Leafs making the most of their opportunities with key players injured, performing well above expectations
The Leafs have yet to play a game this season with a completely healthy lineup and are still second in the Atlantic, third in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall. Prior to the return of Matt Murray, their "fourth string" goalie in Erik Kallgren had played half of the team's games and they have been without Jake Muzzin (likely for the season), Morgan Rielly and T.J. Brodie for a month already. Brodie is likely to return this week at some point, but Rielly will be out until the new year at least. Not only that, but Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov had each missed a month of action due to injury. Calle Jarnkrok is week-to-week with a recent groin injury and Jordie Benn has also been out the past couple of weeks after a short return from an earlier groin injury.
All of those injuries have led the Leafs to a league-leading man games lost of 175 so far, as you can see from the chart below. For the Leafs to be a top-5 team in the league while playing half of the season without three of their top-six defensemen and their two starting goalies at varying points is no small feat. Particularly if you consider just how tough the Atlantic is and the schedule the Leafs have had thus far. Let's not forget about the reported nagging injuries that Auston Matthews has been playing through either. With all of the injuries, the Leafs have been forced to "see what they have" in their prospects as we've seen the NHL debut for Mac Hollowell, Filip Kral, Pontus Holmberg and tonight Semeyon Der-Arguchinstev. All of which have performed fairly well when called upon.
If the Leafs are able to continue to play and be a top-5 team, there is no reason that Sheldon Keefe shouldn't be considered for the Jack Adams award at seasons end. What he has been able to do with and get out of a constant shuffling of players is impressive.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 6 | 152 ANSWERS Leafs making the most of their opportunities with key players injured, performing well above expectations Are you impressed with how the Leafs have seemingly kept on rolling through all of their injuries? | ||
| Yes | 141 | 92.8 % |
| No, they're expected to perform regardless | 11 | 7.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
