Matthews and Mrazek celebrate (Kevin Sousa, Getty Images)
The Leafs shattered their three game losing streak with a win in a defensive affair over the stuttering Minnesota Wild.
Here are my 5 takeaways from a Leafs game that reinstalled a bit of calm in this team.
1. Back to Reality?
Frankly, reality with the Leafs Nation is that you can never predict reality. They are such an inconsistent team with such an allergy to winning that the only aspect you can truly accept is that they will constantly get in their own way.
In that sense, I have no verdict on whether the Leafs of Thursday night are what we can expect going forward. I think the offense will be better than it was in last night's game, but I also am worried that the defense and goaltending we saw was an outlier, not the norm.
We shall see what version of the Leafs will be more common in the latter stages of the season. Currently, no amount of judgement or understanding of the team can decide this question. I'm legitimately unsure what this spells for the future. The trade deadline will be an interesting time and past that will be a time of great uncertainty. With any luck, we will know exactly what this team is by the end of March.
The way the season has worked so far, I feel as if we won't know who the Leafs are until they are on the verge of elimination or on the verge of lifting the ultimate chalice.
2. Boring is Good?
I've watched a lot of games this season in NHL action, but the first period of that game was possibly the hardest watch all year. The hockey was very low-event, with both teams suppressing chances at an incredibly high rate. So why was I so...relieved?
Toronto's defense was objectively amazing against Minnesota. They kept Minnesota out of the slot as well as possible and on the rare occasions when they let a Wild player slip through, Mrazek was sharp enough to make the stop. For a team that so obviously is just going through a rare slump offensively, it's encouraging to see such a strong defensive effort.
I've recently subscribed to the belief that results are not too important to the Leafs anymore. They should naturally finish third in the division and face either Tampa Bay or Florida in the first round. They will be underdogs, but they've been favourites in previous series and it hasn't changed anything. What I am looking for in these next games is a healthy process. If I see the second line making a more conceited effort to produce offense and seeing the Leafs' D-corps improve in their own zone, I'll be happy.
The second line part didn't really arrive last night, but the defense was much more suitable. So, in short, we might need to be prepared to watch some ugly games soon, but I promise it'll all be worth it in the end.
3. Matthews for Hart
Look, I still think that Connor McDavid is the best player in the world on a historic basis, but currently, on February 25, Matthews is giving him a real run for his money. Despite a slow start, Matthews has now taken over sole possession of the NHL goal-scoring lead and he is leading one of the best lines in hockey to elite results. His defensive efforts were well beyond anything I've ever seen McDavid do.
I do think he is the current favourite for the MVP trophy. He's going to score 60 goals (unless a serious injury occurs), he is going to be one of the best forecheckers in the NHL and he is likely going to lead a somewhat underwhelming squad to the best season in franchise history.
No self-respecting person could legitimately tell me that they don't consider that player to be a Hart favourite. People don't want to admit it because Toronto isn't a very loved destination or fanbase, but opposing fans need to start giving Matthews credit for being comfortably a top-2 player in the greatest hockey league on the planet.
Also, let's talk about the fact that Matthews had more takeaways (6) than I did (5). Tell me that's not an impressive defensive showing.
4. Lyubushkin a Perfect Fit
Outside of one mishap against Columbus, Ilya Lyubushkin's Leafs career has been impressive. He was never expected to be a performer offensively. But so far, I've been really happy with his passing ability. His skill with the puck on his stick is an underrated tool and it's not even considered a strength of his.
His physicality in front of the net and in the corners is a massive asset that has allowed Rasmus Sandin to have two great games beside Lyubushkin. He's the perfect player for that pairing with his speed, strength and read of the game. I am becoming convinced that he is going to be a fan favourite. We may need to cancel his nickname, though, due to some recent events. I don't think Leafs fans are going to be chanting the word "Russian" in Scotiabank Arena anytime soon
Does this mean that the Leafs are done making additions? Absolutely not. Whether it be JT Miller, Damon Severson, Filip Forsberg, Adam Larsson or any other option, the Leafs need to make a splash. Their prospect system is deep enough and they have a few NHL-calibre players on the books to give up. There aren't too many untouchable prospects in the Leafs' pipeline (Matthew Knies and Topi Niemela are the only players I would be hesitant to deal).
How ready is Dubas to commit to this team? The next few weeks could decide that.
5. Matthew Boldy, Certified Star
I've certainly been wrong before when it comes to players and Boldy wouldn't be the first rookie to disappoint after a flash in the pan of a rookie season. However, I would be comfortable making the bet that Boldy is going to be an excellent player for the duration of his NHL career. His hockey sense, excellent shot, compete level and vision make him a prime candidate to become one of the NHL's best wingers someday.
His pass on the opening goal, which even fooled Auston Matthews, was utterly dazzling and it shows that he is ready to become the Wild's X-factor for what should be a long and successful playoff run.
Analytics aren't everything and it is still a small sample size, but as per Dom Luszczyszyn's model, Boldy is already worth $9 million. As a rookie. Yeah, that;s a certified star right there.
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