A word of warning to the rest of the NHL: LeafNation is alive and well. Thanks to back-to-back wins over the Flyers, the Leafs find themselves five points behind Philadelphia for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. However, before slightly delusional Leaf fans start lining up to buy their playoff tickets, think about who else is in the race.
As of Thursday, the Leafs were tied with the Capitals and Panthers at 74 points. If you take a good look at each of the three teams’ remaining schedules, the Leafs are in tough. Toronto has to play the Habs, Sens and Bruins two times each. That’s six games against playoff-bound teams!
The Capitals play the Lightning and Thrashers twice. The Panthers play the Thrashers three times and Lightning twice.
George Richards is the Panthers beat writer for the Miami Herald. As George explains, this year’s late-season push by the Panthers is nothing new down in South Florida. (Sounds familiar, doesn’t it Leaf fans?). While George isn’t sure if the Panthers can do it, he does feel they have a much easier schedule than the Leafs. George talks about Florida’s playoff chances in his blog.
Tarik El-Bashir covers the Capitals for the Washington Post. As he points out, the Caps players truly believe they have a shot at the No. 8 seed and he also mentions that message boards about the Capitals are literally burning up with fans who are working out all the scenarios. Having said that, Tarik is a little less enthused at Washington’s chances, saying the math is simply working against them.
Mike Brophy of the Hockey News believes that if there’s any team capable of grabbing the No. 8 seed in the East, it’s the Capitals. To Brophy, Washington has the best players and made some significant upgrades at the trade deadline. He goes on to say that head coach Bruce Boudreau has been effective at handling the solid goaltending duo of Olaf Kolzig and Cristobal Huet. And Brophy says the Caps have, what is arguably, the best player in the NHL, Alex Ovechkin.
Personally, I love this crazy, all-out, mad dash for the cash. Just like all those die-hard Caps fans, I find myself obsessing over the standings every night, trying to figure out all the different scenarios. I’m sure Scott Moore and everyone over at the CBC is walking around with Tomas Vokoun and Alex Ovechkin voodoo dolls, trying to will the Leafs into the post-season!
In case you’re wondering, the Flyers’ remaining schedule will see them play the Penguins three times and Rangers and Devils twice.
Until it’s official, LeafNation will always believe. Then again, Panthers and Capitals fans are right there with them.
Who do will think will grab the No. 8 seed in the East?
As a member of Leafs Nation, everyone may think my opinion is biased. But as long as we beat Buffalo all 3 times this next 3 weeks, we can do it! I realize Buffalo, Washington, and Philly have a game at hand, but I keep my fingers crossed that they will lose, and the Leafs end up winning AT LEAST 7 of their last 10 games. I happen to be very open minded and very optimistic. I believe in Miracles and I believe they can keep winning. I support the Leafs in everything that they do, GO LEAFS GO!!
YEAH!!!! Lets make it in, lose a good draft pick, go out in four and have management think that they're not as far off as they originally thought and come back with the same team next year....Perfect!
Having said that, I am one of those idiots totally caught up in the hype and screaming at the TV every night.
I wouldn't exactly call Boston playoff bound. They only have one more point than Philadelphia and they have struggled lately. If we win both of our remaining games aginst them, they could be on the outside looking in come playoff time. I wouldn't be surprised if the Leafs and Caps both got in and Boston and Philly dropped out.
First of all, let's get one thing straight - both 7th and 8th spots are very much in play right now. Boston is only 1 pt ahead of Philly, and Boston has major problems with their defensive zone play at the moment, and goaltending is no longer saving them. If they don't solve this they are done, period. Boston also has a much tougher schedule (for them) than the Leafs the rest of the way. (3 against the Habs, 2 vs Sens, and 1 vs Devils, 2 vs Leafs who just killed them twice, and Habs have owned them for the last 2 seasons).
Philly is also struggling - they may have a respectable 5-2-3 record over the last 10, but only 1 of those wins was against a team ahead of them, and beating Ottawa hasn't exactly been an astounding accomplishment lately.
Washington and Florida's games appear to be against weaker teams, but these are still division match-ups, which are always tough. Atlanta just beat Florida the other day, and had a huge comeback win against Calgary last night.
Still, the Caps schedule is the easiest, and they have a real chance of getting in. If Mats doesn't miss much time - and they can win without him tomorrow (if he sits) the Leafs are right there too. Still a longshot, but not nearly as impossible as it looked 2 wks ago.
We have to hammer Buffalo, and consistently beat Boston. We also need to beat Montreal and Ottawa as much as possible. It's possible but it's still a big long shot.
WOW, only 5 comments from LeafNation, and this was up yesterday. I guess the wagon broke down.
As Badge mentioned, both the 7 and 8th seeds are available still as neither Boston nor Philly are assured of a playoff spot.
In my opinion, the Caps and Leafs will BOTH sneak into the playoffs ahead of Boston and Philly. The Leafs already pulled off their double key win against Philly back to back (where was THAT effort 2 years ago when they needed it against the Habs in Montreal on back to back nights?).
Yes they have 3 games against Buffalo and 2 against the Habs but they have played very well against both teams this year and as long as they get some points out of those games (8 points out 10 possible against those 2 teams) they would still be in it.
Things won't be decided until the last night but Ottawa or Montreal playing a red hot Leafs team going into the Playoffs would make CBC's year!
With the East being so tight and going to the wire, the leafs won't have any gimme games left. I hope they make it but it really will be a miracle if they pull it off.
Leafs won't make it. Period. They have to climb over four better teams just to make 8th spot. They're only prolonging the inevitable and playing their way out of a decent draft pick. Can't say I'm upset about that.
As far as the CBC, screw them. They've been ramming the Leafs down Canadians' throats for so long they deserve bad ratings. If they shifted the focus and broadcasts to different Canadian teams on Saturday night instead of treating the rest of the country like second rate citizens then, maybe they would generate ratings in the playoffs whenever those pathetic losers in blue don't make it in... which is more often than not.
They need to clean house at the CBC and fire a lot of the decision makers.
Ok Enough of this foolishness talking about the leafs making the playoffs. I am a leafs fan and it's time for the rest of you people to wake up and smell the coffee. Just like the past 2 years the leafs will continue their stupid playoff push and finish 1 or 2 points out. Well i'm sick of it maybe they should play some hockey next year between October when the season starts and Feburary or march and they would,nt be in this situation. My opinion is this is the dumbest thing the leafs could do. Start Raycroft and loose the games they have left and hope all the teams behind them winn what they have left and go for a good draft pick. But I know that won't happen cause the leafs are not smart enough for that.
Although I am a Leafs faithful, I think we will see a big change in philsophy by the end of Saturday's game against Buffalo. If we lose, we are 7 points behind the Sabres, we have the hardest schedule down the stretch and Sundin is hurt. If we lose, Raycroft starts Tuesday and that is the beginning of the March into the Stamkos sweeps. Maurice will be politely aksed to play Raycroft every two games and to make healthy scratches for everyone in rotation so as to "audition" the youngsters. He will also be told to increase the playing time for the 2nd and 3rd line players. Here is hoping that we sit in the #1 position for the draft!
You have to give the leaf fans credit for being so loyal for so long.As a Sens fan I have to admit your loyalty is something to be admired.
Very simply, you support a team just like a child weather they do good or bad.It is always easy to support a winner.
Seriously anyone....including the die hardest of fans needs to realize the leafs are dead. And the hammering they got tonight should prove that point. When you're 6 pts out with 10 to go and you have to climb over 4 teams you are done.
Once again the Leafs are a laughing stock, nuf said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe someone otta tell them that the season starts in October not February then us leaf fans would'nt have to go through this embarressment each year thinking they might actually make the playoffs when they start to win a few games at seasons end. Not only miss the playoffs again for a third straight year but crush any chance for a decent draft pick.
Leafs...playoffs....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh thank-you, I needed a good laugh today. So Toronto fans, how does it feel knowing that since 1993, EVERY Canadian team but the Leafs has made it to the Stanley Cup final? Man, 1967....I wasn't even born then, not for another 12 years...The more the Leafs fail, the more I believe in a higher hockey power.
Prior to the new CBA, every Canadian team needed to make it to the Stanley Cup finals to show a financial profit for the year (except one Canadian team...any guesses JephC?).
I'm no here to defend the Leafs or to suggest they make the playoffs this year either, but every team has extremely bad years. CGY, EDM, VAN have all missed the playoffs many years in a row. Under Pat Quinn and Pat Burns, the leafs made the playoffs more years than not (and did quite well TYVM).
Besides, losing in the SC finals (especially the way CAL, EDM, OTT and VAN did) was like kissing your own sister.
I am back...and as predicted the weekend should set the table for a strong and steady decline without Mats and now without Nik. To all the idiots laughing at us Leafs fans...at least we have the balls to stay on board good or bad...you idiots are likely the type to jump to whichever team happens to be winning. More to the point, if you had any class you would simply shut your pie hole and move on to your Nintendo Wii to play another game of Golf. You obviously haven't been around long enough to know what being a fan is all about!
BOOOO YAAAA!
Well said, mikecheliak. Everyone seems surprised that I still cheer for the team because they have been so awful for the last couple of years. As though I am supposed to like the Senators because they are going to make the playoffs. I obviously want them to win, draft smart, spend wisely, and be competitive. But if you think for a second that I am going to jump ship because they are struggling, you can forget. We may be waiting another 40 years (oh man I hope not) but I will never bail on my team. I may call for a GM to be fired or a CEO to keep his nose out of the day to day operations, but I will never bail on them. That's why this is the only Canadian team that has never had financial issues. We stick by them through and through. Good and bad, better or worse, blah blah blah.
Go Leafs Go
With all the excitement about the playoffs for four out of six Canadian teams why do we get nothing but Leaf Blogs (Lang, Gaillard), Oilers blogs (Princepe, McCormick) and off-season retrospectives (Toth).
I mean, is there nothing else to write hockey blogs about these days?... Rhetorical question - of course there is! You guys should get someone writing about the 4 Canadian teams with a chance to win The Cup. Not the two trying to putt the ball in the cup.
Anyone still beleiving that the Leafs will make the playoffs clearly have lost their marbles long ago! They have almost no chance of making it, all that they are doing is racing for 9th place! AGAIN! LMAO!