Toronto Maple Leafs – Behind Enemy Lines
By Tim Redinger
The Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the most hated franchises in sports, well at least as far as I am concerned. IF I had to rank my tip three teams I hate, it would be the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs. I don’t really have a hatred for any other team outside of those three. Lets take a look at whats going on in the world of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While the Buffalo Sabres are supposed to be on the up swing of a rebuild, the Toronto Maple Leafs might be on the path to a full scale fire sale and management change. Through the first eight games of the season, the “Laughs” are only slightly better than the Sabres, winning just three of their games. While patience with Ted Nolan is expected as the team knows it is struggling, Randy Carlyle‘s coaching is being called into question.
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And the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t just being hit with a string of bad luck and bad bounces, if you look at their advanced statistics, they deserve to be exactly where they are in the standings. If you are not playing well, then your not going to have the wins. Is it an early season slump, or a team that just doesn’t want to play for its coach.
James Tanner of The Hockey Writers explains it the best in his Scathing Indictment of Randy Carlyle. Tanner talks about this season being the year the Leafs grow into a contender – through eight games they are contending for a spot in the draft lottery for Connor McDavid. A string of bad decisions has helped the Maple Leafs into their woeful position.
Players who skate fast and create offense are much more effective than defensive specialist. Jeff Tanner, The Hockey Writers
And home ice advantage means nothing for the Toronto Maple Leafs who only have one victory at home this year. That really doesn’t in itself need to be a cause for concern, the New Jersey Devils haven’t wont at home yet this year, and they are in second place in their division. The list of other teams that have not won at home is a little more daunting. Buffalo, Florida, and Carolina, are all winless at home. The West coast teams have all won at least one game in their home barn.
There is less fan appeal in the stands at the Air Canada Centre, which is why it can be attributed to being one of the quietest buildings in the league, according to Joffrey Lupul. That could mean good things for the Buffalo Sabres, who benefited from the San Jose Sharks never getting their fans behind them in a quiet, afternoon affair out West.
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All is not lost for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it is only October, and there is still plenty of hockey to be played. So you do what teams do. You shake up the lines hoping a little bit of chemistry can be found. The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of those teams that are under the microscope of their fans and the media all the time. Is Randy Carlyle running out of time in Toronto? Could the line shakeup be just a last ditch effort to save his job?