A Question For The Leaf Fans
A Question For The Leaf Fans
Listening to Leaf fans rant about the lack of scoring wingers, solid defenders, and good goaltending really gets me wondering what proposed solutions to our unstable Toronto Maple Leafs would really help our team and more importantly be a realistic option. Fans complain about the likes of O’Neill, Allison, Lindros, Berg, Klee and Khavanov but which team would be willing to acquire these liabilities.
Klee, who is obviously overpaid, still puts in a solid effort night in and night out. He is not the typical top four defender that some fans may expect but as a fifth or sixth defenseman he would be a very valuable asset to the team. Berg and Khavanov on the other hand are complete liabilities and are receiving valuable ice time that the young Toronto Maple Leafs prospects deserve. Trade them, waive them, do whatever it takes to dump these two contracts.
Lindros and his 1.5 million dollar salary was a bargain until he was injured. He is still at the top of the list of even strength goals after missing almost half the games played up to this point. Allison wouldn’t attract many teams with his bonus filled salary that he does not deserve even though he’s almost on pace for a point a game. He’s horrifically slow and is a liability at even strength. Hopefully some desperate team in need of a second line center offers something useful in return so the Leafs get at least a little something to work with. O’Neill is currently struggling with the Leafs but will not be traded at any cir*****stances. He asked for a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the off season to be closer with his family after the tragic loss of his brother. Hopefully he’ll step up his game a notch after being scratched for the first time this year during the 4-2 victory over New Jersey.
My Scouting Report:
Steen: B+
Has been pretty solid all year yet does go into some scoreless slumps. He is solid defensively and plays well on the wing with Mats Sundin.
Projection: first line winger
Sundin: B-
Lately has stepped it up a notch. Is a great leader and will not be traded. Fans won’t realize how valuable he really is to this Toronto Maple Leafs team till he’s really gone.
Wellwood: B-
Has a great scoring touch. He’s very flashy at times but is a little soft. He may not fit in with the leafs at center in the future. Wellwood would interest a lot of teams if he were included in trade talks.
Projection: Second Line forward
Tucker: A-
Tucker has been one of the Leafs most valuable players this year and is leading the team in scoring. This
Player along with McCabe have proven the time they were injured that they are far more valuable to the Leafs than expected.
Projection: Top six forward
Lindros: B
Before Lindros was injured he lead the team in even strength goals which the team is in lack of. He provided the team with a great second line center and is missed more than some assume.
Projection: second line center
O’Neill C-
He has struggled greatly this year. He has the worst plus minus on the team and hasn’t been scoring as of late. He is a liability in their own zone and for the most part of the season has been on the third line.
Stajan: C
He’s been really good on the penalty kill yet hasn’t produced a lot of points this year.
Projection: Third Line center (defensive Forward)
Ponikarovsky: B
He lead the team with short handed goals. The team has only lost one game when he has scored. He is a great 3rd line winger is valuable to the team.
Projection: Second line winger
Antropov: C
He hasn’t been playing that horrible this year. Is above average in his own zone and sometimes helps in the scoring department when needed. He often takes stupid pointless penalties.
Projection: Second Line Winger (3rd line Center)
Allison: C-
Slow. He isn’t good enough to be the second line center and is too pricey to be the third line center. Even strength he is a liability but is valuable on the power play.
Projection: second line center
Kilger: C
Kilger surprisingly is leading the team in even strength goals! He has played exceptionally well this year and is one of Toronto’s better forwards this year believe it or not.
PROJECTION: 3RD LINE ROLE PLAYER
WILM: C-
WILM HAS BEEN A SOLID PLAYER FOR THE LEAFS THIS YEAR. A DECENT FORTH LINE CENTER
DOMI: C-
PROJECTION: FORTH LINE AGITATOR
POHL: C+
POHL FILLED IN NICELY WHEN THE INJURY BUG HIT HARD.
PROJECTION: 3RD LINE CENTER
BELAK: D
BECAUSE HE CAN PLAY BOTH FORWARD AND DEFENCE HE’S ACTUALLY KIND OF NICE TO HAVE ON THE TEAM. HE FILLS SPOTS NICELY WHEN NEEDED.
PROJECTION: RESERVE FORWARD/DEFENSE
CZERKAWSKI: D
HASN’T REALLY PRODUCED OFFENSIVELY BUT AT TIMES SHOWED US HE CAN STILL SCORE AT THIS LEVEL.
PROJECTION: RESERVE SCORING FORWARD
DEFENSE
MCCABE: A-
HE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSMAN IN THE LEAGUE THIS YEAR AND WAS REWARDED WITH A PHONE CALL FROM GRETZKY. HE AND KABERLE HAVE BEEN THE BEST POWER PLAY DEFENSE PAIR THIS SEASON HANDS DOWN.
PROJECTION: FUTURE NORRIS TROPHY WINNER
KABERLE: B+
STRUGGLED A BIT WHEN MCCABE WAS INJURED BUT HAS PLAYED SOLID ALL YEAR OTHERWISE.
PROJECTION: TOP DEFENSE PAIRING
KLEE: C
HAS BEEN SOLID AT TIMES BUT STRUGGLED ON OCCASION.
PROJECTION: 5TH OR 6TH DEFENSEMAN
KAVANOV: D+
FOR A WHILE HE WAS THE ONLY DEFENDER ON THE LEAFS THAT HAD A MINUS RATIING. BEFORE HE WAS INJURED HE STEPPED IT UP A NOTCH.
PROJECTION: 5TH OR 6TH DEFENDER
BERG: D+
TOO MANY 5TH OR 6TH DEFENDERS ON THIS TEAM.
PROJECTION: 5TH OR 6TH DEFENDER
COLAIACOVO: C+
HAS PLAYER EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WHEN IN THE LINEUP
PROJECTION: POWER PLAY SPECIALIST
KRONWALL: C-
WILL NEVER BE A TOP FOUR DEFENDER.
PROJECTION: 5TH OR 6TH DEFENDER
Woznowski : D
PROJECTION: RESERVE DEFENSEMAN
HARRISON: B
HAS PLAYED WELL SINCE BEING CALLED UP
GOALTENDING:
BELFOUR: D+
GOES THROUGH HOT AND COLD STREAKS. MOSTLY COLD
TELLQVIST: B
HAS PLAYED GREAT WHEN CALLED UPON.
PROJECTION: AVERAGE NO. 1 GOALTENDER
players to build the team around:
Tomas Kaberle
Bryan McCabe
Alexander Steen
Ian White
Carlo Colaiacovo
Jeremy Williams
Justin Pogge or Tuukka Rask
Darcy Tucker
Players to trade for the right return:
Kyle Wellwood
Mats Sundin
Ken Klee
Jason Allison
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Nik Antropov
Mikael Tellqvist
Staffan Kronwall
Andy Wozienwski
Eric Lindros
Jeff O’Neill
Tie Domi
Clarke Wilm
Chad Kilger
Justin Pogge or Tuukka Rask
Jay Harrison
Players they desperately need to get rid of:
Ed Belfour
Aki Berg
Alexander Khavanov
Mariusz Czerkawski
Wade Belak