Toronto Maple Leafs: The Team that will Dive Deep into the Playoffs

The Maple Leafs are putting smiles across all Leafs fans faces as they are 11-3-1 in the first 15 games of the regular season. They are currently first in the North Division as well as first in the entire NHL. There are many questions to ask, did Dubas make the right moves? Are the Leafs playing more physical? Do the Leafs finally have a d-core that can help out Freddy Andersen? The answer to these questions is yes and here is why.

Did Dubas acquire the right pieces in the off season?

You would have to say yes at this point in the season. The Maple Leafs hold the best record in the National Hockey League for many reasons. Game one, the Maple Leafs were down 3-1 late in the game to the Montreal Canadiens and Wayne Simmonds dropped the mitts to get the team going in the right direction. The Leafs built some motivation and came back to win this 4-3.

If this was last season, there was no one on the Leafs who would have fought to get the boys going. These were the type of players missing from the roster and Dubas went out into the free agent market and made the Leafs a more physical team.

You will start to notice with this new improved Leafs team is that the new guys aren’t the only ones playing physical. Some of the more skilled players are starting to be a little more physical, which is boosting their overall game. Not saying they do it all the time, but you can start to notice they aren’t as nervous with going into the corners to battle for the puck. The Maple Leafs have always had the offensive skill, but they struggled against teams that would push them around physically.

I believe the loss of Patrick Marleau took a hit on the young stars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. A player that these young players can learn so much from.

It was a smart move by Kyle Dubas to bring in a very similar player. Right from the beginning, Joe Thornton has fit perfectly with the young Toronto Maple Leafs roster. From off-ice fun, especially at Christmas time, Jumbo Joe has had a great connection with the young players such as Nylander, Matthews and Marner. With a very cheap contract, you are not paying him to boost your offensive, it’s more for the leadership he can bring.

Can Freddy Andersen rely on this Defense Core?

15 games in, I would have to say yes. This answer can change by the end of the season as the Leafs have always struggled to have a solid d-core to back up Andersen. There will be times when Freddy Andersen struggles between the pipes and the team will need to back him up. Bringing in TJ Brodie is a good move for the Leafs as it allows Morgan Rielly to jump in on the rush.

Brodie was a two-way defenseman for the Calgary Flames, but we really haven’t seen the offensive side of his game quite yet. Paying 5 million per year for the next four years could be very risky if Brodie doesn’t evolve into the two-way player he was in Calgary. Again, this is 15 games in, this can definitely change by the end of the year.

One player that has really stepped up this year is Justin Holl. A player who had troubles cracking an NHL roster for many years finally found his spot with the Toronto Maple Leafs. An excellent skater that can move the puck confidently in both the offensive and defensive zone. Holl is on pace to break his career high in points, in a shortened season!

Can the Maple Leafs compete in the playoffs?

I believe Dubas had put the right players in place on this “new improved” Toronto Maple Leafs team. You can have all the skill in the world, but the playoffs require more factors than just scoring goals. In a normal season, a team needs to win 16 games in the playoffs to hoist Lord Stanley. In your journey, teams will have to deal with injuries as it’s going to be a physical road to the Stanley Cup. After the Playoffs finish, teams always release the injury list to the media. It’s crazy how tough some of these players are. Players will play through significant injuries such as fractures or broken bones. This is why teams need to build a tough team that is deep from lines 1-4. The big question is, does Toronto have that type of team? In previous years, I would say absolutely not. In 2021, Toronto has taken the right steps to fight in the playoffs.

Toronto’s next game is against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday February 18th at 7:00pm.