Classically talking, issues get more durable for groups once they lose their finest participant — particularly when the participant concerned is a bona fide top-five expertise within the NHL. When the Toronto Maple Leafs misplaced generational scoring expertise and franchise centre Auston Matthews for a span of 9 video games to an upper-body damage, nonetheless, the workforce stepped up in a giant approach en path to a 7-2-0 file. It wasn’t fellow stars William Nylander and Mitch Marner main the way in which, although the 2 did play exceptionally nicely, however as a substitute the workforce’s defensive defencemen and goaltending.
McCabe and Tanev Among the many League’s Greatest Defensively
To quote two gamers who mixed for a complete of two factors in a near-370-minute timeframe as the primary contributors for Toronto’s success would possibly look like a unprecedented stretch, particularly when Marner and Nylander mixed for 26, however for my part, the workforce’s means to stymy the opposition was why they carried out the way in which that they did. No two defencemen on the workforce had been higher at doing so than Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev.
Associated: Maple Leafs’ 2022 Draft Class Paying Off With Minten, Hildeby & Grebenkin
McCabe, regardless of taking part in essentially the most five-on-five minutes — by almost 20, I would add — within the 9 video games Matthews missed, allowed the fewest anticipated targets in opposition to per 60 minutes (xGA/60) on the whole Maple Leafs protection corps. Past that, that mark ranked third within the NHL as an entire amongst defencemen with at the least 150 minutes of five-on-five time in that stretch. Consequently, he carried out to an astounding anticipated objective share (xGF%) of 55.10%. Amazingly, these outcomes had been the case regardless of McCabe having only a 31.19% offensive zone begin proportion, the fourth-lowest within the league. So what if he didn’t tally a degree in that stretch?
On the identical time, offseason acquisition Tanev has been a defensive drive himself. He was the one Maple Leafs defenceman to log a smaller offensive zone begin proportion than McCabe at 25.00%, the bottom within the NHL. Nonetheless, Toronto managed to surrender simply 1.7 xGA/60 with Tanev on the ice, the second-lowest amongst Maple Leafs defencemen and sixth-lowest within the league, and he was capable of handle an xGF% of 51.80% as a byproduct of that. He led the workforce in blocks (32) and generated a few assists within the course of.
Conor Timmins Additionally Excelled
Regardless of remaining one of many Maple Leafs’ most unassuming gamers, Conor Timmins was arguably the perfect defenseman within the squad throughout Matthews’ absence. He solely recorded one level — a objective in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens — however led the corps in xGF% (57.33%). He was 14th amongst defencemen in xGA/60, permitting simply 1.85. He additionally led Toronto defencemen in anticipated targets for per 60 minutes (xGF/60), with the workforce producing 2.49 xGF/60 with him on the ice. It’s excessive time for Timmins to garner the popularity that he deserves, or at the least deserved throughout that tough stretch of hockey.
Stolarz and Woll Have Turned Into the NHL’s Greatest Tandem
Whereas the defence corps was performing stalwart shutdown providers on a nightly foundation, the goaltending stretch was equally as accountable for the downtick in targets allowed whereas Matthews was shelved. Anthony Stolarz, who began the yr because the Maple Leafs’ starter with Joseph Woll injured, carried out to a .924 save proportion (SV%), 2.24 goals-against common (GAA), and +0.2 targets saved above anticipated (GSAx) in his 5 begins.
Woll, who struggled early after coming back from groin tightness, has been one of many league’s better of late, and that definitely held true throughout Matthews’ absence as nicely. Within the 4 video games he began, he sported a save proportion (SV%) of .943, targets in opposition to common (GAA) of 1.48, and GSAx of +3.28. All three of these statistics ranked second within the NHL in that span behind Devils’ 1B Jake Allen, who additionally performed 4 video games. Woll and Stolarz had been two of the most important causes the Maple Leafs solely allowed 2.00 targets per sport on this nine-game span.
On the season as an entire, Stolarz is third within the league in SV% (.924), fifth in GAA (2.23), and seventeenth in GSAx (+5.0). Woll, in the meantime, ranks fourth in SV% (.922), third in GAA (2.11), and 18th in GSAx (+4.7). Goaltending was once a degree of ache for a Maple Leafs workforce that prioritized offense on the expense of poor protection and permitting too many targets. Now, although, they boast what can solely be described because the NHL’s finest goaltending tandem — Stolarz and Woll cut up begins and there’s no concern of both of them faltering at this level within the season. It’s unbelievable what they’ve been capable of accomplish to this point this marketing campaign, and in the event that they stick with it, there isn’t a motive to consider they shouldn’t be considered the frontrunners for the William M. Jennings trophy.
Defensive Dominance Propelling Season’s Success
Total, whereas on paper it might seem as if the Maple Leafs’ different superstars had been accountable for their stunning 7-2-0 file throughout their finest participant’s absence, in actuality, it was the protection that held them up. Between stellar play from defensive defencemen McCabe, Tanev, and Timmins and sturdiness between the pipes, their offense actually didn’t must do a lot with a purpose to preserve their file afloat. Ought to these sides of their sport proceed, the Maple Leafs ought to have the ability to construct upon their .680 play as a workforce, end first within the Atlantic Division, and be considered true Stanley Cup contenders.
