The Toronto Maple Leafs played perhaps their best game of the season on Saturday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were shorthanded for their game against the Penguins, and their 7-0 win was a complete team effort.
Martin Jones was perfect in the net, the defense limited the Penguins chances, and the Leafs received scoring from seven different players.
The Leafs looked like the version of this team that general manager Brad Treliving mentioned in his press conference when he took over as GM in the summer.
They competed hard, battled for every puck, and stood up for themselves and each other. As a fan, it was incredible to watch.
With Auston Matthews and T.J. Brodie out with the flu, a 7-0 win is not what any fan would have predicted. However, the Leafs played hard and looked like a bonafide playoff-caliber team.
Obviously, there are a few areas that could use some improvement, but we can’t take away the effort we witnessed on Saturday.
As we get closer to the NHL Christmas break, I thought it would be fun to imagine what is on GM Brad Treliving’s Christmas wish list for this Leafs team.
I’m sure he’s hoping Santa has the Leafs on the nice list. Will Santa bring the Leafs an early Christmas present, or will Treliving have to wait until after the Christmas trade freeze is lifted? We’ll find out soon enough.
Here is a look at Treliving’s Christmas wish list for 2023.