Edmonton Oilers
The Maple Leafs Have a Little of That Old Oilers Attacking Energy
The Oilers once attacked in waves with Grant Fuhr behind them. Could today’s Maple Leafs bring back that same relentless, high-flying hockey?
There’s something fun about the graphic below. It puts the Oilers and Maple Leafs right at the top and brings back that old-school image of Edmonton coming at you in waves. In the net was the great Grant Fuhr, whose career save percentage might not look impressive by today’s standards at .887. But he stopped the puck when it mattered and gave those high-powered Oilers a chance to win. He made it all work.
Those Oilers could make a game feel like one long attack, and when Toronto was flying against Columbus, there were flashes of that same “keep coming, keep shooting” energy. Today’s Oilers fans get that same kind of relentless offence game after game. It’s a fun brand of hockey.
What Does the Graphic Above Tell Us About the Top NHL Teams?
The graphic says Edmonton’s top five players have 77 combined points, with Toronto a bit further behind at 63. That’s a big gap, but the Maple Leafs are still right there in second, ahead of Vegas, Utah and Carolina. It suggests Toronto isn’t relying on just one name to carry the whole offence. Matthews leads the group, but the points are spread enough that other players help keep the attack moving.
And that’s the exciting part for Maple Leafs fans. When Toronto plays fast, gets pucks deep and keeps the pressure on, it can look like a team that’s hard to contain. Against Columbus, they showed some of that. It doesn’t mean they’re suddenly the old Oilers, and one game doesn’t tell us what kind of team they’ll be all season. But it’s a glimpse of what they can look like when everything clicks.
The Oilers Still Set the Pace Among the Top Scorers
The Oilers still set the pace in this graphic, which makes sense if their top scorers are producing at that level. Toronto’s job is to keep the offence coming without turning every game into a track meet or forgetting the defensive side. The best version of this team isn’t just scoring a bunch—it’s using that attack to control the game.
The bottom line is that Toronto has the firepower to make games feel chaotic in the best way. If the Maple Leafs can bring that relentless pressure more often, fans might get a few more nights that feel like a throwback. Wouldn’t it be nice to see one hot game after another? Good goalie play and strong special teams, like the Maple Leafs’ penalty kill, could make it happen. But can they sustain it over a season?
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