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Toronto Maple Leafs preview: John Tavares has Leafs on the edge of glory

By Dave Stevenson

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 07: Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) congratulates teammate Goalie Frederik Andersen (31) as the team celebrates its 4-2 win after the final NHL 2018 regular-season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 7, 2018 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON., Canada. (Photo by Jeff Chevrier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 07: Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) congratulates teammate Goalie Frederik Andersen (31) as the team celebrates its 4-2 win after the final NHL 2018 regular-season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 7, 2018 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON., Canada. (Photo by Jeff Chevrier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images /

After signing John Tavares during the summer, the Toronto Maple Leafs are ready to ice their best roster in years. Will it be enough to win a Stanley Cup?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cups, the second most of any NHL franchise. As an Original Six team, they have a ton of history and their jersey is arguably the most recognizable in hockey. However, the Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and very little has gone their way in those 41 Stanley Cup-less years.  All of that changed on July 1. In the NHL, stars rarely leave their team via free agency. Against all odds, the Maple Leafs surprised everyone by signing John Tavares.

The signing of the former New York Islanders center confirms what everyone already knew – the rebuild is over. So are the days of moral victories. As are the days of the Leafs attracting more attention than they deserve. Now they are every bit deserving of being the NHL’s Mecca.

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However, this new era also has a lot more pressure. The pressure to win in Toronto has never been higher. For years, the Leafs had tiny expectations. Those expectations have grown exponentially. No longer is simply making the Stanley Cup Playoffs enough for the Maple Leafs. They are expected to contend for their first title since 1967.

Though the Leafs should be Stanley Cup contenders for the foreseeable future, right now is the best time for the Maple Leafs to win. Two of their best players are still on their entry level contracts, but will be getting significant pay raises after the 2018-19 season. It won’t be impossible for the Leafs to win after this season, but it will be far more difficult for them to do so.

The Maple Leafs have the weight of an entire city on their shoulders. Toronto has not had a champion in the four major sports leagues since the unforgettable 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. That team set a high standard for all Toronto’s teams. The Leafs hope to clear it by bringing the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since, you guessed it, 1993.

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