Fansided

2020 NHL Season: Grading the Toronto Maple Leafs’ centers at season pause

By Simon Vacca

TORONTO,ON - JANUARY 8: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a shoot-out goal against the Winnipeg Jets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 8, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Jets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in a shootout. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO,ON - JANUARY 8: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a shoot-out goal against the Winnipeg Jets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 8, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Jets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in a shootout. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 30: Nic Petan #61 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 30, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sabres 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 30: Nic Petan #61 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 30, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sabres 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Nic Petan

Games Played: 16
Goals: 0
Assists: 3
Points: 3

Nic Petan played a grand total of 16 games throughout the Maple Leafs’ 2019-20 season. During these matchups, he was tasked with one primary objective: Try to become part of the organization’s rotation cycle on a recurring basis.

There were several elements of Petan’s game that I liked. He could be a hard worker on the ice who was not afraid to wreak some havoc — and sneaky good plays — in the offensive end. He demonstrated tremendous resilience in the face of off-ice adversity, and was something of an inspiration to me as a hockey fan. Broadly speaking, I was rooting for him. After all, who doesn’t love a comeback kid?

Unfortunately, Petan merely amassed three assists throughout the campaign, during which he floated between playing down the middle and along the club’s wings. His last appearance for the Maple Leafs was in a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, wherein he skated for just eight minutes and 24 seconds of ice time. And his biggest contribution to Toronto’s season came in the form of being denied a goal by Marc-André Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights — the moment that likely ended the aforementioned Babcock’s coaching tenure with the blue and white.

I’m still rooting for Petan, and I certainly hope that he will be able to usher forth a degree of measurable consistency at the NHL level in the future. But whether that shall be inside or outside of the Maple Leafs organization remains unclear for now.

Grade: C

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