The Winnipeg Jets were absolutely embarrassed on home ice to open the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and fingers can be pointed in multiple directions, but it all comes down to the fact that Paul Maurice has been unable to institute discipline and structure into his team.

Maurice signed a multi-year extension to remain the Jets' head coach prior to the season, so his job appears to be safe, but if he fails to make some adjustments, the Jets will once again be on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoff picture - despite boasting one of the league's most talented rosters.

Poor special teams and peewee caliber defensive zone structure were the two most glaring issues in Winnipeg's 7-2 loss to the Leafs - and it's been this way as long as Maurice has been behind the Jets' bench.

Last season, only the Ducks and Flames were shorthanded more often than the Jets, who owned the fifth-worst penalty kill in the league. On Wednesday against Toronto, they found themselves shorthanded on four occasions, and surrendered two power play goals.

Then there's the power play. You'd think a unit featuring Patrik Laine, Dustin Byfuglien, and Mark Scheifele would be among the most dangerous in the league, but last year they boasted the 18th-most efficient power play. Only three playoff teams - Chicago, Ottawa, and San Jose - were worse with the man advantage. On Wednesday night, their power play was 0-for-8.

While the special teams were atrocious, their defensive zone structure would have made any Jets fan want to throw up. Here are a few examples:

On Toronto's third goal of the night, William Nylander is somehow left all alone in front. Multiple Jets players aren't moving their feet and are caught watching the play.

On Toronto's fourth goal, the numbers are in the Jets' favor, but both Jacob Trouba and Dustin Byfuglien attack the puck carrier Auston Matthews, and nobody picks up Patrick Marleau.

On Marleau's second goal, there's four Jets players on the screen, and not one of them is anywhere close to covering Marleau, the only Leaf that's a threat to score in this scenario.

To dive into the numbers a little bit, Toronto completed 11 passes to the slot at even strength, while the Jets completed just two, per Mike Kelly. As any player, coach, or fan knows, the majority of goals are scored from the slot. Either Maurice isn't hammering on his guys to clog up the middle of the ice in the defensive zone, or the Jets simply don't listen.

Obviously the occasional save from Steve Mason wouldn't have hurt, but it's hard to point the blame at him given the quality of scoring chances Toronto was generating.

In the end, it's on the head coach to make adjustments, and if Maurice is unable to do so, one of the league's most talented rosters from top to bottom will be wasted once again.

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Connor McDavid did not disappoint on the first night of the regular season.

The Edmonton Oilers superstar provided all of the offense in a 3-0 victory over the Calgary Flames, capping off a hat trick with an empty-netter in the final minute.

Watch: McDavid absolutely burns Flames for 2nd goal of game

McDavid scored three goals in a game for the second time in his young NHL career, and became the first Oiler to notch a hat trick in the club's first game of the season, according to TSN.

He's also the first player in franchise history to post multi-goal games in back-to-back season openers, according to Sportsnet.

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New season, same explosive Connor McDavid.

The reigning Hart Trophy winner picked up right where he left off in the Edmonton Oilers' opening game of 2017-18 on Wednesday night, pouncing on a loose puck in his own zone, going the length of the ice, and firing home his second goal of the contest against the Calgary Flames midway through the third period.

It's only one game, but McDavid - who opened the scoring in the first period Wednesday - shouldn't have much trouble surpassing last season's 30-goal total.

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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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Alex Pietrangelo didn't make any friends in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.

The St. Louis Blues captain tallied two goals including the overtime winner as the Blues squashed the Penguins' comeback effort on the same night the team raised its Stanley Cup banner to the rafters.

After the Blues jumped out to a 4-2 lead, the Penguins tied the game to force overtime before Pietrangelo's marker. The Pens won't have too much time to dwell on the loss, as they are right back at it on Thursday when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Patrik Laine didn't hold back after a forgettable opening night for his Winnipeg Jets.

"This was just embarrassing. I'm ashamed," the young Jets star said after a blowout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night, according to Finnish reporter Sami Hoffren.

Despite out-shooting the Leafs through 40 minutes, the Jets trailed 4-0 after two periods and allowed three more goals in the final stanza en route to a 7-2 defeat.

Laine picked up an assist on Mark Scheifele's goal midway through the third, but the game was far out of hand by that point. He managed only two shots on goal in more than 18 minutes of ice time, more than eight of which came on the power play.

The Jets failed to convert on all eight of their power-play chances in the game, while the Leafs scored on two of their four opportunities with the man advantage.

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Well, that didn't take long.

Patrick Marleau didn't waste any time notching his first goal as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, undressing Jets goaltender Steve Mason after receiving a pretty pass from Auston Matthews in the second period of the season opener.

The goal was No. 509 of Marleau's career.

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It's more deja vu for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they'd probably tell you it doesn't get old.

The two-time defending champs watched as the staff at PPG Paints Arena raised the club's second consecutive Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters Wednesday night before their game against the St. Louis Blues.

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