It’s time for the Toronto Maple Leafs to come face to face with the one thing they’ve been looking forward to. After a long and gruelling 82-game season in the books, they kick off their postseason against the Tampa Bay Lightning once again.
With the success they’ve had this season it doesn’t matter compared to what they need to do in the postseason. While the regular season is important, this is what everyone has been looking forward to see what this team can do. After six straight early round exits, they once again have a chance to finally redeem themselves and take a step forward to win a series for the first time since 2003-04.
As they embark on another playoff push, there are some questions that should be answered as they look to finally take down an opponent that recently handed them another defeat in the 2022 playoffs. Here are three burning questions for the Maple Leafs against the Lightning.
Can the Maple Leafs Exploit Vasilevskiy’s Weakness?
There’s no doubt that Ilya Samsonov is going to have to outduel Andrei Vasilevskiy in order for Maple Leafs to be victorious. Based on what he has been able to accomplish in his career, it seems like nothing can beat Vasilevskiy. He has had amazing regular season success and is just as clutch in the postseason, as his career .923 save percentage and 2.30 goals against average shows.
In the 2022 playoffs, Vasilevskiy did have another strong SV% of .922 but his GAA was 2.52. The last time where he had a GAA over two was the 2018-19 postseason where they were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets. This season Vasilevskiy has been great, but there appears to be something off with his game. His 2.65 GAA in the regular season is the highest it’s been since 2017-18 where it was 2.62. Which begs the question, is there a weakness to Vasilevskiy’s game?
In a loss to the New York Rangers, Vasilevskiy gave up six goals, but it was the amount on a certain side that stood out. He gave up four goals against on his blocker side, as Adam Herman from Bleacher Report noted. In the 2022 playoffs, Daily Faceoff’s Mike McKenna went into depth on Vasilevskiy’s numbers and his blocker side was a glaring weak point as it was at an all-time low .801 SV%.
The Maple Leafs have even exploited this spot in the past as a potential weak point. David Kampf scored a breakaway goal on Vasilevskiy’s blocker side in Game 1 of their series in 2022. In a more recent outing in the regular season, Luke Schenn scored a goal far out over his blocker side and Calle Jarnkrok got one over the same side on a low angle.
As good as Vasilevskiy has been, there comes a time where teams start to pick off weaknesses to a player’s game. This might be that time where teams are starting to clue in on that trend. While you shouldn’t count him out because he can always rise to the occasion, the Maple Leafs took advantage of that in the regular season. If they can do that again in the playoffs, then they may have solved Vasilevskiy and could come out on top.
Will Bunting Keep Things in Check?
It’s obvious that the officials have it out against Michael Bunting in regards to drawing penalties. Take the most recent game against the Lightning. Bunting was crosschecked by Corey Perry and since there was no initial call, Bunting goes after Perry and they both get called for fighting. Later on, captain John Tavares gets rushed by three players. As soon as Bunting comes in, he gets a penalty for roughing.
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Given how he has been officiated as of late, head coach Sheldon Keefe stated his displeasure after their loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Bunting has drawn 43 penalties this season, but the differential between ones drawn and taken is only one. Last season, his differential was 13. He has had a reputation for being a pest and agitator, but there have been instances where he does embellish and then proceeds to express frustration at the officials. Now, if they find anything to make a call on him, they will. Even teams are doing everything to try and bait him.
This kind of attitude from the officials is why fans around the league are upset and should just call the game as is and not have it out against players. Given how the playoffs are here, the officials should call the game as is and leave their bias at the door, because they will ultimately dictate how a game ends.
In order for Bunting to have a strong series, he needs to still play that style that makes him successful, but not get roped into post-whistle scrums because we know how it will end. He needs to keep things in check and if he needs to walk away, he must do that. Otherwise, he’ll be the only one in the box and you don’t want to give the Lightning power play chances given the fire power they have.
Bunting’s an effective top-six forward and even though he was demoted during the season, he has shown to still provide that energy and spark to contribute to the team’s success. He ultimately could be a game-changer as his play style is what makes a team successful in the postseason. If he keeps things under control, then the advantage is on the Maple Leafs’ side.
Can the Maple Leafs Push Forward?
We’ve said this many times in regards to the Maple Leafs winning a round. Is this finally the year where they’re able to alter the course of events and make it past the first round? On paper, the obvious answer is yes. This roster is extremely talented and know what’s at stake.
“I think everybody that has the honour to be a part of our organization recognizes what comes with that,” Keefe said according to TSN’s Mark Masters. “We don’t take it lightly for a day. That said, we can only focus on controlling what we have in front of us.”
This team has been desperately trying to find an answer to their playoff woes. Their inability to take over key games and close out when they should has been the glaring reasons why they haven’t moved past the first round. With the moves at the deadline and a new found mentality and consistency to their game, the Maple Leafs have come in once again as a favourite against a powerhouse dynasty that has made the finals the last three playoffs. Last season was the closest they have come to winning a series, and despite playing much better and showing that they deserved to win, it wasn’t enough.
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The Maple Leafs have improved as a team compared to last season. With the additions of Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty and Luke Schenn, this team is well equipped to beat teams like the Lightning and possibly the Boston Bruins. They managed to hold their own against both teams in the regular season, but the playoffs are different. If the Maple Leafs play is any indication over the last four games of the season, they appear ready for what’s to come.
With their experience, added physicality and determination that comes with a Stanley Cup Champion, the Maple Leafs have all those qualities. Now, it’s a matter of executing their game plan properly and efficiently and paying attention to the details that have cost them in the past. They need to be smart with the puck, play with an edge and show that despite their previous failures, prove they’re worth being a competitive team when it matters.
The Maple Leafs are a different team compared to when they faced the Lightning last time. This is a roster built for a long run and they need to show that in their series against them. Things can be on their side this time around as they prepare for what’s ahead.
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