Toronto Maple Leafs: Recent Road Trip a Lesson Learned
After a three-game road trip where the Toronto Maple Leafs were winless, the young group learned a big lesson with little support for the veterans.
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It has been a tough go for the Toronto Maple Leafs, after giving up a lead in the third period in three straight games. This recent road trip was the first one for the team this season and the rookies were front and centre in every game, which is a positive sign except for the way each one ended.
While many people are looking at the Leafs’ inability to close out games as a sign of their inexperience, it should not be that way with the veteran players in the lineup. Teams that know that they have their opponent on their heels are going to press hard and that is something Toronto needs to handle better.
The games against Winnipeg and Chicago were perfect examples of that. The Leafs have found themselves guilty of being overly aggressive in the defensive zone, leaving a player open for an easy scoring chance or losing battles in front of the net.
Most of the time it has been veteran players that Mike Babcock has put a lot of trust in that have let him down. On the goal that tied the game against Chicago, Roman Polak and Matt Hunwick left two forwards in front of Frederik Andersen‘s net untouched – those two forwards were Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa.
This should be frustrating for Leafs fans to see, especially when a player like Frank Corrado is sitting in the press box despite a strong showing in preseason action. Toronto also released veteran Milan Michalek and picked up Ben Smith from waivers.
That means Seth Griffith will continue to sit in the press box after being claimed off waivers from Boston. It is a puzzling move, but Babcock knows Smith from his time last season so there is familiarity.
Connor Brown should get an expanded role with Michalek gone and that could be on a line with Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov. They were supposed to be the shutdown line for the Leafs, but they had a rough game against Chicago and maybe this move can spark a change.
If the Leafs want to improve it, looks like the young players will need to step up and learn from their mistakes. It would not hurt if the veteran players could do more and stabilize things for the young players, but that has not happened.
If Andersen can avoid being overly aggressive at times in goal and the Leafs stay focused on defence late in the game, the wins will come. It is all about growth and learning, which is what Babcock wants from this young group.
The Leafs’ coach did a good job not putting the onus on the young players after the loss to Chicago. At the end of the day, they were still able to go toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the league.
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Hopefully the veterans got the message after Michalek was put on waivers, that they need to be better, because if the Leafs want success it cannot come only from the young players. They will get a chance to redeem themselves with the next three games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Florida Panthers and the Montreal Canadiens.