3 Things the Toronto Maple Leafs Need to Do to Win the Cup

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the NHL are moving closer to their goal of returning to play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will kick off the 2020 NHL Playoffs near the end of this month with a series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The NHL ratified it’s CBA and return-to-play protocols yesterday, and are hoping to begin training camp within a week or so.

So, if there is to be a Stanley Cup this year, here is how your Toronto Maple Leafs can win it.

How the Toronto Maple Leafs Can Win the Stanley Cup

The first thing the Leafs have to do to win the Stanley Cup is dress Rasmus Sandin.

Sandin had a decent start to the season until an elbow to the head made Mike Babcock reconsider.

Later, injuries necessitated his call-up and he did not disappoint.

Despite prodigious production at the AHL level (especially given his age) Sandin was not used much in an offensive role on the Leafs but did manage eight points in 28 games.

Most of his results were excellent and he appeared poised beyond his years.  Sandin is going to anchor this blue line for the next decade, the Leafs might as well get him some playoff experience now.

Of note: while Sandin had a positive impact while in the lineup, Cody Ceci did not.  The Leafs must make this swap if they want to go anywhere.

The second thing the Leafs must do is dress Nick Robertson.  This OHL goal scoring machine was the youngest player in last year’s draft, and that is the only reason he dropped to the second round.

This future superstar has more offensive talent than anyone on the Leafs not making north of six million dollars, and would probably look amazing on the left side of whichever of the team’s two first-lines Zach Hyman doesn’t play on.

The Leafs can’t leave this kind of weapon on the bench, and if they use Robertson their already-the-best-in-the-NHL offense goes up a couple of notches.

The third thing the Toronto Maple Leafs need to do pair Morgan Rielly and Tyson Barrie together.  The Leafs scored 60% of the total goals when they were on the ice together during their earlier ten game run as a duo.

Even better, they had an elite 55% expected goal rating.   Obviously the coach has to pick his spots with such a shoddy defensive pairing, but the ability to move the puck up the ice in an elite fashion from both sides of the ice is something the Leafs can’t pass up.

If the Toronto Maple Leafs do these three things, they can win the Stanley Cup this summer.