The Toronto Maple Leafs had an opportunity to earn points in the standings coming out of the All-Star Break. They got to play a two-game set against the worst team in hockey in the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Maple Leafs took care of business on Friday night in Columbus. Ilya Samsonov silenced the cannon by pitching a 3-0 shutout. John Tavares scored twice. Their defense didn’t allow much to the Blue Jackets all night. It seemed like a step in the right direction against an inferior team.
But then Saturday night happened, on national TV no less.
Maple Leafs Suffer Brutal Loss
The rematch started with the Maple Leafs building a 2-0 lead thanks to goals by William Nylander and Michael Bunting. The first period couldn’t have gone any better. They outshot the Blue Jackets 11-4 and now held them scoreless for four periods.
As soon as the second period started, it was like the Maple Leafs stopped playing thinking they would cruise the rest of the night. Instead, they got a rude wakeup call.
The Blue Jackets scored three in a row while outshooting the Maple Leafs 21-10. Boone Jenner, Kirill Marchenko and Sean Kuraly scored in the span of just over 11 minutes. They turned up the intensity and the Maple Leafs couldn’t match it.
Early in the third though, the Maple Leafs had an answer thanks to Morgan Rielly. He scored a power-play goal to make it 3-3. Of note, this was the first power-play goal scored by a Maple Leafs’ defenseman this season. That’s hard to imagine given the talent they possess.
The lead wouldn’t last long however as Kent Johnson was able to deflect a shot in with just over 14 minutes to go. That became the winning goal as the Blue Jackets held on and won 4-3 on Hockey Night in Canada.
That was a brutal loss for the Maple Leafs. From up 2-0 to a regulation loss against the 32nd place team is a sign there are problems that need immediate attention. As a result, the Tampa Bay Lightning now carry a higher points percentage than the Maple Leafs in the race for home-ice advantage in round one.
If you watched the goals closely enough, you’ll see the issues that need addressed. They must be addressed at this trade deadline. It’s not just one trade needed, it’s multiple trades needed.
Justin Holl
The plus/minus stat is one you normally take with a grain of salt. It’s not entirely indicative of someone’s performance. In this instance however, it’s completely indicative of someone’s performance. Enter defenseman Justin Holl.
Holl was a -3 on the night. But it’s what he could have done to prevent the goals. He was on the ice for goals by Jenner, Marchenko and then the 4-3 winner by Johnson. That goal screamed the need for a defensive upgrade.
Let’s look at each goal. On the first goal, that was Holl’s man. He allowed Jenner free access to the slot with little resistance. It was like there was no defenseman trying to stop the play. Soft defense doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Then on the second goal, Holl had a chance to take possession of the puck and clear it. Instead he whiffed and Marchenko scored an easy goal. It’s now 2-2.
Skipping ahead to the 4-3 goal, Holl was in good position against Johnson by being in front of him. But then inexplicably, Johnson gains position and gets in front of Holl with no resistance. Cole Sillinger shoots the puck which deflects off Johnson’s stick and in. There’s your game-winning goal. Had Holl played any semblance of defense, that goal doesn’t happen.
Holl’s -3 was well earned on Saturday night. But these are plays that just cannot happen. It could ultimately cost the Maple Leafs home ice. They need to make an upgrade on defense. It’s no wonder they’ve been connected to several names on the trade market.
It doesn’t end there though. Not only do the Maple Leafs need help on defense, they need forward help too.
Alexander Kerfoot
While Alexander Kerfoot didn’t have as dreadful a night as Holl did, he showed why the Maple Leafs need an upgrade at forward also. Fans have clamored for a trade here going back to previous seasons.
On the 3-2 goal, Kerfoot was unable to get the puck away from Joseph Woll’s crease. This led to a mad scramble in which Kuraly won and had an easy slam dunk. Rielly was caught watching the play which forced Kerfoot into a bad position. He still had a chance to get the puck out though.
That was a critical mistake at a bad time. It allowed the Blue Jackets to take the lead and gain momentum. Now couple this with the fact Kerfoot’s numbers have gone down from last season and you have a situation in which the Maple Leafs need to look for an upgrade up front.
Kerfoot is the kind of player that can play anywhere in the lineup and can do many things. Our Spencer Lazary did a nice job summarizing the situation and showing why Kerfoot could be expendable by the deadline. Other players have done well and he has struggled.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Emerging Depth Is Making Kerfoot Expendable
Against better competition, these mistakes will only be magnified more. The fact that it happened against the Blue Jackets is alarming.
Multiple Trades Needed
If the Maple Leafs hope to advance past the first round this season, they will need to complete multiple trades to get there. Holl isn’t performing like a top-six defenseman. Kerfoot has made mistakes and his numbers are suffering too.
The Maple Leafs can’t compete with the Lightning or Bruins with these recent performances against inferior teams. Staying status quo would indicate management trusts the current roster.
After losing to the Blue Jackets in the manner they did, I’m not sure how they can proceed without making moves. The Maple Leafs need a forward. They also need a defenseman.
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Having a losing record against the bottom of the NHL is unacceptable for a team with championship aspirations. It’s all or nothing this season on many fronts. If the Maple Leafs hope to finally get past the first round, they will need multiple trades to make it happen.
It’s the only way forward now given their recent play.
