Toronto Maple Leafs: Tavares Playing Great, Matthews Back and More

The First week of the Toronto Maple Leafs season is in the books, and overall I’d have to say it went pretty well.

Fans are back to see the Toronto Maple Leafs in the ACC, and while the medical professionals who have guided me through this pandemic don’t think filling it to full capacity is a good idea, and I sure as hell wouldn’t attend a game, you’ve got to love seeing the stands full again.   (At least, from a non-medical standpoint).

I did find it funny that people were questioning whether or not the empty seats were Covid related or if  people just don’t like the team that much this year.  Honestly, how can that be a real question?  I know people would like to think the shine is off the rose here, but this team sold out every game of the Todd Gill Era, so give me a break.

The team is off to a solid start and while you can (and likely will) quibble over ever little detain (ohmygodtheydidn’tstartontimeagain!!!!!) the fact is team could easily be 3-0, and that should make you happy. (all stats naturalstattrick.com).

Toronto Maple Leafs Thoughts and Ideas

Of course there is a sad little segment of people who did their own research and decided to cheer against their favorite team, mostly due to……..the dress code? I don’t even know anymore, man. The Leafs did relax their dress code – because it isn’t 1954 and having a dress code is idiotic – but if you have a problem with this, then I don’t even know what say…..maybe take up yoga, relax and don’t sweat the small stuff?

Far be it for me to tell anyone what to think, but my opinion is this: If someone cared how the players dressed before and after games, I would not care what that person thought about one single other topic.  It’s ridiculous.

I don’t have a good segue for this next part, but Auston Matthews is back tonight, and with 79 games left in the season I think he can still score 79……well maybe he’ll be a bit rusty, so let’s say 75…….I’m kidding.  Or am I?  He nearly scored a goal per game last year in the parts of the season where he could shoot the puck, so if he’s heathy I fully expect him to score in most of the games.

How good is Matthews?  Let’s just say if his career high ended up being 60 goals in a single year, I think that would be a disappointment.  Matthews next goal will be the 200th of his career. He is just 534 goals behind Ovechkin!

While Ovechkin remains great, Matthews is the NHL’s best goal scorer today, and the value of his insertion back into the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup cannot be overstated.   Marner – who only has one assist so far – should be happiest, but people need to cut that guy some slack.

Just because he is ice cold in terms of shooting-percentage doesn’t mean he’s playing badly.  Tavares should have had a hattrick Saturday night, but was repeatedly robbed by Anton Forsberg.  Had a couple of those went in, we’d be talking about how great those guys were in Matthews’ absence.

With Tavares on the ice so far, the Toronto Maple Leafs are getting 54% of the scoring chances, and 56% of the dangerous chances, as well as 52% puck possession and 53% expected goals.  Oh and the opposition has not scored while they were on the ice.  And the Power-Play has been dangerous.

Judging players by their point totals is lazy, and Tavares has been every inch the number-one centre while Matthews was out of the linuep.  He’s playing great, as are the Leafs.

It’s the Rangers tonight.