2 Reasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs Slow Start to the Season

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a slow start to the 2022-23 season, relative to their expectations.

Media and many fans have expressed their frustrations with the Toronto Maple Leafs records, despite it being somewhat decent given the circumstances.   Some critics are even requesting the firing of coach, Sheldon Keefe, the winningest coach in team history.

Is this an overreaction or are the Leafs a garbage team that deserves to be tossed in a dumpster fire?

In my opinion there are two reasons for the slow start by the Toronto Maple Leafs:

Two Reasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs Slow Start

The first reason is simply “It’s the start of the season.”  If you haven’t played a game of hockey in five months, you’re going to be a little rusty no matter who you are.

Sure, offseason training helps, but there’s a huge difference between practice and playing in a professional league, and it’s not just the Leafs.  Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Calgary and St. Louis are all teams that finished in the top 10 last season who sitting in the bottom half of the standings so far as I write this. (standings from sportsnet.ca)

Exhibition games don’t count either.  Exhibition games now are more about coaches tinkering with prospects, fringe players and new guys to see what they’ve got than it is about getting star players ready for the season.

Auston Matthews played three exhibition games and only two with his regular linemates.  It might take him a minute, but he’s going to go on a tear at some point and have another 60 goal season.

The Other Reason for the Toronto Maple Leafs Slow Start

The other reason is injuries.  Their defensemen have been highly criticized despite the injuries to key players.

Jake Muzzin and Timothy Liljegren would both be in the lineup if they were healthy and Jordie Benn and Carl Dahlstrom would be two of the first players to be called up if they weren’t also injured.

Filip Kral may be developing into an NHL defenseman, but right now, he’s 11th on the Leafs depth chart for defensemen.  He shouldn’t be relied on this early in the season.

The worst injury though might be the injury to Matt Murray, because the Leafs have had to dress their third-string ( and its arguably a compliment to even call him that) goaltender, Erik Kallgren in three games, which were all loses against some of the league’s worst teams: Arizona, San Jose and Anaheim.

Nothing against Kallgren, but you can’t expect to win too many games with your third  goalie.  The Leafs have been much better with Ilya Samsonov in net going 5-2-0 with one of those loses coming to the first place Vegas Knights in Vegas.