Toronto Maple Leafs: How Did The Young Gun Leafs Play?
Team North America, featuring Toronto Maple Leafs defender Morgan Rielly and forward Auston Matthews, dominated their first pre-tournament game, downing the veteran-led Team Europe 4-0.
If there was any reason to believe that inexperience would be North America’s downfall, all of those reasons disappeared after the team’s impressive showing last night. Also impressive were Toronto Maple Leafs players Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews.
The ‘Young Guns’ were all over the Europeans from the start of the game, not allowing them to set up offensive plays or even make it into the North American zone throughout.
And while players like Nathan MacKinnon, Johnny Gaudreau, and Matt Murray stole the show, the Toronto Maple Leafs players on the Young Guns’ roster didn’t disappoint either. Let’s take a look at how they did in last night’s game.
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Auston Matthews
+/-: 1
SOG: 2
13:13 TOI / 0:45 PP TOI
To be fair, Matthews didn’t really stand out in last night’s game, at least not as much as many thought he would. However, he did make a couple of plays that still stand out in my mind, including one where Europe was coming up the ice and he followed the play, stole the puck, and turned right around back into the European zone.
For his first taste of NHL hockey (let’s be honest, it was one of the closest NHL-level games not played during the NHL season, at least in terms of speed and skill), it wasn’t a bad showing. He’s still getting used to playing with a new team, adjusting to a new role, and he’ll get better throughout the tournament.
Morgan Rielly
Hits: 1
+/-: O
SOG: 1
20:55 TOI / 1:39 SH TOI (3rd in total TOI behind Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones)
Quietly excellent, is that an accurate description? He wasn’t rushing up the ice (though he did end up being the first North American player in the offensive zone a couple of times, which didn’t surprise me), but played very well with Ekblad and was solid at even-strength and on the penalty kill.
He was boxing out players, reading plays well, and making smart decisions and executing well on the PK. I remember one particular play of his when they were on the penalty kill, and the puck was in tight. The puck ended up on Rielly’s blade and he calmly and assertively shoveled it to the boards instead of trying to clear it down the ice like he might have last season.
If his performance last night as any indication, we’re in for a fun ride watching Rielly at this tournament, and it’ll be a great sign of things to come when the NHL season starts up again.
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