Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 Players Who Must Step Up for Shot at Postseason

Seemingly inactive at the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs feel confident that their current roster will be able to get them to the playoffs.

They sit just five points out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 64 points. 

Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul have stormed out past the pack of Leafs with 67 and 64 points on the season, respectively. Although, after those two players, the production drops significantly.

Toronto won't make the playoffs with the way they've played thus far in the 2011-12 season, but there is still time to turn it around. Here's a look at some players they need to step up during the home stretch. 

Clarke MacArthur

Clarke MacArthur needs to step up for the Leafs. 

MacArthur had a blistering 2010-11 season, finishing with 21 goals and 41 assists, which was good for second on the team with 62 points. 

This season, he's fallen out of the top five in point production and has 18 goals to just 15 assists. They will need MacArthur to help create goals throughout the rest of the season, a big asset that they are currently missing dearly. 

James Reimer

James Reimer makes up only half of the Toronto goaltenders, but is most of the problem.

He boasts an 11-11-4 record on the season as well as a woeful 3.07 goals-against per game and a .899 save percentage. He won't keep getting starts for very long with those numbers. 

The Leafs' front office showed allegiance to their netminders by not making a move for a goalie at the trade deadline, and now is the time for Reimer to show that it was a good decision to keep him around. 

Dion Phaneuf

Dion Phaneuf was lucky to get out of Calgary before the Flames' regression out of playoff contention. Toronto's captain must rally his forces if he wants to get his Leafs there for the first time since 2003-04.

In just his second full season in Toronto, Phaneuf is finding his offensive touch from early in his career with 37 points on the season. He's a rare form in that he's just 26 years old, yet is an asset as one of the league's best defenders and has some of the best playoff experience on the team. 

Phaneuf isn't having a bad year by any means, but a lot of the blame will fall on him if his team crumbles down the stretch. 

Nikolai Kulemin

Nikolai Kulemin had high expectations heading into this season, but he's disappointed in his production.

Kulemin broke out in 2010-11 with 30 goals and 27 assists, but only has seven goals and 20 assists to his name this season. His goal-scoring drop-off has hurt the Maple Leafs, especially on the power play, where they rank second to last in the league. 

The Russian left winger needs to start putting pucks in the net to help his team make it to the postseason.