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Canada’s hockey Elite are Cursed, but Toronto Maple Leafs Pose ray of light for Stanley Cup hopes

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Stanley Cup

Almost three decades has passed since Canada produced its last Stanley Cup winner, and the general malaise reigning among her teams this season suggests the drought will linger on.

The Montréal Canadiens were the last team from north of the border to lift ice hockey’s greatest prize in 1993, not to mention the most recent to challenge after finishing as runners-up last year.

Canada’s seven NHL franchises aren’t faring so well in their quest this season, however, as their American rivals have overtaken them in the hunt to be crowned hockey’s kings.

The Colorado Avalanche are the current runaway candidates for the title, listed at +500 odds after winning 32 of their opening 44 games, but a lot can change between now and mid-May.

That’s when this season’s Stanley Cup play-offs are poised to begin, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have it in them to cause a stir despite the Canadian curse afflicting its teams thus far.

It’s been 18 years since the Leafs last progressed beyond the first round of the play-offs, but Sheldon Keefe’s side are once again showing the potential for a post-season parade.

Expectations were high for the franchise when they won their division last season before falling to the Canadiens in their first play-off series, but many among the squad will have learnt from that experience.

Chiang Rai Times has crunched the numbers to explain why the +900 outsiders look worthy of a punt to end Canada’s search for an NHL champion, complete with a few bet365 offers to get more bang for your buck.

One particularly attractive aspect of Toronto’s title bid is that they appear to be improving as the season progresses, having recently won six in a row for the first time all term:

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1490880840275922944

To put it into context just how far the Maple Leafs are ahead of their compatriots, their win count of 30 in their opening 43 games is at least six more than any other Canadian counterpart (Calgary Flame, 24).

That differential is represented by the fact Toronto’s Stanley Cup odds are less than half that of the next Canadian outfit, with Calgary coming in at a princely +2500.

Keefe has succeeded in improving the Leafs’ defense since taking charge of the team in 2019, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t without their stars going forward.

To the contrary, star man Auston Matthews is among the NHL’s leading goal contributors after recording 31 goals and 22 assists in his first 40 games and could still set new personal season bests:

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1490865340968013824

Currently sat third in the Atlantic Division, Toronto are in good stead to feature in the post-season first round for the fifth time in six seasons, hoping to move beyond that point for the first time since 2004.

It just so happens the Leafs finished third in each of their last two seasons when they won the Stanley Cup (1964, ’67), albeit back when the NHL was made up of only six teams.

The competition has improved, but Toronto have also regained some of their former swagger in recent years and look likely to be the last Canadians left standing in their search for the Stanley Cup.

2021-22 Stanley Cup Odds Leaders

Team Odds
Colorado Avalanche +500
Tampa Bay Lightning +750
Florida Panthers +800
Vegas Golden Knights +800
Toronto Maple Leafs +900
Carolina Hurricanes +1200
Pittsburgh Penguins +1500
Boston Bruins +1600
Minnesota Wild +2000
New York Rangers +2000
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