Can the Toronto Maple Leafs Feast on the NHL East?

Carolina Hurricanes (56 points)

Another team with some serious depth, the Hurricanes are top-ten in GF and top-five in GA, PP% and PK%. I don’t really see any weaknesses here. Other than the quality of depth, the Canes have scoring, grit, experience, can win faceoffs on every line and possess a top-notch defense core.

Seth Jarvis, the 2020 1st-round-pick (courtesy of our own Toronto Maple Leafs) has impressed with 8 goals and 17 points in 29 games, or, rather, tied for 1st in goals and 4th in scoring on the Montreal Canadiens. You’re welcome, Carolina. Oh, yea, congrats on Frederick Andersen too.

Playoff Prediction: Leafs take advantage of Freddy “game-seven sieve” Andersen and pull this series out in 7

New York Rangers (58 points)

I guess the 2019-2020 compound-V supply (gratuitous and unsubstantiated ‘The Boys’ reference alert) finally switched from Mika Zibanejad’s locker to Chris Kreider’s. As the former’s goal-scoring prowess continues its nearly 50% drop over the past two years, the latter has already eclipsed his season-best goal output, with 40 games to spare. But it’s the Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin show in NY right now. Fox, with 45 points, sits first in NHL scoring for defensemen and will battle Victor Hedman, Roman Josi and Cale Makar for the Norris. Shesterkin (19-4) leads the league with a .936 SV% and is a Vezina finalist.

The teams prospects haven’t yet turned the corner but when they do this team will be a force.

Playoff Prediction: Shersterkin needs more playoff work in. I’ll stick with my core beliefs and take Keefe’s Leafs. Toronto in 6