The Toronto Maple Leafs are not exactly having one of their best starts in team history. While the Leafs are within striking distance of first place in the Atlantic Division, they’re also on step away from the bottomless pit that is the cellar of the Eastern Conference.
But a recent NHL power rankings has shed light on a striking reality. A USA Today NHL power rankings published on November 3 placed the Maple Leafs 20th.
Should that be a surprise to anyone paying attention?
To be honest, USA Today was quite generous by placing the Leafs where they did. The club is mired in the mushy middle and hasn’t shown any signs of breaking out. But the comments explaining the placement are perhaps the most telling of Toronto’s season so far:
“Mitch Marner left in free agency and William Nylander has missed time with injury. That's a lot of offense to make up.”
Sure, the Leafs haven’t been scoring enough. That’s plainly evident to anyone following the team. But it’s not quite as bad as it seems. The Leafs are actually sixth in the league, averaging 3.58 goals per game.
So, where is the offense stalling? Try the 29th best power play in the league. Or how about 15th n the league in shots?
Those numbers show that, while the Maple Leafs are scoring, they’re just not getting it done on the power play. They are shooting enough, and that likely has impacted the team’s ability to overcome another crucial flaw.
Maple Leafs defense and goaltending not cutting it
The Maple Leafs were a fantastic defensive team a year ago. But this season, things haven’t gone quite so well. The Leafs are 28th in the NHL with a 3.67 GAA. The club’s save percentage is even worse, ranked 29th at .880.
Part of those numbers have been due to the absence of Joseph Woll. Cayden Primeau hasn’t necessarily had the most impressive numbers, despite winning a couple of games. The story has been Anthony Stolarz’s less-than-stellar start the season.
To compound matters, the loss of Chris Tanev for what looks to be an extended period will weigh on the team. Depth replacements Philippe Myers and Dakota Mermis, while serviceable, haven’t been the most impressive blueliners.
So, what does all of this mean?
There’s no reason to panic as it’s still early November. But the clock is ticking, and it’s ticking fast. The Maple Leafs don’t have the luxury of time to turn things around. The Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings risk running away with the division.
The time has come for the troops to rally and make find consistency across the board. Hopefully, the tone of this discussion will be much more different in about a month.