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5 Ways to Make the Toronto Maple Leafs a Better Hockey Team

By James Tanner

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 12: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates Nazem Kadri #43 and Morgan Rielly #44 after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on February 12, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 12: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates Nazem Kadri #43 and Morgan Rielly #44 after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on February 12, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 25: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs lines up against Patrick Marleau #12 of the San Jose Sharks before the opening face-off at the start of the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 25, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 25: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs lines up against Patrick Marleau #12 of the San Jose Sharks before the opening face-off at the start of the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 25, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

#2 Fix the Power-Play

The Toronto Maple Leafs power-play has been a disappointment for over a year now.

Their big fix this year was switching Matthews and Marner so they could do one-timers.

Only problem: I have a better shot than Mitch Marner, and Matthews has the best shot in the world, and doesn’t need to do one-timers.

Sure, switch them up occasionally for a different look – one of the keys to Game Theory is to keep your opponent guessing by throwing in a non-optimal play occasionally – but don’t make it your go-to.

The true problem with the Toronto Maple Leafs power play is – you guessed it – the coaching.

If you were always going to switch the power-play units at the one-minute mark, why on earth would you load up one of them with your 5 best players?

It’s one of the many things that makes no sense about this Mike Babcock coached team.

The Leafs could take a lesson from Ovechkin – and I’m not talking about his trite, narrative friendly talking points – I’m talking about the fact that he plays basically 100% of his team’s power-play minutes.

When the Leafs have a power-play, they should have one goal: get Auston the puck.  Stop with the Morgan Rielly floaters from the point.  Stop trying to thread the needle for a backdoor tap in.

Just. Get. The. Damn. Puck. To. Auston.

And leave the guy on the ice for the entire two minutes.

It’s not rocket science.

“Give your player the best chance to succeed” is not a difficult concept to grasp.

And while we’re fixing the power-play, stop wasting time with the drop pass entries.  Give the puck to Nylander and let him carry it over the line and set up the play 75% of the time.  The other 25% of the time, just dump it in (to keep them honest).

Move Matthews back to his old spot.  Put Tavares in front of the net.  Let Nyladner be the QB, and use Barrie’s shot to keep them honest.

Let Marner roam the zone trying to get open.

It’s the most simple thing you could do: put Marner, Matthews, Nylander, Tavares and Barrie out on the ice for two minutes, and make getting Matthews the puck the top priority.

My grandmother could improve the Leafs current power-play.  Jeez.

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