(Should a young player like Frattin be packaged for a star?)
Leafs Blog: One Player Away? – Kevin Striukas, TMLFans McLeaf
Trade rumours have been swirling Leafs nation under the preconceived notion that the team is one superstar away from being a top tier team in the east. In the Leafs current position would trading for a Rick Nash or Ryan Getzlaf turn the 8th place Leafs into a top contender?
The Leafs have the 8th most goals scored in the NHL and are known for their speed this season. Despite not being a number one centre, Joffrey Lupul has become the star player Phil Kessel needed on his line to produce. With Lupul and Kessel on pace for 85 plus points, the Leafs finally have a legitimate first line. Tyler Bozak has also bounced back from a horrible year to earn his spot back on the first line instead of being cast there by default. Mikhail Grabovski provides a needed threat on the second line and several other pieces complement the Leafs depth scoring.
Taking one step forward to get a good player would require taking two steps back in what the Leafs would have to give up. Pieces like Luke Schenn, Jake Gardiner, Joe Colborne and James Reimer will be vital to the future success of the franchise and shouldn’t be given away for the sake of one player. Toronto has tried to take the shortcut route too many times in the past with a lack of real success.
To analyze the key to jumping to the next level, look at the first place New York Rangers. The Rangers beat Toronto out to superstar centre Brad Richards in the offseason. Many Leafs fans said Richards would be the key player that would make Toronto a contender, but he is only on pace for 5 more points than current Leaf first line centre – Bozak. The key to New York making the jump into first [;ace has been their defence. The Rangers have only 114 goals allowed – good for best in the NHL – and are backed by Hendrik Lundqvist sporting an amazing 1.77 goals-against average and .941 save percentage this year. Their players play a defence first game with consistency and maturity.
Solid defensive play is what the Leafs are missing to take their game to the next level. Reimer or Jonas Gustavsson have to grab the starting goaltender job and take their game to the next level. The Leafs have to improve from 25th in the league in goals allowed and develop more defensive consistency to compete with teams like New York and Boston. In their current state, the Leafs with Rick Nash or Ryan Getzlaf do not beat the Rangers or the Bruins and make a run for the championship. Toronto would just be defensively outmatched in a seven-game series. Taking the next step involves maturing as a team from the back end out.
The Leafs are already one of the youngest teams in the league. With prospects like Nazem Kadri, Matt Frattin and Joe Colborne cracking the team in future years, we still have a lot of youth too.
Becoming a true contender in the NHL will come with time for this group, the problem is being patient.
TMLFans McLeaf is a guest columnist.
Dream on, you play too small in key positions, too easily rattled, you’re coaching needs upgrading, goaltending is below average.
The C should never have been given to Dion. Pushed off the puck too often. Continue to have brain cramps getting the puck out of their own zone when pressured. List is way too long to go on.
See where the leafs are last day of of the season & same time next year & year after that. You think other teams will just stand stil & let the leafs catch up lol.
Good luck
It’s always encouraging to get responses from people who are obviously fans of ‘other’ teams, fair and balanced and the like.
I agree McLeaf, patience is a key aspect though tough to come by.