The Toronto Maple Leafs have a new core four.
Man, I hated writing that sentence, but hopefully it got your attention. After going three games without registering a point and thinking the world was ending, the 2026 first-overall pick, Gavin McKenna had his best game of his career, scoring his first NHL goal and registering an assist.
After missing three optional skates and going scoreless in three games, McKenna showed the world how good he is, but just as importantly, the rest of the team showed up.
The term "Core Four" haunts Leafs fans, as John Tavares, William Nylander, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner were looked at as the lifeblood of this team and a four-pack that would guide this team to greatness. Instead of a championship, all they achieved was two first-round playoff wins and then after Marner left, the team missed the playoffs.
The world seemed bleak as a Leafs fan for a few short months, but luckily they won the NHL Draft Lottery, drafted Gavin McKenna first-overall and now there's a new core in town. At this point in their career, Marner is clearly a better player but the youthfulness and excitment of a new player is so refreshing.
After the game, McKenna mentioned that him and Matthews had a "sleepover" on Sunday night, so this core-four feels a lot different than the last, although there is only one new player arriving.
McKenna and company shine against the Predators
Speaking of the rest of the core, Matthews had the best game of his season, and arguably one of his best in two years, registering one goal and three assists. He was seemingly everywhere on the ice and looked like the man who was a Hart Trophy winner a few years back.
Everyone knows that this team still needs to run through Matthews, Tavares and Nylander, so the fact that they registered seven points in a come from behind victory was a huge sign of great things to come this year. Not only was it amazing that they got on the scoresheet, but Tavares' goal showed that maybe hasn't lost a step.
After discussing his lack of speed through three games, Tavares showed everyone that he still has it, racing down the wing and firing a wristshot under the bar for the first goal of the night. If the former captain can keep that up, maybe the Leafs don't need a new second-line centre afterall.
The Leafs desperately needed that win because the next four games are going to be brutal with three on the road against Vegas, Colorado and Utah before returning home against Buffalo. Let's hope this new core-four can show their former forward Marner that things are better off without him on Thursday night, as that'll be a true test of what this team is made of this season.
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