1 Thing that guarantees the Toronto Maple Leafs are a top team

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a testament to how important it is to have superstars on your roster in the NHL.

Almost no one likes the Toronto Maple Leafs old GM, Kyle Dubas, and new GM Brad Treliving is somehow even less popular. Brendan Shanahan has long since ceased being someone you wanted running your favorite hockey team.

Not only are the Leafs management as unpopular as John Ferguson Jr. on his worst day, but you'd have to squint extremely hard, and be a major-league Leafs Apologist to defend the whole of their work this summer or last summer.

And let's not forget that their current GM sat out the trade deadline and then his team lost by a single goal in game seven, even though they were incredibly injured at the top of their lineup.

And yet, despite all this, the Toronto Maple Leafs are very much Cup Contenders on the eve of the 2024-25 season. Why? Because they have Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on their roster.

1 Thing that guarantees the Toronto Maple Leafs are a top team

If Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner both play 82 games, the Leafs win the President's Trophy and the Atlantic Division title.

Doesn't matter if Tanev declines, who is third line centre, where Domi plays or if Woll stays healthy. It doesn't matter if OEL is a shell of his former self, or if Ryan Reaves starts playing 20 minuets per night.

It doesn't matter what Craig Berube does. It doesn't matter if Big T gets over his fear of trades. It doesn't matter if Easton Cowan makes the team or if Matthew Knies becomes a star.

All that matters is that Auston and Mitch play every game, and combine for over 100 goals and 200 points (things that are automatic if they play all the games). If they play, the Leafs win. Every team can match the other 20-30 guys the Leafs will move in and out of the roster over the next six months.

No team, except for Edmonton, can match the Matthews/Marner combo.

But Jim, what about the Stanley Cup?

That's easy too. Auston Matthews has 1 goal in his last ten playoff games, over two series that the Leafs would have 100% won if he even scored at half his normal pace.

Should he deign to actually show up in the playoff and actually play like the Auston Matthews who made me wax back the start of my hairline and grow a mustache, the Leafs win the Cup.

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are the best duo in the NHL. Even better than McDavid and Draisaitl who do most of their damage on the power-play and don't really play defense. If they can stay healthy for the regular season , the Leafs will be the top team.

If they are healthy in the playoffs, for once, then it's an automatic Stanley Cup.