The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in action against the Seattle Kraken last night, and things didn’t go as planned.
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From the jump, they looked off. They had to play catch-up three times in the game, and when it finally went to overtime, they had a few chances but the Kraken were able to score and win it. This has been a common trend for the Maple Leafs over the last handful of games. At times, they look out of sync, and it costs them big time. Tonight, there were numerous times that this happened, and as a result, they lost. Thankfully, they were able to secure one point, but the effort as a whole needs to be drastically better.
Now, onto the takeaways from last night’s contest.
Tavares Records His 500th Point with the Maple Leafs
John Tavares tried his hardest to keep his team in this game. His first goal was an absolute bullet that tied the game at 2-2. His second goal came off a rebound that he was able to find the back of the net with, again tying the game, this time at 3-3. That second goal though was special. It was his 500th point with the Maple Leafs since joining them in 2018-19.
Related: John Tavares Record His 500th Point With the Maple Leafs
Tavares also became the fourth player to score 500 points with two different teams. Obviously, those teams are the New York Islanders and the Maple Leafs. These two goals also move him to just three goals away from another huge milestone, his 500th career NHL goal.
Overall, throughout the game, he was very good. He was strong in the offensive zone, which led to him scoring two goals. He went in hard on the forecheck, did well in the faceoff circle, and as always went to the net as often as he could. If he keeps playing this well, he could hit 85 points again in his career.
Maple Leafs’ Lines Need More Consistency
Have you ever noticed that the Maple Leafs’ lines are always changing? It seems like every game there’s been a new combination at the beginning of the game or throughout it. For example, last night Easton Cowan started on a line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. They’ve been good over the last few games, but for the second game in a row, he was taken off that line in the second half of the third period and for almost the entire rest of the game. Yes, this was to make room for William Nylander, but then Cowan plays with John Tavares and Dakota Joshua and things feel out of sync.
This has also happened with the Tavares and Nylander line. It starts with Mattias Maccelli, then shifts to Bobby McMann, then to Joshua, and then back to Maccelli. It messes with the other lines that now have new players on them and makes the team feel a bit lost. Eventually, they just need to go with four lines and let things play out for a few games. That’s not to say that head coach Craig Berube can’t load up the top line, but when this happens for an extended period of time, it messes with the chemistry of other lines and makes it very difficult for them to make reads when they are playing with new players every shift.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs now have a few days off before returning to action on Oct. 21 against the New Jersey Devils. This will be the first time they face former head coach Sheldon Keefe this season. Then they are off until Oct. 24, when they play the Buffalo Sabres in the first game of a home-and-home series.
