As promised, here is the game number comparison of the first 10 games. The explanation is here.
The boxes highlighted in yellow are the ones that really standout. I'll get the Equivalent Fixtures Comparison soon.
Last season, at the end of the year the Leafs' STDIF was minus 27 which means that they gave up 27 more goals while shorthanded than they scored while on the powerplay. This year through ten games they are already minus 8 in that category. That number is what has turned a strong year at even strength - Montreal wishes they could score 30 goals 5 on 5 - into a 'debacle' overall.
The PKA is significant because it represents the most times that anyone in the NHL has been short-handed. Discipline has long been the Leafs' achilles heel since the Pat Quinn era but over the past two years that combined with lacklustre goaltending and weak penalty killing has submarined two strong offensive seasons. This year's goaltending has been better thanks to the addition of Toskala and Raycroft's improved play. It has a ways to go but it has at least shown signs of moving in the right direction.
Lastly, the record is a funny thing to look at when compared to the same time last year. While the papers were focused on the fact that the Leafs were a massive 2 and 3 points respectively off the pace of their previous years (which both featured huge swoons that ultimately derailed the team's playoff hopes) no paper noted that in both of those years the Leafs' lost their 11th game in regulation so that today the Leafs stand at 11 points compared to 11 last year and 12 the previous year. But let's definitely blow the team up and get the lynch mob after MLSE since things are so bleak.