In an important game for both the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Calgary Flames, the Blue and White team won a 5-4 shootout against the Red team. No surprise this season, William Nylander was the hero, scoring two goals and adding a primary assist. One of his goals was a career first – a shorthanded goal.
Nylander continues to be the offensive driver force for the Maple Leafs. He’s now extended his point streak to a whopping 14 games to start the 2023-2024 season.
Maple Leafs’ goalie Joseph Woll faced challenges during the game but ultimately won his fifth of the season. While he experienced early struggles, he effectively shut down the Flames in overtime and during most of the shootout.
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Finally, Maple Leafs captain John Tavares and forward Calle Jarnkrok added important goals to the Maple Leafs’ offense. Each played a key role in helping their team outlast the Flames.
Item One: The Maple Leafs Third Line Is Working
Last night, the third line scored another goal with Nick Robertson stealing the puck in the neutral zone; Max Domi making the pass; and, Jarnkrok finding the back of the net. The third line is cooking.
Robertson and Domi seem to be a strong partnership, especially with Jarnkrok riding along. It’s good to see the third line working for a change. It’s also, at least for me, good to see Robertson emerge from the closet to play some inspired hockey. He’s adding offensive energy to the team.
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What we seem to have here, with this twosome, is a case of opposites attracting. Robertson loves to shoot and it seems that Domi’s forte is playmaking. So far, in the three games they’ve played together, the duo has formed a workable and functioning combination. They are adding punch to the Maple Leafs’ offense.
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Adding Jarnkrok to this line brings some balance and addresses some of the defensive concerns Robertson and Domi (especially) seem to share. While both these waterbugs excel in the offensive zone, adding Jarnkrok makes the line more well-rounded (while at the same time dynamic). It’s a way to allow the team to make its best sense of their lineup’s offensive prowess. The fourth line should then become more of a defense-first line.
The early signs suggest that Robertson and Domi might become a promising partnership. Although previous attempts to make each player (especially Domi) work with different linemates, could this twosome be the right fit for both players?
Robertson was at his best with the Peterborough Petes when he was Semyon Der-Arguchintsev’s finisher (now playing in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Chelyabinsk Traktor). If he could evolve into Domi’s finisher, the twosome would bring a mix of skill, tenacity, and determination to the ice.
In addition to their on-ice chemistry, it has been noted that Robertson and Domi share a feisty, undersized player profile that adds personality and grit to the Maple Leafs’ third line. This new third line could become a challenging twosome for opponents to handle. In short, the team’s new third line is a positive collaboration that could play out nicely as the team continues to figure out how to utilize the off-season newcomers best.
Item Two: Zadorov’s Trade Request Sparks Maple Leafs Rumors
In a recent development, it was reported that Nikita Zadorov (who scored last night against the Maple Leafs) has officially requested a trade from the Flames. This revelation adds some interesting dynamics given the John Klingberg situation, whatever that is (as in, is he really injured?).
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While the specific reasons behind Zadorov’s trade request remain undisclosed, it signals a potential change in the player’s future with the team. There’s not much of a doubt that he would offer the team something they’ve been looking for. However, what would the Maple Leafs trade for him? Putting together an attractive trade package might be tough.
Zadorov is a big and strong (6-foot-6) Russian defenseman. He was a first-round pick for the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. His resume includes stops with both the Colorado Avalanche and the Chicago Blackhawks before then-Flames general manager Brad Treliving’s time there. Zadorov carries a salary cap hit of $3.75 million.
It’s unsure what the implications of Zadorov’s trade request for both the player and the Maple Leafs might be. Perhaps Maple Leafs fans will learn more in the coming days. Perhaps it’s just noise.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
Is Ryan Reaves close to being done with the team? Might the Maple Leafs put him on the waiver wire to see if there are any takers? During last night’s game, the Maple Leafs benched the veteran forward after the Flames scored their third goal.
With Reaves sidelined, forwards David Kampf and Noah Gregor were given shifts with top-six players that included Tyler Bertuzzi, Matthew Knies, and Nylander. The team’s coaching staff seems perplexed about how to inject Reaves into the lineup without his becoming a defensive liability.
Is a move about to happen?