Toronto Maple Leafs: Chasing Stanley Cup Glory This Season
There are few in the game that deny that hockey is the most famous sport in Canada. As the number 1 sport in Canada, even fewer will disagree that the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most iconic hockey teams in the sport.
It’s a team filled with some of the best Canadian NHL players. They boast a rich history filled with triumphs, are at the top of their game in the division standings, and most important of all, are hungry for the Stanley Cup.
As the most-watched sport in Canada, hockey is a game of many twists and turns, and it’s looking bright for the Canadian NHL players in the Leafs to take the Cup home this season. Let’s take a look at their quest to become the top Canadian hockey players, and the Maple Leaf’s road to championship.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right into Canada’s favorite sport.
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Current Season: Key Highlights
The current season on the Maple Leafs’ road to the championship has been riddled with promising stats. The top Canadian hockey players of the team currently hold a record of 22 wins, 13 losses, and 2 overtime losses.
This may seem like a bit of a drawback, but currently, they’re second in the NHL Atlantic division. It especially worked in their favor on December 27th with a hat trick from Mitch Marner against the Red Wings with a 5-2 victory.
This Toronto Maple Leafs’ power play was hindered a bit the next they when they suffered a 5-2 loss against the Washington Capitals, but this hardly put a dent into the Maple Leafs’ road to the championship.
When it comes to the star power, we can’t go on without mentioning the impressive hat trick from Mitch Marner. As one of the top Canadian hockey players, he’s proven himself as a valuable offensive player who can bring a lot to Toronto’s chances for the Stanley Cup.
Another player to mention in Canada’s favorite sport is Auston Matthews. During the course of this season, Matthews contributed 11 goals and 12 assists despite missing several games due to injury. This has led him to be sidelined as one of the roster changes on the Maple Leafs’ road to the championship.
Another change in the most watched sport in Canada when it comes to the Leafs is their introduction of new players and the lineup to make for a better team and increase Toronto’s chances for the Stanley Cup.
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Power Play: Strengths and Weaknesses
The Maple Leafs’ road to the championship has led them through 32 games in the current season, totaling 46 points. They’re just 2 points shy of being first in the Atlantic Division and are running behind the Florida Panthers, who have 48.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ power play opportunities have been good this season. They have gotten 108 power play chances and it’s only looking bright for the best Canadian hockey players on the team.
A notable play to mention again is the hat trick against the Red Wings on Friday. The 5-2 victory had at least one goal coming on the power play and proves the Canadian NHL players have serious ambitions to move onto the Stanley Cup.
Currently, the Winnipeg Jets are leading the league with a success rate of 32.2% when it comes to power play, the New Jersey Devils follow suit with 30.6%. Toronto Maple Leafs’ power play is just 20.4%, which goes to show that the top Canadian hockey players must up their game to match up to the leading teams this season.
The Maple Leafs’ Chances for the Stanley Cup
Toronto’s chances for the Stanley Cup are looking bright, and the Maple Leafs’ road to the championship paints them as strong contenders for the Cup in the current season. They have some great Canadian NHL players on their roster to boost their chances of winning.
A couple of factors prove as setbacks that might hinder Toronto’s chances for the Stanley Cup. Injuries, especially the ones Matthews received led him to being sidelined, which can impact the team’s performance.
The team is lined up to play the New York Islanders tonight, followed by the Boston Bruins on Sunday, next year. Next up, on January 8th they’re playing the Philadelphia Flyers. These are looking to be exciting games for watchers who can relax at home playing online baccarat while waiting for the top Canadian hockey players to skate onto the rink.
Hockey: Canada’s Favorite Pastime
There’s a good reason why hockey is the major sport in Canada, it originated there in the 19th century. It’s so much more than Canada’s favorite sport, it’s a symbol of pride and a chance to bond with the community.
The Stanley Cup was also implemented as a symbol of Canadian excellence in the sport in the 19th century. This all led to the popularity of hockey and it’s a no-brainer why it became the number 1 sport in Canada.
As the major sport in Canada, it’s pretty much in all aspects of the community. From frozen ponds and local arenas to the biggest rinks that host the Stanley Cup, plenty of Canadian youth take to the ice to test their skills against each other.
It’s a unifying force in all of Canadian culture, as the most famous sport in Canada, it became a symbol of national pride. Events like the Olympic games that promote hockey to the world, also serve as a great chance to bring Canadians together. The influence of hockey as Canada’s favorite sport can’t be overstated, and it only goes to show how popular hockey is in Canada.
Canada’s Influence in the NHL
Canada is a dominant force in the hockey world, making up almost half of the total player base. The top Canadian hockey players are vast and mentioning most of them would take all day.
Sticking to the Leafs first, the Canadian NHL players to take note of are Mitch Marner as a dynamic offensive player, John Tavares as the Leafs’ captain, Auston Matthews even though he’s been sidelined due to injury, and Morgan Rielly as the team’s defense. They boost Toronto’s chances for the Stanley Cup and propel the team forward toward the playoffs.
We can’t be going on naming of top players in Canada’s favorite sport without mentioning the likes of Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky, Bobby Orr, or Tim Horton. Gretzky is known as the greatest player of all time, there’s little that isn’t widely known about this legend of the sport.
Bobby Orr is one of the top Canadian hockey players known for his excellent defense, and Tim Horton was the backbone of the Leafs’ defense back in the 60s, definitely worth a mention.
Conclusion
The Maple Leafs’ road to championship and eventually winning the Stanley Cup might be very real. They have good standings, have some great Canadian NHL players on their roster looking to bring the team to victory.
They’re second in the Atlantic Division behind the Panthers, but that’s just two points shy of being the first in the division rankings.
Toronto’s chances for the Stanley Cup are looking very good at the moment, and their potential victory might overjoy many people and prove why hockey is the number 1 sport in Canada.