Top ten burning questions for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season
10: Will the new players make a difference?
Will the Leafs newest players make a difference on the outcome of the season? Leafs GM Brad Treliving added goaltender Anthony Stolarz, defensemen Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and forwards Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz this season.
How will each of them impact the team? Tanev is the only one expected to have any real impact, so he's going to have the most pressure.
9: Will Max Pacioretty's number 67 help break the curse?
Max Pacioretty signed a one-year deal with the Leafs on Monday after playing in preseason on a professional tryout (PTO). The big question with Pacioretty is whether or not he can stay healthy.
If he can, there is a real chance the Leafs have added a good secondary scorer to their roster for under $875,000. The Leafs will be hoping that his jersey number (67) will break the Leafs curse of not winning the cup since 1967. (Salary cap information from puckpedia.com)
8: Can Nick Robertson build off of pre-season momentum?
Nick Robertson played his first meaningful season last year with 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 56 games. After a brief standoff with Leafs GM Brad Treliving and rumors of a trade request, Robertson re-signed a one-year deal. He recorded five goals during the pre-season and will hope to keep that momentum going into the regular season.
Will he reach 20 goals and 45 points? Only time will tell. (all stats from hockey-reference.com)