Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Colorado Avalanche in their first game since the NHL Trade Deadline. The Maple Leafs welcomed newly acquired Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton into their lineup, which had Leafs Nation excited to see them in action for the first time. After a few shifts, it was clear that this team needs a practice together to build chemistry and solidify line combinations. However, things went well for almost a full 60 minutes—until the Avalanche tied the game, took the lead, and sealed the win with two empty-net goals for a 7-4 victory over Toronto.
Although it turned into an ugly loss for the Maple Leafs, there are a few key takeaways worth discussing, let’s dive into it.
Carlo & Laughton Will Get Better With Practice
As mentioned, this game showed that the team needs a few practices to start functioning as a well-oiled machine. At times, Carlo looked a bit hesitant and unsure of his positioning, especially on Colorado’s second goal by Valeri Nichushkin, when he didn’t step up defensively and got caught standing in front of Anthony Stolarz. That said, the goal wasn’t entirely his fault—several mistakes led to the play, including Morgan Rielly being out of position and Laughton losing his battle along the half-wall.
Once Carlo has more time in Craig Berube’s system, he’ll know how to handle those situations more effectively. Similarly, Nathan MacKinnon’s power-play goal came after Laughton was beaten and skated past MacKinnon, allowing him to score. These are the types of mistakes that will be cleaned up with time and adjustments, including potential new line combinations. By the Maple Leafs’ next game on Monday, March 10, against the Utah Hockey Club, fans should start to see improvements as the nerves settle and chemistry builds.
Goaltending Looks Shaky as of Late
It’s likely just a rough patch, but the Maple Leafs’ goaltending has looked shaky in recent games. Joseph Woll had two tough outings—giving up five goals in an overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins and then being pulled after allowing three goals in the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights. Last night, Stolarz allowed five goals for the first time this season.
Related: Insider Reveals Why Maple Leafs Chose Laughton Over Schenn
The hope is that the tandem of Woll and Stolarz can bounce back and that their recent struggles…
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