"For the past nine seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been playoff bound. There's a correlation between their playoff run and Auston Matthews joining the team as the blue-and-white have never missed the postseason with him on the roster. Despite being criticized for their lack of playoff success, it's still very impressive that this team has at least given themselves a chance to win the Stanley Cup every year for essentially the last decade."
"The last time things were this bad was probably the season when Mike Babcock got fired as the team had a 9-10-4 record on November 20, 2019 when they let him go. The season ultimately turned around when they hired Sheldon Keefe, but it was a rocky start. Some are suggesting that the team should do the same with Craig Berube right now, but it's pretty clear that the coaching isn't the issue."
"Although the team is scoring at a decent clip, their age is showing on the blue-line. The team is desperately missing Chris Tanev and the lack of having a number-one defenseman or goalie is the reason why they're not currently in a playoff spot. For years, many fans wanted Mitch Marner gone, but now that he is, the team looks different."
The Toronto Maple Leafs currently face an uncertain playoff outlook despite a nine-season streak of postseason appearances since Auston Matthews joined. The team continues to score but shows defensive aging, with Chris Tanev's absence and no clear number-one defenseman or starting goalie contributing to the slump. A poor early-season start echoes the 2019 slump that led to a coaching change, but coaching is not seen as the core problem now. The departure of Mitch Marner without a trade return left the roster unable to be upgraded. Joseph Woll's potential return offers hope but carries injury and experience concerns.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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