The Toronto Maple Leafs will be in the playoffs for the eighth straight season in a few weeks.
Can you picture telling yourself that the Toronto Maple Leafs would only win one playoff round as they advanced to their eighth consecutive postseason since they won their first regular season postseason berth since 2004?
You would be more surprised by the team’s lack of success than by the fact that they made the playoffs for so many years in a row.
However, what will we do? Will we put our jerseys in the trash and stop watching? Not at all. We will be starting from the beginning when the playoffs resume. Our enthusiasm will through the roof with anticipation that this could be the year.
Who knows. Maybe this will be the one year that they surprise us and go on a run. I can’t even fathom that happening, but I can’t say I saw the Toronto Raptors ever winning a championship and that happened.
In his last four games, Max Domi has recorded six assists, mainly due to his partnership with Auston Matthews. With Marner out due to injury, Domi has taken on the playmaking role for Matthews, setting him up for several goals. Despite not being as skilled as Marner, Domi’s ability to quickly get the puck to his linemates has led to numerous scoring opportunities. While Domi has some defensive shortcomings, pairing him with Matthews, who excels defensively, has been effective. Their Expected Goals Rating is 60%, suggesting they work well together. Separating Matthews and Marner onto different lines could benefit the team, with Marner possibly joining the third line alongside Pontus Holmberg and Matthew Knies.
Hot Take No. 2 suggests that Ilya Samsonov should not be playing in a playoff game, as he has struggled in past performances, allowing three or more goals in most of his playoff games. Despite recent wins, Samsonov is considered a liability compared to Joseph Woll, who is viewed as a more reliable and talented goalie. It is argued that Woll should be the starter for the Leafs in the playoffs for a better chance at success.
