The Maple Leafs are stuck in a serious rough patch, but there’s still hope for a turnaround.
Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Columbus was just the latest blow in what’s becoming a painful season. Toronto has dropped six of their last seven games, leaving them with a mediocre 9-9-3 record.
The numbers aren’t pretty. They’re getting outshot by opponents, their defense is the worst in the conference, and their special teams are struggling badly.
Basic hockey fundamentals have gone missing – from defensive coverage to backchecking. Even when the team shows flashes of improvement, they can’t seem to keep it going.
GM Brad Treliving’s big shake-up – swapping out Mitch Marner for Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua and Matias Maccelli – hasn’t provided the spark everyone hoped for.
Head coach Craig Berube is known more for motivating players than X’s and O’s strategy. That’s becoming a problem as the team’s talent gaps become more obvious.
But there are bright spots.
The return of star center Auston Matthews, solid defender Chris Tanev, and backup goalie Anthony Stolarz gives the team much-needed strength down the middle. Adding Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo is definitely an upgrade over their previous options.
These changes should help in key areas: fewer goals against, better penalty killing, and smoother breakouts from their own zone.
Several newer players are still trying to figure out Berube’s system. Guys like Easton Cowan, Joshua, Roy, Troy Stecher and Maccelli need time to settle in. Once everyone understands their role, the team should start looking more organized.
Treliving has publicly owned up to the team’s struggles – that’s a good sign. It suggests he might be ready to make more moves, especially to shore up the defense and penalty kill.
The season isn’t lost yet. But the clock is ticking.
