The Toronto Maple Leafs embarrassing preseason opener loss to the Ottawa Senators made it seem like Sheldon Keefe never left the building. A second loss to the same team didn't help matters much.
Fans got to see the same old Toronto Maple Leafs, making the same old sloppy plays at both ends of the rink.
But we can give the team a pass. Despite being largely outplayed by the Sens’ AHL version in game one, and being more or less dusted in game two, there were several positive points to keep an eye on.
Here’s a look at three positive points from the Toronto Maple Leafs first two pre-season games.
Some positives from the Toronto Maple Leafs first 2 losses of the season
Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz looked good
Goaltending has been one of the biggest storylines heading into camp this year. The signing of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz was not what most fans wanted, but it is the team’s reality. The fact is that Woll kept the Leafs in the game early in game one, especially when being outshot 15-2 in the first period.
Woll looks confident and generally set to be the man in the crease this season. Had the Leafs played a better game in front of him, the score would have been much different.
Craig Berube talked after the game about how the Leafs played much better in the third period. In fact, the third period is what he wants to see moving forward. While I wasn’t entirely convinced about that third period,it was a much better overall effort compared to the first 40 minutes.
If the Leafs can play like that in front of well this season, the Leafs could end up winning far more games than expected.
As for the second game, the team was much worse, and the Leafs goalies kept them in it. It was an impressive performance from not just Anthony Stolars, but Dennis Hildeby as well.
The Leafs are still Keefe’s team but in transition
On the whole, the Leafs are still operating under the Keefe mindset. That seems fair considering that Keefe held the bench boss role for parts of five seasons.
As such, fans have yet to see the Berube stamp on the Leafs. But the team is in transition. There are several newcomers still looking to adjust, while other younger players need to learn the ropes under the Leafs new coach.
Despite the loss, the Leafs transition from Keefe to Berube is a largely positive one for now. The club looks a lot more resilient and determined to win games in which they may have simply folded in the past.
Max Pacioretty could be the steal of the century
Pacioretty scored two goals for the Leafs playing alongside John Tavares. The veteran duo looks solid. It seems that both players feed off each other’s energy and vibe.
Could the preseason opener have been a sort of renaissance for Pacioretty? Why not? It’s happened before. There have been cases where older players see their careers invigorated after landing with a new organization under the right set of circumstances.
If Pacioretty, and Tavares by extension, play the way they did against the Sens, my colleague Stephen Nixon’s prophecy could come true. Should that occur, Pacioretty could become the steal of the 21st century, not just for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but in the NHL.