The Maple Leafs Sandwich: Cowan Is the Peanut Butter,

Something interesting is happening with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It wasn't obvious right away, and we don't know yet whether it will work. But I'm starting to wonder whether John Chayka is building this team in a different order than Toronto has for much of the Auston Matthews era.

In the past, it often seemed as though the Maple Leafs were building a team good enough to make the playoffs, then hoping the same group could figure out how to win once it got there. We know how that story usually ended. This time, the thinking might be reversed: build a team capable of playing playoff hockey, then find a way to get into the playoffs.

The Maple Leafs' Bottom Six Shows Chayka's Roster-Building Strategy.

Look at the bottom six. Chayka added players such as Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons, and Nick Paul to give Toronto more defensive reliability, better penalty killing, and clearer roles. Early on, those pieces needed time to find their place. It didn't all click immediately.

Now, we're beginning to see some signs of an identity forming. The penalty kill has been outstanding, the bottom-six forwards are becoming more dependable, and Toronto has won two straight games. The team is playing with more speed and purpose. It's early, but the Maple Leafs are showing a bit more structure.

Here's what I find especially interesting. When the supporting cast does its job, the stars can focus on being stars. Auston Matthews and William Nylander shouldn't have to carry every shift. They need to produce offence, but they also need teammates who can handle the less glamorous work.

What’s in the Middle of the Maple Leafs Sandwich?

Easton Cowan and Gavin McKenna are two young players who could help shape Toronto's future. The big question isn't simply whether Toronto can make the playoffs. If the bottom-six provides the foundation and the established stars supply the high-end talent, Cowan and McKenna could be the peanut butter and jelly in the middle. I'll call Cowan the peanut butter and McKenna the jelly.

It might sound a little silly, but a classic sandwich needs all its parts to work together. Both outside layers allow the two young players to develop in the middle. The bottom six provides the foundation, the stars bring the high-end talent, and Cowan and McKenna could be the young talent connecting the team's present with its future.

The Maple Leafs Are Starting to Show What They Could Become.

Of course, we shouldn't get carried away. Two wins don't make a season, and young players need time to develop. Toronto still has to prove it can sustain this level of play. But I like the idea behind what we're beginning to see. Instead of asking a handful of stars to solve everything, the Maple Leafs may finally be building a team in which everybody has a purpose.

The question is whether the team being assembled now will be better equipped to handle what comes next if it gets there. That's a different way of thinking about the Maple Leafs, and one worth watching.