<p>In the offseason, the Leafs decided to part with James van Riemsdyk after six seasons in the blue &amp; white. With upcoming contracts for Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Auston Matthews, the Leafs simply couldn&#8217;t afford them in their pursuit of John Tavares.</p>
<p>He was the obvious <em>casualty, </em>if you can even really call it that. Back with the team who originally drafted him, JVR is now scoring at a 0.44 goals per game rate, tied for his career high mark set last season.</p>
<p>Here are JVR&#8217;s goals. What a player.</p>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="James van Riemsdyk collects fifth career hat trick" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YNwvTwGQWgA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>JVR scored three, and he deserved to. It&#8217;s gotta feel a little rough seeing the team you spent so long playing for mediocre and downright bad teams rise to the cream of the crop, while you&#8217;re on pace to miss the playoffs. Even if he&#8217;s having a great year in Philadelphia, he&#8217;d probably still be in Toronto&#8230; right?</p>
<p>The rest of his team scored three, but hey.</p>
<p>The Leafs scored SEVEN. I mean, check out this heatmap.</p>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-54379" src="https://i0.wp.com/theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/03/20182019-21093-5v5.png?resize=803%2C422&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="803" height="422" /></p>
<h2>1-1  (Daddy Marleau)</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">St. Patrick.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsgoBr%C3%A1ch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsgoBrách</a>☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/TdOIY5jZ47">pic.twitter.com/TdOIY5jZ47</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto St. Pats (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106705669640589312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Goals from your dad&#8230; Good?</p>
<h2>3-2 Philly (Zach Hyman)</h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Will Arnett calls Zach Hyman’s goal from Leafs’ booth" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RV_BO4ji7XM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>No huge mistakes here.</p>
<h2>5-3 Philly (Jake Muzzin)</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Buzzin&#39; ??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsgoBr%C3%A1ch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsgoBrách</a>☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/8sHO2WoF9A">pic.twitter.com/8sHO2WoF9A</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto St. Pats (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106720534128222208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Good move, Kyle.</p>
<h2>5-4 Philly (Jake Muzzin)</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Shake &#39;n Jake.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsgoBr%C3%A1ch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsgoBrách</a>☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/VLBVXdT3xj">pic.twitter.com/VLBVXdT3xj</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto St. Pats (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106722007016706049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>GREAT MOVE, KYLE!</p>
<h2>5-5 (Marty Marincin?)</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Put pucks on net. Good things happen.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsgoBr%C3%A1ch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsgoBrách</a>☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/4VoACMBIwN">pic.twitter.com/4VoACMBIwN</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto St. Pats (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106729599696809985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Shades of &#8220;Connor Carrick&#8217;s goal in Ottawa.&#8221;</p>
<h2>6-5 Leafs (AM34)</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Blink and you&#39;ll miss this Matthews missile.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsgoBr%C3%A1ch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsgoBrách</a>☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/ohFTEANNeV">pic.twitter.com/ohFTEANNeV</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto St. Pats (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106734469740969985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>What else can ya say about that? Incredible.</p>
<h2>7-5 Leafs (Matthews again!)</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Number 34 for <a href="https://twitter.com/AM34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AM34</a> and two big points at home.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsgoBr%C3%A1ch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsgoBrách</a>☘️ <a href="https://t.co/WYAbQH92w7">pic.twitter.com/WYAbQH92w7</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto St. Pats (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106738403264118784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Kid&#8217;s sick.</p>
<h2>Who wore the Crown?</h2>
<p><em>After every Leaf game, we’re recognizing one Leaf player who best exemplified what it means to play hockey the “Toronto Way”: with heart and soul, above all else. Who wore the Crown is brought to you by Crown Royal, passionate fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. </em></p>
<p>They were a few knucklers, but let&#8217;s give it to #8 for throwing the puck on net. Good work, Muzz.</p>
<p>Onto Ottawa tonight.</p>


In the offseason, the Leafs decided to part with James van Riemsdyk after six seasons in the blue &amp; white. With upcoming contracts for Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Auston Matthews, the Leafs simply couldn't afford them in their pursuit of John Tavares.

He was the obvious <em>casualty, </em>if you can even really call it that. Back with the team who originally drafted him, JVR is now scoring at a 0.44 goals per game rate, tied for his career high mark set last season.

Here are JVR's goals. What a player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNwvTwGQWgA

JVR scored three, and he deserved to. It's gotta feel a little rough seeing the team you spent so long playing for mediocre and downright bad teams rise to the cream of the crop, while you're on pace to miss the playoffs. Even if he's having a great year in Philadelphia, he'd probably still be in Toronto... right?

The rest of his team scored three, but hey.

The Leafs scored SEVEN. I mean, check out this heatmap.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-54379" src="https://theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/03/20182019-21093-5v5.png" alt="" width="803" height="422" />
<h2>1-1  (Daddy Marleau)</h2>
https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106705669640589312

Goals from your dad... Good?
<h2>3-2 Philly (Zach Hyman)</h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV_BO4ji7XM

No huge mistakes here.
<h2>5-3 Philly (Jake Muzzin)</h2>
https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106720534128222208

Good move, Kyle.
<h2>5-4 Philly (Jake Muzzin)</h2>
https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106722007016706049

GREAT MOVE, KYLE!
<h2>5-5 (Marty Marincin?)</h2>
https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106729599696809985

Shades of "Connor Carrick's goal in Ottawa."
<h2>6-5 Leafs (AM34)</h2>
https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106734469740969985

What else can ya say about that? Incredible.
<h2>7-5 Leafs (Matthews again!)</h2>
https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1106738403264118784

Kid's sick.
<h2>Who wore the Crown?</h2>
<em>After every Leaf game, we’re recognizing one Leaf player who best exemplified what it means to play hockey the “Toronto Way”: with heart and soul, above all else. Who wore the Crown is brought to you by Crown Royal, passionate fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. </em>

They were a few knucklers, but let's give it to #8 for throwing the puck on net. Good work, Muzz.

Onto Ottawa tonight.

JVR deserved a revenge hat trick, but the Leafs deserved the win

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