5 Players Who Must Improve for the Toronto Maple Leafs to Make the Playoffs

What follows is a short list, in no particular order, of five key roster players on the Toronto Maple Leafs that must find their rhythm in order to help take their team to the April dance.

Perhaps not all names that deserve to be on this list make an appearance, but I have chosen five players in particular that I think have the ability to make key contributions for the Maple Leafs down the stretch. 

If you disagree with my selections, or think I have overlooked certain contributors, please feel free to share your thoughts and join the conversation. 

Thanks in advance for reading and enjoy!

Follow @HockeyWise

Follow Matt Wiseman on Twitter for NHL news and analysis

Nikolai Kulemin

Last season Nikolai Kulemin finished the year fourth overall in team scoring with 57 points—30 goals and 27 assists—and had a +7 rating. This season he is on pace to score a meagre 32 points, of which will include only eight goals.

Much of Kulemin's success last season should be attributed to the chemistry that he developed with linemates Mikhail Grabovski and Clark McArthur. Periodically that line has been able to rekindle its success of last season. But any productivity they have found this season pales in comparison to last, which has forced Coach Ron Wilson to separate the once-dynamic trio.

In retrospect, Kulemin’s overall game has not been too bad. He is far from a liability in the defensive zone and is a versatile player capable of logging big-time minutes, but it would be a serve understatement to say that his offensive game has dried up this season. 

Luke Schenn

Schenn currently leads the Leafs in plus/minus with a rating of +7, but his inconsistent play has seen his role on the team significantly diminished from last season.

It could be argued that Carl Gunnarsson is the closest the Leafs come to having a shut-down defenceman, when in fact Schenn's name should be slotted in at that role.

With increased ice time as of late, Schenn has been able to begin to turn his season around, but when GM Brian Burke signed his 2008 first-round draft selection to a contract extension in the offseason, he was hoping that he had signed a rock on defence. 

As of yet this season Schenn has been unable to live up to expectations, so hopefully he can turn his game around. 

Tim Connolly

Brought in during the offseason to be the No. 1 center, Connolly quickly lost his projected roster spot to Tyler Bozak. In fairness, Bozak deserves a ton of credit for finding and maintaining chemistry with linemates Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupol.

Nonetheless, Connolly has been floating from line to line trying to find his rhythm. Largely unsuccessful for most of the season, Connolly's game seems to be missing an element of speed that is the forte of a youthful Leafs roster.

Connolly is, however, a versatile asset both on and off the ice. He can be an effective specialty teams player and his leadership will be absolutely paramount should the Leafs hope to find success in their push towards the playoffs.  

Dion Phaneuf

First off, allow me to say that I think Phaneuf has been good this season. So why does he need to improve? Simple, he has not been great.

As captain Phaneuf is relied on in numerous important situations from game to game. He is paid extremely well—$6.5 million per year to be exact—to chip in offensively and to shut down opposing top lines.

For the most part Phaneuf has done his job this season, but his -3 rating is the worst of all players on the Maple Leafs defensive corps. Offensively he has been good, amassing 33 points thus far, but if Phaneuf could ever learn to hit the net on a regular basis, his numbers could be much higher.

Good but not great, and great is what the Maple Leafs may need their captain to be if the team is playoff-bound.

James Reimer

On the heels of near-stellar play during the last half of the Leafs season a year ago, Reimer was able to secure himself a contract extension during the offseason as well as the No. 1 role in net heading into this season.

He started the year off just as he had finished last season, but an early injury incurred in a game against the Montreal Canadiens placed Reimer on the shelf and, as of yet, he has been unable to recapture his No. 1 form.

While the Leafs have been able to rely on good goaltending from their tandem of netminders, Reimer needs to re-assert himself in the No. 1 role with consistent play if his team has any hope of ending its six-year playoff drought.