I'm not going to give names or speculate on what a certain player costs, only what the Leafs need right now, for their run (hopefully) into the playoffs.
Bottom 6 forwards with size and scoring ability. Colby Armstrong was supposed to be this guy, he has not delivered. Other then when Connolly is playing on the third line, the Leafs lack a legitimate 30 point guy (and Connolly is much more then a 30 point guy), something you need at least one of in your bottom 6 for when your top lines are being shut down. As of last game the bottom 6 was Brown, Steckel, Frattin, Lombardi, Connolly and Armstrong, you have some speed in Brown and Lombardi, scoring ability from Connolly and a hard hitting player in Frattin. Not one player there that can do all three, something that every third line needs.
League average goaltending. Reimer may well be the Leafs guy, but the team will not make the playoffs without (at least) league average goaltending, which usually hovers around the .915 mark. I'm not a believer in Burke going out and trading for a guy at the deadline who may do that for us, Goaltending is something that is solved in the Summer, not Spring.
League average defense. The Maple Leafs defensemen have been horrible lately, pretty much everyone except Gunnarsson should just forget this past two weeks ever happened. If the Leafs are going to make the playoffs someone needs to step up huge, preferably our captain, and little played Schenn (something I don't agree with).
While adding a top six forward that can play along Kessel is a nice dream, its not going to happen. Joe Thornton doesn't get traded and when he did get traded, it was a huge surprise. If the Leafs are going to get Sidney Crosby they will have to find another way of getting him other then through trades. It just simply isn't the biggest concern right now, the Leafs are still among the league leaders in goals for. Keeping the puck out of the net is the biggest concern for right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment