NHL Playoffs 2021: 3 reasons Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup

3. An underrated defense

The Maple Leafs get a lot of attention for their high-octane offense, and rightfully so. They rank in the top five in the NHL in goals scored per game despite having an anemic power play as of late. However, their defense has also been very good, which is a huge surprise.

They fall just outside of the top 10 in goals against per game. Considering their goaltenders have faced injuries throughout the season, that’s pretty darn impressive. A lot of the credit deserves to go to their defense for making things easier for their goalies.

According to Natural Stat Trick, the Leafs have allowed the seventh-fewest 5v5 goals against per hour. They’ve also allowed the seventh-fewest 5v5 shots against per hour and the 10th fewest high danger scoring chances against per hour.

T.J. Brodie and Jake Muzzin have been leading the way, helping to stabilize their defense. Morgan Rielly has provided lots of offense and Justin Holl has emerged as a legitimate top-four defenseman, often drawing the toughest competition with Muzzin. Zach Bogosian has been decent on the third pairing and has helped out their penalty kill. Between Travis Dermott and Rasmus Sandin, the Leafs have options for the final member of their third pairing.