Toronto Maple Leafs

Steps In The Right Direction - Marlies Potential?

So the Leafs currently lead the NHL in preseason scoring with 25 goals after 7 games.  That actually ties them for the fourth highest scoring rate with 3.57 goals per game, as only Nashville, Columbus, and Calgary are scoring more frequently.  Unfortunately the team’s goals against average is a tad high also at 2.71 goals against per game.  The high scoring games are indicative of the inexperience the Leafs have been trotting out on the ice with regularity.  It also reduces the goal differential the team is playing with so far in the preseason.

Obviously none of this means squat in the upcoming regular season, so everything should be taken with a grain of salt.

What else can we take from the preseason so far?  Viktor Stålberg is amongst the league leaders in goals and points.  He’s tied for the NHL preseason lead with 4 goals, and tied for the third highest point total with 6 points.  His production is on a par with Loui Eriksson, and Patrick O’Sullivan.

I’ve been high on the play of Stålberg for a long time, and frankly I think of the three college players they have brought in, he will be the most likely candidate to start his year in the NHL.  His speed, size, and shot all have big league pro written all over them, and I can’t wait to see him blow by the opposition in an NHL regular season game.

Similarly, Ron Wilson is singing the praises of his two other Swedish revelations, goalie Jonas Gustavsson (aka the Monster), and defender Carl Gunnarsson.  Both are deserving of the plaudits they have been receiving thus far, and both should eventually make their way into the Leafs line up with increasing regularity over the next couple of years.

Overall this team is being moulded into a fast skating, hard hitting, fore-checking team of dervishes that play a sound game of puck side pressure on the retreat.  I’m a big fan of what Ron Wilson is trying to institute with the younger Leafs, and I’m looking forward to the on-ice product as it develops this coming season.

I’ll be glad when the regular season starts and the numbers (and games) all start to “mean something” again.  Then the analysis will get under way.  It’s a little bit frustrating to have all these weird game sheets to deal with where rookies get most of the ice time, and the goalies are getting peppered every 2 shifts due to the fact that their D is missing assignments.

Looking forward to it, and I know the rest of you are also.  On that note, I’m proposing as many people get out to see the Toronto Marlies early on this season as possible.  See it’s quite likely that a number of the Leafs best players in this training camp will be suiting up for the Marlies (who are currently touring in Scotland).  Stålberg, Bozak, Hanson, Rosehill, Gunnarsson, Frogren, Gustavsson - all could very well be playing at Ricoh Coliseum in the near future.  This would be an amazing chance to check out a large amount of NHL caliber talent, playing in a small, cozy venue… for tickets that cost less than half what it would take to see a Leafs game.

The other point I would make is, I think it behooves Leaf fans to get behind some of these kids as much as possible, and make them feel welcome in the city and on the ice.  They’ve played well and they should be rewarded for it.  I’m guessing any night they play where there isn’t a Leafs game is as good a night as any to go down and check them out (I know most of you will be watching the Leafs rather closely).   Think of this as a chance to get to know the franchise even better from top to bottom.