Toronto Maple Leafs Best Ten Game Stretch Yet This Season
It’s a good time to be a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have exceeded even my lofty expectations of them – I predicted an 8-2-0 record over this ten game stretch.
Record over last ten games: 9-0-1
Goals for: 41
Goals against: 16
Not only are they 9-0-1 over the last ten games, but they have picked up points in 15 straight games.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Ten Games at a Time
The Leafs had an absolutely ridiculous month of November, only losing one game in regulation, and they have continued that absurd pace into December.
With three shutouts in five games, the team defense has lead the way in this ten game stretch, allowing only 16 goals. The offence has picked up as well with their best ten game stretch of scoring, averaging over 4 goals per game.
Not only have the Toronto Maple Leafs been on a torrid pace as a team, but their players are helping to establish them as a top team in the league. Mitch Marner is on a 23 game point streak, William Nylander is having another career season, and John Tavares seems to be rejuvenated. What’s most impressive of all is that the Maple Leafs have done this, mostly, without Morgan Reilly, Jake Muzzin and, until recently, TJ Brodie.
Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren have continued their success from last season, and established themselves as solid top four blue liners. While, Mark Giordano and Justin Holl are playing top-pairing minutes on the league’s top team for $3 million combined.
Current Position in Standings:
2nd in Atlantic Division
3rd in Eastern Conference
3rd in NHL
No team in the league has been as hot as the Toronto Maple Leafs over the last couple of weeks.
The Boston Bruins are still winning a lot of games, but the Maple Leafs are closing the gap bit by bit.
A month ago the Bruins were comfortably leading the division by more than 10 points, and now the Maple Leafs are only three points behind.
The two teams have only played once so far this year, a 2-1 win for the Maple Leafs, but have three more dates before the season is up. Toronto has a legitimate shot of catching Boston and overtaking the top of the division, paving a slightly easier path to going on a deep playoff run.
First overall in the entire league is a reasonable goal for the
Leafs to obtain at this point. If Ilya Samsonov and Matt Murray remain healthy and continue to play at the level they have in their first 11 and 10 games respectively, there is a good chance Toronto could be adding a President’s Trophy to their mantle.
Matthews Rocket Richard watch:
Goals in last 10 games: 6
Total Goals: 15
Odds to win Rocket: +850
Auston Matthews still has not been scoring at the clip that we have become accustomed to, but since the Leafs are winning no one seems to mind.
As other players around the league continue to pile up goals, Matthews sits at only 15 total in 30 games, 11 behind the current leader Connor McDavid.
It’s beginning to look like the Rocket Richard is drifting out of reach, however, if anyone can close an 11 goal gap in 50 games it is certainly Auston Matthews. It is still worth taking a shot at high odds, as Matthews proved last year – scoring 51 goals in 50 games – he can go on an absurd scoring stretch.
Next Ten Games
Over the next ten games, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be at home for five and on the road for five. Hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 20 may be their toughest test of this stretch, but don’t count out the reigning Cup champs, Colorado Avalanche.
The Leafs visit Denver on the last day of the year to finish off a three game road trip.
One game I am interested to see is against the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena. The small 5,000 seat arena, located on campus at Arizona State University, should provide for an interesting venue and a different looking broadcast. I have yet to see what the arena looks like and I will be curious to see how the Maple Leafs players react to the conditions.
Toronto rings in the new year with a three game home stand that should be a good test and keep them on their toes to enter the second half of the season.
At some point you would think the Maple Leafs will slow down, and you can’t do much better than 9-0-1.
I see a couple of tough losses in this next 10 game slate, a 7-2-1 record though should keep them in contention for the top spot in the Atlantic, and the entire league.