12 Comments

1. FD on February 9, 2021 at 4:22 pm

   Oh boy…the comments should be good for this one.

   Popcorn in the microwave…

   • Ron Moore on February 9, 2021 at 4:50 pm

     I’d like to see someone argue against the points in this article since nothing said can be said was unreasonable. Nothing should be a surprise since most predicted the Leafs tops in their division. I personally think there’s still more to come.

2. Joe on February 9, 2021 at 4:58 pm

   Leafs…. hard to say how good they are in the weakest division in the NHL right now

   Critics are correct

   • fcl on February 9, 2021 at 5:18 pm

     Are they in the weakest division though? Vancouver and Ottawa are the weakest teams but look at the West division, I think it’s the weakest one with LA, Anaheim, San Jose Phoenix and Minnesota. I think it’s a bit misleading in this article to talk about Anderson playing all but 2 games when Campbell has been hurt almost all season.

     • Lyle Richardson on February 9, 2021 at 6:18 pm

       A fair point about Campbell, though it also shows the Leafs lack of confidence in their third-stringer Michael Hutchinson that they didn’t bother to play him in at least one game against the Canucks. Granted, there was an off-day between each of those games. Nevertheless, my point still stands that they must avoid overworking Andersen or risk burning him out by the time the playoffs roll around.

     • fcl on February 9, 2021 at 7:02 pm

       Well Lyle, you also spelled Andersen right, which I didn’t so you have that over me. I think the dumbest thing Tor has done this year is give Freddie a maintenance day for no real reason, which meant they had to bring their second string guy from the taxi squad and then lsot him on waivers, bad asset management.

3. BCLeafFan on February 9, 2021 at 5:36 pm

   Easy there, Lyle. Montreal on Wednesday is as far ahead as I want to look.

4. Caper on February 9, 2021 at 5:44 pm

   Short Answer: No they are in the North Division

5. habfan30 on February 9, 2021 at 6:16 pm

   T.J.Brodie and Zach Bogosian are considered to have brought a welcome measure of experienced depth to the blueline. really?

   Both Calgary and Buffalo spent a few years trying to unload them (Tampa suffered one for 8 games) the experience is there but the ability is gone.

   Thornton and Simmonds were great players once upon a time, but both are well past their best before date.

   The Leafs brought in cheap familiar names, which would fine for the taxi squad but are forced to be starters.

   The team that can’t turn the corner didn’t help itself with these signings, that didn’t fill any holes with able young talent.

   • fcl on February 9, 2021 at 6:59 pm

     Don’t think you can make a reasonable argument that Simmons isn’t playing well, before the injury at least, and for basically no money or commitment. I think Brodey is playing well too, those guys are all bringing about what they were expected and hoped to. ZB isn’t great but he’s at least a mroe physical presence. It’s a team that needs their best players to be their best players and pick up what they can from the others, which they are. The teams that have been the more elite teams over the past 10 or so years have been top-heavy and fill in the rest each year as needed, kind of the way things work now with a cap that is out of whack with what the top players can earn.

   • Ray Bark on February 9, 2021 at 7:21 pm

     Disagree habsfan30.
     On a team that needed to defend better, I would take Brodie and Bogo all day over Barrie and Ceci.
     Not even close IMO.

     The Leafs will score, they had to get the chances against down. So far they have.

     Playoffs will tell the tale for the Leafs. Here’s hoping they lose. Same for the Habs.

6. Obe on February 9, 2021 at 7:07 pm

   Regular season is one thing playoffs are a completely different animal.