Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Toronto Maple Leafs: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

By Kuljit Parmar

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 29: Head Coach Sheldon Keefe of the Toronto Maple Leafs addresses the media prior to action between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 29, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 29: Head Coach Sheldon Keefe of the Toronto Maple Leafs addresses the media prior to action between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 29, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

There is less than a month before the Toronto Maple Leafs begin another regular season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will likely once again be a top team this year, though they will be hoping for a different playoff result.

This means, that they will have to work on the areas they feel is the weakest aspect during the pre-season, not to mention the puck possession game that will be well-observed by fans and analysts.

With training camp about to begin, I felt it would be time to do a little “Good, bad and Ugly” with regards to the Leafs. 

The Good Aspect of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The good I would say is that this roster has a mixed level of a youthful presence and a load of veterans that will lead the Leafs team, given that many players are expecting career seasons and contract years.

The best players are in their prime, there are several young players looking to make an impact, and there are of course grizzled vets.  It’s a good mix.

The skill level and speed in the gameplay is another complement to Maple Leafs arsenal that should be a factor in games, and also provide ample amounts of opportunities for the forwards, especially during neutral zone clearage.

All the Forwards on the Leafs roster are healthy and ready to go and the gameplay will be exciting to watch, where the players and chemistry will come to light.

In my opinion, I do believe coach Sheldon Keefe got his extension by being an excellent tactition and communicator. 

The Bad Aspect of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

William Nylander still doesn’t have a contract. It seems that talks between Nylander and the Leafs management are nowhere close to agreement, and we are left wondering if the Leafs will trade him.

The Toronto Maple Leafs blue-line is also an issue. There are key pieces that have not lived up to their expectations, and most concerningly, there are several aging players, and the group as a whole doesn’t have much upside.

If the Leafs face health issues on the blue line they will be in trouble and this may even be the X-factor of the season’s storyline, as there is precious  little depth.

The Ugly Aspect of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Expectations.

Due to this team being a weird mix of being slightly revamped from last season (ten expiring contracts followed by nearly $20 million spent in free-agency) and also very much the same (coach, core-four) there is a question of if this team can ever live up to their massive expectations.

This team has faced harsh backlash from fans and media, deservedly so.  The playoff failures have been painful, but at the same time,  the team has at the same time put together one of the longest periods of competitiveness in its 100 year history.

6 Leafs Questions Heading into Training Camp. dark. Next

Expectations are crazy for this team, and who knows how things will work out, but the combination of high expectations and constant failure have been the ugliest thing about the Toronto Maple Leafs for a while now.

Home/Editorials