So the Sabres have missed a lot of man games which has effected their team results, Toronto not so much.

Toronto is younger (25.7 to Sabres 26.2) but not by much. They have strong "rookies", but if you look at the details, they are not Matthews age rookies.

They are getting rookie support from Hyman (24 years old, but a 6th? round pick) and others similar. So my question / comment will be is it sustainable? You see a lot of rookies have break out years and then come back to earth. Same could be said for our players, but they seem to have more unproven players playing really well. Where we have O'Reilly (proven), Kane (fairly proven), Okposo (proven) to back them up.

It will be interesting the next few years to see how these two progress / compete against each other. Hopefully we come out ahead, long term.
- Lilroot9

It will be interesting to see what, if anything, the Leafs will do in free agency. As of now, they won't be able to LTIR Horton or Lupul as they'll be below the cap floor. I think their active roster of makes about 43 mil a year. Once Robidas, Michalek, Polak, Laich and Greening come off the books at the end of this season, they're gonna have to pay someone to make up the difference

Any stats that take into account the Sabres team prior to Jack returning from injury are null and void.

Impress us with those same stats since he returned ONLY .................

I'll wait ...........
- fastek

We have scored more, and have been scored on more since he's been back.

Of course we are better with him,

But also, wouldn't that type of data be unfair to any other team in the league that had an injury?

We have pretty much been a .500 team this whole year with and without Eichel

Kale sh!T

as GREAT as the leafs have been this year

they are 6 points out of 28th place in the NHL

We have scored more, and have been scored on more since he's been back.

Of course we are better with him,

But also, wouldn't that type of data be unfair to any other team in the league that had an injury?

We have pretty much been a .500 team this whole year with and without Eichel
- sbroads24

And been in the bottom 5 the whole time

as GREAT as the leafs have been this year

they are 6 points out of 28th place in the NHL
- homiedclown

They have played many game though. Somehow, no idea how, a divisional rival, Boston, have played 6 more games than the Leafs and Sens.

as GREAT as the leafs have been this year

they are 6 points out of 28th place in the NHL
- homiedclown

We can talk all the poop we want but they're still better than us right now

We have scored more, and have been scored on more since he's been back.

Of course we are better with him,

But also, wouldn't that type of data be unfair to any other team in the league that had an injury?

We have pretty much been a .500 team this whole year with and without Eichel
- sbroads24

It starts and ends with how Murray built the Defense.
It's bad. Gorges, Franson, Kulikov, Bogosian.
I can understand having one or two in your top 6, but all 4?

The more and more you look at some of his moves, the more you have to question what he has done.

The amount of assets he had when he took this job, this team should have a lot more talent whether it be in Rochester or here.

We have scored more, and have been scored on more since he's been back.

Of course we are better with him,

But also, wouldn't that type of data be unfair to any other team in the league that had an injury?

We have pretty much been a .500 team this whole year with and without Eichel
- sbroads24

No ...... not unless the other teams lost their BEST player like we did.

Hey it's a definite possibility. I'll admit that. Even though, statistically, the Leafs are considered a virtual lock for the playoffs, they are quite young and inexperienced. So they could certainly fall out of the top 8 by year's end. I wouldn't be surprised at all

But they'll make it next year. And the year after that. And the Buffalo dumpster fire will continue to rage....
- AxlRose91

In Canada, Leafs fall between February and March.

Hey it's a definite possibility. I'll admit that. Even though, statistically, the Leafs are considered a virtual lock for the playoffs, they are quite young and inexperienced. So they could certainly fall out of the top 8 by year's end. I wouldn't be surprised at all

But they'll make it next year. And the year after that. And the Buffalo dumpster fire will continue to rage....
- AxlRose91

Hey it's a definite possibility. I'll admit that. Even though, statistically, the Leafs are considered a virtual lock for the playoffs, they are quite young and inexperienced. So they could certainly fall out of the top 8 by year's end. I wouldn't be surprised at all

But they'll make it next year. And the year after that. And the Buffalo dumpster fire will continue to rage....
- AxlRose91

Leafs a lock to make the playoffs?

Mathews 19, Marner 19 ,nylander 20 ,

And then the overage rookies
- GERBE!!!75PTS

Right I get it, ok, Eichel (20) Reinhart (21) Ristoleninen (22) and A Nylander (18).

Just that none of are players are "rookies". Nylander played 22 games last year, so by the rules he is still a rookie, but not really the same (in my brain).

Marner seems like (how can he not?) he will have more points than Reinhart for their rookie years.

Matthews seems like he will pass Eichel too (currently at 37 points, Eichel finished with 56), but still needs to score at around 0.5 pt/game to tie, which seems likely.

So when we say Toronto is on quick rebuild, getting the 5th overall (2012) 8th overall pick (2014), 4th overall (2015) then 1st overall (2016), they just did it in reverse compared to us.

Risto 8th overall (2013), Reinhart 2nd overall (2014), Eichel 2nd overall (2015), Nylander 8th overall (2016).

It starts and ends with how Murray built the Defense.
It's bad. Gorges, Franson, Kulikov, Bogosian.
I can understand having one or two in your top 6, but all 4?

The more and more you look at some of his moves, the more you have to question what he has done.

The amount of assets he had when he took this job, this team should have a lot more talent whether it be in Rochester or here.
- ImThatGuy

Gorges and Franson were stop-gap moves only and have actually performed to expectations. Kulikov and Bogosian have not ............... and in their case why is that GMTM's fault? Because he should have known better?

In Canada, Leafs fall between February and March.
- cabin

Took the Leafs forever to get a working internet page cause other people had to show them how to string three W's together.

Leafs a lock to make the playoffs?


- homiedclown

I ignored that . figured it was a typo

I ignored that . figured it was a typo
- cabin

now I wish risto breaks matthews leg tonight


nothing serious, just a clean break

Gorges and Franson were stop-gap moves only and have actually performed to expectations. Kulikov and Bogosian have not ............... and in their case why is that GMTM's fault? Because he should have known better?
- fastek

Gorges has been terrible? We are better without him in the lineup.
Fransons expectations were a 5-6 D-man. He is playing above that beacause this team has no one else.

Yes, he should have. Bogosian was known to miss a lot of time, and be an overpaid, underperforming d-man.

Kulikov under performed while in FLA.

Murray should absolutely know what he is acquiring, he is an NHL GM. He is the one you have to hold accountable for the moves. Why is he getting a pass for making moves that didn't pan out?

It will be interesting to see what, if anything, the Leafs will do in free agency. As of now, they won't be able to LTIR Horton or Lupul as they'll be below the cap floor. I think their active roster of makes about 43 mil a year. Once Robidas, Michalek, Polak, Laich and Greening come off the books at the end of this season, they're gonna have to pay someone to make up the difference
- walshyleafsfan

Well you're right it will get interesting as most free agents end up being busts (compared to cost), so to me more likely it will be a trade for higher cap hit players.

Also they dont have to submit for LTIR for players if they dont want to (and get to cap floor).

Hey it's a definite possibility. I'll admit that. Even though, statistically, the Leafs are considered a virtual lock for the playoffs, they are quite young and inexperienced. So they could certainly fall out of the top 8 by year's end. I wouldn't be surprised at all

But they'll make it next year. And the year after that. And the Buffalo dumpster fire will continue to rage....
- AxlRose91

Last year, 96 points (Leafs current projection) got you 8th place (in the playoffs). So tell me again how they are anything close to a lock for the playoffs. Good chance, maybe. Probable, maybe. Lock (or any form of it) no.

Gorges has been terrible? We are better without him in the lineup.
Fransons expectations were a 5-6 D-man. He is playing above that beacause this team has no one else.

Yes, he should have. Bogosian was known to miss a lot of time, and be an overpaid, underperforming d-man.

Kulikov under performed while in FLA.

Murray should absolutely know what he is acquiring, he is an NHL GM. He is the one you have to hold accountable for the moves. Why is he getting a pass for making moves that didn't pan out?
- ImThatGuy

Gorges was signed for tank purposes and performed according to expectations until better and younger D-men could develop. That's what's happening now. So he's served his purpose. Franson is the same. Bogosian is clearly dropped off but I still don't blame Murray for picking him up in that deal. He wasn't playing like this in Winnipeg by the way.

Last year, 96 points (Leafs current projection) got you 8th place (in the playoffs). So tell me again how they are anything close to a lock for the playoffs. Good chance, maybe. Probable, maybe. Lock (or any form of it) no.
- SDSabre

tied for 9th in the east is the new lock to make top 8

now I wish risto breaks matthews leg tonight


nothing serious, just a clean break
- homiedclown

Oh my lol it would brighten my day up wouldn't get any text from my brother how great Matthews is

Bye Felicia

Hey it's a definite possibility. I'll admit that. Even though, statistically, the Leafs are considered a virtual lock for the playoffs, they are quite young and inexperienced. So they could certainly fall out of the top 8 by year's end. I wouldn't be surprised at all

But they'll make it next year. And the year after that. And the Buffalo dumpster fire will continue to rage....
- AxlRose91

Mitch Marner is 164lbs. He looks good now but it is only a matter of time before somebody ends his career. Maybe McCabe will do it tonight.

There is no point arguing who has the better team. There is a league with a format that does that for us. The leafs are better. Injuries are just excuses. We need to be better. Either are players are not good enough, or our coaching is not good enough. Pick a side, fire somebody, move on.