Toronto Maple Leafs' Rookie Impact Is a Game Changer

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ Rookie Power Is Bring the Team to New Heights. The Rookie Presence Is Elevating Toronto’s Game and Is Making the Team a Serious Threat For Competitors, Especially With a Competitive Playoff Battle Coming.

Toronto Maple Leafs are evolving into a legitimate threat in the NHL now. Although Toronto sits in the bottom of the division, battling for a wild card spot. The Maple Leafs have gained respect from opposing teams this season, despite their most recent seasons being nothing but failure.

Contributions coming from their top guns like James Van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak has helped this Leafs team establish themselves within the meat of the pack. Despite this, the Maple Leafs’ rookies are the reason this team is so successful this season compared to last season.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Then Vs. Now

Last season between Oct 15 and Dec 15, Toronto had 37 goals for and 42 goals against posting a 10-13-6 record (26 points). On top of that, Toronto only managed to score 1.7 goals for per 60 minutes through 29 games last season. Despite playing 1 less game this season compared to last season from October 15th to December 15th. Toronto at this point has 59 goals for, a 22 goal differential. But also have let up 18 more goals this season(62 goals against).

Nov 15, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center center William Nylander (29) skates after the puck against the Nashville Predators at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs defeated the Predators 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Despite playing one less game this season compared to last season between Oct 15 and Dec 15, the Maple Leafs pulled off an impressive feat. Toronto at this point now has 59 goals for, a 22 goal differential. On the other hand, the Leafs have also let up 18 more goals this season with 62 goals against.

While posting a 11-11-5 with 27 points this season, Toronto’s goals per 60 this season has increased from a 1.7 to 2.7. The records difference does not do Toronto much justice, but the goal statistics do.

Rookie Power Up

The impact these rookies have made on this Toronto team this year is astonishing. Among the top forward performers on Toronto are Van Riemsdyk (21 P), Auston Matthews (22 P), Mitch Marner (20 P), Bozak(19 P), William Nylander (19 P), Kadri (18 P), Leo Komarov (10 P) and Zach Hyman (10 P).

Four of those players are rookies. And those are the rookies that are making a massive impact on Toronto’s season thus far.

Matthews was expected to bring this level of production as the first overall pick in the NHL draft. Now, Nylander, Marner and Hyman came out from left field this season. Granted ,they were highly looked upon prospects of the Maple Leafs but if one could confidently say they knew Marner was going to post 20 points through 27 games, then go play the lottery. Same goes for William Nylander, after logging time

Granted, these rookies were highly anticipated prospects of the Maple Leafs but if one could confidently say they knew Marner was going to post 20 points through 27 games, then they better go play the lottery.

Similarly for Nylander, after logging time on the fourth line for a few games, until recently being brought back up. Nylander’s season as well has been an eye opener for many. Hyman had one real successful season before this year, at the University of Michigan, but besides that Hyman has not posted an amazing track record.

Moving Forward