The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting contributions from across the entire lineup
The Leafs stars have had moments of brilliance, but players further down the roster are the biggest reason for their promising start to the year.
The Toronto Maple Leafs played their first four games without their number-one goaltender. Their newly-appointed captain and Rocket Richard winner, Auston Matthews, didn't score or register a point until the season's fourth game.
Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner have scored just five of the team's fourteen goals. Matthews, has just one goal. The Toronto Maple Leafs didn't score a power play goal until game four, when it was already 3-0.
Despite all that, the Leafs have won three of their first four games, after defeating the Los Angeles Kings 6-2. If not for a 48-save shutout and some unfortunate bounces from the goalposts during a season-opening loss against the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto would be riding a four-game win streak.
Matthews, Nylander, and Marner have had dazzling moments, but the entire lineup is contributing.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting contributions from across the entire lineup
The Maple Leafs skill and talent level are still very evident, but contributions from further down the lineup have highlighted the early games. Against the Kings, Max Domi's position flexibility had him playing center between Nylander and Bobby McMann.
On McMann's first goal, all Toronto players touched the puck before he scored to give the Leafs the lead. McMann scored again later in the first, part of a 3-0 lead after a period. The Maple Leafs cruised from there.
McMann has scored three goals after being a healthy scratch on opening night in Montreal. Max Pacioretty scored in that game but sat against the Kings. It's all part of a healthy, internal competition that the Maple Leafs have created among their bottom-six forwards.
Domi is unlikely to permanently thrive at center, but his adaptability to multiple positions is a helpful option. He has had a strong start to the season, leading the team with five assists through four games.
Morgan Rielly had a beautiful tip-in goal versus the Kings. He became the ninth different Leaf player to score through four games.
Free agent acquisition Oliver Ekman-Larsson recently replaced the longest-serving Leafs player on Toronto's struggling first power-play unit. The early signs point to him as a better option than last year's failed man-advantage experiment, John Klingberg.
The Maple Leafs coaching staff seems willing to give Ekman-Larsson a prolonged look with the first power-play group, rather than prior short terms stints of replacing Rielly with Klingberg or Timothy Liljegren. It's another early-season example of the team's improved depth.
Lastly, the Leafs have not missed a beat with Joseph Woll out of the lineup. Anthony Stolarz is taking advantage of his opportunity to play more. He has put up ridiculous numbers thus far. The team has only allowed only seven goals through four games, compared to sixteen over the same period last year.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have stiffer tests within the next week of the schedule. Playoff and Cup-contenders the New York Rangers (last night) Tampa Bay Lightning, and Boston Bruins await.