Honestly, Toronto Maple Leafs nation couldn’t have asked for a better season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs set a franchise record in games won with 48 wins. The team proved that they could win without their top centre-man, Auston Matthews in the lineup. Mitch Marner proved to Maple Leafs nation that his slump to begin the 2017-2018 was just a minor bump in the road. James van Riemsdyk grabbed a career high in goals with 36. Frederik Andersen registered a career high in both wins and shut-outs. Travis Dermott was recalled and became a main-stay in the lineup.
I could go on and on. I could literally write a whole post with one line statements about everyone on the Toronto Maple Leafs rosters. For your sake, I won’t do that.
Last Year To This Year
I’m just ecstatic that the Toronto Maple Leafs squad overcame a rough round one loss against the Washington Capitals in last season’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Maple Leafs learned from their mistakes against Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. Ultimately, they became a better squad on and off the ice.
With one game left in the regular season, the Maple Leafs are 5th in the NHL in GF/GP, 20th in GA/GP, 2nd in PP% and lead the league in S/O win.
Throughout the season, Matthews and the squad have proven that they can go out each night and out-play the best of the best in the NHL.
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The way that the Toronto Maple Leafs have upped their game at both ends of the ice makes me ecstatic. I can finally say that this team has a great shot to hoist the Stanley Cup at the end of the season.
The One Area To Work On
If there is one area that I can nit-pick, it is shots against. With one game to go, the Toronto Maple Leafs are fourth in the NHL in SA/GP. Currently, the Maple Leafs have an average of 33.9 shots against per game. They are consistently getting out-shot night after night.
Yes, the Maple Leafs finally out-shot someone. The New Jersey Devils, who finally clinched the playoffs last night. Unfortunately, almost every other night its the opposite. The Maple Leafs don’t put enough pressure on their opponents in the neutral zone and they open up opportunities for the opposition to fire shots on net. Additionally, in the defensive zone, they look sluggish from time to time.
Aside from needing to up their game in the neutral zone, the Maple Leafs need to work on puck possession. Almost half of the Maple Leafs roster has a CF% less than 50%. If the Maple Leafs expect the lower the shot against totals, they need to a much better job of possessing the puck. Stop giving up the puck.
Next: Maple Leafs Playoff Survival Guide
If they are hungry for the Stanley Cup, that needs to change right now. If they don’t work on puck possession, they could be on the golf course earlier than anticipated.
stats from NHL.com & hockey-reference.com