5 Reasons to Be Optimistic About the Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 11: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his third goal of the game in the third period against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 11, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 6-5 in a shootout. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 11: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his third goal of the game in the third period against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 11, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 6-5 in a shootout. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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The 2023-2024 version of the Toronto Maple Leafs has not exactly stormed out of the gate to begin the season.  In fact, if one glances at the current standings, they are on the bubble of even making the playoffs.

However, despite all the doom and gloom Toronto Maple Leafs fans seem to be wallowing in, there are several reasons to be optimistic about this team.

In past seasons, there was always some obstacle that couldn’t be overcome, some needle to let the air out of the team’s balloon.

Some years it was injuries.  Other times the goaltending let them down.  Often Toronto’s star players just didn’t produce as much as the opponent’s star players.

Toronto Maple Leafs Are Well Positioned for Success 

Although it’s easy to hit the panic button and think “here we go again” when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a more level headed view reveals that things are actually much better than they seem.

Certainly there are problems that require attention, some of them immediately, others at some point in the season.  As long as those issues are dealt with competently, there are valid reasons to think that this could finally be “the year” for long-suffering Leafs fans.

Here are 5 reasons that you should be much more optimistic about this season’s Toronto Maple Leafs: