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The amount of columns written about the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff shortcomings over the years is enough to give everyone who covers the team carpal tunnel, but it appears that the latest chapter in this grotesque spectacle may be the final one for a number of players, the head coach, and the team president, but that is for later…..
The 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the best-of-seven series on Saturday was defining in that it illustrated the known shortcomings of the current incarnation of this club, but also confirmed something that has been my assertion since the club last lost to the Bruins in 2019.
Simply put, the Leafs cannot win with this core group, they cannot win with so much cap space allocated to four forwards making in excess of $40 million, and they cannot win when those forwards do not do what they are compensated so well to do…….and that is score.
The loss on Saturday was disheartening to a more than loyal fanbase that pays the highest ticket prices in the NHL to watch a team go 1-8 in their last nine playoff games over the last three seasons, but more than that, it did not look like there was much fight from the club in a game that would have allowed the Leafs to even the series, until the third period when they were down by three goals.
Goals for the Leafs in their last 11 playoff games:
There are enough excuses to fill Lake Ontario with this club, and some of them are valid. Auston Matthews is clearly not playing at 100%, which is evidenced by him missing the third period on Saturday and practice on Monday. William Nylander is likely not in top form after missing three games with migraine issues, and Mitch Marner seems to not be skating and turning well after a suspected high-ankle sprain, but this is the time of year when teams and players clear these hurdles to achieve victory.
— Eastern Maine Sports (@EasternMESports) April 28, 2024
Unfortunately, players who had up-and-down seasons have played down to expectations at the worst possible time of the year. Ryan Reaves has been the direct cause of Boston goals in two Toronto losses and has not been the physical deterrent that the Leafs needed, TJ Brodie’s struggles especially on the right side made him a healthy scratch down the stretch and his insertion in Game 4 proved fatal as he was burned on David Pastrnak’s goal at the end of the second period, and Ilya Samsonov simply has not been up to the task except for the second half of Game 2.
Matthews' status for Game 5 is up in the air, Timothy Liljegren replaced Brodie on the bottom pairing with Joel Edmundson at the Ford Performance Centre on Monday, and head coach Sheldon Keefe was non-committal on who would be the starter in goal for Game 5 on Tuesday. At this point, the Leafs have nothing to lose and should start Woll in hopes that the young goalie can provide them a spark.
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The Leafs announced the signing of forward Nikita Grebyonkin to a three-year entry-level contract on Monday. The 21-year-old winger had 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists) in 67 games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL this season and scored six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 23 playoff games in Magnitogorsk’s run to the Gagarin Cup.
The 6’2”, 195 lb. forward was selected in the fifth round (135th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft and won KHL Rookie of the Year last season.
Nikita Grebyonkin (No. 71) finished his sophomore regular season today. Here are all of his goals and notable assists.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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