1 Improvement Each Line Must Make for the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have enjoyed some early successes in the 2014-15 season. When the team has needed scoring, it's had it most nights. The team is second in the NHL in scoring heading into Friday night's play.

The defence hasn't played outstandingly as a unit, but the group is scoring well, while holding its own defensively.

Without question, the forwards have been the most improved piece of the Leafs. The club has not enjoyed this kind of depth in years.

But they have not been perfect. Let's take a look at one improvement each Toronto line must make.

1st Line: More Consistent

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It's difficult to critique a line that has played well for large stretches this season. Phil Kessel is in the top 10 in NHL scoring with 29 points. Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk have both topped 24 points.

Yet, there are nights when this line can be invisible. When it's on, it is one of the top lines in the NHL. The key is to play that way every single night.

Kessel is talented enough to be challenging for the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top scorer. JVR is one of the top wingers in the game when he's at his best. Bozak doesn't have the same talent as the other two, but he's become an effective two-way centre.

If the Leafs are going to be a playoff team, this line must be leading the team from the front.

2nd Line: Offensive Production

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The first line has carried the offensive load for the Leafs. The second line has not produced at nearly the same level.

In fairness, this line has been a dog's breakfast for much of the season with injuries to key second-line players like Joffrey Lupul.

Mike Santorelli has the most points with 19, but that should not be the case (with all due respect to Mike Santorelli). Nazem Kadri's 17 points are a disappointment, and Joffrey Lupul has only 11 points in 16 games.

David Clarkson, Leo Komarov and Daniel Winnik have also spent time on this line.

Regardless of who plays here, the Leafs need it to be an attacking line that spends the better portion of each game in the offensive zone. Expect Kadri to take his game to another level with Lupul at his side.

3rd Line: Increased Puck Pressure

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This improvement of increased puck pressure does not apply to all of the third-line players. Leo Komarov should be held up as the example, as he has played some excellent hockey in Toronto this season.

Komarov takes away time and space as well as anyone on the club. Peter Holland needs to develop this quality more fully. David Clarkson does this on some shifts, but he also needs to do this more consistently.

Winnik, Santorelli and David Booth have also spent time on the third line. The third unit must focus on takeaways and more generalized puck possession.

There is a great blend of size, skill and physicality among this group of forwards. This unit, if the players can be used for 12-15 minutes per night, can continue to be a game-changing one.

4th Line: Better Neutral & Defensive Zone Play

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It should be emphasized that the Leafs' fourth line has been solid in most respects. As with some other lines, there have been a number of skaters on this one.

Booth, Trevor Smith and Richard Panik have played a number of games on this line. Santorelli has spent some time on the fourth line, as has young Josh Leivo.

This line has done a lot right. The issue, from time to time, has been passive play in the neutral and defensive zones. This line does not function well when the play comes to it. If their collective feet are not moving, these players are better left on the bench.

Puck pressure is part of it, but there needs to be poise with the puck when possession is won in both the neutral and defensive zones. Gaining possession must be followed by good zone entries after that.

Clearly this group is stronger than last year's. If the Leafs are going to be something more than a playoff pretender, this line has to play on the right side of the puck, shift after shift.

All stats can be found on NHL.com unless otherwise noted.