Is actually be more shocked if they win a round this year. The team is still the same as last season and the years before, and they're more likely than not to either get Florida (who's been incredible this season in all areas and likely a top 3 team in the league), or Tampa (back to back cup champs).. regardless if Toronto improved or not, that's a tough 1st round matchup for anyone.

They ain't getting by the first round this year.

Idk, I think theres a decent chance. Muzzin Rielly and Sandin have a good lock on the left side defense, Kampf and Kase are good depth scorers that know how to play hard hockey, and Campbell is lookin really good this year. Depends on who they draw into, but I like their odds against most teams in the east not named the Panthers

Muzzin has taken a pretty significant step back this season, and the team has showed what they're like in the playoffs after they lose him (they lost him in both of their last 2 series) and Sandin was shaky in playoffs last season. Campbell kinda blew game 7 last year for them and it's his first season as a starter with injury history. He's been good this year but till he proves it in playoffs idk and I'd be worried about his health if he plays too much.

Tough to matchup against either Florida or Tampa. I don't see a single area in which Toronto is better than either team

people seem to forget that florida is just a less publicized toronto. Leafs have been incredible in all areas this year but everyone says (and I agree) that nothing matters until the playoffs because they havent won a round. Could say the exact same thing about Florida. A Leafs-Florida series would be the battle of the first round exits

Florida has defence, and grit. Which excel in playoffs. Toronto does not.

Leafs have had defense this year (and last year for that matter, but its been better this year), despite the recent stretch without our 2nd D pairing. Though I do think we need an upgrade on Holl. "Which excel in the playoffs" its truly hilarious watching people bash the leafs for not making it out of the first round while praising other teams in the same situation. A team like the Leafs build with elite stars, a solid checking line, depth, solid D, and vezina level goaltending, if you take the history aside and the leafs logo off of their chest, would be seen unanimously in the same positive light.

I think many people don't see the real issue with the Leafs and that's the players commitment to defence. Adding a defenceman isn't going to change that - it's a core issue and there's no accountability on the stars when they don't play in their own end well. It's what's going to sink them. You don't consistently blow 3 goal leads and still think you're a good defensive club. Most nights they're bailed out by Campbell, and honestly it seems like some nights even he's not there (I understand the Leafs make it hard on him but at the end of the day it's his job to stop the puck, that's it). It's not a championship caliber team and it's not a team built for the playoffs. If it was, they woulda walked all over a very weak Montreal team last season and they couldn't get the job done then either. Fans are just going to be let down again after this year. Then Marner is likely gone and maybe it'll be wake up call to the team

you're looking at the last 3ish games in isolation, complete recency bias. They've blown a few leads in the last 3-4 games, held onto most games but that's no excuse. The team committment to defence has been there all season.

Gotta credit MTL a little more there they beat Vegas and went on a crazy run. Leafs also had Tavares hurt, had Foligno take his spot as 2C and then he got hurt. Muzzin was our best defenceman last season and in that series he also got hurt. So you lose a point per game center, your replacement center, and your top defenceman, all while getting absolutely brick walled by Price. But yes, while they were smothering Matthews, Hyman and Marner should have been able to capitalize on some of the more open shots that they were given as they double or triple teamed Matthews.

Matthews is a selke candidate, Nylander has among the best turnover to takeaway ratios (is among the league leaders in takeways, Marner is an elite penalty killer, and Tavares is Tavares - just very consistent and reliable. Sure they haven't been defensive all along the way but they're 24, not many players break into the league and are immediate defensive forces.

Look, all I'm saying is if the narritive on the Leafs is they can't win because they haven't, that logic should also be applied to say that Florida can't win a round, and for that matter even say that the Avs won't make it out of the 2nd round (seemingly the cup favourite every year but don't make it past the 2nd, but we never talk about that). Now to be clear, I don't believe that the past prohibits any of these three teams. Think they could all go on runs.

You think Matthews is a Selke candidate? Yikes.

many analysts, journalists, advanced stats people, etc. not only have him as a candidate but as the favourite.