The Toronto Maple Leafs made a remarkable comeback against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night. Despite being down 3-1 and having two goals called back against them, the team kept grinding away to tie the game in regulation and former captain John Tavares won the game in overtime.
Many, including myself have been down on Tavares and what he could actually bring to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he has proven many wrong. I always felt that he was trying to play higher than what his skill level allowed him to do causing needless errors, but when he plays to his strengths like he did against the Capitals he can be a difference maker.
Tavares showed his hands are still top level and put them on display on the Maple Leafs first goal when he made Matt Roy look like a rookie by putting the puck in spots he couldn't defend. The play caused Rasmus Sandin to help Roy and leave Bobby McMann wide open in front of the net to bury a Tavares pass for his fourth goal of he season.
The former first round pick then showed off his nice hands in overtime when he chased down a puck to go in on Capitals goalie Logan Thompson where he slide the puck between his legs for the game winner. The goal was his ninth of the season and puts him on pace for 42 for the year, which if he could make it to that mark it would be just the second time in his career he eclipsed 40.
Alex Steeves gets opportunity over Nicholas Robertson
After collecting just one point (a goal) in his first 15 games Nicholas Robertson found himself in the press box for Wednesday's game. The former second round pick may be running out of time with the team and while he has been able to dress for most of the games he may not have been utilized to his skill set.
Robertson has not looked great five on five as he does not quite have the speed to get behind defenseman, but also lacks the physical strength to knock anyone off the puck which is a role he has been trying to fill. If deployed properly, Robertson needs to be skate alongside a playmaker that will allow him to come in as the high guy to use his shot instead of being the first man on the forecheck. I'd also like to see him on the penalty kill, while he's not lightning fast, he does have quick feet and could potentially take away passing lanes.
That said, the Leafs are winning his minutes when he plays, and he has an expected goals percentage of 49% despite playing almost exclusively in a bottom-six bereft offensive talent.
With Robertson being out of the line-up, Alex Steeves was called up and got into his first game of the season and played 13 5v5 minutes where the Leafs were mostly beaten up. He finished the night with three shots on net to go with a brutal 33% expected goals rating.
Top Prospect Shining with Marlies
After a long rehab from a high ankle sprain, prospect Fraser Minten has now suited up in three games with the Toronto Marlies recording as many points and Wednesday night he scored his first professional goal in a 3-2 overtime loss.
The Vancouver, British Columbia native dressed in four games for the Maple Leafs in 2023-24 before being sent back to junior and eventually captaining Team Canada at the World Junior Championship.
Minten will continue to get up to game shape with the Marlies and with the lack of depth scoring on the big club, their could be the potential of him lining up as the third line center and allow Max Domi to shift back to the wing.