<p>Last time on Leaflets the topic du jour was not getting overly excited about the Leafs going 3-1-0 in the first four games to start the season. Right now, it seems like the reasonable thing to do is pick up where we left off and focus on why a 1-3-0 in their last four games isn&#8217;t a valid reason to panic about the Maple Leafs either. This is s still composed of individuals who feel comfortable dialling back their effort against some of the less skilled teams in the league, they are still a team adjusting to a new coach and a new way of doing things, and this is still a team that is on an 82 game journey to figure out how to be at their best in the playoffs. There are still 74 games left in the journey and there should probably be some snow on the ground before making bold proclamations.</p>
<p>That said, some little tweaks are worth discussing, and here&#8217;s my take on some tinkering options:</p>
<h2>Use the press box defencemen</h2>
<p>No offence to Conor Timmins or Simon Benoit, but Timothy Liljegren is a more talented hockey player than either of them. Liljegren might not have been at his best in training camp and his one game this season might not be inspiring his coaches to give him additional shots, but in reality, neither Benoit nor Timmins are showing they are every-game players either. Giving a Liljegren a bit of a run makes sense and even if the plan is to move him, giving him some time in the lineup might be the best short term boost for the Leafs blueline.</p>
<p>While Phillipe Myers might be more at the level of Benoit or Timmins, playing him makes sense too. He hasn&#8217;t found his way into the lineup as of yet and seemingly Tuesday night against Columbus would have been a great opportunity for him to be a fresh pair of legs, but alas, I can also appreciate a coach who doesn&#8217;t want to accept fatigue as an issue in the first month of the season.</p>
<p>While I can appreciate that Craig Berube might also want to keep his defensive pairings together to build up familiarity, it would be interesting to see McCabe and Ekman-Larsson split up (despite the fact they have been the best pairing in the season so far) and put both of them on the left side.</p>
<p>A McCabe and Myers pairing seems like it would be a physical deterrent the Leafs could lean on for tough matchups and Ekman-Larsson with Liljegren would be a strong puck moving option that can support the Leafs middle six forwards a bit better.</p>
<p>In the long term the Leafs are likely still better with the McCabe and Ekman-Larsson pairing intact, but Benoit and Timmins have made their case for sitting and getting creative with the pairings seems like what sets Myers and Liljegren up for success rather than putting them together for the full game.</p>
<h2>Pontus Holmberg to the fourth line</h2>
<p>This is the part where I admit I&#8217;m wrong about something. I often state that I believe that any forward can be turned into a penalty killer and the reality is that Pontus Holmberg has so far proven me wrong or is the very early stages of learning what he needs to do to become a penalty killer.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s only eight games in, so writing him off seems premature but at this stage pulling him off the penalty seems like a sound decision. At the same time I also have to reluctantly acknowledge that Marner and Kampf, especially as a pair, do have penalty killing figured out better than most, but in Kampf&#8217;s case not so much that his presence in the lineup is justified, at least not when Connor Dewar or Calle Jarnkrok are available as alternatives.</p>
<p>Holmberg playing up in the lineup hasn&#8217;t brought much success for the Leafs but at his price point he makes a lot more sense as a fourth line centre than Kampf does. And while the Leafs might not be to the point yet where it is a one or the other decision on who comes and goes from the lineup, it seems like it would be worth seeing what Holmberg can do with the fourth line teammates now and if his results improve against a level of competition more suited to his playing level.</p>
<p>If Max Pacioretty is ready to return, giving Max an opportunity on the Tavares line seems reasonable too. And the Leafs rotating Kampf and Reaves makes sense as combining that duo has never worked for the Leafs.</p>
<p>If Pacioretty is still out, putting Kampf with Tavares and Robertson in the interim at least supports the Leafs when it comes to the number of odd-man rushes they&#8217;ve had against them this season and Kampf&#8217;s conservative playing style and experience at least allows Berube to try something new while he waits for players to return from injury.</p>
<h2>Looking at the Bruins as the test</h2>
<p>The Leafs at 4-4-0 facing the Bruins at 3-4-1, after most recently playing a seven game series against each other that was ended in overtime pretty much points to an even matchup. Both teams have made changes since last spring but the essence of who these teams are and the core of the rosters are very much the same. Both teams even used Flames free agents as the means to change their rosters this summer.</p>
<p>The Bruins have always been the benchmark for the Maple Leafs. While the argument has been made that the Bruins have taken more of a step back, and the age of the Leafs&#8217; core with the coaching change have resulted in more optimism around the Leafs, this Saturday night game along with the rematch against the Bruins on November 5th will be the best early season litmus tests for the Leafs. After two blowout losses the Leafs should be at their best, though the Bruins find themselves in a nearly identical situation (albeit they played stronger opponents.)</p>
<p>For anyone wanting to judge the true state of the Maple Leafs early in the year, this is probably it.</p>
<p>From a Craig Berube standpoint, this will be an interesting test as well. He&#8217;s criticized the team for giving up too many odd man rushes and now they&#8217;ll be facing David Pastrnak. He has a top line and top defensive pairing that are in dire need of a job start, and he&#8217;s less than a week removed from a game against the Lightning which showed the potential for what the Maple Leafs can be when they are engaged.</p>
<p>While a win would be nice, the bar is probably set at showing an effort. If Toronto doesn&#8217;t do that on Saturday night it doesn&#8217;t matter if it is the ninth game of the season or the 79th game of the season, the narrative will absolutely become &#8220;the Leafs are in trouble.&#8221;</p>


Last time on Leaflets the topic du jour was not getting overly excited about the Leafs going 3-1-0 in the first four games to start the season. Right now, it seems like the reasonable thing to do is pick up where we left off and focus on why a 1-3-0 in their last four games isn't a valid reason to panic about the Maple Leafs either. This is s still composed of individuals who feel comfortable dialling back their effort against some of the less skilled teams in the league, they are still a team adjusting to a new coach and a new way of doing things, and this is still a team that is on an 82 game journey to figure out how to be at their best in the playoffs. There are still 74 games left in the journey and there should probably be some snow on the ground before making bold proclamations.

That said, some little tweaks are worth discussing, and here's my take on some tinkering options:
<h2>Use the press box defencemen</h2>
No offence to Conor Timmins or Simon Benoit, but Timothy Liljegren is a more talented hockey player than either of them. Liljegren might not have been at his best in training camp and his one game this season might not be inspiring his coaches to give him additional shots, but in reality, neither Benoit nor Timmins are showing they are every-game players either. Giving a Liljegren a bit of a run makes sense and even if the plan is to move him, giving him some time in the lineup might be the best short term boost for the Leafs blueline.

While Phillipe Myers might be more at the level of Benoit or Timmins, playing him makes sense too. He hasn't found his way into the lineup as of yet and seemingly Tuesday night against Columbus would have been a great opportunity for him to be a fresh pair of legs, but alas, I can also appreciate a coach who doesn't want to accept fatigue as an issue in the first month of the season.

While I can appreciate that Craig Berube might also want to keep his defensive pairings together to build up familiarity, it would be interesting to see McCabe and Ekman-Larsson split up (despite the fact they have been the best pairing in the season so far) and put both of them on the left side.

A McCabe and Myers pairing seems like it would be a physical deterrent the Leafs could lean on for tough matchups and Ekman-Larsson with Liljegren would be a strong puck moving option that can support the Leafs middle six forwards a bit better.

In the long term the Leafs are likely still better with the McCabe and Ekman-Larsson pairing intact, but Benoit and Timmins have made their case for sitting and getting creative with the pairings seems like what sets Myers and Liljegren up for success rather than putting them together for the full game.
<h2>Pontus Holmberg to the fourth line</h2>
This is the part where I admit I'm wrong about something. I often state that I believe that any forward can be turned into a penalty killer and the reality is that Pontus Holmberg has so far proven me wrong or is the very early stages of learning what he needs to do to become a penalty killer.

It's only eight games in, so writing him off seems premature but at this stage pulling him off the penalty seems like a sound decision. At the same time I also have to reluctantly acknowledge that Marner and Kampf, especially as a pair, do have penalty killing figured out better than most, but in Kampf's case not so much that his presence in the lineup is justified, at least not when Connor Dewar or Calle Jarnkrok are available as alternatives.

Holmberg playing up in the lineup hasn't brought much success for the Leafs but at his price point he makes a lot more sense as a fourth line centre than Kampf does. And while the Leafs might not be to the point yet where it is a one or the other decision on who comes and goes from the lineup, it seems like it would be worth seeing what Holmberg can do with the fourth line teammates now and if his results improve against a level of competition more suited to his playing level.

If Max Pacioretty is ready to return, giving Max an opportunity on the Tavares line seems reasonable too. And the Leafs rotating Kampf and Reaves makes sense as combining that duo has never worked for the Leafs.

If Pacioretty is still out, putting Kampf with Tavares and Robertson in the interim at least supports the Leafs when it comes to the number of odd-man rushes they've had against them this season and Kampf's conservative playing style and experience at least allows Berube to try something new while he waits for players to return from injury.
<h2>Looking at the Bruins as the test</h2>
The Leafs at 4-4-0 facing the Bruins at 3-4-1, after most recently playing a seven game series against each other that was ended in overtime pretty much points to an even matchup. Both teams have made changes since last spring but the essence of who these teams are and the core of the rosters are very much the same. Both teams even used Flames free agents as the means to change their rosters this summer.

The Bruins have always been the benchmark for the Maple Leafs. While the argument has been made that the Bruins have taken more of a step back, and the age of the Leafs' core with the coaching change have resulted in more optimism around the Leafs, this Saturday night game along with the rematch against the Bruins on November 5th will be the best early season litmus tests for the Leafs. After two blowout losses the Leafs should be at their best, though the Bruins find themselves in a nearly identical situation (albeit they played stronger opponents.)

For anyone wanting to judge the true state of the Maple Leafs early in the year, this is probably it.

From a Craig Berube standpoint, this will be an interesting test as well. He's criticized the team for giving up too many odd man rushes and now they'll be facing David Pastrnak. He has a top line and top defensive pairing that are in dire need of a job start, and he's less than a week removed from a game against the Lightning which showed the potential for what the Maple Leafs can be when they are engaged.

While a win would be nice, the bar is probably set at showing an effort. If Toronto doesn't do that on Saturday night it doesn't matter if it is the ninth game of the season or the 79th game of the season, the narrative will absolutely become "the Leafs are in trouble."

The 1-3-0 in the last 4 narrative for the Maple Leafs, who should sit, and early tests: Leaflets

Recent articles from Jon Steitzer

Breaking News