During the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ four-day break, the team has a valuable chance to further integrate their new players. Given the recent additions to the roster, particularly on defense, with players like Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson, these practice sessions will be important for building chemistry and familiarity with new teammates.
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Improving the team’s defense will be a key focus during these practices. While roster players (in some cases) will redefine their roles, the coaching staff will spend time fine-tuning game strategies and building communication patterns.
Item One: Maple Leafs Max Domi’s Starting to Heat Up
Max Domi’s season with the Maple Leafs has been a tale of growth. He started slowly in terms of his offensive production; however, gradually, Domi has found his rhythm to become a more trusted and consistent contributor to the team’s success.
Domi endeared himself to his teammates early on with his willingness to stick up for anyone who was run by an opponent. However, in mid-December, he scored his first goal of the season. After that, he seemed to begin his offensive resurgence. Despite facing limited ice time playing on the third line, he managed to put up assists and maintain a solid plus-minus rating.
As the season progressed, Domi’s confidence and ability to fit in developed. In mid-December, he put up a three-point night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. With Auston Matthews sidelined, he grabbed the opportunity to show his offensive side and versatility. He’s been getting more top-six minutes as the season has progressed.
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Although his goal-scoring output has remained modest, Domi’s playmaking ability has become increasingly evident. He’s been putting up key assists in crucial moments. His contributions also extend beyond the scoresheet, and he’s shown his willingness to assert himself physically in the gritty aspects of the game. He’s shown that he has “jam.”
More recently, Domi has been putting up points and scoring goals that have helped push the Maple Leafs to wins. His improved performance has been a significant factor in the team’s success, providing valuable lineup depth and secondary scoring. He’s fast, and when he breaks in alone on a goalie, he’s shown he can score.
Overall, Domi’s journey throughout the season reflects his ability to make an impact and contribute to his team’s playoff aspirations, which should become vital for the Maple Leafs heading into the postseason.
Item Two: Could Connor Dewar Be a Hidden Gem?
On Friday, the Maple Leafs made a trade with the Minnesota Wild to pick up forward Connor Dewar in exchange for a 2026 4th-round draft pick. The move makes sense. The team added a quality depth player to the roster without significantly impacting their salary-cap space. On an expiring contract worth $800,000, Dewar might be one of those players management will want to re-sign (if they can) after the season.
Dewar, who’s a 24-year-old pending restricted free agent, has shown a huge jump in his game this season with the Wild. In 57 games, he’s hit a new career high with 10 goals. However, his real strength is his defensive abilities. His advanced analytics suggest that he’s particularly adept at limiting expected goals against, which will make him a valuable asset, especially in the postseason when defensive reliability becomes critical.
Dewar is precisely the type of player the Maple Leafs were looking for to complement their elite offensive lineup. With a focus on shutting down opponents, he will be relied upon when the top players are resting.
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Overall, this acquisition provides the Maple Leafs with a dependable depth player who contributes defensively and could greatly improve the team’s performance in the high-stakes playoffs.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The four-day break between games provides a valuable chance for the Maple Leafs to address any injuries and allow players like Mitch Marner to recover. Marner, who is currently listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, might have injured his knee during the last game against the Boston Bruins on March 7. [The last word I heard was that he was not likely to play Thursday.]
Despite finishing the game, Marner appeared to be in pain after falling awkwardly. Given this context, the break in the schedule gives him additional time for treatment and rehabilitation.
The Maple Leafs will resume play with a road game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. After that, they will return home to prepare for a matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night. The schedule allows time for Marner to rest and recover between games, potentially increasing the chances of his return to the lineup. However, his availability will ultimately depend on the severity of his injury and recovery progress during this break.
We’ll see as the week goes on.
