The Leafs are currently on their best stretch of the season, winning 7-straight games and defeating some of the league’s strongest teams along the way, but there is one important X-factor that might make or break this team come playoff time.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been an absolute wagon recenty.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have racked off 7-straight wins and are presently within 8 points of the division lead, currently held by the Florida Panthers , with 2 games in hand.
However, the playoffs are a far different beast than the regular season.
The Leafs have been playing terrific over the past several weeks, with the forward group finally playing up to their potential and the defense group showing tremendous development.
But there is one part of the club that is still not solidified and could make or break the team in the postseason, and that is their goaltending.
The X-Factor For the Toronto Maple Leafs in This Year’s Playoffs
As said before, the Leafs forward and defense groupings have both been terrific recently.
Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner are all on pace for career-best seasons, and John Tavares and Matthew Knies are finding their scoring touch after dry spells earlier in the year.
On top of this, newcomers Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and Bobby McMann are playing their most consistent hockey of the year. The defensive corps has also been much-improved, led by the new partnership of T.J. Brodie and Timothy Liljegren (before his recent injury).
But the goaltending is still unsolved, and while it hasn’t been horrible, it’ll need to be better if the Leafs want the Stanley Cup.
Over the 7-game-winning streak, Leafs goalies Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones have combined for a strong 2.42 GAA, and a “okay” .905 SV%.
Again, not horrible, but not fantastic either.
The Leafs also scored at a furious pace, averaging 5 goals per game on their winning streak (and now lead the entire league in that figure).
All 3 of the Leafs goalies this year have had outstanding stretches, but Joseph Woll has been by far the most consistent, and it’s a good bet he’ll be the starting in the playoffs.
Woll came back from injury and made his debut Friday night against the Coyotes.
Whether it’s Woll, Jones, or Samsonov who ends up starting in the playoffs, they will have to be at their best if the Leafs want to go on a deep run.
I have faith in Woll, but if he falters or gets injured again, the Leafs at the least have 2 serviceable goalies to back him up, however it’s absolutely possible they trade for a goaltender between now and next week.
I assume Woll will be alright when he returns, but you never truly know what’ll happen until you see it.
Let’s hope one of these 3 goalies can perform to their full ability in the playoffs.
