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Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews injury will test depth

By Suraj Sukumar |
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 11: John Tavares #91 and Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skate towards the bench during an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on October 11, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Leafs defeated the Wings 5-3. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 11: John Tavares #91 and Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skate towards the bench during an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on October 11, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Leafs defeated the Wings 5-3. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to lose Auston Matthews for a month due to injury, but John Tavares and the supporting cast can’t afford to lose a step

The Toronto Maple Leafs look great, offensively. Auston Matthews is the main reason Leafs Nation is riding a high and his 10 goals with six assists in 11 games will be missed. On the flip side, the rise of the Maple Leafs is in full swing, and there are plenty of players who can help produce.

John Tavares will be looked upon to carry the Maple Leafs now. He did it for years with the New York Islanders and should be poised to carry the load as Matthews recovers. his seven goals and 13 points in 11 games is a great sign of early success, but he will need to be even better as the Maples Leafs cling to the top spot in the Atlantic Division.

Kasperi Kapanen has been as good as advertised. He has not lost a step from last season and looks ready to maintain a top-six role at the NHL level. His chemistry with the top players on the Maple Leafs roster is even more welcoming, but he too will need to take his game to the next level for the Maple Leafs to maintain this pace. The same can also be said for Mitch Marner.

William Nylander, Better Defense Would Help a Lot

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How the tables have turned. A week ago, the ball was completely in the Maple Leafs’ court. With Matthews on the mend, adding William Nylander back to the roster would be all too perfect. He is an offensive dynamo and should be hungry to get back on the ice. But with the contract dispute still at a standstill, the Maple Leafs will, unfortunately, have to look elsewhere unless they sign him.

Another major concern for the Maple Leafs as they become a Stanley Cup contender is their defense. While they are great at pushing the puck up the ice with Morgan Rielly, their stay-home ability is far from good. Despite scoring plenty of goals, the Maple Leafs also let in a lot. Frederik Andersen is doing his part to keep the Maple Leafs in games, but it is simply not sustainable over an entire season.

As the Maple Leafs progress into the Matthews-less period, these types of issues need to be addressed. Losing a player of his caliber can be detrimental to a team, and the Maple Leafs are in a tight race to maintain the Atlantic Division lead.

With teams like the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning breathing down their neck, and the surprising start for the Montreal Canadiens, the Maple Leafs have plenty to avoid. With some secondary scoring and better defense, the Maple Leafs could set themselves up for success even when Matthews returns.

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While Nylander joining the team at this point seems like a pipe dream, there are other ways for the Maple Leafs to be better. If they can shape up and be better on defence, while also maintaining a strong offensive presence, the Maple Leafs may get through this time without losing a step. Still, replacing Matthews is next to impossible, but hopefully the Maple Leafs can find ways to cope. Otherwise, this could be a long month in Toronto.

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