Retired Stanley Cup winner reveals what he believes will happen with the Maple Leafs this season
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro - Imagn Images
Former NHL champion T.J. Oshie believes the Toronto Maple Leafs are due for a turnaround that could position them high up in the Atlantic Division by season's end.
After winning the division last year, I don't think too many people pegged the Toronto Maple Leafs to be closer to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings than they are to the final wild card spot.
It's been a tough season all-around but things have looked better in recent weeks with key players making their return to the lineup. The Leafs are 6-2-2 over their last 10 contests, which is just the second time they've won 6 games in a 10 game stretch all season.
Their recent stretch of success has not gone unnoticed either as former NHL champion T.J. Oshie believes the Leafs will be in the mix for the playoffs when all is said and done.
In a recent interview with the Leafs Morning Take podcast, Oshie explains why he thinks they'll turn things around.
By the end of the season, I think they'll be in the mix. Sometimes it takes a little bit to spark that belief in what they're doing. Sometimes they have to do it and see what they have success in... If they can commit to each guy, man to man, I think that would elevate their offense.
While they haven't won all their games in convincing fashion, it's only a matter of time before players like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares start clicking in unison, and the Leafs' offense truly takes off again as Oshie mentioned.
Oshie then added that it literally comes down to the basics, the X's and O's, and if they can commit to each other, play the right way together, block shots, stick up for one another, their all-around game will eventually click.
It seems like it's starting to click there, that they see that this is good and we win and we score goals, and this is bad and we look terrible. I think they'll be in the mix. It takes some scars to go deep, it takes some of those big losses, those tough moments to almost build up that confidence in what you guys have.
It's going to be gut-check time in Toronto with a compressed schedule upcoming as they have 23 games to play from now to the end of January. Every game matters at this stage of the season and a strong finish towards the Olympic Break will go a long way in solidifying their playoff chances.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 18 | 1110 ANSWERS Retired Stanley Cup winner reveals what he believes will happen with the Maple Leafs this season Do you believe the Toronto Maple Leafs will make the playoffs in 2025-26? | ||
| Yes | 305 | 27.5 % |
| No | 805 | 72.5 % |
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