The Maple Leafs haven’t exactly lit up the scoreboard through three games, but the quieter story has been happening in their own end.
Toronto has scored six goals and allowed seven, a tiny sample that still leaves them at minus-1 - a much cleaner look than last season’s minus-46 finish, which buried them in last place in the division and far from the playoffs. The offence hasn’t found its rhythm yet, but the defensive side has at least given the Leafs something sturdier to build on.
There have still been stressful moments for Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz, yet the structure in front of them has helped. Toronto is giving up an average of 28 shots against, has gone 10-for-10 on the penalty kill, and has piled up 45 blocked shots, good for fifth in the league. Those numbers have helped soften the damage from the dangerous looks that do get through.
Defenceman Chris Tanev pointed to that progress on Monday, while also acknowledging how much work remains.
“We’re trying to defend less than in previous years,” Tanev said on Monday. “I think we’ve been pretty good other than the last period (against Ottawa, when the Senators went on a forechecking frenzy and outshot Toronto 16-5). Once they scored, momentum changed quite a bit, flipped the script when we were rolling.
“But then Bob (Bobrovsky) still made some great saves to keep it 3-2.”
For Tanev, the change has been especially noticeable after last season, when he spent most of the year in the press box recovering from a core muscle injury. From there, he watched a team that often made life too easy for opponents and paid for it in the standings.
“Tough to win when you’re getting outchanced significantly, but we’re doing a better job of that,” Tanev said. “There is still a lot of room to improve and we need to find a way to get points when games are tied in the third.”
Tanev is also trying to manage his own body as he gets closer to 37 in a couple of months and continues to work back from surgery in March. He delayed the operation until Toronto was effectively out of the playoff race and he knew he couldn’t help, even in a limited capacity. His return matters in part because of how important his pairing with Jake McCabe has been to the blue-line setup, especially with Toronto hoping Morgan Rielly can settle in again next to newcomer Darren Raddysh.
“I feel pretty good, other than I had the yips for one shift last game,” Tanev said with a wry smile, referencing a couple of puzzling giveaways. “I’m still getting into a groove, but we‘re growing as a team.”
There’s also a fresh voice behind the bench in the defensive room. Toronto’s coaching staff is completely new, with Jim Hiller and Brad Werenka now working the group.
“I’ve liked us, except for that period against Ottawa,” Hiller said. “That was our biggest question (from that game). Outside of that, there’s not a lot of odd-man rushes coming, that’s the first thing, and in the defensive zone we’re getting better.”
The Leafs now turn to Nashville on Tuesday to finish the first four games of the schedule at home. Hiller has had the final say on the defensive pairings so far, and he has kept Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Troy Stecher together as the third pair while holding off on using free-agent Nick Blankenburg.
That could change against the Predators, where Blankenburg spent most of his 176 NHL games before a trade to Colorado last year. He scored one playoff goal in five games with the Avalanche.
Nashville comes in at 1-1 after a slow offensive start of its own, with just three goals and only one at even strength. Still, the Predators bring a familiar face in Steven Stamkos, who has 56 points in 68 games against Toronto, and they also have Juuse Saros, whose career save percentage against the Leafs sits at .923.
In Other News...
DeBrincat Just Put Detroit's Biggest Contract Decision Into Focus
Alex DeBrincats contract situation in Detroit has quickly become one of the more intriguing storylines around the league, and it has obvious ripple effects for Ottawa fans who watched him up close before his move to the Red Wings. The winger is in the final year of his deal and is reportedly seeking an extension in the range of $12 million to $14 million annually depending on term, a price tag that puts a spotlight on how aggressively Detroit wants to keep him in place.
For the Senators, the more immediate concern is on their own blue line, where Jake Sanderson is expected to miss at least two games because of a lingering injury. He has returned to Ottawa for testing, leaving the club to manage a gap on the road trip and potentially lean on familiar depth options if the absence stretches on. In the meantime, the latest wave of injury and contract news only adds to the sense that this stretch could force a few teams to make choices they would rather not face yet. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Trade Buzz Could Quietly Matter To The Flames Soon
Edmontons latest trade chatter has some ripple effects across the Canadian market, even if nothing has been finalized. Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer said the club could make a move before its next game against the Anaheim Ducks, and Sportsnets Elliotte Friedman reported Edmonton has explored ways to swap from its defensive depth toward another forward after a cluster of injuries up front. The need appears to be short term, with no long-term absences expected, but it has still put the Oilers in a familiar spot of weighing roster balance against immediate help.
For Ottawa, the interest is less about Edmontons lineup card than about the kind of transaction that can reshape a division race without much warning. The discussion has centered on whether the Oilers use one of their extra defensemen to address the forward group, and the names being floated show just how fine the margins are around the back end. No deal has been announced, but if Edmonton does pull the trigger, it would be the sort of move the Senators watch closely because it could alter the competitive landscape fast. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Just Created A New Question On Defense
The Senators needed another body on the blue line, and Jorian Donovan got the call from Belleville to help steady things while injuries have thinned out the defense. The 22-year-old fifth-round pick has only two NHL games on his rsum, but he arrives with a solid AHL track record after putting up 21 points in 61 games last season, giving Ottawa a young option as it tries to navigate a short-handed stretch.
Donovans recall also adds another layer to a roster picture that is still in motion, with injured players working their way back and Ridly Greig close to returning from suspension. For Ottawa, the next move may not be the last one, as the club keeps sorting out how to patch the blue line now while leaving room for whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]