The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the 2024/25 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season with high stakes. This campaign feels like a do-or-die situation, as time is running out for the franchise and its core group of players. In a bid to gain the postseason success that has eluded them, the Leafs added a Stanley Cup champion to their roster. The new Maple Leafs player recently shared the key to his early-season success with the team, captained by Auston Matthews.



The pressure is mounting on <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto</a>’s core, and the organization has shown its commitment to change by parting ways with both the General Manager and head coach in recent years. The players will likely be next if they fail to meet expectations once again in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. So far, the team is off to a promising start under new head coach Craig Berube, posting a 3-1-0 record, good enough for first place in the Atlantic Division.



Despite their strong start, the Maple Leafs’ true concerns lie in their postseason failures. To address this, they signed goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in the 2023/24 season. Toronto’s front office hopes this move will help aid their defensive problems and take pressure off <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/auston-matthews">Matthews</a>.



So far, Stolarz has fit in seamlessly, and he revealed the key to his adaptation to the team: “I think as a goalie that you can kind of control the game,” Stolarz said, per DailyFaceoff. “So for me, it’s just about going out there, being calm, cool, collected, and playing my game. It helps that I’m a bigger guy, so I’m able to play a little deeper, but I also think I’m extremely agile as well, so it’s just a good combination.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241017_BUS_254893_Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-1024x576_0a8b800c.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-254918" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-740x416.jpg 740w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-490x275.jpg 490w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-250x140.jpg 250w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Los Angeles Kings during the 3rd period in an NHL game on October 16, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Kings 6-2.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Matthews’ first impressions as Captain</h2>



Auston Matthews, fresh off winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal-scorer with 69 goals in the 2023/24 season, had a slow start to his current campaign. It took the Toronto Maple Leafs captain four games to notch his first goal of the 2024/25 season. Matthews finally found the back of the net during the Leafs’ convincing 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, offering high praise for his team’s all-around effort.


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“I think just a good start, solid throughout, [Anthony] Stolarz made some big saves,” Matthews said. “I thought we defended pretty well and just contributions from all four lines. We were able to roll four lines throughout the game and when you roll them over like that, I think it can make it pretty hard on the opposition.”



Matthews’ goal, a blistering snap shot, left his teammates and fans awestruck. The shot was so quick that Kings’ goaltender David Rittich barely registered it as it sailed past him.



“You love to see it, he ripped that one,” Bobby McMann stated. “I think it went in and out before anybody even saw it. All the boys are smiling, you love to see that for him because you know there are a lot more coming.”



The Maple Leafs are banking on this being their breakthrough season. With a new head coach at the helm and Matthews embracing his role as captain, optimism is running high in Toronto. But as the postseason looms, so will the ghosts of past playoff disappointments. Whether the Leafs can finally exorcise those demons remains to be seen.

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The New Jersey Devils sit atop the Metropolitan Division, though, they are yet to play a game in North America in the 2024-25 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season. Back in Jersey, the Devils will host their head coach’s ex-club. Sheldon Keefe sent a clear message to his former organization, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and roster now captained by Auston Matthews.



The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/toronto-maple-leafs">Maple Leafs</a> were never able to get over the hump with Keefe at the helm, despite relative ease to cruise through the regular season, come playoffs time the team’s wheels came off and their core of Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander was often looked at. However, the four key players remain in Toronto, instead the GM and HC received the boot.



Under new head coach Sheldon Keefe, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/new-jersey-devils">Devils</a> won their first two regular season games in their international series at Czechia. Ahead of the Devils’ debut on American soil, head coach Keefe sent a clear message to his former organization, now opponents.



“I got nothing but love and respect to the people on the other side … I do think the team is in a really good place,” Keefe said, per TSN. “I don’t know if it will be an emotional night because I’ve never coached against a team that I’ve been associated with in the past. The team is as good as it’s ever been and I wish them nothing but the best.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241010_BUS_249694_Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-1024x576_ce832c69.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-249724" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates after the puck during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0.</figcaption></figure>



After Keefe’s firing, Toronto made a captaincy change. John Tavares handed over the ‘C’ to the team’s franchise player <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/auston-matthews">Auston Matthews</a>. The Leafs hope this decision has any bearing in future postseason runs. 


 

 

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<h2>Maple Leafs’ scoring streak ends</h2>



The Maple Leafs opened their season at the Montreal Canadiens with a 1-0 loss. Toronto’s offense failed to score on their opener against their historic archnemesis and the conversation around the core players resumed. Throughout the 2023-24 season, the Leafs were never kept off the scoreboard. Yet, in their very first game this season, they were shut out by a Canadiens team considered to be inferior..



Such a feat raises the question: Is the team better off without Keefe? Was firing him the right decision, or was he merely a scapegoat for deeper issues within Toronto’s organization? While it’s too early to make definitive conclusions about the coaching change, one game into the season, the Leafs have yet to show any significant improvement over previous years.

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