Are the Maple Leafs Close to Being Stanley Cup Contenders?

Winning the coveted Stanley Cup is an annual journey that a dozen or so NHL teams have a legitimate chance to take. But. it’s tough. The problem is that everything has to go right.

Any NHL team that wins has to be fortunate. Your team can’t have injuries or must be able to replace or overcome them. Then, one or more players have to get hot enough to carry the team; or, you have to have a stunningly hot goalie to just keep his team in the game after game. It’s a grind.

A Canadian Team Hasn’t Been Close in a While

Other than the pandemically-inspired Montreal Canadiens who jumped into the bubble and went a long way on the back of goalie Carey Price, a Canadian-based team has not been close for a long time. But that doesn’t dash the dreams of hockey fans across Canada.

Right now, as the 2023-24 regular season is drawing within a couple of months to starting, the two teams that seem to have the best chances to go on a run for the Cup are the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers. Could one of these teams emerge as a contender to end Canada’s Stanley Cup drought?

The Vegas Odds and Fan Speculation

If you asked the Vegas odds, it won’t happen. They have the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes rated first and second, with the Oilers and the Maple Leafs tied for third place. However, the oddsmakers might soon tip their scales in favor of the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs are deeper than they’ve been.

Toronto and Edmonton Both Have Strong Offenses

Both Canadian teams have strong offenses. Certainly, the Oilers are always a force with the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. However, in my book, a slight edge should go to the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs have an arsenal of high-end offensive players, with more depth than the Oilers. In addition, they have added secondary scoring.