The Leafs embark on the second quarter of the 2013-14 season tonight as they face the New York Islanders at Air Canada Center on Tuesday in the second game of their five-game home stand.
Winger Phil Kessel, who missed practice Monday with the flu was on the ice for the morning skate on Tuesday. Kessel will again play with newly acquired center Peter Holland and James van Riemsdyk.
Injured defenseman Mark Fraser was also participating in the morning skate, but it is expected that he will rest the recurrent lower body injury that he aggravated in the first period of Saturday’s 4-2 victory over Buffalo. Rookie Morgan Rielly, who did not play in both weekend games against the bottom dwelling Sabres will take Fraser’s spot in the lineup.
Toronto faces an Islanders club that has played sub .500 hockey since acquiring Thomas
Vanek from Buffalo for Matt Moulson and two high draft picks in late October. Vanek traditionally has been a Leafs killer with 22 goals and 25 assists in 47 career games against Toronto, but the 29-year-old winger will not be in the lineup on Tuesday due to an upper body injury. Fellow Austrian Michael Grabner, who is scoreless in the last 12 games, may also be scratched.
Jonathan Bernier, in spite of a stunning .958 save percentage and 1.27 GAA in November has lost his last two starts and will get the call in goal for Toronto. Kevin Poulin, who assumes the number one duties for New York in the wake of starter Evgeni Nabokov’s groin injury, will be between the pipes for the Islanders.
In spite of injuries to key players, the Islanders will be especially dangerous with the Leafs depleted center corps, as Team Canada Olympic hopeful John Tavares and Frans Nielsen give New York a distinct advantage up the middle. The 23-year-old Mississauga, ON native has eight goals and eight assists in 15 career games against Toronto.
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Continuing the first quarter Leafs report card with a look at the forwards:
Phil Kessel – Grade = A- : Kessel leads the Leafs with 10 goals and 19 points in the wake of signing an eight-year, $64 Million extension just before the season, but is currently going through one of his dry spells, with one goal in the last seven games. The 26-year-old has definitely improved as a two-way player since his debut with Toronto in 2009, but he still leads the NHL in giveaways and must improve on that aspect of his game to be more impactful.
Mason Raymond – Grade = A+ : Raymond has been a tremendous addition since being invited to training camp on a tryout contract. Added for an economical $1 Million salary, the former Canucks winger has filled in as a top six forward, moved down into a checking role and has been a valuable addition on special teams and in shootouts.
James van Riemsdyk – Grade = A : Van Riemsdyk has continued where he left off last season as a complement to Kessel on the left side and as a presence in front of the net on the power play. The 24-year-old was pressed into service at center and did not register a point in four games, but has been deadly as a winger. More than likely, JVR will be a shoo-in for Team USA for the Sochi Olympics.
Nazem Kadri – Grade = B- : Kadri is fourth on the team in scoring with 14 points, but in some ways has taken a step back from the success he achieved in the lockout shortened 2013 season. Arguably the most gifted playmaker on the team, the 23-year-old continues to struggle with defensive giveaways and mental gaffes, such as his carelessness in Minnesota last week that earned him a three-game suspension for knocking over Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom. In the wake of injuries to Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland, Kadri had an opportunity to step up and prove his worth as a potential first line center and registered only one assist in three games.
Joffrey Lupul – Grade = B+ : Lupul has assumed a leadership role and started the season like a house on fire with six goals in the first eight games, but after taking a shot off the foot in practice and missing two games, he has registered only two points in eight games.
Dave Bolland – Grade = A- : Bolland’s championship pedigree showed through before being injured by Zack Kassian’s skate on November 2. His addition improved the Leafs special teams, provided a veteran shutdown presence up the middle, which was on display when he smothered Sidney Crosby at the ACC on October 26. If he can get back after the Olympics and return to the form he displayed early in the season, the 27-year-old Mimico, ON will be a key cog in a Toronto playoff run.
Tyler Bozak – Grade = B : After signing a five year, $21 Million extension, Bozak has registered six points in 11 games, his faceoff winning percentage is below 50% and all three of his goals coming by way of special teams. The 27-year-old has no shortage of critics, but those who say that Bozak’s presence has nothing to do with Kessel’s success should note that Kessel has only one goal in the last seven games without Bozak on his line.
David Clarkson – Grade = C+ : Clarkson had trouble getting back up to speed after being suspended for the first 10 games and registered only one assist in his first eight games, but he was more effective over the weekend against Buffalo, with two assists, generating more offensive chances, stepping up his physical play and tangling with Buffalo pest Steve Ott. All anyone can see is the $5.25 Million salary, but what the Leafs want to see is the “bull in the china shop” that Clarkson played like in New Jersey.
Nikolai Kulemin – Grade = C-: Kulemin will never be the 30 goal scorer of 2010-11 again, but Toronto needs his size on the wall and defensive/penalty killing abilities. The Russian winger broke an 18 game regular season goalless streak over the weekend. A chipped ankle bone kept the Russian winger out for 12 games.
Trevor Smith – Grade = C : Intended to be a veteran leader for the Toronto Marlies, Smith has been pressed into service by the Leafs due to the injuries to Bozak, Bolland and Kadri’s suspension. While not an NHL level talent, the 28-year-old has scored two goals in 11 games and showed good effort.
Troy Bodie – Grade = C- : Bodie was expected to be a veteran roster filler for the Marlies but surprised many by making the Leafs out of training camp. Although a limited player, Bodie used his size and hustle to be effective in a limited bottom six forward.
Josh Leivo – Grade = B- : Expected to spend an entire year seasoning in the AHL, Leivo was pressed into service and did not appear intimidated or out of place in the NHL. The 20-year-old scored two points in seven games and might have a good chance at earning an NHL job next season if he puts up solid numbers with the Marlies.
Jay McClement – Grade = B+ : McClement is a very effective defensive forward that has been forced into playing more ice time than expected with the slew of injuries at center, taking faceoffs and killing penalties. Although he only has one assist in 19 games, the Kingston, ON native is an extremely valuable role player.
Carter Ashton – Grade = C-: Ashton made the Leafs out of training camp purely on effort and hustle, but he does not appear to have many other positive attributes to his game.
Colton Orr – Grade = C : Orr continues to be a willing combatant, intimidating force and decent checker who Randy Carlyle has moved up to third line duty at times. Only criticism of Orr was not finding a way to engage Buffalo big mouth John Scott in a bout over the weekend.
Frazer McLaren – Grade = C- : Missed the first 11 games with a broken finger, has 35 PIM’s and three fights in nine games. Not sexy, but doing his job.
Peter Holland, David Broll, Jerred Smithson, Jamie Devane and Spencer Abbott – Grade = Incomplete
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