Nicolas Roy, Bobby McMann, Dakota Joshua, and Nick Robertson all broke out of lengthy goal slumps, helping lead the Leafs to a 7-2 blowout. The effort was there, they executed on grade-A chances, and they chased Penguins starter Arturs Silovs. However, there's still plenty to clean up on the defensive end as the structure in the D-zone continues to be a work in progress, but let's focus on some positives as the convincing victory was one of the Leafs best games of the season.
The play started after Trevor van Riemsdyk sent a pass to Anthony Beauvillier, camped out in the right circle. Beauvillier's initial backhanded shot was stopped by goaltender Joseph Woll, but the Caps forward found the rebound. He then sent a shot on his forehand that trickled through Woll's five-hole and stopped on the goal line uncovered. As Sutherland lost sight of the puck, he whistled the play dead.
The idea that the question of whether a coaching upgrade might be beneficial has already been "asked and answered" with this Leafs team also doesn't adequately account for the amount of roster turnover in the past couple of years, including the departure of a certain 21+ minute lineup centerpiece this past summer.
Over the years, many teams have gradually adopted the notion of having balanced lines in order to be successful, with the Florida Panthers being the prime example. However, it doesn't mean having a stacked top line along with supporting lines doesn't work either. Take for instance, the Colorado Avalanche has the dynamic trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen
He is a big guy. He has to be a physical and hard player to play against. He is going to make and score his goals around the net, right? A little more puck touches in the offensive zone from the forecheck, and then getting to the net front and winning those battles there and tipping pucks. He has good hand-eye. He has the capability of putting the puck in the net.
Quillan was not listed on the Maple Leafs' roster page shortly after Wednesday's practice. The 23-year-old did not record a point in two games with the Maple Leafs, but was lauded by his teammates and coaches for his tenacious approach. "Q, he's got great speed. He plays both wing and centre, but he brings speed to the game," Berube said prior to a November 18 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
But honestly, it hasn't been pretty. We kicked off the Wednesday edition of Leafs Morning Take by giving our initial thoughts on the game. Neither of us feel a certain way about the team. At this point, they just need to go out there and show us something. Fortunately, after a three-game absence, Matthew Knies is set to return, so that's good.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to get a huge boost on Wednesday night as they take on the Blue Jackets in Columbus. Mark Masters is reporting that captain Auston Matthews, Nic Roy, and Matthew Knies will all be back in the lineup. Matthews has been out since November 11 after taking a cheap shot from Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov. Meanwhile, Knies had been out since November 15 after dealing with a lower-body issue for a while. Per Masters, Knies feels great.
"Knies, Matthews and Roy all practiced today," Berube said. "Looked good, they finished practice, but still gotta see about tomorrow. So that's where they're at, but it was good that they were out there and finished practice, went through all the drills."
His ceiling wasn't stratospheric, but the hope was that he could morph into a solid NHL blueliner. The Leafs gave him as many opportunities as they could. He even logged some top-pairing minutes for a short while. But he just didn't live up to expectations. At times, defensive gaffes turned into goals. Other times, he just wasn't the sort of high-end defenseman the Maple Leafs needed to contend for a Stanley Cup.
"Big two-way defenceman," Verhoeff said. "I like defending. I take pride in my defensive zone, hard on guys in the D-zone. Then getting up the ice, I'm kinda able to transition the puck pretty quickly I think. Using my size and my shot in the offensive zone to create time and space and create some passing lanes and be able to wire the puck."
A potential trade candidate emerging in recent discussions is Andrei Svechnikov. The former second-overall pick from 2018 has struggled to find his game this season, posting just 7 goals and 5 assists for 12 points in 22 contests. Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night in Canada that the Carolina winger is available, and his reduced role, including a lack of top-six minutes, has only fueled the speculation. Svechnikov is currently in the fifth year of his eight-year contract, which carries a $7.75 million AAV.
Lambert had a strong AHL rookie campaign, but it seems like frustration set in last year when that initial success didn't lead to a spot on the Jets. His numbers declined and now in his third year in North America and not being an NHL regular, Lambert is pleading for a change of scenery and depending on the price tag, the Leafs should consider being that landing spot.
Despite the Leafs having their top players, Tavares and William Nylander, who are currently the only active members of the core four, leading the team offensively, they are still in need of some scoring from the other forwards. With Auston Matthews yet to return to the lineup and Matthew Knies, who missed the last two games, they are more than in need of depth scoring.
Through 21 games, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in a drastically different position than they were a year ago. Toronto has assembled a 9-9-3 record through 21 games, sitting second-last in the Atlantic Division. At the same point last year, despite myriad injuries, the Maple Leafs were off to a 13-6-2 start, en route to capturing the first seed in the division. What a difference a year can make.
Looking to build off their win against St. Louis, the Leafs came out and played one of their best periods of the season in the opening frame. They did everything but score. The Lorentz-Laughton-Cowan line from preseason was finally reunited and got things going early when Easton Cowan drew a penalty off a nice cycle sequence. Their much-maligned power play went to work and put together a really good two minutes, but they weren't able to bury one.
