From the 2016-17 season to 2023-24, Toronto's power play was the third-best in the NHL, operating at 24.1 percent.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' power play — loaded with all their star power — is 3-for-28 to begin the season.
It's not what anyone expected under new head coach Craig Berube and power play specialist Marc Savard, however, the leaks have been showing themselves since last season.
Since March 1, the Maple Leafs' power play has gone 12-for-100, resulting in a 12-percent success rate, the worst percentage on the man advantage in the NHL. Although it's a new staff, Toronto is voicing the same message: Stick with it.
"We're all a part of it, right? We all want the power play to do well, including the players. We just gotta keep banging away at it. They're getting opportunities, it's not going in," Berube said on Friday.
"Shooting's a little off and things like that, but we can also get pucks into the good area of the ice a little bit more and create some second and third chances."
The Maple Leafs have elected to remain with the same personnel on the top power-play unit: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
According to Berube, the reasoning is that the chances are coming, but the puck isn't finding the back of the net.
"I think what I'm seeing in the last four games is the chances they're creating. Now, in saying that, you gotta produce and it's gotta go in. But, a lot of times, you just switch it up to switch it up," Berube said.
"But I see progression in the right direction."
Toronto's power play discussion is always a fascinating topic to discuss. They've got a loaded top unit, plus a second unit consisting of scoring threats like Nick Robertson, Matthew Knies, and a playmaker in Max Domi.
Even with Savard, a strong power play player during his time in the NHL, Toronto appears to struggle on the man advantage. However, he, and the Maple Leafs' players, like what they're seeing although pucks aren't going in.
"[Savard's] good communicating with us, individually, as a group. Talking to him after practice. The last four games or whatever, if you're an analytics person, there's been some good numbers in different areas," Matthews said after practice on Friday.
"Shooting percentage isn't good. There's obviously other areas that need to be cleaned up, but, I think he's doing a good job of just communicating with us and allowing us to communicate back and give our opinions and feedback and just try to work collectively as a group."
Marner opted for the same message about the power play following Friday's skate.
"I think we've had some good opportunities, some good looks on our power play, we just haven't been able to score on it. Like I said at the start of the season, there's going to be ups and downs throughout the season," the forward said.
"Obviously, we're not happy with how it's going right now, but, we just gotta stay patient with it and keep doing what we're doing and keep working on it and keep communicating to each other where we're going to be, where the plays are to be made, and just stay patient with it."
Toronto's power play will have a tough test on Saturday against the Boston Bruins. Luckily for the Maple Leafs, the Bruins, who've been strong throughout the last few years, are struggling out of the gate.
This could be the perfect opportunity for Toronto's power play to capitalize on a scrambling team.