You're talking to fans of a team that hasn't smelled the playoffs in almost a decade. Trust me, our standards aren't high... we'd be partying like we won the stanley cup if we just made the playoffs (but no we wouldn't burn the city).

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2013 Bay Street CBS Playoff Cash Pool - $100 buyin
12 Teams, Points Only (G/A = 1, DG = 2, W = 2, SO = 1)

The Motherpuckers (5 NYR, 2 PIT, 3 VAN)
Forwards: Neal / Iginla / Nash / Richards / Stepan / Roy / Higgins
Defense: Del Zotto / Garrison
Goalies: Lundqvist

Maybe I've been burned too many times, but I happen to agree with this article which basically states they are overachieving. Even in a short season, the statistics suggest a regression is imminent. The only question is how much of a regression is coming...

http://theleafsnation.com/2013/2/20/...on-what-is-pdo

Having said that, there are noticeable differences in this team from last year. They still give up a fair amount of shots, but they limit "grade A" type chances. Under Wilson, they constantly gave up premium chances.

They are obviously much tougher and bigger. And they throw the body around more.

The emergence of Kadri and Frattin has helped balance their scoring out. If Kessel doesn't score, they are no longer crippled offensively it seems.

Franson, Fraser, and Kostka may not seem like much on paper, but they have solidified their D. At least for now anyway. Although Kostka is getting a few too many rave reviews I think. I like his story, and he's played just fine but he's not a top pairing guy. He plays the #4 role more than adequately though - I will take him over Komo any day.

I don't know how long this'll last but I'm enjoying this. They're a lot of fun to watch, that's for sure.

I'm trying really hard not to over-analyze this team and look at the "what-ifs". I'm just taking each game at a time and hoping for 2 points each night.


*Worth noting: All 11 of the Leafs' wins have come in Regulation (minus 1 in OT). No shootout wins means we've got the tiebreaker against anyone right now.

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Twitter: @TK12555

Good call TK....that'll come in handy down the road.

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12 team H2H Keeper
G,A,PP,PIM,SOG
W,GAA,SV%,SO
C:Giroux,Zberg,Marleau,Kadri
LW:Ovi,Neal,Pach,Benn
RW:Perry,MSL,Wheeler
D:Yandle,Subban,Edler,OEL
G: Lundqvist,Miller,MAF

12 Team H2H
R,2b,3b,HR,RBI,AVG,SB,BB,K,E
W,L,SV,HLD,K,ERA,WHIP
C:Santana
1B:Blanks
2B:Kipnis
3B:Zimmer
SS:Rutledge
LF:Cespeds
CF:McCutch
RF:Pence
Util:Profar
SP:Cain,Moore,Latos,Kennedy,Ryu,Medlen,Cole
RP:Bailey,Rivera,Jansen,Gregerson,Axford
DL:Anderson, Pineda,Tulo

Kostka should be getting more rave reviews.

The thing with rookies, especially in big hockey markets, is managing expectations.

Kostka has gone beyond what anyone thought he would be doing. Is he a first pairing guy right now? Absolutely not.

Managing expectations.

I can't bring myself to buy in but it's worth noting that they've done this all without arguably their best D in Gardiner

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Unfortunately for me, living on the East Coast of Canada, Hockey Night In Canada has been Hockey Night In Toronto for years. Thats who CBC shows every stinkin week so I get to see the Leafs play waaaay too often for my liking.

Either way, to me this looks exactly like the team that Brian Burke has been building for a few years now. It's a shame they canned him just as his beast was starting to grow. That being said, I agree with others that his biggest down fall was keeping Ron Wilson for too long.

They are big and mean on the blue line, they have some good young guns shooting bullets up front and are actually getting some good goaltending.

Lets be honest though, these are the Leafs. They do this every year. They tease their die hard fans into believing they are a reputable team, only to falter down the stretch. Maybe this shortened season will throw that theory out the window. Time will tell.

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10 Team, Points Only, $$ League, Keep 20/25 at seasons end
25 Man Roster, top 20 monthly point getters count
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt

Stamkos, Tavares, Hall, Couture, Hanzal, Wheeler, Stastny, Versteeg, Fisher, Hornqvist, Eriksson, Hodgson, Setoguchi, Turris, Steen, Letang, DRoy, Yakupov, Grabner, Byfuglien, Baertschi

G-Rask, Halak, Schneider

Other than last year when they reversed their approach, the Leafs typically like to tease their fans in the 2nd half of the year, playing well when they are already out of playoff contention and only accomplishing one thing - damaging their draft position.

That's why last year was so bizarre and such a tough pill to swallow watching them collapse like that.

Actually, they usually get off to a fast start then disappear and only wake up in time for a futile draft robbing charge.

If they go 2-11-2 in the next 15 that weird sensation you'll feel is called 'deja vu'.

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Okay, so maybe nobody likes a cynic, but everybody f**king hates those perky optimists!

... and anyway, I make a damn good cynic.

They've been good this season but I can't help but think they're going to be like last year's Minnesota Wild - top of the standings for good chunk of season then just epic downward trend.

As eyemissgilmour posted, their underlying stats show that a regression should be expected.