There — I said it. The Toronto Maple Leafs are on pace to win the Stanley Cup.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, “the way the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing is no where near the level required to win a Stanley Cup.”
While you’re probably correct, there’s a little history behind why I think they could pull it off.
Let’s go back to January — the St. Louis Blues were dead last and there was no chance that the team with 15 wins and 18 losses could make their way back up the standings.
However, it happened. If you remember clear enough, the Blues went on to be the 2019 Stanley Cup champions.
Not enough to prove my point?
The 2019 World Series Champions, the Washington Nationals. 51 games into the season, the Nationals had a 20-31 record. It was almost two months into the season when Washington secured 2nd last in the National League.
For both Washington and St. Louis — it was almost like the sky was falling.
However, both teams found a way. How the teams found it is beyond me, but they did.
My point:
Right now, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in a wildcard spot, but the season hasn’t been great.
Penalty troubles have helped the team pick up losses and also have more goals against this season compared to the last.
But my point to what you read above is; maybe this is the year?
This questionable start by the Toronto Maple Leafs could see them compete and play better overall as a team, as the season goes on.
As weird as last years playoffs were (Lightning getting swept in first round) and how weird the start of this year has been (Oilers in 3rd place in NHL), this could be the Maple Leafs’ Cinderella story.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the best teams in the NHL — the spark might just come once every player is healthy.
It may take some more time, but once everyone returns, this team will be one that cannot be stopped.
History has shown that it’s possible for a team to come back from last place and win a championship, so it’s possible.
Even though the Leafs aren’t last, it’s a position that the team and us fans don’t want to be in.
They have to be better and I know every player will be.
When that is though is the question mark. Could it be tomorrow? Yes. It also could be next year, but I really hope it isn’t.
At this point, any team in the NHL can win the Stanley Cup. Nobody knows who will win it and it will likely always be that way. But as history is showing — the Toronto Maple Leafs could make a deep playoff push and just maybe, do the thing.