Jason Blake: What Should the Leafs Do With Him?

Everyone I talk to about Jason Blake says that he was a big bust for the Maple Leafs, saying that he didn't do much for them—but let's be honest for a second.

Jason Blake had a good season. He had 15 goals and 37 assists for 52 points. That's nothing to gawk at, but no one seems to realize that.

Everybody just says that, "He didn't score any goals so he didn't contribute anything to the team."

Well guess what? He did.

If nobody noticed, Nik Antropov more than made up for Blake's lack of goals with about 15 more goals then anybody thought he'd get. Also, Blake had 37 assists, which means he was setting up goals for everybody else. Nothing wrong with that by any means.

Plus his gritty and good defensive zone play made him a more than worthy Masterson Award winner (Even though he was plus-four, but in all fairness Kaberle was minus-two).

So whats the problem with Blake then in the eyes of Toronto fans and media?

Simple.

He was signed to score goals.

But the thing that seems to be the problem with Toronto fans is they never look at the positives of a player, they always look at the negatives.

The sad thing is is even though he got 15 goals, he still played solidly throughout the whole year. Always consistent, always moving the puck, always hustling to make a play.

Now isn't the lack thereof something that fans have been complaining about?

Now after all of that, let's ask that same question in the title.

What should the Leafs do with Jason Blake?

Well, they should keep him!

He will get more goals, I guarantee it. Plus his style of play will fit Ron Wilson's system perfectly with his good two-way game and great speed. I could see him on a line with Stajan and Steen just because I think the three of them would mesh perfectly, and the sad thing is is unless he gets another 40 goal season, no one will take this guy seriously on the Toronto Maple Leafs.