from Michael Traikos of the National Post,

It’s a shame, really. At this point in the season, we should be talking about how Phil Kessel is closing in on 40 goals and has thrown his name into the mix for the Hart Trophy. We should be debating whether Jonathan Bernier’s numbers are good enough for a Vezina Trophy nomination and how James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri, Morgan Rielly are all taking steps towards stardom.

With three games left in the regular season, this should have been a time to celebrate individual achievements and start thinking about playoff matchups. Instead, after finally rinsing the bad taste of a Game 7 collapse from their mouths, the Toronto Maple Leafs are once again back at the sink and reaching for the mouthwash.

The Leafs, who can be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs as early as Tuesday night, wasted an 80-point season from Kessel, which is currently good for fourth in the league. The last Leafs player to finish in the top five in league scoring was Mats Sundin in 2001-02.

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