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Toronto Maple Leafs - No Tee-Times Until June!


January-March 2014: Toughen Up, Lads!

January sees our intrepid heroes sitting at the .500 mark, and close to a playoff spot. However, another month of fewer wins than losses, and the playoffs will be a rather long ways away. However, January starts with fewer injuries to key players, with only Dion Phaneuf and Dave Bolland seeing time on the IR. Phaneuf's injury opens up a spot on the top powerplay pairing for Morgan Reilly, which he seizes with both hands.

The team has been performing better, but there are still some players who are causing a great deal of consternation. David Clarkson and Nik Kulemin are proving to both be more liability than asset. Clarkson, especially, with his massive $5.25 million/season contract, set to run through to 2020, is an absolute albatross. If he had the talent to back up that contract, the GM would be a happy man. However, his struggles are costing the team. The solution? Find a sucker. Errr... a trade partner. Yeah. That sounds better. Queue Chicago:

January 16, 2014

To Chicago:
David Clarkson
Leo Komarov (rights)
2015 4th Round Draft Pick (Toronto)

To Toronto:
Bryan Bickell

Analysis: The horrible contract is gone. Clarkson struggled with the expectation that such a large contract created. His stat line with Toronto would have been better suited to a player making a fraction of his salary. 49 GP, 8G, 5A, 13PTS, 78PIMS, -13. Losing the rights to Komarov wasn't a major loss: his contract in Russia does not have a termination clause, so he wouldn't have been able to return to Toronto until the 2015/2016 season. Bickell has a $4 million/season cap hit through 2016/2017, provides the same physical abilities as Clarkson, and has better offensive and mental ratings. He has the potential to step into a leadership role, should an assistant captain be needed in the next couple of years. Clarkson will be 36 when his contract expires; Bickell will be 31 when his contract expires, and at that point someone else can sign him for his declining years.

The combination of fewer injuries, solid development from the team's younger players, and better defensive solidity (not to mention half a month in a Clarkson-free zone!) led to a sterling 9-4-2 record in January, planting the Maple Leafs very firmly in a playoff position. Finally, the team was no longer on the outside, looking in.

February began with three straight losses, followed by a win in the final game before the Olympic break. The Olympics gave the GM and his team time to take stock and think about some potential moves before the trade deadline. Our friends in Chicago were again identified as potential trade partners. They have two players that the GM covets. Third-year center Marcus Kruger would provide an excellent second/third-line pivot, with exceptional (and almost league-leading!) faceoff ability, speed, determination, and defensive skill. In short, the ideal penalty killer for a young team. The second player is Mark McNeill, selected 18th overall in the 2011 Entry Draft. McNeill is nearly NHL-ready, and is another center with exceptional faceoff skills. He projects as a second-line center, and could challenge for a place on the team before the end of the season. Efforts to acquire the young pair would take place over two full weeks, with offers and counteroffers flying between Toronto and Chicago. Finally, at the height of the Olympics, a deal was struck.

February 16, 2014

To Chicago:
Nikolai Kulemin
David Broll
Petter Granberg
Josh Leivo (rights)
Viktor Loov (rights)
2016 3rd Round Draft Pick (Toronto)

To Toronto:
Marcus Kruger
Mark McNeill

Analysis: Mission accomplished. Not only did the GM get his two centermen, but he also managed to trade away an under-performing Nikolai Kulemin, who had racked up 20 PTS in 60 Games, with a mediocre -5 rating. Losing the rights to Josh Leivo was unfortunate, as he had the potential to become a solid third-line winger, with good all-round skill. However, the value of a center like the prospect McNeill, with great faceoff skills, outweighs what Leivo brought to the table.

Near the trade deadline, four transactions were made that would allow the Maple Leafs to reap the benefits of their aggressive international scouting.

February 24, 2014

To Buffalo:
T.J. Brennan
Sam Carrick
Matt Finn (rights)
2014 6th Round Draft Pick (Toronto)

To Toronto:
Tyler Bunz
2014 3rd Round Draft Pick (Buffalo)
2014 7th Round Draft Pick (Buffalo)

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To Vancouver:
Kevin Marshall
2014 7th Round Draft Pick (Buffalo)

To Toronto:
Pascal Pelletier
2014 3rd Round Draft Pick (Vancouver)

February 25, 2014

To Minnesota:
Andrew MacWilliam
2014 5th Round Draft Pick (Toronto)

To Toronto:
2014 3rd Round Draft Pick (Minnesota)

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To Nashville:
Brad Ross
Max Everson (rights)
2014 3rd Round Draft Pick (Toronto)

To Toronto:
2014 2nd Round Draft Pick (Nashville)

Analysis: These moves were made with the intention of picking up several upper-middle round picks at the draft. These teams were all near the bottom of the league when the trades were made, so the expectation is that those 3rd round picks will all be close to the start of the round, while the 2nd round pick will hopefully be in the 31st-36th overall range.


The Post-Olympic Push

The club finished up February with a 2-3-1 record. James van Riemsdyk returned from the IR on March 6, leaving the team injury-free. Blissfully, this lasted until March 28, when Jonathan Bernier went down with an injury, which might have explained why his recent play was underwhelming. James Reimer now has a chance to take the full-time starter's role, and given that he has a better GAA, better SV%, and tends to win the close games for us, he might just get to keep it.

Strong performances over the past few weeks have given the club a 10-5-0 record in March, and an overall record of 38-31-7, good for 83 points and 7th place in the conference, 4 points ahead of 9th place Pittsburgh (who have a game in-hand). April arrives with 6 games left to play-- three home, three away. This could be tight...