Kessel is da man. 2 more goals tonight.

If they had him since the start they'd be in a playoff spot now.
- RogerRoeper

they are 5-7 with him in the lineup and have played about 3 good teams in that time

they are 5-7 with him in the lineup and have played about 3 good teams in that time
- FirstClass

5-4-3 with him to be exact and 1-7-4 without him.

5-4-3 with him to be exact and 1-7-4 without him.
- RogerRoeper

loser point is still losing and you had a weak schedule

Kessel is da man. 2 more goals tonight.

If they had him since the start they'd be in a playoff spot now.
- RogerRoeper

What a stupid excuse when you see the injury bug around the league and the Leafs being mainly injury free.

loser point is still losing and you had a weak schedule
- FirstClass

It's still a point...in fact since Kessel has come in we've doubled our points. It's not unreasonable to say that with him from day one we would be higher in the standings, possibly competing for a playoff spot.

And how did we have a "weak schedule" we played teams like Chicago, Calgary, Ottawa and Washington who are all leaders in their division...we also played three games against the Lightning (2) and Isles (1) who are among 5 teams tied for 7th in the East. We only really had four games against week teams: Carolina (2), Panthers (1), Minnesota (1) and also played one game against a struggling Detroit team who are still very dangerous.

So that's four games against bad teams, four games against some good teams and four games against average teams. That seems about as good of a split as physically possible.

What a stupid excuse when you see the injury bug around the league and the Leafs being mainly injury free.
- hello_there

Injuries are part of the game...if you want to attribute the Leafs winning to other teams having injuries then it's only logical that you attribute the Leafs losing at the start of the season to their own rash of injuries, most notably to Kessel, Toskala and Gustavsson all at the same time.

It works both ways.

What a stupid excuse when you see the injury bug around the league and the Leafs being mainly injury free.
- hello_there

Except for the first 15 games when Kessel was injured

5-4-3 with him to be exact and 1-7-4 without him.
- RogerRoeper

5 wins 7 losses............NHL eliminated ties years ago.

5 wins 7 losses............NHL eliminated ties years ago.
- Doppleganger

Wow, seriously? Thanks for the heads up, tips.

The 3 stands for overtime or shootout losses. When the league was locked out in 2004-2005, they decided that ties left fans feeling dissatisfied. So they decided to make Overtime play more open by making it 4-on-4. If nobody had won at the end of 5 minutes, they would go to a shootout. Whichever team wins in overtime or a shootout gets 2 points while the loser leaves with one.

It's still a point...in fact since Kessel has come in we've doubled our points. It's not unreasonable to say that with him from day one we would be higher in the standings, possibly competing for a playoff spot.

And how did we have a "weak schedule" we played teams like Chicago, Calgary, Ottawa and Washington who are all leaders in their division...we also played three games against the Lightning (2) and Isles (1) who are among 5 teams tied for 7th in the East. We only really had four games against week teams: Carolina (2), Panthers (1), Minnesota (1) and also played one game against a struggling Detroit team who are still very dangerous.

So that's four games against bad teams, four games against some good teams and four games against average teams. That seems about as good of a split as physically possible.
- Leafy_84

Don't cloud the issue with facts.

I think there is something really remarkable taking place in the standings. Often what happens is the top few teams tend to run away and hide in terms of point standings. As a result there is normally a wide variation in the point totals from 1 thru 4 and 4 thru 8 and so on. However this year the top 12 or 13 teams have remained relatively close in overall point production. Everyone seems to be able to beat anyone else on any given night. And, as a result point totals have clustered within a narrow band and the teams near the bottom of the standings are only a few points out of a playoff position. If the Leafs can get into 11th or 12th place position by the last month of the season they have a serious shot at making it into the playoffs if the current trend continues.

loser point is still losing and you had a weak schedule
- FirstClass

Ask a team who misses out on the playoffs due to another team having more overtime/shootout losses and see if a loser point is still losing. Every point counts in todays NHL, especially when teams end up being so close together by the end of the year.

so even if getzlaf plays better, like he did in last years playoffs where the pens were carried by malkin, crosby is still better........ok......
- FirstClass

You're a marginal hockey fan and you lack knowledge AT BEST if you think that Getzlaf could ever be considered a better/more valuable player than Crosby.

You have been exposed. Embarrassing.

You're a marginal hockey fan and you lack knowledge AT BEST if you think that Getzlaf could ever be considered a better/more valuable player than Crosby.

You have been exposed. Embarrassing.
- bureforearthsprez

FirstClass = fail.

FirstClass = fail.
- Leafy_84

So bad.

Crosby:
22
Cup
Art Ross
Lester B
Hart
316GP, 144G, 278A, 422P

Getzlaf:
24
Cup
321GP, 92G, 205A, 297P
Male pattern baldness

So bad.

Crosby:
22
Cup
Art Ross
Lester B
Hart
316GP, 144G, 278A, 422P

Getzlaf:
24
Cup
321GP, 92G, 205A, 297P
Male pattern baldness
- bureforearthsprez

loser point is still losing and you had a weak schedule
- FirstClass

if so that means the Leafs would have made the playoffs 2 years ago.

You're a marginal hockey fan and you lack knowledge AT BEST if you think that Getzlaf could ever be considered a better/more valuable player than Crosby.

You have been exposed. Embarrassing.
- bureforearthsprez

So you dont think Getzlaf could ever win a hart trophy then? newsflash since crosby came into the league ovechkin and thornton have

So you dont think Getzlaf could ever win a hart trophy then? newsflash since crosby came into the league ovechkin and thornton have
- FirstClass

Newsflash, Ovechkin and Thornton are much higher caliber than Getzlaf.

Newsflash, Ovechkin and Thornton are much higher caliber than Getzlaf.
- Holy-Mackinaw

I'd take Getzlaf over Thornton myself. Partly due to age, partly due to Thornton's playoff results on his career. Thornton will consistently put up more points in the regular season though.

I'd take Getzlaf over Thornton myself. Partly due to age, partly due to Thornton's playoff results on his career. Thornton will consistently put up more points in the regular season though.
- daeth

True, but I doubt Getzlaf will ever have the kind of year Thornton had when he won the Hart/Art Ross trophy.

True, but I doubt Getzlaf will ever have the kind of year Thornton had when he won the Hart/Art Ross trophy.
- Holy-Mackinaw

Thornton does have an extra level in the regular season that we have yet to see with Getzlaf yet. He's still pretty young though.

Newsflash, Ovechkin and Thornton are much higher caliber than Getzlaf.
- Holy-Mackinaw

yeah when getzlaf destroyed thornton h2h in the playoffs last year joe sure was "much higher caliber"

True, but I doubt Getzlaf will ever have the kind of year Thornton had when he won the Hart/Art Ross trophy.
- Holy-Mackinaw

you don't know that, hes only 24, second getzlaf has had two great playoff runs, thornton has had zero. Getz almost beat detroit by himself, talk to their fans they fear him more than Crosby

you don't know that, hes only 24, second getzlaf has had two great playoff runs, thornton has had zero. Getz almost beat detroit by himself, talk to their fans they fear him more than Crosby
- FirstClass

Oh well, if Detroit fans fear him then it's sealed!