Toronto Maple Leafs: 5 Players Who Must Step Up in the Second Half

As the NHL walks away from the All-Star break, the Toronto Maple Leafs currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. While sitting on the playoff fence seems to familiar territory for Leafs fans over the past years, there are reasons to be optimistic. 

Firstly, the 55 points amassed by the Leafs so far are already way ahead of the 43 that the 2010-11 Leafs had by the All-Star break last year. 

But more importantly, the Maple Leafs are a second-half team.

At the All-Star break last year, the Leafs had a record of 19-25-5. The rest of the season they were 18-9-6.

However, the Leafs were only able to have that great second half because of the emergence of certain players down the stretch.

If the Leafs want to repeat their previous second-half success, players are going to need to step up.

Here are the five that need to step up the most:  

5. Colby Armstrong

Someone with a personality like Colby Armstrong is always the type of player you want on your team. 

The issue is that this season Armstrong has barely been playing, if at all. 

With all of the injuries, including the concussion he first concealed, he has been limited to playing in only nine games while only scoring one point.

The Leafs need Armstrong to recover, and quickly, as he is one of the few veterans on the Leafs and brings energy every shift he plays.

4. Tim Connolly

When the Leafs lost out on Brad Richards in free agency during the offseason, they turned to the next best centre available.

That centre happened to be Tim Connolly.

Instead of signing Connolly to a reasonable contract, Burke gave him two years and $9.5 million dollars. 

While 24 points in 37 games isn't atrocious, it is not nearly the production that the Leafs imagined when they signed him.

Connolly's production must improve because if he can't find success with two of the best wingers in the game, he'll be taking a large pay cut in 2013-14.   

3. Luke Schenn

For the past few months, there have many trade rumours surrounding Luke Schenn. 

He has been almost useless offensively with a paltry one goal and 12 assists in 48 games. While Schenn is not known as an offensive defenceman by any means, he should be able to score more than one goal if he wants to become a premier defenseman in the NHL.

But the most troubling part of Schenn's game has been his defence. He has constantly turned the puck over and often looks lost on the ice. 

If Schenn wants the trade rumours to end, he'll have to prove he's worth keeping by playing up to his potential.

By playing better, Schenn will have a better chance of staying in Toronto, and the Leafs will have a better shot at making the playoffs. 

2. Nikolai Kulemin

It seems like just yesterday that the MacRussian line was considered to be the best line on the Leafs. 

Boy, how things have changed, and Nikolai Kulemin is the biggest reason why.

After scoring 30 goals and 57 points last season, many fans had already assumed that this was the type of season Kulemin would have year in and year out.

It would be an understatement to say things haven't worked out, as I can count Kulemin's goals this season on one hand. He has only managed to score five goals to go along with 20 points, but the worst part is that he has played in every game and still not found consistent production.

Kulemin is in the last year of his contract and so far has cost himself a ton of money.

If Kulemin plays to his potential, the Leafs will be in a better position come April, as will Kulemin's bank account.   

1. James Reimer

After last season's outstanding second half, Reimer was hailed as the saviour for the Maple Leafs and the starting goaltender for the foreseeable future. He was given the nickname "Optimus Reim" and was endeared by Leafs nation far and wide.   

If at the beginning of the season I had told you that the Leafs' best goaltender so far would be Jonas Gustavsson, I would have been mocked.

However, I would've have been right.

Gustavsson, affectionately known as "the Monster," has compiled 16 wins this season while shutting out the opposing team three times.

Reimer, on the other hand, only has seven wins in limited action. But the problem is that he has lost more games than he has won, with nine combined losses.

If the Leafs are going to have any success this year and beyond, Reimer will need to return to the form he showed this last year.

Eventually, and to the dismay of Leafs Nation, Jonas Gustavsson will come back to earth, and when he does James Reimer must be ready.