The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for a big year this coming season. In it, there may be some things happening that we won’t expect.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have dipped into free agency and found some players to help complete their roster for the upcoming season.
While there may still be some tinkering left for Kyle Dubas before the puck drops to start the season in October, it appears as though we know what this year’s group will look like.
It’s just enough information to make some predictions for the 2021-22 season.
1. The Toronto Maple Leafs will get past the first round of the playoffs
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t won a playoff series since 2004.
With Ed Belfour in net, Toronto bested the Ottawa Senators in seven games to win the Battle of Ontario. Little did anyone know that the celebration that took place that night by many of that team’s players (Mats Sundin, Joe Nieuwendyk, Tie Domi, Gary Roberts, Ron Francis, Brian Leetch, Alex Mogilny, Owen Nolan, Bryan McCabe, Darcy Tucker, Tomas Kaberle, Matt Stajan, Nik Antropov, and Alexei Ponikarovsky) would be the last one in the playoffs for close to two decades. The Maple Leafs lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in round two that year.
Coming off a disappointing loss this past season to the Montreal Canadiens, the players certainly learned from the experience. They should be better prepared for playoff hockey and enter with a mission not to be outworked.
Playing in front of the Leafs new goalie, Petr Mrazek, who will be the starter in Game 1 (a bonus prediction for you), Toronto will be invigorated with hope and confidence. Thanks to their energy and talented lineup, the Leafs will easily cruise into the second round where they will face a tougher opponent. Toronto won’t just win one round but they’ll win two.
The Leafs will make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Sadly, that’s where their push for the Cup will end but it will satisfy the Toronto fanbase thirsting for playoff success.