We’re less than a month away from the Stanley Cup Playoffs and though the Toronto Maple Leafs are effectively locked into the No. 3 Atlantic Division slot barring catastrophe, the team is still tinkering with their optimal lineups.
This year’s Maple Leafs team has displayed the potential, at times, to win it all but Sheldon Keefe is still experimenting as the team fights through myriad injuries and inconsistent performances through the lineup, with the gap between the team’s stars and ancillary players punctuated throughout the year. Toronto added defensemen Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson at the trade deadline, while ostensibly shoring up its forward depth by acquiring Connor Dewar at the proverbial 11th hour.
Coming off a dominant 7-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, it’s time to assess what’s worked and what hasn’t for the Maple Leafs since the March 8 trade deadline.
Let’s just start with this disclaimer: the least enjoyable part of this profession is ripping players. They are doing their best with the rigours of a 82-game schedule and we don’t want to start piling on. TJ Brodie has become unplayable for the Maple Leafs after spending most of his tenure as one of the team’s most reliable defenders. And it doesn’t look like he’ll be returning to top form anytime soon.
