New Look Toronto Maple Leafs Begin Second Half

The Toronto Maple Leafs are back after what seemed like an incredibly long mid-season break.

The hilarious things is that the Toronto Maple Leafs weren’t even off for a week, but after a couple months of being used to four games per week, it just seemed weird having so many free nights.

The 19-9-2 and fully recharged Leafs will begin the second half against the Calgary Flames and their recently hired coach Darryl Sutter (who may possibly have played Andy on Twin Peaks) who they last hired in 2002 and who I am sure was the most qualified candidate available.

The Flames are terrible, old-new coach or not, and the Leafs will be looking to take advantage with what I believe is the first time they’ve had their optimal lineup in about three years.

Toronto Maple Leafs New-Look LIneup

The Leafs will get back Wayne Simmonds and Jack Campbell tonight, and they will also allow Alex Galchenyuk to make his TML debut.

These lines look crazy, and it’s hard to believe that any day now they’ll get even better. After being so confused by even the idea of it, I am loving Thornton on the first line as he just seems to make the Leafs two Hart Trophy candidates even better (backed up by 100% of the evidence).

Galchenyuk has so much talent, and he’s going to get a lot of room playing on a line with two superstars who already get favorable matchups.  The Leafs probably end up upgrading here before the deadline, but you never know.

This gives them the depth to put Kerfoot back in his proper spot and create what should be a great checking line.  As for the fourth line, it’s hard to imagine any other team with a fourth line this good.

Then there is this:

That is FROM THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LEAGUE.  If you said Zach Hyman should win the Hart it would be an equally accurate thing to say.   I don’t even know what to say, so I’ll let my man Scott say it:

We are talking about a player who is having an all-time Gretzky/Lemieux type of season. I want to tell you that Auston Matthews should win the Hart Trophy – but in the month since I argued he was winning, McDavid has put a choke hold on it.

Anyways, the Leafs game tonight should be awesome. I can’t wait to see Galchenyuk in action and I’m predicting the Leafs match the score of an earlier NYR/Philly game this week and take down the Flames 9-0.