The Toronto Maple Leafs are in trouble. Not the kind of trouble that gets solved by firing a coach or making a minor trade deadline acquisition. The kind of trouble that forces an organization to ask questions about the foundation of the entire roster and the direction of the franchise.
The Maple Leafs rank 29th in offensive zone time and 27th in preventing opponent offensive zone time. Those numbers tell a story of a team that can’t control the game at either end of the ice. Last season, elite goaltending covered up those blemishes.
Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby aren’t the problem this year, but the even-strength save percentage has dropped from second overall last season to 23rd this year. That’s the difference. Last year’s saves are this year’s goals against.
No One Is Out Yet
The Eastern Conference is tight enough that the Maple Leafs aren’t mathematically eliminated from anything yet. But if things don’t straighten out soon, the organization will be forced into existential questions they didn’t think they’d have to consider.
Questions that go beyond the coach, beyond management, into the core of the lineup and the overall direction of the franchise. This was not the plan. There’s mounting pressure on Craig Berube, but the more you think about this season, the more you go back to May and that seven-game series against the Florida Panthers.