5 New Year’s Resolutions Bound to Benefit Maple Leafs Through 2021

Resolution #5: Defense Comes First

It’s clear that the Maple Leafs are a team focused on scoring. Their 238 goals for through 2019-20 saw them finish third overall in that regard, with two recent Stanley Cup winners leading that list. Clearly, this part of their game isn’t a problem. The fact that they allowed 227, however, is.

Although it’s easy to go straight to goaltending when assessing these types of stats, it’s irresponsible to ignore the defensive influence on those numbers. While the job of a netminder is to stop the puck, the role of those in front of them is to limit the amount they see in the first place.

Toronto had over 2,200 pucks hit their net last season. Placing them in the bottom half of the league for that category, around teams like the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadians, and Arizona Coyotes. Those clubs finished the year in 26th, 24th, and 22nd place respectively. Not the type of company this Maple Leafs team should strive to keep.

Management hopes that acquiring veterans T.J. Brodie and Zach Bogosian will improve their blue line, while they also anticipate young prospects like Rasmus Sandin taking the next step in their careers. Toronto has begun to clean up what was once a defensive mess.

However, even if all of their ingredients mix effectively, the Maple Leafs still need to be doing more to make defense an effective aspect of their overall strategy. That has to come from a shift in thinking, setting the right type of expectations for each respective role.

Resolution: With the scoring prowess Toronto has upfront, those on the backend have to prioritize stopping their opponents from doing the same in their own end. Fewer chances will result in a lowered workload for their goalies, too. Defensemen need to put defense first and treat producing as a bonus, not their objective.

Resolution #4: Matthews Wins the Race

Amidst a productive offensive unit that includes the likes of Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander, and Zach Hyman, the Maple Leafs hope for even more after adding Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, and Jimmy Vesey. Yet, all eyes remain focused on Matthews when it comes to goal scoring, and rightfully so.

Good thing for Toronto, the former number one pick doesn’t seem phased with that type of expectation. Through his first four years in the league, Matthews has already amassed 158 goals and continues to show year-over-year progress with his per game pace.

Through 2019-20, his 47 goals in 70 games had Matthews poised to break Toronto’s single-season goal-scoring record of 54. However, following the unexpectedly shortened season, that title is still being held by Rick Vaive.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1229950984861954048?s=20

That production kept him amongst the leaders of the pack in the year-long race for the Maurice Richard Trophy, with the award as the league’s best scorer waiting at the finish line. He battled alongside Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak, two of the game’s most prolific, who ultimately shared the win.

Again, it’s not that Matthews isn’t doing the job that’s required of him. Not only does he consistently lead his own team in scoring, but he’s also now finding his place around the best in the league. Toronto simply needs more, to help them reach new heights.

Resolution: Amidst continued progress, it’s up to Matthews to set the bar to the levels he can reach. As the 23-year-old anticipates further growth and development, he has to work on finding a new gear of goal scoring that results in him doing more than just being near the leaders. Matthews needs to strive to be the best of them all.

Resolution #3: Marner Shoots More

Despite the fact that Mitch Marner’s nearly $11 million AAV will continue to divide this fanbase, there is no disputing that he’s among the most valuable to this organization. In his last two seasons, Marner has produced at a pace of 1.14 points per game and shown no signs of slowing down.

When you’re on a team with the type of talent that surrounds Marner, it’s easy to get lost in the mix. Yet, throughout his first four years in the league, his lowest ranking on Toronto’s point totals list was fifth, with the 61 he earned in his rookie campaign of 2016-17.

He then went on to lead his team in points the next two seasons, accumulating more than teammates such as Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk, and John Tavares. A pretty impressive set of stars to sit atop.

Through 2019-20, Marner’s 67 points saw him miss the top spot, bumped by the 80-point season earned by Matthews. However, where he also regressed was with his shooting, accumulating his lowest totals in both shot attempts (277) and shots on goal (154).

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1205329780595445760?s=20

Although 59 games are the fewest he’s played through any season, that doesn’t justify that his per game pace in each area declined. For the first time, mind you, after increases through each of the previous three seasons. If he wants to elevate his impact, getting more pucks on net is a good place to start.

Resolution: The fact that Marner is known as a playmaker doesn’t mean he can’t evolve into an effective goal scorer, too. However, to even begin building that type of reputation, he’s going to need to commit to taking the shot more often than not. He has to strive for a goal-scoring ceiling beyond his career-high of 26.

Resolution #2: Andersen Makes the Easy Saves

Just because his teammates failed to manage their defensive duties as effectively as was needed, doesn’t mean Frederik Andersen should be given a free pass. Even if a lack of support makes his role more difficult, he’s still relied upon to perform to the best of his abilities.

There’s simply no way Andersen can confidently say he pulled his weight last season, despite any shortcomings from his colleagues. Following one of his worst statistical seasons throughout his seven years in the league thus far, Toronto needs much more out of Andersen.

Simply stated, Andersen failed to provide what this team required of him. A save percentage of .909 and goals against average of 2.85 just won’t cut it. These numbers are far from where they have to be for Toronto to align with the elite of this league.

To his credit, Andersen clearly entered the 2020 Postseason ready to perform. The 1.84 GAA and .936 SV% he earned in the qualifying round are among his best such stats, to date. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find a way to escape the bad habits that plagued him all year with his inability to secure the simple saves along the way.

After extending the series to a winner take all situation, the Maple Leafs found themselves down 1-0 in the third. Andersen then let in a bad goal by all accounts, which inevitably gave the Columbus Blue Jackets the insurance marker they needed while deflating Toronto’s ability to battle back. He simply has to make that stop, every time.

Resolution: While we’ve seen flashes of greatness out of Andersen over the years, he needs to start treating every shot with the same level of importance. Stopping the pucks that have no place ending up behind him is as obvious a way as any to improve his stat line. Not only will such persistence put his career back on track, but it would also pave a better path for the Maple Leafs.

Resolution #1: Maple Leafs Make the Playoffs

At the time, earning a spot in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs seemed to put the organization ahead of schedule. Regardless of the Calder Memorial Trophy-winning season from rookie sensation Matthews, the postseason wasn’t necessarily a realistic goal before that year’s first puck drop.

With that said, their First Round loss to the Washington Capitals in 2017 was far from a disappointment. Just being there, for the first time since 2013, meant their development was heading in the right direction. They even found a way to extend the series to six games and force overtime in five of them.

Naturally, things were looking up throughout the following season. After earning 105 points in 2017-18, expectations realistically rose for the 2018 Playoffs. Until they faced another First Round exit. Back to the drawing board, looking forward to a fresh start to the now anticipated annual postseason appearance.

Entering the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it felt as though another year of growth would blossom into a furthered push as they faced a familiar foe in the Boston Bruins for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, again, they failed to find a way into the Second Round.

Seeming like things could only look up from there, this team found a new level of losing. First off, 2019-20 presented far more of a challenge than it should have for Toronto’s type of talent. They struggled to maintain their eighth-place finish and barely squeaked into 2020’s uniquely structured postseason.

They’d have to get through the ninth-seed Columbus Blue Jackets in a qualifying round, to then enter the more traditional 16-team tournament bracket. Despite a historic comeback that forced a deciding Game 5, Toronto once again couldn’t do enough to extend their journey.

Following such disappointment, there were obvious areas of their game that needed to be addressed. Management was active this offseason, in hopes of closing those holes with some clever acquisitions. With even more tools now available to construct a successful campaign, Toronto’s lineup has far fewer excuses heading into next season.

https://twitter.com/NHLFantasy/status/1341468465895510016?s=20

There is no denying that this is still a relatively young team. However, their collective tenure in the league is approaching a level of experience that demands greater achievements. Besides, there’s only so much re-working that can be done before the plan has to be judged accordingly.

Resolution: Now is the time for this lineup to enter their prime, before it’s too late and they find themselves past it. Their stars need to become elite, with strategies that rise above the competition. First thing’s first, they need to actually make the playoffs to then compete for a furthered push. (All stats from hockeyreference.com)

Despite a disappointing conclusion to the 2019-20 campaign, there is a lot to be optimistic about for the Maple Leafs. Their collective capabilities, from proven veterans to up and coming prospects, is amongst the best in the league. Making good on these key resolutions will undoubtedly lead this team to a level of success they haven’t experienced in decades.