The Leafs are on pace for 27 points. #MyColumn:

The Toronto Maple Leafs got their big fish in Mike Babcock this summer – addressing apparent issues off the ice instead of on the ice. But if you ask me Randy Carlyle was a hockey board, hockey player, and bench away from the real problem. Yet the Leafs didn’t address the real issues, and that’s showing already. 

And I’d be okay with that – this is supposed to be a slow process – but they carried themselves with such bravado this past offseason that I find myself angry at how bad this team still is. They talked about change, playing the right way, playing with a totally different system. But if there is supposed to be so much change, why is this team playing the exact same? 

The Leafs are off to an 0-2-1 start. That puts them on pace for 27 points over an 82 game season. Now I’m no stat guy, but I think it’s safe to say that would be the worst point total of all time. The Leafiest part? They’d be doing that with a new draft lottery format, which wouldn’t guarantee them the 1st or even 2nd pick. Instead, they could miss out on franchise-changers Auston Matthews and Jakob Chychrun and fall all the way to the 4th overall pick. 

But it’s not just the lack of points that worry me – after all, it’s only been three games. What is truly concerning are the trends that are already evident. 

Last year, the Leafs had the 4th worst team +/- in the league. So far this year? Tied for second worst.

Their goals against this year is already 12 putting them third last in the league. They’re currently on pace for 328 goals against, which is unsettling when the league-worst Oilers only had 283 against last year. 

Mike Babcock was supposed to make the Leafs a more defensively-responsible team. So far, the results are poor. The worst part is that this isn’t even surprising – how could anyone with a brain think that Babcock would improve this team dramatically over Randy Carlyle, a well-respected defensive coach who has won a Stanley Cup?

It is becoming very clear that the problems with this team was more than just a coach. Management hasn’t focused enough time and effort on changing the players that actually play the game (other than one move which told us how Shanahan Phils about a certain player) and they need to soon or else this team will miss the playoffs once again.