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Trouble in Toronto
Maple Leafs' struggles may not just be a bump in road
Posted: Monday November 04, 2002 4:07 PM
Updated: Tuesday November 05, 2002 12:56 AM
The large legion of Leaf faithful notoriously begins the hand-wringing when its precious team struggles. That is why it is tough to distinguish between problems real and imagined in the case of the Maple Leafs. After visiting Toronto last week -- even though it is early -- the worst fears of die-hard Maple Leaf supporters might be real this time around.
Here are the Top 10 telltale signs that the Maple Leafs actually might be in trouble:
10. Pat Quinn's exasperation
The gruff-but-always-in-charge demeanor of longtime hockey man Quinn has taken on an air of befuddlement. As the coach, he is perplexed by his team’s on-ice self-destruction in losing seven times already this season. And as the GM, Quinn seems unprepared to admit that the team he assembled might not be as cohesive and committed to one another as need be.
9. Home Ice Disadvantage
Among other traits, good teams typically take care of business at home. Last season, that certainly was the case in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs posted the sixth-best mark in the NHL on home ice at 24-11-6. So far this season, the Leafs have been gracious hosts, going 2-6-1. That trend has to turn around, or else the Leafs will be in trouble down the road.
8. The Darcy Tucker Factor
Last season, Tucker broke through and scored like he did in juniors, while simultaneously agitating opponents to distraction. It was a wildly successful combination in which Tucker led the Leafs with a plus-24 rating. This season, he already has bounced from the top line to the third line and seems lost in grasping his role. Yes, he is managing to pick up points, but he is a team-worst minus-8 -- hardly a harbinger of comfort as the utility swingman.
7. The Alyn McCauley Non-Factor
After a sterling offensive turn this past spring in the postseason, McCauley has slid back to anonymity in the Leafs' attack. With just one goal in 12 games, McCauley is once again fighting for quality minutes. Compounding his dilemma is the strong start of Nik Antropov, who has four goals and leads the team with a plus-5 rating. It is positive for Antropov, but when you consider it on its own, is telling for the Leafs overall.
6. Ed Belfour's slow start
OK, Belfour hasn’t been terrible, but hasn't he been stellar, either. In his days of dominance with Dallas, Belfour typically set the tone early in the season with stingy netminding. That wasn't the case the past two seasons, though, and that early malaise continues for the Eagle in Toronto. The critical, timely "big stop" continues to elude him. He hasn't been bad enough to deserve blame for the sluggish team start, but he hasn't provided any memorable moments that could have improved the team's standing, either.
5. Only five goals from defensemen
While the Maple Leafs' overall attack is generating roughly the same amount of production as last season, the mix is different. Last year, the defensemen accounted for 17.26 percent of the offense, netting an NHL-best 43 goals. Thus far, Toronto rearguards have tallied only five times, representing 13.5 percent of the team's output. And it isn't as if they are paying more attention to defense. The dropoff has coincided with a 0.5 increase in the team's goals-against average.
4. Wade Belak Goes Public
It is frustrating for any player to sit out. And it is common for top-line players to publicly state their dissatisfaction when they aren't in the lineup. But when a veteran journeyman role player goes public with his beefs about sitting in the press box, it usually signals a locker room in disarray.
3. "Just wait until Gary Roberts gets back."
This lingering sentiment might be at the root of the Leafs' early funk. Roberts is the Leafs' emotional leader and seems to have a galvanizing effect on the team, both on and off the ice. His eventual midseason return will be moot if the Leafs don't sort out their issues over the next month.
2. Lack of Youthful Options
Often, a veteran team that has a sluggish beginning will turn to youthful prospects to infuse some much-needed energy and emotion into the lineup. Unfortunately, the Leafs' stable of capable kids chomping at the bit in the minors is pretty thin. If veterans Robert Reichel, Mikael Renberg, Jonas Hoglund and Jyrki Lumme continue along inconsistently, are Alexei Ponikarovsky, Brad Boyes and Carlo Colaiacovo ready to supply a boost?
1. The Tie Domi Dimension
The Leafs play an in-your-face brand of defense -- one that defenseman Bryan McCabe admitted has been compromised somewhat by the league’s refinement of the interference standard. In total, though, the Leafs rely on passion and emotion more so than hooking and holding -- witness their PIM mark is roughly the same as last season's. Isn't it that sense of urgency that marked their dramatic run to the conference finals that is lacking so far this season? How else do you explain Tie Domi having more goals than fights?
Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for CNNSI.com.
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