The primary challenge facing the present-day Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs faced another early playoff exit just over a month ago, this time at the hands of their nemesis, the Boston Bruins.
This marks the fourth time in 11 years that the Bruins have eliminated the Maple Leafs in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite a revamped roster, the Leafs in blue were once again unable to advance.
As usual, nearly every hockey fan took to social media to voice their opinions on the Leafs’ shortcomings. After some reflection, I believe I’ve pinpointed the issue with this team.
The primary problem with this era of the Leafs is their mindset, and this needs to change if they hope to win a Stanley Cup.
The primary challenge facing the present-day Toronto Maple Leafs
The Biggest Issue with the Current Toronto Maple Leafs
Of course, I don’t know what goes on in the Leafs’ locker room, and I fully believe every player in that dressing room wants to win a Stanley Cup. The idea that Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews don’t care about winning is absurd to me.
That being said, it’s evident the Leafs struggle to win crucial games, and they need to shift their mindset to overcome this hurdle.
As I mentioned, the Leafs obviously want to win; there’s no doubt about that. But in big games, they need to adopt a winning mindset rather than merely trying not to lose.
Credit where it’s due: the Leafs know how to keep a series close. Except for the 2023 series against the Florida Panthers, every Leafs series loss since 2018 has gone to seven games (or five against Columbus), including twice rebounding from a 3-1 series deficit against the Bruins and coming back from 3-0 down in Game 4 against the Blue Jackets to force a deciding game.
However, despite these close calls, the Leafs have only one series win since 2004, and I believe all the losing is taking a toll on these players.
Who can blame them? Losing in big games is demoralizing. But until they make a deep playoff run, they need to change their mindset in these crucial games.
A new coach, like Craig Berube, could help with this change. Although Sheldon Keefe did what he could, it’s time for a new voice in the room.
In summary, the Leafs’ main problem isn’t toughness or Mitch Marner’s playoff performance; it’s their mindset.
Once that changes, I believe a deep playoff run will soon follow.
