Maple Leafs Forward Quietly Dominating Key Stat in Round 1 Playoff Series

The Maple Leafs got a lot of help from a variety of players this first round. We saw some unlikely heroes like Max Domi, Simon Benoit, and Max Pacioretty; we've seen the Core Four finally put a ton of points together, and guys like Scott Laughton are showing exactly why they were picked up for the postseason push.

One guy however who doesn't get a ton of credit, at least at first glance is Pontus Holmberg. Getting a lot of flak for often not being as offensive as fans want, and having some hot and cold streaks throughout his tenure so far.

However it seems that what he's doing hasn't gone unnoticed, and he has actually been Toronto's best defensive forward at 5 on 5. So good in fact, Ottawa never scored a goal at even strength with him on the ice.

It's a wild stat that doesn't seem real, especially when you're talking about Holmberg, but he's quietly become one of the team's most resilient and reliable performers.

Does he light the lamp a ton? No. But he's a nuisance to every opponent, works hard for every puck, plays smart defensively, and always seems to have a knack for drawing penalties at just the right time. It's the type of player you need to be successful in the playoffs, but he's been outstanding so far.

Would the team like to see him do more offensively? Sure, but so too would they like Bobby McMann and Calle Jarnkrok get the ball rolling too.

McMann scored 20 in the regular season, he's barely had a shot it feels like this postseason; if Toronto isn't going to score then they need to shut it down, and Holmberg's been the best.

He set a new career-high in points with 19, but it's his ability to draw penalties and generally keep opponents frustrated that keeps his spot secure.

Without Holmberg, who knows how bad Toronto might have been against Ottawa, and Craig Berube's insistence on changing things up with him and Max Domi paid off handsomely.

It's going to be a trust test for Holmberg against the Panthers, as they are going to be coming out fast and furious, and aren't going to settle for less. But they are highly emotional and prone to being undisciplined at times, and Toronto can use Holmberg's penalty drawing ability to weed out some more chances to score.

Either way, he was integral to the Ottawa series that pushed them into the second round. Let's just hope he can keep up with the reigning champions, much like everyone else.