Toronto Maple Leafs: Recent Success Obscures Underlying Issues

Although it’s still too early to call for now, the Toronto Maple Leafs are holding down a playoff spot midway through the season.

Mike Babcock and the Toronto Maple Leafs are actively trying to temper expectations within the locker room as well as with the media, but there’s no denying that this year’s team is defying expectations beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.

In years past, the Leafs usually found themselves in a playoff spot or in the chase for one at this point during the season, only to have the wheels come off sometime before spring. But there is something so special about the team’s success this year, that it seems hard to imagine they might miss the mark.

But what the Leafs success has done is overshadow many of the problems the team had at the beginning of the year.

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They’ve finally managed to solve their backup goalie dilemma (although it remains to be seen if Curtis McElhinney can live up to his performance in the one game he’s played for Toronto), but that’s not the only issue the Leafs have had.

Remember how much heat Babcock was getting in October and November when “Hunlak” was getting ice-time over Connor Carrick and Frank Corrado?

The defense pairings haven’t changed since Martin Marincin was injured in mid-December. All the talk of the Leafs defensive woes has gone right out the window with the team winning. But that doesn’t necessarily mean those issues aren’t still there.

Because they are.

There was at least a four or five game stretch from when the Leafs played in Colorado before the Christmas break, to Centennial Classic on New Year’s Day, where they gave up multi-goal leads in every one of those games.

The only difference is that they found ways to come out on top. Had they lost, there would’ve been much more talk about how the team’s defensive play still needs fixing.

The Leafs might be winning games, but their possession numbers are falling. The majority of the team after a win finishes the night with under 50% possession, which is indicative of how the rest of their season might shape up. The rookies cannot stay hot forever, as much as we would all love they do.

Babcock is right to try and temper expectations, because the team’s success has allowed a lot of the fanbase to forget that the Leafs are only in the early stages of this rebuild. As much as it has come together for this team, there are still so many more things that have to fall into place for them to be legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.

They could still use one more top-4 defenseman. Their fourth line needs some help too. What happens to the blueline when Marincin is healthy enough to return? Is their current play sustainable? It’s probably not.

Next: Leafs Backup Goalie Solved?

In Babcock’s words, “Just chill.” It’s not the end of the world if they don’t make the playoffs this season.

For now, just remember that the Leafs are as young as they are fun to watch. There are still many questions that need answering. Once they’ve addressed the issues that their success has covered up, then we can start back up on the ‘hype train’.