Sunday, April 11, 2010

Reviewing the 30 Predictions for 2009/10 Leafs Season


The Toronto Maple Leafs have wrapped up yet another disappointing season, as they miss the NHL playoffs for the fifth year in a row. Leafs Nation famous we will get them next season is starting to sound like a sour note in Leafland. Brian Burke will make changes this off season, not being in the post season eats at him. The Leafs did show some promise after the Olympic break but it is nothing new as all Leafs teams have played better through March and April every year since the lockout only to not be in the post season. This organization must be better, the fans demand it.
Taking a look at my 30 Predictions at the start of the 2009/10 Season and how they worked out.
30- Jonas Gustavsson plays in 35+ games this season
(Correct/ Gustavsson appeared in 42 games, starting 39)

29- Colton Orr is involved in 15+ fights
(Correct/ Orr was involved in 23 fights, winning the majority of them)

28- The Maple Leafs move into the Top 15 on the penalty kill
(Wrong/ I could not have been more off as the team finished last, pathetic)

27- Rickard Wallin leads Leafs in short handed markers
(Wrong/ The Leafs only scored four all season)

26- The Leafs finish with a winning record in shootouts for the first time
(Wrong/ The Leafs were 4-4 in SO this season their best record ever)

25- Carl Gunnarsson plays first NHL game
(Correct/ Gunnarsson went on to appear in 43 NHL games)

24- Brian Burke blasts the media
(Correct/ Burke blasted the media mostly, for Kaberle and coaching questions all season)

23- Tyle Bozak plays in at least 25+ games
(Correct/ Bozak appeared in 37 games gaining 27 points)

22- Jason Blake and Alexei Ponikarovsky score 15+ goals
(Correct/ Blake scored 10 in Toronto 6 in Anaheim, Poni 19 in Toronto, 2 for Pens)

21- The Leafs goaltenders record 5+ shutouts
(Wrong/ The team finished with 5 shutouts, one short of the mark)

20- The Leafs score 8+ goals in one game
(Wrong/ The Leafs scored 6 goals on four occasions)

19- Lee Stempniak scores 20+ goals
(Correct/ Stempnial scored 14 goals in Toronto and 14 in Phoenix)

18- John Mitchell gets first career hat trick
(Wrong/ Mitchell scored six all season)

17- Luke Schenn leads the Leafs in hits
(Correct/ Schenn finished with 173 hits)

16- Mikhail Grabovski earns 65+ points
(Wrong/ Grabovksi finished with 35, missing 23 games to injury)

15- Niklas Hagman and Tomas Kaberle make All Star Game
(Void/ Start of year, forgot about Olympic year, ill use a mulligan)

14- Victor Stalberg scores 20+ goals
(Wrong/ Stalberg did finish the year with 9 goals in 40 games)

13- Victor Stalberg finishes in the Top 5 in rookie scoring
(Wrong/ Stalberg injury change outlook finished in the Top 35)

12- Francois Beauchemin scores 10+ goals to lead team defense
(Wrong/ Beauchemin scored 5 all season, White lead team with 9 before trade)

11- Phil Kessel plays center for the Leafs
(Wrong/ Never happened but I think it should have earlier in the season)

10- Niklas Hagman leads Leafs with 3 hat trick games
(Wrong/ he did have 4, two goal games)

9- Tomas Kaberle returns to the Top 10 of Defensemen scoring
(Correct/ Kabby is in 9th spot, after being in Top 3 for long period)

8- Mike Komisarek is in the Top 5 in blocked shots
(Wrong/ Komisarek injury derailed this one)

7- The Leafs win season series over Montreal
(Correct/ Leafs won the series 3-0-3 with one point more and managed points in every game)

6- Niklas Hagman earns 70+ points and leads Leafs in scoring
(Wrong/ Hagman finished the season with 44 points)

5- Niklas Hagman scores 35+ goals
(Wrong/ Hagman finished with 25 between Toronto and Calgary)

4- Mike Komisarek drops the gloves with Milan Lucic 3x
(Wrong/ Komisarek played 34 games this season with 3 against Boston)

3- Lee Stempniak leads the Leafs in game winners and finishes in Top 5 in league
(Wrong/ Stempy has two all season, one a piece with Toronto & Phoenix)

2- Francois Beauchemin named Team Captain
(Wrong/ The team has not named a captain, yet)

1- The Toronto Maple Leafs make a return to the NHL Playoffs
(Totally Wrong/ The team finished 29th and way out of playoffs, I could not be more wrong)

Just like the Leafs, my season predictions totally bombed going 10-19 with a mulligan, lets hope that the teams off season goes better then its regular season and my predictions, oh well Leafs Nation there is always next year for both to improve.

No comments:

Post a Comment