Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 keys to making the playoffs
With the Toronto Maple Leafs struggling to produce positive results of late, we look at three factors that will determine if they qualify for the postseason.
It’s now crunch time for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The critics are having a field day in light of recent results and there is a genuine fear among fans that their beloved team will somehow fail to secure a playoff spot.
With this in mind, what will it take for the Leafs to qualify for the postseason? Let’s count down our three keys to successfully finishing in a top-eight spot in the Eastern Conference.
3. Better consistency and commitment
In theory, asking for more consistency and commitment seems simple and obvious enough, with one often resulting in the other. In other words, put in the effort 100 percent of the time and you will eventually be rewarded with more positive results.
However, the key part of that previous paragraph is “in theory”. That’s because it appears the Leafs have an issue with the need for more consistency and commitment.
Consider the words of Auston Matthews following the conclusion of their recent disastrous West coast road trip, where they only managed to secure one point against the bottom three teams in the Western Conference. As reported by Rick Zamperin of Global News, Matthews said:
“I think we’re kind of, you know, one foot in the door, one foot out as far as the way we want to play. And I think we just all need to be 100 per cent in.”
As alarming as these comments are, they are backed up by how the Leafs have been playing since early January. In their last 26 games, they have a record of 11-11-4, to give them 26 points out of a possible 52, making them the very definition of a .500 hockey team.
To further prove how inconsistent the Buds have been, consider that during this run they have beaten some of the best teams in the NHL, including the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightening. On the flip side, they’ve lost to some of the poorest teams in the league, including the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks.
As of Tuesday, the Leafs have 13 games remaining, including eight at home. This should help the consistency to a certain extent, given they have a better record at Scotiabank Arena compared to their travels.
However, it will take more than just playing in Toronto to improve the team’s consistency. It is time for the Leafs to wake up and realize that no matter how much talent they might have — and it’s a lot — this isn’t enough.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s all about putting in more effort. If Matthews and his teammates can show a more committed work ethic, they will be in an excellent position to get the points necessary to secure qualification for the playoffs.
2. More Frederick Andersen
There’s no denying the Leafs’ defensive play has been the main culprit this season. Entering Tuesday night’s action, they had conceded the fourth-most goals in the NHL. (By comparison, they have scored the third-most goals in the league.)
While the Buds don’t have the strongest defensive depth in the league, it doesn’t help when some of your best blue-liners have been out with injuries. In particular, Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin have both missed significant time.
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There has been some good news in this respect, with Rielly set to return to action on Tuesday night against the Lightening. (As per Kristen Shilton of TSN, he was paired with Cody Ceci for practice on Monday and quarterbacked the Leafs’ second power-play unit.) However, what else can the team do to improve its defense, apart from working harder as already mentioned?
One thing which can help is to give Andersen the majority of the starts for the remainder of the regular season. While coach Sheldon Keefe may not want to put his number one goalie between the pipes for every game, it helps that the team only have one more back-to-back left in the 2019-20 campaign.
They are some who will disagree with this, and not just because Jack Campbell has looked pretty good in his six starts for the Leafs since being traded from the Kings. The reality is Andersen is having the worst of his four seasons since arriving in Toronto.
However, the 30-year-old is still the best option the Leafs have in net. He remains the same talented and imposing presence, who’s tough to beat when he’s on his game and has been excellent for the majority of his time in Southern Ontario.
In addition, Anderson knows how to step up and perform when the pressure increases. This is evidenced by 48 playoff starts during his NHL career (25-20 record), with a .914 save percentage and 2.63 goals against average.
As a final note, the 2020 All-Star has recently provided proof that he is coming into form, with a 4-1-1 record in his previous six starts. (He was particularly outstanding in the shoot-out loss to the Kings.) His renewed confidence, combined with his undoubted skill and the impending return of Rielly, is reason enough to give him the majority of the starts over the final 13 games.
1. Beat the Florida Panthers
Even if the Leafs struggle to follow the previous two keys, there is still some hope. As long as they can finish above the Florida Panthers, they will more than likely secure third place in the Atlantic Division.
The Panthers scored an impressive 2-1 win over the Blues on Monday night in St. Louis, meaning the Leafs now sit just one point ahead of them in the standings. As such, pure and simple, Toronto needs to beat Florida in their final meeting of the regular season.
This will be easier said than done when considering the three previous contests between the two teams in 2019-20. The first meeting back in January was a humiliating experience for the Leafs, as they lost 8-4 in Florida.
They second game back in Toronto didn’t go much better, as the visitors left town with a 5-3 victory. Fortunately for the Leafs in respect of any psychological advantage, they managed to win the most recent contest 5-3 in Florida just under two weeks ago.
For what it’s worth — given the previous meeting between the two teams in Toronto — the final meeting will also take place at Scotiabank Arena, on Mar. 23. In addition, the Leafs have a 17-9-7 home record ahead of their game on Tuesday night against the Lightning.
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However, this is countered by the Panthers’ excellent 18-12-4 record on their travels following the win in St. Louis. It won’t be easy for the Leafs, but at least it presents another opportunity to secure themselves a playoff spot.
Are there any other aspects your would consider key to the Toronto Maple Leafs securing a playoff spot? Are you convinced they will qualify and if not, what concerns you most? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.