Toronto Maple Leafs: Seven Secrets of Their Early Success

Hockey fans around the NHL are asking where this Leafs team, that’s begun the season with three straight wins and remains undefeated, came from, while wondering along with opposing teams coaches, how they’re doing what they’re doing.

There are seven secrets out of the bag now and have come to light that are all leading to the success that this Leafs team is having.

First and foremost, their tenacity on the boards and battles for the puck are exemplary.

Offseason acquisition and fourth liner Mike Brown has his motor running in sixth gear every time he’s on the ice and has a never give up attitude.

The same can be said of third line centre Tim Brent, who after six years of bouncing around in the AHL, has burst onto the scene here in Toronto.

This trait is contagious on a team, especially when there is a degree of success attached to it, as is obviously the case here.

Secondly they are getting balanced scoring.

When head coach Ron Wilson decided to play new comer Kris Versteeg with Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel, it seemed like an idea that would leave the Leafs very one dimensional.

Admittedly, I was one of those that bought in to that and have been thankfully proven wrong for now.

The second line, including Buffalo cast off and unrestricted free agent Clarke MacArthur, unproven centre Mikhail Grabovski and possible breakout candidate Nikolai Kulemin, are gelling quicker than expected.

As a line, they’ve registered five goals and six assists for 11 points and are a combined plus five.

The third line of the previously mentioned Brent, Colby Armstrong and Fredrik Sjostrom along with the fourth line of Colton Orr, Brown and NHL/AHL veteran centre Mike Zigomanis have chipped in with three goals.

Third, the Leafs are getting a lot of shots on net from the blue line adding to the offence and the balanced scoring attack.

Captain Dion Phaneuf, Mike Komisarek, Tomas Kaberle, who’s finally shooting puck, and soon to be 21-year-old Luke Schenn all have two assists while Francois Beauchemin has tallied a goal.

Fourth, the Leafs have a unique situation between the pipes which became evident near the end of last season, where in the two net minders began building an extremely good working relationship that has continued to flourish.

French Canadian product J.S. Giguere has helped in mentoring the young Swede Jonas Gustavsson, which he has done before.

Combine those positives with goal tending coach extraordinaire Francois Allaire and you have an equation that equals W’s in the win column.

Fifth, there are a slew of players nipping at the heels of the majority of the roster players should they falter, creating a very focused cast.

Toronto product Luca Caputi who had a great training camp will have to bide his time while riding the bus down in the AHL with Christian Hanson and Jay Rosehill.

These three capable guys all want to be a part of what’s happening with the big club. While the two young guns, Jerry D’Amigo and Nazem Kadri would also like a stint up in the bigs and yearn for the opportunity to prove themselves.

Sixth, Wilson has these guys believing in his system and specifically his special teams philosophies which proved to be sound with other teams including the San Jose Sharks in the past and now is paying dividends with this young Leafs team.

They have allowed only one power play goal against in 10 opportunities utilizing the special shut down ability of the swift skating Sjostrom and have scored twice while having the man advantage 13 times.

For this team to have continued success, these numbers have to stay constant on the penalty kill and improve on the power play.

But they are certainly going in the right direction.

Last but not least, Toronto has simplified their game in many aspects and through all three zones, which has led to a more mistake free style of hockey.

Granted these aren’t really secrets, but to have all of these positives working for a team as they are for Toronto, it leaves one true secret.

Hopefully it stays masked for a few more games, but that secret that has yet to be revealed is…How do you beat this team?

GO LEAFS GO!