Plenty to like about Maple Leafs as the club hits the midway point

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If you insist on pointing out flaws regarding the Maple Leafs, perhaps take it down a notch.

After a 3-2 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena, the Leafs hit the midway point of the 2024-25 regular season with a four-point lead over the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Leafs haven’t stumbled over many bumps in getting accustomed to playing for new coach Craig Berube and have managed to win more often than not despite lengthy absences, because of injury, to captain Auston Matthews and goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

And when the Leafs have brushed up against obstacles, for the most part, they have overcome them.

The nail-biting third periods have been left behind. The Leafs, through 41 games, are 19-0-0 when leading after 40 minutes. They’ve allowed 67 goals during five-on-five play, the second-fewest in the Eastern Conference and a number that puts them on pace to allow 134 in 82 games. In Sheldon Keefe’s last season as coach in 2023-24, the Leafs gave up 168 goals at five-on-five.

The Leafs have tougher skin than they have in the past, and it’s putting them in line to have greater success once the Stanley Cup playoffs get underway in April.

The new voice that general manager Brad Treliving sought when he made the decision to fire Keefe last May has made a difference that was required.

There’s a consistent steely manner and a resolve in the Leafs that was provided only in glimpses in recent regular seasons.

Berube’s guidance has been the key.

“I like that it hasn’t been perfect,” said Leafs veteran forward Max Pacioretty, reflecting on the first half. “What I mean by that is, when it doesn’t go well, we have found ways to win. We’ve found ways to correct our mistakes in games that we’ve lost.

“The top teams, it’s never perfect early and I think when you go through a little bit of adversity in terms of style of play, you realize what works and what doesn’t work, and what works in tight games and what doesn’t work in tight games. There are some games that feel like a playoff game, and you have to change the approach a little bit and we have done a really good job of that, I think, thus far.”

Berube concurred.

“We have been in a lot of tight games this year, which is a good thing,” Berube said. “Learning how to win those games, going into third periods with leads and playing a good period, low-event in the third … We’re not shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Mitch Marner has been the Leafs’ best player. The group of Leafs who have played in every game includes only Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly and Steven Lorentz.

And just about every time out, Marner has been a catalyst. The 27-year-old is fourth in National Hockey League scoring 56 points, putting him on pace for a career-high 112. In 19 of the Leafs’ first 41 games, Marner had at least two points.

Marner leads Leafs forwards in ice time while the team is shorthanded — Toronto is eighth on the penalty kill — and leads all NHL forwards with 31 takeaways.

Not far behind Marner in value to the team, but for different reasons, is blocking machine Chris Tanev.

There’s a steadiness that Tanev brings, a calming influence in the defensive zone that the Leafs haven’t had in one defenceman for a long time. Berube has installed the structure, and his top student is Tanev. While the Leafs’ defensive strides don’t fall on the shoulders of one player, if you’re a card-carrying member of Leafs Nation, you would probably hate to think where the club would be without the impact that Tanev provides on a nightly basis. His 116 blocks lead the NHL.

When there have been breakdowns, Stolarz and Joseph Woll have given the Leafs the best one-two punch in net in the NHL.

The Leafs’ overall record is 26-13-2 for 54 points. They’re 8-1-2 in one-goal games.

None of this, of course, is to say the Leafs are home and cooled out.

“I think we feel good, I think we’re happy with where we’re at,” Rielly said after he scored in overtime against the Flyers. “There is always going to be room for improvements and changes we want to make, and always going to be areas we need to clean up, but generally speaking, I think we’re happy with where we are in the standings. It’s a work in progress, but there are some good things going on.”

For Berube, the required steps forward in the second half aren’t difficult to determine.

“Rush defence,” Berube said. “That’s always a concern for every team, though. It’s such a fast league. Teams transition so quick, the D are always up in the play. Just some better sort-outs.

“I think there are a lot of times where we can manage the puck better and not give opportunities to teams the other way. We’re getting better at it, trust me. I think our team has bought into putting the puck deep and going to work, but there is still improvement that can be made.”

So far, though, so good.

The Leafs’ overall record mirrors a group that has enthusiastically bought into what Berube wants.

There haven’t been any indications that the Leafs will fall off in the final 3 1/2 months of the regular season.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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