Maple Leafs Have Two Newcomers to Thank for a Remarkable

There's a funny thing about a good penalty kill. When it's working, we sometimes take it for granted. The opposition gets a power play, the Maple Leafs go to work, and a couple of minutes later everybody gets back to playing five-on-five. Nothing particularly exciting, right? Well, maybe we should pay a little more attention.

Toronto has put together an outstanding stretch on the penalty kill this season, including 30 consecutive successful kills before finally allowing another power-play goal. That's no small accomplishment. And while it takes a team effort to get those results, two newcomers deserve plenty of credit: Colton Sissons and Teddy Blueger.

Two reasons explain why these players have made such a difference.

First, Sissons and Blueger Make Winning the Little Battles Their Business.

First, both players understand that penalty killing isn't about looking pretty. It's about winning the little battles that keep the puck away from your net. Sissons has been particularly good at that. He's averaging 2:55 of penalty-killing ice time per game and leads the Maple Leafs with a 60.6 percent faceoff success rate. He's also blocked 10 shots and delivered 35 hits in 16 games.

Blueger has been just as important. He's actually ahead of Sissons in penalty-killing time, averaging 3:02 per game. He's won 51.2 percent of his faceoffs and blocked eight shots. These aren't necessarily the numbers that make highlight reels, but they're the sorts of contributions that help a penalty kill survive. Win a faceoff, get the puck out, block a shot, and make the opposing power play work for every inch.

Second, Sissons and Blueger Give Toronto Something It Can Count On.

The second reason might be even more important. The Maple Leafs have two players they can trust in difficult situations. Sissons has five points in 16 games, while Blueger has four. Neither was brought to Toronto to become an offensive star. Their value comes from being reliable when the game gets uncomfortable.

And there's something to be said for having two players who can share that responsibility. It takes pressure off the rest of the lineup and gives the coaching staff some flexibility.

It's early, of course. Penalty kills go through good stretches and bad ones. Nobody should assume Toronto will keep killing penalties at this rate all season.

Sometimes the Best Additions Are the Guys Who Do the Dirty Work.

But Sissons and Blueger have given the Maple Leafs something they badly need: two experienced players who seem to understand exactly what their jobs are.

Sometimes the difference between a good team and a better one isn't another big-name scorer. It's two guys who are willing to do the dirty work. Right now, Toronto is getting plenty of that from its newcomers.