Top Shelf: Leafs still searching for rock bottom
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – Even bad NHL teams go on hot streaks every now and again.
With the way the second half of the season has gone in Toronto, it’s difficult to imagine the Maple Leafs going on one of those runs anytime soon,
The good news for Toronto’s players and fans, the club only has 11 games remaining before 2014-15 comes to a merciful end. And even if the Maple Leafs by some sort of miracle managed to win all 11 of those tilts, it wouldn’t come close to erasing the awful memory of a season gone horribly wrong.
It’s clear now that Toronto’s high point came during a 10-1-1 stretch from Nov. 20-Dec. 16. The run pushed the club’s season record to 19-9-3 and to say things have gone downhill from there is a massive understatement.
In the months since then, it has seemed to be a steady string of low points. However, none of them turned out to be rock bottom because Toronto has managed to line up one awful effort after another.
Monday in Edmonton, the Maple Leafs lost a 4-1 decision to the Oilers, one of only three teams beneath them in the NHL standings. It was so bad even Phil Kessel, a guy who has complained about the negative media glare in Toronto, gave the beat writers exactly what they wanted to hear.
“This is an all-time low in hockey right now,” said Kessel. “It’s a tough go.”
The latest loss dropped Toronto to 8-29-3 since a season-high winning streak of six games in December, which capped the aforementioned high point.
Having already fired head coach Randy Carlyle earlier this season, at this stage there is little for team president Brendan Shanahan and the Toronto brass can do about the free-fall. The club was a major seller at the trade deadline earlier this month, but now it’s a matter of watching the clock tick by until the end of the season.
Carlyle’s firing on Jan. 6 did little to change things. The Leafs replaced him with the no-nonsense Peter Horachek on an interim basis, but all the tough talk has produced a dismal 6-22-3 record.
Shanahan and general manager Dave Nonis did their best to shed some dead weight before the trade deadline, but the club still will carry some immense contracts into the offseason, including the ones with Kessel and captain Dion Phaneuf’s names on them.
The Leafs got rid of David Clarkson’s awful contract, but had to take on another one with Nathan Horton coming over from Columbus. Toronto so desperately wanted to get rid of Clarkson they were willing to accept Horton, who may never play again due to a degenerative back injury.
Of course, the silver lining in having this type of season is getting a high pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. It is expected to be a deep one with value to be had after the top prospects, Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, are selected.
The Maple Leafs could land a game-changing talent in June or they could swing and miss like they have with most of their recent draft classes. When things have be going as poorly as they have been in Toronto, it’s easy to assume they’ll never get better until they actually do.
Some folks say Toronto needs a “culture change,” but Shanahan is finding that is easier said than done. Others believe the franchise’s financial success is actually a hindrance to the club improving on the ice, but it’s not like giving away its profits to charity is a viable solution.
Currently, there is nothing the Leafs can do except take their lumps and play out the string. I would say there is always the promise of brighter days ahead, but it may be a long time before the sun shines on Toronto.
Categorized in: NHL