Santo Claus; The Gift that Keeps on Giving

This Leafs season has a couple of ties to the Nashville Predators. On November 19th the Preds handed the Leafs a 9-2 loss at the ACC, which proved to be the wakeup call this team needed, going 9-1-1 since the mid November debacle. During this streak, the Leafs have seen improved play from a majority of the team, however, they have been led by an unsuspecting player, who happens to be a former Nashville Predator.

 Mike Santorelli was picked 178th overall in the 6th round of the 04 NHL entry draft by the Predators. Santorelli spent the bulk of his time in Milwaukee with the Preds AHL affiliate, scoring 171Pts (74G, 97A) over 3 seasons with the Preds AHL affiliate. He only ended up playing 32 games with the big club in Nashville, making his NHL debut in the 08/09 season. In 2010/11 Santorelli became a member of the Florida Panthers, and finally experienced his first full 82 game season, where he posted his career highs in goals (20), assists (21) and points (41). Following the success of this season, he would experience a huge drop off, appearing in only 60 games. During the lockout season he played 4 games in Sweden for Tingsryds AIF, and 24 games for the Panthers, before eventually ending up in the AHL once again and closing out the season in Winnipeg. It appeared as though he would end up another journeyman playing in the NHL, bouncing from team to team, never being able to find a home.

 Last season, Santorelli signed with his 4th NHL team, the Vancouver Canucks. In what was a productive season, he played 49 games and finished the season with 10G, 18A for 28Pts, while also earning league wide recognition for his play on the penalty kill. However, the theme of not being able to stick with an NHL club continued as Santorelli did not receive a new contract from the Canucks. Luckily for the Leafs, and Santorelli, this season Dave Nonis and the rest of the Toronto front office realized that depth was something an NHL team needed to do things like win hockey games.

 In an offseason where the Leafs turned their attention to addressing the depth (or lack thereof) on the team, by signing guys such as; Leo Komarov, Daniel Winnik and David Booth. Perhaps the best offseason move the Leafs made came on July 3rd when the signed Mike Santorelli to a 1yr, $1.5 million deal. In the Leafs current 9-1-1 streak, Santorelli leads the team in scoring (3G, 10A, 13 Pts) and seems to have found great chemistry on the Leafs hottest line alongside Kadri and Winnik. For the season, Santorelli has 6G, 16A, 22Pts, which puts him on pace to set career highs in all three categories. Santorelli is 4th overall in team scoring, behind only Kessel, Bozak and JVR, and is tied for 2nd overall in the entire league in +/- (+17). Also, Santorelli (along with Winnik) has been a pivotal piece of the Leafs 10th ranked penalty kill. For a $1.5 million dollar "prove it" contract, so far Santorelli is setting himself up for an "I proved it, now pay me" contract next offseason.

 It has been fun to watch the Leafs on this current streak, and all of us in Leafs nation hope that it continues. The highlight for me personally has been the emergence and consistent play of Mike Santorelli, a journeyman NHLer who is quickly becoming a fan favourite here in Toronto. It's still too early to tell if he will finally be able to land a long term deal to stay with the Maple Leafs, however, if he continues to play at the level he is, this may turn out to be a match made in hockey heaven, and Santorelli may finally have found a place to call home.

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Maple Leafs; a One Liner No More

For as long as the Kessel, VanReimsdyk and Bozak line has been together, the Leafs have been known as a one line team, that are easy to handle when the top line isn't producing. However, some bargain free agent signings last offseason, the emergence of Peter Holland, and a lot of 'O' from the 'D', have allowed the Leafs to get a glimpse of what it's like to have depth in their lineup.

  David Clarkson  (7G, 1A, 9 Pts) makes $5.25 million a year. Daniel Winnik, David Booth, Leo Komarov and Mike Santorelli combined make $4.8 million, this is a testiment to how much more productive last offseason was to the year prior. In an uncharachteristic move, Dave Nonis  approached last offseason a little differently than in years past. Instead of paying one large contract to a big name free agent, Nonis signed multiple players to smaller contracts, a move that (so far) is paying off nicely for the 3rd year GM. The largest contract the Leafs offered last offseason was to Leo Komarov, a move that no Leafs fan could argue was a bad one. In 23 GP Komarov has 4G, 12A, 16 Pts, which has him on pace to easily surpass the numbers he put up during his first stint with the blue & white. Mike Santorelli has been one of the least talked about, most productive Leaf players all season. Santorelli (4G, 14A, 18Pts), along with Daniel Winnik (1G, 8A, 9Pts) have not only been productive on the score sheet, but both have been pivotal on the PK which currently ranks 11th in the NHL, a drastic improvement from what we saw last season where the Leafs ended up with the 28th ranked PK in the league. The final bargain signing for the Leafs this offseason was David Booth (1yr, $1.1 million), unfortunately for Booth he has missed most of the season with a broken foot suffered in the preaseason, after another few games getting his legs back, we should start to see what he will bring to the lineup. It is unclear as to who is really running this team following last offseasons various hirings and firings. One thing is evident however, coach Carlyle was forced to change at least some of his coaching tactics.

   If there is one player that has beneffited from the changes made by the Leafs last offseason, its Peter Holland. Holland was acquired in a trade last season that saw Anaheim receive defenseman Jesse Blacker, and two draft picks from the Leafs. When given more than 4:00 minutes of ice time, Holand showed flashes of great play and offensive skill, however, no matter how successful he was, much like the rest of the bottom six forwards last season, he would see less than 8:00 minutes of ice time a night. This season to start, it appeared we would be seeing (or not seeing) more of the same. However, recently Holland has been seeing an increased amount of ice time, and much like last season, increased production when he actually sees the ice. As it sits right now Holland has 5G, 4A, 9Pts and has been shooting the puck a ton. Hopefully, Randy Carlyle's new found confidence in the centre will allow his ice time to continue to increase, because it seems like the more he plays, the better he plays, and production from Holland would make the Leafs bottom six that much more effective. The Leafs have always been knocked for their lack of scoring depth, this season the additions to the forward core and their production have only been helped by the fire power from the Leafs back end.

  So far this season the Leafs have been seeing great offensive production from their defense. The Leafs defense might not be the best in the league (at all), and as much as they need to focus on their defensive game, the offense they are providing doesn't hurt. Heading in to tonight's game against the Canucks, the Leafs defense has 58 points (12G, 48A) which has them on pace to top their numbers from last season. Special mention has to go to Cody Franson who has 18 of those 58 points, is 6th in team scoring and 13th in the league when it comes to points for a defenseman. Franson is in his 3rd one year deal with the Leafs, and is quitely having his best season with the team. If he continues to play at the level he has been playing, the Leafs will have to decide once and for all whether they will sign him to the long term deal he's been looking for (if they dont someone will), or trade him at the deadline. If the defense can keep up with thier point production, while tightening up their defensive game and responsibilites, the Leafs defense may end up being one of the teams greatest strengths by seasons end.

   Although it's never good when your top line goes silent and isn't producing, as a Leafs fan it's nice to know the team has the firepower to still compete in any given game if the big three go silent in a game. The evidence of the depth is clear; with the top line slowing down in 6 games prior to the game against the Devils, the Leafs top line posted 9G, 8A for 17Pts, where as the rest of the team combined for 16G, 25A for 41Pts in the same span. If the Leafs depth players and defense can continue to produce at a steady rate, whenever the top line does play like we all know they are capable of, this Leafs team will be a force to be wreckoned with, and potentially, a dangerous post season opponent to any team.
   

  

21 Games in; The Leafs are, who we thought they were

Typically, the 20 game mark the NHL season is a benchmark, when a fan bases can start to evaluate the team they watch on a nightly basis, however, in a season full of ups, downs and sometimes lefts and rights, I'm not 100% sure what the Leafs are.

The Leafs have 21 games played, hold a record of 11-8-2, 24 Pts and sit 6th in the conference. Compared to last year at the same mark (13-3-1, 27 Pts) , the Leafs are slightly regressed, in terms of overall record that is. This time last year the Leafs were playing way above their heads, at an unsustainable level for the roster they had.All through the season the analytics crowd was predicting the eventual collapse, which as we all know, occurred in the last stretch of the season where the Leafs went 2-12-0 I'm 14 games. Although they may have a worse W-L record, it is refreshing in the sense that it better indicates where the team is at skill wise. 20 games in to this season and we have already experienced a roller coaster of emotions surrounding this team.

It seems as though every week the Leafs will lose a couple of games, sometimes in miraculous fashion, and the fan base is calling for everyone to be fired, and all the players to be traded, then, almost as if nothing has happened the team will win a few games and just like that the Leafs are headed to the playoffs and everything is right in Leafs nation. Here's the thing with this team, they had been involved in 3 blowout losses, of course headlined by the 9-2 shellacking at the hands of the red hot Nashville Predators, and the 6-2 loss to the bottom dwelling Buffalo Sabres. On the other hand, the Leafs have experienced a few dominating wins, most recently of course when the Leafs Boston Bruined the Boston Bruins 6-1, in a game where Phil Kessel scored 2G and looked phenomenal. The point is, the Leafs aren't as bad as they play when they get blown out, nor are they as good as they play when they are the team doing the blowing out. With all of the ups and downs so far this season, a few players have managed to rise above and maintain a high level of play.

I've eluded to this before, but I'll say it again, as a fan base, we don't realize how lucky we are to have Phil Kessel on our team, and this season he is providing even more evidence that he is an elite player in the NHL. Kessel has 11G, 12A, 23 Pts and has remained in the top 10 in league scoring for most, if not all of the season so far. Kessel, not only looks elite on his own,but he makes another player on the roster look like the number one centre we al know he is not. Whether you like him or dislike him, and despite his lack of defensive ability, Tyler Bozak (8G, 11A, 19Pts) is playing at an even higher level than he was last year, a feat no one thought was possible coming in to this year. Now, this could be in direct relation to the fact Kessel has also upped his level of play this year, regardless Bozak is producing at a pace that will see him have another career year. The final stand out from the first quarter of the season is none other than everyone's favourite family member, uncle Leo. Komarov (2G, 12A, 14pts) has made glorious return to the Leafs this season and has done nothing but impress all year long. Not only with his production (which is higher Nazem Kadri) but his ability to elevate the players he is alongside (David Clarkson) as well as developing some great chemistry with Mike Santorelli, all while continuing to be the hitting machine we have come to know and love (90 in 21GP). As awful as the Leafs defence has looked at times, an honourable mention has to go to Roman Polak, as well as the captain.

  Originally the Leafs were believed to have brought in Stephane Robidas to assist in alleviating some of the pressure from Dion Phaneuf, however, it seems Polak has stepped in to that role, and, in my opinion done an admirable job. Polak (3G, 2A, 5pts) isn't wowing anyone with his point production, or athleticism, but he has been among league leaders in shot blocks (51) and hits (83) and often times has lead the Leafs in ice time. When Polak isn't leading the Leafs defence in ice time, often times that will mean captain Dion Phaneuf is. Phaneuf has made his mistakes this season, as any defenceman will, however he is still playing in a role which does not suit him, therefore making his mistakes look that much worse. Whether he is a top pairing defenceman or not, he is the best the Leafs have, and is playing well through the first 21 games. Hopefully all of these players continue to produce as the season goes on and we can witness Phil Kessel break the 100 point mark, as good as these players have been, there are some things to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

As the Leafs move in to the next portion of their season, here are few things I'll be watching for;

- Will JVR be able to step away from his streaky play and have some consistency in his game

- Will David Clarkson continue to produce and settle in to a third line role which he is better suited

-Can Jonathan Bernier take the reigns and finally claim the #1 job, and return his play to a level closer to what we saw last year

-Does Randy Carlyle last the rest of the season behind the bench

-How will David Booth fit in to the lineup, and if he is successful, will that set the table for a possible Joffrey Lupul trade

   In a season riddled with controversies such as salute gate and jersey throwers, the media, fan base and players are intertwined in what appears to be a never ending game of finger pointing and he said, she said, they said, or in Phil Kessel's case, he didn't say. Regardless of what goes on in the media, the Leafs appear to be what many of us thought they were; a bubble team that will compete for a playoff spot and finish anywhere from 6-10 in the east. Personally, I look forward to seeing how this season unfolds, as always there is never a dull moment when it comes to the Leafs, and with all the questions still left to be answered surrounding the team, from front office, to players, there is no doubt it will be fun to watch it all unfold.

What has impressed you most so far about the Leafs? What are some things you're looking for as the season progresses, comment below !

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I wish all of the Leafs were as fat as Phil

Phil Kessel leads the entire NHL in 5 on 5 scoring, is a perennial 30 goal scorer, is on pace this season to eclipse 100 points and hasn't missed a game in over 3 seasons. In other words, Phil Kessel is incredibly good at his job, yet the Toronto media continues to paint a negative picture around arguably one of the best, most consistent players in the NHL.

  Phil Kessel has been with the Toronto Maple Leafs for six glorious seasons now , in each season he has seen an increase in point production and over all effectiveness in his game, not to mention he elevates the play of those around him (Mainly, Tyler Bozak) along with the point production Kessel possesses one of the most unique, deadly wrist shots in the NHL. So, all of this sounds great and as a fan base we love Phil Kessel for all of the fantastic things he does right? Wrong.

  Throughout his time with the Leafs Phil Kessel has had to put up with an unfair amount of BS from the Toronto media. Granted , being the hockey Mecca that Toronto is, any player coming to play got the blue and white should expect to be more heavily scrutinized than smaller NHL markets. Now, some players will eventually flee the spotlight for more money and ridiculous contracts in Florida (See Dave Bolland) however, through all the garbage the media has put Phil through, he decided to sign an 8 year contract extension to remain a Leaf until the 2021-22 season.

  Most recently Phil has taken heat for his post game remarks (or lack there of) following the teams dismal performance against the Buffalo Sabres. The media approached him for comments on the game and he simply replied "Get away from me" , this has caused commotion all week within the sports media circle, and given the media yet another chance to dump on Kessel. God forbid a player doesn't want to talk to you after a 6-2 loss to one of the worst teams in the league, the media is quick to jump on the winger for his lack of leadership, to me his response to the media said more about his passion and feelings about the game than any 30 second post game scrum with quotes on compete level and winning one on one battles would have.

  Perhaps due to the lack of success Toronto has had over the years we just feel we don't deserve to have an elite player on the team, or are sadly uncomfortable accepting it. When it comes to Kessel you can either listen to the media, who love to throw hissy fits every time he neglects to give an interview,mother they get to continue to tell you how he lacks leadership, doesn't care enough about his job to skate in the summer and is overweight and out of shape, or, you can sit back, enjoy the fact that the Leafs have one of the top players in the league, and continue to enjoy watching him improve each season and wire that disgusting wrist shot into the opposing teams net.

By the numbers;

Phil Kessel RW, Toronto Maple Leafs 382 GP, 167G, 188A, 355Pts