#toronto-maple-leafs

#toronto-maple-leafs

The second goal was a pretty play in front of the net from Dakota Joshua, with McMann and Stecher grabbing the assists. While Nic Roy didn't contribute to any of these goals, he provided a pivotal screen in front of Sergei Bobrovsky which helped Stecher beat him through traffic, and he had some big chances later in the game as well.

If Brad Treliving is right, he's doing everything he can to transform part or most of the roster this season. That situation involves trading for someone like a Conor Garland or a Kiefer Sherwood, for that matter. Garland has six goals and 15 points in 21 games this season. While he's dealing with an injury at the moment, he's still a viable top-six option at the moment. At worst, Garland could be a solid third-line option, and certainly an upgrade over someone like Max Domi.

One of the main storylines early this season is the Toronto Maple Leafs and their struggles getting out of the gate. The Maple Leafs, even though they moved on from Mitch Marner, were still expected to be contenders for the Stanley Cup out of the Atlantic Division. Through 25 games, they are 11-11-3 for 25 points, ranking in last place in the division. Due to their start, Leafs fans and media are beginning to wonder if they can be ruled out of making the playoffs.

We're into December, which means the World Juniors are just around the corner. Team Canada is expected to name its roster in the coming days, while holding a 10-day training camp in Niagara Falls from December 12-22. Daily Faceoff prospect expert Steven Ellis listed Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect Ben Danford in his final roster projection last week, which would be a massive accomplishment for the 2024 first-round pick.

It's very reminiscent of the hermeticism that Lou Lamoriello maintained throughout his career, including his time in Toronto. But now we get some more insight into why secrecy is so strong in Toronto. Insider Elliotte Friedman, in his November 26 32 Thoughts blog, dropped an interesting tidbit into why the Maple Leafs guard injury information more closely than the government takes care of national security files. Friedman wrote:

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.

Not once did Toronto trail in this game, and they cruised to victory in the final 10 minutes. It wasn't perfect, but for tonight, we'll enjoy the two points in regulation for the first time since the Leafs ' November 5 win over Utah. It was a sleepy start to the night. Through the first six-plus minutes, the only event of note was Anthony Mantha fanning on a wide-open shot

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.

"There's a lot of hockey to be played, and just kind of gotta stay with it," Tavares said to reporters after practice. "It's a great opportunity on this road trip to do some good things, earn some results, and put ourselves in a good spot. So I'm just looking forward to the challenge tomorrow. You're obviously aware of the length of this trip and what it entails, but just staying focused on tomorrow and playing a good hockey game and doing what we can to get a win."