The Leafs and Post Season Droughts

by mf37 on Dec 19, 2010 3:02 PM EST

In reading Godd Till's 6th day of Leafmas request I was struck by two things:

How long it's been since the Leafs played a game that actually, genuinely mattered. I'm not talking about late season nail biters to see if this team can squeak into the post-season. I'm talking about OT games with no threat of a shootout, or the thrill and tension of a game 7 where an entire season is on the line.
How does the Leafs current five year drought (sure to be six next April) stack up against the rest of the NHL?

So I decided to look at all 30 NHL teams and their longest post-season drought since the league expanded in 1967:

I suppose the good news is the Leafs have a long way to go before they break any NHL records for futility...of note, three of these streaks are ongoing: Florida, Toronto and Edmonton.

Team	Playoff Drought	Seasons
NJ Devils***	9	79-87
Florida	9	01-10
Washington*	8	74-82
NY Rangers	7	97 - 04
NY Islanders	7	94-01
Columbus*	7	00-07
Detroit	7	70-77
Calgary	7	96-03
Pittsburgh	6	82-88
Atlanta*	6	00-06
Tampa Bay	6	96-02
Carolina***	6	92-98
LA Kings	6	02-08
Phoenix	6	02-08
Philadelphia	5	89-94
Chicago**	5	02-07
Nashville	5	98-03
Colorado***	5	87-92
Toronto	5	05-10
Ottawa*	4	92-96
Vancouver	4	96-00
Edmonton	4	92-96 \| 06-10
Montreal	3	98-01
Buffalo	3	99-01 \| 01-04
St.Louis	3	05-08
Dallas	3	73-76
Anaheim	3	93-96* \| 99-02
Boston**	2	05-07
Minnesota	2	00-02 \| 03-05 \| 08-10
San Jose	2	91-93* \| '95-97

*drought started with their first year in the NHL
** have longer droughts that pre-date 1967
*** drought occurred/is shared with previous franchise (e.g. Whalers, Nordiques, Rockies)

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The Devils should also get a “*” because that drought started as the Colorado Rockies.

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by Doogie2K on Dec 19, 2010 4:59 PM EST reply actions

And that should be three stars.

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.

by Doogie2K on Dec 19, 2010 4:59 PM EST up reply actions

Fixed.

Bitter Leaf Fan: Skepticism, not cynicism.

by mf37 on Dec 19, 2010 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

I'm kind of curious

If Harold Ballard really was the worst owner in the history of the Leafs then how is it at all possible that the longest Leaf drought didn’t happen under his ownership? I know I only started following hockey when I turned 10 in 92, and my pre-Gilmour days Leaf knowledge is nill but I know that from everything I’ve read on the subject, the ’68 to ’91 years were just miserable for Toronto fans. How at all did they not manage a 5+ year futility stretch? Was the rest of the Campbell conference really that bad?

If you look up "Loyalty" in the dictionary you'll see a picture of a Leafs fan wearing a Todd Gill jeresy looking like he just got punched in the stomach

by Ghostsof on Dec 19, 2010 5:50 PM EST reply actions

Because it was hard not to make the playoffs back then. Only 5 teams didn’t, and only one in our division.

by Leaf in Habland on Dec 19, 2010 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

Playoffs were divisional so they only had to be better than one other team. Those years covered some brutal Hawks teams, the Dead Things Era, and the variable talents of the Stars and Blues.

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by PPP on Dec 19, 2010 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

It should also be noted in 2005-06, the Leafs had 90 pts. In 2006-07, they had 91.

Pre-lockout (and even last season), they would have made the playoffs with that. Case in point, in 2000-01, they were 7th seed with 90 pts.

The futility of the Ballard regime has nothing to do with playoffs, since the standards were different, and everything to do with point totals. You’d never see the 2nd worst team in the league make the playoffs now; but, the Leafs did just that in the 80s.

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by FiftyMissionCap on Dec 19, 2010 7:39 PM EST up reply actions

In 1986, the Leafs made the playoffs with 57 points. In 1988, they made it with 52.

Bitter Leaf Fan: Skepticism, not cynicism.

by mf37 on Dec 19, 2010 7:03 PM EST up reply actions

And

They drafted Sittler, MacDonald, Thompson, Turnbull, signed Salming, drafted Palmateer, traded for Vaive and Derlago, drafted Wregget,…..

Since 1990 the Leafs have drafted Potvin, Jonsson (but traded him), Boyes (but traded him, Steen (but traded him),….

Now how many times have the Leafs kept BOTH their 1st and second round picks, and not traded either guy within 5 7 years? Like, 5 times since 1990?

by dsciswe on Dec 19, 2010 7:10 PM EST up reply actions

But how many games did they play?

by theninjagreg on Dec 19, 2010 7:10 PM EST up reply actions

80 games.

In 1986, the Oilers had 119 points, the Flyers 110. The Leafs came 19th in a 21 team league and made the playoffs.

In 1988, the Flames had 105, the Habs 103. The Leafs came in 20th in a 21 team league and made the playoffs.

Bitter Leaf Fan: Skepticism, not cynicism.

by mf37 on Dec 19, 2010 7:20 PM EST up reply actions

aside from the obvious fact that it allowed me to watch playoff hockey as a kid, that system was ridiculously flawed.

There will be an answer. Let it be.

by daoust on Dec 19, 2010 8:33 PM EST up reply actions

I was a big fan of the 16 v 1, 15 v 2, etc. format.

Was shocked when I looked it up and found out that was only in place from 1979 to 1982.

Bitter Leaf Fan: Skepticism, not cynicism.

by mf37 on Dec 19, 2010 8:39 PM EST up reply actions

That was right before I started watching so I have no recolleciton of that. To me that just seems the most logical system…. no divisions, no conferences, just the best 16 teams make the playoffs.

There will be an answer. Let it be.

by daoust on Dec 19, 2010 8:43 PM EST up reply actions

.

I can vividly remember the HNIC crew in their baby blue blazers holding up Wayne’s World style signs with the possible playoff matches (I was maybe 8 years old?)

Bitter Leaf Fan: Skepticism, not cynicism.

by mf37 on Dec 19, 2010 8:47 PM EST up reply actions

No wonder I don’t remember that.

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by James Mirtle on Dec 20, 2010 9:30 AM EST up reply actions

holy crap

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by Leafer87 on Dec 19, 2010 8:38 PM EST up reply actions

That Pittsburgh one doesn’t look right… I remember them making the playoffs in most of those years, albeit vaguely.

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by Adzbass on Dec 19, 2010 6:38 PM EST reply actions

Disclaimer

Not trying to be a jerk or anything – dig the article and appreciate the hard work, and this info does make me feel better about our current plight.

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by Adzbass on Dec 19, 2010 6:42 PM EST up reply actions

You’re correct it was 82 to 88. Fixed.

Bitter Leaf Fan: Skepticism, not cynicism.

by mf37 on Dec 19, 2010 7:02 PM EST up reply actions

Great post

Re: Detroit. That 7 year-stretch was part of a 13-year stretch where they made the playoffs once (and lost in the first round).

In fact, after their Cup Final appearance in 65-66 (they lost), they would only make the playoffs 4 times the next 20 seasons, never getting past the Division semi-final (ie the first round, except when there was a ‘preliminary round’).

Prior to their cup win in 96, they had won a total of 10 playoff series over the past 30 seasons. The Leafs won that many between 93 and the lockout.

Things are dark people, but they can still get a lot darker.

There will be an answer. Let it be.

by daoust on Dec 19, 2010 8:42 PM EST reply actions

Let’s not forget teams that have made the playoffs once in a long stretch in recent years, but were bounced quickly in the 1st round.

-NY Islanders: made the playoffs once, 2005-2010: 1-4 record.
-Chicago: made the playoffs once, 1996-2008: 1-4 record.
-St. Louis: made the playoffs once, 2005-2010: 0-4 record.
-Columbus: made the playoffs once, 2000-2010: 0-4 record.
-Atlanta: made the playoffs once, 1999-2010: 0-4 record.
-Florida: made the playoffs once, 1997-2010: 0-4 record. (Also home to longest current playoff drought, but it had to be noted their only playoff appearance since 1997 was a 4-and-out against the Devils in 2000).

And look at NYI a little closer. They’ve been a perfect picture of futility for two decades. They haven’t won a playoff series since 1993. Their only even remotely competitive playoff appearance was against the Leafs in 2002, where they were bounced in the 1st round in seven games; otherwise, they look a bit like this:

-1994: lost to NYR (0-4)
-1995-2001: missed playoffs.
-2003: lost to OTT (1-4)
-2004: lost to TB (1-4)
-2007: lost to BUF (1-4)

It should be noted in all four of those 1st round flameouts, the Isles were eighth seed. They had just squeaked into the playoffs (which I think, sadly, everyone would remember in 2007).

So, yep, things could get a lot darker. Hopefully it never gets this bad. Hopefully the next time the Leafs make the playoffs, they’ll be there to stay. I’d take six seasons of this followed by being a perennial playoff team/contender over four seasons out, one in with a 4/5 game exit, five out, etc.

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by FiftyMissionCap on Dec 19, 2010 9:40 PM EST up reply actions

Things are dark people, but they can still get a lot darker.

To be honest, I hope they do. I hope the next two draft years are killer draft years, and that the Leafs properly bottom out in 2011-2012, and 2012-13.

Let’s face it, the Leafs need elite offensive talent, and unless they sign Richards or Semin, they’re not going to get it through free agency. And they’re not signing Richards or Semin, it’s not happening – those dudes will demand long term deals that Burke won’t sign. That means that the only way the Leafs get elite offensive talent is through the draft. That’s all there is to it. Draft two more elite players in ‘12 and ’13 and you have your centre and LW for Kessel’s line.

ALTERNATE (the more probable future)
But, knowing Leafs history, Burke will get desperate, and perhaps try to shortcut things by locking up Richards with a trade before the end of this season. He’ll give up Schenn and/or Kadri, natch. The Leafs scratch into the playoffs, exit in the first round for a couple of years, Burke gets fired, and a “rebuild” starts all over again. While the Oilers hoist the Cup.

Fire. Wilson. Now. Anger is more useful than despair.

by Peter de Chatham on Dec 20, 2010 12:26 AM EST up reply actions

and turn into tbay/ Chicago

by l3ojangles on Dec 20, 2010 2:18 AM EST up reply actions

Chicago had an amazing defense, the oilers are 6 players away from a decent one, yet have a long way to go no matter how good there forward prospects are

Rule #20

by JaredFromLondon on Dec 20, 2010 2:46 AM EST up reply actions

The oilers forwards

and prospect pool really aren’t a lot better than say LAs or St Louis… and neither of those teams are particularly close to a Stanley Cup. San Jose also wants to know when they get to hoist it… I think giving it to Edmonton is a tad pre-mature… make that ridiculously premature… I mean if we’re giving one to Edmonton, why not give one to the Islanders, they have just as many top forward prospects as the Oilers… and just as many holes on the rest of their team… except for the fact that they have a goalie or two, and some decent guys on the blue line (who are injured).

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."

- Sir Winston Churchill

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.

by Steve Burtch on Dec 20, 2010 2:57 AM EST up reply actions

Not to mention that the extra pieces you need to push you over the edge rarely want to sign in Edmonton.

The elderly: They may seem friendly, but can they really be trusted?

by Nirbo on Dec 20, 2010 2:59 AM EST up reply actions

Au contraire, the Oilers are making the playoffs THIS YEAR! I doubt people will hold Renney to the same standard as Burke’s “playoff guarantee.”

by Papa Squid on Dec 20, 2010 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

Mostly because people don’t twist Renney’s words the same way they do Burke who never guaranteed the playoffs.

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by PPP on Dec 20, 2010 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

Seriously...

Brian Burke merely says the word “playoffs” and the haters will twist it into a guarantee.

Meanwhile Tom Renney is practically guaranteeing a spot and saying that he’d “be surprised if the Oilers don’t make the playoffs” and it’s not getting nearly the same attention.

Hmmm…

Phil Kessel says YAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!1

by LeafBoy on Dec 22, 2010 4:50 PM EST up reply actions

The Leafs are the top team in the 5th largest media market in North America. More reporters cover the Leafs than City Hall.

Edmonton is the 5th largest media market in Canada.

Doesn’t make it right, but it’s easy to understand the difference in approach/attention.

Bitter Leaf Fan: Skepticism, not cynicism.

by mf37 on Dec 22, 2010 7:03 PM EST up reply actions

“Draft two more elite players in ‘12 and ’13 and you have your centre and LW for Kessel’s line.”

It’s as easy as that. First round pick = elite talent. No fuss, no muss.

by Papa Squid on Dec 20, 2010 12:13 PM EST up reply actions

Guys become available all the time for all sorts of reasons. How did San Jose get Thornton, Boyle, Heatley? Maybe you can’t count on specific guys becoming available, but I disagree with the defeatism, that it’s completely hopeless until 2014, or whenever the elite first-rounders are ready to contribute.

by Papa Squid on Dec 20, 2010 12:19 PM EST up reply actions

re: re: Detroit

All we have to do to match Detroit’s turnaround is draft a forward as great as Steve Yzerman, a defenceman as good as Nick Lidstrom, bring in a Hall of Fame coach like Scotty Bowman, and have one of the best scouting/player development staffs in the business. So nothing major . . .

by Draglikepull on Dec 20, 2010 11:09 AM EST up reply actions