The Leafs led for the majority of the game, earning a victory in the club’s first matchup against now-former head coach Sheldon Keefe.
After a season-opening loss at the Bell Centre on Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs rebounded on Thursday with their first win of the 2024-25 campaign, defeating former Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe and the New Jersey Devils 4-2. It wasn’t all smooth, but here are some key takeaways from the Leafs’ first victory of the new season.
Dennis Hildeby Stands Tall, Secures First NHL Win
After news broke of a lower-body injury to presumed starting goaltender Joseph Woll ahead of their season opener on Wednesday, Dennis Hildeby was called on as the backup in Montreal to Anthony Stolarz. Given the Leafs were entering the second half of a back-to-back on Thursday, head coach Craig Berube made the call, confirming that Hildeby would make his NHL debut in New Jersey.
"Stolarz played last night and with Woll being out right now, I didn't figure I'd come back to Stolarz tonight," Berube said Thursday morning.
In his debut, he didn’t disappoint, coming as advertised in his 6-foot-7, 223-pound stature. The netminder stopped 22 of 24 shots, earning a .917 save percentage and a 2.03 goals-against average. Though the scoreboard by the final buzzer showed 4-2, Hildeby rose to the occasion and answered the bell when called upon - including the save of the night on Devils star Jack Hughes, preserving the Leafs’ lead.
Hildeby stated post-game that he was greeted with cheers from his teammates when he entered the locker room.
"It was good. There was a lot of noise. Just trying to get in my seat, honestly. It's a good feeling. Better than quiet," said Hildeby.
Former PTOs Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz Get on the Scoresheet
Who had this on their bingo card? Entering training camp on PTOs (professional tryouts), Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz made the team after the preseason, each signing one-year deals. Two games in, the pair are already making their mark on the bottom six. Pacioretty scored the Leafs’ first goal of the season – banging home a rebound nearly midway through the opening frame.
After the Leafs had latched onto a two-goal lead, thanks to efforts from Bobby McMann (who appeared in his first game of the season on Thursday), Lorentz was quick to follow, scoring the game-winning goal on a nifty backhand and contributing an assist on the McMann goal. The Kitchener, native also tallied two shots, two blocks, and two hits in 15:07 of total ice time. His two-point night also earned him the first star of the night honors.
Powerplay Woes Continue
If you can recall, the Leafs went an underwhelming 1-for-21 on the powerplay in seven games against the Boston Bruins in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. In the offseason, newly appointed head coach Craig Berube and the Leafs brought in Marc Savard as an assistant, who is responsible for powerplay duties in the 2024-25 season. Through two games (MTL, NJ), the Leafs are a combined 0-for-6, going 0-for-4 against Montreal and 0-for-2 against the Devils on Thursday.
When looking at the first unit, the same faces emerge; Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Morgan Rielly. Will we see a change? That remains to be seen, considering we are two games into an 82 game regular season. However, Berube was asked about the powerplay following the loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday, mentioning the attack was too passive and not direct enough for his liking.
“Just not direct enough, a little outside for me. You know, we didn't look to, you know, attack right away and get shots and get pucks to the net,” Berube said following a 1-0 loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday.” You know, look for some rebounds and things like that. We're just moving it around on the outside too much. You know, I don't want to call it too cute, but, you know, we just got to be more direct.”
While it’s too early to sound the alarm, the Leafs' ongoing powerplay struggles are certainly something that needs to be addressed. With elite offensive talent and a fresh approach under Marc Savard, the expectation is that the unit will need to find its rhythm sooner rather than later.
The Leafs’ next matchup draws against another familiar foe, former general manager Kyle Dubas, and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night – the club’s home opener.
