The Toronto Maple Leafs are a team that’s players receive both too much hype and too much criticism.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander has consistently been posting superstar peripherals for three seasons now, and is coming off a season where he might very well have had 40 goals had the schedule been completed. The criticism of Nylander flies in the face of objective reality so much that criticizing him is now shorthand for having a 1990s view of hockey that is laughably outdated.
Another player who doesn’t get near the credit he deserves is Alex Kerfoot.
Famously acquired for Nazem Kadri (ironically beloved now that he’s left town, Kadri faced many of the same nonsensical criticisms from the media and fanbase that Nylander does now), Kerfoot is a younger, faster player whose defensive superiority to Kadri helps the Leafs more than Kadri’s offense did.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Alex Kerfoot
Kadri has scored 2.27 points per 60 at even strength since he was acquired by the Avalanche.
Kerfoot has scored at a rate of 1.91 since the trade. Sine Kadri’s PP wizardry isn’t missed on the Leafs at all, it’s important to note that the trade only cost the Leafs about one-third of a goal every five games. (stats naturalstattrick.com).
To me, Kerfoots ability to not get suspended in the playoffs + his superior defensive play makes him the more useful player to a team that doesn’t need scoring. This trade is a win by the Leafs, even if you don’t count a free season of Tyson Barrie in as a bonus.
But I digress. I’m here to talk about Kerfoot’s recent hotstreak.
Kerfoot has three goals and seven points in his last seven games, which earned him a promotion to the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander last Thursday. Kerfoot currently has a solid 11 points in 19 games, playing mostly as the Leafs third line centre. When you consider that his most common linemates have been Jimmy Vesey and Ilya Mikheyev (8 points combined) that is impressive production.
In addition to Kerfoots excellent production he is also getting one minute of PP time per night, and almost two minutes of PK time, which is fourth most among Leafs forwards.
Mostly I don’t talk too much about what zone players start their shifts in, because I think it only makes a noticeable difference when the usage is extreme, which in Kerfoot’s case it is. Kerfoot has started only 32 shifts in the offensive zone. For context, Mitch Marner has started 118 shifts in the offensive zone.
Kerfoot’s differential percentages are not that good, but it’s hard to get more chances than the other team when you’re consistently starting in bad position. I think if we look at his production, and the way the coach deploys him, we can see the makings of a very good player who is an integral part of the team. And another member of the Toronto Maple Leafs who is severely underrated.