Team Stats
Two best statistics we have for predicting future success are corsi-for (shot attempt percentage) and expected goals.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 6th in the NHL in Corsi-for percentage. They have the puck 52% of the time.
Under Keefe they are 8th.
The Leafs are 12th overall in expected-goal percentage, and 6th under Sheldon Keefe.
These strong numbers indicate that we are correct in blaming the majority of the Leafs problems so far this year on goaltending.
Even despite their injury problems, the Toronto Maple Leafs have the sixth best expected goal rating since they changed coaches.
Now imagine that for a quarter of those games they weren’t missing their two best defenseman, or had gotten even league average goaltending.
At the end of the day, only results matter. The team was supposed to be good and they haven’t been. I get that.
But if we are trying to decide if they should stay the course or get a GM who will operate in a more traditional fashion, it’s important to note that all the evidence says they will be a better team in the immediate future than they have been so far this season.