Two Maple Leafs Youngsters – McMann & Rifai: What’s Not to Like?

In the absence of key players due to suspension and injuries, the Toronto Maple Leafs have relied on their young talent to step up and fill crucial roles. In yesterday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, two emerging players, Bobby McMann and Marshall Rifai, were called upon to take on increased responsibilities. Both players saw more ice time than usual.

For Rifai, this game marked his NHL debut. It was a significant milestone in his hockey career. It went flawlessly. As a newcomer to the NHL stage, Rifai was thrust into action due to the team’s depleted lineup. Before his start, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe had shared the organization’s confidence in his abilities. Yesterday, Rifai had an opportunity to play significant minutes at the highest level of competition, and he had to be personally pleased – as the team would have been – with his gameplay.

Related: Maple Leafs Beat Blues in Holiday Monday Matinee

Meanwhile, McMann has been making waves with his recent scoring streak. He’s shown his offensive ability and earned the trust of the coaching staff. With key players sidelined, the overage rookie has seized the opportunity to contribute offensively, proving himself to be a reliable scoring threat for the Maple Leafs. His ability to be a consistent scorer has been a bright spot for the team during a challenging stretch of injuries and absences.

Bobby McMann’s Game: What’s Not to Like?

McMann’s impact against the Blues once again showed both his offensive versatility and his defensive ability. As fans, we are also learning that he can score – in bunches. A crucial play to ice the game came when he forcefully stole the puck from Tory Krug near the Blues’ goal and spun around to fire the puck into an empty-net goal. Despite Krug’s argument for a penalty, the play was ruled clean. However, the entirety of the play shows McMann’s physical speed, size, and determination on the ice. He can be a monster.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe had to appreciate McMann’s overall performance in this game. While he didn’t contribute directly to scoring until the empty-net goal, he made three key defensive plays in the Toronto zone. His ability to disrupt potential scoring chances for St. Louis shows he has more value outside of scoring goals. As I noted, he’s a big player; and, if he can play a defensively responsible game, he can become a huge (no pun intended) asset.

McMann’s recent scoring streak has been impressive, netting six goals in…