Mrazek's Success, Tavares' Struggles, Top Scorers, and 70 for Matthews
Plus important roles among other roster members
Welcome to the THW Toronto Maple Leafs Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Maple Leafs writers.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are on break, so it’s a good time to look at some of the top scorers, players who haven’t produced, one who has in great abundance, and more.
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Petr Mrazek: From Maple Leafs Failure to Blackhawks Extension
January 30, 2024 by The Old Prof
When Kyle Dubas, then the general manager (GM) of the Toronto Maple Leafs, signed Petr Mrazek ahead of the 2021-22 season, it was seen as a significant move to fortify the team’s goaltending lineup. Pairing Mrazek with returning starter Jack Campbell created a tandem that had the potential to elevate the Maple Leafs’ goaltending to new heights.
As the season approached, hockey analysts expressed optimism about the goaltending shape the Maple Leafs found themselves in. The duo of Campbell and Mrazek was hailed as one of the best in years, bringing a blend of experience, talent, versatility, and (even) personality. Both goalies were considered capable of shouldering the responsibilities of a starter; thus, having a 1A and 1B tandem was a huge improvement over even the solid Frederik Andersen. Together, they offered the team a competitive advantage. There was a lot to look forward to with the Campbell-Mrazek partnership.
John Tavares’ Struggles a Big Factor in Maple Leafs’ Second Half
January 29, 2024 by Stefano Rubino
When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed John Tavares on July 1, 2018, to a $77 million, seven-year contract, many people predicted that the back of those years would be problematic. Now, we might be in that period of discussion. Tavares has been a prolific scorer at every level, but his nine-game scoring drought feels pronounced. Tavares had 25 points through his first 25 games of the season, making him a point-per-game player.
Since then, Tavares has had 10 points in 22 games, most notably an eight-game pointless streak. Some quick analysis points to that being worse. However, the nine points in 12 games thing wouldn’t be setting off any alarms on its own, and now it seems that a season that started with touting Tavares as a player who might never drop off is being treated like he’s beginning to drop off finally. Let’s look into Tavare’s recent struggles, how his play has affected the team and his way of getting out of this slump.
Auston Matthews Can Hit 70 Goals This Season
January 29, 2024 by Anthony Testaguzza
When looking at his pace last season, Auston Matthews looked unusual, as many thought he would reach a new scoring level after that massive 60-goal season in the 2021-22 season. Instead of reaching another 50 or 60 goals in the seventh season of his career, he barely reached 40 goals to end the season. However, looking at his current goal totals, it wouldn’t be crazy to say he is possibly on pace for 70 goals. If he scores 70 goals, he will be the first to do so in Toronto Maple Leafs history.
This season, he’s taken a different approach and is now at 40 goals midway through the season. With three more months to go in the regular season, he will have a lot of time to get that 70-goal milestone if he can continue to stay healthy for the remainder of the season. The last players to reach the 70-goal mark were Alexander Mogilny and Teemu Selanne in the 1992-93 season, and since then, no one in the 21st-century era has been able to achieve that milestone, which would make Matthews the first to do it.
The Maple Leafs’ Top-5 Scorers at All-Star Break
January 29, 2024 by The Old Prof
As the Toronto Maple Leafs head into the All-Star break after two back-to-back wins against the Winnipeg Jets, they are now sitting in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The team has also played fewer games than any of the other teams in the postseason, which bodes well for them going forward.
In this post, I’ll review the top five scorers on the team heading into the All-Star break.
More Maple Leafs Must Reads
Ryan Reaves’ Role Important to Maple Leafs’ Success
January 29, 2024 by Andrew Forbes
Nick Robertson’s Long Journey to the Maple Leafs
January 29, 2024 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
Ranking the Maple Leafs’ 4 All-Stars
January 29, 2024 by Peter Baracchini