It’s easy to exult in the Maple Leafs’ return to the playoffs. It’s also easy to lose heart at their ugly exit. Patience is key.
Even for a team that has gone 46 years without a serious sniff of a championship, a franchise that has been absurdly creative in devising new ways to inflict pain on itself and its faithful, they truly outdid themselves.
One for the ages, indeed. An excruciating, history-making 5–4 overtime loss—the Toronto Maple Leafs doing what no other NHL team has done, blowing a three-goal lead in the third period of a seventh game. That is what Toronto fans are left to digest over the summer. If adversity is the breakfast of champions, it is poison for everyone else.
But as painful as the demise was, it shouldn’t be lost that the Leafs made great strides, finally returning to the playoffs and even writing a handful of pleasant storylines before that gut-wrenching third period against the Bruins.
Just as they can’t feel too satisfied by what they accomplished, the Leafs and their fans shouldn’t feel too devastated by the ending. How their season ended will understandably dominate their off-season thoughts, but Leafs Nation has to subscribe to the old bromide: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” They can take solace in the fact that the Bruins of a few years ago carved their own initials in the history book by blowing a 3–0 series lead, only to win the Stanley Cup a year later.
That may not be a possibility for the Leafs, but they are poised to improve. Next season, they may take a step back, but it won’t be due to the lingering residue of this meltdown—it’s because they have a game plan to develop young players, stockpile assets and not hit the accelerator until it really is time to add the final pieces.
Of all that GM Dave Nonis has said since Toronto’s season ended, perhaps the most comforting words for Leafs fans came when he acknowledged that the free-agent market is not particularly strong this summer, and that patience and developing players is the key. There is a plan Nonis intends to follow—and it doesn’t involve simply opening the chequebook.
Next season will be unique in the NHL. For the first time, the salary cap will be shrinking, dropping $6 million to $64.3 million. The Leafs feel comfortable with their cap status and are hopeful that others feeling the pinch might have to free up some talent. So dealing, not buying, may be the way to improve this team.
And there are holes to fill if they hope to maintain their momentum. James Reimer proved he can be a very good NHL goaltender, but finding an experienced backup should be a priority. They have depth on the blueline, but need to upgrade the top four. When the heat was turned up against the Bruins, the deficiencies on the back end were exposed.
Up front there are more questions. Do the Leafs bring back unrestricted free agent Tyler Bozak? They can’t afford to overpay, but Bozak was missed when he was injured during the Boston series and will need to be replaced if he goes. Can Nazem Kadri take his place? He made great strides, but adding to the top six is necessary. Thankfully, Phil Kessel shook that grand piano off his back in the playoffs. Perhaps the most burning question is whether the Leafs should talk contract extensions with him and captain Dion Phaneuf, who are both going into the final years of their contracts.
As painful as the game-seven loss was, the Leafs can’t allow it to force them into any rash moves. Just as getting to the playoffs shouldn’t prompt them to think they are just that close. Slow and steady is the order of the day. It’s not easy to swallow Year 47 of the rebuilding plan, but it’s the right way to go.
This story originally appeared in Sportsnet magazine. Subscribe here.