Surging Blues will add to Maple Leafs’ troubles

The Maple Leafs are in a tricky spot on Tuesday night. Not only have the Buds dropped two of their first three contests since All-Star Weekend, but they’ll also be without No. 1 defenseman Morgan Rielly for a handful of games after he was suspended for cross-checking Ridly Greig in the face.

The temperature is always raised a few notches in Toronto, but a loss to the Blues on Tuesday night would put some serious heat on coach Sheldon Keefe and the Leafs.

Like most middle-of-the-pack teams, the Leafs have dealt with a number of problems this season. Toronto’s goaltending situation isn’t necessarily stable and the blue line grades out closer to mediocre than above-average, but the biggest issue right now is a lack of depth scoring.

Toronto’s stars are good enough to carry the rest of the team on some nights, but if Auston Matthews, Mitch

Marner and William Nylander aren’t putting up big numbers, the Leafs struggle to win hockey games.

Despite all of the chaos, the Leafs are still getting plenty of respect from the betting market and sit as -200 favorites. That seems like a hefty price to pay on an inconsistent team that will be without its No. 1 defenseman, especially since St. Louis has come on under new coach Drew Bannister.

The Blues have won seven of their last eight games and are 15-7-1 since Bannister took over for Craig Berube and have won seven of eight thanks to an offense that is averaging 3.62 goals per game in that span. The five-on-five numbers are still lagging for the Blues, but they have the firepower and goaltending to overcome some not-so-hot possession metrics.

Simply put, the Leafs are in no shape to be this big of a favorite against a dangerous opponent.

THE PLAY: Blues +165.

Michael Leboff handicaps the NHL for Action Network.