#4 Get Healthy
It’s easy to get frustrated with the Toronto Maple Leafs when they can barely scrape by the lowly Flyers when they just played the night before.
It’s easy to get frustrated when the team isn’t it’s high-flying self, or when they blow leads, fail to start on time etc.
But one thing we need to remember is that this team hasn’t played a full game with their full roster since the 2017-18 season.
For most of their games this year, they’ve been missing Travis Dermott, John Tavares and Zach Hyman.
That’s two-thirds of their top line, and the only defenseman they have that is a) familiar with the system because he hasn’t been recently acquired b) capable of playing both sides of the ice c) good at defense d) worthy of a top-four role.
But missing Tavares is a huge blow. He’s one of the best all-round players in the NHL, and he forces coaches to either put their best defenders on against him or Auston Matthews.
His presence makes the Toronto Maple Leafs the deepest team in hockey at the most important position – centre ice.
Dermott is back, and both Tavares and Hyman are going to be playing soon. Once the Leafs are healthy, look out.