Maple Leafs face special teams crisis as numbers spiral out of control

After going 0/3 on the power play against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs now rank 31st in power play goals per minute, ahead of only the Los Angeles Kings. If that doesn't scream "crisis", I don't know what does.

That signals a system in trouble, but the shooting percentage makes the situation look even worse. At just 8.6 percent with the man advantage, the Leafs sit 30th in the league, a staggering drop for a roster built around elite finishers.

What stands out is how upside down the shooting distribution has become. Morgan Rielly, Oliver Ekman Larsson and Max Domi are shooting more than in previous years, while the core scorers - Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander and Nick Robertson - are shooting less. When the Leafs' best weapons aren't pulling the trigger, the entire unit loses its identity.

Toronto's man advantage has turned passive, predictable and disconnected. Instead of attacking seams or forcing movement, the puck often stays on the perimeter, drifting to the points or settling in the hands of secondary shooters. The hesitation is noticeable, and opposing penalty kills are reading Toronto with ease.

Matthews' reduced shot volume is especially glaring. For years, the Leafs' power play ran through his curl and release, forcing defenders to cheat toward him and opening space for others. Without that threat consistently activated, Nylander and Tavares see tighter coverage and fewer clean looks.

Rielly and Ekman Larsson bringing more pucks to the net isn't a problem on its own, but the imbalance highlights a unit drifting from its strengths. Domi's increased attempts further illustrate the issue: Toronto's best shooters aren't the ones shooting.

The Leafs continue tinkering with structure, but the urgency is growing. In a tight Eastern Conference, a dead power play becomes a standings anchor. The Leafs need their stars to reclaim control of the unit, simplify decisions and shoot with conviction.

If not, this slump will define far more than a month - it will define their season.