One win does not make a season, and any serious hockey fan knows the Toronto Maple Leafs will still battle their way uphill to make it to the playoffs. Last week a producer for the Fan590, a local Toronto sports radio network, was said to have organized a parade celebrating the Leafs victory. Presumably no parade occurred and the hype was simply sarcastic, but I do wish to go on record as saying the Leafs will make the playoffs.
The parade was facetiously reported during the height of the franchise's quagmire of a season, but the Leafs have won four of their last five hockey games and nearly managed an eleventh hour comeback in their loss to the Devils. They have fired one GM (though he had achieved the best winning percentage in recent history), because Toronto fans have waited forty years for the Stanley Cup and desperately want a shot at the playoffs.
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Enter Cliff Fletcher. It’s not his hiring that has me suddenly optimistic; I thought they had a playoff team before the changes were made. But Fletcher's taking over makes it easier for me to go on record and predict an extended Leafs season.
Firstly, although Fletcher’s winning percentage was lower than Ferguson's, he led the team to the best playoff success they’ve had in the recent past.
Secondly I’m not sure Sundin will be traded before or at the deadline. If Mats reverses his stance and waives his no-trade clause, I believe Fletcher will gain more for the Leafs than prospects and draft picks. In other words, a Sundin trade will not signal surrender. If anyone can get full value for the superstar, it’s Fletcher, who was [in]famous for blockbuster deals during his first tenure in Toronto.
I am unconvinced that Mats is going anywhere. Despite speculation by some, Fletcher was brought in as much to convince the captain to waive his clause as for any other reason. I believe statements from Mats make it more likely that Fletcher will convince others to waive their clause and leave Mats in Toronto.
The tools are in place and some are clamoring for a complete rebuilding—several reporters asked about this at Fletcher's press conference. As I’ve said before and maintain now, Toronto is not a patient enough from the top down to rebuild from ground up.
The powers that be maintain the goal is to make the playoffs. This writer is not anxious to give credibility to Peddie and his ilk, but I do predict the team will make the playoffs, almost in spite of the board and its meddling.
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7 months ago
Well, there has to be an optimist in every crowd.
7 months ago
They are playing great hockey, but I think I heard statistically that they need almost a point in every game to match the number of points it took for 8th to get in last year.
All that said, I certainly hope they do it. Maybe the shake up, and the meeting with Jordan Primeau will inspire the club from here onward.
7 months ago
I'm not a fan but they're not far out of playoff spot. They do have to have icredible win % to get 90 pts but I still believe they'll be in. The Isles may miss playoffs letting Leafs in lol
7 months ago
If the Leafs get in, it would probably be worse for them than missing it completely.
But the bottom line is the Leafs can never get above .500, whenever they manage to pull themselves above the bar, they lose a whole ton of games in a row.
And a .500 team might not be good enough anymore, if they do get in, it'll be 8th, and they'll be ousted relatively quickly.
7 months ago
oh please dont get me wrong I am not claiming they'll get far in playoffs I just expect them to squeak in is all.
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