The Toronto Maple Leafs have shown plenty of promise this season, but they've struggled for consistency at points, and now their Head Coach has ripped them after their latest loss.
Sheldon Keefe doesn't hold back on his star players
After the Christmas break, the Maple Leafs looked to start hot against the Ottawa Senators, but after surrendering a 2-0 lead to ultimately lose the game, Keefe let out his frustrations.
"They were better than us in the second period for sure. It looks a lot worse because our power play gave them a freebie, some life, and energy. Some of our details just slipped on each of the goals against. I thought Ottawa got better and harder as the game went on. We didn't respond to that. What I didn't love about it is that I thought we were really outworked on our power play. That part is not acceptable. A lot of the other issues on the power play were simply due to Ottawa outworking us in those spots. It was the same at 6-on-5."
Frustration begins to grow in Maple Leafs Camp
During the game, the team gave up 3 odd-man rushes during their powerplay, while surrendering a short-handed goal to Drake Batherson, and while the Leafs have more talent than Ottawa, it was clear in this one that they just didn't work as hard as their Ontario rival.
The Maple Leafs find themselves in third place in the Atlantic Division, just six points behind the division leading Bruins, but if they continue to play this way against bad teams, they could led crucial playoff standings effect their Stanley Cup hopes in 2023-24.