4 takeaways from the Maple Leafs shelling the Jets

One thing is certain when the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets meet: There will be goals, lots of goals.

Wednesday night was no exception, as the Maple Leafs skated to a 7-2 trouncing of the Jets. For both clubs, there was a lot to like and a lot to hate about how they kicked off the regular season.

Here are four takeaways from the 2017-18 season's first game:

Maple Leafs firepower is incredible

It wasn't necessarily a secret, but the Maple Leafs reminded the Jets that their lineup is offensively sound.

The Maple Leafs fired seven pucks past Jets netminders, resulting in six players picking up multiple points, including Auston Matthews and James van Riemsdyk with three apiece.

The Maple Leafs really showed just how offense-heavy their top-nine is, as Zach Hyman was the only member of the top three lines who didn't register a point.

It's not enough to just key in on Matthews and William Nylander.

Jets goaltending still has holes

Earlier in the day, Jets head coach Paul Maurice said that his team would need "average goaltending" this season if they want to improve. Well, they got anything but that Wednesday.

Steve Mason was pulled early in the third period after giving up his fifth goal on just the 20th shot. Connor Hellebuyck entered in relief, but didn't fare much better, giving up two goals on the 11 shots he faced.

The Jets controlled the majority of the play to begin the game, and there's no question the rest of the club must've felt defeated by the goals against.

Heading into the season, goaltending was the Jets biggest question mark and is key to their postseason potential. If tonight's trend continues, it seems the club will be back to square one.

Marleau with a memorable debut

Then there was Patrick Marleau.

In his first regular-season game not with the San Jose Sharks, the veteran looked anything but 38 years old, finishing with two goals, including a dazzling first as a Maple Leaf off a slick feed from Matthews.

Marleau fired five shots on goal, played on both the power play and penalty kill, and even threw his body around. He might be oldest Maple Leafs forward, but he by no means looked out of place.

Andersen helped Leafs weather Jets' barrage

While the Maple Leafs' offense was the story of the night, things could've looked a lot different if Frederik Andersen hadn't had such an amazing game - actually, first period, to be more precise.

The Jets took the game to the Maple Leafs early in the first, thanks in large part to three power-play chances. In all, the Jets hammered 17 shots at Andersen in the first period with nothing to show. Andersen would keep the Jets off the board until late in the third, and finished the night with 35 saves on the 37 shots thrown his way.

Andersen got a full training camp and is injury-free - which wasn't the case last year - and if Wednesday was any sign, it appears to have done the 28-year-old wonders.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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