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Leafs report card – Pt. I (Goaltenders and Defense) |
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With the Toronto Maple Leafs on their five-day break and most of their players enjoying warm temperatures south of the border, it is a good chance to take a look at their roster and had out some grades on how they performed in the first half.
The Leafs are 25-17-3 and are firmly entrenched in third spot of the Atlantic Division, but they have slowed down offensively since the start of December and continue to give away points with their defensive shortcomings.
Here is my evaluation of the club’s defense and goaltending:
Goaltending
Frederik Andersen: Grade - A-
Andersen once again had trouble getting going in October, but he has arguably been the Leafs most valuable player since. Andersen leads the NHL in shots against (1261) and saves (1161) and game starts (37) and is in the top five with 22 wins and is on pace to play close to 70 games.
Curtis McElhinney: Grade - B
The veteran backup continues to play only in the second of back-to-backs and has an under .500 record (3-4-0) in seven starts. McElhinney is capable of playing very well in spots (his 41-save shutout over Edmonton in December is evidence of that), but the heavy reliance on Andersen may be in part because there is such a drop off from the starter to the backup.
Calvin Pickard: Grade - B+
Pickard was acquired from Vegas in October and is sharing the goaltending duties with Garret Sparks with the Toronto Marlies (11-5-0, 2.12 GAA, .924 save %) and played well in a 24-save effort against Colorado in late December.
Defensemen
Morgan Rielly: Grade - A-
The 23-year-old is third on the Leafs and with 31 points (5 goals, 26 assists), which is sixth among defensemen in the NHL and regularly draws the top line in defensive matchups with partner Ron Hainsey. Rielly has become a legitimate top pairing blueliner and there still may be a higher level he can reach.
Ron Hainsey: Grade – B+
Hainsey has 17 points and the 36-year-old continues to play top pairing minutes alongside Rielly and nearly the full two minutes on the Leafs penalty-killing unit. The heavy usage may take it’s toll later in the season, but up to this point the veteran has exceeded all expectations.
Nikita Zaitsev: Grade - B
Zaitsev led the Leafs in TOI (22:50) before suffering a broken foot against Detroit on Dec. 15 and he is not expected to return until late January. His absence forced the Leafs to put Connor Carrick back in the lineup and call up Martin Marincin from the AHL, which illustrates how valuable the former KHLer is to Toronto’s thin defensive corps.
Andreas Borgman: Grade - B-
The 22-year-old won the battle with Calle Rosen early in the season and has been pretty much a fixture on the bottom pairing until recently, when rookie Travis Dermott was called up. Borgman plays a physical edge (unlike many on the Leafs defense) but gets the least amount of ice time on most nights and no special teams responsibility.
Jake Gardiner: Grade - C+
Gardiner scored a career-high 43 points and led Toronto in plus/minus last season, but after a year where he was protected from top line matchups, he has not been sheltered as much by Mike Babcock this year and that has been reflected in a return of some questionable decision-making and defensive mistakes.
Connor Carrick: Grade – C
Carrick was the odd man out for close to month until Zaitsev’s injury and is currently part of a defensive rotation with Borgman and Dermott. The 23-year-old has five points in 25 games and excellent mobility, but his size makes it difficult to move players in front of the net.
Roman Polak: Grade – C
Polak has been pressed into a bigger role after Zaitsev’s injury, and his declining skating ability exposes him against speedy forwards. The veteran’s physicality is much needed on the Leafs blueline, but it has also resulted in an inordinate amount of time in the penalty box (32 penalty minutes in 26 games).
Martin Marincin: Grade – F
Marincin played well in the American Hockey League after being waived and sent down in October, but when recalled in late December, the blueliner’s penchant for bad turnovers and lack of discipline in the defensive zone returned. The 25-year-old is simply not an NHL defenseman and the Leafs need to give others a look or make a move for someone outside the organization if injuries strike.
Travis Dermott: Grade – B+
The 21-year-old has only played two games, but was impressive enough to earn a longer look before Zaitsev returns. Dermott displayed excellent speed and offensive instincts, and did not shy away from the physical side of the game, but will need to continue that to remain with the club long-term.
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