Coyotes send rookie Max Domi out by himself during warmups in Toronto

The Toronto Maple Leafs are up in most categories from previous year to this season, but they’ve still struggled to turn that positive play into better results in the standings.

The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Arizona Coyotes tonight at Air Canada Centre and James Reimer will get the nod in goal.

Arizona’s record (4-3-1-0) is good enough for second spot in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They’ve been using young firepower for their fast start, keyed by a line that contains a familiar family name.

Antoine Vermette is considered a game-time decision for Monday’s game against the Maple Leafs, but head coach Dave Tippett called him “very questionable” for the contest, Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic reports.

The Toronto Maple Leafs weakness up the middle has been excentuated by the injury bug early in the season.

After completing his third year in Junior, Marner will be 19 and could join the AHL Toronto Marlies on a temporary pro contract for the end of their season and the Calder Cup Playoffs, but the center would still be ineligible to play for the Marlies at the start the 2016-17 season, as the league has a 20-year-old minimum age requirement. They opened with a 3-1 loss to the Canadiens and went to a shootout with the Ottawa Senators before losing 5-4.

In part, the Coyotes’ resurgence is due to two rookies, Max Domi, the son of former NHLer and Leaf Tie Domi, with three goals and nine points, and Anthony Duclair, who has five goals and seven points. Jonathan Bernier can take a few of the blame, sure, but the team has to cash in offensively more when you put up twice the amount of scoring chances as the other team, and get over 50 shots on goal.

Leafs (1-4-2): Captain Dion Phaneuf shares the team lead with Komarov at five points, and the 30-year-old defenceman owns a plus-5 rating after matching his career worst of minus-11 last season.