Maple Leafs playoff struggle Maple Leafs playoff spot hangs in the balance

BY MARCEL MARIAK

Despite their recent improvement under new head-coach, Sheldon Keefe, the Maple Leafs have a tough fight ahead of them if they want to catch a spot in the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Leafs’ play has improved dramatically since the firing of former head coach, Mike Babcock. They broke their losing streak and began to look like a cohesive unit on the ice. Unfortunately, their performance is still very shaky. Leafs’ head coach, Sheldon Keefe, described their gameplay as “immature” after a loss to the Chicago Black Hawks a few weeks prior. The Leafs lack consistency and struggle to carry a winning streak for any meaningful amount of time.

If the Maple Leafs want a guaranteed playoff spot, they’ll have to be at least third in their division. At the moment, they hold fourth place in the Atlantic Division. Above them in the standings with only a two-point lead are the Florida Panthers (there’s no ice or snow in Florida, yet they play better than the Toronto Maple Leafs… interesting). Prima facie, securing the playoff spot for the Leafs seems easy: they simply have to win a few of their next games. Unfortunately, the Panthers are a very dangerous team. They currently hold a six-game winning streak and have played one less game than the Leafs; giving them lots of leeway for error.

With the inconsistency of their gameplay, it’s difficult to predict whether or not the Leafs will be able to fight their way into a playoff spot. Sure, even if they don’t get into the top three in the standings, they can still catch a seat in the playoffs by being a wildcard; but no team wants to have their playoff spot hanging by a thread.

Although the Leafs are now under more pressure to perform, they still have over thirty games left in the season to secure a playoff spot. The Maple Leafs won their last game against the Nashville Predators (5-2). The Leafs were playing on the road, but that didn’t stop them from putting on a show. They started the game strong after a beautiful pass from Rasmus Sandin set Nylander up for an impressive breakaway goal. Nashville tied up the game soon after but the Leafs quickly took back the lead with another first-period goal and kept their lead for the remainder of the game. The whole team played well. They looked calm, collected, and confident in their play. Leafs’ goaltender, Andersen, performed well as usual; saving multiple point-blank shots and helping carry the Maple Leafs to a decisive victory on the road.

The win gives hope to Leafs fans and players alike. After a tough start to the season that included injuries, firings, and drama both on and off the ice, nothing would be sweeter than seeing the Maple Leafs win a spot in the playoffs. If that’s to happen, though, the Leafs need to improve their game big time! Winning games means nothing if they can’t maintain a consistently high standard of play. Consistency is even more important if they manage to get into the playoffs, where they’ll be facing off against the best hockey teams in the world and every mistake or blunder will be exploited.

If the Leafs make it into the playoffs, the truth is that the chances of them winning the Stanley Cup are slim. When pitted against powerhouse teams like the Washington Capitals or Boston Bruins, the Maple Leafs are notorious for cracking under pressure. Hopefully, Sheldon Keefe can continue having success as the commander of the Maple Leafs. Ever since he became head coach, the team has experienced tremendous improvement.

Regardless, of whether or not Toronto will find success in the playoffs or even get a spot; hardcore Toronto hockey fans will always be proud and supportive of their hometown boys. Until the playoffs, all we can do as fans is support our team and keep our fingers crossed, hoping for a swift improvement in consistency. Still, there’s always a chance that the Maple Leafs will find their rhythm and evolve into a truly fearsome hockey club! We’ve seen this team’s true potential on the ice before; all they need is to consistently maintain a high level of play. If they can manage that, the Toronto Maple Leafs will quickly become a force to be reckoned with.