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Nine games into the NHL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves near the top of the Atlantic Division standings. Sitting 3rd in the division with a record of 5-3-1, the Leafs are four points back of division leader Buffalo Sabres.

After losing three straight games, the Maple Leafs have now won three of their last four games. Of their nine games total, netminder Frederik Andersen has played the majority of games. He owns a record of 5-2 with a 3.09 GAA and .902SV%. Andersen also has 4 quality starts this season, looking at the advanced analytics.

While Andersen is expected to be the workhorse in the blue paint for the Maple Leafs (again), in order to win the Stanley Cup, teams need to have depth all-throughout the lineup. As of now, the Maple Leafs have Michael Hutchinson backing up Andersen. The 29-year-old has played in three games this season, (with two of them being starts).

However, it isn’t out of the question to feel concerned about a workload, especially pertaining to goalies. Down the stretch, you’ll need a solid backup that can help steal games when your starter is resting. Is Hutchinson the answer? Time will tell.

It’s no surprise that Toronto has zero issues finding the back of the net. With players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares circling around in the offensive zone, the team as a whole are lighting the lamp frequently.

Overall, the Leafs have scored 35 goals this season, which is good for 2nd in the NHL. Only once this season have the Maple Leafs scored more than 4 goals in a game and lost, so 4 goals seem to be the magical number that can help Toronto win a game on any given night.

With that being said, Toronto has allowed 31 goals against, which is 23rd in the NHL. The positive is that Toronto has allowed 4 or more goals just three times this season, with one of those games against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7-3 loss).

Fans and insiders alike will agree that Toronto needs to tighten up defensively in order to be a threat and go far in the playoffs this season.

The Maple Leafs have the best odds to win the Stanley Cup this season. According to Betway (as of October 21st, 4:30 P.M.), Toronto is listed at +750 to win the Cup. That is tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Defense wins championships and that is the one crack Toronto needs to fix in order to become a potential Stanley Cup winner.

If the Maple Leafs can tighten up defensively, they will become a serious threat. Until then, it’s going to be tough to see Toronto reach the Stanley Cup. With so much talent on offense, the front office has done a solid job creating a team that can score many goals in a game. While it hasn’t been a serious issue so far, if the Leafs are scoring multiple goals a game but cannot keep the puck out of their net it will create a huge problem to overcome.

Thankfully, Kyle Dubas still has time to find a piece or two to fill out their defensive gaps. It isn’t urgent right now, but down the stretch (and when teams become more desperate to make moves), Dubas will be fighting multiple teams for the same guys.

We can debate all night as to which defenders should stay and which players should find a new home. Still, Toronto needs to improve their defense as soon as possible.

Like last year, the Maple Leafs are destined for a playoff run. The St. Louis Blues taught us that all you need is a ticket to the dance and anything can happen. Toronto has a strong offensive group, a solid netminder and is alright in both defense and backup goaltending.

Whether Toronto promotes within the organization from the Toronto Marlies or looks for players from other organizations, that’s up to Dubas. Toronto is one of the best teams in the league and are a few trades/moves away from being a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

It will be interesting to see what Dubas and company have up their sleeves as the season progresses. Could Toronto be waiting until the Trade Deadline to make a deal? Do they already have a deal brewing?

It should be a wild ride for the remainder of the year and hopefully into the playoffs for Toronto. But I question whether the Maple Leafs can match the defensive game of some of the top teams in the league.