Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs Seek Redemption

Dan Flaherty Uncategorized NHL analysis, NHL articles, Toronto Maple Leafs, TOronto Maple Leafs articles, Toronto Maple leafs defense, Toronto Maple Leafs playoff chances

The Toronto Maple Leafs were a good, rising young team a year ago and when they made the playoffs, the 2013 NHL season was set to be a success. When they pushed the Boston Bruins to Game 7 of the first round, even more so.

But sometimes your success can get turned against you, and when the Leafs blew a 4-1 lead in that seventh game, the last two goals in the final two minutes, and lost in overtime, Toronto turned from up-and-comer into a team in need of redemption.

NHL Analysis: Toronto Maple Leafs Give Early Signs Of Hope

Dan Flaherty Uncategorized NHL analysis, NHL Eastern Conference, NHL Eastern Conference playoff race, Phil Kessel Maple Leafs, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Maple Leafs playoff chances

It’s been quite a dry spell for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The franchise last won the Stanley Cup in 1967 and in the intervening years they’ve never made it back to the Finals, and only four times have even reached the conference finals. An even bigger mark of ineptitude is the seven straight years they’ve missed the playoffs—let’s call it the Curse of Gary Bettman, since that covers the entire period since the 2005 season was cancelled. Today though, Toronto is hanging in the NHL Eastern Conference playoff race, in the #7 position. TheSportsNotebook’s NHL analysis today will focus on whether the Leafs are finally for real as a playoff team.