I’ve been doing in-season report cards like this for the Maple Leafs for years and years. There’s never been one that looked like this.



As of this writing, sitting on a plane coming back from their undefeated California trip, Toronto is the best team in the NHL, in terms of both points and goal differential. Without William Nylander (for 20 games) and Auston Matthews (for 9.5), they’ve lost just six times and beaten a handful of the NHL’s best teams in convincing fashion.



Have there been bumps along the way? Absolutely. Is there room for improvement? Sure. But, generally speaking, this has been a dream start to the Leafs’ season. And because of that I really can’t grade too punitively, after 20 games.



Only four Leafs score below a B-minus here. No one is failed or sent to detention. Seven players, out of 21 listed, receive an A or A-plus.



Some of the non-Leafs fans out there will say those are homer grades. Anyone...