The Leafs' PP1 unit (Julian Avram, Getty Images)
Though the score of the game made it look like a narrow win, the Maple Leafs dominated all facets of the game in their return from a long road trip.
Here are my 5 takeaways from a strong showing against the Anaheim Ducks.
1. I was Right about Mitch Marner
If you've followed my takeaways all year, you would know that I have an unwavering belief that Mitch Marner is the most important player to this Leafs team. Though he may not be as productive as Auston Matthews or even as impactful as William Nylander, when Marner is at his best, the Leafs will more than likely win the hockey game.
Courtesy of the Athletic's Jonas Siegel, in Marner's last 23 games, he has 10 goals and 27 points, with an xGoals rate of 61%. Over that time, the Leafs are 20-3-0. Sure it's a relatively small sample size, but that equates to an .869 points percentage or 143 points as a team over a full 82-game season.
From off the top of my head, no player in the NHL is that important to his team, aside from maybe Connor McDavid of the Oilers, Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals, or Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers.
Though it may seem like a down year for Marner's high standards, he has a legitimate Hart Trophy argument if he continues the form he has showcased over the last 2 weeks.
He is shooting a lot more and is thus creating offense in other ways than his passing. Marner's 0.33 goals per game is the second highest rate of his career and if he keeps it up, the Leafs have another superstar on their hands.
2. Keefe's New Lines Work to Perfection
I'll admit that I was a little skeptical when I saw the Leafs' practice lines and spotted Ondrej Kase on the first line in place of Mitch Marner as well as William Nylander on the third line.
The more I thought about it, however, the more I realized it might have been a high IQ play from coach Sheldon Keefe. Instead of trading assets to pick up a dedicated middle-six forward, when those assets are sorely needed for a defenseman upgrade, why not just spread the stars across three lines?
Nylander has shown enough tantalizing skill this season to prove he can carry a line's offensive load and his defense has drastically improved. Auston Matthews is the league's second best player and can clearly have a positive impact even with two pilons as his wingers (which Michael Bunting and Kase are not). John Tavares and Mitch Marner already have a lot of chemistry. It just made sense.
The experiment worked perfectly against the Ducks. There were no ice-time discrepancies and it allowed Keefe to sometimes mix-and-match the lines. There were a couple of times I noticed that he sent Nylander out with Matthews for a shift after a commercial break, simply because he had the option.
This new formula seems like a good recipe for playoff success, as no team truly has three shutdown lines. Before this, the Leafs were congesting their stars together. Now they have more freedom to roam and I think that this is for the better.
3. Special Teams Domination
We're witnessing a funny little power struggle at the top of the power play percentage rankings. The Oilers and Leafs are juggling around the title of the NHL's best power play each and every game. Tonight, the Leafs took back their crown with a really incredible night, going 3/4 with the man advantage.
The effortless chemistry between the Leafs' PP1 unit is one of the most exciting parts about being a fan of the team. They are building on the mistakes that they made on a nightly basis over the last 3 years and are turning it into a tool that is carrying them to wins on a regular basis.
On the other end of the spectrum, the penalty kill has also been world-class. Since December 11, the Leafs have the league's best penalty kill as well as the league's best power play. They are in the top-3 in both special teams over the whole season.
New assistant coaches Spencer Carbery and Dean Chynoweth don't get nearly enough credit for how they've revitalized a previously stagnant unit.
Improved player personnel has also helped. Rasmus Sandin is becoming a key power play quarterback on PP2, while David Kampf and Timothy Liljegren have become important parts of the penalty kill.
The Leafs are in good shape if they can keep this trend going.
4. Where Can this Team Improve?
Very good question. No idea.
Although a defenseman will almost certainly come through the door before the Trade Deadline, whether it be Ben Chiarot or John Klingberg or somebody else, I don't know what to make of any possible trade. The Leafs are almost certainly going to overpay and will come off as losers in any deal in the long-term, so management has to be convinced that the player they trade for is the real deal and will help them win multiple playoff series. Personally, I don't think there are any defensemen that the Leafs could realistically trade for and help them reach another level.
That's not to say they won't or shouldn't make a trade. I don't think Ben Chiarot is as good as people make him out to be, but if it's for the cost of a second-round pick and a third-round pick to upgrade on Justin Holl and keep Travis Dermott outside of the lineup, I say you do it.
Another possibility is that the Leafs can't trade for their biggest fix, which is a weapon to slay their demons. Even in an impressive performance where they dominate at 5-on-5, like they did tonight, the game still required the shootout to ensure the two points.
It's a weird dynamic, because the Leafs have to go for it this year, yet the question is still being asked: Can they go for it? Are they good enough?
The games this year tell us yes. History, by contrast, tells us absolutely not.
5. The Ever Underappreciated John Gibson
In the battle between two of the United States' best goaltenders, Ducks goalie John Gibson came out on top.
Gibson is infamous for starting off all his seasons on fire, before eventually cooling off a little, which is a trend that has repeated itself this year. Despite that, one can't deny his importance to the Ducks.
He clearly doesn't want to go through a rebuild any longer, and is doing his best each and every night to keep the Ducks in games. He's an inspirational figure, both on and off the ice to his teammates.
In this game, despite the Leafs out-chancing the Ducks 33-9 at 5-on-5, outshooting them 44-20, and putting up an xGoals tally of 5.45 to Anaheim's 2.03, Gibson carried the Ducks to a point.
If he can continue to play like this, Anaheim are in a good position to snap their postseason drought.
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