There’s no coincidence that the Toronto Maple Leafs have had early success in the season despite their detractors.
When the lockout ended in 2012-2013, the players that excelled were ones that had played hockey all season long. Cough – Nail Yakupov – cough.
Teams outperformed expectations, including the Leafs, during that season and it’s a direct correlation to who was in game shape and who wasn’t.
This year, the Leafs are enjoying having a core group of players who have the benefit of playing hockey before the NHL regular season started.
The main concern is when the rest of the league catches up.