"If you surveyed 1000 hockey fans in January, 2019 and asked them who would win the Stanley Cup that year, there wouldn't have been a single person who said the St. Louis Blues, even if they were die-hard Blues fans. The team was at the bottom of the standings looking lifeless, but turned the season around going 30-10-5 from January 1st onwards, eventually leading to a championship."
"Berube was the head coach of that turnaround so he should lean on that experience when it comes to Toronto because those two teams are pretty similar. If you're looking at the forward group, Ryan O'Reilly is Auston Matthews, Brayden Schenn is John Tavares, Vladimir Tarasenko is William Nylander and Matthew Knies is Jaden Schwartz, except they may actually have more skill."
"Obviously Toronto's defense is worse than that core in St. Louis, but a healthy Joseph Woll has shown that he can be a top goaltender in the league and go on a heater. However, the biggest worry with that is that he never stays healthy. He'll go on a two-week run and then be out for a month, but if he can find a way to play for a long stretch, he'll be the difference maker for the Leafs playofff success."
Craig Berube led the 2019 St. Louis Blues from a last-place January position to a Stanley Cup by going 30-10-5 from January 1 onward. The current Toronto Maple Leafs forward group mirrors that Blues lineup in roles and relative skill, with comparables at top-line and secondary scoring positions. The primary difference lies in defensive size and talent; the Blues possessed a deeper, larger blue-line core. Goaltending presents a crucial variable: Jordan Binnington emerged as a playoff-caliber starter, while Joseph Woll can be elite but is hampered by recurring injuries. Recent Toronto winning momentum and a strong power play add playoff optimism.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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