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Comparing Toronto Maple Leafs to Past 10 Stanley Cup Champions

By Stephen Nixon

NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 11: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with the Stanley Cup Trophy after they defeated the Nashville Predators 2-0 to win the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Bridgestone Arena on June 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 11: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with the Stanley Cup Trophy after they defeated the Nashville Predators 2-0 to win the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Bridgestone Arena on June 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 7: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs   (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 7: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs   (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

#7. Goaltender

Goaltending is the most important part towards winning a Stanley Cup. You could have the best offense in the world, but without a clutch net-minder, it’s all worthless.

Every goalie doesn’t have to be Patrick Roy-like from 1993, but the stats show that they need to be consistent. Each player has to steal a few wins along the way if their team is ever going to have a chance at a Stanley Cup.

  • 2018-19: Jordan Binnington
  • 2017-18: Braden Holtby
  • 2016-17: Matt Murray 
  • 2015-16: Matt Murray
  • 2014-15: Corey Crawford
  • 2013-14: Jonathan Quick
  • 2012-13: Corey Crawford
  • 2011-12: Jonathan Quick
  • 2010-11: Tim Thomas
  • 2009-10: Antti Niemi

Although a Vezina Trophy Award may not be a prerequisite to winning a Stanley Cup, each goaltender has to have a Vezina trophy-like playoff season in order for their team to win. Over the past 10 years, Stanley Cup winning goaltenders average a .926 SV % and 2.11 GAA.

Also, within the past decade, four of goalies averaged a GAA below 2.00, which is insane for a full playoff-run. Without solid goaltending, a team may be able to get away with it in the regular season, but not in the playoffs.

Toronto Maple Leafs Goaltender: Frederik Andersen

Gulp. This is where Toronto finally falls into trouble.

Over Andersen’s career, he’s averaging a .917 SV% and 2.63 GAA, which is much worse than what’s needed out of a Stanley Cup winning goaltender. Although it’s possible to win a championship with average goaltending (Ex. Antti Niemi 09-10 Playoffs .910 SV, 2.63 GAA), more often than not the team needs Hall-of-Fame worthy goaltending to succeed.

#8. Adversity or Theme

“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time” – Malcolm X.

Adversity is what makes every championship team stronger. A team that goes through the entire regular season without any bumps is a team that won’t succeed in the playoffs.

Just look at the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2018-19 season. They were the best team in the NHL regular season from start to finish and they knew they were going to be the number-one seed for months.

When the playoffs started, they blew a 3-0 lead in Game 1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets and were finished. They hadn’t faced adversity all season and couldn’t recover from that and were eventually swept. Everything can’t be rainbows and butterflies in professional sports and every championship team needs to encapsulate something or have a theme for the season to win.

  • 2018-19: Gloria/Last Team in NHL on January 3rd
  • 2017-18: Finally defeated their rival Pittsburgh Penguins in playoffs for the first time in Ovechkin-Era 
  • 2016-17: Matt Murray vs. Marc-Andre Flueury Debate
  • 2015-16: Injuries/Critics thought Sidney Crosby was ‘washed up’
  • 2014-15: Down 3-2 in Western Conference Finals Series and rallied back to win Game 6 & 7
  • 2013-14: Down 3-0 in First Round Series, but won. Also won three consecutive Game 7’s
  • 2012-13: Rallied back from 3-1 deficit in Western Conference Semi-Finals to win in Game 7
  • 2011-12: Won despite being an eighth seed in the Western Conference
  • 2010-11: Won Game 7 of First Round in Overtime. Also went down 3-2 in Stanley Cup Finals before winning Game 7 on the road
  • 2009-10: Won first Stanley Cup championship since 1961

Every season is filled with themes and adversity along the way. Winning a Stanley Cup isn’t easy and as seen by the last 10 teams, there was always something that happened or the team overcame in the playoffs.

Toronto’s Theme/Adversity: Defeating the Boston Bruins/First Stanley Cup since 1967

The Leafs have more than enough adversity facing them towards to their ultimate goal of a Stanley Cup.  Similar to Washington in 2018, the Leafs will more likely than not have to defeat their rival Boston Bruins in the playoffs to get to a Stanley Cup Final. By defeating them it doesn’t mean they’ll win a Cup, but it would definitely be a huge momentum shift that they would need to help them get there.

Not only that, but the biggest elephant in the room is not winning since 1967. When the Toronto Maple Leafs eventually win, that will be a huge theme towards their championship. Similar to the Blackhawks in 2010, those players on that cup winning team will be immortalized forever.

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