On a brisk late-February morning, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Tomas Plekanec from the Montreal Canadiens to serve one distinct purpose.
That being, to be the effective shutdown centre they so desperately needed.
So, while his transition got off to an initially rocky start, the ensuing 180 the 35-year-old has pulled over the last two weeks is nothing short of astounding. Seemingly, all it took for Plekanec to become his former self again was an exodus from Leo Komarov and an increase in responsibility.
After six games of playoff hockey, Plekanec has finally emerged as the player Lou Lamoriello & Co. dealt a second-round pick for. The type of player a general manager specifically acquires for situations like Game Sevens.
Just gonna go ahead and say it. Tomas Plekanec has been heroic over the last three games for the Leafs. Actually the best he’s ever played in the playoffs.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) April 24, 2018
On Wednesday, the Leafs will need all hands on deck, Plekanec included, if they stand any chance of exorcising the demons plaguing this franchise since 2013. Amidst the inevitable leadup, let’s not forget that, without Plekanec, there would be no Game Seven at all.
Changes
In Toronto, any and all hockey-related matters tend to be a tad overblown. Positive developments become overwhelming successes, while typical speed bumps morph into insurmountable catastrophes.
For Plekanec, his initial struggles were subject to the latter.
Immediately upon his arrival, drastic expectations were heaped upon Plekanec’s shoulders, perhaps unfairly. A second-round pick was thought of as a high price to pay for an ageing centre. As such, Plekanec needed to prove his worth quickly, or risk being subject to fan-induced scorn.
A fact commonly overlooked regarding Plekanec’s acquisition is just how sweeping the changes his life underwent were. Athletes are people, just like you and I. And Plekanec is not an exception.
For the first time in 15 years, the veteran would need to adjust to a different organization. Not only did that include an unfamiliar locker room filled with unfamiliar faces. There was a brand new system to learn taught by a brand new coach as well.
And, most notably, a significantly decreased role.
As a Hab, the lowest average ice time Plekanec logged over a full season was 15 minutes and 59 seconds in 2006-07, his sophomore year. Even in 2017-18, he was averaging 16:18 per game in the 60 games prior to the trade. Playing time certainly befitting of a top-six role.
As a Leaf, that number cratered to 11:03.
No matter how you view it, that’s a significant change for any player to make. For a decade and a half, your team relies on you, only to ship you off to a heated rival who then casts you as a fringe contributor.
Usage
Funnily enough, Plekanec’s turbulent takeoff wasn’t as shaky as we remember it to be.
As I’ve previously written, Plekanec was exactly who the Leafs wanted him to be, just only on the occasion when he centred the fourth line in between Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. A positive possession player at even strength in his own right, Plekanec’s numbers skyrocketed alongside the pair of rookies.
The trio was so effective together, they forced themselves into any conversation regarding the NHL’s best bottom units.
What did exacerbate Plekanec’s struggles, however, was Komarov.
Alongside Komarov, he dropped to a 43.28% CF/60 at 5v5, a number significantly lower than the 48.3% produced by Dominic Moore, the man Plekanec was brought in to replace.
Away from Komarov, Plekanec jumped back up to a 47.50%.
It’s not a coincidence that, right when Plekanec evolved into the shutdown centre of Babcock’s dreams, Komarov was forced to the sidelines. This turnaround truly began in Game Three. Which, funnily enough, happened to be Toronto’s first game following Leo’s Game Two knee injury.
What a twist!
Playoff Magic
Upon its announcement, Nazem Kadri‘s three-game suspension was thought of as a death sentence.
In a series predicated heavily on matchups, the Leafs would now be without their most effective matchup centre until Game Five, if they even made it that far. Already in a 1-0 series hole, many believed Game One would be Kadri’s final game of the season.
That’s when Plekanec stepped in.
Without Kadri, Babcock had no choice but to hard-match Plekanec’s line against the Brad Marchand–Patrice Bergeron–David Pastrnak trio. In the four games following the change, the Leafs have gone 3-1, mercifully finding a way to successfully neutralize hockey’s most dangerous unit.
Well, at least enough to get by.
Assuming his usual role of shutdown centre, Plekanec has done nothing but flourish. Each shift he can be seen flying around the ice, boxing out net front intruders, denying zone entries, and winning board battles that otherwise would’ve gone Boston’s way early on.
Offensive contribution was the last thing Lamoriello brought Plekanec in to provide. And yet, he’s even managed to raise the bar in that regard as well.
Clutch
In 17 regular season games as a Leaf, Plekanec mustered just two assists. Although, the Czech native has since put up two goals and two assists in six playoff games, all while going head to head against Boston’s top line each night.
And don’t think he’s only producing in garbage time either.
Both of Plekanec’s goals have come with his team either down or leading by a single goal. His first marker served as the 1-1 equalizer in Game Four. The second, an empty-netter, resulted from a fantastic individual effort in the final seconds of Game Six, sending the ACC crowd into an unprecedented frenzy.
Plekanec’s postseason renaissance is worthy of every word of praise being heaped upon it. If it continues, Leafs fans may very well be watching hockey at the ACC deep into June.
Thanks for reading.