"The win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night could have been a pivotal turning point. A loss would have sunk the Leafs into last place in the division. Sure, it would have been nothing more than a temporary setback, but the optics would have been terrible. Then again, the Leafs struggled to beat the team with the worst record in the league. That's why the next stretch of games could define the Leafs' season."
"That's five games in which only the Penguins and Mammoth are in playoff spots. Still, all five are winnable games. The Leafs could easily go on a run and push themselves to the top of the division. Yes, it's barely the end of October. But the Leafs can't afford to fall behind at this point. Maple Leafs can't afford to play catchup the rest of the season"
The Maple Leafs sit 5-4-1 with 11 points, tied for third in the Atlantic Division and one point out of last place. The Atlantic Division has been highly competitive to start the season, and the Leafs have not done enough to cement a top position. A win over the Calgary Flames avoided dropping into last place, but the team struggled against the league's worst club. The upcoming stretch against Columbus, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Colorado, and Boston presents five winnable games that could trigger a run. Falling behind now would force the team to tread water to simply reach the playoffs, undermining postseason prospects.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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