The opening games have been a mixed bag in Toronto, with David Alter detailing the work that needs to take place for the Maple Leafs and Craig Berube to work.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a solid start to the season, with a 3-2-0 record after their first five games. While the results are mixed, there’s plenty to appreciate about their performance so far.
The toughest challenge came against the New York Rangers, led by goaltender Igor Shesterkin. He stole the show with a highlight-reel windmill save on John Tavares, among his 34 stops. Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz had high praise for Shesterkin, stating, “We had numerous chances. You can see why he’s going to be the highest-paid goalie in the league. He came up big for them tonight, and hats off to him.”
According to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, Shesterkin turned down an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $11 million, which would have made him the highest-paid goalie. However, Shesterkin’s refusal may have something to do with the fact that his teammate Artemi Panarin earns more, with an average salary of $11,642,857, and his contract runs a year longer than Shesterkin’s.
From the Leafs’ perspective, their main takeaway from the game was that they didn’t create enough traffic in front of Shesterkin, allowing him too much visibility. The team acknowledged they need to do more to screen the goalie, rather than relying on pure skill to score.
Auston Matthews was the only Leaf able to beat Shesterkin, scoring his second goal in as many games.
The Leafs are entering a grueling stretch, with 10 games in 20 days. The condensed schedule is partly due to the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Head coach Craig Berube has expressed concerns about the Leafs’ “east-west” style of play, which clashes with his preference for a more direct, “north-south” approach.
Looking at the standings, the Leafs are once again chasing familiar foes. Ahead of them are the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. The true test for this Leafs team will be their performance against divisional rivals. A preseason stat on TSN highlighted that the Leafs had the third-worst record in the Atlantic Division in divisional games last season, a troubling sign considering their first two playoff rounds will likely be against those same teams.
So far, the Leafs have only played one divisional game, a 1-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener. The upcoming week will offer more clarity on their progress.
My early prediction that personal stats might take a hit in favor of a stronger team game seems to be holding up. The Leafs’ power play has struggled, converting at just 12.5% early in the season.
On the bright side, Bobby McMann has been a revelation. After being scratched in the first game, he’s earned a spot in the top-six forwards, scoring three goals in his first three games alongside William Nylander.
Max Domi has been a consistent presence all over the ice, though he could benefit from shooting more to keep opposing defenses honest.
The biggest surprise so far has been the Leafs’ strong defense and goaltending. Stolarz has posted an impressive .937 save percentage in his first four starts, stepping up in Joseph Woll’s absence due to a lower-body issue. There will be growing pains as the team adjusts to Berube’s system, but overall, the Leafs are showing they have the potential to be a strong team this season.