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The Toronto Maple Leafs Are Learning How to Win Ugly

By Michael Da Ponte

CALGARY, AB - JANUARY 24: Jacob Markstrom #25 of the Calgary Flames stops a shot from Wayne Simmonds #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on January 24, 2021 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB - JANUARY 24: Jacob Markstrom #25 of the Calgary Flames stops a shot from Wayne Simmonds #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on January 24, 2021 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have five wins through the first seven games of the season, and they have all been one goal games.

A couple of final scores show a two-goal game, but those were empty net goals in the last minute of the game. Coming away with a winning record in this situation is impressive. The Toronto Maple Leafs are finally learning how to win one goal games, and more importantly accepting ugly wins.

It certainly has not been pretty at times. The games against Edmonton that everyone was touting as a must watch offensive explosions ended being a two tightly contested games. There was no room for either teams’ stars to use their speed and skill to dazzle the empty crowd, they had to score ugly goals just to squeak out a win.

Last season the Maple Leafs had a tendency at times to aggravate us by giving up leads in multiple games. On many occasions the Leafs would take a lead but continue to take chances on the offensive side, which resulted in some difficult defensive shifts. It is a small sample size but over the first two weeks of the season the Leafs seem to adjusted their mentality on the ice and are prioritizing keeping the puck out of their own net first.

Toronto Maple Leafs Getting It Done

Going back to the Columbus series, even though they ended up losing the series, I think it is clear that Sheldon Keefe has his team playing a different style from Mike Babcock. Where in the past they may not have been satisfied with a one goal win, it seems that winning the game by any means is the emphasis now. This mentality is the ingredient that has been missing in the recipe for playoff success.

Yes, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost a five-game series to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the bubble, but fortunately that did not discourage this young core from continuing to work at it. With an entire season to perfect this style that Keefe has the Leafs playing I am getting even more excited about the prospect of a long playoff run.

Without the big bad Bruins and the perennial Cup contender Tampa Bay Lightning looming over the Leafs playoff path, this may be their best opportunity. Obviously, there are a few teams in the Canadian division that will have something to say about that. Montreal is currently tied for first in the division with Toronto and Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary are all close behind. (Standings courtesy nhl.com )

The Montreal Canadiens have shown early on that they are a strong team from top to bottom and seem to be built for a playoff push. Jacob Markstrom has remained in Vezina caliber form and has pushed the Calgary Flames into the upper echelon of the Canadian division. But make no mistake about it, this Canadian division is the Toronto Maple Leafs’ division to win.

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It may just be because I am in this market but the Leafs seem to have the most pressure of all the Canadian teams to come out of this division in the playoffs. The Maple Leafs desperately need to find playoff success this year, and they are playing like it.

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