"Maple Leafs' Post-Andersen Era: A Period of Playoff Disappointment. The Toronto Maple Leafs' decision to part ways with veteran goaltender Frederik Andersen in 2021 has had a lasting impact on the team's success. The loss of Andersen, who had been a stalwart in the Leafs' net, coincided with a decline in the team's playoff fortunes, with the team winning just two series in the four years that followed. The latest development in this narrative is the trade of another key player, Mitch Marner, to the Vegas Golden Knights, raising questions about the team's ability to sustain a winning culture without key contributors."

The Maple Leafs, Marner included, won just two playoff series in the four years after Andersen’s departure. On July 1, the veteran wing was shipped to the Golden Knights as part of a sign-and-trade ...