Where Will The Leafs Finish In 2011-2012?

by PPP on Oct 6, 2011 1:00 PM EDT in Question of the Day

Time to put your mo...errr...internet credibility (?) where your mou...errr...fingers are? Just make a prediction.

Now it is time for the big prediction. The one that will label you as an ardent homer, a hopeless cynic, or something entirely else come April. Jonathan Willis looked at what the fantasy annuals were saying about the Maple Leafs' playoff hopes. TSN has the Leafs slotted into 10th in the East but we all know that TSN has a deep seated hatred of the Leafs. Pro Hockey Talk is straddling the fence:

The Maple Leafs are a coin-flip of a team. A lot can go right or wrong – from health to encore seasons and prospect breakthroughs – so it’s a bit difficult to forecast their future. Especially since they can make up so much ground in a ridiculously promising January 2012 run.

Again, it’s close to 50-50, but the Maple Leafs have enough "ifs" that it’s probably safer to bet on them falling just short of that precious playoff spot. It’s been a long time since Toronto fans have had so many reasons for optimism, though – so don’t count them out.

And Puck Daddy just noted that there are a lot of 'ifs' involved in any prediction:

If Liles and the improving forwards can get the power play better than 16 percent. If Reimer and the defense can dramatically cut into that 2.94 team GAA. If the team can roll three lines that threaten to score. If November isn't a complete disaster again. If … if … if … the Toronto Maple Leafs can be a playoff team for the first time since 2004. Or at least hang very, very close to the bubble.

So where does that leave you?

Poll

Where will the Maple Leafs finish this season?

1

43 votes

2

1 votes

3

1 votes

4

8 votes

5

14 votes

6

52 votes

7

145 votes

8

180 votes

9

110 votes

10

64 votes

11

14 votes

12

13 votes

13

5 votes

14

3 votes

15

10 votes

663 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 21 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Voted 10th.

Think the team is better and think the team’s point total will be higher. I’m confident the Leafs can finish higher than the Sens, Jets and Panthers.

To make the playoffs they have to be better than four of these teams.
Canes, Lightninng, Rangers, Flyers, Devils, Habs and Sabres.

I don’t think they can do that.

88 points; 10th place

Cynically Sarcastic
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік

by clrkaitken on Oct 6, 2011 1:08 PM EDT reply actions

TSN and THN are hardly ever right…

These aren't the droids you're looking for.....

by TheNadger on Oct 6, 2011 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions

I voted 10th too.

Too many things need to go right for the Leafs to make the playoffs.

Pension Plan Puppets
I hope YouTube comes down to film this.

by birky on Oct 6, 2011 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions

9th, Put them around 87-89 points and just shy of a playoff spot

"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Oct 6, 2011 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Me too…Its a shame

"I will actually score as many times as Kulemin assists me."
-Mikhail Grabovski

by MapleLeafMole on Oct 6, 2011 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

9th, 90 points. They’ll be better than all the teams they beat last year, and will be better than Carolina, but I don’t have faith in them to beat one of NYR or Montreal.

Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)

by FiftyMissionCap on Oct 6, 2011 1:10 PM EDT reply actions

Completely inaccurate predictions:

Grabbo == scoring leader (Kessel barely behind in 2nd place with a 3:1 goals to assists ratio)

Leafs nab the 8th seed, finally, dump Washington on their behinds for a 3rd straight disappointing Caps finish before getting eliminated themselves in the second round. They get this playoff spot with a new coach, as Wilson is fired after a disappointing October.

Kessel finally gets chemistry with a linemate – but not Connoly, rather, it’s Lupul that finds his own nifty mittens to assist on many Kessel goals.

Now, "wait 'till next year" looks like "Watch out for next year!" GO LEAFS GO!

by AB_Positive on Oct 6, 2011 1:10 PM EDT reply actions

for that scenario to be true washington would have to win the conference and i dont see that with pittsburgh, philly and boston in ythe mix

washington would have to win the conference and i dont see that with pittsburgh, philly and boston in ythe mix

"i'm not inclined to resign to maturity"...PSYCH theme

by $#%@ eli and his daddy on Oct 6, 2011 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions

oops, my bad, massive typo there

sorry guys! i accept all derision and or punishment you deem appropriate

"i'm not inclined to resign to maturity"...PSYCH theme

by $#%@ eli and his daddy on Oct 6, 2011 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Leafs finish 7th with 97 points. You heard it here first.

Come get your duds in order...

by The Bag on Oct 6, 2011 1:11 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I second this.

by Ducky_22 on Oct 6, 2011 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Whatever causes us the most grief, so probably 9th, miss by 3 points. All which we could have gotten in blown leads from games in November.

Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.

by nhlcheapshot on Oct 6, 2011 1:20 PM EDT reply actions

9th.

This ain’t a playoff team yet, unless they’re really lucky.

Not followin' @JPNikota on Twitter? Oh, you better believe that's a paddlin'.

by JP Nikota on Oct 6, 2011 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

flyers and habs will miss the playoffs! Booyah!

by haki berg on Oct 6, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

1st.

Obviously

@theninjagreg

by theninjagreg on Oct 6, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions

8th

We’re getting the injuries out of the way now so we can start winning games in months that end in “r”.

Follow me on Twitter

by RJinSoCal on Oct 6, 2011 1:43 PM EDT reply actions

Future Facts.

Prediction #1 – Grabbo goes toe to toe with Gionta, and thugs him into next month. He then gets thrown out for picking Gionta up in the penalty box and using him as a moist towelette.

Prediction #2 – Bozak has six 2-goal games. And 28 goals in total. At least some of these will be with the Leafs.

Prediction #3 – Frattin. That is all.

Prediction #4 – Reimer and Kadri get into a nasty religious war. OLAS intervenes. All 3 then convert to Hare Krishna. Harmony reigns! However, the Leafs finish 11th because the stupid fuckers stop eating meat and are barely strong enough to stand up by Game 53.

Prediction # 5 – Komisarek goes on LTIR with an undisclosed “deep tissue pride injury” after meeting with Burke.

Prediction #6 – That’s right, uses him as a “moist towelette.” That’s the way we roll in Soviet Belorussia.

Prediction #7 – Kulemin scores 30 goals in first 30 games. In post-game interview he mocks “those buffoons at PPP, with their smart-arse charts.”

Prediction #8 – Phaneuf badly injured while hiking. Vengeance-seeking rockfall blamed.

Prediction #9 – There is no Prediction #9. The #9 is sacred. Now piss off. I don’t even want you looking at this #9 space which should belong to the #9 alone.

Prediction #10 – PPP will not even watch the games this year. This will not shut him up.

R.I.P. The playoff hopes of Montreal Canadiens fans for 2011-12.

by not norm ullman on Oct 6, 2011 3:00 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs