Since Craig Berube took over in Toronto, the Maple Leafs have seen some substantial improvements. Berube’s emphasis on disciplined, full-ice play has yielded results, as the Leafs currently rank as the NHL’s fifth-best defensive team in goals against per game, a leap from 21st last season. Key contributors to this turnaround include Chris Tanev, who has bolstered the team’s defense, forming a formidable pairing with Jake McCabe, and Anthony Stolarz, whose stellar goaltending has helped elevate the Leafs’ team save percentage to sixth in the league, up from 24th.

This defensive success has come despite the absence of star Auston Matthews. The Leafs have managed four wins in five games without Matthews, showing the strength of their “next-man-up” mentality. Still, while the team has relied on a hot power play to compensate, five-on-five scoring has taken a hit, with Toronto on pace to score significantly fewer goals at even strength than last season. Berube acknowledged the trade-off, emphasizing that while they need more five-on-five scoring, they can’t sacrifice their defensive strides to achieve it.

Matthews himself has seen a drop-off in even-strength goals, with just two five-on-five goals in 13 games, marking an unusual downturn for the typically prolific scorer. However, the more concerning issue lies in Toronto’s depth at center. Max Domi, who has been filling in on the top line, hasn’t scored in 12 games and is in a significant slump, while third- and fourth-line centers David Kämpf and Pontus Holmberg have struggled to produce reliable secondary scoring.

As William Nylander noted, the Leafs need to focus on maintaining offensive pressure and winning puck battles to sustain zone presence. The team’s recent success is promising, but Toronto will need to bolster its five-on-five offense to make a deep playoff run while maintaining the defensive improvements Berube has established.