Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs hit the road in Detroit, facing a Red Wings squad that the Montreal Canadiens had just hammered by a score of 5-1. Funny how things work, considering Toronto had beaten Montreal 5-2 at home in the Habs’ home opener.
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The Maple Leafs jumped to an early 2-0 lead, but Detroit kept coming, relentless and fast. By the final buzzer, the scoreboard told the story: Red Wings 6, Maple Leafs 3. Toronto’s record now sits at 1-1-0, two points in the bag. It was only the second game of the season, but in both games, the Maple Leafs’ new DNA didn’t much look like it could be successful over the long haul.
The Game Was Tough for Maple Leafs Fans to Watch
The game was rough. Watching the Maple Leafs last night was like watching a slow-motion train wreck in the making. Detroit came out flying, aggressive, and sharp, while the Maple Leafs looked lethargic, reactionary, slow to the puck, and out of ideas. Even if the team had a plan, they seemed too slow to carry it out.
If you’re a believer in play-making hockey, this was a painful evening. Anthony Stolarz kept them in the game for the first two periods with some outstanding saves, but even the big guy eventually wore down. The pressure was intense and constant. The Red Wings were all over the Maple Leafs. Stolarz got hung out to dry.
Early Chaos and Fourth Line Sparks
From the opening minutes, the Wings set the tone. They forced multiple saves, controlled the pace, and made the Maple Leafs’ defense look unsure. Nicolas Roy had the first highlight, burning the goalie before Calle Jarnkrok was able to steal the puck and score it into an empty net.
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It was an oddity on the night. Most of the time, the Maple Leafs looked a bit too chaotic on the ice. The fourth line provided some spark early, and the team put in a second goal. But, for the most part, the only real Blue & White bright spots were in that first period. In itself, that single period didn’t do enough to offset the glaring issues elsewhere.
The Maple Leafs’ Defensive Woes
Defensively, the Maple Leafs were shaky at best. Morgan Rielly, in game one, was a steadying presence. In this game, he was not. Miscommunication and missed assignments allowed Dylan Larkin and the Wings’ forwards to capitalize repeatedly. Simon Benoit and Roy had moments of hesitation behind the net that led to Detroit goals.
A wraparound here, an empty-net slapper there, and suddenly the lead wasn’t just shaky. It had slipped through Toronto’s fingers entirely. From what I saw, the Red Wings seemed to be everywhere the Maple Leafs’ defense was not.
The Maple Leafs’ Stars Failed to Deliver
The first line was invisible. Auston Matthews hit a couple of posts, and Matias Maccelli dished out a couple of nice passes to the captain. That said, the first line certainly wasn’t a difference maker. The second line offered little help. Perhaps it’s too critical to suggest that they ghosted the team. But, in truth, I wondered where William Nylander had gone.
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Neither John Tavares nor Matthews Knies was able to pull the team back into the scrap. Meanwhile, Detroit’s forwards looked alive, crisp, and increasingly confident—a team that was looking for some redemption started to smell opportunity. In little time at all, they took advantage.
Then the penalties turned into killers. Against a potent Wings power play, Toronto’s miscues morphed into minuses. A stick broken in coverage created chances for Detroit to fire one-timers that found the net. Slow play on a deep-zone possession led to a goal, and the Red Wings thoroughly outpaced and outworked the Maple Leafs.
As noted, Roy scored his first Maple Leafs goal and looked solid in spurts. Max Domi streaked through the Detroit defense using a strong skating effort and ripping a seeing-eye shot past Cam Talbot. But it produced only a brief moment of hope. The fourth line, despite its size and grit, couldn’t carry the team alone. Still, it gave fans flashes of what’s possible when the Maple Leafs actually move the puck with purpose.
Maple Leafs’ Lessons on the Night
In short, this wasn’t just a loss—it was a lesson in what the Maple Leafs need to fix fast. They were slow, looked heavy, and were a step behind the play. Defensive coverage needs tightening, forwards need to move with more quickness to pucks, and the stars need to actually act like the top-line players they have shown they can be. A few players showed promise—Roy, Domi, and the fourth line—but they weren’t nearly enough.
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If you’re a Maple Leafs fan, it was a difficult game to watch. The Wings were not some powerhouse team. That said, they were what the Maple Leafs on this night were not. Organized, hungry, and far more disciplined than the group from Toronto. This game should be a wake-up call. Either the Maple Leafs adjust quickly, or the season could start to feel very long, very fast.
It was only the second game of the season, and perhaps it’s just the lesson this team needs to learn. If not, it could be time to face some hard truths about this DNA thingy.
