Every team in the NHL faces adversity one way or another. These stretches of hockey show what kind of team you truly are. It shows how they can bounce back from tough breaks, bad injuries, and simply grind out games you shouldn't be winning. As this season continues to unfold, the picture of what this Leafs team is becoming is starting to come into focus. This recent stretch shows it looks different than what we’ve seen in the past.
Comfortable winning tighter hockey games
The biggest difference is the style of game Craig Berube wants the Maple Leafs to play. Although it didn't go well at the beginning of the season, it seems as tides are starting to turn in the right direction. The Maple Leafs are no longer trying to win every game by outscoring their opponents. They play a lot more tight checking low scoring hockey games, the kind of game that you need come playoff time. Many fans around the NHL call the Maple Leafs' style of play boring, but boring is a good thing. We have also seen them play different styles of games, whether that be their 2-1 tight, low-event game against the Flyers, or their 6-5 high-event game over the Jets. This team can play all styles of hockey but has learned how to control the game better and adapt to how their opponents play, rather than letting the game come to them.
They have returned to the team we saw during last season when they won the Atlantic Division for the first time in decades. This was a noticeable change from the team we saw in the Sheldon Keefe era, which virtually saw zero success. They played a reckless brand of hockey and just tried to outscore their opponents night in and night out. This is the problem the New Jersey Devils are currently having; the only reason why it worked with the Maple Leafs was because of their superstar talent.
Structure matters more than star power
The Maple Leafs have also gotten key contributions from their depth players. The emergence of Bobby McMann, Troy Stecher, Scott Laughton, and Nick Robertson has all helped lead the Maple Leafs this season when dealing with injuries or when the game hasn't been going their way. Every team needs their depth, especially when it comes closer to playoff time, as just depending on your star power is not a reliable recipe for success.
What it all means going forward
The Maple Leafs have dealt with a ton of adversity this season, whether that be falling to last in the Eastern Conference just a month ago, dealing with injuries throughout their entire lineup at once, or trying to find ways to win. The Maple Leafs are starting to play a different style of hockey, and have played some of their best stretch of games in the Matthews era. We are learning a lot about this team, and if they can reach the postseason, we could see a dangerous team that most teams will not want to face.