How to make the Toronto Maple Leafs a Stanley Cup Contender

It’s currently a scary time for everyone worldwide, not just the Toronto Maple Leafs and the rest of the NHL.

Before I get into my article, I just want to say that I hope everyone who’s reading this is staying safe out there. Currently, should play resume to finish off the regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs occupy a playoff spot.

They sit third in the Atlantic Division, albeit not all that comfortably. I’ll take it though. It’s somewhat of a comfort knowing that should the NHL return with only the playoffs, that the  Leafs would be in the run for the Stanley Cup.

There are some things that need to be done though, should the Toronto Maple Leafs actually want to make a legitimate run at the Cup.

Their likely opponent (if it stays the normal format) is the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, the last two times these teams have went head to head, Toronto has come out on top. But the playoffs are an entirely different monster. Let’s take a look at the key components (at least, I think they’re key) to ensure that there’s a chance Stanley comes home.

Full Strength Roster

The Toronto Maple Leafs have not played one game with their entire roster all year long.

At every turn, someone has been injured. Clearly, the last few years of not getting injured has come back to bite us. If this team has any chance of making a deep run, they’ll need to be much closer to full strength than they are now.

The good news? An extended hiatus means that there is a likely chance that many of our injured Leafs actually make it back before we hopefully resume play later this year.

Both Muzzin and Mikheyev were nearing returns should play not have been paused, meaning they will for sure be ready to go. Hopefully, even the likes of Johnsson are back, and the team that we remember from last season (+ a couple of new faces) will be ready to go before we know it.

Goaltending – good goaltending

It’s no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs have had a glaring hole in goaltending all year.

Usually, Frederik Andersen is able to bail the team out on nights where their play has been less than stellar. This year? Freddie hasn’t been great either. He’s had periods of extreme highs, followed by periods of extreme lows. Him getting injured hasn’t exactly helped his case.

The case of the Toronto Maple Leafs backup goaltender is a whole different story. Finally however, after going through multiple different options, we seem to have found an answer.

Jack Campbell is an amazing goaltender, and unlike the other backups, I’m not terrified when he takes the ice before puck drop. Hopefully, Campbell and Andersen can be a dynamic duo (I’m talking Halak-Rask good). Maybe then we’d have a shot.

DEFENSE

I don’t know how badly I can stress the fact that sometimes, it’s like the Toronto Maple Leafs forgot how to play defense. Sometimes, I  don’t even know what I’m watching.

When I go back, and I watch some of the teams who have won the Stanley Cup in years past, there’s usually a common denominator. The team who wins has a pretty strong defense.

Again, like I said before in my first point, injury hasn’t helped the Leafs blue line. They played nine games missing both Rielly and Muzzin.

When the  blueline is healthy, I think it’s slowly becoming something good. But, practice also makes perfect, and you can’t be perfect if you don’t know who’s in the lineup on a given night. Defense is key. A good defense means a good shot at the championship.

Hopefully, the NHL resumes play at some point. I’ll take hockey whenever I can get it, but hopefully it’s soon. I think the Toronto Maple Leafs have a genuine shot this year.