Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have some tough decisions to make this summer, with the almost inevitable departure of Alex Kerfoot being one of them.

It’s going to be intriguing to see how the Leafs handle the Kerfoot situation this summer. Especially given Kadri’s point total this season and the lackluster showing of Tyson Barrie in blue-and-white. Perhaps this means making a deal on draft day, rather than holding out into the pre-season. Not that the team necessarily wants to move on, but more so because they find their hands tied with the salary cap only increasing by $1 million. This season is already the best year that Alex Kerfoot has had in the NHL. He currently has 46 points to his name, outdoing his previous best season total of 43 points as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Perhaps the challenging part of this is that as of July 1st, Alex Kerfoot will be submitting a 10-team no trade list to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Preview, analysis, quotes & TV info for the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning game on April 4th, 2022 at Amalie Arena.

Auston is probably the best in the league at changing his angle at a high rate of speed. They defend really well as a group in front of [Vasilevskiy], they play hard, and they don’t give you a lot of space or time. The obvious thing is [getting] traffic tips and deflections — a bit of randomness happening around the goalie. The one test for me is that they’re a top-five team in special teams. You look at the pace that he’s played as here, especially the last 40-50 games or so, I don’t think you can put a limit on that. The 27-year-old has maintained his usual level of play this season with a 35-14-4 record and a .919 save percentage and hasn’t been pulled once in 53 games. I just don’t think you can put any limitations on someone like him with the ability that he has and the drive that he has. That in itself is a challenge — you don’t get a lot of great looks. Obviously, the additions they made at the deadline give them increased depth and everyone slots in well for them that way. Like the Leafs, the Lightning didn’t play too well in their last matchup, but they managed to get squeeze a point out of it. At times, he’s manufacturing his own goals in his own space. Tied in the standings with an equal number of games played, tonight’s contest should be a fun and competitive potential round one preview.

Auston Matthews scored his 54th goal on Monday, tying Rick Vaive's for most goals in a season in Maple Leafs' history.

"This is a big game for us, obviously," Matthews, said. And on the road to 50, Matthews was scoring at a blistering pace that included at least one goal in 31 of 45 games leading up to the feat. He previously scored 47 goals in 70 games the year before.

Auston Matthews ripped No. 52, tipped No. 53, and scooped No. 54 Monday, tying Rick Vaive's franchise record for goals in a season and powering the ...

{* traditionalSignIn_emailAddress *} {* traditionalSignIn_emailAddress *} {* traditionalSignIn_emailAddress *} {* traditionalSignIn_emailAddress *} I don't know who, but they should get an assist for that." Erik Källgren will start in net, and Jake Muzzin is “likely” to make his return. • Michael Bunting has drawn 40 penalties this season. "It's pretty rare, obviously, to reach those [numbers], especially in this era. He shoots it out wide. “He shoots it from his ankles. "That's how good of a scorer he is. The Maple Leafs still have 13 games to play.

Matthews scored twice in the second period and once in the third against the Tampa Bay Lightning to pull even with Vaive, who found the net 54 times in 77 games ...

Cooper on Matthews: 'I wouldn't be surprised if some time in his ... Cooper on Matthews: 'I wouldn't be surprised if some time in his ... Stamkos explains why Matthews' pursuit of 60 goals is different t...

After missing the last month and a half with a concussion, it looks like Jake Muzzin will finally return to the Maple Leafs lineup when they take on the ...

If that’s the case, then I disagree with the decision. If Keefe chooses to keep Liljegren in the lineup, he’ll likely remain with Giordano. But if he’s out, where does Holl go? Although Liljegren’s underlying numbers show that he’s played better, I believe Toronto keeps Holl in because of the amount of games he’s played, as well as the situations. It’s a small sample size, but even looking at Liljegren’s individual numbers shows that it would be shocking to take him out of the lineup. Both Holl and Liljegren have played very well in Muzzin’s absence, and this decision is as difficult as any. Muzzin’s eventual return will likely push TJ Brodie, who’s playing on the left side, back to the right.

Auston Matthews' hat trick and Jack Campbell's strong performance helped the Maple Leafs deliver a statement 6-2 victory over the twice-defending champion ...

One was a wicked wrist-shot creating a goal on a rather innocent-looking play, one was a deflection off of a great Marner pass, and this one was a case of cleaning up the loose change by being in the right spot. 9.   Matthews and Marner will dominate the headlines after tonight, but I would make the case that the play of Jack Campbell in his second start back from injury was far more important to the trajectory of the season. #34 has been a great goalscorer since he entered the NHL — one of the very best in the league for a couple seasons now — but this season he is embarking on a campaign for the ages that will take its rightful place in the annals of NHL history, next to those of Ovi, Bure, Hull, Lemieux, Gretzky, Bossy, and Esposito. It’s a blessing for the Leafs to have eight NHL defensemen (when Sandin is healthy), but that sometimes can lead coaches to over-think the personnel decisions. 6.   We talked about the scoring depth of the Leafs with Pierre Engvall‘s goal earlier, and the second period brought a chance for Alex Kerfoot to show out as well. I’ve liked Holl’s game since the Muzzin injury a lot and have defended Holl against the anger for much of this season, but that wasn’t a great moment from him. Matthews was a woeful 22% on faceoffs tonight, and that play was one of the rare instances where a faceoff does have a significant impact on the game. Against a top-tier team and an elite goalie, they tore the Tampa Bay Lightning apart to the tune of four goals and >60% xGF% at even strength. The first goal is a testament to the greatness of #34’s wrist shot. A goal in any of those situations to give Tampa the lead turns this into a very different hockey game, but the freshly-healed Maple Leafs goalie stood tall. Campbell more than made up for it at other points in the game (more on that shortly), so it is what it is. Anthony Petrielli noted in his weekly notebook how the Leafs‘ improved scoring depth has allowed Sheldon Keefe to play Matthews and Marner less, keeping them fresher for the playoffs, and this was exhibit A of that.

Matthews tied Rick Vaive with his 54th goal of the season in the third period of Monday's 6-2 win, less than a week after becoming just the fourth Maple Leaf to ...

"This is a big game for us, obviously," Matthews said of the win. Matthews' standout performance on Monday allowed the Maple Leafs to gain separation from the Lightning in the standings, taking a two-point lead with the two teams even in games played. "It's humbling, it means a lot, just to be in the same sentence as a guy like Rick Vaive and these other guys that have come before us," Matthews said.