5 things for Leafs Nation to look forward to in the second half
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a fascinating team heading into the second half of the season, which kicks off on Monday when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes. There's so much to look forward to in what will be a busy 2022 for the Buds. With that, here are the top-5 things to look forward to in the second half of the Leafs 2021-22 season.
5 - GAMES MORE THAN TWICE A WEEK
Because of Canada's COVID-19 restrictions, the Leafs have been playing twice a week and in an empty arena while playing at home. That is slowly starting to change as restrictions begin to loosen in Ontario. The Leafs play 12 games in February as they are making up for many postponed games from late December and early January. A busy February will be a great test for the Leafs because the playoffs do not care about how tired you are.
4 - THE GOALIE ROTATION
As of late, the Leafs having been usuing Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek as the tandem that was expected at the start of the season. The tandem hasn't been an option for the Leafs this season due to both Mrazek's injury troubles and Campbell's All-Star play. Knowing the Toronto media, we will have a goalie controversy at some point when the Leafs return to a tandem. Whether it is Campbell or Mrazek who goes into the playoffs as the number 1, getting an extended look at this tandem will be an interesting thing for Leaf Nation to follow. Plus, we all know Jack is #1 in Toronto.
3 - HERITAGE CLASSIC JERSEYS
If you're a jersey nut like myself, you were likely very disappointed when the Leafs unveiled their Reverse Retro jerseys last season. On March 13th, the Leafs will be taking on the Buffalo Sabres at Tim Horton's Field in Hamilton, ON. The Leafs will likely be getting a new jersey that'll be worn for that game. The Buds have knocked it out of the park with the three outdoor game jerseys in their history. A modernized version of the white alternates that the Leafs wore in the Mats Sundin era are what I'd propose for the Leafs to wear in the Heritage Classic. If it is not that, hopefully it is a jersey that fans want to buy and will get everyone excited for the game.
2 - THE TRADE DEADLINE
The trade deadline is an intriguing time for Leaf fans. The Leafs should and likely will go all in at the trade deadline, given where they are in the standings, to address team needs. Having actual playoff success this season is a must. After years of constant disappointment, 2022 truly is an all or nothing year for the Leafs after management doubled down on the core 4 going into this season. The Leafs' number one priority is upgrading their defense - especially someone who can improve the team's play in their own zone. That being said, there are other needs too and it's exciting to wonder what Kyle Dubas has up his sleeve.
1 - THE PLAYOFFS
Like I said previously, 2022 is an all or nothing season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They're going to be facing tough competition no matter who they play in their 1st round. It'll likely be either the back-to-back champion Tampa Bay Lightning, the juggernaut Florida Panthers, or the boogeyman Boston Bruins. Despite tough competition, the 2022 Leafs have shown they can compete with these teams. Hopefully the Buds can exercise some demons in 2022 because this is a team worth getting excited about. They just feel different.
