Game Review: Game 11, Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2
It’s a four-point weekend for the Maple Leafs. Among the fan base, it was ‘blow it up’ last week, ‘playoff bound’ the next. The Leafs needed their goaltender to be their best player to get this win...
View ArticleGame Review: Game #12, Arizona Coyotes 3 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Unprepared to start the game. That was the story of the Leafs’ 3-2 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday night as they tried to dig themselves out of a 3-0 hole and ultimately couldn’t overcome it....
View ArticleGame Review: Game #13, Avalanche 4 vs. Maple Leafs 3 (SO)
We shouldn’t have to spill ink on the head-scratching decision that was the Morgan Rielly scratch, but it ended up clearly affecting the game in a negative way, so here we are. In Arizona, Rielly did...
View ArticleGame Review: Game #16, Toronto Maple Leafs 6 vs. Boston Bruins 1
There will be some debate after this win as to whether the Leafs were just that good or the Bruins were just that “off.” Zdeno Chara and David Krejci were out of the lineup and that’s a big factor,...
View ArticleFriday Mashup: Back to Back On Tap
Pittsburgh tonight followed by Buffalo tomorrow. Better to be playing the Sabres when tired than the Penguins, at least. Friday Links: Paul Hendrick: Peter Horachek interview — talks backside pressure,...
View ArticleGDT: Game #18, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Buffalo Sabres (7pm, HNIC)
Toronto (9-6-2) is in Buffalo to take on the struggling Sabres (3-13-2) in what always feels like a home game for the visiting Maple Leafs. After a tough loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the...
View ArticleGDT: Game #19, Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Nashville Predators (7:30 p.m., TSN4)
The Maple Leafs are looking for a bounce-back game after hitting the lowest point of their season so far, a blowout loss to league laughingstock the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night. The Predators are...
View ArticleGame Review: Game #22, Pittsburgh Penguins 4 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs 3 (OT)
A point out of a visit with the league’s best and highest-scoring team (15-4-2 with a +27 goal differential after this win) is something any team in the League will take, no questions asked. Especially...
View ArticleGDT: Game #22, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Washington Capitals (7 p.m., HNIC)
In the battle of the middling teams, Washington (10-8-4) is in Toronto to take on a Maple Leaf squad (11-8-3) looking to build on three solid games (2 wins & 1 OT loss). The Leafs are 5-3-2 in...
View ArticleGDT: Game #24, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Dallas Stars (7:30pm, TSN4)
For the disappointing — relative to off-season hype — Dallas Stars, the key to victory has been quieting/limiting Seguin, Spezza and Benn. After that, the Stars have been dealing with a pretty big drop...
View ArticleGDT: Game #25, Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New Jersey Devils (7:30 p.m., TSN4)
The struggling New Jersey Devils are in Toronto to take on the warm-getting-warmer Maple Leafs. The key for the Maple Leafs in this game will be avoiding falling into the trap of playing down to a...
View ArticleGame Review: Game #27, Toronto Maple Leafs 4 vs. Calgary Flames 1
If you’re Randy Carlyle, in terms of process, you’re probably only really happy with the middle 20 minutes in this game (and of course Jonathan Bernier’s performance). That sounds bizarre after a 4-1...
View ArticleGDT: Game #28, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Detroit Red Wings (8 p.m., SN)
The Toronto Maple Leafs (6-3-1 in their last 10) are in Detroit to take on the Red Wings (8-2-0). Detroit has been one of the hottest team’s in the League since they were defeated by Toronto 4-1 in...
View ArticleJVR, PDO and the Leafs Defense
I didn’t have any particular topic I wanted to write about this week, so yesterday morning I asked my twitter followers what they wanted me to write about as far as a statistical analysis of the Leafs...
View ArticleGDT: Game #32, Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m., TSN4)
The league’s hottest team pays a visit to its coldest tonight in Carolina. The two teams are riding opposite streaks, the Leafs winners of six straight and the Hurricanes losers of six consecutive....
View ArticleGDT: Game #34, Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m., CityTV)
The Maple Leafs take on the Blackhawks in a quick turnaround following an embarrassing defensive effort last night against Philadelphia. It’s the second weekend in a row where the Leafs play...
View ArticleGame Review: Game #33, Chicago Blackhawks 4 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs 0
In the game day thread before the Carolina game, we talked about how, in March of 2014, the Leafs were on a red-hot streak that included wins over the Kings and Ducks right before they played a weaker...
View ArticleWhat Does the Future Hold for Jake Gardiner?
And what should the Leafs do with the polarizing young defenceman? The answer isn’t an instantly-gratifying one: Continue to be patient. here is currently no bigger riddle or lightning rod on the Maple...
View ArticleGDT: Game #36, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers (5 p.m., SNO)
This will be the third week in a row with a Sunday game for the Maple Leafs, something we should probably get used to as Rogers pushes their new Hometown Hockey Sunday night program (with poor ratings...
View ArticleGDT: Game #40, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m., HNIC)
The banged-up Maple Leafs will look to salvage something out of a back to back after a tough loss to the Minnesota Wild last night. The Leafs played a pretty good game considering the circumstances...
View Article