The Toronto Maple Leafs were not in a lot of action this week, as they only appeared in three games. However, these games provided a little bit of concern. Early on in the season, the Leafs have failed to remain consistent in the win column. They lost to the New Jersey Devils early in the week and nearly lost both games against the Buffalo Sabres this weekend. Has the offence failed to adapt without Mitch Marner? Let’s take a look at a couple of key takeaways from the Leafs in week 3.
Joseph Woll is back with the team
The best news for the Maple Leafs recently is that goaltender Joseph Woll is back with the team. Woll was placed on long-term injury reserve due to personal reasons. With Woll returning, this could provide a significant boost for the Leafs moving forward. Team captain, Auston Matthews, had some great thoughts about having Woll back with the team.
“It’s going to be great having him back. Obviously, a big part of our team.”
Meanwhile, the Leafs’ other goaltender, Anthony Stolarz, is just as happy to have his old teammate back with him defending the Leafs’ net.
“Just to get him back could be a huge spark. Could give us a little energy.”
Woll has yet to make an appearance this season, but he was a key piece to the Leafs’ success last season. He appeared in 42 games during the regular season, where he posted a 0.909 save percentage and a 2.73 goals against average. He also ended up being the starter for the Leafs against the Florida Panthers in last year’s second round. Woll had some clutch starts, including a shutout in game 6. Unfortunately, in the end, the Leafs were unable to dethrone the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
Joseph Woll can officially rejoin the lineup on Nov. 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Inconsistency and injuries are still an issue
The same issues have continued to affect the Leafs in week three. That is inconsistency and constant injury problems.
Having two of three games in a week against the Sabres would usually be a good thing, no? Well, for the Leafs, it ended up being a near disaster. First, they lost the week’s opening game against the Devils, where Jack Hughes took over and scored a hat trick. Then, the Leafs looked to bounce back in Buffalo on the weekend. A second-period collapse on Friday gave the Sabres an edge before Alex Tuch sealed the deal with a shorthanded goal in the third period. Going into Saturday’s game, the Leafs were on the cusp of losing their fourth straight game. Thankfully, they were able to pull it together as John Tavares won the game in overtime. The winning inconsistency remains a key issue early on. Do the Leafs really miss Mitch Marner that much?
A few Maple Leafs missed a game this previous week. Both William Nylander and Morgan Rielly are dealing with minor injuries. Rielly returned for the game on Saturday, while Nylander’s status is still unknown. On the positive side, the injuries that these two sustained are not serious, but Chris Tanev was another player to get hit with the injury bug. The lockdown defenceman for the Leafs left Tuesday’s game against the Devils and could miss time. Moving forward, this could be a huge loss for the Leafs.
These constant injuries make it tough for a team to find consistency and string together wins. Has the team’s overall health been the Leafs’ biggest weakness so far this season?
What lies ahead?
Next week, like any other, will be an important one for the Leafs. They have three games and will face the easiest competition possible on Tuesday. This marks a matchup against the Calgary Flames, which may be turning into a must-win type of game. Along with an easy matchup against the Flames, the Leafs also have their eyes set on games against the Blue Jackets and the Flyers.
If Nylander does not miss any more time and the team can remain healthy throughout the week, I think the Leafs could win all three of these games. The Leafs have fared well against the Flames in previous years, going undefeated in six straight head-to-head matchups. The Flames currently sit dead last in the NHL with an embarrassing record. If the Leafs lose on Tuesday, it could be an early sign to hit the panic button.
The games against the Blue Jackets and the Flyers will be closer contests. They are in the same boat as the Leafs early on this year, being very mediocre. A fair number of players on the Blue Jackets have underperformed this season. Guys like Sean Monahan and Zach Werenski have not been as dominant to start this year. On the other hand, the Flyers have had many players outperform their early expectations. Sean Couturier is a point per game, while Trevor Zegras seems to have found his old self early on in Philly. Both of these games represent good tests for the Leafs.
Do you think the Leafs will turn things around in week four?
Up Next: Toronto Maple Leafs fan therapy Vol. 4: A tale of two teams
