The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime on Sunday afternoon in what was supposed to be a routine game for the Atlantic Division leaders. Instead, all hell broke loose. 11 goals, a buzzer beater, and an overtime winner- exactly what one expects from Sunday afternoon hockey, right? Aside from taking the lead in the division over the Florida Panthers, the most notable moment from yesterday’s matchup was Auston Matthews passing Darryl Sittler on the Leafs all-time goal scoring leader list. This puts his count up to 390, which is just 30 goals shy of Mats Sundin’s 420 goal record. Matthews has managed to get this close to the record despite playing 374 less games than the Maple Leafs legend, which really puts into perspective how good not only Auston Matthews is, but the other members of the Toronto “big three”.
For all of their collective shortcomings in the playoffs, Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, and William Nylander have incredibly consistent stats for playing over 600 games each. In fact, the trio are on a trajectory to smash every points record set by the Leaf’s all-time greats. As crazy as this may seem, the question must be asked- are we witnessing the most skilled Toronto Maple Leafs team of all time?
Settle down- I said the most skilled team, not the greatest Leafs team ever. There is a sizable difference between those two distinctions, but if there was ever a group to live up to both of those titles, it might be this team. First and foremost, it’s about time that we are in a year where the complaints about these three superstars are few and far between. Here in Toronto, we’ve become accustomed to the revolving door of complaints targeting them individually and collectively- with fans making it loudly known the ‘big three’ aren’t doing enough. “Matthews should score here”, “Marner does too much”, “Nylander needs to be more physical”- I’ve heard it all.
Furthermore, the discussion always seems to end the same way- “if they do that, then we will win”. In reality, the performances of the big three have never been the primary reason why the Leafs lose. This core may have only secured one series win together, but out of their eight series losses, four came to the eventual Stanley Cup finalists on the Leafs’ side of the bracket. It’s not supernatural- aside from the Canadians who caught lightning in a bottle, on those four occasions the Maple Leafs came up against formidable opponents who were built to win the cup.
Nobody is perfect, and these three superstars have gone missing in the occasional playoff game, but that isn’t grounds for expulsion. I urge you to think about a dystopian future where two of the three leave, and the Leafs become a basement team. By no means am I condemning the trading of Matthews, Marner or Nylander. If the Leafs get someone equally as impactful in return, then I am all for it- but that is one big if.
These are incredible talents in their own right, but it’s the array of skills they bring as a collective trio that makes these players so special. Ultimately their goal scoring, playmaking and two-way play is not the culprit of Toronto’s playoff disappointments. In recent years, it’s been untimely mistakes and goaltending that was the downfall of the Leafs. However, the combination of Stolarz and Woll has proven to be the remedy for their ghost of goaltending past.
So how can we consider this iteration of the Leafs as the most skilled ever faced with the collective anxiety to break a 58-year-old curse? If there was a time for that to happen- with this group of forwards, defencemen and tandem goaltending- it just may be this year. Whether you want to get excited about the playoffs, or you are hedging your enthusiasm due to personal superstition, these Toronto Maple Leafs- perhaps the most talented Leafs group ever, are a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup.
