Following a strong 5-2 preseason win over the Buffalo Sabres, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night (Sep. 29). The Maple Leafs went on to defeat the Canadiens by a 2-1 final score in a hard-fought matchup. Although it’s the preseason and the games matter far less, it was nice to see the Maple Leafs win another contest. Here are three takeaways from the game now.
Nick Robertson Hungry for a Roster Spot
Although Nick Robertson did not get on the scoresheet against the Canadiens, his presence was certainly felt throughout the game. The skilled forward was not afraid to shoot the puck, as he led the Maple Leafs in shots with six. Fraser Minten, who also was one of the top players of the game, was second behind him with four shots.
Robertson, 22, is currently competing for a roster spot on a deep Maple Leafs squad, and having performances like these should help his chances of making the NHL roster. He created several chances during the contest against the Canadiens, but he, unfortunately, ran into a hot goaltender in Cayden Primeau. Primeau may have been the losing goalie in the game, but he performed well, saving 24 out of 26 shots.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Maple Leafs’ 5-2 Win Over Sabres
If Robertson can continue this kind of play for the remainder of the preseason, it will only be a matter of time before we see him start to light more frequently. Still, last night was a strong showing from the notable prospect.
Ilya Samsonov’s Strong Performance
It is not a secret that Ilya Samsonov is heading into the 2023-24 season with high expectations. It is understandable, as he is coming off a breakout season and landed a nice raise this offseason because of it. If last night’s performance is an indicator of what’s to come, Samsonov could have another strong season in 2023-24.
Samsonov, 26, saved all 17 Canadiens shots he faced during the contest. Yes, he did not face a ton of shots, but he also did not have any hiccups and stopped them all. However, he also did not play the whole game, as the Maple Leafs gave Keith Petruzzelli some reps in the game. When used, the 6-foot-5 netminder saved seven out of eight shots.
Overall, Samsonov was forced to make some tough saves during the game, but in the end, he got the job done. This was certainly promising to see, and the Maple Leafs will naturally be hoping that this carries over to the regular season from here.
Knies Continuing to Impress
There’s a lot of hype following Matthew Knies heading into the new season, and it is easy to see why. The Maple Leafs’ top prospect had an excellent collegiate career with the University of Minnesota and immediately made an impact for the Maple Leafs during the playoffs last season. He has been impressive all preseason, and that continued against the Canadiens.
Knies was one of the most noticeable players on the ice all game, too. Yet, he most notably scored the game’s first goal while the Maple Leafs were on the penalty kill. Minten stole the puck from behind the Canadiens’ net and then set up Knies in front of the net. From there, Knies displayed his NHL-caliber shot by ripping it past Primeau.
Overall, it’s hard not to love what we are seeing from Knies this preseason, and it is going to be a lot of fun to see how he performs during his first full season with the Maple Leafs from here.
Nevertheless, this was another strong preseason game from the Maple Leafs. Players like Robertson, Samsonov, Knies, Minten, and Noah Gregor all made an impact. The Maple Leafs will now look to carry over this kind of play against the Canadiens again tonight (Sep. 30).
