Craig Berube being unaware of things crumbling beneath him is very on-brand.

The Drive to Bottom Five, April 2 April 1 outcomes: +2 points: LAK, SJS, VAN +1 point: STL 0 points: Current Leafs placement: 9th-last Points away from 5th-last: 3 Teams within striking distance of TOR: FLA, SEA, WPG

Wins by the Sharks and Kings, plus a loser point for the Blues, is going to bring the Leafs down to ninth-last with three points separating them and fifth-last.

The thing I always appreciated about Dubas was that, even when a move didn’t work out, you could understand the logic behind the decision. You had faith there was an evidence-based approach. I miss having confidence in my GM.

This is the guy.

The Drive to Bottom Five, April 1 March 31 outcomes: +2 points: WPG, FLA, NYR +1 point: CHI 0 points: NJD, SEA Current Leafs placement: 11th-last Points away from 5th-last: 4 Teams within striking distance of TOR: STL, FLA, SEA, WPG, LAK

I bet if you asked Keith Pelley what went wrong with the Leafs this year, he wouldn't tell you that last season's actual results were a mirage & the underlying results were troubling. He wouldn't tell you that goaltending papered over those issues, or that our record in close games was untenable.

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 31 March 30 outcomes: +2 points: TOR, SJS +1 point: 0 points: STL, CGY, VAN Current Leafs placement: 11th-last Points away from 5th-last: 4

Carlo must have the worst toughness-per-square-inch in the league.

Ruthless but true

Leafs fire Treliving, but about four months too late, and after giving him the keys to fuck up one more trade deadline.

Loved what @stevedangle20.bsky.social said in the aftermath of the Gudas incident a few weeks ago: come the rematch "there is no puck" Fight Gudas multiple times & go after him every shift. None of the Ducks stars should walk out of there without a limp. Mr. Violent Gentleman, here's your violence

Over-and-back rule in OT, now. The coaches have found a way to ruin 3v3.

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 30 March 29 outcomes: +2 points: NJD, NYR +1 point: 0 points: NSH, FLA, CHI Current Leafs placement: 9th-last Points away from 5th-last: 2 I am shocked the Florida Panthers would be in the way of our happiness.

Well this give me pause re: Cassidy as a Berube replacement

Leafs?!

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 29 March 28 outcomes: +2 points: WPG, SJS, STL, CGY +1 point: SEA 0 points: NSH, NJD, TOR, FLA, VAN Current Leafs placement: 9th-last Points away from 5th-last: 2 Fortuitous night for the tank. TOR are now just 2 points out with five teams within striking distance.

Good Leafs.

The beautiful thing about the West being a tire fire is all these teams around the Leafs in the standings still have a shot at the playoffs. There’s really no excuse for the Leafs not to plummet down the standings. Yet, they won’t.

With San Jose winning and tonight’s opponent the Blues, I cannot underscore enough how much of a must-lose a game this is for the Leafs.

Goodness gracious, Miller. Why are we rostering guys who literally cannot sprint? Dire.

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 27 March 26 outcomes: +2 points: NJD, LAK, SEA, STL +1 points: SJS, CGY 0 points: NSH, FLA, WPG, CHI, VAN Current Leafs placement: 10th-last Points away from 5th-last: 4 Teams within striking distance of TOR: STL, SJS, FLA, SEA

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 26 March 25 outcomes: +2 points: TOR +1 points: 0 points: NYR Current Leafs placement: 12th-last Points away from 5th-last: 6 Disastrous last two nights for the tank. At some point the pendulum swings & you start hoping for a run so the BOS pick isn't so tasty.

For all the (deserved) talk about how bad the Leafs have been, they’re only six points back of the Oilers, whose struggles haven't garnered nearly as much discussion.

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 25 March 24 outcomes: +2 points: NSH, NJD, FLA, TOR, WPG, STL, CGY, CHI +1 points: LAK, SEA 0 points: SJS, VAN Current Leafs placement: 9th-last Points away from 5th-last: 4 The bad news: The Leafs won last night. The good news: Almost everybody else did, too.

Chicago, Nashville, Winnipeg, St. Louis, New Jersey, and Florida are all winning, so naturally the Leafs are not only winning, but against the team they’re trying desperately not to give a high pick to.

Fire Treliving before he trades this guy.

Capitals are probably going to miss the playoffs. Probably wishful thinking that Carbery becomes available, hey?

Leafs are now last in the NHL in expected goal share (xGF%).

Worst teams since the Olympics break: 32. Toronto 8 pts in 14GP 31. Seattle 8 pts in 13GP 30. Vancouver 8 pts in 12GP 29. Vegas 10 pts in 14GP 28. Florida 10 pts in 12GP

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 24 March 23 outcomes: +2 points: +1 points: 0 points: NYR Current Leafs placement: 8th-last Points away from 5th-last: 4 The Leafs could be 6th-last if everything goes right tonight, or 12th-last if everything goes wrong. 🤷‍♂️

I love me some William Nylander, but if the Leafs are looking to do a one-for-many trade this offseason for their retool, I'd move Willy before Knies Not only would you get more in return, but you'd be moving the older, more expensive asset. Knies' blend of scoring + snarl is so rare in today's NHL

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 23 March 22 outcomes: +2 points: NSH, WPG, CGY +1 points: LAK, NYR, CHI 0 points: Current Leafs placement: 8th-last Points away from 5th-last: 4

Connor Hellebuyck put on one of the most insane single-game performances ever in the Gold Medal game, and then went back to being a total donkey for the Jets.

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 19 March 18 outcomes: +2 points: NJD, CGY +1 points: STL 0 points: NYR Current Leafs placement: 9th-last Points away from 5th-last: 5

Jack Hughes wanting his golden goal puck from the HHOF is giving me Schmidt-at-the-aquarium vibes (New Girl).

151 games into the Berube era, the Leafs rank: 26th xGF%, 29th CF%, 29th FF%, 28th SF%. They’re 12th in GF% thanks to top-10 SH% & SV% (7th each). Their SV% was 2nd last year and 20th this year. This is a talented team being strangled by poor systems.

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 18 March 17 outcomes: +2 points: NSH, VAN +1 points: WPG, CHI 0 points: SEA, SJS, TOR, FLA Current Leafs placement: 9th-last Points away from 5th-last: 6

Jets tie their game against the Preds with 1:01 to go! Huge 3-point outcome for the Leafs. Hawks also salvaged a point with a tying goal in the 58th minute, although they may be a little out of reach.

Ugliest colour matchup ever?

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 17 March 16 outcomes: +2 points: LAK, NJD +1 points: 0 points: CGY, NYR Current Leafs placement: 9th-last Points away from 5th-last: 6 Gotta say, guys, it would be pretty sweet if the teams beneath the Leafs all got points tonight.

Why are we putting black in all the Canada jerseys?

The Oilers should have went hard after Stolarz at the deadline.

The Drive to Bottom Five, March 16 March 15 outcomes: +2 points: SEA, TOR, WPG +1 points: 0 points: SJS, FLA, NSH STL Current Leafs placement: 11th-last Points away from 5th-last: 6 Not a great night for the tank.

Carlo, you tall coward: drop your fucking mitts

Bo Groulx channeling his inner Boyd Devereaux

I’m trying to recall if there have been any disastrous draft pick trades by other teams between the Kessel and Carlo deals, or is this just exclusively a Maple Leafs thing?

Calle Jarnkrok is Mr. Irrelevant

Rielly just got shoved into Stolarz by Trenin and did — you guessed it — nothing.

Winnipeg was one of the teams I thought had a real chance of catching the Leafs by end of year. A win today coupled with a Leafs loss leaves the Jets just 2 points behind with 2 games in hand. Rangers and Blues are showing signs of life, as well. There’s a chance.