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3 Key Takeaways from Maple Leafs’ 7-4 Win Over the Wild

On Saturday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Minnesota Wild by a score of 7-4. What were the key takeaways from the game?

by
Old Prof
October 15, 2023

The Toronto Maple Leafs won their second game in a row, but this time with a whole lot less angst. The final was a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night. Now, in the early stages of the 2023-24 NHL season, the team has a perfect (if one just looked at the standings) 2-0 record.

In this post, I’ll share what I believe are the three key takeaways from the game.

Takeaway One: Three Key Maple Leafs Offensive Leaders

Auston Matthews has started the season on fire. In both games this season, he’s put up two hat tricks. That’s two consecutive games where he’s showcased his exceptional skill at goal-scoring. Even better, Matthews’ goals have been crucial to the games. Almost each of the goals has tied games or given his team the lead. In short, Matthews has been the tipping point in these Maple Leafs victories.

He leads the NHL with six goals (no surprise), but he also is tied for the NHL lead in points (also with six). He has no assists on the season. Interesting, 13 goals for the Maple Leafs, but Matthews has no assists.

William Nylander has also had a huge impact on his team’s success, as well. Nylander has scored two goals and provided an assist in this game. He now is tied for third in the NHL with five points (on three goals and two assists). He’s also had a productive start to the season.

Auston Matthews Maple Leafs scores his 305th goal

John Tavares is not slowing down, at least not this season. He’s been a consistent producer for the team. He’s no longer the headline scorer, but he quietly accumulates points. He now has five points in two games. His play-making skill as well as his courage in front of the net has been evident.

Finally, Morgan Rielly has been excellent defensively. In the team’s first game of the season, he might have been somewhat overshadowed by John Klingberg; however, in last night’s game, he was by far the Maple Leafs’ top defenseman. His solid defensive performance included being on the ice for multiple five-on-five Maple Leafs goals.

Takeaway Two: Ryan Reaves Has Made an Impact Already

There’s no doubt that Ryan Reaves is an impactful physical player. In last night’s game, Reaves made his presence felt with five hits, including a memorable open-ice hit that had an impact on the game.

Call me a believer; and, I admit I was skeptical before. His physicality has already had a more significant influence than any Maple Leafs player has had during the six previous seasons I’ve covered the team. It adds a whole new and different dimension to the team’s play than I have seen previously.

Takeaway Three: There Remain Problems to Fix for This Maple Leafs’ Team

There remain two problems to fix on this team, for as good as their record suggests they are. First, the team needs to fix its defensive lapses; and, second, the goalie play needs to improve. Yet again, the Maple Leafs allowed the first goal of the game for the second game in a row. This area needs to be improved. If the team can up its defensive play, the pressure on the team’s goalies will be lessened.

Second, for as good as he was last season, Ilya Samsonov has not played up to those standards. There are goaltending concerns. Specifically, Samsonov’s performance, while showing improvements over his first game of the season, still raises concerns. His goals-against average of 4.42 after his first two games could be tons better.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

On Monday evening, the Maple Leafs are set to face the Chicago Blackhawks, led by the talented Connor Bedard, as they wrap up their three-game homestand. That should be an exciting game.

Coach Sheldon Keefe’s lineup adjustments, including line combinations, have shown promise. However, as is his way, he’ll likely continue to tweak things as the team works to build on their early-season success. His move of Calle Jarnkrok to the second line and Max Domi to the third line showed improvements in both lines. We’ll see how that unfolds in game three.