Toronto Sports Team of the Year: You Decide (Poll)
By Paul Taylor
Toronto Maple Leafs
Dec 23, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing James van Riemsdyk (21) and center Mike Santorelli (25) celebrate Santorelli
A) The Toronto Maple Leafs spent the majority of last season in a playoff spot. (The less said about the final 16 games, the better.) So far, this season has seen them in a similar position, helped by a 10-1-1 run between November 20th and December 16th.
B) Phil Kessel led the Leafs in goals (37), assists (43) and overall points (80) last season. This was good enough to finish joint-sixth, for most points in the NHL. This season, he has continued in the same vein, with 38 points through 36 games, which currently has him in eighth place in the NHL.
C) The Leafs won the 2014 NHL Winter Classic, beating the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 after a shootout. The game, which took place at Michigan Stadium, also broke the record for highest ever attendance at an NHL game (105,491).
D) Randy Carlyle moved into the top 10 for most coaching wins in Leafs history, after the recent 4-0 victory against the Dallas Stars. His overall record in Toronto is 90-74-19, meaning he is just 10 wins away from ninth-place Jon Primeau.
E) The Leafs record for the calendar year of 2014 currently stands at 38-34-6, with one game remaining.