Toronto Maple Leafs Takeaways: Winning Ways Return

6. 116. Final. 3. 113

Given the expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, Friday night’s 6-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets came as a little unexpected, and most of all, came with a hell of a lot of positives to draw:

Systems Are Starting To Work

A question was raised this week; what do we want the Maple Leafs to do this year? This line of questioning focuses on the fact that the Leafs have suddenly found their scoring touch and are playing very much a different game to last year.

The outing against the Blue Jackets saw the team combining with sleek interchange, moving the puck around well, and some set plays that come straight from the textbook Mike Babcock wrote at the Red Wings.

The players on the roster don’t lend themselves to the Leafs as big names or star players, but what they do lend themselves to is a willingness that we’re seeing to get stuck in, putting in some solid, hard graft.

Whether you call this the Babcock influence, the Shanahan influence or the Lou effect, or maybe a combination of all three; Maple Leafs fans aren’t about to complain.

Long may these systems continue to grow.

Watching the team play cohesive hockey with clear goals in mind at the end of each play is something that has lacked massively in previous years.

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Defensive Break Outs

I’ve complained previously about the defensive corps, most recently after the loss to Detroit. However, on tonight’s performance, I may be eating my words. With this said, Detroit are a much stronger tactical unit so maybe I won’t be eating them just yet!

With that said though, against Columbus, and on the road no less; the defensive pairings pressed high to the blue line and held their ground.

People like to pick holes in Dion Phaneuf and his style of play, but against the Blue Jackets, he held his own much like the rest of the blue-liners. It seems he is definitely benefitting from a more evenly shared load of ice time.

The biggest feature was the improved game from Scott Harrington; he didn’t drop the puck even under pressure and in fact, managed to dish it out very well when he was put under the pump.

If the defence can continue to lead the team from the back like they did this game, pushing high and creating breakout plays, who knows where the Leafs may finish up.

The side isn’t exactly going to be a Stanley Cup contender but the rate of play shown in this one game suggests they may not end up with the greatest Draft Lottery odds.

Uphill Struggles

Following on from such positive words; it has to be pointed out that the Toronto Maple Leafs team seems to enjoy an uphill struggle all too often.

We’ve pointed the finger at Jonathan Bernier previously and various other players, but ultimately this seems to be a team problem. Every game this year has seen the Leafs go behind.

Granted, they’ve shown great character in most of those games to launch some degree of comeback, whether successful or not, but the issue remains of going behind first.

I’m sure Mike Babcock will be working hard to instil confidence and ensure that this doesn’t become an ongoing trend, and a win will have helped with this. He was keen in talking to the NHL official site to point out the improved structures and level of competition; it just needs to occur from the first puck drop:

“They’re playing with better structure and they’re competing harder. If you keep doing those things, you’ll be rewarded over time.” (MapleLeafs.NHL.com)

A win is a win, and a first this season. There’s still a lot of room to grow but I was genuinely impressed by the level of play from the team; key word there being team.

We spent so long complaining last season about the way that the players were playing more for themselves than the team, more for the pay cheque than the crest on the front of the jersey, but whether through the one-year contracts or Babcock instilling a genuine team spirit.

One night in Columbus isn’t anywhere near enough to judge a whole season ahead, but right now I’ll take the positives coming out of Ohio and hope the Maple Leafs can keep moving forward!

Next: Maple Leafs: What Do You Want Them To Do?

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