3 Takeaways From First Three Leafs Preseason Games

By Alex Hobson

The Leafs opened preseason on Monday night, and there were several storylines heading into the fresh new set of games to make the month of September a little more tolerable. A few of these storylines include how prospects would play, if Babcock could give Leafs fans something to cheer for whether they lose or win, and how their PTOs shape up. After three games of preseason, I take a look at three takeaways from the opening games of the Leafs preseason.

1. William Nylander Stepping it Up



William Nylander, the 8th overall pick of the Maple Leafs in 2014, was expected to come into camp and make an impact on the team, given that he put on 20 pounds of weight since his draft year and was still carrying his skill set that the Leafs drafted him for. He came into the rookie tournament and put up 5 points in 2 games for the Buds, and then recently recorded 2 points in 2 games for the Leafs. He's been playing centre as of late, and has been working his hardest to prove to management that he's ready for the pressure of playing in the NHL. It was widely believed that Nylander would be sent to the Marlies and centre the first line alongside of Connor Brown, but his production is making it harder for Leafs management to make a decision on how to handle him.

2. P.A Parenteau's Fresh Start



Once upon a time, P.A Parenteau recorded a 67 point season. It's true. Back in 2011, Parenteau recorded 67 points as a member of the New York Islanders. After heading to the Colorado Avalanche, his production slowly dipped, and by the end of the 2014-15 season, he was acquired by the Habs. It sounded like a great potential story, local boy returns home and gives the Habs their much needed offense. Nope. Parenteau only recorded 22 points in 56 games as a member of the Habs, after clashing with head coach Michel Therrien, and being demoted to fourth line minutes. He was signed by the Leafs in the offseason after a long talk with new head coach Mike Babcock, and proved he was ready for a fresh start in his first preseason game, recording two goals in his debut. Making only $1.5 million for one year, he could generate a big return if he performs and the Leafs are looking to sell at the deadline.

3. The Babcock Effect Comes To Life



I was at the Leafs first split squad game against Ottawa on Monday, and let me tell you this: The Leafs looked like an entirely different team. No, not just because Kessel wasn't there, but because they played their hearts out as opposed to floating around. Every shift after players got off, Babcock would be in their faces, giving them new plays and letting them know the mistakes they made and how to correct them. This looked much different than Randy Carlyle and Peter Horachek, who just seemed to sit back on the bench and didn't take notice if their team was underperforming. They will be a far more exciting team to watch this year if they play at this rate.

The Leafs return to action tomorrow night when they face the Buffalo Sabres at 7:30pm eastern time at ACC.

Thanks for reading.