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5 Takeaways: TOR 4-VGK 3 (SO)

 

Zak Krill (Getty Images)

    The Toronto Maple Leafs improved to 21-4-2 in their last 27 games with a shaky win over a battered Vegas Golden Knights squad. 
    Here are my 5 takeaways from a game in which the Leafs took their foot off the gas at the wrong time. 

1. Concerning Patterns

    For the second consecutive game, the Leafs watched another game they had in the palm of their hands and allowed it to become much more difficult for themselves. At this part of the season, an extra point doesn't matter as much. Sheldon Keefe really wanted the Leafs to instill the correct habits of going 100% for the entire game, rather than 110% in random spurts and 90% in others. The Leafs failed to do that.
    Despite that, the Leafs will need to find a play style that doesn't require Jack Campbell to stand on his head for half of the game. 
    At the end of the day, the way they've been playing in the New Year simply won't translate to the playoffs.

2. What to Do with Nick Ritchie?

    Nick Ritchie is having a rollercoaster season. Just a week after being put on waivers by the Leafs, Ritchie has since returned to the lineup, scored a key goal against Colorado, and then taken a silly penalty that led to a power-play goal for Vegas. 
    Ritchie is undoubtedly a very solid player. He had a good season with Boston last year and was a valuable contributor on the power play. We also can't forget that he was once a top-10 NHL draft pick after excelling with the Peterborough Petes. 
    Unfortunately, he simply isn't a fit on this team and is being overshadowed by the far superior Ondrej Kase, who has been teammates with Ritchie in Anaheim and Boston. 
    He's not a bad thirteenth forward, but definitely not Kyle Dubas' proudest moment.

3. Morgan Rielly, Forever Underappreciated

    Rielly is having an incredible year, but it isn't being talked about the way it should be. With 29 points in 34 games, we know that Rielly is a dynamic offensive presence. However, he's much more than that. 
    I was really impressed with his game against the Knights. He was an excellent one-on-one defender against a team with tons of speed that loves to run in transition. His positioning on Mark Stone in overtime might have won the game.
    His pass to Nylander in the first for the opener was yet another reminder of his skill. Rielly is certainly one of the best defensemen in the NHL.

4. Jack Campbell: Hart Candidate

    No, I'm not joking. I feel that Jack Campbell is the most valuable player on this Leafs team and possibly in the whole league. He is third in the whole league in point shares, showing how many points a single player has earned for his team. For anybody curious, Juuse Saros and Alex Ovechkin are the only players ahead of Campbell.
    However, as impressive as Campbell's analytics are, one must watch every Leafs game to get an idea of Campbell's MVP candidacy. The way the Leafs play, Campbell has to be incredible every night. Ray Ferraro mentioned it on the TSN broadcast. The Leafs are showing a lot more perseverance this year, but it would be impossible without Jack. Even during stretches when they are getting outplayed, like the second period, they still find a way to come out ahead (they outscored Vegas 2-0 in the second). This is because of Jack Campbell. By being so steady in net, the Leafs are able to seize the rare opportunities they get when they play poorly. 
    I feel that "Soup" deserves much more credit than he actually gets.

5. The Golden Knights are Cup Contenders

    Via Man-Games Lost NHL, a great resource for seeing which teams are most hindered by injuries, the Vegas Golden Knights have lost 15.8 points, second in the league behind the Montreal Canadiens.
    Despite that, they have the 5th best offense in the entire National Hockey League. They entered the game with the Leafs tonight missing Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, Max Pacioretty, Nolan Patrick, Nicolas Roy and Alec Martinez and still put up a real fight.    
    Once they get those players back, though, the Knights are going to be a dynamo. I mentioned in my power rankings that they are going to have to make a trade to shed some salary, but they have tons of star power nevertheless. With videos of Jack Eichel finally skating, Vegas have the best center in their brief history waiting in the wings.


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