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Where Do the Toronto Maple Leafs Stand Among Cup Contenders?

By Jeremiah Lee

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 17: A general view of Toronto Maple Leafs logo prior to an NHL game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Arena on February 17, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Penguins 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 17: A general view of Toronto Maple Leafs logo prior to an NHL game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Arena on February 17, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Penguins 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 14: Anthony Cirelli #71 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a game wining goal in overtime during a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Amalie Arena on April 14, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 14: Anthony Cirelli #71 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a game wining goal in overtime during a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Amalie Arena on April 14, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

5. Tampa Bay Lightning

The team going for a three-peat is ranked fifth on my list. They still have their core intact and Andrei Vasilevskiy shouldn’t be doubted, even if he’s off his game at the moment, highlighted by his yank from the crease against the Anaheim Ducks where he allowed 3 goals on 13 shots.

While that is a warning sign, I doubt that this will be the norm going forward as you don’t become a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion by accident.

While Matt Murray did the same with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he had Marc-Andre Fleury to back him up and vice versa both times. Vasilevskiy won his championships on his own without a 1B goaltender to back him up and played in every game of the playoffs for the squad. On top of this, he has the ability to come back after a loss AND the ability to finish a series, shutting out the opposition in all four of his series-clinching games in 2021. So he has the benefit of the doubt.

On top of this, the Lightning are fast and skilled with a scoring threat on every line. However, Brayden Point is having a down year with 55 points in 62 games, and if he is still cold as he enters the playoffs. the Lightning may be in trouble even with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov still producing to expectation. Why? Because they have a high chance of playing the Toronto Maple Leafs, and NO ONE matches them when it comes to offensive depth.

However, the Lightning forward core has Championship experience, which is nothing to scoff at. Their third line of Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, and Nick Paul are underrated which makes the Lightning’s top-nine among the top five in the league, and top-five on the power ranking. They play a hard style and could cause issues like their third line of the last two years. This will make defensive responsibilities for the opposition difficult.

The defense of the Lightning is strong as well. Headlined by Victor Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev, and Ryan McDonagh as their big three. They are big bodies who are not easy to deal with, and they don’t mind whether they have to poke check the puck or slam their man into the boards on transition defense. These three also have a winning pedigree, and poise is really a massive aspect of any contender. Victor Hedman is still their number 1 defenseman, and the workhorse for the Lightning for yet another postseason run.

Their playstyle is hybrid, they can play a fast and skilled game as well as a hard, close checking game which they tend to gravitate towards. They are not as loaded as they were before, but they come into the playoffs with a lineup and a goalie who cannot be taken lightly with Championship pedigrees.

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