Maple Leafs news and rumors: Matthews, Marner, Reaves and Ellis.
The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the East Monsters at the Boston Bruins on Thursday night (November 2). As the team prepares for the massive game, we’ll take a quick look at some key aspects of the team in this edition of Maple Leafs news and rumors.
I’ll also speculate on some potential changes that could improve the game, based on input from my occasional colleague Stan Smith.
After a great road trip, the Maple Leafs fell short in their home opener against the Los Angeles Kings on October 31st.
Maybe the team is lucky to get back on track.
Which team will you go out?
Will they win against the Stars in Dallas on Tuesday or beat the Maple Leafs dead?
Point 1: What’s up with Matthews and Marner?
The Maple Leafs will face a number of challenges this season, a big part of which could be the chemistry between star players Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
The two still haven’t found their groove, especially at 5-on-5.
The absence of a productive left further complicates the issue.
While there is hope that Matthews and Marner will achieve their goals, has the team found the ideal left tackle for the best combination? Some fans are skeptical that Calle Jarnkrok will take over the role.
Makes sense?
Many suggest trying alternatives like Tyler Bertuzzi, Matthew Knees or Max Domi on the left wing to bolster the line.
[I want to see Nice there.] Additionally, thanks to the impressive play of William Nylander, coach Sheldon Keefe has been given the opportunity to experiment with various combinations.
Neylander would be better paired with Matthews, and Marner would be better paired with Tavares, who they’ve had success with in the past.
Point 2: Is there a better center on the team’s third line?
Another concern concerns the team’s bottom six forwards.
Some people feel that the current centers of David Kampf, Knies and Domi may not be the best fit for this line.
He is more famous for his defensive skills than his offensive skills.
Will third-row center Domi also have a chance?
While playing as a center for the Montreal Canadiens, he scored 72 points in the 2018-19 season.
Pairing him with Knies and bringing in Nick Robertson or Alex Steeves could give the lineup more attacking options.
[I want to meet Robertson again.]
Point 3: Does Ryan Reeves make money?
One area of contention is Ryan Reaves’ role on the team.
While we all understand the implications of his physical presence, many fans are concerned about his performance.
Statistically, he is a poor performer with a low expected goal percentage and high tackle risk.
The Maple Leafs could consider other options (even waivers?) for Reaves at some point.
Could a player like Kyle Clifford be a viable alternative regardless of his physical attributes?
He is a loyal warrior.
The 4th row was a problem during the king game.
Can Kampf, Jarnkrok and Noah Gregor deliver a strong shutout?
Point 4: Jake McCabe misses two more games.
Jake McCabe will miss the next two games with a groin injury.
He will miss Boston tonight and will not be ready to play in Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.
The good news is that he is expected to start skating on Thursday.
This shows that he is making progress in his recovery.
McCabe’s absence and his physical play may be felt by the team, but his offensive output has been limited this season.
He hasn’t scored yet.
Point 5: Conor Timmins won’t be back anytime soon.
In other injury news, the news on Connor Timmins’ lower body injury is not good.
He wasn’t even close to coming back.
Keefe said Timmins is starting to skate again.
As Keef reports, he’s still “far from playing the game.”
Timmins has yet to play this season.
He’s the only defenseman I want to see on the ice.
He always seems to score and boost his team’s secondary. Last season, he split time with the Arizona Coyotes and Maple Leafs, scoring two goals and 14 points in 27 games.
He averaged 15:05 of ice time last season.
If he returns and stays healthy, he could be a strong member of the Maple Leafs’ bottom line defensive duo.
Point 6: Max Ellis is off to a good start in the AHL.
According to some news about the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), Max Ellis is off to a great start in the AHL.
Scored 1 goal and 5 points in 7 games.
Ellis’ strong play can be attributed to his improved training regimen, which has boosted his confidence and allowed him to be more aggressive in the “tight areas” of the ice.
Ellis had a solid preseason that caught the attention of the Maple Leafs coaching staff.
Does this mean he will get an NHL call up this season?
As mentioned above, the Blue and White Army was asked to find an offensive contribution on the fourth front. Could Ellis’ recent play help solve that problem as the season progresses?
What’s next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs are coming off a bad schedule.
Tonight they face the Bruins after a 3-1-1 road trip.
Unfortunately, the last game against Los Angeles was terrible. They lost 4-1.
Keefe refused to make excuses for his slow performance against the Kings, noting that the NHL is a competitive league and every team goes through tough times. He said we need to overcome difficulties and think of ways to improve them.
He also had a disappointing game, like the last one. The team lacked energy.
As mentioned above, we will soon find out which team will be tonight.
