The annual PPPredictions post

In less than twelve hours the Toronto Maple Leafs 2019-20 season will begin. The Maple Leafs will take on the Ottawa Senators and begin to shape their future; does it end with another first round exit or the fourteenth Stanley Cup for the franchise? I asked those questions and more, and the writers at PPP tried to answer them.

Where will the Maple Leafs finish at the end of the season?

Brigstew was the only ones brave enough to have the Leafs win their division. Aside form Hardev picking them to finish third, everyone else had the Leafs second in the Atlantic, behind Tampa I assume.

The top of the east is where the Leafs belong, and we placed them between second and fourth in the conference. Overall, we have the Leafs finishing anywhere from second to sixth in the NHL.

How will they get there?

Everyone had the Leafs winning more games this season. Last year the Leafs had 46 wins, and Arvind is the lowest with a two win gain (48), and Brigstew sees the Leafs adding nine more wins to their record (55).

Last year the Leafs scored 286 goals, and somehow, with a full season of William Nylander, Species had them scoring almost 20 fewer goals. The lack of Kadri on the third line?

On the defensive side, the Leafs let in 251 goals last year, and taaeeve sees the defense worsening and the Leafs letting in 22 more goals where Brigs has the Leafs defense upping their game and letting in 16 fewer goals.

Who’s outta here?

When I asked about trades, most people didn’t think anyone but picks and prospects would be gone this year. Katya said Kasimir Kaskisuo, Kenny Agostino, and Kevin Gravel won’t finish the year as Leafs. Hardev sees some Marlies on the move - Ben Harpur, Garrett Wilson, and Jeremy Bracco are all gone. Species had the biggest trades on his mind, with the newly signed Alex Kerfoot out of Toronto along with Timothy Liljegren. Hot takes, but someone had to make one.

What do we want and fear?

Every year I ask for everyone’s biggest hopes and fears about the upcoming season, and it’s usually a mix of “Win the Cup, miss the playoffs” but sometimes there’s some heat.

What’s the best outcome for the season?

Hardev: Nylander out scores Pastrnak and Marner. Oh and that big silver cup thing in June.

Seldo: Stanley Cup, and anyone who says otherwise is a fool.

Brigstew: Cup victory

Species: Eastern Conference Final loss

Arvind: Stanley Cup

Katya: Well, you know, I know it’s annoying to you guys, but I don’t look at outcomes. It’s about the process, it’s about execution every day, as best you can, to step up when there’s adversity and to give yourself every chance for a good result.

Fulemin: Everyone tries their best

taaeeve: Stanley Cup

What would be the worst possible thing to happen?

Hardev: Pierre Engvall gets traded.

Seldo: Andersen hurt, miss playoffs, pick traded to Carolina wins the lottery.

Brigstew: More player drama, injuries, wild card finish and first round loss again

Species: Andersen badly injured - goaltending fiasco ensues

Arvind: Miss playoffs

Katya: Someone really important and who I truly like fails to execute the process every day the best they can.

Fulemin: Team is relocated to the moon

taaeeve: Nylander and Matthews play two games together before Babcock puts Willy on the third line for the rest of the season

We’re all individuals, so what do we personally want for the season?

Hardev: Pierre Engvall NHL playoff goal

Seldo: Enjoy the season, Leafs are entertaining every night, and the playoffs run goes deep

Brigstew: make a deep playoff run

Species: Trade for JvR

Arvind: Win at least one round in the playoffs

Katya: To have every person who says the Leafs are actully bad to get an incurable itchy rash. And if they say the Leafs are “soft” that rash will be in the worst place.

Fulemin: Win a round you goons

taaeeve: Destroy the Bruins in the first round

What’s your random predicition for the season?

Hardev: Mikheyev’s agent starts claiming he’s getting $15 million offer sheets in March

Seldo: Leafs lose every game against the Senators

Brigstew: Leafs use 10 different defensemen through the year

Species: Mason Marchment plays in two games for the Leafs; scores a goal in each game.

Arvind: Mitch Marner leads the team in scoring again

Katya: Leafs trade for a goalie.

Fulemin: Cody Ceci finishes top-50 in the league for even strength defence points.

taaeeve: Kapanen gets into more fights than the entire team did all last season

League Predictions

Species, Fulemin, and Arvind are all dead to me.

Those are our predicitons for this season, now please, share yours in the comments.