There's a concerning trend forming in Toronto behind Matthews, Marner and Nylander
When the Toronto Maple Leafs win a game this season, it's usually because one of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner or William Nylander took over the game. Far too often this season, if the team's 3 top dogs are having an off night, the Leafs don't win. So much is made of their individual cap hits and rightfully so. They make the most money, so should face the most criticism when things aren't going well.
During the last stretch of games, the Leafs have really struggled with their scoring, which really shouldn't be a problem when you look at their roster. However, when you dig into the numbers, there's a concerning trend forming. Captain John Tavares has only 2 points in his last 10 games. Tyler Bertuzzi has just 4 points in his last 10 games. Rookie Matthew Knies has 4 points in his last 17 games, Max Domi with 2 points in his last 10 games and Calle Jarnkrok has 3 points in his last 19 games. The list goes on.
It will be imperative for head coach Sheldon Keefe and his coaching staff to get more out of the players. The Leafs are clinging to third in the Atlantic Division with a record of 24-14-8 with teams like the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning primed for a big second half push.
With the Leafs having the toughest remaining schedule of any NHL team, they'll have to rely on their supporting cast to provide some goal support. They can't always expect one of Marner, Matthews or Nylander to pop off on any given night, especially when they're up against the opposing team's shutdown units and top defenders most nights. It's up to Keefe and the coaching staff to try to create some mismatches, identify the opposition's weaknesses and exploit them. What's happening right now is as much about the coaching as it is about anything else.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 26 | 613 ANSWERS There's a concerning trend forming in Toronto behind Matthews, Marner and Nylander How can the Leafs fix their secondary scoring woes? | ||
| Move Domi back to LW and put him in the top 6 | 135 | 22 % |
| Put Robertson in the top 6 | 383 | 62.5 % |
| Put Bertuzzi back on the top line | 95 | 15.5 % |
| Fire Keefe | 0 | 0 % |
| List of polls | ||
