The Leafs now have the best power play in the NHL

Jan 27 2022, 3:58 pm

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ power play is firing on all cylinders these days.

The Leafs have now converted on 30.6% of their power play opportunities this season, including three goals last night in a 4-3 shootout win over Anaheim.

Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares all scored power play goals for the Leafs, who went 3/4 at extra strength against the Ducks.

Less than a week after calling them “soft and purposeless,” head coach Sheldon Keefe was much kinder with his words about his team this time around.

“Our power play was outstanding,” Keefe said. “Lots of good things to take away from the game today. I have really no issues with how we played.”

And with their three goals last night, Toronto’s power play overtook Edmonton for the top spot in the NHL.

Auston Matthews leads Toronto with nine power play goals this season, while Tavares and
Nylander both have six.

It’s a welcome bonus for a Toronto team that’s had plenty of firepower in the past few seasons but has been unable to capitalize while having an extra skater.

Toronto finished 16th in the NHL with a 20% power play last season and then went just 3-for-23 (13%) in their first-round playoff loss against Montreal.

For Marner, his power play goal was his second in three games, after having hit a dubious 100-game streak of not converting at extra strength.

The analytics have been kind to the Leafs as well. Per NaturalStatTrick, the Leafs sit first in goals/60, shot attempts/60, and second at expected goals/60 (behind Edmonton) with the man advantage.

But despite the unit operating better than, well, anyone these days, there still is room for improvement when it comes to communication.

In the second period of last night’s game, Toronto gave up a goal to Jakob Silfverberg on an odd-man rush just after the Ducks forward had gotten out of the penalty box. With the Leafs having four forwards on the ice, Toronto was caught out of position and gave Anaheim a wide-open look on Leafs goalie Jack Campbell.

ā€œI think we have to be aware of where the clockā€™s at,Ā  being the second period and long change and possibly trying to get a second D back out on the ice or at least somebody pulling out,” Tavares said. ā€œYou know thatā€™s on me.ā€

Keefe deflected the blame away from his players, though.

ā€œThatā€™s something that the second unit is accustomed to doing, and they get off the ice before something like that happens,ā€ Keefe said. ā€œAnd I failed to point that out to our guys to be mindful of that, so thatā€™s on me.ā€

The Leafs will be off today and tomorrow before heading to Detroit to take on the Red Wings on Saturday night, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.

Adam LaskarisAdam Laskaris

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