The hockey team that came closest to knocking out the champs and was within one win of a ticket to the final four is now staring blankly at a trip to the lottery.

The first-quarter descent of the Toronto Maple Leafs — who awake after 20 games to see only the sad-sack Buffalo Sabres below them in conference standings — has been as precipitous as it is befuddling.

They’ve been ripped publicly by their starting goalie and riddled with injuries.

They’ve laid eggs when everyone expects a pushback and lost confidence despite dressing one of the most experienced cores in the game.

General manager Brad Treliving is making trade calls and launching Hail Marys on the waiver wire. Craig Berube is trying every trick and tinker in the head coach’s playbook.

We took a poll.

Roughly 44 per cent of

See Full Page