This Team Feels Different

 

Photo From YardBarker

I know we Leaf fans have said this many times before, and I know the many Leaf doubters will roll their eyes at this, but hear me out. I was a Sheldon Keefe supporter, but during his time as the Leafs' bench boss, while he picked up many wins, there always seemed to be something missing. Sheldon’s Leafs often relied on scoring their way out of trouble. If you’re a fan of goals, then you were happy, but that style of hockey doesn’t win many games come April or May.

Last night during the game against Tampa, where Toronto won 5-3, they compared Sheldon Keefe’s final season to Craig Berube’s tenure so far. Last year, the Leafs were near the bottom of the league in every defensive stat. In high-danger chances and slot shots allowed under Keefe, Toronto ranked near the bottom of the league. Toronto’s defensive play under Sheldon Keefe was always a little terrifying.

The other day, I discussed this with a friend, and I told him that when Toronto had a one-goal lead during Keefe’s run, I always found myself saying, “We need the next goal.” Under Berube, if the Leafs have a one-goal lead, I am a lot more comfortable. I know it’s still early in the season, but Craig Berube has this team playing a style that will bring consistent success every night. This was backed up by the comparison last night. In every single defensive stat, Craig Berube’s Leafs are either in the top five or top ten in the league.

If you watch this team, you will see that defensively, the Maple Leafs keep things simple and focus on their assignments. They focus on getting into the shooting lanes, whereas before, Toronto seemed to just run around. The players have also bought into this new style of play and have still found success. At different points in the season, Toronto has had as many as eight starting players out of the lineup. Most teams in this situation would struggle and fall in the standings because they don’t have the depth and talent to stay competitive. Toronto not only stayed afloat but has seemingly thrived in this situation. The team has adopted a next-man-up mentality, and with almost three lines worth of players on injured reserve, Toronto managed to lead the Atlantic Division before dropping the first game of their Florida road trip.

As I said, last night Toronto finished the Florida road trip with a win over Tampa and received good news on the injury front as Matthew Knies and captain Auston Matthews returned to the lineup. Both players made a positive impact, with Knies scoring his ninth goal of the season and Matthews collecting two assists. With the win last night, the injured Maple Leafs finished the month of November with an 8-3-1 record and once again sit one point behind the Florida Panthers, who have won their last three games.

Toronto will now focus on a busy December, where they will play 15 games, starting tomorrow night when they begin a three-game homestand hosting Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Hopefully, Toronto can carry their strong play this season into the final month of 2024. There is a special feeling with this Leafs team, but let’s just sit back and see how things unfold.