It could have been worse.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’s 4-3 season opening loss to the Montreal CanadiensIt was full of sloppy play and defensive breakdowns, poor puck management, poor goaltending, and blown leads.
“Not good enough,” said head coach Sheldon Keefe. “We deserved to lose.”
They did lose. Hockey’s back, Leafs fans! The Maple Leafs report cards are also available!
Let’s jump in.
Reports from players
B
Tavares wasn’t expected to be available for opening night. However, he was a steady presence in the second line and was setting up goals at crucial moments. It’s admittedly tough to hand out high grades during a disappointing season opener against an opponent that’s rebuilding.
But the result of this game wasn’t about Tavares, who looked fine and led the team with a Game Score of 2.74.
Malgin turned a good training camp into a top-six spot on the Leafs’ opening night roster. He looked great in his first game. He did a lot in the way of zone entries along a line. William Nylander and Tavares, and he scored a goal — his first as a Maple Leaf.
There were some things I didn’t love from him at times away from the puck. He was involved in a few board battles and took some big hits. However, you can see his determination to return the puck or take a hit in order to make a play.
