Maple Leafs’ 9-year streak officially over initially appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Maple Leafs actually weren’t fooling anybody, however the actuality turned official on Thursday evening.
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The Leafs will not be going to the playoffs. They have been officially eradicated.
Their loss to ship them residence for certain got here 4-1 by the hands of the San Jose Sharks.
It ends a streak of 9 consecutive playoff seasons for the Maple Leafs.
They had gone seven video games within the Eastern Conference semifinals final season in opposition to the eventual Stanley Cup repeat champion Florida Panthers, however Toronto was unable to recapture that stage this season.
The offseason departure of Mitch Marner did not assist, however this season was about extra than simply the lack of Marner.
The depth items the Maple Leafs added did not assist sufficient. There have been accidents, and even when gamers have been on the ice, there have been struggles, like a double-digit point-less streak for Auston Matthews earlier than Radko Gudas’ hit ended the captain’s season.
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It’s been clear for months that making the playoffs can be a tricky ask for Toronto, and when the Maple Leafs went on a direct winless streak out of the Olympic break, it was all however sure.
Toronto has already dismissed GM Brad Treliving. Could head coach Craig Berube be subsequent?
It’s not the type of season anybody with the Maple Leafs needed. And to try to bounce again from it, subsequent season’s crew and operation would possibly look very completely different.