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TORONTO — Eight autumns ago, the No. 8 on the Los Angeles Kings made his annual pilgrimage to his home province of Ontario and made an observation that holds true to infinity in the NHL.
“One of the best offenses in the league, one of the best offensive lines in the league. They’re a good team, no doubt about it,” Drew Doughty said of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The date was 23 October 2017.
“They’re giving up three goals a game, it seems to me,” Doughty continued that day. “They can improve defensively, but it’s not just on their defense, it’s on their top forwards to play good defense, too. That’s how you build a good defensive team.
“It’s not easy to do. The defense comes ready to compete on both ends of the puck and sacrifices their bodies to block shots and get in the lane and just hates to score. That’s how we’ve evolved — and that’s all it takes, really.”
“I’d rather go out there and score goals than not score goals. That’s just the way I am.”
Fast forward eight years, and the Maple Leafs ranked dead-last defensively.
They are giving up more than three goals a game again (3.82, to be exact). Yet they are still thriving at the fun end of the sand; Their 3.65 goals a night rate is the fourth-best on the circuit.
Interesting, then, to compare Toronto’s leading scorer, William Nylander, with Doughty’s well-aged perspective amid the home side’s three-game skid.
“You know, defensively we’re struggling, and that’s something that can be fixed. You can improve, make changes, get better at it. Pay better attention to detail,” said Nylander, who has 14 points in just 24 games.
“I would be more worried if we weren’t scoring – because it’s hard to do.”
But there is more going on, the way the injury is complicated for the team.
Austin Matthews (lower body) will be sidelined for about a week after being injured Tuesday in Boston.
The status of goaltender Anthony Stolarz (upper body) is a little more encouraging. He is everyday.
But the Leafs get to see a very promising goaltending tandem of Dennis Heldby and Artur Akhtyamov with just 36 days left before the season starts… well, chat.
Coach Craig Berube, his hand forced, will load up a top line of Toronto’s three most dangerous (healthy) offensive players — John Tavares centering Nylander and Matthew Kines — for Thursday against Doughty and the Los Angeles Kings.
He’ll reluctantly take five lefty shots on the blueline (while righty Philip Myers sits in favor of the Dakota Merams) and tap Hildeby (0-2, .909) for his fourth appearance in as many games.
Nifty passer Max Domi will take Matthews’ flank spot on the top power-play unit, and Tavares — whose average ice time was moderated to a career low (17:37) — will depend on big minutes and matchups against one of the league’s best road teams. (The Kings are 7-1-2 away from LA)
“If we’re going to be a good team, we have to be able to win games in these situations, so, we’re going to face some difficulties, and it’s just character building.”
The truth is, no one knows if the 2025-26 Maple Leafs are going to be a good team.
Judging by the goalscoring streak, injuries, defensive flaws, metrics and temperament, they are not. so far.
The three straight regulation losses tied Minnesota for 26th overall in point percentage (.500).
“We know they’re struggling, and their coach is pushing them,” Doughty said Thursday. “So, we expect them to come out with a tough game tonight — and we’ll be ready.”
Time for the Leafs to snap out of what Tavares describes as a “rut.” Prove that they are able to organize, communicate, rally. That they are characters.
That they would not be shot rather than going out and shooting.
“It’s tough right now,” Berube admitted. “And nobody’s happy about that, obviously. But I don’t feel like there’s any disappointment today. I feel like we’re in the right mood to fix it.”
“We have to stay positive at this point, and we have to work our way through it.”
Nylander agreed: “I think we’re just excited to get back out there and compete again.
Berube is projecting confidence in a turnaround. But after a disturbing 17-game streak, most of us need to look at it now.
“I have full confidence in these guys,” Berube said. “I think they all know what they have to do, and they’ve all been there before in their careers, in different situations, maybe on different teams.”
“But I feel like we have an experienced group, and we have enough talent and determination to pull through.”
A timer: Tavares on Heldby’s heavy workload in Stolarz’s relief: “He’s a beast for a reason. Like Joseph Wall’s tentative return game on Saturday in Chicago.”
The Maple Leafs project line up Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings
Knies – Tavares – Nylander
Robertson – Domi – McMann
Joshua – Roy – McSally
Blais – Lorentz – Iron hook
Raleigh – Carlow
Benoit – McCabe
Mermis – Ekman-Larsson
