TML: An Early Review of Ron Wilsons New Team

So here we are, it has been three weeks since the start of the season. Oh how time goes so much faster when hockey starts up. The Leafs have been putting on a great show since their opening night in Detroit. I am really not sure how I feel about their performance over the past few weeks. A glance over into the stats category does not yield any pleasing results.

It is hard to make any accurate judgments of the team only 10 games into the regular season. What I am coming up with is that the Leafs will probably finish in the middle of the pack and get the dreaded 9th draft pick. Now, I am not one who wants them to do poorly to get the draft pick, nor do I believe that the Leafs will make the playoffs. All I have been trying to pay attention to is individual improvements or failures.

There have been very few good players to come out of this so far. Cliff Fletcher's notion that the Leafs are similar to an expansion team are fairly accurate. The Leafs have either minimal talent, or loads of potential talent. Potential being the key word. We are given glimpses into what can be when Mikhail Grabovski or Nikolai Kulemin (see first goal) have their night.

The team has shown far more strength and perseverance than I ever imagined. They will not quit. Period. Sure they still have their odd games (see Montreal, St. Louis) but that’s due to inexperience. Poor power play and penalty kill have seen much improvement. Looking at game to game progress, the Leafs have made leaps and bounds. The Leafs are sitting sixth for PP% and 19th for PK% which are both big improvements from last year. With a team with no high grade player, that’s plenty good enough for me.

Many players have stepped in to block shots and hit bodies. Luke Schenn is at the top of the hit list with Jonas Frogren right behind (sitting out the last three games as well). The rest of the team for the most part is following suit. The greatest strength of this team is that no one is a star player. As Vesa Toskala mentioned early in the season, everyone is very relaxed and just having fun. That is a key part to playing good hockey, especially above ones capable level.

Faceoffs…wow.

However, this team still has a lot of work ahead of itself. I can sum up their biggest problem with one word, “finish.” This team completely lacks finish. Ron Wilson mentioned it in the game against Tampa Bay where he mentioned Vinny Lecavalier can hit the net two out of three opportunities while the Leafs may need five opportunities for one goal.

Therein lies the main and for all I am concerned with, the only real problem of the Toronto Maple Leafs. There is potential for finish, one can spot moments of it in game between several of the players. All Ron Wilson has to do is make them mature into those players which is no easy task. If the core of this new team sticks together, give ‘em a few years and they’ll surprise ya.

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