The Toronto Maple Leafs continue on their waddling days of January which has been the teams worst month statistically since the lockout, if the team is to succeed in its quest to make the playoffs again then they need to come to grips with one of the coldest months of the year in Canada. The team is 1-5-0 so far this month and continue to struggle in their penalty kill and scoring goals in general. Leafs Nation is not impressed and for all the knocks on Phil Kessel who's scoring has dried up, this is more then a one player problem as is always in team sports one player alone does not make or break a teams fortunes, all wheels need to be moving in the same direction.
I have taken a look at the teams record since the infamous NHL lockout and the numbers are quite surprising on a month by month basis. I was expecting them to be worse.
First column is wins, second is losses in regulation, third is overtime or shootout loss and brackets is season.
* To be completed
October
6-4-2 (2005-06)
6-4-3 (2006-07)
5-5-3 (2007-08)
4-3-3 (2008-09)
1-7-4 (2009-10)
33-34-6 Total
November
8-5-1 (2005-06)
7-6-1 (2006-07)
4-5-3 (2007-08)
4-6-3 (2008-09)
5-5-4 (2009-10)
28-27-12 Total
December
8-5-0 (2005-06)
4-7-2 (2006-07)
6-9-2 (2007-08)
7-7-0 (2008-09)
8-6-2 (2009-10)
33-34-6 Total
January
3-8-2 (2005-06)
8-4-0 (2006-07)
5-9-1 (2007-08)
4-7-2 (2008-09)
1-5-0* (2009-10)
21-33-5 Total
February
2-4-0 (2005-06)
5-4-3 (2006-07)
8-4-1 (2007-08)
6-3-4 (2008-09)
*TBD (2009-10)
21-15-8 Total
March
7-6-1 (2005-06)
8-4-2 (2006-07)
8-5-0 (2007-08)
6-3-4 (2008-09)
*TBD (2009-10)
29-21-4 Total
April
7-1-2 (2005-06)
2-2-0 (2006-07)
0-2-1 (2007-08)
3-3-0 (2008-09)
*TBD (2009-10)
12-8-3 Total
What we have seen after reviewing the Leafs on a month by month basis since the lockout is that the club has a winning percentage of .497 for the first three months of the season and has a winning percentage of .584 the last three months of the season (not including this one).
The month of January's winning percentage of .381 is the Leafs coldest month and the way the team continues waddling these days, that does not look to change and it must if the Leafs are to regain any hope of the post season. Lets hope this begins tomorrow for Leafs Nation.
Just for those wondering the Habs qualified in the eight spot last season with a .577 winning percentage and and the Bruins in the 2007-08 season with a percentage of .585.
This team is now a complete disgrace. They are back where they started ... in fact they are worse. At least the past few years there was some compete level and a guy like Sundin to watch every night. Now... its pathetic effort, pathetic play, and a coach and GM that say all the wrong things and DO all the wrong things. They are full of ego, and SOMETIMES its a good thing but in this case it has been EXTREMELY detrimental to the team.
Also another underrated loss was Nieuwendiek. HUGE potential as a GM, Dallas was smart in bringing him in. Unfortunately, the Leafs were targeting Burke for over a year, and they wanted to big name for the good PR that came with this so called "rebuilding process".
**wanted the big name for the good PR