Maple Leafs Underlying Numbers Raise Red Flags Ahead of Playoffs

Though the Leafs came out with a 4-3 OT victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night, it wasn't necessarily the prettiest win and they certainly could have had a complete disaster on their hands but luckily were able to avoid it.

It felt like the team had a lot of luck on their side, and while it can help in the playoffs, it can't be the only thing the team can rely on. The top line ended up exploding for nine points in a very positive sign for the future, but they need to keep it up and it can't just be a flash in the pan occurrence.

Which is why we can't really be excited that things are going to keep going the way they are, as some recent stats have shown that compared to the other top contenders; Toronto seems to be a cut below the rest.

It seems that while the Maple Leafs are seemingly able to score goals, they tend to rank in the lower part of the league in terms of expected goals for, which in layman's terms means that their arsenal isn't firing at full capacity.

There are other factors going into it, such as Auston Matthews being injured for 15 games and also dealing with a much more defensive role compared to previous seasons and an overall focus on defense in general, but it's still concerning that this much firepower is expected to score worse than league average.

Thank goodness that John Tavares has decided to play like he's in his prime, and William Nylander can score at will; otherwise it would look really rough and those numbers drop drastically. They need to have their secondary scoring wake up or it's going to be lights out come playoff time.

So if the Maple Leafs can start putting more shots and more dangerous chances towards opposing goaltenders, then it'll pay off huge. But if they continue to play a lackadaisical offense, expect no mercy from anyone who they try to take down.