Leafs Talk: Are the Leafs' Top Six Still Too Small To Be Competitive in the NHL?

The Leafs team, albeit it's early yet, have really showed some marked improvement in all facets of the game. Their even strength numbers have improved, their power play proficiency has improved, and lastly, their penalty kill percentage is top tier in the NHL now.

However, one glaring weakness is becoming apparent in the last few games: a lack of offence outside of Phil Kessel and the streaking Clarke MacArthur—a player who has never scored over 20 goals in his career.

In the last 125 minutes or so of hockey, the Leafs could only muster two goals against a 41- year-old ageless wonder and Martin Biron, two pretty good back-up goaltenders, but not elite level starters.

Repeated chances in on breakaways, shots on goal that miss the net by a few feet, but most notably, when they get pressure in the offensive end, the top six seem to rarely have the ability to sustain that pressure.

Players such as Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel and Mikhail Grabovski has been getting knocked off the puck left, right and center. Bozak just recently was benched by coach Ron Wilson in an effort to play a better all around game and get after the puck better.

Kessel has been scoring goals, but rarely have these goals been pretty. A tap in against Ottawa, a puck that sneaked under the pads of Carey Price and a regulation tying goal against the Isles that bounced off of Zenon Konopka's leg have been just a few ways Kessel has scored goals.

Kris Versteeg, one of the only players to win a Stanley Cup on the Leafs roster, has struggled to start out the year. Having repeated chances all over the ice, Versteeg has failed to capitalize on his opportunities.

Nikolai Kulemin, the largest player in the top six has looked okay at best, but I truly believe his size, speed and skill lends himself nicely to staying on the top six.

I've said it all along, but I would prefer if Kulemin was on the top line with Bozak and Kessel rather than Versteeg. What that first line is missing is that presence in front of the net. Kulemin was that presence last year when he exploded on a line with both Bozak and Kessel.

The Leafs first line is made up of players all under the height of 6'0" and 202 pounds (Kessel being the largest player at those measurements). I think it's okay to have one or maybe even two small guys on a line, but having the entire line below average in size, as well as all being right-handed shots, makes for a very easy fix for opposing teams to play against.

The Leafs second line isn't much bigger, with the exception of Kulemin. Grabovski is 5'11" 183 lbs, MacArthur is 5'11" 191 pounds, and lastly, the big boy Kulemin comes in at 6'1" weighing in at 225 lbs.

It appears the Leafs weakness, despite the NHL being more of a speed and skill game now, still lies with size on their forward lines.

In years past, the Montreal Canadiens have fallen victim to the stigma of having smallish centers with respect to the rest of the NHL. Last year, they made it to the Eastern Conference finals against the Philadelphia Flyers, who matched up quite well with them (size wise) and basically took them over.

Strong goaltending from Jaroslav Halak aside, the Habs didn't stand a chance.

So what is your belief? Do the Leafs need more size up from to be competitive? If you were Ron Wilson and needed to juggle the lines, how would you do it?

My lines for discussion purposes..

Kulemin/Bozak/Kessel

Versteeg/Zigomanis/MacArthur

Sjostrom/Grabovski/Armstrong

Brown/Brent/Orr

Zigomanis comes in at 6'1" 200, and with the faceoff ability he possesses, I think he would look great on the second line, at least temporarily. This way, all lines have some size and skill rather than it being all muddled up on the bottom two lines.

Feel free to comment.

Thanks for the read.