3 Maple Leafs Giving Fans a Reason Not to Give Up Just Yet

I’m being honest. Finding something positive to say about the Toronto Maple Leafs these days isn't exactly easy. The losses are piling up, the mistakes are becoming familiar, and just when it looks like this team might be finding its footing, something else goes wrong.

Still, even in a season that has given fans plenty of reasons to change the channel, a few players are worth watching. Three, in particular, are offering something to hold on to.

Auston Matthews Is Starting to Look Like Himself Again.

Let's start with the captain. Auston Matthews is looking more like the player Leafs fans have been waiting to see. He's skating with more confidence, winning battles, finding scoring opportunities, and putting up points. After a couple of seasons when injuries and other struggles seemed to get in his way, it's encouraging to see him playing with some of that old authority again.

The Maple Leafs have bigger problems than one player can solve, but when Matthews plays well, it gives everyone else something to build on. He's still the guy this team needs to build around.

Easton Cowan Is Giving Fans a Glimpse of the Future.

Then there's Easton Cowan. The young forward keeps earning more responsibility, and for good reason. He works, finds open ice, gets involved, and doesn't seem afraid of the moment. What's particularly encouraging is watching him develop alongside Matthews. He's learning what it takes to play important minutes, and his confidence appears to be growing.

Fans have seen plenty of young players arrive with big expectations. The trick is giving them time to become the players they're capable of being. Cowan is making that process fun to watch.

Kirill Marchenko Now Has Maple Leafs Fans Wanting More.

The third player is Kirill Marchenko. His lower-body injury has interrupted what was becoming a pretty encouraging start with Toronto. Before going down, Marchenko had 14 points in 14 games. That's the kind of production the Maple Leafs hoped for when they brought him in. He created chances, finished plays, and gave the top six another offensive option.

Getting him healthy and back into the lineup could make a difference.

A Few Reasons for Maple Leafs Fans to Keep Watching.

Nobody is suggesting these three players will rescue the Maple Leafs by themselves. There's too much work to do elsewhere in the lineup. But Matthews looking more like Matthews, Cowan finding his feet, and Marchenko showing what he can bring are three worthwhile developments.

Sometimes, when a season gets this frustrating, you have to look for the smaller victories. These three are providing them. And for Maple Leafs fans, that's something worth watching.