On Sunday, The Score's John Matisz put together a tier system to rank the projected top-16 teams in the NHL this season and, for the most part, the risers and fallers were obvious. But there was one anomaly in the rundown - the Toronto Maple Leafs were not in either of the top 2 tiers despite being a top-4 team last season.
For those who are curious as to how the entire list breaks down, you can visit the link below. But for those who are curious as to where the Leafs landed, Matisz ranked them a tier 3 team. To his credit, he called this group "scary at full potential", but his rationale for placing them in this group is somewhat suspect.