The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing deeper issues than just two bad games as their early season struggles continue to mount. After suffering back-to-back demoralizing losses against the Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins over the weekend, the team flew to Boston on Monday with plenty to contemplate before Tuesday's rematch against the Bruins.
Alarming Statistics Tell the Story
With a mediocre 8-7-1 record through 16 games, the Maple Leafs find themselves in sixth place in the Atlantic Division, trailing the division-leading Montreal Canadiens by five points. The problems extend far beyond their weekend performance, revealing concerning trends that have persisted since the season began on October 8.
Captain John Tavares aptly described their 5-4 loss to Carolina as "immature" after the team squandered a 4-3 third-period lead while being outshot 22-2 in the final frame. This characterization reflects the Leafs' overall performance throughout the first month of the season, where they've frequently relied on outscoring their defensive mistakes rather than playing structured hockey.
Defensive Breakdowns Plague Veteran Team
The statistical disparity is striking: Toronto ranks second in the NHL with 43 goals scored at five-on-five, yet they've surrendered an NHL-worst 45 goals against in the same situations. This four-goal gap over the next-worst team, the St. Louis Blues, highlights the team's fundamental defensive issues.
What makes this particularly confounding is that this isn't a young, inexperienced team finding its way. The Leafs returned a capable defensive corps and have had sufficient time to integrate new forwards Nicolas Roy, Matias Maccelli, and Dakota Joshua into their system.
Individual offensive production hasn't been the problem. William Nylander has recorded 23 points in 13 games, while Tavares has 21 points in 16 games and Matthew Knies has 20 points in 15 games. Auston Matthews appears to be finding his form with four goals in his past five games while averaging nearly two minutes more ice time than his career average.
Goaltending and Defensive Concerns
The goaltending situation has become increasingly problematic. Anthony Stolarz acknowledged after being pulled against Boston that his performance hasn't met expectations. The increased workload appears to be affecting the netminder, who excelled last season but has struggled through his first dozen games.
Meanwhile, veteran defenseman Morgan Rielly's anticipated step forward following summer reflection hasn't materialized. Rielly finds himself tied with three other NHL defensemen for being on the ice for 18 goals against at five-on-five - the most in the league. His usual defense partner, Brandon Carlo, has been on ice for 15 goals against in similar situations.
Even more concerning is that Rielly ranks 59th in the league in five-on-five ice time despite his defensive struggles. The 31-year-old defenseman, who is under contract through the 2029-30 season as Toronto's highest-paid blueliner, must find a way to improve his performance.
The power play has also been ineffective, converting only 4 of 34 opportunities (ranking 31st in the NHL) before showing slight improvement by going 3-for-7 over the weekend.
Limited Options for Improvement
Frustrated fans have suggested healthy scratches for underperforming veterans like Max Domi, who has just five points in 16 games while centering the fourth line. Domi is on pace for just 26 points, which would represent a career-low in an 82-game schedule for the forward.
However, benching veterans likely won't solve the team's fundamental issues. The reality is that these players are what they are, and the Leafs have little choice but to work with their current roster.
For those hoping a trade might shake up the team, that prospect appears unlikely. General manager Brad Treliving would need to move salary to acquire any significant player, and other general managers aren't lining up to acquire Toronto's underperforming veterans.
As the sample size of concerning performances continues to grow, the Maple Leafs face increasing pressure to demonstrate they can play complete, structured hockey consistently. The team's inability to do so thus far raises serious questions about their potential for the remainder of the season.
