Before the Puck Drops: Can the Maple Leafs Finish Chances?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have one more home game before heading out on a three-game road trip through Vegas, Colorado and Utah. They're 1-2.

That's not particularly concerning this early in the season. But I’d like to see one thing change tonight against Nashville after Saturday’s loss to Ottawa. That’s finishing chances. Toronto had 29 shots and four power plays against the Senators. William Nylander thought the Maple Leafs had enough chances to win. Kirill Marchenko and Auston Matthews have had high expected goals, but not so many real goals.

Jim Hiller mentioned all the posts and crossbars. “Lots of iron,” he said. Fair enough. Sometimes the puck just doesn't go in. But eventually, a team has to turn some of those chances into goals. That's what I'll be watching tonight.

The chances have been there for the Maple Leafs.

I'm actually more interested in this than the 1-2 record. The Maple Leafs haven't looked completely lost. They’ve impressed me as being very different from last season’s team because they carry the play into the opposition’s zone. So, they've created opportunities. They just haven't finished them consistently. That's a much different problem than not generating anything.

Nashville comes into Toronto at 1-1 after beating Dallas 2-1 on Saturday. Steven Stamkos scored his 625th career goal in that game, tying Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla for 17th on the NHL's all-time list.

That's a nice little story for Stamkos. But Toronto needs its own story tonight.

The Maple Leafs need to score “some” goals.

The Maple Leafs don't need to score five goals. They don't need to suddenly become a different hockey team. I'd just like to see some of those chances end up in the net. The second line of John Tavares, Gavin McKenna, and Nylander especially needs to get going. Because after tonight, the schedule gets considerably less friendly.

Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights, the Colorado Avalanche and then the Utah Mammoth are all quality teams.

So before the Maple Leafs leave town, I'm curious about one thing: Are those missed chances just early-season hockey, or will finishing become a problem?

We'll see tonight.