3 "What If" Scenarios That Could Lead to a Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup
The Toronto Maple Leafs have 27 games left in the 2023-24 regular season. Everyone is now in full trade deadline and playoffs mode. So, it is a great time to play the annual game of What if?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are under a microscope all day, every day. When a team such as the Leafs is considered the center of the hockey universe, being under a microscope is to be expected. Every play, game, injury, trade, and playoff series are over-analyzed & highly scrutinized by the fans and media.
Throughout the season, fans will hear all kinds of what-if scenarios.
Some are tangible, and others are wishful thinking. Many of the what-if questions out there are so out of the box you start to question the mental state of those individuals. However, I try to keep an open mind and keep the never say never phrase in my head.
With all that in mind, I thought I would write my own series of what-if questions about the Leafs.
I often get asked about my opinion on Leafs-related topics, so why not write a bunch of them down? Some will hate my what-if questions, while others might find them interesting. However, all I hope for is that this article gets people thinking.
There is no harm in thinking about every possible scenario in which your favorite team can make itself better. Here is a look at some of my Leafs-related what-if questions.
What if Tyler Bertuzzi shows up in the playoffs?
Tyler Bertuzzi was signed by the Leafs new general manager, Brad Treliving as an unrestricted free-agent last summer. He is not living up to the $5.5 million salary that the Leafs gave him. Bertuzzi has seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 53 games. His stats are not good enough for a player who plays in the Leafs top six most of the time. He has gone 12 games and 19 games without a goal this season. The Leafs need him to produce more consistently. (All stats from hockey-reference.com)
However, what if Bertuzzi makes up for his regular season by performing well in the playoffs?
He had five goals and five assists for ten points in seven playoff games for the Boston Bruins last season.
The Leafs would love to have him play like that in the 2024 NHL playoffs. His style of play and ability to create havoc in front of the opposition's net is something the Leafs have been lacking.
Should the Leafs finish the season in the same spot they are in now, a first-round series against the Boston Bruins is a big possibility.
Could Bertuzzi help the Leafs beat the team he played so well for in last season's playoffs? I would surely hope so. The Leafs will need him to be his feisty self and be a pest against the Bruins. It will be his job to keep the other team's pests away from the Leafs star players and annoy the goaltender.
Bertuzzi will be looking for a big payday in the summer as an unrestricted free agent (UFA). His play this season is not going to be enough. So, he will need a big playoff performance, which helps the Leafs.
What if the Toronto Maple Leafs Slay the Black and Gold Dragon?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in third place within the Atlantic Division with 68 points.
In second place is the Boston Bruins with 77 points. If the NHL playoffs were to start today, the Leafs and Bruins would meet in the first round.
Both teams have met in the playoffs a few times in recent history, and each meeting has ended in defeat for the Leafs. Could this be the year that the Leafs slay the proverbial dragon?
Leafs Nation has been waiting for over a decade to see the Leafs win a series over the Bruins since the game seven collapse in round one of the 2013 playoffs.
Last season, the Leafs defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round but came up short in the second round against the Florida Panthers. The series victory over the Lightning was incredible. A series victory against the Bruins would feel even better.
Hopefully, if the Leafs can make it happen, they'll be ready for their second-round opponent, who could be the Florida Panthers again. The Panthers sit first in the Atlantic Division with 78 points.
There is a high probability that the Leafs could have to play against the Bruins and Panthers in the playoffs. The standings will determine who the Leafs play in round one, but victory over either team would be huge for the Leafs and their fans.
So, whether it's the Bruins in the first round and the Panthers in the second or the other way around, I hope the Leafs are ready to slay some dragons.
What if Ilya Samsonov Plays Well in the Playoffs?
Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov has looked much better since his return to the lineup.
He has won four of his past five games and has a 7-2-0 since being recalled after he was put on waivers and sent to the AHL (where he did not play in a game). Before Wednesday night's game against the Arizona Coyotes, Samsonov is 12-4-6 on the season with a 3.19 GAA and .882 SV%. However, those stats are misleading due to his early season struggles. During his 7-2-0 run, he has a .916 SV%.
What if the Leafs get the current version of Samsonov once the playoffs start? I think they will have a good opportunity to win a round or two if they get this type of goaltending.
If Leafs GM Brad Treliving can acquire a defensive defenseman before the trade deadline, that could help Samsonov even more. Fewer pucks to the net and fewer bodies screening his view could go a long way into Samsonov having a good playoff run.
The Leafs will need good goaltending if they hope to go deep into the playoffs. The offense won't save them every night. They need Samsonov to bail them out when needed.
Now, if Samsonov fails to play well in the playoffs, a different what-if comes into question. What if the Leafs need to rely on Martin Jones or Joseph Woll? Can either goaltender play well enough in those do-or-die games to help the Leafs get to the Stanley Cup finals?
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As much as Jones and Woll have helped this team during Samsonov's struggles, the Leafs have to be hoping that Samsonov is their guy. Hopefully, he continues to play well in the final stretch of the season and can be the goaltender the Leafs need him to be come playoff time.