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NHL analyst opines Toronto Maple Leafs would be "past the point of insane" if they decide against making major changes
The Toronto Maple Leafs couldn't break the cycle and faced another early exit from the playoffs after losing 2-1 to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of Round 1 on Sunday.
This marks their seventh first-round exit in the last eight years. The four core players of the team were once again under scrutiny for their lackluster performance in the series.
Speaking with Jay Onrait on SportsCentre, NHL analyst Frank Corrado emphasized the urgent need for significant changes within the Maple Leafs.
"This will be the year that a lot of changes need to happen. If you want to go back through the timeline, it was probably teetering on insanity when they lost to Montreal and you didn't make any changes. It probably was a little insane last year when they didn't make any changes," Corrado said.
The analyst stressed that significant changes are imperative across various levels, including management, coaching staff, and especially with the group of core players. He added that failing to implement these changes would be considered beyond "insane."
"But this year, if you don't make any changes, it is past the point of insane, like things need to change, and that's in management, that's on the bench, that's as far as the group and the core four goes," he added.
Frank Corrado, in his assessment, also mentioned that Auston Matthews and William Nylander are staying put, having signed extensions with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He reckoned Matthews as one of the top players in the NHL, while Nylander has been a standout performer in the playoffs for the team. This narrows down the focus on the other two players (John Tavares and Mitch Marner) in the core four who could potentially be considered for a move.
Corrado said one player is more experienced, and the other is solid but faces challenges in the playoffs. The analyst added that the Toronto Maple Leafs need to identify which player should be traded to bring in a valuable package that can benefit the club.
Sheldon Keefe reflects on Toronto Maple Leafs' series loss to Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak scored the game-winning goal for the Boston Bruins at 1:54 in the overtime to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the first-round series.
Following the game, Keefe acknowledged that the series was extremely tight, with a slim margin of difference in the Game 7 overtime scenario.
Despite the outcome, Sheldon Keefe expressed admiration for Toronto's effort in reaching that crucial moment and commended their resilience and competitiveness throughout the game.
He said (via NHL.com):
"Obviously, this series [was] very close. That is the thinnest of margins you can get in Game 7 overtime. So, obviously very disappointing to not come on the right side of it. Loved how our team fought to put us in this position and compete and play in this game and have a chance to be one shot away.”
Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins face the Florida Panthers in Game 1 Round 2 on Monday.
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