Admit it. No one saw this one coming. Outside of Don Cherry, there might have been three members of the media who saw anything redeemable in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sure, the team was good, but there was no way they'd make the playoffs.
At least, that was the general attitude before the regular season . Then, the words on fans lips went from "not bad" to "oh my god, we're good? " At 4-0, the Maple Leafs have been the toast of the NHL. And trust EP Hockey when we say that this team is built to make the playoffs.
Don't believe us? Take a look at the eight categories that matter in the NHL, then what Toronto has to offer for each one.
1) Goaltending-The backup has earned the nickname of "Monster" as a description of his play. And yes, that's the backup.
The starter merely backstopped the Anaheim Ducks to two Stanley Cups, including a win in 2007. Between these two, there will always be a player in between the pipes that can give the organization a chance to win.
2) Toughness
Two words-Dion Phaneuf. If a Cro-Magnon was to take up the game of hockey, he would play exactly like Phaneuf.
(That is meant as a compliment. He's one of the best players in the league.)
Factor in physical defenseman, like Luke Schenn and Mike Komisarek, and it becomes clear why no forward wants to play this team. Even free agent acquisitions Kris Versteeg, Colby Armstrong and Clarke MacArthur play with a physical edge.
3) Leadership
In addition to being one of the toughest human beings on the ice, Phaneuf is also being counted on to be a leader in the dressing room. He's already been lauded by head coach Ron Wilson for his contributions to the team's mood.
Plus, the last time a Western Canadian led the Leafs, his name was Wendel Clark. He merely took the team to two conference finals.
(He also attempted to detach people's heads from their bodies)
4) Depth
The only area that scares EP Hockey when discussing the Leafs. Outside of Tyler Bozak, the team has essentially no true offensive options at the center position.
Then again, General Manager Brian Burke did decide to send top prospect and center Nazem Kadri to the AHL affiliate of the team. And since Burke won a Stanley Cup in Anaheim, he probably knows exactly what he's doing.
5) Defense
Yes, it's time to hear more about Phaneuf. He's the leader of this group, which includes a carbon-copy rookie in Luke Schenn, 240 pound Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemein. All four play with an especially physical edge, and all four can contribute offensively.
When offensive defenseman like Tomas Kabarle, Carl Gunnarsson and the now-injured Brett Lebda are available, the Leafs might just have the deepest and most talented defense in the NHL.
6) Primary Scoring
Phil Kessel had 30 goals last season while receiving no help from the rest of the forwards on the squad. He was also just a 22-year-old.
(This man will challenge for the Rocket Richard trophy someday.)
EP hockey is saying that he's a lock to top that, and will probably finish with between 40 and 45.
7) Secondary Scoring
Tyler Bozak was a revelation last year, as he went from unheralded free agent to a top-tier center. He's going to be asked to be the complement to Kessel, and it will be his success or failure that determines the teams fate.
Expect other forwards, like Kris Versteeg and Clarke MacArthur to also contribute to the team's goal totals. If the team can get major contributions from them, it will take much of the pressure off of the defenseman and goalies on the squad.
8) Special Teams
On the power play, the team will employ Phil Kessel, Mike Komisarek, Dion Phaneuf, and whoever wants to stand in front of the goalie. They will then hack away at the puck until it is either cleared, covered up, or goes into the back of the net. Since the team ranks in the middle of the NHL with a 15.00% success rate, it's unclear if this strategy can really be called failing.
The team also ranks third on the penalty kill, with a percentage of 93.33 %. Most of this can be attributed to players like Armstrong and Fredrik Sjostrom, who have what hockey commentator Don Cherry refers to as "jam." This "jam" represents a collective attitude to sacrifice one's body in order to make sure that the team has a chance to win.
As the above rate shows, there's a lot of jam in Toronto.
With all that said, things in Toronto could go from this,
to a Stanley Cup celebration rally where everyone knows their names.
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