Chris Johnston had some brutally honest comments about the Toronto Maple Leafs as they continue to navigate a horrible losing skid that has the team on the ropes.
The Maple Leafs, as constructed, are not making the playoffs. Their goaltending isn't working, the defense is a bit of a mess, and the offense has stopped clicking.
Apathy is growing amongst Leafs Nation, and if things continue down this path, the situation is only going to get worse.
Some feel as though the Leafs need to make another big trade. That a top-pairing defenseman could be the key to turning this season around. According to insider Chris Johnston, that is not what the Leafs should be aiming for.
Chris Johnston's harsh truth about the Leafs
While speaking to TSN 1050 "OverDrive," Chris Johnston made it clear that a trade is not going to save the Maple Leafs at this point.
Instead, if the Leafs want to fix their problems, they are going to need to look internally. A young player is going to have to step up, or the leadership group needs to elevate.
The fixes have got to come internally in the short term. The Leafs need to focus on their own process and find a way to get wins. Over the course of a long season, you've got to win without your best lineup when injuries are a factor, or even when you don't have your best game.
They expect to be a team that challenges for the playoffs this year, and that cutoff line is getting a little further in the distance because they haven't been able to put many points in the bank.
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It is a hard pill to swallow, but Johnston isn't lying. You can't always rely on your general manager to bail you out with a massive trade.
If head coach Jim Hiller can't get this Leafs team to play better hockey without extra help, then something has to give.
This is not what Maple Leafs fans probably want to hear right now. There was some hope coming into this season, and it has all but evaporated.
Kirill Marchenko's injury has certainly brought about the worst of the team's fortunes, so perhaps there is a pathway for the Leafs to turn it around when he comes back. Until then, the Leafs must find a way to get wins.
Do you agree with Chris Johnston?
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