Maple Leafs hoping for better healthy gift after break – Hockey Writer – Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are having some trouble heading into a busy schedule before the holidays. However, players and coaches will have time to rest, recharge and address issues before the team's game against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday (Dec. 27).

The Maple Leafs have been plagued by injuries this season. The team overcame a lengthy injured reserve list in late November and early December, but the absence of Auston Matthews, Anthony Stolarz and Chris Tanev heading into the break was too much to handle. Not surprisingly, the team has struggled with a roster that lacks the most complete players at each position.

Getting Matthews back healthy is crucial

Matthews has been dealing with an upper-body injury for much of the 2024-25 season. He was still efficient offensively, scoring 11 goals and 23 points in 24 games, but his goals per 60 minutes, shots per 60 minutes and points per 60 minutes were all down from previous seasons. . Toronto has struggled to keep injuries under control, but they are still lingering and remain a concerning question mark for the team as the second half approaches.

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If his injury doesn't heal while he's playing, the Leafs may need to consider sidelining him long-term. Not to get too ahead of itself, but if he goes on long-term injured reserve, it could free up a ton of cap space before the trade deadline.

Stolarz's injury is imminent

The Maple Leafs have historically performed well in Matthews' absence. The forward group of Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander has enough star power to drive the offense; however, Stolarz's absence has been a challenge. He ranks third in the league with 2.15 points per game (GAA) and second in the league with .927 save percentage (SV%). The 30-year-old netminder has created a great story while becoming a true starter. He underwent surgery to remove a loose body in his knee on Wednesday (December 18) in New York and is expected to recover in four to six weeks.

Joseph Wall has been great this season but has struggled recently. He went 7-3-0 with a 2.20 GAA and .919 SV% through his first 10 games, but has gone 2-3-0 since Stolarz left the club at 3-2 , GAA is 3.51, SV% is 0.888. Hopefully this time will allow him to think back and recuperate. He needs to get better and have the talent to be a difference-maker. In the team's 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabers on December 20, Matt Murray had a poor performance with 24 saves and may not pose much of a threat to Wall's playing time. So before Stolarz is ready to return, Wall will need to show his first glimpse of potential.

Tanev's late scratch exposes some warts

Tanev missed Monday's (Dec. 23) 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets with a lower-body injury. He participated in pregame warmups before being scratched. There was no update on his status following the game other than confirming he suffered the injury in Saturday's (Dec. 21) 6-3 loss to the New York Islanders.

Without Tanev on the field, the team's defense struggled against the Jets. The Maple Leafs did a good job of shutting down opposing players when they were praised for their defensive work early in the season, but haven't been that noticeable in recent games. Toronto made it too easy for opponents in front of the net while giving up plenty of scoring chances on the run. These issues were present before Tanev's injury, but now the team's depth has become an issue.

TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston believes general manager Brad Treliving may be in the market for a defenseman. Jani Hacampa's ongoing knee issue has been a complication and it's unclear when he will be able to play. He has played in just two games for the Maple Leafs this season and has missed 16 straight games. Access to healthier and more certain alternatives may be the solution to this problem. However, the Raptors have been on the road to acquiring deep guards in the past few seasons, and have not achieved satisfactory results. At the same time, they have also wasted a lot of draft capital. If the team wants to add blueline, it should be more impactful than the home garden varieties the team has targeted in the past. Treleaf should pursue a player who can play in the top four rather than a bottom-flight defender who may be healthy, although landing an attacking centerfielder should still be a priority.

Still needs improvement

While injuries are always a problem, they're often a convenient excuse. The players on the roster need to get better and play with the same structure and urgency that brought them success in the first two months of the season. They shouldn't be let off the hook by a busy schedule, either, although a lighter workload helped the team weather the storm when the team was missing a bunch of players in November.

The Maple Leafs still need to be more efficient offensively and defensively. The goaltender who has been great for much of the 2024-25 season must also improve. Getting key players back in those areas will help a lot, but until they come back, the players on the ice will have to pick up the slack.

Analysis provided by Hockey Reference.