"Over the full season, the Leafs finished 29th in five-on-five shot attempt share and 23rd in expected goals. They defended well - by packing the house and clearing the net - and combined with their excellent goaltending tandem, it led to a second-place ranking in five-on-five save percentage. From January onwards, when they posted the second-best points percentage in the league, the Leafs were also buoyed by the third-ranked power play."
"In Toronto, there wasn't a ton of change from a sheer volume perspective compared to last season. The Leafs are running back the same goaltending duo and top six defensemen, and essentially acquired three new forwards, with some depth additions sprinkled in, while losing Mitch Marner, Pontus Holmberg, and Max Pacioretty. It's not a lot of change in terms of quantity, but because Marner played so much and in every situation, replacing those minutes and production is naturally receiving a lot of attention."
"Compare those five-on-five numbers to the Panthers, who finished second in both shot-attempt share and expected goals last season. In the second half of the season, when Matthew Tkachuk barely played and Florida began resting players to prepare for the playoffs, they still finished second in the league in goals against per game. The Panthers were very process-driven - dominating the puck, miserable to score against."
Toronto's roster experienced limited volume change, keeping the same goaltending duo and top-six defensemen while adding three forwards and depth pieces and losing Mitch Marner, Pontus Holmberg, and Max Pacioretty. Replacing Marner's extensive minutes and production is a significant concern. Toronto struggled to control play at five-on-five, finishing 29th in shot-attempt share and 23rd in expected goals, yet compensated with strong defensive structure and elite goaltending that produced a high five-on-five save percentage. From January onward the team improved in points percentage and relied on a top-three power play. The Panthers are highlighted as a contrasting possession-dominant model.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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