It has been a long, trying time for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs have not made it to the Stanley Cup finals since last winning the NHL championship in 1967. They have not made the play-offs since 2004.
But the team's fans are nothing if not hopeful, and their patience and perpetual support may finally be rewarded. Toronto are looking good to qualify for the post-season for the first time in eight years, and in this age of NHL parity the Leafs have a chance to make some noise once they get there.
Paced by the top-line duo of Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul - both of whom are vying for the league's scoring lead - the Leafs can score with any team on any given night.
Kessel got off to a hot start and has avoided the slumps that have sidetracked him in past seasons, while a healthy Lupul has added great chemistry and is making the most of his first real starring role.
And with long-time linemates Mikhail Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur and Nikolai Kulemin manning the second unit, Toronto boasts two potent scoring lines, a true luxury in today's NHL.
Plus, the Leafs have very serviceable support players such as Tim Connolly, Matthew Lombardi and Colby Armstrong, all of whom are capable of stepping into an increased role or contributing secondary offence from the third and fourth lines.
All three are veterans who are still in their prime; they have been to the play-offs before and they all know about elevating their game when the going gets tough.
As you would expect of a team that has Brian Burke as the general manager, there is no shortage truculence on the third and fourth units. The good news is, guys such as Mike Brown and David Steckel can play, too, delivering dependable gritty performances as well as penalty-killing prowess.
The defence is a team strength, and they are a group that are still young and improving.
Dion Phaneuf, the team captain, sets the tone, whether it is a menacing physical presence or a slapshot from the point. John-Michael Liles has stabilised the team's second defensive pairing and is an efficient power-play presence.
The apprenticeships of Luke Schenn and Carl Gunnarsson continue, and the rookie Jake Gardiner has been a revelation. Cody Franson began the season as the group's seventh man, but he has played himself into a top-four job. Even Mike Komisarek, who has come under fire in past seasons for making too many mistakes and being overpaid, has kept it simple and been reliable.
In the net, the tandem of James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson has been good enough.
Reimer is shaking off concussion-like symptoms that caused him to miss a good part of the first half of the season, but Gustavsson used that opportunity to turn in his best stretch as a Leaf.
They might not intimidate opponents, but the Leafs goalies have earned the confidence of their teammates, and that is the most important thing.
In fact, that statement is true of the entire Leafs team - they will not overwhelm anybody, but they believe in each other and believe that they can beat anybody. And that can be a very powerful feeling come the play-offs.
