Keefe's Leafs try keep it going vs. Avs

The first game in the reboot of the Toronto Maple Leafs' season was a success, but there's a more work ahead to get the iconic franchise on a playoff track.

Toronto's 3-1 win in Arizona on Thursday night gave new head coach Sheldon Keefe a victory in his debut behind the bench. Keefe took over for the fired Mike Babcock after the Maple Leafs were mired in a six-game losing streak and a 9-10-4 start.

Keefe feels the team can turn around things quickly, and that theory will be put to the test when Toronto faces the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Saturday night.

"We've got a lot of talent and the ability to make life hard on the other team in a lot of ways," Keefe said before Thursday's game. "Focusing on that, we believe, will produce positive results. Because the players are good enough for that to happen."

Saturday's game will be a reunion for a player from each team. Toronto defenseman Tyson Barrie and Colorado forward Nazem Kadri are playing their former teams for the first time since being traded for each other in the offseason.

Barrie, who got his first goal of the season in the win over the Coyotes, is looking forward to playing for Keefe.

"He came in with a really fresh attitude," Barrie said after Thursday's win. "We know we weren't meeting expectations and we need to be better."

Kadri, the Maple Leafs' first-round pick (seventh overall) in 2009, spent nine seasons with Toronto. Barrie was one of the Avalanche's best offensive defensemen in his six-plus seasons in Colorado. He had 74 goals and 225 assists in 460 games but was dealt in part to bolster the Avs' depth at forward.

Kadri has helped that, especially in light of the number of injured forwards for Colorado. Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog, Colin Wilson and Tyson Jost are all sidelined, but there was an encouraging sight at Friday's optional skate when Rantanen and Wilson were on the ice.

So far, the Avalanche have survived without four of their top six forwards. They just finished a 3-2 road trip with a loss in Minnesota on Thursday night and nearly stole one from the Wild thanks to another big game by defenseman Cale Makar.

The 21-year-old Makar had both goals and now has seven to go with 18 assists. His assist total and 25 overall points tops all rookies and has given Colorado a boost, and he has impressed opponents.

"He can skate, make plays. He's going to be a really good player for a long time," Minnesota defenseman Ryan Suter said after Thursday's game.

Makar has taken off in November with six goals and nine assists in 10 games. His offense has been needed and it has helped Colorado go 5-2 in its last seven games.

"With the team we have right now, and the guys being out being a big part of it, it's been awesome with what we've been able to do," Makar said Thursday night.

--Field Level Media