Is it possible for the Toronto Maple Leafs to compete without Auston Matthews? That idea has gained popularity in the majority of NHL circles. There may be a major issue with the Leafs captain, as evidenced by Matthews’ repeated absence from the starting lineup.
We have already discussed this topic. Something is wrong, as evidenced by Auston Matthews’ lengthy stay on the IR and his trip to Germany earlier this year for treatment. Even closing Matthews down for the season is being discussed at this point.
There is a sense that a period on LTIR may at least be imminent, even though such talk may be premature. Therefore, we have to consider the possibility that the Toronto Maple Leafs will continue for a long time without their captain..
The Toronto Maple Leafs Can Compete Without Auston Matthews for These Three Reasons
Matthews might miss at least the 4 Nations Faceoff, in my opinion. I mention this as an aside because Matthews leads the American team and the 4 Nations competition is a marketing ploy. The American side loses their most important marketing gimmick without Matthews.
However, I don’t think the Leafs will ever permit Matthews to play in the 4 Nations for marketing purposes alone. In any case, the Leafs will now need to focus on the possibility of competing for the Stanley Cup without Auston Matthews.
The Toronto Maple Leafs can compete without Auston Matthews in the lineup for the following three reasons. Readers, I must caution you that it won’t be pretty, but it’s definitely
The Leafs will shift to a team that prioritizes defense.
The Leafs will inevitably become a shutdown, defense-first team without Auston Matthews. They will require additional worker bees to forecheck the opposition, but they have the pieces to do it. The opposition will be harassed by players like Matthew Knies, Connor Dewar, Steven Lorentz, and Bobby McMann.
Above all, the Leafs’ defensive core will have to improve. Simon Benoit, Philippe Myers, Jake McCabe, and Chris Tanev could all be crucial in hammering opposing teams into submission. To make sure opponents don’t run amok, the Leafs will need to rely on tight defensive play and strong checking.
Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, two blueliners, will have to be able to move the puck and drive offense at the same time having personal accountability. The Leafs’ blue line ought to be in good condition if they can accomplish that.
The remaining members of the Core Four come next. Even with an A on his jersey, John Tavares continues to act like the team’s captain. William Nylander is demonstrating his worth, while Mitch Marner is the Leafs’ MVP.
But that leaves a hole that needs to be filled. The team’s top secondary scorers will have to be Max Domi, Nick Robertson, and either Max Pacioretty or Matthew Knies. A Matthews-less system where the team depends on turnovers and transitions might allow everything to thrive.
That’s actually the secret. The soaring Sheldon Keefe days are over. The philosophy of Craig Berube will probably establish a hard-hitting approach that the Leafs must adopt, allowing Nylander and Marner to punish opponents with their speed.
Goalies
Writing about this is a little out of the ordinary. The goaltending of the Toronto Maple Leafs is capable of executing a potent defense-first strategy.
Naturally, the Toronto Maple Leafs lack a game-stealing player like Connor Hellebuyck or Sergei Bobrovsky. Playing tight defense and hoping their goaltending holds up is their best option. Everything is going well so far!Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz can therefore shoulder the burden by performing well enough to win games. Woll appears to be just starting to establish himself as a top player, but Stolarz has shown he can handle the pressure.
Because of this circumstance, the Leafs can rely on their defense and let their goalies clean up any leftover garbage. Looking back at Berube’s actions That was pretty much how the St. Louis Blues played in 2019. Jordan Binnington was able to maintain order because it stayed true to the basics. This is an unlikely recipe for success, according to history, but it has been accomplished.
What’s to say that Woll and/or Stolarz can’t portray Jordan Binnington this season at all? Either or both can reliably deliver strong beginnings.
However, there is a catch to this conversation: Woll has already spent time on IR, and Stolarz is currently on the shelf. The Leafs goalie’s health is called into question by that circumstance. If they aren’t healthy enough to play, they can’t be good.
And that’s where the danger begins. Will Matt Murray be able to carry the load for the Leafs?
These questions should become clearer in the coming months. Sadly, the Leafs will have to treat their goalies like kids due to severe injury concerns. The good news is that the Leafs have four goalies of NHL caliber on their depth chart. Murray and Hildeby might become the most unexpected goalie team to win a Cup if everything goes as planned.
Matthews Leaves a Prolonged Legacy
The absence of Auston Matthews does not imply that the Leafs lack talent. The void could be filled by any of the many talented players. Mitch Marner has already done that. William Nylander has quietly assumed the position of leading goal scorer for the team.While the supporting cast of characters has contributed in one way or another, Tavares has appeared rejuvenated. It appears that other players feel free to act independently now that Matthews’ shadow isn’t hanging over them.
Players like Marner are able to really carry the team in that circumstance. It appears that Marner truly enjoys the chance to be “the guy” in Toronto, as I’ve previously written. Despite all of the criticism regarding Marner’s disappearance during the playoffs last year, he’ssilenced detractors so far. Even though he is currently ten points behind, Marner is still attempting to win the scoring title.
I’d like to see him arrive. William Nylander winning the Rocket Richard is something else I want to see. With 23 goals this season, he is tied for second place with the Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov. Both players trail Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers by one in the league standings.
By the way, Tavares has 18 and is tied for 10th place.However, I want to draw attention to one thing. By the trade deadline, the Leafs will probably need to add another center. The Leafs, who will be without Matthews for therest of theseason, could add someone like the Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders. Nelson is able to play both center and wing. Nelson can therefore slide into the wing if and when Matthews returns.In the end, it appears that the Leafs will accomplish what the Vegas Golden Knights accomplished with Mark Stone or what the Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished with Nikita Kucherov. The Leafs could activate Matthews in time for the playoffs after placing their captain on LTIR for the rest of the season and using the cap space to acquire another center in the top six.
Although it’s not very attractive, it should do the job.
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