It’s a good time to be a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
Instead of fighting for playoff lives, the Toronto Maple Leafs are currently fighting for playoff advantage. The Leafs were the 30th place team the season before last, so that is a pretty successful turnaround compared to the usual timeline for rebuilding a team.
The playoffs this year are shaping up to be a roller coaster. It’s looking more and more like the Leafs will face off against the Boston Bruins in round one, which should be a hell of a series. The last time these two teams met in the first round, it ended in brutal fashion that broke the hearts of Leafs fans everywhere. I was 13 at the time and I remember screaming so much that I broke blood vessels in my eyelids.
Anyways, there are always questions about who will be the X-Factor of each team competing for the cup.
For those who aren’t aware, an X-Factor is essentially a variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome. So when you translate that to the NHL, it could be anything from a player to a certain special team or even the coach. It’s just who could be the biggest influence on the result.
So who’s the Maple Leafs X-Factor?
An easy answer would be to say someone like Auston Matthews. I mean, they’re the star players. If they step up and play their best game, the Leafs will have a better chance at winning.
You could also say Mike Babcock. Say, if he decides to put Leo Komarov on the ice to start overtime over someone like William Nylander, he could be screwing them over in the end. This is another possibility.
But I don’t think any of these guys will be their X-Factor.
In my opinion, I think it will be Kasperi Kapanen.
I’ve written many articles that talk about Kapanen’s game and I firmly believe that he’s a guy the Maple Leafs need to keep around for the sole reason that he’s clutch and shows up when his team needs it the most.
Of course he’s not a Matthews or a Marner. He only has seven points in 29 games because for whatever reason he’s being played primarily on the fourth line. Kapanen could get 15 goals and 30 points a year and I wouldn’t care. His track record in high-pressure moments is incredible.
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Exhibit A: International Stage
Let’s go back to the 2016 World Juniors. If you look at that whole tournament, Finland was absolutely dominant, and Kapanen wasn’t even the main focus. Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Sebastian Aho absolutely tore it up and terrorized every team they played. So what did Kapanen do?
Still amassed a respectable five points in seven games. Oh, and he did this.
Exhibit B: NHL Regular Season
Fast forward to April 8th, 2017. The Leafs are hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins at home and could clinch the playoffs with a win. Five minutes left in the third period and the Penguins are up 3-2.
Aaaaaand Kapanen does this.
Exhibit C: NHL Playoffs
Fast forward exactly a week later to April 15th, 2017. It’s game two against Washington. The Capitals have a 1-0 series lead over the Leafs. It’s double overtime.
And who did what? Oh, yeah. Kapanen did this.
Maybe Kapanen won’t have the scoresheet breaking offense like Matthews or Marner.
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Maybe he won’t get as much ice time. But no matter who the Leafs end up playing in round one, Babcock needs to have Kapanen on the ice in those important, high pressure moments. Whether he’s playing with Matthews or Nylander or Plekanec. If Kap’s history can repeat itself, the Leafs will have a good playoff run.