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When the Toronto Maple Leafs announced just before
training camp had started that they had acquired Phil Kessel via trade, many
fans and pundits figured that Brian Burke was confident enough in his roster to
make a splash and try to push his team over the top into a playoff spot –
something that has eluded Toronto for almost five years now.
But with expectations at a five-year high, it has
been anything but a steady march to the ides of May.
The Maple Leafs now find themselves in sizeable
hole. Problems at every position on the roster have manifested into a culture
of failure so far this young season. Goaltending controversies since training
camp and the preseason have spilled over into the regular season days: the
young Swede has been crowned king of the crease by the fans, but the veteran
head coach stands firmly behind his Finnish net minder.
The Leafs meanwhile are spending $24.166 million
this season alone on their rearguards – a league high – on a dubious collection
of rugged defenders and puck movers that have looked slow, lost, out of
position and tentative so far.
Despite having the highest paid blueline, the Leafs’
contributions from the backend have been underwhelming so far, a combined: 0
goals, 11 assists and -14.
Some are pointing to a flawed system, while others
think the makeup of the team just isn’t good enough to compete in the suddenly
tougher Eastern conference.
Whatever the case, the Leafs need to start figuring
it out quickly if they hope to be a part of the chase for Lord Stanley’s.
Since 2005-06, the cut-off for a playoff spot in the
Eastern conference has been roughly 93 points. At 0-5-1 and with the
Atlantic-leading Rangers visiting on Saturday and a five-game road trip that
sees them play the Canucks, Ducks, Stars, Sabres and Canadiens to close out the
month, things aren’t looking very good.
The Leafs are going to need to win 46 games out of
the remaining 76 if they hope to capture a playoff spot. However, if the Leafs
don’t win four out of their next six games, their season could be in jeopardy.
Can the Leafs win 46 out of their remaining games?
Sure. That’s why the games are played. But given how the team has played so
far, it seems like a tall order to accomplish. This isn’t the case of a team
that is catching bad breaks game in and game out.
This is a team with the second-worst penalty kill in
the league, the worst defensive team so far with a league high 28 goals against
in just six games, and a collection of second tier forwards that lack any star
power whatsoever.
If the Leafs continue their lackadaisical approach
to the game and continue to lose in such uninspiring fashion, who will be the
first to go: Brian Burke, the mastermind of this team, who’s fingerprints are
all over the blueprint of this architecture, or Ron Wilson, the veteran coach
who was banished from San Jose because he couldn’t do enough with a team laden
with elite talent?
Turn it over to you guys here to get your say.
training camp had started that they had acquired Phil Kessel via trade, many
fans and pundits figured that Brian Burke was confident enough in his roster to
make a splash and try to push his team over the top into a playoff spot –
something that has eluded Toronto for almost five years now.
But with expectations at a five-year high, it has
been anything but a steady march to the ides of May.
The Maple Leafs now find themselves in sizeable
hole. Problems at every position on the roster have manifested into a culture
of failure so far this young season. Goaltending controversies since training
camp and the preseason have spilled over into the regular season days: the
young Swede has been crowned king of the crease by the fans, but the veteran
head coach stands firmly behind his Finnish net minder.
The Leafs meanwhile are spending $24.166 million
this season alone on their rearguards – a league high – on a dubious collection
of rugged defenders and puck movers that have looked slow, lost, out of
position and tentative so far.
Despite having the highest paid blueline, the Leafs’
contributions from the backend have been underwhelming so far, a combined: 0
goals, 11 assists and -14.
Some are pointing to a flawed system, while others
think the makeup of the team just isn’t good enough to compete in the suddenly
tougher Eastern conference.
Whatever the case, the Leafs need to start figuring
it out quickly if they hope to be a part of the chase for Lord Stanley’s.
Since 2005-06, the cut-off for a playoff spot in the
Eastern conference has been roughly 93 points. At 0-5-1 and with the
Atlantic-leading Rangers visiting on Saturday and a five-game road trip that
sees them play the Canucks, Ducks, Stars, Sabres and Canadiens to close out the
month, things aren’t looking very good.
The Leafs are going to need to win 46 games out of
the remaining 76 if they hope to capture a playoff spot. However, if the Leafs
don’t win four out of their next six games, their season could be in jeopardy.
Can the Leafs win 46 out of their remaining games?
Sure. That’s why the games are played. But given how the team has played so
far, it seems like a tall order to accomplish. This isn’t the case of a team
that is catching bad breaks game in and game out.
This is a team with the second-worst penalty kill in
the league, the worst defensive team so far with a league high 28 goals against
in just six games, and a collection of second tier forwards that lack any star
power whatsoever.
If the Leafs continue their lackadaisical approach
to the game and continue to lose in such uninspiring fashion, who will be the
first to go: Brian Burke, the mastermind of this team, who’s fingerprints are
all over the blueprint of this architecture, or Ron Wilson, the veteran coach
who was banished from San Jose because he couldn’t do enough with a team laden
with elite talent?
Turn it over to you guys here to get your say.
