3 Awards Toronto Maple Leafs Could Win During 2021-22 Season

TORONTO, ON - MAY 31: Josh Anderson #17 of the Montreal Canadiens is tripped up by Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during Game Seven of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 31, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Map[le Leafs 3-1 to win series 4 games to 3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

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Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Jack Adams Award

The Toronto Maple Leafs are lucky to have Sheldon Keefe as their head coach, because everywhere he coaches, he wins. He’s won the CJHL championship, has reached a Conference Finals in the OHL and has won a Calder Cup in the AHL (stats: hockeydb.com).

He’s already replicated that success in the regular season, but sooner than later, it’s all going to come together in the playoffs.

Fortunately for Keefe and the Leafs sake, this award only matters on what he does in the regular season, so if the team falls again in the playoffs like they typically do, it won’t hurt his chances.

The 2021-22 season is going to be tough for the Toronto Maple Leafs, since they’re back in the Atlantic Division, but if they’re a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in that division, it will give Keefe a great chance at winning the award. Everyone expects Tampa Bay to be good again, so Jon Cooper won’t win, while Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins won this award a few years ago, so they’ll vote someone new and fresh if the Leafs are good.

As a result, Keefe could fit that mold as a new-ish coach to win this award if the Leafs are a top-five team in the NHL and one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

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