{"id":828,"date":"2022-12-19T16:13:14","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T16:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/?p=828"},"modified":"2022-12-19T16:13:14","modified_gmt":"2022-12-19T16:13:14","slug":"no-chance-maple-leafs-will-miss-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/index.php\/2022\/12\/19\/no-chance-maple-leafs-will-miss-playoffs\/","title":{"rendered":"There’s No Chance Now the Maple Leafs Will Miss the Playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Stan Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Really, it seems like there’s no way the Toronto Maple Leafs will miss the 2022-23 Stanley Cup playoffs after their 15-game consecutive point-scoring streak. It would take a huge collapse for that to happen, and I just don’t think this team has that in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Maple Leafs’ 15-Game Point Streat Was Huge for Their Season <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The fifteen-game point streak that ended in New York on Thursday night with a 3-1 loss to the Rangers shot the Toronto Maple Leafs up the NHL standings. The Maple Leafs earned an amazing 27 points out of a possible 30 in that streak. That’s a .900 winning percentage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of Saturday morning, the Maple Leafs sat in second place in the Atlantic Division four points behind the first-place Boston Bruins and five points up on the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning. Both Boston and Tampa have two games in hand over the Maple Leafs.\u00a0With over 50 games yet to be played, who finishes where in the top three is still anyone’s guess.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: MAPLE LEAFS\u2019 RECORD AGAINST NHL TOP-10 TEAMS? OUTSTANDING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It Would Be Hard for the Maple Leafs to Miss the Playoffs Now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But, in regard to making the playoffs, one thing the fifteen-game streak did was solidify a post-season spot for the Maple Leafs.\u00a0Saturday morning before they played the Washington Capitals, the Maple Leafs were ten points up on the Capitals. Washington is the closest team presently outside of a playoff position, 44 points to 34 points, and the Maple Leafs had a game in hand. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
William Nylander is leading the Maple Leafs with 18 goals scored this season. (his Rookie Card)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Detroit Red Wings and the Florida Panthers were both two points back of Washington with 32. The Red Wings have played two games less than the Maple Leafs while the Panthers have played the same number of games.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s Maple Leafs are not the \u201cFall off the Cliff\u201d team that they were under Brian Burke and Dave Nonis.\u00a0This version of the Maple Leafs is too good a team to go on a ten-game losing streak.\u00a0If they win just five more games than they lose in the remainder of the season it would give them 57 points in that span, for a total of 101 points.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Matthews, Nylander & Samsonov<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Reasons This Team Won’t Crack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reason #1: The Team’s Two Goalies Are Too Good<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What was once the biggest worry going into the regular season has proven to be one of the team’s strengths. Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov have proven to be strong, capable, reliable, and determined goalies. They have the skill to win games by themselves if they had to. They don’t have to, however.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Ilya Samsonov, Maple Leafs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Reason #2: The Team Defense Has Been Stellar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When the top three defensemen went down for extended periods of time, it seemed as if this team was in trouble. But, the team’s total team defence stepped up – both forwards and defensemen together – to carry the game. The Maple Leafs’ system worked; and, while there might have been a fall-off without Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, and TJ Brodie out, no one noticed. Mark Giordano stepped up; Colin Timmins showed up; and, Brodie is back. Things are looking good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reason #3: The Maple Leafs Stars Are Shining<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0William Nylander leads the team with 18 goals, two ahead of Auston Matthews. Mitch Marner had a 23-game point-scoring streak. John Tavares is having his best season in a long time. This team has star power. And they’ll provide enough wins the rest of the way for the team to make the playoffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: Three Takeaways from Maple Leafs\u2019 5-3 Loss to Capitals<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a strong start to the 2022-23 regular season and there’s no way they’ll miss the playoffs. Why is that so?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[35,33,42,22,36,37],"class_list":["post-828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-toronto-maple-leafs","tag-auston-matthews","tag-ilya-samsonov","tag-john-tavares","tag-matt-murray","tag-mitch-marner","tag-william-nylander"],"yoast_head":"\nThere's No Chance Now the Maple Leafs Will Miss the Playoffs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a strong start to the 2022-23 regular season and there's no way they'll miss the playoffs. 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