The team was put together by a gang of know-nothings.... Quinn, Burke, and Nonis. Players are completely mismatched with one another, and that idiot Nonis has inked some of the most lucrative, stupid deals in hockey history.... Ever since Fletcher and Burns left town, management has stunk the joint out. Combine all of that with lack of leadership in the room and on the ice, lazy and poor positional play, and you get what we've got.
On the brighter side
...There's no need to pull an Edmonton Oilers endless rebuild here. What the Leafs lack is alpha dog competitors... we don't have a Wendel Clark or a Dougie Gilmour.... that is the huge missing element ..just one player like that could put this team, that has talent, into the playoffs. The sum of the parts of this team should add up to a whole lot more than it is now but the parts still have value in trade to fill the needs of other teams. Nylander, Rielly, Connor Brown and the top pick we get in the draft are the new young core of this team going forward. Keep some of the existing players and trade the rest for more picks and prospects. And make sure to draft well and bet right on other team's prospects that you obtain in trade. Having Mark Hunter in the room for that challenge is timely. A new GM has assets to utilize here - if he's capable...... the current despair can be turned into excitement in a hurry.
Leafs in paradise one day!