If you were to take a look at Toronto's season ahead at the beginning of the year, coupled with the depth in their system, there wasn't much to be excited about if you are a Leafs' fan.
Today, things appear to be much different, and in a good way.
The team is currently 4 points out of the NHL playoffs with 18 games to go, trailing Carolina/New York and Buffalo, Carolina & New York appear to be sliding back a bit and although a tough schedule is ahead for Toronto, it is very achievable, which if you looked prior to the All-Star break, it was not.
Currently the team has a good young core at the NHL level, with Phaneuf, Kessel, Grabovski, MacArthur, Kulemin (who is quietly developing into a future Selke candidate), Aulie and Reimer, you could even throw Carl Gunnarsson into that group as well as he has lifted his play with the extra minutes since Kaberle's departure.
Now if you take all that and couple it with the AHL Marlies young guns who will likely be with the big club next season, add Nazem Kadri who is showing positive signs of breaking out, Joe Colborne who has been lighting it up with the Marlies so far, you now have 3 offensive centre's (Grabovski, Colborne, Kadri) one which will likely be shifted to the wing in the NHL (Colborne), a core of top 6 wingers to surround them, and a defensive group who is now showing signs of becoming what it was meant to be (and let's not forget the 1st Rounders Toronto now has).
The Play-offs may not come this year (a bonus if they do), but next year the Leafs could be a force to reckon with.
Something Leafs fans have not had the opportunity to claim since the early 2000's.
Today, things appear to be much different, and in a good way.
The team is currently 4 points out of the NHL playoffs with 18 games to go, trailing Carolina/New York and Buffalo, Carolina & New York appear to be sliding back a bit and although a tough schedule is ahead for Toronto, it is very achievable, which if you looked prior to the All-Star break, it was not.
Currently the team has a good young core at the NHL level, with Phaneuf, Kessel, Grabovski, MacArthur, Kulemin (who is quietly developing into a future Selke candidate), Aulie and Reimer, you could even throw Carl Gunnarsson into that group as well as he has lifted his play with the extra minutes since Kaberle's departure.
Now if you take all that and couple it with the AHL Marlies young guns who will likely be with the big club next season, add Nazem Kadri who is showing positive signs of breaking out, Joe Colborne who has been lighting it up with the Marlies so far, you now have 3 offensive centre's (Grabovski, Colborne, Kadri) one which will likely be shifted to the wing in the NHL (Colborne), a core of top 6 wingers to surround them, and a defensive group who is now showing signs of becoming what it was meant to be (and let's not forget the 1st Rounders Toronto now has).
The Play-offs may not come this year (a bonus if they do), but next year the Leafs could be a force to reckon with.
Something Leafs fans have not had the opportunity to claim since the early 2000's.
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