The Toronto Maple Leafs Season is Doomed, What’s the Next Move
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the midst of a 5 game losing streak with bad losses in southern California last week, losing to the Ducks 5-0 and the Kings 5-2. The Maple Leafs play in one of the toughest hockey markets on the planet with hockey-obsessed fans with a great passion and knowledge of the game.
They know something isn’t right with the Leafs, and everyone in Toronto is calling for heads, mainly John Ferguson’s head. The Maple Leafs come out most night’s with no passion for the game, just going through the strides to collect a paycheck. And maybe some of that has to do with the fact that they feel there is no point in trying when you have 2 goalies who can’t make the necessary saves for your team to win games.
The Maple Leafs are a team of underperformers with high salaries. They have some craft veterans and some great young talent. Sundin is having a great year this year with a team high 48 points in 44 games. After Sundin the fall-off in points is recognizable. Antropov has 36 points and an underperforming Jason Blake has 27 points.
The Maple Leaf’s young talented centers Matt Stajan and Alex Steen have both been less than impressive this year with 19 points apiece. Kaberle has performed okay at defense, but he is kind of alone back there with the exception of McCabe who has been hurt for parts of this season.
Which leaves the Leafs goaltenders. Vesa Toskala and Andrew Raycroft. Toskala hasn’t been as good as promised with a g.a.a. of nearly 2.7, but he has clearly been the better goaltender. Andrew Raycroft has been downright horrid. He should not be in the NHL anymore. A goals against average of over 4 is not acceptable for any NHL goaltender, regardless of how poorly the team plays in front of you.
So what’s the next move for the Toronto Maple Leafs? While the season seems like it is over, we are still only a little over half way through the season and the Maple Leafs site 6 points out of the playoffs. Do the firings and firesales begin? Is Ferguson given the boot and the Maple Leafs start trading for their future. Trade off Blake and Sundin and get decent returns for them. I think at this point it isn’t an issue of talent for the Maple Leafs, but rather an issue of faith in themselves as a team. Paul Maurice has let this team unravel and it is time for him to either be fired, or the slate needs to be wiped clean and he needs to be given players who are willing to work to make Toronto proud. I expect Sundin and Blake to be 2 of the first players traded by the Maple Leafs, and we will see where it progresses from there.
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