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Toronto Maple Leafs: Fun With the NHL Standings

ByJames Tanner|
TORONTO, ON - MAY 27: Jack Campbell #36 of the Toronto Maple Leafs stops a shot against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Five of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 27, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 27: Jack Campbell #36 of the Toronto Maple Leafs stops a shot against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Five of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 27, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are enjoying a dream season so far.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently tied with Tampa for first in the Atlantic, and first overall.

While Tampa has played one less game, and while the Leafs are 5th overall by points-percentage, Toronto is 1st overall with an incredible .804 winning points percentage since October 26th.

A sign that the Leafs are actually as good as their record indicates is this: By 5v5 goals-for percentage they are ranked 9th, but by expected-goals percentage, they are ranked 3rd, only microscopically outside of first.

Of the top-ten NHL teams in the standings by points-percentage, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team whose expected-goals share is higher than their actual goals share.

Information for this article taken from naturalstattrick.com and nhl.com. 

Toronto Maple Leafs: Fun With the NHL Standings

The Leafs right now are basically a lock to make the playoffs, though of course all anyone really cares about is how they do once they get there. 

Moneypuck has the Leafs at 96% to make the playoffs, with a solid 6.5% chance to win the Stanley Cup.  The Athletic has the Leafs at 100% to make the playoffs, and while they don’t offer Cup percentages, they do project the Leafs to finish 2 points back of the President’s Trophy.

Some other interesting observations from the NHL Standings:

  • Washington has lost seven times in overtime/shootout.
  • Calgary has six loser points.
  • The Wild have 40 points, but by points-percentage are 7th overall, the highest ranking Western Team, which is weird.
  • The Coyotes are a joke and have only a .212 points-percentage, but they aren’t even close to the 1975 Washington Capitals, who finished with a 8-67-5 record. 
  • Three of the five worst teams are in the Atlantic Division (explaining why three Atlantic Teams are fighting for first overall).

It truly is fun to watch Montreal struggle. Now normally I don’t take joy in other people’s misfortune, but after that joke of a playoff series last year, and their subsequent improbable run to the Finals, I hope they lose every game.

One might call this karma for drafting Logan Mailloux against the wishes of everyone in the NHL, including the player they drafted.  Personally, I just call it a return to the norm. The Canadiens beat the Leafs 4 times in regulation last year, in 17 total games, and still somehow won the games they did in the proper order to advance in the playoffs.

I don’t think I’ll ever get over losing a game in overtime on  a 50 foot knuckle-puck after outshooting them 12-1, while Alex Galchenyuk laid on the ice due to an uncalled headshot.

I still think the Leafs might have beaten Tampa in the Finals, if they hadn’t gotten so unlucky.

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