#maple-leafs

#maple-leafs

Without fully understanding what Brendan Shanahan did on a daily basis, it seems very likely that not having someone in his role this season has been a hindrance to the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs parted ways with Shanahan on May 23rd, and this isn't about making a case that was the wrong decision but Keith Pelley's decision to keep the position vacant was.

I don't know if it got away from us. If you look at scoring chances, we out-chanced them in that period, but in the defensive zone, they had the one goal where we just didn't seal up. We got stick lifted, first of all, and then they made a play up the wall to Ovi. We have to have that backdoor sealed up.

The blueliner was placed on IR, Jacob Quillan, who's had a hot start for the Marlies, was recalled. On Carlo, just get right. If that means missing some time, so be it. He's had a rough start, so perhaps some time away for a reset could do wonders for his overall game. The blue line depth is being tested severely, but honestly, this could prove to be a blessing in disguise. It's not like anyone on the backend's playing particularly well right now anyway.

You can watch the Toronto Maple Leafs with reverent attention, and it may still not be enough to figure out how this team operates. It appeared that the Maple Leafs were turning the corner, boasting the best 5-on-5 offence in the NHL. Saturday evening presented a winnable game against a divisional rival, but the Maple Leafs fell short in a 5-3 loss to an undermanned Boston Bruins side.

Good, solid effort all around. I thought we played a smart game. It is a good team over there. They have a lot of good offense and fast players. I thought we did a good job of keeping them at bay for the most part. The penalty kill was good, and I thought everybody contributed tonight in their own way.

Fletcher had already been putting in work for the Maple Leafs in the post-Ballard era with the drastic franchise changing move that brought Doug Gilmour from Calgary, a Leafs trade that seemed to follow in the path of the Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar trade the Jays made a couple years earlier that would be the foundation for their World Series success.

What is the concern level after a 3-3-1 start for the Maple Leafs? (0:50) The team's issues in the second period through seven games, and Craig Berube's messy/disjointed lineup situation up front (7:00) The team's poor response in the third period after the terrible second period vs. New Jersey, and the lack of accountability so far (19:00) Anthony Stolarz's fiery comments after the loss to Seattle (23:30) The Leafs' lack of an emotional leader (38:30)

"Toronto sports fans are undeniably some of the most passionate fans in the world, and we are proud to have the city's teams come together and give these fans an opportunity to experience a significant moment in our city's and nation's history," said Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Maple Leafs and Raptors.

He was great for us. I learned a lot from him. He's a super human and a really good coach. We were very happy that he got another head job in Seattle. They're playing really good defense and aren't giving up much. They take care of the middle of the ice really well. They have some good young players over there. To me, they're defending really well.

There was a lot of good, and there was stuff we have to work on, obviously. We did a good enough job to win the game. I thought our third period was our best period. We did a good job protecting the lead and closing it out. The goalie was good. We had some players who were really good tonight. Overall, our puck play wasn't great. That was the root of our problems, in general.

Maple Leafs camp opened on Wednesday, and on a wall in the media room was the motivational slogan "No grit, no grind, no greatness." Eagle-eyed observers noted that this is a minor but significant change from what was printed there last season: "No grit. No grind. No greatness." The periods have been replaced with commas, after the motto was roundly mocked by those pointing out that when read in plain English, the slogan implied that the Leafs possessed none of those things.

As always, these games are difficult to evaluate; played at the beginning of the hockey schedule, it's a group of young players who have never played together facing opposition who have also never played together, leading to some chaos and a lack of structure. With that caveat out of the way, here are some of my impressions from the weekend:

Despite being a depth player, Lorentz's contributions, including strong penalty killing and offensive output, made him a valuable asset for the Maple Leafs this season.