Jack Campbell Saves Short-Handed Toronto Maple Leafs

Jack Campbell won the Toronto Maple Leafs another game last night, and I think it’s time to stop asking questions like “is Jack Campbell for real” and start asking questions like “is Jack Campbell the NHL’s best goalie?”  because for over a year now, he has been.

The Toronto Maple Leafs played a decent – not great – game last night, and because of Campbell they were able to win 3-0 and make it look like a route.  Campbell should be the no-questions starter for the USA Olympic Team, and at this point I am wishing he was Canadian because if he was….

The Leafs were out-shot and out-possessed, but they didn’t allow the Flyers to get very many dangerous chances. This team  can strike like a cobra, all it needs is a couple chances of their own and a good night from the goalie, and they’ll win most of the time.

Without John Tavares (lower body) the Toronto Maple Leafs were quite shorthanded, but this game was never really in doubt, due to Campbell.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Flyers

Nick Ritchie – seven shots, and an assist – had his best game as a member of the Leafs, and coach Sheldon Keefe was rewarded with the victory for playing Timothy Liljegren over Travis Dermott, as Justin Holl was back in the lineup.

Liljegren really didn’t have anything to do with the win, and I thought he maybe had his worst game of the year, but it didn’t really matter. I like Travis Dermott a lot, but I think Liljegren has won a spot in the top five and that the Leafs are getting a significant upgrade from the fact that he and Sandin are finally ready to contribute. (stats naturalstattrick.com).

Kirill Semyonov made his NHL debut, but truthfully, I hardly noticed him.  In fact, other than Campbell, Rielly, Brodie and the power-play it wasn’t really a great night for any Leafs. Nylander had a pair of goals, but outside of that even he wasn’t that impressive, and he’s been the Leafs best player all year.   Anytime when Auston Matthews has two shots and Nick Ritchie has seven, you’ve had yourself a bad game.

Frankly, the Toronto Maple Leafs have lost several games this season that they deserved to win more than this one, but that’s the value of having a top goalie.  There is a partial excuse because they didn’t have Tavares, but realistically, they aren’t getting enough from Bunting, Ritchie, Engvall or Simmonds.

Semyonov probably gets another chance, and I’d like to see both Joey Anderson and Josh Ho-Sang as well.  It’s too bad that Nick Robertson broke his leg because he’d have a sweetheart of a chance to win an NHL job right now because outside of Alex Kerfoot the Leafs barely have another NHL left-winger on the roster.

But a win is a win, and I am liking the fact that if the season ended today Jack Campbell would win the Vezina and William Nylander would come third in Hart Trophy voting.