Toronto Maple Leafs: One Improvement Each Player Must Make for Next Season

Yet another season of NHL hockey is coming to a close, and once again the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves on the outside looking in.

While it's nice to think about the possibilities of bringing in free agents and trading for players to put us over the top, if the Leafs are to make the postseason next year, they will also need to see improved play from the players they've already got on their roster.

Let's take a look at what each player can do next season to help push the Toronto Maple Leafs into the playoffs.

Note: I will not include unrestricted free agents in this article (Jonas Gustavsson, Jay Rosehill and Joey Crabb).

James Reimer, G: Rebound Control

James Reimer's stock rose exponentially last season after being called up for the New Year, and he played like a legitimate no. 1 goaltender.

Five games into the 2011-2012 season, the Leafs young netminder seemed to be picking up where he left off. That is until Montreal Canadiens forward Brian Gionta threw a dirty elbow to his head and sidelined the youngster for an extended period of time. Sadly for Leafs fans, when he returned, he just didn't seem like the same goalie.

So what can Reimer do to get back to being the goalie who began his NHL career by going 24-10-6?

Limit the rebounds.

When Reimer came back from his injury this year, he had a tough time limiting his rebounds and his play ended up nosediving.

While Reimer will let in bad goals from time to time, it's not nearly as much of a concern as it is with Jonas Gustavsson. Reimer is a much more fundamentally sound goaltender, and should he find a way to stop coughing up rebounds, he should be able to re-discover his winning ways.

Dion Phaneuf, D: Improve Defensively

The Maple Leafs captain had a season that seemingly mirrored that of the team he captained. Before the All-Star break, Phaneuf was on fire. Playing some solid defense and putting up points while quarterbacking a successful Leafs power play was the definition of leading by example.

He even managed to earn himself an invite to the 2012 All-Star game in Ottawa.

From there, however, it was all downhill.

Phaneuf looked lost in his own zone, with opposing players skating around him and out-muscling him for rebounds.

If Phaneuf is going to turn things around for the 2012-2013 season, it'll start in his own zone.

No one has questioned Dion's offensive abilities from the blue line, and if can shore up his defensive game and become more physical, he'll be the $6.5 million man the Leafs traded for a few seasons ago.

Mike Komisarek, D: Become the Stay-at-Home Defenseman He's Paid to Be

Let's be honest here, no Maple Leafs fan expects Mike Komisarek to be an offensive juggernaut. It's not what he's being paid $4.5 million a year to do.

His job is to get out there and shut down whichever opposing line happens to be on the ice.

Since coming to Toronto, however, Komisarek has been extremely ineffective.

Silly mistakes and sloppy defensive play has the Leafs wondering why they bothered signing the big American defenseman.

Many have already given up on the Mike Komisarek experiment and see Komisarek as nothing but a  waste of cap space, prompting many to support dumping his salary as part of a trade.

Should that not come through, Komisarek will still be a Leaf come October, and him returning to a defensively sound player (which could happen under a coach more geared to his style in Randy Carlyle) will be key if the Leafs are to make the postseason in 2013.

John Michael Liles, D: Re-Discover His Game

John Michael Liles was another victim of the concussion bug that seemed to bite the NHL this season.

Much like James Reimer, Liles didn't seem like the same player upon his return.

While finishing the season with 27 points in 66 games, Liles had already accumulated 21 of those in his 34 games played before the injury. He also had a player rating of plus-two before he was sidelined.

Once he came back, he only managed a paltry six points in 32 games while putting up a player rating of minus-16.

Hopefully, the offseason will do wonders for Liles' health and he'll be back to the speedy offensive catalyst we saw before he was hurt.

Luke Schenn, D: Improve Defensively

Luke Schenn has been the victim of being a Toronto Maple Leaf.

There is no other way to describe it.

With any other organization, a 22-year-old defenseman that was taken with the fifth overall selection in his draft year and has already played four full seasons at the NHL level would have the entire city excited about his talent.

In Toronto, however, he is being mentioned as trade bait by many members of the media and Leafs Nation.

Does Luke Schenn need to improve defensively? Yes.

He needs to continue to bulk up, become more physical and needs to be better both along the boards and in front of his net.

But he's only 22. Impatient Leafs fans forget that he only played his first two seasons because the Leafs had such a pathetic defensive corps. Realistically, Schenn should have spent another season in junior and then one with the Marlies.

Give it time; the kid will come around.

Carl Gunnarsson, D: Become More Physical

It's tough to write a slide about what facet of his game Carl Gunnarsson has to improve.

Gunnarsson is the perfect second pairing-type defenseman. He is responsible defensively, can handle the puck and sees the ice very well.

He can be the quarterback of a second power-play unit and can kill penalties.

All around, Carl Gunnarsson is one of the better players the Leafs have and is certainly the most underrated.

If there is one thing Carl could do a better job of, it's being more physical and wearing the opposing forwards down.

Jake Gardiner, D: Continue to Develop

With players as fresh as Jake Gardiner, it isn't necessarily about improving anything in particular about their game.

It's more about developing their game as a whole and ensuring that he doesn't regress or get stuck in neutral.

Right now, Gardiner has shown that he is a gifted player.

Now it's up to him to continue to learn the game and minimize the growing pains.

It wouldn't hurt him to bulk up a little more either if he wants to be a 25-minutes-per-night type of defenseman.

Cody Franson, D: Utilize That Shot and Improve Skating

While some feel Franson has never really reached his potential as an NHL defenseman, Franson was able to race up the Leafs' depth chart this season.

He's a big-bodied defenseman who is reliable in his own zone and has a monster shot.

If Franson can use that shot more often, he will surely see more time on the second power-play unit.

The one other knock on Franson that he could address this offseason would be his skating ability.

Phil Kessel, RW: Improve Defensively

No one doubts Phil Kessel's scoring ability.

His speed and shot all but guarantee him 25-40 goals per season.

Where he can improve, though, is in his own zone.

While his size limits to what extent he can contribute defensively, Kessel can certainly put more effort into backchecking and taking his man while in his own end.

Under new head coach Randy Carlyle, Leafs fans can expect to see every player, including Kessel, become a bit tougher around their own net, and on the backcheck.

Tim Connolly, C: Everything

Tim Connolly had a dreadful season.

Period.

Not only did he spend a good chunk of the season on the third line, but he finished with an abysmal 36 points in 70 games played and a minus-14 player rating.

He was also forced to play the wing on Toronto's checking line after winning fewer than half of his faceoffs.

Suffice it to say that Tim Connolly should focus on having a rebound season in every regard.

Joffrey Lupul, LW: Stay Healthy

I know, I know. Joffrey Lupul doesn't dictate when he is healthy or not.

With a player like Lupul, however, staying the course and asking him to just duplicate this past season is fine.

Lupul is a player who can skate, always gives 100 percent and can be an extremely valuable offensive weapon.

His problem, however, has been his ability to stay healthy.

Since joining the Flyers in 2007-2008, Lupul has played more than 60 games only twice.

If Lupul can stay healthy for 75-80 games, he can be one of the better players in the league.

Matthew Lombardi, C: Continue to Find His Game

After playing only two games in 2010-2011, many wondered if Matthew Lombarid's career had come to a close.

Toronto was forced to take on his contract in order to acquire young defenseman Cody Franson from Nashville last offseason.

Some believe the fact that Lombardi even dressed for 62 games this year was an accomplishment.

If Lombardi can continue to get his groove back on the ice, his speed could certainly be a useful weapon for the Leafs going forward.

Clarke MacArthur, LW: Re-Gain the Chemistry He Had with Grabovski and Kulemin

Despite the fact that Clarke MacArthur potted 20 goals in 2011-2012, many Leafs fans were expecting more than 43 points after the club inked him to a contract that pays him $3.25 million per season.

While linemate Nikolai Kulemin also had a down season in 2011-2012, which probably cost him a few assists, MacArthur still needs to put up better numbers than he did this year in 2012-2013.

Finding a way to re-energize that second line will be a big part of that comeback season.

Colby Armstrong, RW: Agitate

Colby Armstrong was brought to Toronto for one reason: his toughness.

In fact, he was paid a handsome price for said toughness.

At $3 million a season, Armstrong is one of the more expensive agitators in the league.

Unfortunately, he hasn't been doing his job.

He hasn't produced the energy level Toronto thought he would and has been injury prone since joining the Leafs.

With all the money he takes up on the third line, Armstrong needs to have an excellent season in 2012-2013. The fact that it is his contract year will be added incentive for the Saskatchewan native as well.

Mikhail Grabovski, C: Elevate the Play of His Linemates

Other than Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, Mikail Grabovski was arguably the best player the Toronto Maple Leafs had this season.

Right now, the expectations for Mikhail Grabovski are for him to simply live up to his contract.

As for an improvement from last season?

He needs to shift his focus from just playing his game to elevating the game of those around him.

As the center, he is responsible for leading his line while it's on the ice and being the playmaker.

If the Leafs are to succeed next year, they will need Grabovski to not only continue posting the numbers he has, but to help Kulemin return to be successful again as well.

Nikolai Kulemin, LW: Find His Shot

This may be the most obvious slide on this list.

This year, Kulemin was only able to score seven goals and earn 21 assists for 28 points in 70 games played.

It's safe to say that if the Leafs continue to get that kind of production (or lack thereof) from their primary source of secondary scoring, it will be extremely difficult for them to be able to find themselves in the playoffs.

The silver lining in all this? Kulemin's down season came in his contract year, which means the Leafs may be able to save a few bucks this offseason in negotiating the restricted free-agent's contract.

Tyler Bozak, C: Continue to Develop Offensive Game

Tyler Bozak possesses all the characteristics of an ideal third-line center.

Other than putting on his size, his game has developed very well, and he's been a surprise for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

All that's left to be done is for Bozak is to tweak his offensive game and become an even better all-around player.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Bozak needs to become an offensive juggernaut who puts up 30 goals and 85 points every season, but it wouldn't hurt to get a little more production from Bozak if possible.

Matt Frattin, RW: More Production on Offense

Billed as one of Toronto's top prospects, Matt Frattin showed Toronto why management is so excited about his future when he was with the Maple Leafs this year.

He's a good skater with incredible offensive talent and has good size that he isn't afraid to use.

He also works hard and backchecks every time he is on the ice.

The final piece to the puzzle for Frattin will be to start finishing more and becoming a more productive player.

David Steckel, C: Skating Ability

David Steckel is the Maple Leafs' fourth-line center.

This means not much is expected of him.

That doesn't mean that he can't work on aspects of his game, though.

While Steckel is a very good penalty killer and accountable defensively, as well as a premier center when it comes to faceoffs, Steckel isn't a very good skater.

That may not seem like a big issue, considering he's on the fourth line, but it is the fourth line's job to provide energy to the game, and Steckel has a tough time doing that without being able to skate very well.

If Steckel were to be able to become a better skater this offseason, it could really help his game and the team, as the fourth line would be able to eat more effective minutes and give the scorers time to rest.

Mike Brown, RW: Nothing

Mike Brown is the one player on this team who can just keep doing what he's doing.

He's the perfect fourth-line player.

Tough, fast, skates hard, backchecks, energizes and will fight when the situation calls for it.

The Leafs would be wise to keep Brown around as long as he continues to play this way.

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