The Toronto Maple Leafs may have reached a low point, according to one Leafs analyst.
The difficult 9-10-3 start for the Toronto Maple Leafs has disappointed Leafs fans after an offseason in which it was stressed that a new identity was to be forged, but early results have not found success in their restructuring.
An analysis of the team by former NHLer and current analyst Mike Johnson exposes key issues in the Leafs' play, and why their struggles go beyond just an unlucky stretch of games.
What Mike Johnson exposed about the Leafs' on-ice process
Speaking on the Leafs losing record this season in a conversation with 'The Leafs Nation', Mike Johnson said that the Leafs record is justified with how the team has been playing, and that where they currently sit near last is a reflection of how the team has performed to this point.
It's always something or more than one thing this year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It almost feels like, not that they're fortunate, but given their record is what it is, whatever, one game below .500, that's almost pretty good. Like, they're not playing any better than that.
He continued:
You look at the process stuff, you look at the stats like I do, they are playing like a 25th or 26th best team in the league, that they are what their record says they are and they've done that and I don't think that's smoke and mirrors. They haven't been very good this year so far. - Mike Johnson
In speaking to the direct issues facing the team, Mike Johnson said that the Leafs most recent 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens served as a 'rock bottom' game for Toronto, and is one that reveals one of the major issues facing the Leafs as a team right now.
That's got to be the rock bottom game, like, that's got to be it. I thought the rock bottom game was Carolina when the attempts were 95 to 35, that was 10 days ago. Like, I thought that was going to be the one where they push forward.
Now, there's no denying currently the roster is so hurt by injuries and so impacted by it, that it's going to be difficult. But....when you don't have all your players there, and they're missing a bunch, then what you would love is to have a system that everyone can play well enough that keeps you in games.
That gives you a chance to win games. And I think that's the other part of the equation where not only do they not have the players right now, but they can't fall back to an air tight system to keep them around a game to even out shots, even out chances to make the games winnable when you're not at your very best.
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Why Toronto struggles to rely on their system when injuries hit
Mike Johnson points out what have been the team's significant injury troubles, but says it can't be enough of an excuse for the team to not be playing better.
Positively, Johnson still believes Toronto can overcome their initial challenges, even though this is a team that has consistently made the playoffs in recent years.
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Although Toronto is without key forwards such as Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, the Leafs still have top talent such as William Nylander and John Tavares, but beyond that have capable players who aren't producing enough on offense.
Johnson emphasized that the Leafs' biggest issue has been on defense, with injuries to Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo, and now Jake McCabe severely stretching their lineup.
Without them, Toronto has struggled defensively, with recent waiver acquisition Troy Stecher having been one of the Leafs more aggressive players, and one of the players aligned with the style of play Craig Berube wants.
Although judging Toronto with such a depleted roster, for a team that believed it had enough organizational depth to withstand injuries, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been left without an answer as to how to look better with the roster they currently have.