no way to accurately determine any pre-existing chemistry. Matthews was outplaying Eichel severely, so they promoted him. He should easily surpass Eichel's numbers from his first year. Eichel wasn't even nominated for the Calder as a rookie. Matthews is the projected favourite

Buffalo has a few nice pieces up front, but a lot of dead weight too. Lehner is a back-up goalie, and the defense is awful. Last place in the Atlantic. Sorry
- AxlRose91

I do! It's because he was 18 and not able to carry a line at center like Eichel was asked to.

I mean, Matthews looked excellent, but he was riding shotgun to the games best.

He did snipe that tap in about 6 inches into the net when McJesus put it on his blade

I do! It's because he was 18 and not able to carry a line at center like Eichel was asked to.

I mean, Matthews looked excellent, but he was riding shotgun to the games best.

He did snipe that tap in about 6 inches into the net when McJesus put it on his blade
- sbroads24

My 19 year old teenager is better than your 18 year old teenager"

Jeez you guys are pathetic

My 19 year old teenager is better than your 18 year old teenager"

Jeez you guys are pathetic
- rangerdanger94

OK, I had to read your comment a few times, to determine whether or not it was written in English. Still unsure, but I think I got the gist of it. I hope you're either 7 years old, or just moved here from Kazakhstan

Moving on...

Rielly is superior to Risto in all ways. All of them. Every single one

Zaitsev was leveraged as a top-pairing defender for Team Russia in the World Cup. He was far more valuable than Kulikov, and will continue to be so in the NHL. Better player all-around

You do understand why Matthews was chosen to play on the top line with McDavid, right? It wasn't due to "chemistry". They'd been playing on separate lines, so there was no way to accurately determine any pre-existing chemistry. Matthews was outplaying Eichel severely, so they promoted him. He should easily surpass Eichel's numbers from his first year. Eichel wasn't even nominated for the Calder as a rookie. Matthews is the projected favourite

Buffalo has a few nice pieces up front, but a lot of dead weight too. Lehner is a back-up goalie, and the defense is awful. Last place in the Atlantic. Sorry
- AxlRose91

Risto is younger, bigger, had more points, more hits, more blocked shots........how do you figure he's better in "every way"

I do! It's because he was 18 and not able to carry a line at center like Eichel was asked to.

I mean, Matthews looked excellent, but he was riding shotgun to the games best.

He did snipe that tap in about 6 inches into the net when McJesus put it on his blade
- sbroads24

I don't think there is any reasonable way to spin Eichel being better at the WCH. Eichel was not impressive.

What happens in their careers remains to be seen.

I don't think there is any reasonable way to spin Eichel being better at the WCH. Eichel was not impressive.

What happens in their careers remains to be seen.
- Aetherial

This is a good post

This is a good post
- SDSabre

Look who it's coming from, of course it's going to be good.

Look who it's coming from, of course it's going to be good.
- Scabeh

This is also a good post

I never in my days expected to see a Habs fan admit this, even after last season. Much respect for you sir.
- leafsfann

far as im concerned there's nothing to admit or argue over. it was proved true last season and remains true until proven otherwise.

Risto is younger, bigger, had more points, more hits, more blocked shots........how do you figure he's better in "every way"
- sensarmy_11

Rielly faced significantly higher QoC, had a better Corsi Rel to QoC, the competition QoC was worse when facing Rielly, Corsi QoT(eamates) was MUCH better with Rielly.

Basically, he played tougher minutes on a signficantly worse team, and had better possession stats and he improved his teammates stats more than Risto did.

Oh... and hits and blocked shots mean you don't have the puck


(disclaimer... all this presumes that I actually understand the stats I am looking at. Given that I spent about 30 seconds gathering this data, that is by no means, a given)

Look who it's coming from, of course it's going to be good.
- Scabeh

I'm still not doing that thing you like, more than once in a while.

far as im concerned there's nothing to admit or argue over. it was proved true last season and remains true until proven otherwise.
- DoubleDown

I think had the habs had a good back up (not playing rookies most of the season) they would have been better than bottom 5..........it almost felt like when price went down they decided to just tank. had they brought in a competent goalie (enroth or someone similar) I think they would have flirted with a playoff spot.

no doubt they do rely heavily on him though. the only 2 other teams who I can think of who would be as sunk if they lost one player would be Ottawa (karlsson) and the islanders (Tavares)