Quick Shifts: Why Maple Leafs must start winning now

A quick mix of the things we gleaned from the week of hockey, serious and less so, and rolling four lines deep. In memory of Addison Barger making memories.

1. Whatâ€s particularly troubling about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ uninspiring October is how nicely this was all laid out for them to find their traction in a post-Marner world.

Yes, 1B goalie Joseph Woll had taken an unexpected leave and fourth-line pivot Scott Laughton had suffered an unfortunate foot injury in camp.

But compared to other supposed Atlantic Division powers like Florida (Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov) and Ottawa (Brady Tkachuk), who are missing key pieces long term, the Leafs were relatively healthy early.

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Moreover, Toronto has been gifted about as easy a schedule as a team can get through the first two months of the season.

Fifteen of the Leafs†first 21 games are at home, and what little travel they have is light. They wonâ€t change time zones until Game 19 (Nov. 15 at Chicago).

By strength of competition, a serious Cup contender should be using this stretch to stack points and create separation in the standings.

Of Torontoâ€s first 15 opponents, only two qualified for the 2025 playoffs — and neither of those advanced past Round 1.

“Thatâ€s totally irrelevant,†Max Domi counters, not buying the theory that this is point-gathering time. “Every team is hard to beat in this league, and anyone can beat anyone on any given night, and that’s the approach you got to have. So, letâ€s not look too far ahead here.â€

What is true is that the Atlantic tides appear to be shifting. The Lightning have sunk to the divisionâ€s basement, and none of the Big Three (Toronto, Tampa, and Florida) are in the top three. Only one Atlantic team (Montreal) has a goal differential above plus-1.

“I never look at where a team was at last year. It’s different this year, right?†Leafs coach Craig Berube said in the midst of a home-and-home against the Buffalo Sabres. 

“I don’t ever look at an opponent, whether they made the playoffs last year or not, as somebody we could take advantage of. Like, it’s hard league. Every team is good, and you got to be prepared to battle and play the right way against any opponent. 

“Buffalo has got a lot of talent. Buffalo is a good team right now, in my opinion. Theyâ€re starting to come; theyâ€re doing some good things. So, I don’t look at it that way. I focus on our team, what we need to do. We got to worry about where weâ€re going.â€

Fair. But to get to where theyâ€d hope to go, Toronto must take advantage of this kind schedule.

The fatigue and competition — not to mention the airmiles — are only going up from here.

2. The trade market is stagnant largely because so many teams entered the season targeting a playoff berth.

The one franchise we all circled as a true rebuilder, Pittsburgh (6-2-0), is tied for third overall. Which is to say, itâ€s a sellers†market.

And whoâ€s in the cellar?

The Calgary Flames, with one lonely victory in nine attempts and a minus-19 goal differential. Theyâ€ve dug the type of start that thin rosters canâ€t recover from.

Goalie Dustin Wolf is pointing out that he canâ€t put the puck in the net, and Cup winner Blake Coleman is using the phrase “must win.†In October.

Craig Conroy possesses two of hockeyâ€s most movable assets: a minutes-munching right-shot defenceman in Rasmus Andersson and a passionate two-way centre in Nazem Kadri.

We donâ€t always condone tanking, but this is a fine season to do so. And the way Calgaryâ€s going, theyâ€re accidentally tanking anyway.

3. Weâ€re not sure which is more impressive: What (very) early Calder favourite Matthew Schaefer is doing for the New York Islanders (seven points in seven games while logging 22-plus minutes on the back end)? Or what the Islanders are doing for the kid?

Hope you caught three of Schaeferâ€s teammates rushing to his defence when the kid took a garbage hit in garbage time during the Isles†7-2 blowout of the Red Wings Thursday.

“Iâ€m sure you love this, eh? Iâ€m sure you love this as much as I do,†coach Patrick Roy grinned postgame. “Thatâ€s a team. Thatâ€s a team. Thatâ€s what you do for your teammates. Youâ€re there for them.

“I really love the way the guys protect each other.â€

“Iâ€d give up one of my children for a f—– win.†—San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, who began the season 0-6

“Obviously, just want to apologize for my comments after the game. I love my kids. I would never give them up. I love my wife. Iâ€m a passionate, emotional person, and probably got ahead of me there, and so I apologize for those comments.†—Warsofsky, before winning a kid-sparing 6-5 overtime thriller over the Rangers

5. Have you seen a player more emotional during a Jumbotron tribute than Brad Marchand during his TD Garden homecoming this week? 

The depth of Marchandâ€s care had us thinking about Team Canada and how fiercely the 37-year-old wants to make the Olympic squad.

Yes, there are younger, faster options Doug Armstrong could choose. But Marchand should be named to the roster, even if itâ€s as the 13th or 14th forward.

Heâ€s invaluable in the room. His work ethic is unquestioned. He elevates in the spotlight. (Marchand got my Conn Smythe vote, in a coin flip, over Sam Bennett.) And heâ€s defensively responsible and versatile.

If Canada loses a winger to injury, Marchand can play right or left. He can pitch in on a penalty kill or a power-play.

That heâ€s producing for the injury-riddled Panthers this season (10 points in nine games) despite facing harder matchups now that heâ€s not tucked on Line 3 shows heâ€s still got some jam.

If Iâ€m making the calls, Marchand is going to Milan.

6. Two of the most beautiful sweaters in hockey history got the reboot this week. The Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche honoured the cities they swiped their franchises from, by donning Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques getups Thursday.

Even the style of play had a throwback vibe — lots of rushing river hockey and a 5-4 final.

The Avs, who are celebrating their 30th anniversary, will wear Nordiques threads six more times this season.

Aesthetically, we love it. 

But between Colorado and Spartacat, you wonder if Quebec citizens — the ones with the NHL-sized arena but no team — wished NHL clubs would fleur-de-leave them alone and stop making money off marketing their logo. 

7. Leafs exec Shane Doan flashed a big smile Friday morning in Buffalo when we crossed paths ahead of the Doaner Bowl, acknowledging how fun it is to face his son, Josh, who is off to a fine start as a top-six Sabre.

Torontoâ€s Matthew Knies and Josh Doan grew up tight friends and rare NHL hopefuls in Arizona. 

“Having a guy like him is what allowed me to kind of get to this level,†Doan said. “You have someone to practise every day with and to battle and compete with. Our coaches did a good job of splitting us up in practice, so we battled each other every day. Thatâ€s something that I think allowed both of us to be where we are now.â€

Doan and Knies first played each other in Utah last season, when Doan was with HC.

“I remember he took a penalty and we scored on the power play,†Knies grins. “I remember looking at the box, and he came out with his head down.â€

Doan responds: “He took a run at me last year and then laughed about it after.â€

Mutual fans, Doan and Knies stay in touch. They went out for dinner together Thursday along with former Leafs defenceman Conor Timmins and former Utah winger Matias Maccelli.

Doan jokes that Knies shouldâ€ve snatched the bill, considering his new $46.5-million contract. But “Timmer and Chelli†got stuck with the tab after losing the credit card game.

Shaneâ€s team lost Friday but can nullify family bragging rights with a win Saturday.

“Heâ€s ultra-competitive, and he doesnâ€t want to lose to me in anything, so he definitely doesnâ€t want to lose in hockey to me,†Josh says of his dad.

“Itâ€s harder for my mom than my dad. I mean, the Leafs are his team, so heâ€s obviously cheering for them, but sheâ€s got a split decision.â€

8. The Chicago Blackhawks gave up on in-and-out skilled winger Lukas Reichel, a late-first-round choice of 2020, trading him to Vancouver for a fourth-round pick.

Thereâ€s your trade market for Nick Robertson, who has yet to score and got scratched by the Maple Leafs Friday in Buffalo. 

The Leafs pitched a Robertson deal for Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov, it was reported this week, but Columbus declined. Chinakov, too, has yet to score and has been scratched by his team this season.

A fourth-round pick doesnâ€t do either Toronto or Columbus much good when theyâ€re trying to put a better product on the ice now.

A change-of-scenery hockey deal makes too much sense when you look at the similarity of these two 24-year-olds†careers.

Robertson: 53rd overall pick, 163 games, 32 goals, 25 assists, 24 penalty minutes, 11:26 average time on ice.

Chinakov: 21st overall pick, 178 games, 34 goals, 38 assists, 36 penalty minutes, 13:52 time on ice.

9. All the emotion and honesty of Anthony Stolarzâ€s passionate postgame availability last Saturday evaporated by the time the goaltender stood in front of the Maple Leafs backdrop after Wednesdayâ€s loss to New Jersey.

“It was a really good effort by the boys tonight,†Stolarz began. 

He then took ownership of a tough Jack Hughes goal, praised his teammates†backchecking and shot-blocking, as well as their effort in the offensive zone.

This after the Maple Leafs had been thoroughly outclassed.

Not sure if Stolarz simply regrets calling out his teammates and feels the need to overcompensate or if he had his wrist slapped behind the scenes.

Regardless, Stolarz needs to be at his blustery, engaged self for he and his team have a chance.

Chris Tanev compares Stolarz to Jacob Markstrom, an emotional goalie he played with in Western Canada.

“Heâ€s competitive, he’s fiery, and he wants to win,†Tanev said. “Markstrom, heâ€s hurt now, but heâ€s very similar. Sort of wear their emotions on their sleeves, and theyâ€re gonna say what they’re gonna say. And that’s because they want to win, and they’re the most competitive people youâ€ll see.â€

Thick-skinned Steven Lorentz says weâ€re seeing a more involved Stolarz than the one he played with in Florida, where Sergei Bobrovsky started the lionâ€s share of games.

“Thatâ€s a testament to the leadership role that heâ€s taken on, and that growth in him. And heâ€s doing exactly what he’s what he’s supposed to be doing. Heâ€s doing his job,†Lorentz says. 

“He sees the whole play in front of him. He sees guys that are in the wrong spots. Or if he wants to see something a little bit different, then heâ€ll tell the guys. Heâ€s not a stranger to that. And I think we appreciate that, because it’s better that he says it and we hear it, and then we can address it, 

“Heâ€s still learning and he’s developing as a leader, and it’s good to see it in a goalie.â€

10. Sheldon Keefeâ€s New Jersey Devils enter the weekend in first place.

Their power-play is scoring (32 per cent). Their penalty kill is stingy (93.1 per cent). And their even-strength play is quick and dynamic.

Keefe credits his group for finding â€œdifferent ways†to win. The second-year bench boss sees Jerseyâ€s PK as its foundation but also feels encouraged by the teamâ€s ability to come back in tight games and put opponents away when they grasp a lead. 

“Itâ€s all been a good response to what was a very poor outing in Game 1 (a 6-3 loss to rival Carolina),†Keefe says. “Weâ€ve liked our results. But our process and our details and our structure — all these things have got to get to another level if we want to be able to sustain our play. So, thatâ€s what weâ€re talking about.â€

Keefe reflects on his first year with his new club, when he knew “zero people in the organization.†He didnâ€t meet GM Tom Fitzgerald until his first interview. He had history with none of the players on the roster.

“So, all of that was new, and we were trying to change the identity of the team and how they were playing,†Keefe says.

“Now youâ€re just starting from a different place. Youâ€re always kind of starting over in training camp, but you can get to things a lot quicker. Our practices have been a lot smoother. They know the drills. They know the expectations, the standards that we want to have in practice. And our leadership group is has been in sync with the coaching staff, and thatâ€s really helped.â€

11. You havenâ€t truly made it as a Russian immigrant in Montreal until you land your first poutine endorsement deal…

(Agent Dan Milstein, you may recall, also helped Ilya Mikheyev get that soup money in Toronto.)

12. Lindy Ruff characterizes the Buffalo Sabres†three-headed crease as “a good problem.â€

Callup Colten Ellis, 25, was stellar in his debut, and heâ€s likely to start Saturday in Toronto. Grinder Alex Lyon has posted a sparkling .922 save percentage through seven starts. And projected No. 1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been recalled from a successful conditioning stint and will start a game next week.

All of them — Ellis and Lyon, in particular — are on cap-friendly deals. All of them require waivers to get sent down. So, the Sabres are carrying all three.

“The question is, will UPL stay healthy? We canâ€t answer that. We got to stay in a place where weâ€re protecting ourselves,†Ruff explains.

“It’s not comfortable for us. I don’t think it’s comfortable for them. We got three guys that like being around each other, but I think every goalie wants to play.â€

The Sabres donâ€t want to lose Ellis only to watch Luukkonen go down again.

“What if we put him in and he has another setback? I think youâ€ve got to kind of run out every scenario and make sure that we back ourselves,†Ruff says. “And itâ€s a good problem to have. Frankly, Iâ€ll deal with that rather than not having a goalie.†

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