The forwards, defence and goalies,
Top-six forwards don’t include van Riemsdyk . . . at least not
There really isn’t a lot of room at the top when it comes to jobs among the Maple Leafs’ top-six forwards.
Joffrey Lupul, Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak, Mikhail Grabovski, Nik Kulemin and Clarke MacArthur appear to be on track to remain as they were last season when they formed the top-six grouping that was the target of so much analysis and criticism.
Serious consideration will be given to James van Riemsdyk for breaking into that group this season. Van Riemsdyk appears to be a natural to centre for Lupul and Kessel, but the Leafs say he will start the season on the wing.
Leo Komarov could also be a wild card and would make an interesting addition to an all-European line with Grabovski and Kulemin.
As the lockout ended and the shortened season became a reality, much was made of how these high-octane Leafs would fare under Randy Carlyle. The new coach is demanding a more complete level of play in all three zones, and greater attention to goal prevention. That’s supposed to cramp the styles of the big guns, most notably Kessel.
But Carlyle is not expected to shackle his fleet-footed top six — the Leafs were a decent scoring club last season, with 70 first-period goals (good for eighth in the NHL), and 81 in the third (ninth).
The Leafs, with addition of Jay McClement, promise to have solid third and fourth lines; if Bozak is pushed back onto the bottom lines (instead of traded), Toronto would have excellent two-way men in place with those two, as well as David Steckel and Mike Brown.
It’s possible Carlyle and his coaching staff are looking at the offence with a specific aim of turning around some basic numbers from a year ago, when the club scored those 70 first-period goals but posted only a .575 winning percentage when scoring the game’s first goal.
The current model for efficiency is the Blues, where coach Ken Hitchcock got solid numbers and near-league-leading win totals out of a lineup that was 10th in shots on goal, and one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams in 5-on-5 play.
Hitchcock uses his best players in every situation, saying he wants them to “take ownership” of the team and team performance. It’s not likely Carlyle will follow suit, but it will be interesting to see if he calls for more ice time from his top players, especially if the Leafs take a lead.
PLAYER BY PLAYER
JOFFREY LUPUL: Lupul is the team’s best player, and should become the face of the franchise.
He had a breakout season in 2011-12, and analysts have shown how Lupul has made Kessel, Bozak, and former linemates Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Daniel Briere and Scott Hartnell, better players in key situational play.
Lupul appears to have been an all-star player waiting to happen. He may be ready to blossom into that on the Toronto hockey stage.
PHIL KESSEL: Kessel has scored 30-plus goals in four consecutive seasons and is a mainstay of the Leafs offence. He is also crucial to the club’s chances of making the playoffs this season.
Some argue his defensive play pales in comparison with his offensive values, and stats bear that out. That makes him a supposed drain on the team, one that is covered up by Lupul. But Kessel was a better defensive player at times last season, and may be, for the first time in his career, poised to prove himself that way.
If Lupul is the Leafs’ best player, Kessel will be its most interesting. He is eligible for unrestricted free agency after next season and a story line may develop during this season centring on the viability of keeping him around.
TYLER BOZAK: Bozak probably doesn’t get enough credit for the anchoring role he plays between Lupul and Kessel.
He’s not a No. 1 centre but has never billed himself as one either.
He is a survivor, and he’s improving his defensive responsibility on the top line to go along with a points increase to 47 from 32 over the past two seasons.
Bozak needs to keep on that track if he is to remain on the top line and, for that matter, in Toronto.
It will be a tough year for him, with his name being mentioned in the Roberto Luongo rumours, and with van Riemsdyk poised to take on the pivot role between Lupul and Kessel.
JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK: It’s probably not a question of if van Riemsdyk will be the top-line centre, but when.
It’s arguable the Leafs want to see how their new acquisition plays out at wing in his new home before any decision is made to move him to centre.
JVR had 11 goals and 13 assists in 41 games in 2011-12, when he was plagued by injuries to his head, groin and left foot, the latter requiring surgery.
But he does represent former general manager Brian Burke’s answer to the Leafs’ long-running need for size and skill among the top-six forwards.
He should be a main cog on the power play, and it may be there that he auditions with Lupul and Kessel before joining that line full time. The Leafs absolutely need a star-studded No. 1line and JVR now gives them the chance to have one.
MIKHAIL GRABOVSKI: He is a perfect No. 2 centre for the Leafs, and may be the prototype for a second-line centre in the Eastern Conference.
He has proved to be the top Leaf in key zone-control stats — a player who controls the puck well, keeps his line in the offensive zone and makes other players better.
There’s nothing to suggest he won’t have another solid season.
NIK KULEMIN: The Leafs are hoping the winger’s drop in points to 28 last season is an T cr tr lin lin L ig th B fo L ti C fe th L si I h cl ru JA ab pe C th w H ra er pl M th th H lik ly in DwT th do b ag S w re T tr 2 T ye A th th ab sc w bl h I le ca LE po in al ro lin be K
n anomaly. There is also a line of thinking among ritics that Kulemin could be the cenrepiece to a solid scoring-checking third ne, rather than playing on the second ne with Grabovski. He is one of the Leafs’ best two-way players and that pedgree may best serve the club in that hird-line role. But there is also a suggestion he could orm a second line with Grabovski and Leo Komarov. There is, however, a quesion of the right chemistry.
LARKE MACARTHUR: MacArthur’s deence has improved nicely over the past hree seasons, which bodes well for the Leafs’ on-ice designs for improved defenive play. It’s also a quality that makes MacArthur highly desirable as a piece for a top-shelf lub looking to add depth for a playoff un.
AY MCCLEMENT: There is lots to like bout McClement’s game: he won 51.3 er cent of his faceoffs in 2011-12 with the Colorado Avalanche; and he was third in he NHL in penalty-kill time among forwards. He was as an alternate captain in Coloado and should help the Leafs with leadrship, especially if they are pushing for a layoff spot in the spring.
MIKE BROWN: The winger is destined for he fourth line again, but that’s a good hing. He stands up for his teammates and kely will see more ice time under Caryle, who likes to have a tough customer n the ranks.
DAVID STECKEL: Steckel is another player who fits with Carlyle’s style. The new coach brought Steckel up from he fourth line to centre the third line own the stretch last season, primarily ecause he wanted a shutdown line gainst the opposition’s top players. Steckel handles those responsibilities well, and is always one of the NHL’s most eliable faceoff men. The question is whether the Leafs want younger player to grow into this role.
NAZEM KADRI: He’s made the team out of raining camp, now can he can become a 5-plus goal scorer? The answer appears to be a resounding es. At first, it appears Kadri needs to be in he top six to see enough ice time to reach hose projections. But he could be valuble on the third line as well, bringing coring and zone-control potential, while proving he is defensively responsi
le as well (something the organization has pushed him to do). It’s time to run with Kadri at the NHL evel for a whole season and see what he an do.
EO KOMAROV: Komarov drives the oposition mad with his edgy play and willngness to hit anyone. He can draw penlties, and is very swift. He is ready for a ole anywhere on the second to fourth nes, but it appears for now that he will e on the third line with Kadri and JVR. Komarov may remind Leafs fans of Darcy Tucker, and that’s an element the Leafs could use.