The Maple Leafs are heading into Tuesday’s matchup with the Nashville Predators looking a lot like the same team that dropped Saturday’s game to Ottawa.
Monday’s practice didn’t bring much in the way of surprises. Jim Hiller kept things intact, showing no changes to a lineup that has some obvious problem spots, especially on the second line. The top line and the third line stayed together, which makes sense given that both have been the bright spots early in the season, and the first line has been one of the best in hockey to start the year.
But that second line has been a mess, and for a team that leans heavily on analytics, it’s notable how much the defensive breakdowns there seem to be getting overlooked.
There weren’t any changes on defense either, which could become an issue if both Darren Raddysh and Morgan Rielly can’t be at least serviceable in their own end. In net, Sergei Bobrovsky is set to make his second straight start after turning in a strong performance against Ottawa.
If Toronto is going to find a way past Nashville, speed has to be part of the answer. Kirill Marchenko, Auston Matthews, and Jack Roslovic will need to push the pace, and Easton Cowan is going to be asked to stay on them all night. This is a faster Maple Leafs group than fans have seen in recent years, and that edge needs to show up against the Predators.
Special teams could also decide things. Nashville’s power play is sitting at nearly 30% early in the season, so Toronto will have to keep that group under control. The good news for the Maple Leafs is that their penalty kill has been perfect so far, and they’ll be trying to keep it that way on Tuesday.
Nashville may be an older team, but it still has plenty of firepower. Hiller will need to adjust as the game goes along, because if Tuesday ends with another loss and still no lineup changes, the pressure to make one may only grow.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Suddenly Have A John Tavares Problem They Cant Ignore
The Maple Leafs search for a dependable second-line centre has become one of the quieter pressures on the roster, even as the club keeps tinkering with its forward groups and looking for the right fit behind the top line. John Tavares remains a central part of the lineup, but the early-season discussion around Toronto has shifted toward whether his place is best used in a different role than the one he has traditionally filled.
At the same time, the fix is not simple. Toronto has room to work with under the cap, but not enough flexibility to treat this as a quick upgrade, especially with limited trade chips after recent moves. That leaves the front office weighing lineup changes against roster construction, and whether the answer is internal reshuffling, an outside addition, or something more awkward that the Leafs would rather not have to confront for long. [Read more 🡒]
John Tavares Is Forcing A Leafs Decision They Can't Ignore
John Tavares has opened the NHL season with two assists in Torontos first three games, but the early returns around his game have sparked a bigger conversation inside the Maple Leafs lineup. The production is still there in spots, yet the way he is moving has prompted a closer look at whether his long-time role down the middle still fits best in this stage of his career.
For Toronto, the issue is bigger than one players stat line. If Tavares is better suited to a different spot, the Leafs have to sort out what comes next at second-line center and whether help from outside the organization becomes part of the equation. Names are already circulating, and the front office may soon have to decide if it can solve this internally or if a bigger swing is needed. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Face A Real Center Decision They Can't Ignore
Connor Zarys name was suddenly in the waiver wire conversation Monday, and it lands at a time when the Maple Leafs cant really afford to ignore their center depth. Toronto has spent plenty of time looking for more stability down the middle, and Zarys profile makes him the kind of player worth sorting through quickly, especially with a claim window that moves fast and a fit that could be meaningful if the club sees him as more than just organizational depth.
What makes this interesting for the Leafs is less the waiver tag itself than the possible role. Zary has been discussed as a center option who could help address a need Toronto has been trying to solve, and his game offers enough flexibility to make the conversation real rather than speculative. The only question now is whether the Leafs are willing to act before the opportunity disappears in front of them. [Read more 🡒]