I give the Toronto Maple Leafs fans credit. Every season, they come back. Yes, there have been huge and mounting disappointments year after year, but (like me) they can’t help themselves. As much as some fans say they’ve given up and choose not to believe anymore, they know better.
Maple Leafs fans keep believing this is going to be the season. And, of course, they could be right.
So, here we go again. There’s just a month left before the first game of the season is played, and fans are going through all the angst that comes with preparing for both the excitement and the frustration that goes with living as a Maple Leafs fan. There’s a new roster this season, with more than half of the players who started the first game of the 2022-23 season in Montreal no longer with the team.
Welcome to the 2023-24 season. While it won’t be the same, will the differences in success be huge?
Where the Maple Leafs Stand Today as a Team
Here’s where I believe the Maple Leafs stand today. They will soon enter training camp, and there they have to figure out how to navigate all the changes to their roster that new general manager (GM) Brad Treliving has made.
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The core forward unit of players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and (even still) William Nylander are here. Newcomers Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi have been added and promise the potential of an increase in secondary scoring. We also get to see an entire season of Matthew Knies. And, once more, Nick Robertson begins what might be another enigmatic season.
The team’s defence has solid players like Morgan Rielly, Mark Giordano (even if he’s another season older), and the quiet defender TJ Brodie. Timothy Liljegren might break out this season. John Klingberg was once good: can he be so again? And, what to make of Simon Benoit? He had horrible underlying numbers playing on a top-two pairing with the Anaheim Ducks. But was it him or were the Ducks that bad?
The goaltending seems as solid as I’ve seen it over the seasons I’ve been covering the team. Can the twosome of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll achieve their potential? Both seem calm and determined in the net. Can both remain uninjured?
The coaching staff (mostly) remain. Spencer Carbery has taken on the role of Washington Capitals’ head coach, and the Maple Leafs have hired Guy Boucher and Mike Van Ryn as assistant coaches. These hirings round out head coach Sheldon Keefe’s staff going into the 2023-24 season.
The Team Has Undergone Significant Lineup Changes
Other things remain the same. As with any new season, the Maple Leafs have undergone significant moves with expiring contracts and then significant spending for free agents. As always, the team is actively trying to improve its roster by addressing any weaknesses discovered from the previous season. As I noted, the secondary scoring promises to be stronger; but, the team’s defence might be a work in progress. It could be good, or it could be not-so-good.
There are, as I noted, high expectations from the team’s fan base and the media. But the good news is that the Maple Leafs have a recent history of regular-season success. They have enough solid talent on the roster that the playoffs seem almost a given. It makes the regular season fun, even if the postseason remains iffy.
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In speaking of the playoffs, despite all that regular-season success, the team keeps struggling in the postseason. This leaves both fans and the media disappointed – frustrated is probably the operative word. The pressure on the players and coaching staff has done nothing but increase. It will be higher this season than perhaps ever.
The Team’s Competitiveness Brings High Expectations
Despite these playoff disappointments year after year, it’s worth noting that the only reason fans are able to become so disappointed is that the team has been so darn competitive; and, they’ve been that way for a long period of time. At the disappointing end of each recent season, this seems rotten. However, as we enter another new season, this fact gives us all renewed hope.
In total, the Maple Leafs’ competitiveness remains a positive aspect. It demonstrates to fans that the team’s been able to stay relevant in the NHL. However, the combination of fans’ high expectations and the team’s playoff failures has created a challenging situation for the Maple Leafs. Still, that’s part of being competitive and eventually – overcoming the increasing pressure and stress.
Can the Maple Leafs live up to these expectations and finally achieve playoff success? With Matthews’ contract now extended and the team tying its wagon to his horse, there’s always hope. Can he now really begin to carry the team forward? Save for a few cynics, we believe he has the potential to do so.
In This Team’s History, the Last Stanley Cup Was Long Ago
The team’s history contributes to where we start this season. This is a proud and cornerstone franchise in a professional league with a long history.
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The long history of this team has been up and down, but that backstory (no championship for 65 years) impacts the season. It also contributes to the passionate nature of this fan base. The city truly desires (and needs) success. The Maple Leafs have a rich tradition, and their fans have been waiting for another championship for a long, long time.
The Bottom Line
The long and the short of it is that the Maple Leafs are in a situation where the team once again seems to have all the talent and resources it needs to be successful. However, they will be rightfully grappling with the pressure of high expectations and the frustration of mounting playoff disappointments. That pressure also increases every postseason when the team doesn’t win.
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
So, here we are. The upcoming season will soon be upon us. Can this be the season when the team overcomes these challenges before them and achieves their goals?
