The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to make it two in a row against the Vancouver Canucks tonight in Toronto.
The Toronto Maple Leafs absolutely destroyed the Canucks on Thursday, playing as complete and dominant a game that I’ve seen this group play. Every Leafs played had a positive possession rating, Jason Spezza had a hattie, Nylander had three points, Justin Holl was amazing, and Auston Matthews scored twice.
If the Leafs can build on that, then look out! They might have a great record so far, but that’s the first full game where they really showed their true capabilities. I’d feel really good about them if they can string a couple of those kinds of wins together. Maybe not necessarily that dominant (because, seriously, Vancouver couldn’t have beaten the Marlies on Thursday) but something at least dominant-adjacent.
I am writing this a little ahead of lineup announcements, but I think it’s a safe bet that we’ll see the same lineup as we saw Thursday, which would mean Nic Petan and Travis Boyd on the fourth line, Wayne Simmonds with Nylander and Tavares, and Freddie back in goal.
Sounds good to me.
Toronto Maple Leafs Fast Start
The Leafs have won five of six, and have points in their last six games and currently sit first in the Canadian Division, and second in the NHL. (To Boston, who else?).
Incredibly, the Leafs are 12 points up on the hilariously bad Ottawa Senators, and eight points up on the Calgary Flames. Of course anything can happen, but for all intents and purposes, the Leafs, Jets and Habs are going to be fighting for the top three seeds, the Senators and Canucks are basically eliminated, and the Oilers and Flames will be battling out for the final playoff spot.
Now, maybe not, because it’s still early, but after not-even-a-month, that is the most probable result of the Canadian Division. If Toronto wins tonight – and they really should, because after Thursday’s game, expectations are sky high – they’ll have a seven point lead on the Canucks, with three games in hand. That’s crazy for 12 games into the season.
In other news, Auston Matthews now has seven goals in his last six games, and is on pace for I think 894 goals this year. If he continues to score like this (and he only recently started scoring 5v5!) then he’s going to be the NHL’s best player.
Connor McDavid is a great player, but he gives back almost all his edge over Matthews offensively by being a terrible defensive player. Yeah, McDavid is still probably the best, but it used to be RIDICULOUS to suggest Matthews is at least close, and now its indisputable.
Go Leafs!