Coming out of the All-Star break, the Toronto Maple Leafs were looking to get off to a great start with the unofficial start to the second-half of the NHL season. After a bye week it looked like things were off to a good start as they kicked off a back-to-back series with the Columbus Blue Jackets, winning the first game 3-0.
When the game shifted to Toronto, things were looking up after another strong start as the Maple Leafs had a 2-0 lead after the first period. Then, things took a turn for the worse as the Blue Jackets piled on the pressure and the Maple Leafs once again failed to take advantage of the situation they were in against a team lower than them in the standings.
The Maple Leafs have been known to have sub-par performances against lower seeded teams in the standings, while playing at their best against the top teams in the league. Once again, that trend continues. The loss didn’t sit well with head coach Sheldon Keefe as he called out his team as a result of their poor second period against the worst team in the league.
Keefe Not Mincing Words
Keefe didn’t mince any words after a disastrous second period, where unforced errors, turnovers, and poor decision making ended up costing them another two points in the standings.
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The previous night, the Maple Leafs dominated the play in the middle of the ice. However, that changed quickly as their poor play and execution allowed the Blue Jackets to take advantage of the home plate area on the ice. The Maple Leafs had a five-on-five high danger chances for percentage of 57.89% in Columbus and a HDCF % and 70.59 in Toronto, but made the Maple Leafs pay as their mistakes proved to be costly. These images from Natural Stat Trick shows the difference.
In response to a question from the media post-game according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, Keefe said, “You guys talked to the players. I’m sure you asked them the same questions. I can’t do the work for them.”
This isn’t the first time where Keefe has called out his team’s effort, especially when going up against an easier opponent. Some notable games were when he called out the star players earlier this season against the Arizona Coyotes and even back to last season after a loss to the San Jose Sharks.
While the stars did their part, other players made some extremely crucial errors during the game that led to the comeback. Pierre Engvall made a very soft clearing attempt and the puck eventually found its way onto Boone Jenner’s stick for the Blue Jacket’s first goal of the game. Then there’s Justin Holl showing no awareness as Kent Johnson easily pushes his way to the front of the net for the game-winning goal. Once again, Keefe’s comments told the story on Engvall and the line as a whole.
If the Maple Leafs had a bad start and lost the game, being it on a back-to-back, I might understand. However, they dominated and controlled the pace of play. This game once again falls on the players. The fact they ended up blowing a 2-0 lead to the last place team shouldn’t sit well with them as it certainly didn’t with the head coach.
Playing Down to Opponent Remains
The biggest concern for the Maple Leafs all season has been their play against teams lower than them in the standings as they have a 5-5-3 record against the eight worst teams in the league. That doesn’t seem very appealing.
In those games, the puck management, attention to detail and lack of awareness has been the downfall in every single loss to weaker teams. These constant results are getting very tiresome.
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This current stretch of games is very crucial for the Maple Leafs to not only create separation in the standings, but to prove they aren’t a team that falters against weaker competition. With two games coming up against the Chicago Blackhawks, one against the Montreal Canadiens and one against the Buffalo Sabres, they need to take advantage of this schedule.
The Maple Leafs need to show up and play with a sense of purpose and authority like they do against the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning. If they want to remain and be considered a top, competitive team in the league, they can’t bow down to the lower seeded teams and need to start beating the ones that they should. They need to have a near flawless record down this stretch and they need to make each game count.
The Maple Leafs have a chance to change that narrative. Their play over the last few seasons against teams that they should win against has been a concern and they truly need to figure it out. They can’t let easy points get away from them in standings as that can be the difference maker of playing at home, or playing on the road when the playoffs start.
Persistent Issues Are Costly
The combination of costly mistakes, poor play and not being ready for a battle shows that the Maple Leafs’ issues are persistent when it comes to competition lower in the standings. Losing momentum at key points is something this team really can’t afford as every game is even more crucial, no matter who the opponent is.
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The Maple Leafs need to find their focus and show that competitive edge and full 60-minute effort. Keefe even added the players need to decide how important it is for them that they can’t let their guard down and maintain that consistency. It’s a big reason for success in the regular season, but it’s even more important in the playoffs.
This team won’t go far if this mentality continues. Based on Keefe’s reaction, they need to get it together and fast.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick.
