Toothless Maple Leafs leave more points on the table, lose to Minnesota
The Toronto Maple Leafs lose another close game.
I'd like to give the Toronto Maple Leafs the benefit of the doubt because they have played three games in four nights, and they not only played back-to-back, but this is the second straight week where they have played four games, which is eight games in 14 nights - that's a lot of hockey.
I'd like to do that, but I'm afraid I can't, because they are supposed to be a top team, and top teams bank points in situations that other teams would struggle in. The Toronto Maple Leafs are simply leaving too many points on the table.
The optimist could say that Auston Matthews and the power-play will eventually get going (and they did score on the PP tonight), but a pessimest would point out that this team has the 7th highest PDO (the combined total of their 5v5 save and shooting percentage) in the NHL and is still only .500 after 13 game.
The bottom of the Leafs lineup is just not good. The coach isn't making smart decisions with his lineup. Auston Matthews isn't living up to his MVP billing. The special teams are bad. The team only has 2 top-nine NHL centres and is missing a number-one defenseman. They have no identity.
Toothless Maple Leafs leave more points on the table, lose to Minnesota
The Leafs deserved to probably beat the Blues on Saturday, but on Sunday they were easily deserving of their loss, and in fact, getting to OT and at least getting the loser point has to be seen as a better result than they deserved.
The Leafs only managed one dangerous scoring chance after the second period. The Wild dominated when the Pacioretty-Tavares-Nylander line was on the ice. Shot attempts were 20-6 in the Wild's favor and they had something like 80% xGoals too. It was a brutal showing by a line that has recently been effective despite it's makeup, age, overall skating ability and defensive acumen.
Pacioretty has had games this year where he looks like vintage Pacioretty. He has also had just as many where he makes Ryan Reaves look good.
OEL and Rielly showed why they are likely a pairing that isn't going to last long, and the fourth line was also bad.
On the good side, Jack McCabe was the Leafs best defenseman, I thought. While the line of Domi, Robertson and McMann was the only forward line that didn't make me want to rip my hair out, though Domi ruined what was a pretty good night for him with the losing play in overtime. And while I want Robertson to be in the lineup, he's got to get off more than one shot if he wants to stay in it. (stats naturalstattrick.com).
Basically, the Leafs got a point tonight because of their goalie. Auston Matthews has got to get more than 3 shots in a game, and it would be nice if the coach showed even just half an ounce of creativity.
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The Leafs just do not seem to be a tough team, they don't seem to be a great offensive team, or to have any kind of identity, really, at all. Their forwards haven't looked dangerous and after 13 games, they appear to be a non-descript, featureless team going nowhere. They aren't bad, they aren't good, they just are.