10 ideas on Maple Leafs after opening evening: New guys a combined bag

TORONTO — Was the result of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ opening sport unforeseeable? It was not (in reality, I referred to as it right down to the rating on Real Kyper & Bourne).

Montreal is a superb workforce with Stanley Cup aspirations, and the Maple Leafs are a totally contemporary compilation of people, save for a handful.

But the Maple Leafs put forth a great effort, Jakub Dobes performed properly, and Toronto (and its followers) discovered loads about who they’re this season because the Canadiens gained 3-2 on Tuesday.

The excellent news is, after a yr of getting crammed in by each underlying metric, the Leafs began off by taking the play to Montreal, spending extra time within the offensive zone than their opponent, and giving themselves a good shot.

So, listed here are 10 ideas on their Night 1 efficiency.

1. Kirill Marchenko was as elite as marketed, and he’s acquired immediate chemistry with Auston Matthews

Marchenko acquired in at 1 a.m. ET the evening earlier than his Maple Leafs debut, wasn’t accustomed to something from linemates to techniques, and was glorious. He pushed the tempo, created probabilities, ripped one-timers, and appeared just like the participant Leafs followers hoped they had been getting. An awesome begin.

More than that, although, he and Matthews appeared desperate to search for each other, and extra so than most video games final season, the highest line discovered themselves circling the o-zone, passing pucks via seams and creating probabilities. Although they didn’t break via, they performed in a method that might be fruitful over an 84-game season. Their line earned 75 per cent of the anticipated objectives at five-on-five, and pictures had been 11-3 after they had been on the market.

Since it gained’t be its personal thought, I’ll add: Matthews appeared quick and harmful, which needs to be encouraging.

McKenna performed 15:19, and over these minutes towards among the finest groups within the league, he appeared … high quality. He made some nice small-area performs, he made some passes teammates didn’t count on to get, and at occasions he appeared pressed by the velocity and stress of the sport, leading to a few turnovers.

I appreciated this little fast slip to Darren Raddysh:

The essential factor for McKenna can be to not rush him, whereas on the identical time placing him in spots to succeed, which implies utilizing his abilities. For that cause I feel you retain him on Lines 2 and three, however when there are occasions while you want offence, it’s OK to present him these seems to be. At four-on-four, he needs to be an possibility. Down a objective, I feel it’d be OK to swap him in with Matthews at occasions as we get into the yr. 

But for now, I feel he’s finest left with a TOI complete like Game 1 whilst you let him discover his method throughout the NHL. He’s a fast examine, as proven in each school and pre-season, and he’ll get there.

3. Darren Raddysh had a tricky debut

I simply Googled the title of that youngsters’s guide “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” because it was on my thoughts as I began this part. Man, that was a tricky one from Raddysh. 

The excellent news is “played bad” and “is bad” are separate issues, and every little thing we find out about Raddysh is that he “is good,” which has beforehand included a capability to interrupt the puck out. But in Game 1, I’m unsure he made a cross that got here inside a foot of a teammate’s stick. Official turnover numbers be damned (he was assigned solely a “team-leading” 4), he couldn’t make a cross and that resulted in further time within the Leafs zone. 

I appreciated that he jumped into the push after this Marchenko sprint, nevertheless it’s all I acquired for positives:

Raddysh and Morgan Rielly didn’t present any chemistry as a pair, and are in all probability desperate to get to Wednesday evening’s sport to allow them to flush that one.

Quick extra Rielly thought: He may make his life a lot simpler by simply making the primary straightforward cross that presents itself. Twice he had Marchenko open low with velocity and did not discover him:

It’s a double swing set on this one beneath, however I nonetheless suppose you may simply hit the entrance man and transfer on with issues.

Let’s keep on the subject of D for a sec earlier than we flip to brighter topics, of which there have been a number of.

4. The Maple Leafs actively want a defenceman

If you go into the season wholesome, and Troy Stecher is in your beginning six, you’re in all probability not tremendous deep. If Stecher is in, and Raddysh is your finest D (is it possibly Jake McCabe?), you’re in hassle. To be clear, I feel Stecher is an NHL D, however he’s in all probability the kind that’s a seven on a great workforce.

McCabe missed a while within the first, which meant Stecher was above 19 minutes, with the Leafs outshot 16-7 with him on the market.

Now, I like the center of the Leafs D high quality, offered they had been slotted behind a real prime D. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is nice, Chris Tanev appeared good, McCabe, Raddysh, they will all play. But for those who look across the league, about half the groups have an absolute No. 1 man, Makar, Hughes, Werenski, Hughes, Seider, Dahlin, Heiskanen, Bouchard, and on and on. If you don’t have that man, you need to be six rock-solid, and once more, if Stecher is in there, you’re not stable sufficient.

One factor we all know for positive is that the Leafs entrance workplace is aware of this (there was really some buzz on Tuesday that the Leafs aren’t achieved making trades), and can seemingly be energetic in looking for an answer right here. But till they will chase down a prime man (not straightforward, clearly), they’d do properly to search out even one other middle-pair man.

5. Don’t take with no consideration that William Nylander is a celebrity

Over the previous 4 years, Nylander had objective totals of 40, 40, and 45 whereas pacing for nearly 40 once more final season. One of these years he hit 98 factors and he was on a greater tempo final season. And it’s humorous how he will get kinda brushed over on a workforce with so many compelling gamers, however Game 1 was an absolute show by the robust Swede. He was essentially the most harmful participant on the ice each time he touched the puck, and his give-and-go with Easton Cowan was a reminder of the poise and persistence that he has to go together with his uncooked instruments.

More on that different title right here …

6. Cowan goes to be essential on this workforce

When the Maple Leafs traded Matthews Knies, the left aspect of their ahead group acquired awfully skinny (once more). Whether Cowan is prepared or not, he’s in all probability their finest left winger, and so he wants extra ice time after taking part in 15:58 towards the Canadiens. He had a great rookie yr, and had a significant run to a Calder Cup after it, and he’s the correct mix of what the highest six lacks — dogged fearlessness, hockey IQ and playmaking. 

Will he be higher in two years? For positive. But they want him now, and I’d wager he sees his function elevated sooner somewhat than later.

The save share falls beneath .900 with a seeing-eye wrister via visitors on the third objective, nevertheless it’s powerful to fault the veteran goalie for any of the pucks that glided by him, and he made his share of powerful saves. Bobrovsky doesn’t must be a world-beater, however he’s additionally going to wish higher breakout passes from his D so he doesn’t must maintain these extended intervals underneath siege. 

8. Jack Roslovic goes to frustrate individuals

Roslovic is, to my eye, precisely what individuals assumed he could be. He’s quick, he could make performs and he can create a bit of bit on the market, which is tough to do within the NHL. But he’s additionally not a top-line ahead on a great workforce within the league, and he was on the hook for some absolute rally-killing turnovers when Marchenko and Matthews would get it cooking. I do know Cowan can’t skate like him, however he’s acquired a greater sense for who he’s as a participant (and fewer stress to “make something happen” on the market), and so for my cash, he’d be a greater match getting the top-line minutes. 

9. The Maple Leafs energy play goes to take a while to kind out

I’m nonetheless unsure how the Maple Leafs energy play will ultimately shake out, however reality is I don’t love Matthews with flank touches, by no means have. It’s not an enormous energy of his sport. I consider Nikita Kucherov because the all-time nice in that spot; you simply by no means know what he’s going to do when he will get it. The Maple Leafs have a ton of choices, however with Raddysh there as a right-shot risk, you may’t run it off Nylander’s aspect (which is a disgrace, given he’s higher at it). And so, off Matthews it shall be.

Truth is, McKenna might be, ultimately, the man in that flank spot. He can freeze and maintain individuals and get Raddysh some bomb-looks, and get it to the damaging spots on the within. Could Matthews play low and internet entrance with Marchenko within the bumper? Is that seen as a “demotion” and one thing they’d be hesitant to do?

Regardless, they certainly don’t wish to transfer Matthews and put McKenna on PP1 but — they positively don’t, really — so I feel we’ll see some months of working via completely different seems to be as they fight issues. They’ll have some success primarily based on their uncooked expertise, however the workforce in all probability doesn’t unlock its potential on the person benefit till McKenna ultimately works his method onto that unit.

All that apart, it was a bit of tough on Night 1, and it’s doable Matthews advantages from a greater evening from Raddysh as we get into issues right here.

Brandon Duhaime was quick and actively bodily, good begin. Teddy Blueger was a non-factor, and difficult to see how he’ll ever be something however “good penalty-kill guy who doesn’t hurt you at five-on-five.” John Tavares was precisely who you thought he was. Same with Colton Sissons.

And, lastly, among the many “extras” right here, Nick Paul is simply an grownup on the market (praise). He might not impress you with flash and sprint, however he simply does the correct issues. There was a play within the third the place the Montreal D was damaged down, Paul had it, and there have been seams he may’ve tried to power pucks via. But they had been all dangerous, and he held, and held, and ultimately a teammate jumped on the ice, and he gave it to them and the Maple Leafs stayed on offence.

He’s only a good, stable participant. Nice forecheck and set-up right here:

He’s sensible, dependable, and might in all probability spot in nearly anyplace you want him. If he stays wholesome, the Maple Leafs will lean on him.