The Toronto Maple Leafs are 8-8-2 in their last 18 games. For a team as good as they should be, that’s not very impressive at all. This runs deeper than just a bad streak though. This team has been held in games by either their goaltending or top players and the lack of secondary scoring is killing them. The team is really struggling to even hold onto third place in their division at the halfway point in the season. It isn’t hard to think the depth will pick up their play, but nothing is showing us why they will anytime soon.
There are seven players in particular that I want to highlight. These player need to start finding the back of the net if the Maple Leafs want an easier path into the playoffs and in the first round. Below are the players on goalless droughts and how long this has been going on for:
- David Kampf: 0 goals in last 19 games
- Noah Gregor: 0 goals in last 17 games
- Matthew Knies: 0 goals in last 14 games
- Tyler Bertuzzi: 0 goals in last 13 games
- John Tavares: 0 goals in last 10 games
- Calle Jarnkrok: 0 goals in last 9 games
- Max Domi: 0 goals in last six games and 1 goal in last 16 games
Some Maple Leafs Have Impressed, Others Dragging Team Down
The Maple Leafs are fortunate that three of the core four have been dominating and that the goaltenders have been doing as good of a job as they have. Martin Jones has done far more than what was expected of him coming into the season as the third string goalie and Ilya Samsonov looks rejuvenated after some time to reset.
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Auston Matthews has led the way in the goals department, but Tavares’ lack of goals and goalless drought is worrisome as it is the longest in his career by far at this point. This is a collection of players on every one of the forward lines, so it may be time to really put the lines in a blender to see if they can get someone going at the very least. The Maple Leafs still have a lot of work ahead of them this season and will need help from these players who can’t seem to score sooner than later. I’m sure they will figure it out, but the way the team hasn’t been great for most of the season may prevent them from buying much at the deadline and seemingly let a season go to waste.
