The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in action against the Nashville Predators after coming off a terrible performance against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
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Unfortunately, things didn’t get much better against the Predators despite an okay start to the game. They eventually blew the lead, much like the majority of their games this season. And in the third period, the Predators completely took over the game and went on to win, 5-3.
Matthews & Nylander Non-Factors Again
It seems to be a common trend this season that Auston Matthews and William Nylander are complete non-factors during games. Yes, they are out there playing 18-plus minutes per night and maybe they have a few shots on goal. But they aren’t taking over games like they used to. Without them dominating, the Maple Leafs don’t stand a chance at winning consistently. The biggest question is, why aren’t they doing it anymore?
It does seem like the coaching staff’s system has effectively taken the offensive production out of their games. But they still need to find ways to create, especially on the power play, where their skill should really come out. For most in Leafs Nation, it is sad to see. At one point, Matthews was in the conversation as one of the best players in the NHL, with many putting him in the same category as Connor McDavid. Now, just two seasons removed from his 69-goal season, he looks like a shell of himself. As for Nylander, he has been productive this season, but ever since his and Craig Berube’s last yelling match, it seems like he has become disinterested.
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Last night, Matthews and Nylander played 18:23 and 18:56 respectively, recorded five shots combined, and finished minus-five together. That is simply unacceptable.
Coaching Change Coming?
As mentioned above, it seems like the coaching staff’s systems have greatly impacted the offensive output of the Maple Leafs’ stars. Not to mention, it also appears that the team has blocked out the messaging from Berube. That could mean they are heading toward a coaching change, and it may be for the best. At times last night, they looked good, but for some reason they just can’t reach that next gear. That, to me, signals that a coaching change might be needed.
There will be arguments that another change behind the bench isn’t necessary. But in the Matthews era, dating back to 2016, he has now played under three coaches, Mike Babcock, Sheldon Keefe, and Berube. This team arguably had the most success under Keefe, likely because he is more offensively minded. So if the Maple Leafs do decide to make a change, it wouldn’t be surprising if they went with a coach who has a more offensive structure.
It is also clear that something isn’t lining up based on the post-game messaging. After the game against the Capitals, Berube said, “Ask those guys, not me.” Then after last night’s game, he said, “Yeah, it is. It’s mental, for sure. We’ve got to get through it. We’ve got to get over that. We’ve got to make better decisions throughout the game.”
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But what did his captain say? “I thought we had a better process tonight. Had the puck more, made more plays, and our forwards came through the neutral zone cleaner. Adjustments on the fly aren’t perfect, but we were better.” That is drastically different. And it does raise the question of whether there is a disconnect inside the locker room.
The Maple Leafs take on the Dallas Stars tonight on the second half of a back-to-back. And if they lose that game, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the organization make a change before the calendar flips to 2026.
