They’ve weathered plenty of injuries, power play droughts, individual slumps, and a general dip in even-strength offence while still establishing themselves as a defensive force and one of the premier clubs in their division.
And yet, anyone watching November’s hottest team navigate its way through a hectic December will tell you that their game has slipped a notch.
Not so significantly that the decline would be noticeable against a non-contender like Detroit or Buffalo or Chicago.
But when a legitimate opponent like the Washington Capitals rolls into town and beats the Maple Leafs, 5-2, on their own pad for the second time in a month, it serves as a sharp reminder that Toronto will need to locate another level.
“Looking at it from a little bit of a bigger picture, I think we got a little bit more (to give). We got to be more consistent. I think that’s maybe why we’re a little bit on the wrong side of it here over the last maybe four or five games,,” ex-captain–slash–substitute captain John Tavares said, following Saturday’s defeat.
“Our execution can be a little bit better, and our pace can just be a little bit better.”
Added William Nylander: “We have some lapses sometimes that we can’t have. The majority of the game, we’re playing good.”
The Maple Leafs jumped to an early lead and generated enough chances to swing the scoreboard in their favour. But Washington’s effort was more steady, its O-zone time more sustained, and its goaltender superior.
Leafs coach Craig Berube notes that the Capitals “look” the way a team should: “They play a good brand of hockey. It’s very direct.”
Toronto was undone by a locked-in Thompson, who frustrated Nylander to the point of stick-breaking, stoned Pontus Holmberg on a breakaway, and gloved down Mitch Marner on a clean rush as part of his 35-save star turn.
“You just want to try to match him save for save,” Toronto’s Matt Murray said. “But he played a hell of a game tonight. He made a couple of crazy saves, a couple that you thought were sure goals, and he was able to pull ’em off the line.”
But Toronto was also hindered by a lack of offensive execution (29 of the Leafs’ shots were either blocked or blown wide of Thompson’s cage) and a penalty kill that failed to take care of business on Washington’s lone power play.
Most costly, however, were some horrendous zone exits.
A Connor Dewar turnover immediately led to an Andrew Mangiapane rush strike that erased the home side’s early lead before it was two minutes old.
And a bad line change combined with more botched zone clears to help set up Nic Dowd’s winner.
Credit the Capitals, though, because they are the type of team that can run all the way home on your errors. (Translation: the type of team that makes the playoffs.)
And, if you’re feeling generous, cut Murray some slack.
The third-string goaltender was starting just his second NHL game in well over 600 days and is still adjusting to the big-league threats.
“There’s maybe, like, one or two times a game where I feel like I’m just a little bit late picking up pucks through traffic. That type of thing that happened a couple times out there tonight,” Murray admitted.
“They played hard. Made it hard on me and got to the paint. And lots of traffic, lots of chances off the rush. They play a really tough game.”
Berube’s thoughts on his own goalie: “I’m sure he wants a couple back. But he hasn’t played a ton of hockey. I mean, he battled. He fought.”
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Just as the Maple Leafs will need to battle, to fight a little harder if they are to come out on the right side of more of these real tests against real opponents.
Tavares knows this already.
“Goalies are going to play well. They’re gonna have a hot hand. You tip your cap to that,” Tavares said.
“But we want to be able to find a way to break through and do what we need to do to earn the result that we need.”
• When warmups go wrong…
• Your daily AM34-1-1: Auston Matthews (upper body) has been skating for a couple days now, but no return date has been set.
“Making real good progress, which is great. He’s feeling a lot better,” Berube says.
In other injury news, Team Finland defenceman Jani Hakanpää has also returned to the ice following his latest knee procedure.
“He’s a ways away yet,” Berube cautions.
• Jakob Chychrun: 10 goals.
Entire Maple Leafs defence: seven goals (and none in December, so far).
• Mississauga, Ont., native Dylan Strome dipped hard in 2020-21, failing to reach 10 goals and topping off at just 17 points.
Since then, his production has increased every season: 48 points in 2021-22, 65 in 2022-23, and 67 in 2023-24.
This season, Washington’s No.1 centreman is on track for 91 points.
“An ultra-competitive guy,” Carbery says.
“This is the third year in a row where he’s trending to be a better player than he was the year before. You see that at times, but it’s pretty rare [at age 27].”
• So… Team Canada didn’t want Thompson, eh?
