No. 1: Win a Playoff Round
You can’t win the Stanley Cup unless you win your first playoff round, so priority number one for the Toronto Maple Leafs is getting out of the first round.
It’s been 18 years since the Leafs have won a playoff round. That is completely unacceptable for a franchise that considers themselves the biggest hockey market in the world. It’s so embarrassing that every time I read that stat, I try not to believe it.
Auston Matthews needs to put the team on his back, if that’s what it takes, and will this team to at least one playoff victory. It’s been way too long since they’ve done so, so this team needs that momentum of finally winning a round, so we don’t have to talk about it anymore.
Winning a round is so important for the psyche of this team because if they don’t do it this year, when will they ever do it?
Also, if they don’t win a playoff round, Kyle Dubas is probably getting fired and the entire team is going in a different direction, so their goal is should be to win one round to keep their jobs and build some momentum.