A former Leaf believes that this Leafs team can do some real damage in the playoffs
After the disappointing collapse against the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs last season, there aren't many true believers in the Toronto Maple Leafs anymore. A lot of people believe that the Leafs investing 50% of their salary in just 4 players is a flawed concept, and at this point, it's hard to argue to the contrary. But that does not mean that there aren't true believers in the Leafs, and one of them is a 900-game NHL veteran and a former Maple Leaf himself.
Jamal Mayers played 115 games as a Leaf from 2008-2010 before ultimately being dealt to the Calgary Flames. The Toronto native doesn't buy the idea that just because Matthew, Marner and Nylander didn't get the job done in their early 20's that they can't get the job done now.
"Everyone wants their success to come as a 19, 20, 21, 22-year-old. Not everyone is going to be Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews... Sometimes you have to develop that scar tissue. I think Matthews developed it, and hopefully their group has enough of that and is able to shrug away all the naysayers... and find a way to get over the hump. I think if this team makes it past the first round, I'm confident saying they're making it to the conference final - that's how good it'll feel."
-Jamal Mayers on the Leafs getting over the hump.
-Jamal Mayers on the Leafs getting over the hump.
The Leafs face a much tougher challenge this season, regardless of who their first round opponent might be. The Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins and potentially even the Carolina Hurricanes await the Buds in round one this year. None of these teams are last year's Montreal Canadiens - who gave the Leafs fits in games 5, 6 and 7.
Mayers could be right, though, in his assessment of this year's Leafs. If they can find a way to win in round one, the sky is the limit. Success is not linear. A lot of teams experience great hardship before finally breaking through and achieving glory. The Washington Capitals are a prime example of this. Maybe the Leafs will become another example of a team who had to keep hitting the all before they found a way over it.
| POLL | ||
MARS 23 | 226 ANSWERS A former Leaf believes that this Leafs team can do some real damage in the playoffs Will the Leafs make the Eastern Conference Finals this year? | ||
| Yes | 95 | 42 % |
| No | 101 | 44.7 % |
| They're going all the way | 30 | 13.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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