Toronto Maple Leafs: Problems with the AHL Schedule

We complain about the Toronto Maple Leafs schedule quite a bit. And for good reason.

Up until two weeks ago, the Leafs had paced the entire NHL in games played, dating all the way back to mid-November.

Their schedule is so condensed, they’ve managed to maintain that lead despite experiencing two separate gaps of at least five off days between games.

And yet, the Leafs’ schedule pales in comparison to what the Toronto Marlies have had to deal with this season.

Belleville Blues

Setting aside the typical three games in three nights nonsense of the average AHL schedule, the Marlies have been saddled with a different challenge altogether.

To date, their most frequent opponents aren’t exactly the type you would call “contenders”. Or even “competent hockey teams”.

When the 2017-18 season concludes, the Marlies will have faced the Belleville Senators a whopping 12 times. Belleville, by the way, sits dead last in the AHL’s North Division with a paltry 53 points.

You might be wondering, “why is it a bad thing that the Marlies are playing subpar competition?”. And you’d be right.

It only wavers into “bad” territory when these events keep occurring in meaningless games.

First, it was Andreas Borgman taking a head shot from AHL lifer Mike Blunden.

Last night, it was the recently signed Mason Marchment‘s turn to get gooned.

Herein lies the problem.

Talented, important players are getting injured, primarily via cheap shots, while playing in thoroughly meaningless games. Belleville lives for this stuff. They know Toronto is a skill-based team, and they revel in playing spoiler.

Borgman was lucky enough to avoid serious injury. But, Blunden’s hit could have absolutely ended his season right then and there. That would mean the elimination of a crucial young piece of the Marlies’ D corps.

The same rings true for Marchment.

Earlier this season, Marchment missed over a month due to injury, needing ample time to reacclimate himself following his recovery. It’s really only been during the last week or so that he’s begun to look like his former self.

Now, he may miss significant time, again, thanks to a worthless fight against a player on a team with 41 fewer points than his own. Mere weeks before the playoffs, no less.

Losing Mentality

Rest assured, Sheldon Keefe isn’t happy about this either. Following an overtime victory against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins, a playoff-bound squad, Keefe told reporters:

"The big thing is us figuring out how it is we need to play in real hockey games. The reality of it is I don’t feel like we’ve been able to play in enough games like this as a team here. You look at the standings and you look at our schedule, we play 30 games against the 3 teams at the bottom of the conference in the standings. And that takes a toll on a team in terms of maybe a losing perspective on what it’s like to play these types of games."

Coming from a coach as tight-lipped as Keefe, (believe me, I’ve been interviewing him all year and the guy is Fort Knox) that’s a surprisingly candid quote. For this is to be bothering him enough to elicit a response like that speaks volumes.

Knowing that his team has posted a 23-12 record when facing teams above .500 may calm Keefe’s nerves.

Although, over their 11 remaining games, the schedule doesn’t do them any favours. The Marlies will face Belleville again twice, with the same going for fellow basement dweller Laval, who they’ve already met 10 times.

Next: Alternative Stretch Drive Plan

Building a playoff mindset down the stretch will prove to be a challenge for this Marlies team. Albeit, one they’ve managed to conquer so far.