The Toronto Maple Leafs couldn’t have picked a worse team to fall apart against than the Ottawa Senators.
The Leafs’ provincial rival must be giddy about handing Toronto its third-straight post-Olympic loss. Most importantly, the Sens must take some consolation in getting revenge for last year’s playoff exit.
While wins and losses are a part of hockey, the Maple Leafs’ performance on Saturday night was downright dreadful. Toronto had 10 shots in two periods and somehow still managed two goals.
But it was the five-spot by the Senators that led to the Leafs unraveling in the third period. A brief encounter in the crease in which Ridly Greig bumped into Anthony Stolarz, who had replaced Joseph Woll, led to Stolarz taking out his frustration on Greig.
The ensuing battle royale featured Max Domi pounding Nick Jensen while sitting on the ice.
The mayhem could have been interpreted as moxie. But it was hardly that. It was frustration boiling over. Players like Stolarz and Domi are clearly not taking the situation lightly. But it’s evident that the Maple Leafs, as a whole, have pretty much given up on the season.
Maple Leafs Likely to Play Out String
So, what’s next for the Toronto Maple Leafs? Well, it seems that playing out the string seems the most reasonable situation here. With about 20 games to go, it seems the Leafs are ready to tank.
The lack of effort makes it evident. Auston Matthews pops up every now and then. William Nylander has a couple of flashes throughout games. As for John Tavares, he’s become pretty much invisible.
The offense has essentially evaporated, with some of the crew trying to change the pace of the game single-handedly. For instance, Easton Cowan showed some signs of trying to make something happen on his own.
It’s too bad the Maple Leafs have descended to this situation. After last season’s Atlantic Division title, fans expected more from the team. But things are just not working out this season.
Berube Seems to Have Lost the Room
Sometimes players give up when a coach has lost the room. That much has become evident in games. When the TV broadcasts focus on the bench, Craig Berube’s face resembles that of a hopeless student in the middle of a test.
As much as Berube would like to find answers somewhere, there’s no cheat sheet to go to. The Maple Leafs are evidently flawed and don’t seem to have an easy fix.
The time for a coaching change was back in December when the team’s management backed Berube. Sure, that led to a bit of a bump, but it didn’t last.
It now seems that the Maple Leafs are stuck with Craig Berube and Brad Treliving. Instead of selling off as many players as possible, the Maple Leafs must first begin by overhauling the management group.
From there, the Leafs might have some hope of turning things around next season. Otherwise, doubling down on the Treliving-Berube tandem won’t lead anywhere anytime soon.
Maple Leafs Have Pretty Much Given Up on the Season