Maple Leafs News & Rumours: McKenna, Joshua, Sissons, Stolarz & Hiller

There’s another encouraging piece to this. Joshua was returning from injury, as was Tanev, and Hiller described both as solid contributors despite some understandable rust. Getting players back is useful, but it’s also important to see how the combinations develop once everyone is available. The Joshua-Sissons-McKenna line might not be a permanent answer, but it gave Hiller something worth exploring.

For McKenna, the important thing may be that he was getting more touches and more chances to make something happen. Maybe a young player doesn’t need a bigger role so much as the right circumstances in which to use the skills he already has.

Anthony Stolarz Is Winning, but Hiller Wants More Consistency

Stolarz’s 5-1-0 start is certainly welcome news for Toronto. Goaltending can make a considerable difference over a long season, and the Maple Leafs need their goalies to give them a chance to win. Hiller was pleased with Stolarz’s start, but he made a point that deserves some attention. Winning isn’t the responsibility of one player.

As Hiller explained, teams need contributions from their goaltenders, eight defencemen and 14 or 15 forwards. That’s a useful way of looking at it. Stolarz can make important saves, but he can’t do everything himself. The team has to support him, and the players in front of him have to do their part.

Hiller also acknowledged that Toronto has been too inconsistent through its first 16 games. The team has had some excellent stretches, but there have been times when it hasn’t responded well enough when things get difficult. He agreed that the problem was evident again against Vancouver. That’s an important admission, particularly after a win.

The good news is that November should offer more practice time after a demanding opening schedule. Hiller believes that time will be important for his group. There’s room to work on the forecheck, defensive support and the kind of response that has been missing at times.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The Vancouver game offered a couple of reasons for optimism. McKenna looked comfortable in a line combination Hiller liked, Joshua and Tanev were back, and Stolarz continued his strong start. Those are useful developments for a team that needs contributions from throughout the lineup.

But Hiller isn’t saying the Maple Leafs have things figured out. His comments about inconsistency suggest the coaching staff knows there’s more to address. The challenge now is to make the good stretches last longer and respond better when a game starts moving in the wrong direction.

That’s what November’s practice time can help with. The Maple Leafs have some pieces returning and some young talent finding its way. The next step is getting those pieces to work together more consistently. One win in Vancouver is a start, not a solution.