Mid-season grades

The Toronto Maple Leafs knew it was going to be a grind to make the playoffs this season and that is exactly how things unfolded through the first half.

The good news is the Maple Leafs have won three straight home games and are sitting in a playoff spot - seventh in the Eastern Conference - after three consecutive road defeats temporarily had them on the outside looking in. The bad news is injuries continue to dog this team. Centre Tyler Bozak is out with a shoulder injury; winger Colby Armstrong has been limited to just nine games this season because of various injuries, the latest being a concussion; while offence-minded defenceman John-Michael Liles is also out with concussion-like symptoms.

The following are grades for the Maple Leafs players following the team's first 41 games:

Phil Kessel, RW, Grade: A+

The 24-year-old sniper continues to be one of the most explosive scorers in the NHL and has goals in Toronto's last four games. With 24 goals and 48 points in 41 games, Kessel is on pace for career highs in goals (48) and points (96).

Joffrey Lupul, LW, Grade: A+

This is what the Anaheim Ducks had in mind when they chose Lupul seventh overall in 2002. The 29-year-old Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., native is enjoying a breakout season with 19 goals and 47 points. He plays the game physically, but has shown a new sense of creativity, too.

Dion Phaneuf, D, Grade: B+

The captain has developed nicely into the leadership role while continuing to provide the Maple Leafs with considerable offence from the blue line. Through games played Saturday night, Phaneuf ranked seventh among NHL defencemen in scoring with seven goals and 28 points.

Tyler Bozak, C, Grade: B+

Bozak is not yet a true No. 1 centre, but he has done a decent job skating between Kessel and Lupul when he was healthy. Sadly he crashed into the boards in Winnipeg during practice and hasn't played since. With seven goals and 25 points in 35 games his numbers are respectable, as is his defensive play.

Tim Connolly, C, Grade: B+

Connolly continues to be a solid two-way pivot, taking over on the top line after Bozak went down and helping out on the penalty kill. He's probably better suited to the No. 2 centre position, but everything about his game this year has justified GM Brian Burke signing him to a two-year deal last summer.

Carl Gunnarsson, D, Grade: B+

The 25-year-old Gunnarsson continues to be Toronto's steadiest defenceman. He rarely makes mistakes in his own zone and when he does, he usually covers them up pretty quickly. Gunnarsson is also chipping in on offence with two goals and 12 points in 40 games.

Dave Steckel, C, Grade: B+

The Leafs penalty-killing unit gets maligned, as it should since it ranks last in the league, but Steckel is most certainly not the problem. He continues to be one of the best in the NHL at winning faceoffs; he blocks shots and he has seven goals - two of which came with the Leafs playing a man short.

Mike Brown, LW, Grade: B+

Brown returned to the lineup Saturday after missing 22 games following back surgery. The 26-year-old Chicago, Il., native gives you an honest 10 minutes or so per game of hard work and physical play and rarely puts his team in jeopardy by taking bad penalties. He was dearly missed while he was injured.

Jonas Gustavsson, G, Grade: B

Since being given the reigns, Gustavsson has won three straight and is looking much more comfortable than he did earlier in the year. Coach Ron Wilson has indicated he'll go with whichever goalie is winning and so far that has been The Monster, whose confidence is continues to grow.

John-Michael Liles, D, Grade: B

You never know what a good thing you have until you don't have it anymore. A swift-skating defender with an offensive flair, Liles was brought to Toronto to give the power play a boost and that is exactly what he did until he was injured Dec. 22.

Mike Komisarek, D, Grade: B

Having just returned from missing 21 games with a broken arm, Komisarek continues to provide the Leafs with leadership and grit. Though he is often the target of the fans wrath, based mostly on his play last season, Komisarek's play has been significantly better this year and it's high time he gets the credit he deserves.

Mikhail Grabovski, C, Grade: B

With nine points in his past 10 games Grabovski is finally starting to find the form that enabled him to record career highs in goals (29) and points (58) last season. An impending unrestricted free agent, Grabovski will have to continue to play better if he hopes to get a significant raise over the $3.1 million he earns this season.

Clarke MacArthur, LW, Grade: B

MacArthur consistently gives the Maple Leafs a solid two-way performance. Even though he has missed seven games because of suspension and injury, MacArthur has 12 goals and 21 points in 34 games and is on pace to scored 27 goals which would beat his single-season high of 21 set last season.

Joey Crabb, RW, Grade: B

Crabb is probably in a little over his head skating on the second line with Grabovski and Kulemin, but when others were unable to build chemistry with the dynamic twosome, he seemed like a good option. Crabb is a well-rounded player who brings energy and physicality with a little bit of a scoring thrown to the table.

Cody Franson, D, Grade: B

Franson seems to be gaining the trust of the coaching staff after a slow start to his year. In 26 games the hard-shooting defender has three goals and 11 points and is plus-2. Franson definitely needs to find a way to get more shots on goal. He had just 25 in 26 games.

Nazem Kadri, RW, Grade: B

Only time will tell if Kadri has arrived in the NHL for good, but there is no question he is playing a more mature game since being recalled from the AHL Marlies just before Christmas. Kadri is a magician with the puck and is playing a more responsible defensive game, but still has a tendency to coast when he's carrying the puck in the offensive zone.

Luke Schenn, D, Grade: B-

Schenn is starting to find a consistency in his game and isn't making nearly as many costly turnovers that plagued him in the past. He continues to be Toronto's most consistent punishing hitter.

James Reimer, G, Grade: C+

Reimer had a great start to the year, but a concussion kept him out of action for six weeks. Since his return, the affable stopper has played decently, but the results have not been there and he is currently playing second fiddle to Gustavsson. After opening 4-0-1, Reimer is now 7-4-4.

Matthew Lombardi, C, Grade: C+

Lombardi is finally starting to show the speed he is known for after missing nearly all of last season with a concussion and half of this season with a shoulder injury. At $3.5 million a season you'd like to see a little more offence out of the 29-year-old, but I'm sure the Leafs would settle for Lombardi becoming a plus player. He was minus-6 at the midway point.

Nikolai Kulemin, LW, Grade: C

No player has been more disappointing than Kulemin whose four goals and 16 points in 41 games has him on pace for just eight goals and 32 points. That is unacceptable. In the past two weeks Kulemin has at least gotten back to being a tenacious checker, but his production must pick up for the Leafs to have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.

Jake Gardiner, D, Grade: C

There is no question this kid is going to be a solid contributing defenceman for years to come, but sometimes you get the feeling he's holding back a bit. Maybe its inexperience or maybe it's the fact he is close to playing the number of games he played in an entire season with the University of Wisconsin and he's getting tired. When he's going, though, he has the ability to control the pace of the game with his wonderful skating ability and deft stick-handling.

Darryl Boyce, LW, Grade: C

Boyce is simply a better option as a checking winger and penalty-killer than was Philippe Dupuis. Even the coaches admitted he was a victim of the number's game when he was sent down at the start of the season, but he has given the team energy, a little grit and more offence that Dupuis who was pointless in 30 games.

Jay Rosehill, LW, Grade: C-

Rosehill does what is asked of him when he plays, which is to provide the Leafs with physical play, but he hasn't dressed since Dec. 19.

Colby Armstrong, RW, Grade: Incomplete.

Injuries continue to plague the veteran who is currently out with a concussion. In two seasons since he signed with the Leafs, Armstrong has played 65 games and has missed 64.

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