The Toronto Maple Leafs underwent a major change in their lineup this past offseason, as all of Leafs Nation already knows. A change that Leafs Nation has some mixed feelings about, the departure of hometown player, Mitch Marner.
With the season already underway, the main focus for the Leafs and the fans is to play winning hockey. Currently sitting fourth in the Atlantic division with a 7-5-1 record, the Leafs have slowly picked it up after a slow start to the season, now on a two-game winning streak heading into tonight's game against the Utah Mammoth. How the new core has looked so far on the scoresheet is something that people may worry about. Well, let's break it down.
Auston Matthews - 7G, 4A, 11 pts in 13 games played
Matthews has put up decent numbers so far this season, with 11 points in 13 games, while leading the team with seven goals. His line certainly looks different without Marner on his wing. However, he is still battling and trying to get back to the superstar scorer status that Leafs fans know well. Through the first 13 games played last season, Matthews put up the same numbers that he has through the same number of games this season. Then again, he was dealing with an injury. It's still early in the season, and Matthews, as well as the team, are hoping the numbers keep going up with every game played.
William Nylander - 5G, 13A, 18 pts in 10 games played
Despite missing a couple of games early in the season, Nylander has picked up where he left off from last season, as he leads the Leafs in points and assists. He's played both on the second line with John Tavares and on the first line with Auston Matthews this season. It seems as though whichever line he plays on, he makes an impact right away. Last season, he had around the same numbers at this point in the season as he does right now (10 goals, five assists, 15 points). It's safe to say Nylander plays his game, no matter who his linemates are.
John Tavares - 6G, 10A, 16 pts in 13 games played
Tavares still brings his veteran presence to the rink, given how he has performed so far this season. He's currently second on the Leafs in goals and points, and ranks third on the team in assists. He also has a goal on the powerplay, an aspect in which the team, as a whole, is struggling quite a bit this season. Being able to put up numbers early in the season like this, especially as a 35-year-old, shows just the type of player he is.
Matthew Knies - 4G, 12A, 16 pts in 13 games played
The youngest of the new core has been great to start the season so far. Coming off a career season last year where he had 58 points (29 goals and assists), Knies is keeping it going as he's tied with Tavares for the team lead in points and is second on the Leafs in assists. Thriving on the top line with Matthews, where he basically played every game all of last season, he'll keep looking to add more of what he has provided for the Leafs in his short time in the NHL.
Overall, the new core four has been putting up decent numbers without Marner in the picture. However, the Leafs need all players to chip in, especially the bottom six skaters who haven't been putting up much to start the season. Of course, Matthews, Nylander, Tavares and Knies are the big guys for the Leafs and are expected to perform, but a total team effort is needed.
The Leafs have a chance to extend their win streak to three games when they go up against the Utah Mammoth tonight. It'll be interesting to see how the team plays tonight and if the new core can continue their play.