The Toronto Maple Leafs need to stop winning

It may sound crazy, but the Toronto Maple Leafs need to stop winning immediately.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had a thrilling 5-4 home win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night. The game had everything you'd expect and Toronto's starting four was outstanding. However, here is the problem.

Over the past six years, we've learned that the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares are great. All four of these players have led this team to seven straight major league playoff appearances, and they continue to do so every night. Ninety percent of the jerseys worn at Scotiabank Arena have one of these four names behind them, and we fans should be happy to have them as part of this organization.

So why am I mad at their success? Those four players each scored a goal and Nylander added two of his own in the Leafs' 5-4 victory. Toronto scored 11 total points and had nine in the top four, with Matthew Knis and Tyler Bertuzzi each registering assists.

With that, the top six was the reason for the win, but it was barely up to the task. Despite their best efforts, the Leafs still allowed four goals as their defense and goal pursuit continued to be an issue. Furthermore, their bottom six have also failed to score, which is worrying when five goals have been scored.

I know Simon Benoit has been a solid player for the Leafs lately, but he averaged the second most ice time for the team on Wednesday night, which should never happen. Basically, the best players on the team let the rest of the team down and were the only reason they won.

That's a great recipe in the regular season, but it's impossible in the playoffs. During a seven-game playoff streak, it's easier for coaches to shut down the opposition's best players, so they'll find a way to stop Matthews, Marner, Tavares and Nylander as usual.

As crazy as it sounds, I think wins like this are detrimental to the overall future of this team. I can't stress it enough, but this team isn't going anywhere until they trade a franchise goaltender or find two more top four defensemen. The Leafs' top four forwards are elite, but since they won't work in the playoffs, a single forward won't be the result.

I want big changes to happen, but it won't happen if they keep winning. Hopefully, Brad Treliving and the rest of the team understand that these types of wins don't work in the playoffs and they can make a splash before the NHL trade deadline.