Leafs will likely miss the playoffs again this season, but at least the cupboard is no longer bare.
Maybe it is time for the Toronto Maple Leafs to erect a statue of rookie goaltender James Reimer outside the Air Canada Centre.
Just kidding.
Reimer has started his NHL career with a 4-1 record and sparkling 1.92 goals-against average and .947 save percentage. That alone will have some loony Leafs fans thinking he can actually get them to the playoffs this season. Good luck with that one.
Others, however, will see it for what it really is: A glimpse into the future of an organization that has been spinning its wheels for so long it's almost impossible to imagine it ever being anything other than a team that fights to make it into the playoffs, usually unsuccessfully.
Now, more than ever, is when general manager Brian Burke has to decide if his team has a legitimate shot at going deep into the playoffs this season (Yuk! Yuk!) or which players he wants to move forward with next season. If, and knowing Burke’s misguided stubbornness, he'll keep trying to win this year which means his team will be in the exact same position this time next year, on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.
The Maple Leafs are riding an impressive four-game winning streak and have actually won five straight on the road which will cause some to think they are actually better than they really are. To those, it is worth noting the New York Islanders are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, but at the end of the year they'll still be one of the worst teams in the league and will have a high draft pick.
In any case, if Burke should do the right thing and restart his rebuild this season, perhaps the cupboard isn't as empty as many thought a few weeks ago. This notion is not based on the team's current hot streak, but on a season's worth of observations.
We all know Burke has saddled himself with some unmovable contracts, but this is not the time or place to dwell on that. Instead, we offer some reasons for encouragement:
Goaltending: Let's face it, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, his wonky groin and massive contract will soon be a thing of the past in these parts. Fortunately for Toronto, goaltending doesn't seem like a big concern moving forward. Reimer, Toronto's third pick (99th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, has huge upside. While Jonas Gustavsson may not have established himself as a bona fide NHL starter yet, I think most would agree he can comfortably play in the league and still has the potential to be a decent No. 1 stopper. Also, 6-foot-5, 212-pound Jussi Rynnas has shown strong potential to one day make the jump from the American Hockey League to the NHL. Is there a future Vezina Trophy winner in the group? Perhaps not, but goaltending should not be a big concern moving forward.
Clarke MacArthur: The Lloydminister, Alta., native has been one of the big success stories for the Maple Leafs thus far. Toronto's leading scorer has 14 goals, three short of his career high (17) set in 2008-09 with the Buffalo Sabres. The Leafs signed MacArthur after he was set free by the Atlanta Thrashers following his victory in arbitration. An arbitrator ruled MacArthur was worth $2.4 million a season and the Thrashers rejected the notion. The trick for Burke is to not be seduced by the left winger's great numbers this season and find a way to re-sign him without breaking the bank.
Mikhail Grabovski: With 17 goals and 34 points in 41 games, the 26-year-old seems to have finally found the consistency that had eluded him in his first four seasons. Depending on how Burke feels about Grabovski's ability to continue playing at a high level, he'll either be a fine second-liner for years to come or prime trade bait.
Nikolai Kulemin: The Maple Leafs are often accused, rightfully so for the most part, of being failures at the draft table. That said, Kulemin was Toronto's second-round pick (44th overall) in 2006 and is developing into a trustworthy second-liner who can play the game at both ends of the rink. His 16 goals in 42 games matches his single-season high.
Luke Schenn: After a forgettable sophomore season, Schenn is moving in the right direction toward becoming a dependable blueliner with something of an offensive upside. The key for Schenn is to not try to do too much. When that happens, he often implodes.
All in all, the Maple Leafs remain a team that probably won't be in the playoffs this season and maybe that's a good thing, not having a first-round draft pick not withstanding. But at least Leafs fans can look at a handful of youngsters who should be able to help the franchise turn the corner.
