Maple Leafs Shock the NHL

It's Dec. 1 of the 2008-2009 NHL season. Fans in Detroit are anticipating another Stanley Cup win and in Pittsburgh they are looking at a run for the cup.  The predictions have come in and teams have been ranked in their respective standings. Every team has pretty much been appointed a spot, and the business planners have got their playoff memorabilia ready for sale.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one team that has been predicted to end up among the bottom three in the league due to the lack of top 10 scorers and depth in their charts. Sundin hasn't decided if he wants to come back, however experts believe that mid-January is the date and the team is Toronto.

What did they miss and where did they go wrong? Tonight the Leafs go up against the Kings with a stunning record of 15-6-3.  Vesa Toskala has been amazing in net, and the defence in front of him have held opponents to an average of 25 shots and three penalties per game.

Their offence has not been amazing, however Nick Antropov, Alex Steen, Jiri Tlusti, Matt Stajan, Jason Blake, and Dominic Moore have all been scoring and should end up with double digit goals by the end of the year.

All of the sudden, this team looks like it will make the playoffs. Leaf nation hasn't been this loud at the Air Canada Centre in years.  The young blood has been taking the game to a new level of speed and fore-checking—a forte of Ron Wilson, an expert in young player development. 

Well, no one thought this team would be sitting second behind the Penguins and ahead of Senators and Flyers.  What really happened and where did the NHL experts go wrong?

It all started with a boost of confidence and proper defencive training by Ron Wilson.  Players found themselves for the first time in the commanding seats and they are enjoying extended ice time.

They are having fun on the ice as a new and young team that fears nothing and has nothing to lose.  Their fans came to the games knowing that they are rebuilding, and the NHL wrote them off way before they even started to play.

They have been training and working hard on the bodies.  They fear no one and finally we see them throwing their bodies all over the place.  It reminds us of the '92/'93 Leafs when playing against them was an agony that no one wished for.  The secret lies in the hearts of these young players. They have finally found light in the tunnel and it's bleeding Blue and White.

You have read it first at Bleacher Report.com. Remind me in December when the Leafs reach this record.  I am sure this team will have fun this year and shock the NHL with their resilience.

This team will compete and work hard every day with the support of the most amazing fans on the face of the planet.  God bless the Toronto Maple Leafs and bless their fans.