Toronto Maple Leafs 0 Columbus Blue Jackets 3
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been eliminated from the 2019-2020 playoffs.
With elimination at stake Sunday night against the Blue Jackets, Toronto failed to advance.
In a 3-0 loss at Scotiabank arena it was a lacklustre performance from the Leafs.
It was a roller coaster series against the Blue Jackets for Toronto with multiple blown leads and an inability to have a breakout offensive game.
What this series really showed is that Toronto cannot just rely on offence.
You need defence to win in the NHL and Toronto does not have enough of it.
Columbus outscored Toronto 12-10 in the series, playing a defence style of hockey none the less.
Toronto out shot and out chanced Columbus in every game but when you need to scored multiple goals every game because you give up just as many it is not a winning formula.
The Leafs exit the NHL’s 24 team playoff format with only one positive.
They have a 12.5% chance of landing the number one overall pick in this years NHL draft.
The Leafs and their front office will face some tough decision this off season.
Can you keep all these expensive forwards together and still produce a top quality defence?
Should the Leafs look to trade someone and rebuild other parts of the team?
Only time will tell.
Toronto out shot Columbus 351-318 in the series.
The Leafs certainly played well enough to win the series but Columbus was able to lean heavily on its goaltending and top defensemen.
“It’s hard to put it all into words,” said Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly. “It might take some time to digest a little bit, but it’s definitely a bad feeling, a bad taste.
