I know that it's way more fun to talk about the negative side of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but we need to give this team the flowers they deserve.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are officially at the halfway point of the season and the results are incredible. Although there are a few things that could be better (we'll talk about those later), you really can't ask for anything better over the past few months.
When you look at the Leafs current record, they are not only leading the Atlantic Division, but they're second in the Eastern Conference and fifth in NHL standings. There are a number of teams charging, but the fact that the Leafs have a legitimate chance at winning the division is incredible, as I didn't really expect that.
As much as Sheldon Keefe was a great coach, this season does feel different under Craig Berube. It's a much more boring style of hockey, but it has produced wins and that's all that matters. Over the past month, it feels like the team's offensive side has gotten back to previous season's though, as Mitch Marner has shined as the team's best player.
Marner is top-five in the NHL in points and could be on a pace to be nominated for the Hart Trophy. Not only is Marner playing well, but William Nylander has continued to his impressive knack for scoring, as he's top-five in goals with 23 on the season. Even though Auston Matthews has faced health concerns, the rest of the team has stepped up, which is amazing to see.
Leafs Are Off To a Fantastic Start But They Need to Improve
Matthews supposedly might not be fully healthy for the rest of the season, so those players are going to need to continue to step up for the rest of the season, and Marner is doing everything he can to fetch the biggest contract possible this offseason. Who knows if the Leafs will be re-sign him, but I can't think of a reason why we wouldn't want to see this core continue to play together for another five-eight years, right?
As we look forward to the next 41 games, there's only two things that I need to see from this team in order for me to believe that they're a Stanley Cup contender. First, they need to acquire a legitimate top-six winger/third-line centre who can add some depth, similar to the Ryan O'Reilly trade of year's past.
That type of player will be perfect on this team and if they can do that, they'll be fine. However, if they are also able to acquire a top-four defenseman, then I'd say run to Vegas and put your money on this team to win a Stanley Cup, because this defensive-core is currently not good enough to win. They are one injury away from being a below-average bunch and they can't afford that in the Spring.
Let's praise the Leafs for what they've done, but at the same time, let's not be happy if they stay the course. They need to make a few big splashes still or this fantastic start will be the beginning of another First Round exit.