The Daily: Maple Leafs Annual Playoff Mess Arrives; Ex-Wing Hurt

New playoff year, same old mess for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Underachieving team. Disappointed fan base. A call for regime change. Stop me, if you have heard this story before. The talent-laden Maple Leafs find themselves down 3-1 to the Boston Bruins going into Tuesday’s Game 5 in Boston.  This is a franchise that has only won one playoff series since 2005 and hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967.

As the team was losing Game 4 to Boston, Auston Matthews and teammate Mitch Marner were seen having an animated discussion on the bench.

Prickly Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has six points in the series, which is the same total contributed by Toronto forwards Matthews, Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares combined. This highly skillful Toronto team is averaging 1.85 goals per game in the series.

The series isn’t over. Yet fans and critics are already speculating about the fates of coach Sheldon Keefe, plus the Toronto management. There’s also plenty of debate over which players need to be traded.

This has become an ritual in Toronto.

Former Red Wings player Tyler Bertuzzi will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The assumption has been that he will want to stay in Toronto. But his first Toronto playoff experience might give him pause.

Frustration has started to set in for the Maple Leafs stars 😠 pic.twitter.com/PbnQBNigKD

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 28, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• The Red Wings signed defenseman Andrew Gibson Sunday. He also signed an amateur tryout offer sheet with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
• Former Red Wings player Vladislav Namestnikov was seriously injured in Winnipeg’s loss to Colorado. He was hit in the face with a slap shot.
• Lucas Raymond, soon to be a restricted free agent, secured an insurance policy that will allow him to play for Sweden in the World Championships.
• Behind the paywall: DHN looks at how prospect Albert Johansson fits into the Red Wings’ plans for next season. If you need to subscribe, click here. To receive $10 off a yearly subscription, use the promo code kevin10.

Red Wings Offseason

The six defensemen coach Dan Watson used in the Grand Rapids Griffins Game 1 win against Rockford were: Simon Edvinsson, Antti Tuomisto, William Wallinder, Albert Johansson, Brogan Rafferty and Radim Simek.

Hockey Now Network

Chicago: In Nate Brown’s Two Truths and a Lie column, he offers that Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson can improve his team more with trading than drafting these days.

Colorado: Valeri Nichushkin hat trick lifts Colorado Avalanche and puts Winnipeg Jets on brink of elimination.

Florida: When it comes to defending how Nick Cousins plays the game, the Florida Panthers have his back.

Philadelphia: Russian National Team snubs Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov

Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh Penguins are making coaching changes, but it will be at their American Hockey League affiliate team.

San Jose: SJHN looks at six possible candidates, including former Buffalo coach Don Granato, for the vacant San Jose Sharks job.