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The Toronto Maple Leafs are the New Dynasty Team

By Wilbert Timmermans

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 19: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs takes the ice to play the Boston Bruins in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 19, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 19: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs takes the ice to play the Boston Bruins in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 19, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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News flash, The Toronto Maple Leafs are the new dynasty team in the Eastern Conference.

Yes, you heard me. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the NHL newest dynasty in the Eastern Conference. The best team in the NHL even. Man, how things have changed. While the Atlantic Division still boasts some of the worst teams in the NHL with Detroit, Buffalo (yes, they still suck) and Ottawa, the two strongest team play in the Atlantic Division.

No other team boasts more offensive guns than the Toronto Maple Leafs do. Like last year, there will be players on Toronto’s fourth line that would easily play top 9, maybe even top 6 on many other teams.

So what that the Leafs lost JvR, Komarov and Bozak? Toronto has Tavares, Johnsson and Kapanen to fill those slots. Aside from JvR’s goal production, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be a  better team with those players.

Quality Depth Is Worth Silver

With John Tavares and Auston Matthews as their first two centres, the Toronto Maple Leafs arguably have the best depth at centre in the entire league. Add Kadri to their top 3 centres and it becomes less arguable and more a less a given fact.

We have learned from example from the Penguins how successful a team is with quality depth down the middle. Exactly like we have learned from the Oilers how weak a team can be, build around only proven centre.

John Tavares is in potential a solid point per game player. Assuming he will be winged by quality players like I don’t know, Mitch Marner? He shouldn’t have any trouble keeping that pace. Should Matthews be paired with Patrick Marleau and William Nylander, opponents have multiple reasons to fear the Leafs offensive power.

Defensive Struggles

Perhaps the most used argument to deny the Toronto Maple Leafs the status of a serious contender. Not the mention being the next dynasty. Yes, the Toronto Maple Leafs have some weak links on the Blue Line. No, the Toronto Maple Leafs defensive core isn’t as weak as made up to be.

With Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner fairly young still, once Travis Dermott and Timothy Liljegren have emerged, the Leafs will actually have quite an impressive top four.

Next: The Two Missing Pieces the Leafs Need

The only improvement the defensive core needs at this moment is for Nikita Zaitsev to be traded away. He’s an overpaid third-pairing defenseman playing top-pairing minutes. For both his sake and the Toronto Maple Leafs he needs to be traded away.

Nonetheless, even if he stays for the upcoming season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the new dynasty team!

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