Maple Leafs Are Playing Physical Hockey, But Is It Helping?
Here's an interesting little detail from Sunday's 4-0 Maple Leafs loss to New Jersey. Toronto outhit the Devils 28-13. That's quite a difference. If you were looking only at the hitting numbers, you might think the Maple Leafs were the more physical team and were doing their best to make life uncomfortable for New Jersey. But hockey games aren't won by counting hits.
The Devils outshot Toronto 29-23, controlled the faceoff circle, and scored on their only power-play goal. Toronto didn't get a single power-play opportunity. Those numbers tell a different story.
Another number is worth looking at. The Maple Leafs were called for six minor penalties, while New Jersey took just three. That's an interesting contrast. Toronto won the hitting battle, but the Devils stayed more disciplined. You want your team to play with some edge, particularly when things aren't going well. But there's a fine line between being physical and putting yourself in the penalty box. The Devils made Toronto pay for one of those mistakes, scoring on the power play.
Related: Former Maple Leafs Goalie Joseph Woll Can't Seem to Catch a Break
Winning Battles Doesn't Always Mean Winning Possession.
I don't mind seeing the Maple Leafs play a more physical game. Some nights, a little pushback is needed, especially when a team is struggling. But there's a difference between making contact and actually controlling the game.
New Jersey won 58.2 percent of the faceoffs. Toronto managed just 41.8 percent. That's a substantial gap, and it matters. Especially with John Tavares back in the lineup. Winning a faceoff doesn't guarantee anything, of course. But it gives a team a chance to start with the puck rather than having to chase it. Over the course of a game, those little advantages can add up.
The Devils also spent more time creating offensive pressure. Toronto struggled to sustain time in the offensive zone, something Hiller acknowledged after the game. That's a bigger concern than the hitting numbers.
The Maple Leafs Offence Needs More Than a Few Good Shifts.
Hiller also talked about how difficult it has become to generate offence at five-on-five. His point was that creating chances off the rush isn't easy in today's NHL. Teams need to spend more time in the offensive zone and make opponents defend. That's a reasonable observation, and it helps explain why the Maple Leafs need to find another gear.
Toronto has some talented offensive players. But talent doesn't accomplish much when the team can't establish possession, maintain pressure, and create enough quality chances.
The Tavares-McKenna-Nylander combination is one example worth watching. They've spent just under 30 minutes together at five-on-five this season, with no goals for and three against. That's a small sample, so I'm not ready to draw conclusions, but the combination hasn't produced much yet.
The Maple Leafs Need to Make Their Physical Game Count.
The Maple Leafs don't need to abandon physical hockey. They need to make it work alongside better puck management and more sustained offensive pressure. Sunday's game offered a pretty good reminder.
You can win the hitting battle and still spend most of the night trying to catch up. For Toronto, the next step isn't necessarily to hit harder. It's to get the puck more often and do something useful with it.