Breaking down Maple Leaf breakdowns as a challenging new week begins

First, some good news, the Maple Leafs are on pace for something not accomplished since that memorable year of 1966-67.

Not winning the Stanley Cup – far from it right now – but they’re certainly grinding through goaltenders. With Artur Akhtyamov mopping up Saturday for Dennis Hildeby in the 6-3 loss to Edmonton, that’s five stoppers who’ve appeared in at least a game.

The two who were supposed to be interchangeable at the game’s most vital position, Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, have been mostly flipping places on long-term absences with mystery injuries, or in Woll’s case, personal leave.

Coach Craig Berube and the team were lucky that Hildeby had put his minor league time to such good use. The Beast was stepping in as solid mid-game bullpen relief, then for his longest stint as a starter, four games, until the Oilers lit him up like the Eaton Centre Christmas tree.

But Berube was fearing for the Swede’s safety after six goals on 32 shots, with the Leafs standing around in awe of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, also leaving other Oilers unmarked in the slot.

Enter ‘Double A’, who made it five keepers on the ledger, including Cayden Primeau or six if you want to include the training camp experiment with James Reimer.

NHL Stats says the last time Toronto employed by the 31-game mark was ‘66-67, one stopper shy of the NHL record last reached by New Jersey in 2021.

Terry Sawchuk and Johnny Bower were the 1-2 punch for Punch Imlach as they’d be through 70 regular season and 12 playoff games, while Bruce Gamble was needed from the farm seven times, Gary (Suitcase) Smith two, and Al Smith one start.

It’s likely Akhtyamov is Marlie-bound now that Woll appears ready from his latest short stint on IR with a lower body issue. Woll will start Tuesday against Chicago. But the chain of events set in motion by Woll’s initial month-long absence has seen an overworked Stolarz sidelined indefinitely, the former got hurt again when his load increased and inevitably, Hildeby had a bad result when the Leafs didn’t show up in front of him.

Now, the club must hope Hildeby and Woll can reform the 1 and 1A bond while the rest of the team sorts out its other problems.

WHO’S IN, WHO’S OUT

Despite Berube taking a public swipe at his ‘leaders’ for failing to apply his messaging to lock down third periods the past two losses, don’t look for anyone wearing a letter to take a seat against Chicago. At worst, a veteran such as Max Domi might be dropped down a line or two again.

Berube is more likely to put Nick Robertson back in the seats after insinuating it was his puck carelessness with 30 ticks to go in the second period and McDavid on the prowl caused the fateful third Oiler goal.

Much depends on leading scorer William Nylander, who has just three assists in the last seven games and two bouts of what might be the same illness this month. He sat out the last part of Saturday’s third period and was operating at “75 per cent” according to Berube after missing the morning skate.

Whatever ails Nylander is affecting the numbers of centre John Tavares, uncharacteristically without a goal his past five games and just one assist. Both were minus three on Saturday.

Winger Dakota Joshua ended up too sick for both the skate and the game. New winger Mattias Maccelli, who hasn’t found a fit on any line despite hope he might get some of the departed Mitch Marner’s minutes with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, continues to spin his wheels, perhaps awaiting a trade as a seven-game scratch.

Marshall Rifai is waiting for his chance to win a job on the defence after wrist surgery.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Stop if you’ve heard this before, but the Leafs have winnable games against middle-of-the-pack teams upcoming.

After the Blackhawks visit, possibly without injured star Connor Bedard, the Leafs have a tough test in Washington, then come back through Nashville, where the Predators are only one spot away from the Western Conference basement.

“Pick ourselves up, pick up some points at home,” urged centre Scott Laughton. “We have to start pushing, have some urgency.”

“(The late-night fades) are hard to understand. It’s a 60-minute game for a reason. You have to wear the other team down, go the other way, play north, make them come 200 feet. We don’t have to make the perfect play every shift.”

It’s various imperfections still keep them mired mid-pack.

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby