Leafs Notebook: The team speed of the Leafs, Nick Robertson’s recent influence, and Tyler Bertuzzi’s encouraging play in tight-checking games

To start their bye week on a positive note, the Maple Leafs defeated the Winnipeg Jets in a home-and-home series.
We have some time to focus on a few topics now that the crew is off for a week, so let’s dive right into an expanded notes version of the notebook for now.

I considered Tyler Bertuzzi’s game against the Kings in Los Angeles to be largely his finest of the season when the Leafs prevailed. His work around the walls and behind or in front of the net allowed him to consistently create space in that game and set up teammates.

Another excellent performance came against the Jets on Saturday, and he ought to have been rewarded with a goal. The majority of the club, including the second line, struggled on Wednesday, but once Bertuzzi returned, the second unit performed admirably in the rematch. Bertuzzi’s winning of battles and his recovery of loose pucks were major contributing factors.

It’s a special set of abilities that thesquad, and I predict that it will be more prominently displayed in the second part of the season when accessing the key parts of the ice becomes more challenging and hard.

This season, the Bertuzzi, Tavares, and Nylander line has outscored opponents 15-9, which is exactly in line with their projected goals rate. They have also maintained possession of the puck in the offensive zone. Even though Bertuzzi is currently playing at a mere 36 points per game, I think this is the strongest second line the Leafs have assembled in recent years.

Bertuzzi is a more skilled player than his current counting stats suggest, and if the line continues to dictate play and generate opportunities consistently, it’s difficult to see the ball not finding its way into the net more often for him in the remaining games.

Against the Jets, Noah Gregor played 13:05, which was his most since the team’s return from the Christmas break (16 games). The fourth line scored a massive goal and had a great game.

Gregor has been virtually invisible the previous several weeks and hasn’t scored a goal in 18 games in a row (almost a quarter of the season) at this point. It’s not as though, like Bertuzzi, he’s creating a lot of opportunities and then just missing them. Gregor performed admirably against the Jets, so I’m wondering how much of this is a case of chicken or the egg: Is he struggling because he is playing so little, or is he playing so little because he is struggling?

Noah Gregor played 13:05 against the Jets, which was his most since the team’s 16-game comeback from the Christmas break. The fourth line played fantastically and scored a huge goal.

Gregor hasn’t scored a goal in 18 games in a row (almost a quarter of the season) and has been essentially invisible for the past few weeks. It’s not as if he’s generating a lot of opportunities and then missing them, a la Bertuzzi. Gregor did well against the Jets, so I’m not sure if this is more a matter of the chicken or the egg: Is Gregor suffering because he isn’t playing enough, or is he struggling because he isn’t playing enough?

He had the puck on the half-wall in the Jets’ zone in the third period of play, with the Leafs leading 2-1. After Max Domi cut into the middle of the zone, Robertson appeared to pause, consider his options, and then choose to make a simple tape-to-tape pass to the corner. It’s a small thing, and it didn’t have any impact, but it’s the kind of play where the Jets will counterattack if he forces it and it gets picked off. Coaches hate plays like this, especially when they know that Domi wasn’t going to be on their one-timer side or have a high-percentage scoring opportunity.

Sheldon Keefe discusses game management extensively.

and controlling the puck. These are the minor elements that Robertson is beginning to show signs of grasping as he gets older.- In three games after coming back into the lineup, Robertson has nine shots on goal, one assist, and one goal. His career-high 17:08 was played in the second game. In those three games, he hasn’t been on the ice for a goal against.

Upon joining the MLHS podcast, Andrew Brewer made an intriguing observation regarding Auston Matthews’ early discomfort with his one-timer side on the power play. As a result, he played his strong side, which infuriated a lot of fans. We can see the effort Matthews has put into the one-time shot over the years, even though he is no longer 18–19 years older.

It’s as thrilling as watching a 2v1 or breakaway at this moment, as #34 raises his stick to call for someone to put it into his wheelhouse. If the pass is executed well, it can cause serious problems for the opposition. Watching him want a goal against the Jets gave us a good idea that one was on the way.

Catch the puck and enter a one-timer within the circle’s upper half. That is not lost on him.

– The Leafs’ penalty kill went 4/4 against Winnipeg, and their aggressiveness stood out in contrast to some of their less successful kills lately. Their forwards pressed the points and went after the wall, and they tried to keep shifts as short as possible (about 30 seconds if they managed to get the puck out).

The second penalty-killing unit was Noah Gregor –

The second penalty-killing unit was Noah Gregor – illiaWm Nylander, since Calle Jarnkrok was not in the starting lineup. Gregor and Nylander were able to use their speed to stop the power-play breakout while they were chasing David Kampf – Mitch Marner following a clear and change, and they were quite successful in that role. It was nice to observe how well the units complemented one another and the pace cooperated.

Since being called up,The second penalty-killing unit was Noah Gregor – William Nylander, since Calle Jarnkrok was not in the starting lineup. Gregor and Nylander were able to use their speed to stop the power-play breakout while they were chasing David Kampf – Mitch Marner following a clear and change, and they were quite successful in that role. It was nice to observe how well the units complemented one another and the pace cooperated.

Since being called up, Pontus Holmberg has performed admirably as a winger, moving up and down the lineup with ease. His shot is one thing that lets him down when he plays with elite players.

Holmberg has occasionally missed the puck entirely or fancied on a number of them. Thus far in 21 games, he has

has performed admirably as a winger, moving up and down the lineup with ease. His shot is one thing that lets him down when he plays with elite players.

Holmberg has occasionally missed the puck entirely or fancied on a number of them. Thus far in 21 games, he has

since Calle Jarnkrok was not in the starting lineup. Gregor and Nylander were able to use their speed to stop the power-play breakout while they were chasing David Kampf – Mitch Marner following a clear and change, and they were quite successful in that role. It was nice to observe how well the units complemented one another and the pace cooperated.

Since being called up, Pontus Holmberg has performed admirably as a winger, moving up and down the lineup with ease. His shot is one thing that lets him down when he plays with elite players.

Holmberg has occasionally missed the puck entirely or fancied on a number of them. Thus far in 21 games, he has