‘Tis the season to reflect and review with two-and-a-bit months of hockey behind us.
Sitting third in the East, the Toronto Maple Leafs have perhaps exceeded expectations through their first 30-plus games as they gear up for another serious playoff push after being bounced in the first round last season.
There’s been plenty to like about Craig Berube’s first year in charge of the NHL’s most famous franchise, but when you get right down to it, there’s still a lot left for the Leafs to improve on if they hold any hope of finally winning the Stanley Cup.
Here’s a look at the best and worst of the Leafs in 2024.
The Best
The Month of November
November has been the hottest stretch for the Leafs so far, which came as a shock given Auston Matthews took to the ice only three times.
Toronto strung together a four-game winning streak (which remains the longest this season) over the Caps, Oilers, Golden Knights, and Utah – although the first two were absolute nail-biters won in overtime.
Digging deeper, the Leafs’ numbers jump out over this 30-day stretch in a few important categories.
After a slow start, Craig Berube finally saw his power play wake up with 12 goals from 41 opportunities – the fourth-most in the league.
Even better, Anthony Stolarz posted a stellar 2.18 goals against average to match a 3-2 win/loss record, which includes the 4-0 shutout win over Boston at home.
Elsewhere, the Leafs finished in the bottom half of the league in penalties given away and 12th in penalty kill, outlining how disciplined Berube’s side was with a few key players like Matthews, Matthew Knies, and Ryan Reaves missing.
Overall, if you told Leafs fans they’d finish November 8-3 with Edmonton, Boston, Minnesota, Washington, Vegas, and Florida all on the schedule before the season began, they probably would have laughed at you.
John Tavares
The former Leafs captain deserves his own special mention.
Now in his 16th season, Tavares is arguably enjoying his best year in Toronto – if not his career- sitting second behind only William Nylander with 15 goals scored – a pace that could see him put up 40 before the season ends.
Saturday’s hat trick in the come-from-behind win over Buffalo put an exclamation mark on a terrific 2024, made even sweeter given Tavares was a name floated as a potential trade candidate after the Leafs exited the playoffs last year.
Some have suggested Tavares should have been in line for a spot on Team Canada in the Four Nations, but as far as the Leafs are concerned, every fan will be happy with his effort level and playmaking ability, something that was sorely lacking at times last year.
The Worst
Goaltending Masking Serious Issues
It's no secret the Leafs' goaltending has kept them in games all year.
Slow starts have been a glaring problem, as seen on Monday when the Leafs trailed 3-1 early in the second period against Buffalo. Toronto’s ability to fight back is something we haven’t seen in years past, but their third-period numbers aren’t great either as Berube’s team ranks in the bottom five in goals scored.
With all their talent, somehow, the Leafs have been one of the worst five-on-five teams all year (23rd in goals scored as of Tuesday). And at times, it feels like they generate better scoring chances when they are a man down, highlighted last week when Toronto’s two goals in the overtime win over the Devils came shorthanded.
Better production from the second and third lines would go a long way to helping the Leafs correct some of their issues, and it starts and ends with guys like Reaves and Max Domi finding the back of the net.