Brophy on Leafs: Secondary sources step up
Posted January 25, 2012 9:10 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Lupul and Kessel show will get you only so far. That much has been proven in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first 49 games.
Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul — both headed to Ottawa to compete in the NHL’s annual All-Star Game, along with defenceman and captain Dion Phaneuf – have been Toronto’s best players this season, but the mere fact the Leafs are not a playoff team at the all-star break tells you all you need to know about how far those guys can carry the team.
In other words, Kessel and Lupul need help.
That will come in the form of anything Leafs GM Brian Burke can do in terms of making a long-anticipated trade, but also from within. In fact, help from within may end up being the key to making the playoffs.
So on a night when the Maple Leafs recorded back-to-back wins over New York Islanders, it was the supporting cast that stole the show on, er, off Broadway.
Start with goalie Jonas Gustavsson. As Leafs coach Ron Wilson indicated after the game, there is no goaltending controversy in Toronto. James Reimer was slated to be the top goalie at the start of the year; proved management right by going 4-0-1 in his first five games but got hurt; missed six weeks and didn’t have much success after returning. Pass the baton.
Gustavsson failed to take charge when Reimer went down with concussion-like symptoms; continued to work hard and when he was given a chance when he was signed from Sweden in 2009.
One day after recording his third shutout of the season, The Monster surrendered three goals, but may have played his best game of the year. With his team trailing 2-1 after 40 minutes — and with a woeful 1-17-4 record when trailing after two periods — Gustavsson saved the day with several critical saves in the third period.
The Islanders outshot Toronto 12-5 in the third period, but Gustavsson stepped up and was rock solid. The only goal that beat him was an absolute fluke — a clearing attempt by Grabovski (of all people) that hit a door jutting out from the boards and bounced right to P.A. Parenteau in front of the Leafs net allowing him to force overtime with a goal at 19:47.
In the end, though, Gustavsson came through for his team.
On a night when Mikhail Grabovski scored a goal and had three assists, I’d still say Gustavsson was the main difference between victory and defeat.
But while we’re on the topic, Grabovski wasn’t bad either. For some reason he has not been given the chance to centre the top line along his regular linemates, Nikolai Kulekin and Clarke MacArthur. Although Grabovski, Kulemin and MacArthur have been split up time and again, you get the feeling they will have to reconnect for this team to enjoy some sustained success.
Grabovski — a man on an island — has pushed hard pretty much on his own. All things considered, 16 goals and 32 points in 43 games are an impressive feat given his lack of support. As are six points in the last four games. If the Leafs make a push to the playoffs, his production will have to continue at a similar pace.
Then there is rookie Jake Gardiner; a swift-skating defenceman who, not so long ago, found himself ticketed to the minors. Luckily for Gardiner, Toronto’s AHL affiliate plays in the same city so it was only a short cab ride — and not a bus ride to Peoria. He was called back up almost immediately and continues to progress toward becoming a go-to offensive contributor. In the 42nd game of his big-league career he finally found the back of the net.
Finally, there is MacArthur who enjoyed a breakout year last season with 21 goals and 62 points and was rewarded handsomely with a two-year, $7.5 million contract, but he’s dropped off in 2011-12 as he’s endured a suspension, injury and too many nonproductive performances in the first half. He had been dropped all the way down to the fourth line the past few games, but when re-united with Grabovski and Kulemin in the second period Tuesday, he stepped up to the plate.
On Tuesday it was MacArthur that decided things when he took a pass from Grabovski and fired a shot that Islanders goalie Al Montoya caught — about six inches past the goal-line. It was actually kind of funny watching the look on players’ faces on the ice as they seemed certain the puck went in, but didn’t want to celebrate…just in case.
No points from Kessel? No points from Lupul?
No problem.
MacArthur was happy to be back in a more important role with the team…and to respond favorably.
“It was great to get back to that line,” MacArthur said. “It was a little wake-up call for me. It’s not like we didn’t have chances before, but it’s something we want to build on.”
Wilson was excited with the play of his second line and acknowledged MacArthur’s determination after the game.
“Clarke’s problem is that he hasn’t been quite moving his feet or finishing checks,” Wilson said. “At the same time Joe Crabb has been playing well and helped out on that line. I told Clarke if he gets his feet moving and play well we’d get him back up. We made a change and Clarke was flying and good thing started to happen for him and the line.”
It was only the Islanders, so two straight wins heading into the break have to be taken with a grain of salt. And there’s no question the Leafs’ progress will be stalled if Kessel can’t maintain the play that’s thrust him into the spotlight for most of the first half.
But it’s encouraging that some of the support staff has finally taken on a little more responsibility.
