Maple Leafs’ Non-Core-Four Players Are Stepping Up In A Big Way

The Toronto Maple Leafs returned from the NHL’s COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdown with a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday at an empty Scotiabank Arena. And although superstar center Auston Matthews was held to just one assist in that win, the Leafs’ depth was the clear difference between the two up-and-coming teams.

Yes, Toronto got its first goal of the night Wednesday from core center John Tavares, and fellow core forward William Nylander chipped in with two assists to take the team lead in points this year, with 35 points in 32 games. But otherwise, it was the Leafs’ complementary players who stepped up with notable performances as the Buds outlasted the Oilers. Toronto got help from forward Alex Kerfoot, who has played up and down Toronto’s group of its top nine forwards this season; Kerfoot had an assist on the Leafs’ first goal, and scored their final goal of the night. Meanwhile, winger Ilya Mikheyev and defenseman T.J. Brodie chipped in with, respectively, the game-winning goal, and a breathing-room goal that was the final goal of the night.

As we’ve said before, the Leafs need their best players to be their best players for Toronto to thrive amid the very best teams the NHL has to offer. But it certainly can’t hurt that they have such high-quality secondary offensive options this year. And that depth extends to the Leafs’ blueliners; their three top D-men, veterans Morgan Rielly, Brodie and Jake Muzzin, have combined to post 39 assists and 47 points in 32 games. That takes pressure off of the Buds’ forwards – to say nothing of the pressure on No. 1 goalie Jack Campbell – but Toronto hasn’t needed offense from throughout its lineup.

Indeed, the Leafs have done so well with their offense, all that’s needed now from GM Kyle Dubas is more depth for what Toronto plans to be a lengthy playoff run. And Dubas is going to use every dollar he has under the salary cap to give the Buds an advantage in this crossroads season for him and the team as a whole. He showed that earlier this week when he placed struggling winger Nick Ritchie on waivers; Ritchie was signed this past summer for this season and next season with an average contract value of $2.5 million, but he has only amassed a single goal and eight points in 30 games.

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That’s not nearly enough, which is why Ritchie is probably going to be playing his next games as a member of the American League’s Toronto Marlies. Dubas will save the Leafs the pro-rated equivalent of $1.25-million this year and next year. That may not sound like a lot, but given that Toronto is all but completed capped out right now, every dollar they can save gives them more flexibility as they seek to bolster their group.

As it stands, the Leafs are in third spot in the Atlantic Division, but they’re only three standings points behind second-place Florida (with two games in hand on the Panthers), and five points behind the first-place (and back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champion) Tampa Bay Lightning, who Toronto has four games in hand on. Just about everything has gone right for the Leafs, but they’ll need to be just as good to keep pace with the two Florida teams and challenge for the Atlantic title.

Again, they’ll need above-average production from Matthews, forward Mitch Marner, Tavares, and Nylander to stay in contention for their second consecutive division title. But on the nights the Core Four aren’t leading the way on the scoresheet, Toronto’s other players need to be there for Campbell and the defense.

So far, they have been more than up to the challenge.

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