With the Maple Leafs season officially over and the draft approaching there are a number of question marks going forward. The Leafs and Shanahan have big plans this summer offloading the core and likely others trying to get on the right track. A large number of employees have already been let go and only a few have been replaced; so there is still work to be done on that front.

Without any speculation as to what is going to happen over the summer, I would like to sum up the play of the top line and top pairing defense and of course the starting goaltender. You can agree or disagree with my grading’s, but I assure you they are harsh and there is no beating around the bush.

Center: Tyler Bozak

Bozak finished the season with 49 points in 82 games. Not horrendous, but considering he was playing amazing at the start of the season with Kessel and Van Riemsdyk and become basically invisible towards the end of the season unless he was on a breakaway or in a shootout. I’ll give Tyler Bozak that, he is good in shootouts, and a player who cashes in on breakaways. My issues with Bozak are that he’s not a first line center at the NHL level, and never should have been, ever. He is a decent two way center who has some offensive output, but lacks the size, intensity and overall skill of a true top notch center. If the Leafs ever want to get deep into the playoffs, and actually have a chance at winning the cup, Bozak cannot in anyway shape or form be your guy. If the Leafs do keep Bozak his role must be reduced and he must improve his game in the overall picture to become more consistent. This is Bozak’s 6th season on the Leafs and he has only played 5 playoff games in that time…this year he had a career worst -34 rating; and career high 44 penalty minutes. Surprisingly enough he had a career high in power play goals with 12; overall Bozak wasn’t great, he wasn’t terrible, but again he was misused on the top line and again the Leafs fall short of the playoffs.

Grade: D


Left Winger: James Van Riemsdyk

James finished the season with 56 points in 82 games. Unfortunetly he was unable to break the 30 goal mark, which would have been a small win in itself for the young American born Maple Leaf. Van Riemsdyk is also in the same boat as Bozak in terms of starting the year off red hot and hitting an invisible wall after the Christmas break. This line literally went from one of the best in the league in the first few months of the season, to one of the worst if not the worst line in the NHL. James ended up with a career worst -33 by seasons end …he was +-0 in his career before the season began and that was after 5 full seasons of hockey. Is it fair to blame Van Riemsdyk or Bozak for this line melting down? Certainly not all their fault as the rest of the team vanished into oblivion; but without a doubt their intensity seemed to become harder to notice down the stretch; it wasn’t ugly; it was hideous.

Grade: D+


Right Winger: Phil Kessel

Phil Phil Phil…what happened? Kessel finished the season with 61 points in 82 games. It’s arguable; but I’d have to say the only thing this line did consistently all season was be in the lineup. They each had 82 games played and all came out of the gates flying with confidence up and the legs moving. It’s baffling how bad they got as the season went on, obviously their confidence was shot; but there is more to it than that. Phil ended up with 25 goals on the season and for the first time as a Maple Leaf he didn’t score 30 goals. (Yes I know he only scored 20 goals in the shortened season where the Leafs made the playoffs). Kessel was very frustrated as the season progressed; it got to the point where Phil was doing everything but scoring…taking a few stupid penalties and what seemed to be an overall lack luster effort night in night out. Kessel is a 70-80 point player, so when he only scores 61 points and ends up with a -34 rating, something isn’t right.

Grade: D-

Not one player on the top forward line had a good season, and their effort after Christmas was absolutely pathetic, enough that many Leafs fans are ready to move Bozak and Kessel for picks or prospects. “We’ve seen enough” seems to be the going consensus when discussing their future on the team. JVR is still young, has a great contract and still has a future with the Leafs.

Here is a quote from Dubas regardling the 2015 draft that I found to be reassuring, something that makes me feel good about the upcoming direction the Maple Leafs are going to take.

Dubas was asked if the Maple Leafs would consider passing up on Mitch Marner in the draft because they already have smallish forwards like William Nylander and Connor Brown.

Dubas disagreed; “Here’s the way I look at it,” he said. “Right now, we aren't good enough to be picky about smaller players. We need as many elite players as we can. If we get into playoffs and are too small, or overwhelmed, it’s easier to trade small for size than draft for size and trade for skill.”

Who knows who the Leafs will draft and who knows if they will be able to add another first round pick by trading some of their higher ranked players at the draft. But what we do know, is the Leafs have a top 4 pick and whichever player they select will be a very good prospect and hopefully a player we can all cheer for in the future when this team finally turns things around….it will happen.

Thanks for reading, enjoy tonight’s game 7 between Detroit and Tampa Bay!

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