{"id":460,"date":"2022-10-31T21:02:12","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T21:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/?p=460"},"modified":"2022-10-31T21:02:13","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T21:02:13","slug":"maple-leafs-start-hides-samsonovs-kallgrens-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/index.php\/2022\/10\/31\/maple-leafs-start-hides-samsonovs-kallgrens-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Maple Leafs\u2019 Bad Start Hides Samsonov\u2019s & Kallgren\u2019s Strong Play\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What a difference the first 10 games of the regular season can make for the Toronto Maple Leafs. When the season started, the big question for the Maple Leafs was whether the goalie play from newcomers Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov would hold up.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was never a question about whether Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner would score. That was taken for granted. Funny how that works. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Today, 10 games into the season, Matthews and Marner are not playing to expectations. Ironically, their slow start hides the fact that there have been some solid performances happening in the place where it was least expected – the goaltending.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY IN MAPLE LEAFS\u2019 4-2 LOSS TO KINGS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Two Maple Leafs\u2019 Goalies Left Standing Are Playing Well Enough<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many Maple Leafs’ fans will point to the fact that Matt Murray is out with an injury. That’s what they expected, after all. And. some fans certainly have an \u201cI told you so\u201d attitude about that.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s hard for me to blame Murray for his injuries. In fact, given where he’s been, he had to have been approaching this season with a little dance in his step. He would have a chance to be with a contender again. Sadly, for him, his injury history caught up to him once more. He has that history of injuries in his background, which has curtailed what should’ve been a stellar NHL career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the two goalies left standing \u2013 Ilya Samsonov and Erik Kallgren \u2013 are playing well enough. Both are stopping most of the pucks they should stop, and that is about what you can ask from a competent NHL goalie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their solid play should have been good enough for this Maple Leafs\u2019 team. That it hasn\u2019t been isn’t on these two youngsters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, Let\u2019s Start with Erik Kallgren<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to blame Erik Kallgren for either of the losses he\u2019s had on this California road trip. His team has been giving him little help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wrote in an earlier post today in The Hockey Writers<\/em><\/a> that Kallgren will likely not be humming California Dreaming, but could be composing his own California Nightmares song. It is Halloween after all.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True, Kallgren gave up four goals in both 4-3 overtime losses<\/a> in his last two games. But, in my mind, he didn\u2019t play as poorly as the final scores suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Early words from the West Coast: https:\/\/t.co\/PNleV1egid<\/a><\/p>— Lance Hornby \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@sunhornby) October 27, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>