Specialty teams are crucial for a team’s success, especially in the playoffs. With Tavares and Marner to the Leafs’ PK, it just got a whole lot better.
After losing key penalty killer Leo Komarov to free agency, it seemed like the Toronto Maple Leafs penalty kill was going to suffer. After all, he led all Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time and was heavily trusted by head coach Mike Babcock.
However, with Komarov gone, John Tavares and Mitch Marner have taken his place. Some NHL teams use the strategy of putting their star players on the penalty kill because it keeps the opposing team honest and there’s a constant threat of a shorthanded breakout.
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The Florida Panthers use Aleksander Barkov, the Edmonton Oilers use Connor McDavid, and the Boston Bruins use Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Now, the Maple Leafs are going to have Tavares and Marner, in addition to guys like Nazem Kadri and Kasperi Kapanen. Having players like this on the ice creates uncertainty for the powerplay unit and adds a scoring threat.
Throughout his years with the New York Islanders, Tavares was a key piece on the penalty kill the past two seasons. Last season, he had two short-handed goals and lead all forwards in average ice time with 19:56 minutes a night.
His strength on the puck and ability to fight for pucks against the boards kills valuable penalty time. Tavares adds a scoring threat that the Leafs didn’t have last season on the PK.
Meanwhile, Marner played on the penalty kill with the London Knights, but wasn’t asked to do that when he got promoted to the NHL. This season, Babcock is ready to take the plunge. Marner’s speed will create a lot of breakaway chances and his puck stealing skills have gotten better every year. In his latest preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens, he had a short-handed goal and three assists.
In hockey, there are two kinds of speed: foot speed and hockey speed. Foot speed is a player’s ability to skate fast. Dylan Larkin and Phil Kessel are great examples of foot speed. Hockey speed is how quick your body reacts to the play.
A player doesn’t have to be flat out fast, he just has to be able to react faster than everyone around him. Connor McDavid is a good example of both speeds. He can outrace anybody, but his dominance comes from his explosive reactions. He has the ability to get to a puck quicker than anybody else because he reads the play instantly.
Marner is another player who has both speeds. He can fly on the ice, but his reactions to the plays are just as quick. This allows him to pick the pockets of other players and quickly transition the other way, which is vital for all penalty killers.
Even though the Leafs’ lost one of the best defensive wingers in the league, the puck strength and pickpocketing skills that Tavares and Marner bring to the Leafs’ penalty kill will definitely make up for it. It will not only erase quality penalty time, but it will also add a scoring threat like nothing the league has seen before.