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Maple Leafs Teetering on Existential Abyss
2 Mar
Summary
- Franchise feels rudderless and dysfunctional.
- Worst season of Auston Matthews era compared to 2014-15.
- Current team struggles with poor puck possession.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are navigating what feels like the most existential crisis of the Auston Matthews era, a period marked by dysfunction and a lack of direction. This season's bleakness surpasses even the dead-last finish of 2015-16, drawing comparisons to the 2014-15 team that endured an 11-game losing streak and finished with a meager 68 points.
Currently on pace for 86 points, the team's on-ice statistics are concerning. They are allowing an average of 3.45 goals per game, a figure not seen since the 2008-09 season. Furthermore, their puck possession metrics, at 45 percent, are among the worst in the last 20 seasons, echoing the struggles of teams coached by Randy Carlyle.
Personnel decisions under coach Craig Berube have also drawn criticism, with puzzling choices regarding player deployment. The team's overall performance, coupled with a roster that is aging and lacking draft capital, raises serious questions about the front office's leadership and the franchise's immediate future. The Leafs' playoff odds have plummeted to just 4 percent.




