Editor In Leaf
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Toronto Maple Leafs Should be Stanley Cup Favorites

By James Tanner

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 20: Tampa Bay Lightning defender Victor Hedman (77) skates away from Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Kasperi Kapanen (24) during the third period of an NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 20, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. The Lightning scored three goals in the third period to defeat the Maple Leafs 4-3. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 20: Tampa Bay Lightning defender Victor Hedman (77) skates away from Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Kasperi Kapanen (24) during the third period of an NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 20, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. The Lightning scored three goals in the third period to defeat the Maple Leafs 4-3. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs can win the Stanley Cup this spring.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are less than two seasons removed from winning the draft lottery after a last place finish, but they are now one of the top three or four teams in the NHL.

I have been writing about this all year, but now I actually have proof that it is true.

Back in September, I wrote this: The Leafs Are Legit Contenders. 

And in October, I told you the Leafs were the best team in the NHL.  I am even more convinced now than I was then that this is true.

When you say this, you get basically the same response time and time again “Typical Leafs fan, making us looking bad, they’re still rebuilding.”  Now, I am not one for self-hating, hyper self-conscience attempts to look like I’m not a rabid fan-boy, but even if I was, I don’t think I’d have the guts to look at this team and argue it is still in a rebuild.  I mean, there’s crazy, and then there’s crazy.

The remains, however, that the Leafs are among the best teams in the NHL.  Sure, they allow too many shots per game, sure they waste everyone’s time by playing Roman Polak (one of the indisputably worst players in the NHL) and maybe they aren’t exactly perfect, but who is?  Every team is flawed.

The Lightning dress Dan Girardi, the Bruins are pretty fragile, the Jets have Tyler Myers. Nashville is worried that it’s going to hit midnight and Pekka Rinne will turn back into his regular self.  Everyone is exploitable.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the Best

Currently, the Leafs sit in 6th place in the NHL.

The first place Predators, are among the league leaders in O-T losses, and they have only five more wins than the Leafs.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but did their best player miss 25% of the season so far?  Is their goalie better than the Leafs goalie?  No.  Rinne may be having a career season, but he is not a better goalie than Andersen and you wouldn’t be wise to bet he could outperform him in a playoff series.

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The Lightning?  Great team. But they also dress Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi, players who give Roman Polak competition for the worst player in the NHL title.  They have a great defense, but they also can’t match the Leafs third and fourth line depth.  Again, I’m confident a healthy Matthews makes up for the slightly more points they’ve garnered to date.

Oh, and did I mention that Tomas Plakanec, easily the best fourth line centre in the NHL, still hasn’t gotten his game to where it will eventually get to? That Travis Dermott didn’t join the Leafs until January? That Kasperi Kapanen has only played 30 games?

The Leafs optimal lineup has played less games together than any other Cup Competitor. In fact, since Auston Matthews and Tomas Plecanec have never suited up in the same game, the Leafs have never, not even once, dressed their best lineup.

And they are six wins out of first.

Next: Matthews Is Back

So who exactly should the Leafs be afraid to play in the Playoffs?  No one.  The only team that can match the Leafs dynamic offense is the Penguins and the Leafs have a better blue line and a better goalie.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the best team in the NHL.  They should also be the Stanley Cup Favorites.

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