A year ago, it wasn’t uncommon to see the idea that the Leafs were about a year behind their neighbours down the QEW in their rebuild. On its surface, it made sense.
The Sabres were a year removed from drafting their centrepiece, Jack Eichel, while the Leafs had just done so with Auston Matthews. The Sabres had finished their blatant, multi-year tank a year earlier and had committed money to the coach they thought would help lead them to the promised land, Dan Bylsma (not before throwing a lot of money at Mike Babcock, though).