This article has been submitted by the debuting Matt Rego…I didn’t have time to set him up as an author so for today he appears to be me. I wish! Welcome, Regg Ross.
We are just about three weeks into the season and our most beloved, and also most hated, NHL hockey franchise are winless in their first seven games of the season. Every hockey analyst has Toronto as the 30th ranked team in the league, and at 0-6-1 it is difficult to argue.
By going 6-3 in the preseason Toronto led the Eastern Conference with 12 points…mind you, that was the preseason. Leafs fans had reason to be optimistic heading into the regular season, as this team was exciting, fast, tough, and, despite Vesa Toskala’s best efforts, kept the puck out of the net. Now the big question: What changed between then and now?
Lets quickly review whom the Maple Leafs have played up to this point:
Montreal Canadiens (3-5-0)
Pittsburgh Penguins (8-1-0)
New York Rangers x 2 (7-2-0)
Washington Capitals (4-2-2)
Colorado Avalanche (6-1-2)
Ottawa Senators (5-2-0)
Combined Record: 33-13-4 (40-15-4 if you double-count the Rangers)
Now looking at those stats, can you blame the Maple Leafs for starting 0-6-1? I’m not making excuses for them but that seems like a difficult beginning to any team’s season, let alone a team which is optimistically supposed to battle for the 8th playoff spot in the East.
After those seven games it’s evident that this team needs to stay out of the penalty box and players need to start taking accountability for their actions. The coach can be blamed to a certain degree but someone needs to step up in that dressing room and point the finger at certain individuals. For this team to succeed from this point forward, veteran players, in particular Tomas Kaberle, Matt Stajan, Jason Blake, Jamal Mayers and Vesa Toskala, need to show why they are NHL players, because so far I have not seen it. By the same token, free agent signings of Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin need to elevate their game and help keep the puck out of their net.
Going into Saturday’s game in Vancouver, the Leafs have scored a league worst 14 goals while at the same time allowing 32, another leagues worst. This team desperately needs to get its act together if they hope to live up to the expectations of the coach, general manager, and most importantly the fans.
As one of many die hard Leafs fans across the nation, I feel it’s time we start becoming contenders for hockey’s most coveted trophy, and I am optimistic that in the next five years we will see a run at the Stanley Cup. Those calling this a disappointing start to the season need to realize that the Leafs will not win the cup this year, nor are we a team that will finish in the bottom five to have a shot at the #1 overall draft pick.
Phil Kessel, is he worth what we gave up? I agree with Mr. Burke with this move. This team has shown in the pre season it has depth in the organization and Phil Kessel has proven he can score at the NHL level. Two 1st rounders and this years 2nd rounder is a hefty price but I look at it like this:
Nazem Kadri, watching this kid play as a Kitchener Ranger, London Knight, and in the preseason, this guy is a superstar in the making. His speed, hockey awareness, and aggression make me believe this guy will be a 100 point scorer in the league.
Tyler Bozak, why this guy did not make the team in the first place puzzles me. He was arguably the best Leaf player in the preseason with Viktor Stalberg and can definitely help the Leafs Penalty Killing.
Christian Hanson, showed at the end of last season he can make an impact at the NHL level and paired with Stalberg and Bozak provided the Leafs with a scoring threat every time they stepped on the ice. (Editor’s note: And a Party Threat in Downtown TO!)
Carl Gunnarsson, the future quarterback of the Leafs power play? It can be argued so after watching Kaberle this season, so why not call him up and see what he can do? He needs some experience playing the North American game but there is no reason to think that he will not be an impactful defensemen who will be NHL-ready by the end of the year.
Jonas Gustavsson, “The Monster”, FINALLY!! The Leafs have a 6’+ goalie that can fill up the net in the butterfly. For the record, last year the Leafs had two of the shortest goalies in the league. This kid has done nothing but impress me in his four appearances in a Leafs jersey. In my opinion, he is the Leafs number one goalie right now.
With this, Leafs fans, moving forward I am not at all concerned with the 09-10 installment of the Buds. A great coaching staff and a proven general manager will help the Leafs overcome this lackluster start, and I for one hold the combination of their difficult schedule and underperforming veterans responsible. Those are two issues that don’t necessarily dampen the future outlook and I truly believe the Maple Leafs are better than their record shows.
