Yes, on paper they have one of the deadliest offensive attacks in all of hockey, some strong defensemen and a great net minder, but the Leafs are a long way from reaching the heights of Stanley Cup champions.
The Leafs were one of the worst teams in the NHL last season from a shots-allowed perspective and until they’ve proven they can get that under control, you can’t put them as Stanley Cup Favorites.
If there is one area that could doom the Leafs to missing out on the playoffs all together, it’s their defensive core. You simply can’t win the Cup if a 38 year old Ron Hainsey is on your top pairing.
Last year, the defense allows teams to shoot as much as they want. Last season Leafs goalies (Andersen, Curtis McElhinney, and Calvin Picard) faced 2,767 shots. That’s 33.7 shots per game. When seeing numbers like that it’s a miracle Andersen didn’t allow more goals.
They could use a defensively elite forward, and a couple right handed defenseman. Upgrades are needed.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting close, but they still need some upgrades before we can take that betting line seriously. The Leafs are on the way up. The rebuild is over, but that doesn’t mean the transition to serious contender is instantaneous.