The west-coast trip wasn’t exactly great, and the Playoffs are looking less likely then they were two weeks ago. The Toronto Maple Leafs have to get better. The good news: they can do it without adding anyone to their lineup.
Play Best Players More
In my opinion, one of the most glaring differences between the Leafs and the other teams in the NHL is how much their best players play. Auston Matthews and Jake Gardiner are two of the best players in the entire league at their respective positions. They aren’t deployed like it though.
Jake Gardiner averages 21:15 per game.