Sitting at 5-5-1 in the Atlantic Division, which is good for a tie for last with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres, there are certainly many areas the Leafs would like to improve in, and quickly. Rush defense has been a major problem thus far. They haven’t had great results with their goaltenders, and the top players are carrying just a little too much weight offensively. That said, the Leafs have done enough positive to ensure that three players receive kudos for their performances in the first month of the season.
3rd star: Matthew Knies
October: 11 GP – 4 G – 10 A – 14 P
Leafs fans couldn’t have asked for a better start to Knies’ first season after signing a six-year contract extension worth just under $8 million per year. Teams have shown a tendency to commit to their young stars earlier than in the past, and Knies is another example of why it has proven to be a smart investment.
The 6-foot-4, 232-pound forward improved in his sophomore season last year and is currently on pace to shatter his career high in points from last season (58) with 14 in his first ten games this season. Obviously point totals won’t be determined in the month of October, but if the Leafs can develop a physical forward capable of producing points per game, they will feel good about his deal for the next six years.
2nd star: John Tavares
October: 11 GP – 6 G – 8 A – 14 P
Speaking of the Leafs getting impressive value in the early stages of a new contract, what about John Tavares? For someone who could have easily gotten something in the ballpark of $6 million or more in free agency and ended up making just over $4 million per year, Tavares shows that the hometown discount is still a real thing.
Tavares does not look like he has missed a defeat so far in the first season under his new contract. I don’t know if removing the ‘A’ from his jersey has allowed him to further focus on his production or what, but 14 points in 11 games is an excellent performance for the money he’s making thus far.
1st star: William Nylander
October: 9 GP, 3G, 12A, 15P
Remember when people talked about Nylander’s “slow” start after the first few games of the season? You know when he scored seven points in his first four games of the season? It seems like every time someone criticizes Nylander, he responds with a performance on multiple counts. Nylander has missed a few games here and there due to injury, and despite some games this year where he hasn’t looked like himself, he’s here with 15 points in nine games and leading the team in points.
Auston Matthews’ slow start to the season has made Nylander’s production much more valuable thus far. Even though he’d probably like to score more than three goals at this point (considering he’s only had three consecutive 40-goal seasons), he’s done everything asked of him and then some. The Leafs have been dealing with an injury to him over the past few games, but if healthy, he appears ready to skate alongside Matthews on the top line, which could also spark the latter’s run game.
PRESENTED BY VIVID CHAIRS
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