Brophy on Leafs: What they’re up against
Posted January 29, 2012 1:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Strong finishes are nothing new to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the past few seasons the Maple Leafs have been among the NHL’s hottest teams in the second half. Unfortunately, they were so bad in the first half of those years that they were unable to make up enough ground to make it to the playoffs. That has not been the case this year. They are actually in playoff contention as the unofficial second half of the season gets underway following the playing of the annual NHL all-star game in Ottawa.
Last season the Maple Leafs were 18-9-6 in their final 33 games, but managed to make it only to 10th place in the East. It marked the sixth straight year they failed to make the playoffs. The year before Toronto was 13-10-3 in its final 26 games, but still finished 15th in the East.
If the Maple Leafs are to make the playoff this season, they are going to have to do it the hard way. Winning the division is out of the question.
With the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins leading the Northeast Division with 64 points, the Leafs have no chance whatsoever of overtaking them. That’s too bad. The Washington Capitals have the same number of points as the Leafs, but because they play in a weak division, they currently are ranked third in the Eastern Conference. One of Washington, Florida or even possibly Winnipeg will win the Southeast Division title and will make the playoffs even though it will likely have fewer points than a team from the Northeast and Atlantic Divisions that won’t qualify.
The Leafs sit ninth in the East with a 25-19-5 record for 55 points. They have scored 151 goals and have allowed 147 for a goal differential of plus-4. They have 15 home games and 18 road games remaining.
How does that stack up against the teams the Leafs will battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East? You be the judge:
The Pittsburgh Penguins are fifth with a 28-17-4 record. The Penguins have scored 152 goals and have allowed 127 for a goal differential of plus-25. The Penguins have 18 home games remaining and 15 on the road. While the Pens have been stung by the loss of Sidney Crosby and the uncertainty of his future, Evgeni Malkin has emerged as a Hart Trophy candidate and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury always gives his team a chance to win. The Penguins are riding a seven-game winning streak and their opponents in their first two games back are…the Maple Leafs.
The Ottawa Senators are sixth with a 27-19-6 record for 60 points. They have scored 157 goals, but have allowed 160 for a goal differential of minus-3. The Senators play 17 home games and 13 on the road. Goalie Craig Anderson seems to be getting better as the season progresses and coach Paul MacLean has found the formula that has caused centre Jason Spezza to shoot more often. Also, 21-year-old Erik Karlsson leads all NHL defencemen in scoring with 47 games and he’s no longer a defensive liability at plus-5.
The Florida Panthers got off to a great start, but seem to be coming back to earth as their 3-3-4 record over their past 10 games indicate. The Panthers are seventh in the East at 22-15-11 with 55 points. They have scored 122 goals and have allowed 136 for a goal differential of minus-14. GM Dale Talon has done a remarkable job putting this team back on the map, but making the playoffs is a long shot.
The New Jersey Devils are eighth in the East at 26-19-3 with 55 points. They have scored 129 goals and have surrendered 136 for a goal differential of minus-7. The Devils play 18 home games and 16 on the road. Many are wondering if we are witnessing Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur’s final hurrah. At 39, Brodeur has slowed considerably and is no longer money in the bank for the Devils. Perhaps the most intriguing part about the second half for the Devils will be what GM Lou Lamoriello does with impending unrestricted free agent Zach Parise. If Parise doesn’t sign a contract extension, would Lamoriello put more value on trying to make the playoffs this season by keeping the young star or would he see the big picture and trade him for some much-needed assets? It would seem unfathomable to allow Parise to walk next summer for nothing.
The Winnipeg Jets are 10th in the East with a 22-22-6 record for 50 points. They have scored 124 goals, but have allowed 143 for a goal differential of minus-19. The Jets play 16 games at home and 16 on the road. The best news for the Jets is the fact they have an eight-game make-it-or-break-it home stand from Feb. 17 to Mar. 5.
The Montreal Canadiens are 11th in the East at 19-21-9 for 47 points. They have 130 goals and have allowed 134 (minus-4) and are truly one of the NHL’s most dysfunctional teams. They have a new coach the French-speaking media doesn’t like and a GM who is on thin ice. Montreal plays 18 home games and 16 on the road.
The Tampa Bay Lightning is 12th in the East with a 21-23-4 record. They have scored 136 goals and have allowed 165 for a goal differential of minus-29. That in itself tells you all you need to know about Tampa Bay’s chances of making it to the post-season. The Lightning plays 20 games at home, including a seven-game stretch between Mar. 10-24, and 14 on the road.
So, can the Leafs do it? Certainly goaltender Jonas Gustavsson is going to have to keep up his good work or James Reimer has to rediscover the form that made him an instant success in the second half last season. Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel must remain one of the NHL’s most dynamic duos while the second line of Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin and Clarke MacArthur need to find consistency in their game. The Leafs must continue to show the type of discipline that has enabled them to cut down on bad penalties
And, most importantly, GM Brian Burke needs to pull off the kind of trade that instantly upgrades the front-end talent without depleting the depth he has acquired the past few seasons. Burke has been making noise about making a major deal and the time to act is soon.
