NHL Executives and Coaches Admit to Surprising Views On This Year's Toronto Maple Leafs
Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and its 1st Round Battle of Ontario, NHL executives and coaches revealed surprising thoughts on this year's Maple Leafs team.
The Leafs and Ottawa Senators will renew their playoff rivalry beginning on Sunday after more than 20 years, with Leafs Nation already anxious, thanks to years of playoff disappointment.
Last year's disappointment led to the dismissal of Sheldon Keefe and allowed the Leafs to bring in Craig Berube.
While there have been ups and downs in Berube's first season behind the bench, the Maple Leafs head into the playoffs on a five-game winning streak in the hopes of carrying that momentum into their first-round series.
On Sportscenter Thursday evening, Pierre LeBrun discussed the Leafs' odds for post-season success, revealing that many executives and coaches across the league believe the Leafs are poised for a deep playoff run, thanks to Berube and GM Brad Treliving.
"What has come back a lot from team execs and coaches is that Brad Treliving and Craig Berube have made this the most playoff-ready team the Leafs have had in the Matthews-Marner era."
LeBrun also noted in his Friday piece for The Athletic that of the three series he asked executives and coaches about, the Leafs were the only team to be selected overwhelmingly with 12 of 13 people choosing the Leafs to defeat the Senators.
Leafs Nation is preparing for the worst, because most of us are pessimists. But, Auston Matthews and other members of the Leafs are riding a new level of confidence heading into Game 1 Sunday. That should give us some hope for a much more successful playoff run.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 18 | 4491 ANSWERS NHL Executives and Coaches Admit to Surprising Views On This Year's Toronto Maple Leafs Who wins Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario? | ||
| Leafs | 3900 | 86.8 % |
| Sens | 591 | 13.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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