Conflicted

You know I typically don't like making excuses for this team. I don't know if this core can't get it done or the coaching and management has destroyed them, but it's just been a history of some real bullshit these last 9 years.

When the core was young okay that's fine to have some playoff runs that are short lived. It's experience and it happens everywhere. What has happened with the Keefe teams were just undoubtably some of the worst luck possible. Just when you are supposed to reach the peak a Tampa team turns into a complete dynasty followed by their neighbor in Florida who does the exact same thing and maybe even better. Not to mention Covid that absolutely fucked the Leafs harder than any team in the league with a cap that never increased when they needed it.

Now we move on to this current version of the Leafs. A coach and GM who have obviously tried to reshape a team into something they can't be. We've watched Matthews become a shell of himself the last couple years under the coaching style of Berube. They don't dominate play. They lack purpose in their gameplan and have just flat out become an extremely hard watch.

The thing that gets me the most is the fact that now it seems like it's wide open in the East. Tampa is still solid, but Florida is banged up, and it just doesn't feel like they'll get it together. The last few Leaf teams would have to be looked at as a big favourite to run away with things but now we have no Marner and a D core that looks incredibly slow and we sit back on our heels being lucky to get 20 shots a game.

Maybe I'll be wrong about this team but I'm not holding my breath.