For a number of seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have longed to find players that could provide consistent secondary scoring. We know that the star players have carried the offensive load, but there comes a time when you need contributions from other players than just your stars to alleviate that pressure.
While the stars are going to be your go-to producers throughout the season, the Maple Leafs depth scoring has already started to come alive two games into the season. It’s still early on but getting this kind of production and impact early could bring in a big return for a team where depth scoring was an Achilles heel previously.
Depth Players the Difference Against Devils
While you would expect the likes of Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner to find the scoresheet, they have yet to find it this season. While it’ll only be a matter of time before they do, the Maple Leafs are getting contributions from names like Max Pacioretty, Steven Lorentz and Bobby McMann early on, as they got the offense going for the Maple Leafs in their 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils. John Tavares is the lone core forward with a goal this season.
Pacioretty and Lorentz signed one-year deals after being brought in on professional tryouts and Bobby McMann didn’t have the best preseason and was forced to sit out of the first game. All three had something to prove and all three made their presence felt, finding the scoresheet early on in the 2024-25 season. Pacioretty crashed the net and put home the loose puck, McMann scored from far out and Lorentz had a wicked backhander.
While the Maple Leafs were shutout for the first time in over three seasons against the Montreal Canadiens, they still managed to have a positive impact offensively and the depth was key. Here’s a breakdown of how the bottom-six has fared for the Maple Leafs in the two games this season.
| Line | CF% | xGF% | SCF% |
| Robertson- Holmberg- Pacioretty (through two games) | 64.52 | 62.53 | 63.64 |
| Lorentz- Kampf- Reaves | 78.57 | 99.36 | 80 |
| Lorentz- Kampf- McMann | 42.86 | 79.43 | 50 |
While it’s only two games in, you can’t help but take note of how well the bottom part of the lineup has played to start the season with their chemistry. This is the kind of play that head coach Craig Berube wants to see on a nightly basis. The fourth line of McMann- Kampf- Lorentz scored twice and had a number of quality chances. That style of play is what’s making them successful every shift in the offensive zone; being hard on the pucks, winning battles and attacking the middle with force. That’s how they scored their first three goals of the season, by getting to the middle and by quickly attacking the net to create chaos in front of it.
Related: Maple Leafs Shut Down Devils, Previous Head Coach Sheldon Keefe in 4-2 Win
When you look at teams that have won the Stanley Cup, they had a competitive and impactful bottom-six that took advantage of their opportunities. Even if they don’t score often, the Maple Leafs bottom-six is showing signs early on that they can make a difference. If they’re able to continue with this momentum going forward, it could be an area of strength this season. Their speed, physical play and drive have all been evident as they generated a number of high-danger chances.
Maple Leafs Depth Struggles Could End
The Maple Leafs in the past have relied heavily on the Core Four and haven’t had any consistency from the bottom part of the lineup.
There always seems to be a revolving door of depth players coming in with very little production to show for which was seen last season. The Maple Leafs got a total of 185 goals from Matthews, Nylander, Marner, Tavares and Tyler Bertuzzi as he was regularly in the top-six when a scoring surge after a hat trick helped him out. After them, there was only 88 goals from the rest of the regular forwards.
Matthew Knies and McMann’s 15 goals were the next most out of the forwards. Knies showed promise with his shot and hands in tight and McMann went on a hot stretch to hit double digits. Nick Robertson had 14, though he was in and out of the lineup. Calle Järnkrok who was injured for most of last season– and to start this one– had 10 goals, down after scoring 20 the season before. Max Domi, David Kampf, Pontus Holmberg, Ryan Reaves and Noah Gregor were in single digits for goals.
That really isn’t enough balance scoring wise. Before the start of the season, I reflected on the scoring depth and how it could be more prominent this season. With what we saw during the game against the Devils and the potential for Knies and Robertson being poised for increased roles offensively this season, it’s definitely possible. They have an opportunity to be strong secondary scorers for this team after strong preseasons.
As they continue to take steps forward in their development, players within the bottom-six also have the potential to find the score sheet more consistently than last season and in the past.
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While it’s very early on in the season, the Maple Leafs scoring depth and impact is being felt as they’ve been the major standouts more so than the top players. In games like against the Devils, when the stars really weren’t at their best, the team needs to get goals elsewhere and they did.
The hope is that this can continue going forward as the offense won’t just come from one select group constantly.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick.
