The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a major crisis with their defensive structure and how they approach plays in an attempt to neutralize the opponent. Last season saw the Leafs barely give up any quality chances, box out the opposition in tight, and thus make it easier for their netminders to track the puck and make the stop. This season is a different story so far, as they have given up the second-most goals in the NHL with 60 at the time of filing and no indication that the bleeding will stop anytime soon. The Leafs are allowing far too many rush chances of high quality. Their net-front presence has been vastly weaker than it was the year prior, and the decision-making with the puck is resulting in them getting hemmed in for far longer than they should. It feels as though the players are gung-ho to get back on the offensive side of the puck and abandon their defensive structure. Considering that their team’s defensive play in the prior campaign was good enough to win them the Atlantic Division and reach Ga
