When good teams make mistakes, they correct them as soon as possible. The Toronto Maple Leafs used to be capable of this.
When former (and vastly superior) Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas recognized he made a mistake, he didn't let his ego get in the way. That is why even though the he signed Nick Ritchie as a free-agent, he traded him after 33 game made it clear it wasn't working.
Brad Treliving doesn't appear to have the confidence of the former GM.
He signed Ryan Reaves to a three-year deal twice the cost of the league minimum and the deal was greated with laughter. When it became almost instantly clear that Reaves wasn't an NHL player any longer, the Leafs kept running him out there.
Then Reaves was injured, but he wasn't interested in a one-way trip to Robidas Island, going so far as to complain to the media that he was healthy and ready to play.
For reasons inexplicable to anyone, the Leafs, in the midst of a playoff race, are going to play Ryan Reaves tonight.
Just Another Reason Why Brad Treliving Is a Bad GM
The Leafs could be completely eliminated from the playoffs already if not for a series of games their goalies stole for them, and quite a few unlikely come-from-behind victories.
Even with all the good luck, they are still not a lock to make the playoffs, mostly because of their inability to build a solid team around their superstars. The Leafs lack roster depth, left-wing scoring, a third line cente and any semblence of a competent blue-line.
They are in the midst of a playoff race and they can't afford to dress a player who makes their team worse, but tonight they'll dress four of them.
The Leafs are being outscored 13-2 when Ryan Reaves has been on the ice. Reaves has an expected goals rating of 37% which is horrendous.
To be fair to Reeves, he isn't he only horrible player the Leafs like to dress. Noah Gregor is being outscored 20-9 and has an expected goals rating of 39%. He's also played nearly every game, even though he is absolutely terrible in every possible way.
The Leafs got hammered by the Jets in one of the worst games they played all season long on Wednesday. Bizzarly, they won the game, thanks to Ilya Samsonov and Connor Timmins.
Timmins has been great, so of course he's sitting. The Leafs will dress the delapidated Mark Giordano instead. And, while Simon Benoit has been alright this year, he certainly shouldn't be in a competitive team's top four, which he is.
What is this team even doing?
Tonight it's a rematch, only the Leafs will have Bertuzzi and Reeves back and have lost Jarnkrok to an injury suffered in practice.
Hilariously, this means a promotion for Noah Gregor and Ryan Reaves back in the lineup on the 4th line. Appearently out of ides, the struggling Matt Knies is once again on the top line.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are being let down by their coach and GM, neither of whom seems to have any clue what they are doing at this point.