The Maple Leafs hope to stay close to the NHL’s elite in the second half of 2015-16.
But when bested by Joonas Korpisalo and Alexander Wennberg of the last place Columbus Blue Jackets, they’re bound to stay near the bottom and remain in the discussion for top draft picks such as Auston Matthews and Jesse Puljujarvi.
The 41st game under new coach Mike Babcock was a sort of fork in the road, the visitors one of three teams that began the night behind the Leafs in the standings. The 3-1 loss sticks Toronto three points from the basement, where a win would’ve put them at 41 in a pack of 11 Eastern Conference teams between 41 to 51.