Toronto Maple Leafs News

Now that the Toronto Maple Leaf’s season is essentially over, we thought we would get a head start on our end-of-season report.

You are welcome to post your revisions in the comments section.

Nik Antropov

B+

One of the only bright spots on a horrible Leaf team this year, was Nik Antropov. Starting the season off at a strong point-per-game production, Nik looked like all the trades that the Leafs had held off on, started to make sense…until he got injured …again. Why he wasn’t traded at the deadline is beyond me. Cliff Fletcher said he was “untouchable”.

Boyd Devereaux

B

Another bright spot on the hopelessly bad Toronto squad, was Boyd Devereaux. Every shift was played conscientiously, with a strong work ethic and sound defensive play. A solid role player.

Dominic Moore

B-

A smart waiver pick-up by JFJ, Moore, in the same vein as Devereaux, plays a strong checking game and plays hard every shift. He lacks puck smarts and good vision but is a good deal at close to the league minimum.

Kris Newbury

C+

While not the prettiest skater, when he was given a role on the Leafs team he immediately added some grit to a team that lacked emotion or any sign of toughness. He demonstrated that he was a very good player at the AHL level and deserves another shot at a full time slot on the Leafs with his workman like attitude, he is a strong commodity.

Matt Stajan

D

After another disappointing season that started with high hopes and promise, Stajan has managed to disappoint in every department. Once being touted as blue-chip prospect, the 24 year old and 4 season NHL veteran has proven not: Offensively gifted, a defensively minded, a “body checker”, a faceoff specialist, a powerplay specialist, a penalty kill specialist. At best a top four center Stajan has proven soft with little imagination or desire to drive to the net and generally gets beat man-on-man in puck battles along the board or behind the net. The touted future captain, he is not.

Mats Sundin

A

Consistency. One word to sum up the Leaf captain. Sundin produces at a point a game and hasn’t dipped off that pace his whole career. Highlighted with big-time clutch goals and overtime heroics. Sundin’s fitness has been getting better and better with age. A common sight used to be a winded Sundin gasping for breath on the bench. He seems to be skating as good, or better than he has his whole career – this year in particular. Unfortunately, Sundin has been flanked by players that are not up to his caliber and this has affected his output. The question remains if he will retire or play another season with the Leafs.

Jiri Tlusty

N/A

Embarrassing pictures aside Tlusty’s first season in the NHL was a disappointment. leafsnews.com has not entirely closed the book on this Czech import but due to mismanagement by the coaching staff it is impossible to say if he will live up to his high draft billing. Tlusty, touted as a future star capable of putting up quality offensive numbers was used very poorly by the team. On a team that should be focused on rebuilding he received limited minutes and when he did see the ice he did so in a checking capacity. Though he did show flashes of offense he was never given very much powerplay time and only rarely was he put into a scoring role on the team. At the end of the season, he did see more ice time and more responsibility and put up some numbers to show for it.

Kyle Wellwood

D

While the season started with high hopes for Wellwood, he just never seemed right the whole season. His hernia injury seemed to hamper the entire season and he never really got it together to produce at his projected rate. With grumblings of little or no fitness training, Wellwood’s commitment is being called into question. An enigma that has the tools to be a powerplay specialist or a good second line center will never come to fruition if he can’t sort out his fitness issues.

Mark Bell

N/A

One of the few Leafs that would hit on a shift-by-shift basis, Bell could never shake the black cloud that seemed to hanging over his head. Didn’t display the timing that you would expect from an NHL caliber player, but that can be expect due to suspensions, a lack practice and an injury that put him out for a good portion of the season.

Jason Blake

D+

Medical issues aside, Jason Blake’s first year in the blue and white has been a major disappointment. Not only has he proven not to be the scoring winger management had hoped for he has actually hindered this clubs offensive production by taking too many meaningless perimeter shots, not passing the puck, making too many solo rushes up the ice and making timely give aways. Though he does play a high energy game and drives hard to the net – rarely do his efforts create results. Furthermore his role on the power play created confusion between his and Darcy Tuckers roles within the team.

Alexei Ponikarovsky

C

While being thrust into a 1st line role and often seen playing with Antropov and Sundin, he is not a 1st line player. A good skater and a strong forechecker, he often lacks finish and can squander great scoring chances. At 6’4 and 220, he is a valuable big player for the Leafs, but only if he uses his size.

Alexander Steen

C-

Steen has been the one piece of many Leaf trades that never happened. Chris Pronger to Toronto for Tomas Kaberle was supposed to be a deal that was in the works. The Leafs would not offer up Steen . Time after time they held onto him and in his rookie campaign, he was one of the most complete players – even given his young age. Finished his checks (always), back-checked effectively and showed some amazing offensive creativity, if lacking a little bit in the finishing department. Since then, it has been a steady downward spiral. Perhaps it was Pat Quinn’s run and gun style of hockey that suited Steen better and Maurice being a more defensively minded coach is playing too heavily on the mind of a player that is already defensively conscience. His physical play has dropped off to nothing and he is a gifted 3rd line center at his current pace.

Darcy Tucker

D

Darcy Tucker was invisible in most games this year. A huge disappointment, considering his big production last season at almost 30 goals

Jeremy Williams

C+

After scoring in a three NHL games he was called up for (over three years) Jeremy Williams showed some speed, smarts and a little bit of grit to earn him some more looks for next season.

Carlo Colaiacovo

B-

Another season, more injuries. More frustration…both for Carlo and for the fans. Just when he looks like a top 3 defenseman, Carlo seems to get injured. WHEN healthy, Carlo hits hard, rushes the puck, makes a good first pass, is strong on the puck and pinches (sometimes too much). He makes mistakes, but has the wheels and smarts to cover up (most of the time). Everyone seems to be rooting for Carlo and we all hope he has a good offseason to recover and train. On occasion, Carlo was the Toronto Maple Leafs’ best defenseman.

Tomas Kaberle

C-

A low point producing affair for Tomas who looked a little lost when McCabe started to tank this season. Towards the end of the season he started to play well with Kubina, but it was too little too late. Another player that seems to bring frustration to leafs nation, Tomas wins the accuracy competition at the all-star game but refuses to shoot the puck. His low points performance makes his 1-on-1 work all the more glaring.

Staffan Kronwall

N/A

Staffan did not have a enough ice-time to warrant a fair assessment. He fit in well at the end of the season and played a ‘steady-eddie’ style game and a played physical shut down style of defence. His footwork is still a little slow and he’ll have his work cut out for him at training camp.

Pavel Kubina

B-

The much maligned Kubina really came into his own on the stretch run for the Leafs this year. With more confidence and added ice-time, Kubina showed why he was one of the pieces to Tampa Bay’s cup run in 2004. More (good) shots to the net and rushing the puck in areas that he normally wouldn’t, allowed Kubina to shine. Lets hope for continued improvement for next season.

Bryan McCabe

D

I think this sums up McCabe’s season.

Anton Stralman

C+

Stralman was a highly touted rookie coming into the season and after he was called up and stayed up on the big team, he scored some big goals at the end of the season and showed he has the touch and skating ability, not unlike his teammate Tomas Kaberle. He needs to be get stronger, and improve his defensive play. He looks to be a star in the making.

Ian White

D
Ian White has taken many steps back since originally making the team in 2006. His work in his own zone -specifically the corners- is shoddy at best. He has not proven to be the rushing defensman the leafs hoped for and although he boasts a hard shot he is ineffective on the powerplay and rarely hits the net. Ian White is not an NHL caliber defenseman.

Andrew Raycroft

F-

Vesa Toskala

A-

After he frustratingly had to earn the starting goaltending role in Toronto, Vesa never looked back. He was considered to be one of the best goalies on the eastern conference in the latter half of the season and with good reason. He had the odd night off, but for the most part he was excellent.