Burke needs to step in

It is time for Brian Burke to shake things up a bit. Doesn't have to be a major makeover, but rather a managerial kick in the butt.

The Maple Leafs we saw begin the season 4-0-1 in a five-game home stand have slipped into a funk. They have lost their last three home starts and were outscored by a collective 17-3 in the process. By their own admission, the Leafs were lucky to escape St. Louis with a 3-2 shootout win in their last road game.

This is, by no means a press-the-panic-button moment. A few more losses, though, and it will be.

Phil Kessel continues to lead the NHL in scoring. That's the good news. The 24-year-old in his sixth year in the NHL has 12 goals and 24 points in 17 games and has consistently been his team's best player. He has been ably aided by winger Joffrey Lupul who has taken his game to the next level.

You can't be sitting sixth overall without something going right, but it would be accurate to state there are certain areas of concern for the Leafs.

This won't come as a news flash for anyone who has watched the team the past few years, but once again the club's penalty-killing is awful. By Sunday night, before the evening games were played, the Leafs were in the all-to-familiar place of 30th overall while shorthanded. True enough, the Leafs had shown signs of improvement in a week when they lost more games than they won, but that in itself should be a cause for concern. Kill off penalties and still lose? Yikes!

It is difficult to come down too hard on a team that lost its starting goalie Oct. 22, but at the same time it is becoming increasingly evident the Leafs are not prepared to be successful for a long stretch without a proven replacement for James Reimer. Reimer himself, is not a proven starter, but he's No. 1 in the Maple Leafs books.

Jonas Gustavsson is not the answer as a replacement. That much is obvious by the way the Leafs coaching staff has gravitated towards inexperienced Ben Scrivens. You certainly couldn't pin Saturday night's 5-2 loss to the visiting Ottawa Senators on Scrivens, but nor could you realistically suggest he is the obvious starter for Tuesday's home game against the Phoenix Coyotes.

At this point, Tuesday's starter is a coin toss. That is not good.

Gustavsson is 4-4 with a 3.78 goals-against average and .878 save percentage while Scrivens is 2-2 with a 3.21 GAA and .893 SP. Neither is in contention for the Vezina Trophy.

There has been no word about the health of Reimer whose numbers - 4-0-1; 2.58 GAA and .912 SP are impressive.

The Leafs have repeatedly talked about how points previously lost early in the season have come back to haunt them so, if Reimer isn't going to return soon, shouldn't Burke be making a move to upgrade his goaltending?

Then there's the defence. It has not been bad, but it has also not been quite as solid as advertised. Of the top seven teams in the Eastern Conference Monday morning, only the Leafs have given up more goals than they had scored.

A few weeks ago coach Ron Wilson boldly suggested Dion Phaneuf was the best blueliner in the league. Without question the captain remains his team's best defenceman, but of late he has not been nearly as dominant as he was in the early going. Phanuef is not a problem, but if he is to be a Norris Trophy candidate, he needs to find a level of consistency that makes him more appreciable day to day.

Luke Schenn has taken a step back this year and Cody Franson, the new arrival from Nashville, has not made an impact. If the Leafs are not going to play Franson, then you'd have to think he'd be prime trade bait given the fact he was a point-producing regular with the Nashville Predators the previous two years.

Up front Nikolai Kulemin remains a concern. The fourth-year winger, who had 30 goals and 57 points in 82 games last year, has just two goals and six points thus far putting him on pace for 10 goals and 30 points. He works hard, but it is getting to the point where he needs to produce or be replaced.

Philippe Dupuis, is a different story. The Leafs newcomer, who played previously with Colorado, still has not registered a point in 15 games and is minus-2. The Leafs shook things up when they sent rookie winger Matt Frattin to the minors and recalled Joey Crabb. Perhaps it's time they make a move with Dupuis. It might be time to bring back Darryl Boyce, who had five goals and 13 points and was plus-8 with the Leafs in 46 games last season although he may not be ready as he has missed that last four games with an upper-body injury.

The point is, the Leafs got off to a good start, but they are in a slide. That cannot be denied.

It is time for Burke to be accountable.

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.