The Toronto Maple Leafs have once again disappointed their fans with another humiliating loss in the playoffs. The Maple Leafs blew a 3-1 series lead in the First Round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, but this year’s loss feels different.

It is common for the Maple Leafs to have high expectations placed upon them. When the Washington Capitals defeated the Maple Leafs in the 2017 NHL Playoffs, a bright future was envisioned for the skilled, youthful team. Since that year of hope and satisfaction, it has been nothing but dismay and disappointment for the city of Toronto, as superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner once again disappointed on the NHL’s biggest stage.

Hart Trophy Finalist Auston Matthews and superstar Mitch Marner combined for one goal against the Canadiens and looked lost at points during the series. The true stars of the Maple Leafs happened to be media maligned William Nylander, and the humble Jack Campbell. Nylander broke out in these playoffs and was one of the few forwards for that impressed.

Excuses could be made for this year. Former Islanders captain John Tavares suffered a series-ending injury following a knee to the head from Montreal Canadien forward Corey Perry. Jake Muzzin suffered an injury, keeping him out of the crucial Game 7. Unfortunately for the Leafs, excuses cannot be made every year.

Despite suffering injuries, the Toronto Maple Leafs, on paper, were the more skilled team. This sentiment rang through the media, as it was expected for the Maple Leafs to win regardless of missing a key piece in Tavares. Injuries are common in the playoffs, as last year the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup without captain Steven Stamkos for most of the playoffs. Adversity creates winners, and the Maple Leafs do not have the killer instinct to overcome such a feat.

Brendan Shanahan, Maple Leafs President, stated that the organization will address the lack of killer instinct on the team. This could drastically hurt some of the egos on the Leafs’ team, but it is a statement that had to be said and an aspect of the team that needs to be addressed.

Bringing in veterans such as Wayne Simmonds, Nick Foligno and Joe Thornton seemed like it would dress this need, but it did not. The Toronto Maple Leafs are near the cap due to the gargantuan contracts on the team, and addressing team needs may be a challenge; however, it is hard to picture where the Maple Leafs go from here.

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This is essentially the team’s dream roster. Kyle Dubas, Toronto Maple Leafs’ general manager, envisioned a team with four skilled scoring lines, smooth skating, and smart defense, with some grit if the team had to get rough. He assembled this team, and it did not work. Fans will call for various players to be traded, and names such as Mitch Marner have been discussed in the media as being potential trade pieces to be shipped out.

The best thing for the Maple Leafs to do is stand pat. The hard truth is that sometimes teams choke, and choke a lot. Take a look at the 2019 Tampa Bay Lightning. A record-setting, Presidents’ winning season, all to be swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in round one. A year later and they are Cup Champions. In no way is the Maple Leafs compatible with the Lightning, but sometimes the thing a team needs is time and patience, and the Leafs have plenty of faith in their young core.

John Smark