Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Key Takeaways Heading Into Opening Night

Oct 2, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor (18) celebrates with team mates after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens in the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor (18) celebrates with team mates after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens in the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have two preseason games left but Monday’s game is as close as you’ll get to the opening night line-up.

We’re roughly one week away from the Toronto Maple Leafs playing meaningful hockey games and there’s a lot to be happy about.

They may have blown a third period lead against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, but overall you should be pretty excited about this season if you’re a Leafs fan.

Over the past seven years, being a fan of this team has been frustrating, but at the same time, it’s been very rewarding.

We take Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares for granted nowadays but every time a new season starts, we should all be thankful that they’re in the blue-and-white and not somewhere else.

As shown by the team’s power-play throughout the preseason, this squad has so much chemistry and could be even better this year, if John Klingberg works out.

I wouldn’t put too much faith in him as a defensive-defenseman, but he does provide a lot of offensive output that not many other defenseman on this team possess.

We all know that the Leafs need to upgrade their defensive-core this season, but their offense should be able to carry them into a playoff spot until the NHL Trade Deadline, which is when GM Brad Treliving should make his moves.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will once again be a playoff team this year, but here are three takeaways from their preseason thus far as we get set for the 2023-24 season.