NHL Insights: Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers

Welcome to the first edition of NHL Insights as we look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers and more.

A new season means NHL Insights have returned. The new NHL season is underway, so there is not a lot to talk about as teams have only played a handful of games. However, there are some interesting trends and observations to follow. In the first edition of NHL Insights we will dive into the Toronto Maple Leafs goalie situation, the Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins hot starts. Plus cover other news and notes from around the NHL.

Time to dive into some NHL Insights for the past week.

NHL Insights: Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers

Toronto Maple Leafs

Entering the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs were an interesting team. Most of it surrounded their goalie situation. With Jack Campbell signing in Edmonton, the Maple Leafs traded for Matt Murray and signed Ilya Samsonov. Through three games of the season, all eyes will be on goaltending with Matt Murray sidelined for up to five weeks with an abductor injury. This should not come as a shock to anyone. Murray missed a ton of time during his time with the Senators playing in about 48 games. Now his time with the Maple Leafs begins with him on IR.

That means Samsonov will have to take the ball and run with it. The salary cap does no favours to the Maple Leafs as it will be hard for them to acquire a backup goalie with Murray out. In two games, Samsonov has looked good. Again it is still early, but maybe this is a blessing in disguise as Samsonov can be the number one similar to how Campbell got the number one spot taking over for an often injured Frederik Andersen. The team in front of Samsonov is good enough to win the division. But like always for the Maple Leafs it will come down to getting a big save.

Vegas Golden Knights

Heading out west, the Vegas Golden Knights look like a strong Stanley Cup contender. Granted it is still early, but head coach Bruce Cassidy has fixed a lot of the problems that plagued this team under Peter DeBoer. Not to mention, the Golden Knights play more freely when expectations are not as high. Just look at their first year in the league. And yes, they had a run to the Western Conference Final losing to Montreal (the COVID craziness), but last year was the first they missed the playoffs in franchise history. Albeit a short franchise history, but still what a start for a new franchise.

Cassidy has brought a breath of fresh air to the Vegas locker room. He has the players playing a system that works as they protect goaltender Logan Thompson, who is the starter with Robin Lehner and Laurent Brossoit out with injuries. In addition, having a healthy Mark Stone and Jack Eichel is helping this roster flourish. But it is the play of the original Golden Knights players like Jonathan Marchessault that has really given this lineup a jolt. There will always be expectations for Vegas, especially with its owner. But for now, GM Kelly McCrimmon’s seat got a little cooler.

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New York Rangers

Back out East, the New York Rangers are clicking on all cylinders. Again it is early. The only concern they might have is with their backup Jaroslav Halak. Though he didn’t play back. The third period against the Jets on the second of back-to-back nights got away from them. But overall it is a good start for the Rangers. Gerard Gallant continues to push the right buttons. The “Kids” of Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil are playing well.

All have another year in the league under their belts as all three are stronger on the puck. With the injury to Vitali Kravtsov the Rangers moved Lafreniere up to a line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. They looked good against Minnesota. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider have picked up where they left off as well. And oh yeah Igor Shesterkin is playing like the Vezina Trophy winner that he is. This team is on a mission.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Staying in the Metro Division, the Pittsburgh Penguins look good. Again it is early, but Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and company do not look like they are slowing down. Especially Crosby, who looks like he’s one of, if not, the best player in the world still. Head coach Mike Sullivan is pushing the right buttons for this team. There were questions surrounding Pittsburgh and if they could get back to the playoffs. It is still early, but if they are going to play like this then the Metro has its three teams locked up with two or three teams fighting for one spot.