Toronto Maple Leafs: Andersen, Anderson, Marner

Another week has gone by, which means it’s time for another edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs: A Week of Thoughts.

This week I will touch on Frederick Andersen’s ugly game versus Tampa Bay and point how there is a pulse in his game after a rough start to the season.

I’ll have a quick explanation of how Mitch Marner is a magician with the puck and how my prediction for his inaugural Toronto Maple Leafs season was wrong.

My final two thoughts will point out how much people need to know that this is still a rebuild and for just one moment I’ll drop the rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators because at the end of the day hockey doesn’t topple real life.

Now that the introduction is in order, let’s get to the thoughts, shall we?

Frederik Andersen showed signs of life

It’s early in the season, but last Monday’s game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning was rock bottom for Andersen. Not only did the team surrender seven goals, but he was left in there for all seven of them. It was an ugly moment for him and the highlight of his rough start with the Maple Leafs.

However, Mike Babcock did not give up on him so easily as some fans and media members glammed down for Jhonas Enroth to start versus the Florida Panthers.

Nope, Babcock would have none of that as Andersen had a bounce back game against the Panthers when he stopped 29 out of 31 shots and posted a .935 save percentage. Not to mention he also showed some toughness after getting a high stick to the face.

Then came a tougher test on Saturday night versus the Montréal Canadiens and even though the Maple Leafs lost it was not the fault of Andersen. He was able to answer the bell and go toe to toe with Carey Price, only giving up two goals on 31 shots with a .935 save percentage.

These past two games could be the games that Andersen needs to turn his season around. However, shaky starts will still happen from time to time because of the defense in front of him.

Nonetheless, once the Maple Leafs fix their defensive woes, Andersen may experience the season that Cam Talbot is having since the Edmonton Oilers have finally fixed their defensive weakness.

Mitch Marner is a magician with the puck

Going into this season I thought it would take Marner until January to get accustomed to the NHL style of play. That’s why I was a strong believer in letting Marner play in the World Juniors again this year, so that way he could come back with a new boost of confidence.

Man, was I wrong.

However, Marner has met and even exceeded expectations this season. In a line that features veterans like Tyler Bozak and James Van Riemsdyk, it’s a 19-year-old that drives that line.

Need proof?

His game versus the Panthers showed that he’s a magician with the puck; take the Bozak goal for example. He knew where Bozak would be and just put the puck on his stick for an easy goal. Furthermore, he assisted in all three goals in that game and displayed his magic touch with the chemistry he has formed.

Marner still needs to work on the defensive side of his game, but that will come over time and for now just enjoy his elite skill.

With his ninth game in the books, it appears that Marner is here to stay for the long haul. Also, if his creativity continues then he will definitely be a dark horse to try and dethrone the likes of Patrik Laine and teammate Auston Matthews for the Calder this year.

People do know the rebuild isn’t finished, right?

Going into the season the mindset was to see the younger players grow and like many young teams they are going to have their share of hiccups. Not to mention the blue line is still under construction and to fix that the Maple Leafs will need to make shrewd deals and at least two drafts to fix the problem.

However, there are those that think there is a realistic shot at the playoffs when in reality they aren’t anywhere close to that. The selection of Auston Matthews did not automatically mean the rebuild is complete. This team still needs to address the problems on the blue line if they want a crack at the playoffs.

With Matthews and company the team would be entertaining, unlike last season where it was dull and management was in tank mode. Seeing the kids wow us with their elite skill is enough to distract us from how bad the defense is. Plus aside from Morgan Rielly and Nikita Zaitsev, the defense will be really different over the next couple of seasons.

Nonetheless, these young players can’t masquerade the problems that still present themselves, so instead of getting angry about whether they make the playoffs just remember this is year two of the rebuild (don’t count Brendan Shannahan’s first year as he was just observing).

Management has found their number one center and goalie for the future, so if they are given enough time I am pretty sure they’ll fix the blue line. Patience Maple Leaf fans, you have made it this far to not believe all these issues won’t get fixed.