Poll: Are the Leafs Stanley Cup contenders?

After a truly terrible 2015-16 campaign that saw them finish dead last in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs rose from the ashes on the backs of three outstanding rookies to become the breakout team of the 2016-17 season. Their 26 point rise in the standings last season was nothing short of incredible and most fans and analysts are expecting big things from the Leafs moving forward.

But, put aside all the “how good will the Leafs be in 5 years?” talk for a moment, and ask yourself “are the Leafs Stanley Cup contenders NOW?” If you look closely at their lineup, it’s not such a crazy idea. Superstar in the making Auston Matthews is the team’s current and future point producer up front. But don’t forget about Mitch Marner and William Nylander, as well. The pair each put up 61 points in their rookie seasons. Beyond the youngsters, the Leafs have some young veterans in James Van Riemsdyk, Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri to help pick up some of the slack.

The defense is admittedly a work in progress, but with Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev all proving themselves as capable young defenders, the future looks bright. In goal Frederik Andersen might be the best goaltender the team has had since the heydays of Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour.

Still, the Leafs are a young team prone to the same mistakes that all young teams are prone to. Pressure and mental and physical fatigue has a way of capsizing a young roster. It will be interesting to see how the Leafs fare in 2017-18 with such a heightened set of expectations. Will they falter? Will they soar to even greater heights? What’s your call? Are the Leafs truly Stanley Cup contenders?