Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction Roundtable

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a hot start to the 2017-18 season.

After an insane beatdown of the Jets that featured seven goals, the Toronto Maple Leafs somehow managed to score eight against the Ranges while chasing future Hall of Famer Henrick Lundqvist from his net. Then, to top it off, the Leafs embarrassed the three-time Cup Champion Blackhawks with a game of complete domination. The Hawks, too scared to risk their starting goalie’s confidence against the Juggernaut Toronto Offense offered up Anton Forsberg as a sacrificial lamb, and his amazing performance was the only thing that prevented a another seven or eight goal performance.

When we last convened around our super large and perfectly round table for one of our regular fake staff meetings, we discussed our thoughts on the Toronto Maple Leafs final cuts. Though the team failed to take any of Tanner’s suggestions to heart, they were good suggestions and they, like, totally, should have.

This time, our focus is on the long-term. When we gathered round the table, our mascot (an alligator that has as much to do with what we do as a polar bear does with the Leafs) posed this question to us:

“Where do you think the Toronto Maple Leafs will finish this year? Feel free to include any other NHL predictions, and to guess at who might win what awards.”

After what seemed like hours of thoughtful discussion, we all returned to our sleeping quarters to mull it over further. Finally, everyone submitted their answers, and I present them to you here today. Obviously, I don’t have to tell you to chime in with your own predictions, or to tell us how crazy/insane or otherwise bad at this we all are.

TORONTO, ON – APRIL 19: Auston Matthews /

Andrew Boehmer:

I’m guessing that the Toronto Maple Leafs will finish among the top three in the Atlantic Division this season, more specifically in second place behind the Tampa Bay Lightning.

I’m going to say they even crack the 100-point plateau and finish right there with 100. The Lightning will finish with 101. In the entire Eastern Conference, the Maple Leafs will finish fifth overall, behind the Washington Capitals, Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Pittsburgh Penguins who will finish with 100 as well but beat the Maple Leafs in regulation+ overtime wins.

For the entire league, I’m going to say that the Leafs finish ninth.. During the playoffs, I’m going to say that they win the first round and I’ll leave it at that, for now. I’ll circle back a little closer to that time frame, heck, we’re only three games into the season. This is just speculation.

Last, but not least, Connor McDavid will win the Art Ross and Auston Matthews will win the Hart Trophy. I just have a feeling. If he does, he’ll be the first Leafs player to win it in the modern era.

Jonathan Quick will claim the Vezina, while Sidney Crosby claims yet another Ted Lindsay. With the start Ovechkin’s had, one would have to think he’ll claim the Rocket, but I’m not sold on that, so I’m going to say Tarasenko wins that, Matthews finishing four behind him with 39. As for the Calder, one would have to imagine that Andreas Borgman will win. I’m kidding, but I am going with a defenseman, you know, that one from Boston.

TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 19: Carl Grundstrom /

Josh Tessler:

I’m excited that the Leafs are 3-1. That said, the Toronto Maple Leafs most likely won’t win the cup this year. I think they’ll end up losing in the eastern conference finals. Also, I’m just not in love with the Leafs defense. For the Leafs to a be a contender for the cup, they’ll need to bring in a strong defender at the deadline to supplant Ron Hainsey in the top-four.

Personally, I believe that the Calgary Flames will win the cup this year. They just have outstanding depth in the offensive and defensive zones. Johnny Gaudreau, Sam Bennett, Jaromir Jagr, Curtis Lazar, Sean Monahan, Matthew Tkachuk, TJ Brodie, Dougie Hamilton and Mark Giordano. From top to bottom, they are built to win and bring the cup to Calgary.

For the NHL awards, my predictions are:

Hart – Conor McDavid

Vezina Braden Holtby

Calder – Charlie McAvoy

Yes, I believe that Connor McDavid will receive the Hart Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row. McDavid truly is the best hockey player in the NHL. McDavid truly carries his team on his back and helps the Edmonton Oilers win day-in, night-out. Braden Holtby is my Vezina winner. Holtby won the Vezina in the 2015-2016 season and his GAA and Save Percentage is one of the highest in the NHL. Holtby is truly a brick wall in net.

Sure, Washington won’t make it far into the playoffs but Holtby gives them a fighting chance. My Calder prediction is Charlie McAvoy. Most fans will disagree and say Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick. However, not only did McAvoy play for one of the most prestigious college hockey teams at Boston University, but he looked phenomenal in the playoffs last year against Ottawa. The Bruins will also use him heavily on the point on the power-play.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 9: Auston Matthews /

Mike Stephens:

I really want to say that the Toronto Maple Leafs will win this year’s Stanley Cup. Alas, I simply cannot. Not today, my friends. This year’s Stanley Cup winner is going to be the Tampa Bay Lightning.

These guys missed the playoffs by a single point last season, all while missing half their roster to injury AND trading their #1 goalie. This year, everyone’s healthy, and they’ve added Mikhail Sergachev. Stanley’s going back to Florida.

Hart: No question it’s Connor McDavid. I’ll let you in on a secret: the Oilers aren’t as good as people say they are. Where McDavid goes, so do the Oilers. He was responsible for approximately 50% of the entire team’s offence last season, and he’s only getting better. Now, he won’t have to deal with Milan Lucic dragging his play down. It’s McDavid all the way.

Norris: Victor Hedman has this one locked up. Erik Karlsson has literally half an ankle. Brent Burns scores goals, but he doesn’t exactly put the “defence” in “defenceman”. Hedman can do both, has two full ankles, and is poised to win his first Norris.

Vezina: This one is tricky. I’m going to say Cam Talbot. He stood on his head last year for the Oilers, and was their only line of defence when McDavid was on the bench. I’m just worried that, without a capable backup, Talbot will simply disintegrate after playing all 82 games.

Calder: There’s really no clear rookie standout at the moment. However, to lob a hot take out there, I’m going to say Mikhail Sergachev. Half of this is because I thrive on seeing Marc Bergevin be embarrassed. The other half is that I think his minutes will be sheltered, allowing him to put up big offensive totals, and that’s really all award voters care about with defencemen anyway.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 11: Frederik Andersen /

Lauren Kelly:

Stanley Cup Champions: Tampa Bay Lightning over Edmonton Oiler. Injuries were the only reason the Lightning didn’t run away with the Atlantic division last season, and even with the majority of their top players out of the lineup for most of the season, they still almost pushed their way into the last wildcard spot. With a healthy core and a bolstered blueline, they look poised to win the Atlantic and make a deep playoff run.

The one team in the East they’ll need to defeat will be the Penguins, and it’ll probably be the Oilers winning the West. If the Lightning can defeat the Penguins, I believe their blueline is strong enough to fend off Connor McDavid and company, and their playoff experience will win out in the end.

Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid (runner-up: Sidney Crosby & Auston Matthews) If the Oilers first game of the season was any indication, McDavid is going to have a record breaking season. If he has to will the Oilers to win the Cup, he will, and he looks like he’ll be able to do that. He looks even faster than he did last season (if that’s even possible), and he’s going to shatter his previous offensive totals as well as opposing teams’ bluelines.

Norris Trophy: Victor Hedman (runner-up: Erik Karlsson & Brent Burns) Hedman had career highs in goals (16) and points (72) last season, despite the Bolts being decimated with injuries and not playing with consistent linemates every night. He’s an excellent possession player and although he doesn’t play as flashy a style as Erik Karlsson or Brent Burns (likely the other top candidates for the trophy), if he can help the Bolts return back to the playoffs, this will likely be his year to win the trophy.

Vezina Trophy: Matt Murray (runners-up: Carey Price & Cam Talbot) If the Penguins are going to “three-peat” as Cup champions, Murray is going to be the one to get them there. There aren’t many weaknesses in this year’s Penguins team and most of the team has returned from last season. All Murray has to do is to take the Penguins back to the top of the Metropolitan division, and the trophy will likely be his.

Calder Trophy: Nico Hischier (runners-up: Clayton Keller & Tyson Jost) Hischier looked fantastic in the preseason. He really did. If he performs the way he did in the preseason during the regular season, I’m pretty sure he’ll be the one walking away with the trophy in June. There isn’t a clear-cut favourite rookie this season like there was last year (Matthews and Laine), but solely based on preseason, Hischier looked like the best rookie and that will likely translate throughout the regular season.

James Tanner:

All due respect to my fellow roundtablers, I don’t know if you guys are just trying too hard to not be ‘typical’ Leafs fans (whatever that even means; people say it all the time) or what, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are winning the Atlantic. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the most overrated team in the NHL. No offense kids, but it’s true.

More from Editor In Leaf

They don’t have the Leafs depth on forward. They have Hedman, but overall their defense isn’t that much better than the Leafs, if it’s better at all. At this point, I have trouble recognizing the street cred of any playa who thinks the Leafs are anything less than the best team in the NHL.

So, as far as les prediction go, It’s the Leafs for the trifecta: Atlantic Division Champs, President’s Trophy and Stanley Cup Champs.

My picks for awards are as follows: Auston Matthews for the Hart, Art Ross, Ted Lindsey, and Rocket Richard Trophies. The Vezina will go to Sergei Bobrovsky and the Calder will go to Clayton Keller. As for the coveted Norris it will go to Oscar Klefbom. In case you’re wondering who will lose to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Final, it will be the Calgary Flames.

Next: Just How Good Is Matthews? You Can't Even Say

Other predictions of note: Blackhawks and Capitals will miss the Playoffs, and the Carolina Hurricanes will challange the Blue Jackets and Leafs for Eastern Supremacy.

Straight up.

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