Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Maple Leafs are stressing coach Carlyle, but getting results

David Broll, Joffrey Lupul

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 12: David Broll #46 and Joffrey Lupul #19 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate Joffrey Lupul’s goal against the Edmonton Oilers during NHL action at the Air Canada Centre October 12, 2013 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a great start, but their wins haven’t all been pretty. In fact they lead the league in giveaways and had 21 last night alone.

Still, they earned a 6-5 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oilers in a back-and-forth contest.

“My teeth are going to be ground down by the 20-game mark, the way we were exchanging chances and mistakes,” Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. “But hey, that’s hockey early in the season.”

If this trend continues, it might come back to haunt Toronto, but there are certainly plenty of positives to take away from their hot start. The team, even with David Clarkson just halfway through his 10-game suspension, has enjoyed a balanced attack. Five different players are averaging a point-per-game and 16 Leafs have already recorded a point.

Goaltender Jonathan Bernier was obviously beaten regularly on Saturday, but he’s been great too for the most part. As a result, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the surprising leaders of the Atlantic Division with a 5-1-0 record.

They’ll look to continue that on Tuesday against Minnesota and, for Carlyle’s sake, hopefully play a less dramatic game.

Follow @RyanDadoun