Fansided

5 things we learned from the Maple Leafs’ first-round loss to the Bruins

By Simon Vacca

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 7: Auston Matthews
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 7: Auston Matthews /
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BOSTON, MA – APRIL 25: Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) scores the game winner despite the defense from Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner (51) during Game 7 of the First Round for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 25, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 7-4 to advance to the next round. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 25: Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) scores the game winner despite the defense from Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner (51) during Game 7 of the First Round for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 25, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 7-4 to advance to the next round. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. The blue line needs work

This one is no surprise.

Going into the 2017-18 season, the hockey world knew that the weakest element of the Leafs’ lineup was its blue line. Rielly had the strongest season of his career, recording 52 points in 76 games. He was paired alongside veteran defender Ron Hainsey, who led the league in short-handed time per game and short-handed time on ice. Jake Gardiner also tallied 52 points, but finished third in the league in giveaways. Nikita Zaitsev suffered major drawbacks, as a foot injury and an illness held him off the ice for lengthy periods of time.

The postseason illustrated the extent to which Toronto’s defense needs serious revamping. Early blowouts in Games 1 and 2 highlighted the team’s lack of two-way accountability, while Game 7 was arguably the Leafs’ worst defensive performance of the season. Gardiner, in particular, played one of the most unimpressive games of his career. One need look no further than the following stats:

There’s little doubt that Gardiner bore the brunt of poor decision making in the Leafs’ collapse. As a result, he’ll have to answer for his mistakes over the course of the summer. But to blame the game exclusively on Gardiner is to ignore the wide-ranging elements that were a staple of the Leafs’ third period meltdown. Matthews, Nylander and James van Riemsdyk were all but invisible. Despite being the team’s MVP in the regular season, Frederik Andersen was not good enough when the team desperately needed him to make a steal of a save or two. The Buds went almost ten minutes without recording a shot on Tuukka Rask. And why wasn’t Kasperi Kapanen given more ice time?

If there’s a silver lining in moments like these, it’s that Game 7 now places management in a position in which they must address the Leafs’ defensive liabilities. The Gardiner-Zaitsev pairing needs to go, as both players could use counterpoints that bring out the best of their respective games. If Elliotte Friedman is to be believed, this might come in the form of Igor Ozhiganov — a Russian defender that has been connected to the Buds for quite some time.

As per CapFriendly, Rielly and Zaitsev are part of the Leafs’ long-term plans. It’s also reasonable to assume that Travis Dermott fits into the bigger picture, along with Timothy Liljegren, who’s in the midst of intensive development. Hainsey will be in Toronto for another season and Gardiner is due for an extension. Whether he’s resigned shall be a subject of debate until a decision is made.

What’s clear, though, is that the Leafs’ blue line requires a few more pieces. One at minimum, but ideally two. Look for speculation to run rampant in the months to come.

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