Toronto Maple Leafs 2023-24 Projection: Three Keys to the Season and Worst-Case Scenario
Toronto Maple Leafs 2023-24 Projection: Three Keys to the Season and Worst-Case Scenario
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Last Year: 50-21-11 (111 points), 2nd in the Atlantic Division (defeated by the Florida Panthers in five games of the second round of the playoffs).
Projected: 1st in the Atlantic Division
Keys to the Season:
1. Matthews and the rest of the core forwards keep firing
Mitch Marner came close to eclipsing the 100-point barrier for the first time in his career. William Nylander set a career high in goals (40) and assists (87 points). John Tavares had 80 points in 80 games, while Auston Matthews had what may consider to be a down year with 40 goals and 45 assists. If Matthews can get anywhere close to his 60-goal season from 2021-22 and the rest of the core keeps putting up points, there will be no shortage of offense this season.
2. Klingberg and the defense, is it good enough?
The Maple Leafs didn't do a lot to their defense in the offseason. However, they signed John Klingberg to a one-year, $4.15 million deal this summer. While his offensive upside is evident, there are issues with his defending, an issue he has admitted needs to improve. Skating with Jake McCabe throughout camp, can Klingberg return to the form we saw from him many years ago while with the Dallas Stars? If not, it could be a long year.
3. Can Samsonov or Woll produce No. 1 goaltending?
Ilya Samsonov posed a .919 save percentage and edged out Matt Murray for the starting goaltending position last season. But he has not looked great during the pre-season. Meanwhile, Joseph Woll was excellent backstopping a B-squad against a Detroit Red Wings A-squad in each team's final warmup before the regular season. Samsonov can be effective but also has issues with durability. If both goalies slump, there is Martin Jones. But after that, who knows? Goaltending always seems to be a question in Toronto.
Most-Likely Scenario: The Maple Leafs are loaded with enough talent to get through the division, but it may not be the cakewalk some are expecting. A first-place finish with fewer than the 111 points they put up last season is certainly possible.
Worst-Case Scenario: Too much change to the roster too quickly puts the team behind the eight ball. The Leafs had early-season slumps for two consecutive seasons before pulling out of a nose dive. But with a new GM and a different philosophy and mindset, there's a possibility it takes a long time to gel.
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