Toronto Maple Leafs: Assessing early season performance

With a record middling around even, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had a lukewarm start to the season. After an offseason of dramatic change, it was an exercise in imagination to predict what the Leafs might look like. Now, with a decent-sized chunk of the season behind us, let’s take a closer look at what can be understood from the Leafs so far.

Missing offence?

Much of the focus of the offseason was on the loss of Mitch Marner. To some extent, this will always be the case, given how Marner helped define an era for the Leafs. Needless to say, there was some anxiety about how the Leafs might perform offensively.

Despite a fairly poor power play performance, the Leafs have scored in the top half of the league. While some specific or individual questions linger, the team has been able to score enough to win.

In some sense, this might be seen as a good thing. If Auston Matthews hits his stride, if the power play heats up, there are proven paths to an even stronger performance. William Nylander being out does not help, as his talents have become even more vital with Marner gone. To some extent, these are even reinforcements that can be considered on the way.

Of course, finding some good chemistry amongst the forwards, on Matthews’ line in particular, is important. Perhaps younger players, like Easton Cowan, will be able to come into their own as the season progresses. Trade acquisitions remain a possibility. These are much less likely reinforcements.

In all, the Leafs have enough talent on offence to make it work. While the team might not be as talented up front as last season, the ingredients are present for the Leafs to have a top ten offence league-wide. Actually doing so remains to be earned, however.

Indirection

Strangely enough, it has been the defensive side of the puck that has left much to be desired. The picture painted by every move of GM Brad Treliving and coach Craig Berube seemed to display a greater reliance on a defensive identity.

While on paper the blueline has a strong reputation, enacting a tight checking system has been easier said than done. Though some mitigating factors exist, like the absence of Joseph Woll or the injury to Chris Tanev, the Leafs are designed to be much stronger defensively.

Perhaps a top defenceman would help stabilize things, but the Leafs will be hard-pressed to unearth such a calibre of player. The Leafs are relying on an older blueline, as several key players approach their mid to late thirties. The assets to truly upgrade the blueline have already been shipped out, and so the future of the blueline might look bleak.

In any case, the Leafs are firmly focused on the present. In the end, the defensive efforts also fall on the forwards. As a group, the team has been porous, and surprisingly, the defensive effort has been the primary issue so far this season. Coach Berube will clearly need to get his message through more effectively, and the Leafs certainly have the personnel to do a better job in this regard.

The additional benefit is that the flow state of hockey means that good defence often translates to offensive opportunities. For those concerned that the Leafs look slow and passive offensively, a path to success lies within a better defensive effort.

Toughness and togetherness

Another area that fans were expecting more from is the overall team toughness. Among the biggest and heaviest teams in the league, this issue seems to stem from a lack of identity. Already, some issues have arisen, for example, when Anthony Stolarz took a bump against the Seattle Kraken, and the team seemed slow to respond.

While becoming pugilists will not necessarily help the Leafs on the scoreboard, part of being a strong team is the willingness to stand up for each other. Some collective intensity, as well as some bonding, would go a long way towards establishing a new identity. These types of attributes will become more important as the season progresses, and the Leafs have the opportunity to prove their mettle in that regard.