Lost in a Chaotic Night, Forward Sammy Blais Dazzled in Maple Leafs Debut and May Have Stolen a Roster Spot

On a night where the Maple Leafs did not put forth their best effort against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who now sit well above them in the NHL standings, there were some bright spots to consider.

John Tavares made headlines after ripping home the 500th goal of his illustrious NHL career, though his unwillingness to celebrate the goal told the real story -- a dismal effort from the team sucking the joy out of the moment.

Still, even with the team's collective failure robbing him of the joy he might have otherwise felt, the milestone is an incredible one and deserves to be recognized as such.

In the bottom six, Sammy Blais also made a wonderful first impression, though his moment, too, was overshadowed by the Leafs' listless performance in Columbus.

Blais recorded a goal and an assist for the Leafs in his debut with the organization, firing 3 shots on goal and racking up 5 hits and 1 blocked shot in 16 shifts, totaling 10:55 in ice time, per Hockey-Reference. A sensational showing from the depth winger.

When Leafs head coach Craig Berube told fans what to expect from Blais, he wasn't kidding. Not bad for a player who was claimed off of waivers by the Maple Leafs before the start of the season.

Berube knows Blais well from their time together in St. Louis, so there might be some trust there between the coach and the player, which could result in the abrasive forward pushing someone else out of the lineup.

The Leafs have an abundance of depth forwards, which they have needed due to the high-volume of injury issues they've dealt with this season. Blais himself only received the opportunity because of the injury to Steven Lorentz, and the last minute withdrawal of William Nylander from the lineup against Columbus.

It's going to be tough to pull him out of the lineup at this point, especially given the kind of debut he had. If the team is serious about icing the best team and playing guys who perform, they'd be foolish to exclude Blais from the roster on Saturday against Philadelphia.

Unfortunately, if Blais is kept in the lineup, and if any of William Nylander, Scott Laughton or Steven Lorentz do return, it likely puts one of Calle Jarnkrok, Easton Cowan, or Nick Robertson in the press box. The Leafs have some tough decisions ahead.