Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Woll, OEL, McMann & Marner – The Hockey Writers Toronto Maple Leafs Latest News, Analysis & More

What a game. The Toronto Maple Leafs scored seven unanswered goals to rally from a 3-0 first-period deficit. In the end, they defeated the Montreal Canadiens 7-3. Until last night, the Canadiens had been one of the hottest teams in the NHL. Given how they’d been playing, the loss came out of nowhere. Aside from reviewing the game action, last night’s contributions from all players suggest that this Toronto team might have the potential to distribute scoring across all its lines when it’s rolling.

Related: Maple Leafs Perform Comeback to Pound Canadiens 7-3

For the Blue & White, goals came from Bobby McMann, Nicholas Robertson, William Nylander, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Steven Lorentz, Auston Matthews, and David Kampf. Seven players and seven goals. Joseph Woll made 32 saves to carry home the win. In this strange game, Montreal went up early and scored often, with goals from Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine, and Josh Anderson.

But after a prolific three-goal first period, they were done scoring. In a third period where Toronto scored five goals, those three goals proved not to be enough. The Habs had their chances, but Woll’s solid play gave his teammates a chance to grab control in the second half of the game. They did.

Item 1: A Quick Itemized List of Scores Shows Maple Leafs Potential Depth

Bobby McMann started the comeback with an unassisted goal (he also added an assist). Nicholas Robertson scored to cut the deficit to 3-2, then William Nylander tied the game early in the third with his breakaway goal. Oliver Ekman-Larsson put the Maple Leafs ahead with a power-play goal, followed by Auston Matthews’ short-handed marker. Steven Lorentz snapped his nine-game scoring drought with a goal, and David Kampf scored a short-handed empty-netter.

Item 2: Joseph Woll Bounces Back in Win Over Canadiens

Joseph Woll had a tough start against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, allowing three goals in the first period. However, the young goalie rebounded, stopping 32 of 35 shots. Despite struggling in recent starts, where he allowed 12 goals over three games, Woll put up a wall. That paved the way for a comeback, and his teammates exploded for a season-high offensive outburst.

The team has been riding Woll as its primary goalie, with Anthony Stolarz sidelined due to a knee injury. His workload is increasing. Last night was his 24th game of the season, and his career high for starts is 25 from last season. Still, expect the Maple Leafs to continue to throw Woll into game action. The team plays the ever-tough Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday in a key divisional matchup.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson (OEL) had a standout game on Saturday, scoring a power-play goal and adding two assists. The Swedish defenseman, who had been on a five-game pointless drought, put up his first multi-point game since mid-October. His game-winner was one of those throw-it-on-the-net goals that found its way through traffic. It came early in the third period, as his team completed its comeback. OEL has three goals and 15 assists in 46 games this season. Last night was his first three-point game since Feb. 8, 2022.

Item 4: Bobby McMann Scores Goal and Adds Assist

Bobby McMann played a key role in Toronto’s win when he gave his team hope with their first goal. He also added an assist on William Nylander’s game-tying goal early in the third. McMann’s physicality, too, made a difference in the game’s outcome.

Related: 5 Ways the Maple Leafs Can Turn Their Season Around

After six games of being held scoreless, McMann has now recorded a goal and two assists in his last two. He can be offensively streaky. Could the young forward’s well-rounded game last night mean he might be starting a string of high-scoring games?

Item 5: Mitch Marner Pushes Point Streak with 2 Assists

Mitch Marner continued his strong play in the 7-3 win. Although he only had one shot on goal, he registered two assists (one shorthanded). The multi-assist game pushed Marner’s point streak to three games, with five assists in those games.

Marner has now put up 22 assists in his last 18 games and leads the Maple Leafs with 50 assists this season. That’s second in the NHL after Nathan MacKinnon’s 56. Marner’s playmaking remains a key to his team’s offensive success.

Item 6: Transcending the Game: A Look at What Could Be

Last night’s game was a strange one, to say the least, but it got me thinking about this team. There’s a big “what if” hanging around: what if this team is different from recent seasons? It’s tougher, more physical, and the defense has become simple but solid. The experience is there in a way it hasn’t been before, and that could make all the difference come the postseason.

Related: Ex-Maple Leafs’ Defenseman Jake Gardiner: Where Is He Now?

A player like Steven Lorentz, for example, adds a fundamental dimension to this team’s depth with his physicality. While David Kampf might only have three goals this season, his contributions in the defensive zone matter. He plays a crucial role in the team’s overall success. Does this team have the potential to be more than what we’ve seen in recent years? Perhaps, and the postseason might just show it.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

Earlier in the post, I listed the seven Maple Leafs goal scorers. The point was that the team got contributions from their stars and their depth in Saturday’s win. To my eyes, Pontus Holmberg had a strong game. He added an assist on Robertson’s goal in some rare power-play time. It was his first power-play point of the season.

Meanwhile, Kampf added a short-handed empty-net goal. It was his third goal of the season, ending a nine-game goal drought. Lorentz ended his scoring slump with his fifth goal of the season on a setup from OEL.

Games like these from the Maple Leafs’ depth lines could help power the team’s rise up the standings if they can continue. If the team can rely on contributions from all parts of the lineup, not just their top stars, life could get so much easier. Imagine a Maple Leafs team that is both balanced and dangerous across all four forward lines. Perhaps last night was a one-off, but fans can dream – right?