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Toronto Maple Leafs Mid-Season Review: Best and Worst Storylines at the All-Star Break

By Eric Cruikshank

Toronto Maple Leafs - William Nylander #88 and Rasmus Sandin #38 (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs - William Nylander #88 and Rasmus Sandin #38 (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Pierre Engvall #47 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2019 in New York City. The Maple Leafs defeated the Rangers 6-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Pierre Engvall #47 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2019 in New York City. The Maple Leafs defeated the Rangers 6-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Offensive Surprises

Probably the best surprises for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season have been Ilya Mikheyev and Pierre Engvall.

Before suffering an arterial laceration that will keep him out until April, Ilya Mikheyev was one of the top contenders for the Calder Trophy this season.

With 23 points through 39 games, Mikheyev’s intelligence and speed made him fit right in to this Toronto Maple Leafs roster with little time taken for adjustment, and has been the perfect complimentary winger to any of the Leafs top three centres.

On a one-year $925,000 deal, the Leafs will likely look to resign Mikheyev in the upcoming offseason, and the 25 year old has made a case to potentially be a strong top-six winger in this league.

Pierre Engvall was called up in relief of Trevor Moore in mid November and has also been very impressive to this point. With 14 points in 23 games with the Maple Leafs, the 2014 seventh round pick has earned himself a spot alongside John Tavares on the second line, and should receive a solid paycheque for his duties this summer.

Of course when discussing the biggest offensive surprises this season, we cannot forget one of the best players the Leafs have had, William Nylander.

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