How the Toronto Maple Leafs Put Aside Their Flaws to Become Hockey's Best Team

The Toronto Maple Leafs probably can't win the Atlantic Division, but they are inching closer.

It's too bad, because if you look at the number of points the Toronto Maple Leafs left on the table this year to Buffalo, Ottawa, Chicago, Philadelphia, Columbus and Arizona they easily could be in first place.

In fact, their early season struggles continue to haunt them because for the last little while they've been something approaching the best team in the NHL.

The Leafs have a very good chance to win it all this year, which is why their complete failure to add impact players at the Trade Deadline was so frustrating.

However, that's in the past and their current roster is suddenly thriving. Timothy Liljegren, Max Domi, and Tyler Berutzzi (not to mention Nick Roebrtson, Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmber) are all contributing much more than they were ealier, and now the Leafs look like a threat to win it all.

Just got to get through that crazy Atlantic Division. (Stats naturalstattrick.com).

How the Toronto Maple Leafs Put Aside Their Flaws to Become Hockey's Best Team

As far as that goes, if they were to win their 3 games in hand over Boston, the Leafs would only be two points back. But no matter how good the Leafs play, Boston and Florida seem to match their record.

The Leafs are 10th in the NHLby points-percentage, and 16th by 5v5 expected-goals percentage.

However, since January 18th the Leafs are 19-7-1 and are the NHL's second best team by points-percentage, only being surpassed by the Carolina Hurricanes.

If the Leafs won last night in regulation (this was written ahead of time) they will be essentially tied for being the best team since Jan. 18.

That's a 27 game period and 33% of the NHL schedule. That's a .722 points-percentage, but for reasons that are hard to fathom, they only picked up two points on the Panthers and 3 points on the Bruins during this time.

While the results have been great for the Leafs, the underlying numbers are not. The Carolina Hurricanes are matching their record with being the best Expected Goals team in the NHL during this time. The Leafs are 13th in Expected Goals, and crazily outperforming their play.

However, this isn't a goalie based run - which would be a massive worry - as the Leafs have ony the 15th best goaltending during this run.

This seems to confirm what I've been saying all season long: this team only needs league average goaltending to win because their collection of 3 x Franchise Players + Tavares, Rielly, Bertuzzi and Domi can score their way out of trouble.

The Leafs lead the NHL in 5v5 goals and Total Goals since January 18th. The goaltending went from 17th to 15th. The Expected Goals from 16th to 13th.

This proves the Leafs are not winning by playing great hockey or by having their goalie save them. They are winning by scoring a ton of goals because they put together the best offensive team in the NHL.

The Leafs, if they won last night, are just a decimal points away from being the best team in the NHL for 2 months, 28 games, or a third of the season. They did it by becoming the NHL's highest scoring team.