Toronto Maple Leafs Report Card After Another Game 7 Loss

For the fifth year in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs have lost in Game 7 of Round One.

No matter what level of success the Leafs reach in the regular season, postseason victories continue to elude them. 2004 is the last time that Toronto advanced beyond the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and that will not change in 2022.

The regular season was great for the Maple Leafs. The team finished second in the Atlantic Division, and forward Auston Matthews scored 60 goals to capture the Rocket Richard Trophy while also being named an MVP finalist.

Toronto posted a 54-21-7, which was the fourth-best record in the NHL this season. Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs drew one of the worst possible matchups in Round One, and the positive momentum quickly turned negative.

The Maple Leafs have once again fallen in Game 7 of the First Round.

The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, were the opponent for the Leafs, and despite falling behind in the series after Game 5, the Bolts proved to be too much for Toronto.

The Maple Leafs had two opportunities to eliminate the Lightning, but they were unable to do so. Instead, this marks the longest streak of win-or-go-home losses in round one in NHL, NBA, and MLB history.

I thought last year’s defeat would bring major changes for the Maple Leafs, but this elimination has to force the organization’s hand. Whether it’s an overhaul of the depth players, a shakeup to the team’s stars, or a coaching change, something has to be different in Toronto next season.

What makes this specific team’s early exit so frustrating is the fact that the regular season was so strong. The Leafs owned the league’s second-best offense and two top-ten special teams units. It feels like these defeats are largely mental, and I’m not sure what the fix is for that.

At this point, the Maple Leafs will be judged only by what they accomplish in the playoffs, and with another loss in the books, it will be a long 12 months before Toronto can try again to win a playoff series.

The Grade: D