Maple Leafs Exposed: So What Went Wrong in Calgary?

The Toronto Maple Leafs arrived in Calgary riding a four-game winning streak. They left with a 5-2 loss, an injured player, and a few uncomfortable questions. The Flames ended Toronto’s eight-game winning streak by taking advantage of the very things the Maple Leafs had supposedly cleaned up.

Head coach Jim Hiller didn’t dress it up afterward. There were far too many turnovers, too many defensive breakdowns, and not enough players stepping up. Sometimes, the simplest explanation is the right one. So, what needs fixing before Wednesday’s game against Seattle?

Three Things the Maple Leafs Must Fix After Their Calgary Loss

First, the Maple Leafs Must Stop Giving the Puck Away Like It’s a Gift

The Maple Leafs opened with a 5-1 shot advantage. Things looked fine. Then the turnovers started, and Calgary took full advantage. Hiller said the giveaways had crept back into Toronto’s game after the team had done a better job of eliminating them over the previous four games. That’s the frustrating part. The team had made progress, only to fall back into old habits.

You can’t keep handing opponents extra opportunities and expect your goaltender to clean up every mess. Calgary outshot Toronto 34-28, and the Maple Leafs spent too much time trying to recover from their own mistakes. This is the first fix, and it’s not complicated: make the safer play when it’s there. A pretty pass isn’t worth much if it ends up on an opponent’s stick.

Second, Every Maple Leafs Player Has to Defend, Not Just the Goalie

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 31 shots, but he also let in three or more goals for the seventh time in his past eight starts. He was far from perfect, but the team got into trouble even before the puck got close to him, which was impossible to ignore. Hiller defended his goaltender after the game, pointing to the turnovers and poor defensive coverage. Fair enough. A goalie can only do so much when his teammates keep putting him in difficult situations.

The Maple Leafs also blocked 16 shots, which tells us they were willing to get in the way. But blocking shots isn’t the same as defending well. Toronto needs better decisions before the opposition gets a clean look at the net.

Third, the Maple Leafs’ Supporting Cast Has to Show Up

Easton Cowan took responsibility for some of his mistakes, but Hiller wasn’t about to pin the loss on the youngster. In fact, he said Cowan was probably Toronto’s best player after the first period. That’s encouraging, but it also raises a fair question: where were some of the more experienced players?

Hiller made it clear that the team can’t keep leaning on its youngest players to provide the spark. With injuries creating holes in the lineup, somebody has to step forward. Zack MacEwen did his part, making an impact in limited minutes, but Toronto needs that kind of contribution across the lineup.