Toronto Maple Leafs Win Playoff-Type Game

The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiens last night, in what seemed like the first game the two teams have played against each other that mattered, in years.

It was an exciting, edge of your seat, game that had the preferred result. But the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t play particularly great.

I like when the Leafs win, don’t get me wrong. But this team leaves me wanting more almost every night.  I watch them win games, but I am always left feeling like they could be so much better.

And last night’s game was a perfect example.

Buds v Habs

First problem: The Canadiens out-possessed the Leafs most of the night.  The Leafs were 43% in the first, 50% in the second, and 48% in the third.  Overall, Montreal controlled shot-attempts at 5v5 by a margin of 53% go 47% .

Considering the Leafs roster is so much better, this was not a good game for Toronto. The problem, in my eyes is coaching.

Rielly led the Leafs defense in 5v5 icetime, as he should, and he put up a solid game 52% possession and one 5v5 assist.

But the next most used defenseman was Gardiner, and not Muzzin.  Gardiner had a bad game, but he’s usually good so I don’t mind too much. He still shouldn’t ever get more ice time than Jake Muzzin, however.

Speaking of, why is Jake Muzzin the team’s 5th most used 5v5 defenseman? That is just dumb. Arguably the best possession driving defenseman in the NHL, Muzzin put up a gaudy 57% CF on a night when his team struggled for possession of the puck.

Why did Mike Babcock give five minutes of his top pairing ice time to Ron Hainsey? It’s completely inexcusable, and it’s a very bad coaching decision.

Why would Ron Hainsey be the third most used defenseman? Why would Hainsey, Zaitsev and Gardiner all play more 5v5 minutes than Jake Muzzin?

Muzzin ended up second in overall ice time, but if you’re taking away 5v5 ice time to use on special teams, it’s a losing proposition.  Players who can tilt the ice 5v5 are much rarer than ones who can help on special teams.

This entire article could be about how bad Mike Babcock is at getting the right players ice time.  Auston Matthews only 13 minutes, three less than Tavares?  Andreas Johnsson and William Nylander each only getting just over ten minutes? Zach Hyman playing two seconds less than Auston Matthews? And a minute more than Mitch Marner?

Or the most indefensible of all: Travis Dermott #6 Dman?

Second Problem

The Toronto Maple Leafs power play is atrocious, but it’s got the personal to be much better, so I’m OK waiting it out with the belief that it will eventually catch fire.

Last night was not the night.  It was terrible.

Babcock starting with his second unit twice, which was annoying, but I guess he’s just trying to jump start what should be the top PP in the NHL.  Still, it makes little sense to play a minute-five of a power-play without Matthews on the ice.

If it was  up to me, it would the first unit all the time.  For the full two minutes.  Why should Matthews, Rielly, Tavares or Marner ever got off the ice on power play?  I’d also take Kadri off so that there was a centre who could take a long shift after the power-play was over.  Either Nylander or Johnsson would be an acceptable replacement/

And I’d can the high-risk cross-ice pass.  It’s got to get through five or six guys and it never works.   The Leafs could use a new Power-Play strategy, that is for sure.

This seems so obvious.

I realize the Toronto Maple Leafs just won arguably their most important game of the season and all I did was complain about it.  I can’t help it. It felt like the Leafs played that game with one hand tied behind their back.

Andreas Johnsson, the team’s best left winger by 100 miles, playing on the fourth line is insane.

Matthews, Nylander and Johnsson could form one of the best lines in the NHL.

Jake Muzzin should obviously be getting more 5v5 minutes than Ron Hainsey. Travis Dermott needs to play more.

If these things are corrected, I don’t think Montreal outplays Toronto last night.  The takeaway for this game: the Leafs made a bunch of unforced lineup errors and then struggle to beat an inferior team.

All stats 5v5 unless otherwise mentioned and from naturalstattrick.com