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Toronto Maple Leafs: The Weekly Takeaways

By Eduardo Razo

Oct 20, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock looks on during the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock looks on during the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen (31) blocks a shot as Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Matt Hunwick (2) look on in the second period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen (31) blocks a shot as Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Matt Hunwick (2) look on in the second period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /

Blown leads are becoming a thing

Three games this week, three leads in all of them, and they were all blown. This has become an early theme for the young Maple Leafs, getting off to a good start and eventually blowing it.

The reason?

A combination of things, for one they take their foot off the gas. The team gets off to these great starts and their offense is firing on all cylinders then something happens.

Then they go cold; take Wednesday night as an example. It appeared as though the Maple Leafs would run the Jets out of their own building especially after scoring two goals in less than a minute. Then that same offense just disappeared and it was the Patrik Laine show from there on out.

This leads to the shaky defense the team has. It seems that once one goal goes in the floodgates open which was the case in Winnipeg and in Chicago.

All of a sudden the Polak, Gardiner, Hunwick and Marncin become more noticeable. Even someone like Morgan Rielly is prone to doing too much to compensate for their shaky defense, but this can result in a penalty, which was the case against the Jets.

Finally, the goaltending has become an ongoing issue with the team. Aside from his start against the Boston Bruins, Frederik Andersen has been shaky, but it’s not been his fault. However, he has to come up with the big save when it appears the team is about to unravel.

Next: Roundtable: Three Positives, One Negative

This team is young, not to mention it can easily be fixed. It’s a lot more easier to fix a team that gets to head starts and showing them how to defend that lead than to fix a team that has trouble getting out of the gate.

Hopefully this week the young Maple Leafs can hold onto a lead and get the two points rather than settle for one.

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