The Best Highlights for the Toronto Maple Leafs' Stars in 2014-15

With Randy Carlyle's firing, the focus is going to shift to the stars of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The core players have played for a number of head coaches and assistant coaches with relatively little success over the past four seasons.

The team has become one of the top scoring teams in the NHL, but team defensive play has continued to be a major issue. The team's best players, particularly the forwards, have not grasped the fundamentals of individual or team defensive play.

There has been something beyond doom and gloom this season, though. Let's take a look at the highlights for the four main Maple Leafs stars in 2014-15.

James van Riemsdyk

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

James van Riemsdyk has had a good offensive season. The Middletown, New Jersey, native has 37 points in 41 games. He's on pace to have his most productive NHL regular season.

His best moment came at the expense of the Boston Bruins. The Leafs' top winger had a goal and two assists and could have had several more points in a 6-1 rout of the Bruins on November 12. 

Yes, the Bruins were missing all-world defender Zdeno Chara, but the Leafs were full value for the win. Van Riemsdyk played a physical game and was a force in all three zones in this one.

JVR has had a number of good moments in 2014-15; this was the best.

Dion Phaneuf

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

The much-maligned Dion Phaneuf has been an effective defender for much of the season. There will always be warts on his game, but he's the Leafs' top defender, with no one else really close to challenging him for that title.

At his best, Phaneuf is a great shutdown defender who plays on the right side of the puck in the defensive zone, hits with purpose, moves the puck effectively and chips in offensively.

Against the Dallas Stars on December 2, Phaneuf was on the ice constantly against two of the best offensive players in the game today in Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Neither forward had a point against the Leafs in a 5-3 win for the Leafs. 

Phaneuf had two assists on the night and registered a plus-one rating. He played almost 27 minutes of hockey and was great at both ends of the rink.

This was the captain at the top of his game and his best moment of 2014-15 to date.

Jonathan Bernier

Claus Andersen/Getty Images

Jonathan Bernier has been sublime in the net for Toronto this season. He's won games single-handedly, and December 6 was one of those nights.

The former Los Angeles Kings star stopped 44 of 46 shots, leading the Leafs to a 5-2 defeat of the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks constantly pressured the Leafs and had six power-play opportunities on the night. Bernier stopped all 10 power-play shots he faced. 

The Leafs' opponents carried play, but goaltending saved the day. Bernier's .957 save percentage was more reflective of his play than the Leafs' general defensive play.

There have been a number of great moments for Bernier, but this was the best at the halfway mark of the 2014-15 season.

Phil Kessel

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Phil Kessel has been an offensive star for the Leafs this season. He's not going to be a great two-way player the way Jonathan Toews and Patrice Bergeron are, but he is once again a top-10 scorer who can dominate a game off the rush with his shot and creativity.

Kessel has had some great games in 2014-15. His best moments came against the vaunted Anaheim Ducks on December 16. The Leafs won their sixth consecutive game, defeating the Ducks 6-2.

The Leafs' scoring leader had two goals and an assist in this one. He had four shots, and the Ducks had no real answer for him.

The former fifth overall pick of the Boston Bruins is an elite offensive talent. Those kinds of players are not easy to find in any era. Kessel was exceptional against one of the best teams in the NHL in 2014-15.

All stats can be found on NHL.com, and stats were prior to play on January 8.