Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Contenders?

Prior to the 2016-17 NHL season, many people were asking if the Toronto Maple Leafs would even make it out of 8th place in the Atlantic Division. The following year, people were asking if they could make the playoffs again.

The year after that, the Leafs acquired star forward John Tavares, and people were asking when they would inevitably win the Stanley Cup.

Here we are now six years later. Tavares' contract has one year left on it, and the team has won just a singular playoff series in the last 20 years. People are now asking if this roster is capable of even a deep postseason run, rather than winning a championship.

For yet another year, the question remains. Are the Toronto Maple Leafs good enough to win the Stanley Cup?

Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Contenders?

Not saying the Leafs are physically incapable of winning the Cup next year, but as of now, they are few steps back of other teams throughout the league.

If we look around the NHL for teams that we can all agree are ture contenders, most would list the Rangers, Stars, Oilers, and the Panthers. Just behind them I would put the Avalanche, Canucks, Hurricanes, Devils, and maybe the Bruins.

In the NHL's third tier of contenders is where I'd put the Leafs, along with the Jets and Predators.

Now, we can all debate on who the Stanley Cup favourite should be for next year. Most people (including myself) would say either of last year's finalists, the Edmonton Oilers or the Florida Panthers.

But hardly anyone is putting Toronto as their Cup favourite, or even in their top-five favourites.

However, the Leafs are certainly capable of proving people wrong. Another strong year from the "big boys", combined with improvement from Max Domi, Bobby McMann, and the entire defense group could easily put the Leafs into contention for top spot in the division.

Some more roster moves to bolster the roster are also likely to come, but with Brad Treliving's hesitation to make a big swing for a star player, who knows how much the roster could actually change.

As of right now, though, I would say the Leafs are playoff locks, but nothing more. The new additions to the roster could give us the best Leafs team in years, but we won't know until the season starts.