Oh Canada!
Last year, hockey fans in the Great White North were hanging their heads, knowing that not one of the seven Canadian-based NHL teams were going to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
This year, it has been almost a 180.
I say almost, because, well, you know, Vancouver and Winnipeg are going to come up short when all is said and done.
Look at the Atlantic Division standings and you’ll see the most amazing turnaround.
Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto… 1, 2, 3 in the standings.
In the west, Edmonton and Calgary are jockeying for position in the Pacific Division table.
The biggest reason for the turnaround?
I’m still trying to put my finger on it, as most of the Canadian teams’ rosters have drastically changed.
The Habs made the Subban trade, and the Senators, Oilers and Flames upgraded here and there.
The Maple Leafs, however, stand out.
They’ve employed more than a handful of rookies in their lineup from Day 1 and they’ve gotten the job done.
Toronto hasn’t clinched anything yet, but the Leafs are without a doubt the biggest success story in the NHL this season.