NHL EDGE stats for Toronto Maple Leafs

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2024-25 season. Today, we look at the impact of three advanced metrics for the Toronto Maple Leafs:

1. Forward Auston Matthews led the NHL in midrange goals (22) last season and ranked fourth in midrange shots on goal (126). His teammate William Nylander was tied for eighth in midrange goals (15) and ranked seventh in midrange shots on goal (119).

With Matthews and Nylander often playing on separate lines at even strength and together on the first power play, they gave Toronto quite a 1-2 punch from distance. Nylander was also tied for second among NHL forwards in long-range shots on goal (52) behind Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (58).

Matthews, who has now won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL’s goal leader in three of the past four seasons, and Nylander are two of only eight players to score at least 40 goals in each of the past two seasons (others: Leon Draisaitl, Kirill Kaprizov, Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak, Brayden Point, Mikko Rantanen).

2. Forward John Tavares ranked second in the NHL in high-danger shots on goal (155) last season behind Zach Hyman of the Edmonton Oilers (180).

The Maple Leafs, as a team, ranked second in both high-danger shots on goal (784) and high-danger goals (161) last season behind the Oilers (163 goals on 842 shots on goal). Although the Maple Leafs named Matthews captain this offseason, replacing Tavares, who will now be an alternate, Tavares has been a consistent offensive player year after year and quietly outshot elite high-danger performers like Chris Kreider (135) of the New York Rangers, Joel Eriksson Ek of the Minnesota Wild (131), Matthews (129) and Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators (127).

3. Goalie Joseph Woll was in the 97th percentile in midrange save percentage (.919) and 85th percentile in high-danger save percentage (.829) as a rookie last season.

Woll missed more than two months of the season but was efficient prior to his injury (8-5-1, .916 save percentage in first 15 games). He also made a huge impact in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, helping the Maple Leafs rally from down 3-1 in their Eastern Conference First Round series, winning Games 5 and 6 against the Boston Bruins to force Game 7. But Woll did not play in the deciding game because of injury (Toronto lost 2-1 in overtime).

After Ilya Samsonov signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in free agency, the stage is set for Woll to be the clear starter for the Maple Leafs. The combination of an up-and-coming goalie and new coach Craig Berube (won Stanley Cup with St. Louis Blues in 2019) could help Toronto finally break through in the postseason; it hasn’t won multiple playoff rounds since 2002.

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More: NHL EDGE stats leaders