Toronto Maple Leafs Power Play Will Be Better: But Will It Be Enough?

The Maple Leafs did not have a flattering ranking in offensive statistics last year... actually, they didn't have a good ranking in defensive ones either, and their special teams were the absolute worst. 

Dead last in both power play and penalty killing, the Leafs have to improve in these categories if they expect to move up the standings, let alone make the playoffs.

They will get better, and not just because it is unlikely that a team would finish dead last in these stats two years in row. 

Brian Burke's moves in the offseason were more subtle than the big splash that many of the other teams made, but they will complement the players already in the lineup and add some important elements to the special teams.

Kris Versteeg of course has to be mentioned as the biggest name to arrive in Toronto over the Summer, and his presence will definitely be felt this year on the power play. 

Versteeg managed to put up 44 points in his third year with Chicago despite averaging under 16 minutes a night, with 11 of those points coming on the power play. 

He will likely get two to three more minutes of ice time a night with the Leafs, and likely play on the first powerplay line, a chance he rarely had with Chicago.

Expect a reasonable jump in both his overall points and his power play numbers this season.

Clarke MacArthur isn't being touted as the saviour of the Leafs organization by any means, but he will be a useful piece in the lineup and could very well be a contributor on the power play. 

His eight points last year with the extra man aren't enough to intimidate. But with possible top six minutes and a chance to improve, MacArthur should be more than enough to cover Niklas Hagman's contributions last year.

Not an offseason acquisition, but an important addition nonetheless, Nazem Kadri has a chance to be dominant on the power play in the years to come. 

But this year the expectations have to be reasonable, that is if he even makes the big club. 

Adding almost 20 pounds to his 6'0" frame over the Summer will make Kadri much stronger on the puck, and his massive talent for stick-handling combined with his feisty playing style can turn him into a threat this year. 

He will likely not get first line power play duties, but has a chance put up some decent numbers if he can adjust to the NHL game.

But the real differences on the Maple Leafs power play could come from improvements by the players that were on the roster last year.

Tyler Bozak excelled in a first line centre role at the end of last season, and will get a chance to resume that role with Phil Kessel and Kris Versteeg likely flanking him. 

His experience last year should help him start the year quickly. 

With his impressive playmaking skills and underrated shot, his presence will be welcomed on the power play, and he could quite possibly surpass the kind of numbers Matt Stajan put up last year.

Phil Kessel will have a preseason to prepare this year and will start the season in better shape after missing the start of the season last year with an injury. 

Also, with the experience they have gained together; Kessel, Bozak and the defense core should have better chemistry, allowing them to distribute the puck more effectively.

Speaking of the defense, Dion Phaneuf is looking for a return to the production of his early years, and is due for a bounce back year. 

A sense of stability coming with the captain's mantle should help Phaneuf live up to the expectations that were created for him after being a finalist for the Norris trophy in Calgary. 

His booming shot from the point can be very effective, as long as the puck is distributed quickly and the team doesn't fall into a pattern. 

Too often last year team's would predict the shot from Phaneuf and clog up the lanes, Toronto must be more deceptive this year if they hope to improve.

Secondary contributions from Francois Beauchemin, Mikhail Grabovski the ever reliable Tomas Kaberle, and an ever improving Nikolai Kulemin could go a long way to pushing the Leafs up the rankings. 

They traded away most of their top scorers last year in Stajan, Alexei Ponikarovsky, and Hagman. 

But with their new additions, and a more consistent performance from their young core, the Maple Leafs could be much more of a threat on the power play this year.