What are the early returns on a mixed bag of Maple Leafs?

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The NHL’s new 84-date schedule has slightly skewed the mile markers in determining where a team is at and how far to go.

Eleven games, or 13.09% completion, might be too small a number on the Maple Leafs odometer and the Atlantic Division dog fight not yet at the serious stage. But we offer some observations on their record of 5-4-2, with no Wednesday practice as they prepare for the New York Rangers: 

Why Auston Matthews is on fire

If not for that McDavid fellow in Edmonton, Matthews would be tied for the NHL scoring lead as of Wednesday afternoon with 18 points. The only other Eastern Conference player near Matthews is teammate William Nylander with 15. Monday against San Jose and Tuesday in Columbus, it was Matthews who figured in Toronto’s first goal to tie the games, compiling five points in all.  

While the last two seasons were a confounding series of injury vagaries on his part and the team’s to conceal ailments, other than Radko Gudas’s hit tearing his MCL on live TV, the captain has kept his vow to be good as new. The goal touch back to .85 a game, never deserted him and now he can burst into open ice again, surrounded by compatible wingers, free from coach Craig Berube’s once effective, but ultimately unconducive checking emphasis. 

Matthews’ role in hosting the team’s pre-season Arizona getaway and fostering a better dressing room environment seems to be having the desired direct link to the ice.   

“It’s hard to put into words,” winger Easton Cowan told Sportsnet of the Matthews’ factor thus far. “He’s an unbelievable leader and it’s how positive he is every day. It helps young guys like me and everyone. He’s a real stone.” 

For a while on Tuesday, it looked like Matthews would celebrate his 800th NHL point playing his 700th game, but he remains two shy of becoming the fourth Leaf with that total. This year’s surge moved him to current leadership of franchise plus – minus at positive 152, one ahead of Tim Horton, 

Stay tuned for Matthews – Nylander versus McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on Saturday. 

What’s on special this month? 

The ‘100 Rule’, that unofficial NHL percentage stat that combines power-play prowess with penalty killing acumen, has rarely applied to the Leafs, especially with the man advantage. 

But thanks to the second-best kill through the first 11 games in NHL history, 97.4, and the conference’s best power play at 27.5, Toronto is just under 125. Brought to you by the team that fired its power-play coach early last year, while drawing the fewest man advantage opportunities in the league.
When Zack MacEwan went after Columbus’s Erik Gudbranson on Tuesday after a hit from behind on Teddy Blueger, he likely had Toronto’s fine PK record in mind when risking the instigator. 

Head coach Jim Hiller has made a couple head-scratching moves thus far, but splitting power-play duties with assistant Daniel Alfredsson and letting former Marlies head coach John Gruden work several different style players into short-handed situations has made a difference in tight games. 

Avoid marking the D with an F 

The back-to-back wins this week were against two offensively challenged clubs, but starting with the Rangers, Toronto’s backline and goalies will face four of the league’s top nine scoring sides the next five games. 

Toronto is still without defenceman Chris Tanev for a few more games, while all involved hope the optimistic reports that Jake McCabe avoided an eye injury on Tuesday when a stick blade went under his visor will be verified Wednesday. 

Tenacious Troy Stecher wound up leading the Leafs in ice time against the Jackets, Morgan Rielly was plus-3 and turned back the clock to when his instincts to jump in the play gave him confidence to overcome his own-zone issues. Hiller has said he’ll be leaning more on Oliver Ekman-Larsson in Tanev’s absence and this could be Marshall Rifai’s long-awaited chance after wrist surgery kept him from filling in last season. 

As November approaches and teams re-assess their season-opening strategies, the Leafs will be counting on Tanev’s recovery, yet still look for stay-at-home help, right up to the March trade deadline. Meantime, present company, along with Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz, will have to hold the fort. 

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby 

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