With their come from behind victory last night over the Boston Bruins, the Rangers put themselves out of the reach of the Toronto Maple Leafs and further distanced themselves from the Carolina Hurricanes, almost assuring themselves a spot in the post-season. This also reduces the Maple Leafs winning scenarios to just one, as the Buffalo Sabres need to lose their remaining three games in regulation, while the Leafs must win their remaining three.
The odds are just as long as they have been since the start of the Leafs miraculous run back on January 1st, and it will be either the Sabres or the Hurricanes that drive the final nail into the Leafs’ playoff coffin, as soon as either team exceeds 90 points. The Leafs were able to draw closer to that 8th spot several times this season drawing the gap to within 3 points, but the games in hand would tell the real tale, the one that says this team was never as close as we thought they were. That the Leafs haven’t yet been mathematically eliminated is a small miracle in and of itself.
The 2010-2011 Leafs stormed out of the gate, building a record of 5-4-1 in their first 10 before losing Dion Phaneuf to a laceration on his leg and subsequent infection after surgery. The captain missed the next 16 games, over which the Leafs compiled a record of 5-8-3, precipitating their fall from the Eastern Conference playoff picture. This was further compounded by problems in goal, as Jean-Sebastien Giguere was in and out of the lineup with a groin injury, and Gustavsson’s frustration with the defense was clearly showing in his play. After Phaneuf rejoined the club, the team went 3-6-0 to close out the year, prompting GM Brian Burke and coach Ron Wilson to facilitate some changes.
2011 was a fresh start for the Leafs, as players like Darryl Boyce and Joey Crabb were called up from the Marlies to provide the team with some energy. Goaltender James Reimer, who had appeared as a backup a few times for Gustavsson in December, was finally given his first start, New Year’s Day against the Ottawa Senators. The Leafs would blow out the Sens 5-1, and then Reimer would lose a close one to the Boston Bruins, 2-1 later that week. Gustavsson was given the start against the St. Louis Blues, a game in which the Leafs had a 5-2 lead in the third period, only to have Gustavsson allow 3 straight, but the Leafs eventually prevailed in a shoot out.
Wilson gave Reimer the net for the following road trip, a trip the Leafs started with a 9-3 pounding of the Atlanta Thrashers, and then pulled out wins over LA and San Jose before dropping the closer to Phoenix. While he impressed early on, the trade deadline was approaching and the Leafs needed to try to showcase Giguere for a possible trade. He played well in a 2-1 shoot out loss to the Flames, but then came the low point of the Leafs season, as Gustavsson and Giguere combined to give up 7 goals to the New York Rangers in the Leafs worst effort as a team.
All of this was happening amidst Phil Kessel’s worst goalless drought as a Leaf. He had scored in the road win over San Jose, and then went 14 straight games without finding the net, over which the Leafs compiled a 5-7-2 record. With more spotty performances over the next few games, Burke was finally able to make a few moves, sending Francois Beauchemin back to the Ducks in exchange for Joffrey Lupul , Jake Gardiner and a third round pick, while also sending Kris Versteeg to the Flyers for a 1st and a 3rd round pick.
The Leafs called up towering defenseman Keith Aulie from the Marlies to replace Beauchemin, putting him on the top pairing with Dion Phaneuf, and that is when this unlikely story truly began. Everything seemed to come together at the same time, as Aulie came up, Armstrong returned from another injury, and Phil Kessel broke his scoring drought against his old team, the Boston Bruins. A thrilling come from behind 4-3 victory in Boston was followed by an equally thrilling 2-1 win against the Sabres in Buffalo, and the Leafs went 9 games without a regulation loss, earning 15 points by posting a 6-0-3 record before dropping a decision to the Chicago Blackhawks.
They have gone 8-4-1 since then, but it appears that it will be too little, too late for the Leafs to make the post-season this year. However, this season was one of growth for the Leafs, as players like Luke Schenn, Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski all vastly improved their play. It was a season of redemption, as Dion Phaneuf shook off the pressure of being captain and started to return to form. Phil Kessel finally buried the hatchet against the Boston Bruins and has become a more defensively responsible player. Joffrey Lupul, languishing on the third line with the Ducks, has flourished in Toronto.
After finishing last season 29th out of a 30 team league, this team will finish at worst, 2 games over .500. They have already bettered their 74 points of last season by 10 points, and could possibly hit 90 by the end of the season. Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski are one goal shy of 30 each, and have grown together as both team mates and friends, giving the Leafs many good secondary scoring options.
While the ‘next year’ mantra is always met with cautious optimism, it is clear that this is not the same Leafs team that started this season, and that the last 30 games have been an amazing chase for the playoffs, a chase in which they may ultimately come up short, but they will have learned so much by having done it.
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Born and raised in Northern Ontario but currently living in Toronto, Tyler wouldn't have it any other way. Home to his two favourite sports teams, Tyler revels in the day to day sports experience that is Toronto. 