What’s Up With the Toronto Maple Leafs

We’re going to analyze how the Toronto Maple Leafs have performed to start the season. We’re nearly a third of the way through the NHL regular season and there’s a lot to examine as the holidays approach.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing great hockey, but there’s little margin for error. The Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference are tougher than in year’s past. The Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers haven’t missed a beat, while the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens are both in contention.

In ice hockey, it’s all about making the NHL playoffs. With that being said, we’re going to take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs record, position in the standings and updated futures betting odds.

Toronto Maple Leafs in Tight Race for the Playoffs

It’s still early in the season, but the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t afford a losing streak.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are third in the Atlantic Division (14-6-4 / 32 Points). They’re on an 8-3 run in their last 11 games, but they’re already four points behind the Panthers and seven points behind the Bruins. Boston lost some top level talent to retirement, but are still the top team in the Atlantic.

The Red Wings (32 Points) and Lightning (31 Points) are fighting tough in the Atlantic as well.

The Toronto Maple Leafs need to maintain a top three position in the Atlantic. They don’t want to be in a position where they’re fighting for one of two wild card spots in the East as the season progresses.

The bookies expect Toronto to make the NHL playoffs. Toronto have made the playoffs in seven seasons in a row. They’re priced at -900 to make the playoffs and +550 not to make the playoffs this season.

Updated Toronto Maple Leafs Futures Odds

• Maple Leafs Odds to Win the Stanley Cup: +1200 (Last Updated: December 11th 2023)

There hasn’t been a lot of line movement on the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup odds for 2024.

The Leafs opened up at +1100 odds to win the NHL Stanley Cup and you can currently bet them at +1200 odds. There are only five teams with better odds to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. Those are the Rangers (+750), Avalanche (+750), Bruins (+750), Golden Knights (+800) and Stars (+1000).

• Maple Leafs Odds to Win the Eastern Conference: +650 (Last Updated: December 11th 2023)

The Rangers and Bruins are both at 39 points after 26 games and lead the Eastern Conference futures markets (+450 odds). The Maple Leafs have +650 odds to win the Eastern Conference this season.

According to data recently released by BetMGM, the Maple Leafs have had 9.2% of tickets and 15.7% of the betting handle on Eastern Conference futures. Toronto Maple Leafs fans are optimistic, but the Leafs haven’t made it to the Eastern Conference Finals since the 2002 NHL playoffs.

• Maple Leafs Odds to Win the Atlantic Division: +260 (Last Updated: December 11th 2023)

Toronto are second in the Atlantic Division futures market at +260 odds. The Bruins are favored (+105), while the Panthers (+320) are behind the Leafs. After division realignment for the 2013-14 season, the Maple Leafs have never won the Atlantic Division despite being a very talented team.

Toronto Maple Leafs Top Performers to Start the Season

• William Nylander (13 Goals / 19 Assists / 32 Points)

Nylander is having a career-season and he leads the Leafs in points. He leads the team in power play points (12) and shots (106). Nylander is ranked 12th in the NHL in points.

• Auston Matthews (18 Goals / 9 Assists / 27 Points)

Matthews is tied for second in goals in the NHL this season. He has six games with multiple goals, but he has been streaky and needs to find more consistency. He leads the Leafs in power play goals (6). He also leads the team in shooting percentage (18.6%) and is second on the team in shots (97).

Matthews ranks first in the league in expected goals (15.2) and he’s leading the Rocket Richard futures market (+210 odds). He’s priced #6 in the Hart Trophy futures market as well (+1600 odds).

• Joseph Woll (2.80 GAA / .916 SV%)

Woll has an 8-5-1 record. He has posted a better GAA and SV% than Ilya Samsonov. Woll ranks 18th in the NHL in GAA and he’s tied for 13th in SV%. Unfortunately for Leafs fans, Woll just went down with an injury (high ankle sprain) and was placed on the injured reserve (IR). He’s listed as week-to-week.

Mitchell Marner (1.04 points per game) and John Tavares (0.96 points per game) are both performing great as well for the Leafs. Eight players have hit double-digits in points already.

Toronto Maple Leafs Stats at a Glance

Here are some Toronto Maple Leafs stats to digest:

• Goals Scored: 3.33 Goals per Game (9th)
• Goals Allowed: 3.17 Goals per Game Allowed (17th)
• Power Play Percentage: 23.6% (9th)
• Penalty Kill Percentage: 80.5% (16th)
• Shots: 32.0 Shots per Game (T10)
• Shots Allowed: 32.3 Shots per Game Allowed (26th)
• Faceoff Win Percentage: 53.6% (T3)
• xGoals %: 49.97% (17th)
• Corsi %: 49.45% (16th)
• Fenwick %: 49.28% (19th)
• PDO: 100.05 (16th)
• PIM Against: 167 (4th)
• High Danger Shots For: 56 (T13)
• High Danger Shots Against: 54 (15th)
• Defensive Zone Giveaways: 111 (25th)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the top offensive teams in the NHL and they have room to improve. They’ve done a great job at avoiding penalties, but they’ve struggled in the defensive zone.

How Can the Toronto Maple Leafs Improve

It’s clear that the Toronto Maple Leafs need to improve on defense. That has been the case for a while now. They added John Klingberg this offseason on a one-year deal ($4,150,000). Klingberg scored five points in his first six games with the Leafs, but then went pointless in his next eight games.

Klingberg has been shut down for the season, as he requires hip surgery. The Leafs put Klingberg on the long-term injured reserve list, which means they can spend up to $4,150,000 on a new defenseman.

They were in talks to acquire Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames, but a deal couldn’t be agreed on and he was recently dealt to the Vancouver Canucks. Chris Tanev is another target on the Flames, but the Leafs would need Calgary to most likely retain some of the salary in a potential deal.

Brett Pesce ($4,025,000 cap hit), Nick Seeler ($775,000 cap hit) and Alexandre Carrier ($2,500,000 cap hit) are all potential targets as well. If the Leafs could get Pesce, they’d be in much better shape.

The offense and goaltending are fine, but the Toronto Maple Leafs need to add to the blue line.