This is not a new story for the Leafs or their fan base, but as a reminder, the conference finals mark the halfway point of the playoffs.
With a razor-thin margin between the three teams at the top of the division and a daunting playoff path ahead, the 2023 trade deadline becomes all the more critical.
Last March, the Leafs added Mark Giordano, who fit in nicely on the Leafs’ third pairing and has been a rock this season after returning on a hometown discount. They also added Ilya Lyubushkin, who ended up pairing with Morgan Rielly, which is… not ideal, and arguably an indictment of the coaching staff.