Leafs among the league's elite in key playoff stat
As Leafs fans, 7 straight first round exits have really messed with our collective psyche. This season's loss is especially devastating. There's just not a lot to criticize regarding the Leafs play on the ice. So we look deeper into the stats to figure out just why the Leafs can't seem to get it done. Unfortunately, those stats are just as painful.
For the second year in a row, the Leafs out scores their first round opponents, only to lose in heartbreaking fashion. It's a basic stat, but an important one. Most of the time, scoring more goals than your opponent is a good thing. In fact, it's a great thing. Most of the time, that means you win. Unless you're the Leafs of course.
That's right, the Leafs are the only team out of 7 in the last 2 seasons to have a positive or neutral (in the Leafs case, positive) goal differential and not make at least the conference finals. This isn't some obscure advanced stat tied to play driving or possession time either. Scoring goals is the goal of hockey, scoring more goals than your opponent is how you win the game. It seems that all the Leafs are missing now is timing and luck. If some of those goals had been scored at different times, we'd be preparing for the Stanley Cup finals right now.
So, what does this mean? What's the point of even looking into these stats? Is it that they're simply cursed? For me, it means the Leafs are, as Auston Matthews said «right there.» They have all the tools, they even manage to outplay and outscore their opponents. This is a team worth investing in, worth running back. If I were in Dubas' seat. I would try to bring back as many of this year's players as possible.
