It’s definitely one of those days were getting up and facing the day was a difficult task. Southern Ontario and Western New York are getting hit with another(and hopefully the last) snowstorm and most of us stayed up late to watch a rather one-sided dismantling of the Leafs by San Jose. Because of that, it struck me as a good time to answer some questions via Twitter.
Q:…@namy0077 asks - (Is the Leafs) goaltending good enough to make a run in the playoffs?
A: The Leafs goaltending duties for the playoffs will undoubtedly be in the hands of Jonathan Bernier, as the regular season has been a proving ground for the 25-year-old goaltender. Bernier has played in 49 of their 67 games and has put up better numbers(2.59 GAA, .926 sv %, 25-16-7 record) than James Reimer, but that is no guarantee that Bernier will be able to carry the Leafs further than Reimer did last year.
Toronto’s playoff fortunes will rest more on how their special teams and blueline perform. Jake Gardiner, Cody Franson and rookie Morgan Rielly provide offense and mobility, but are prone to defensive gaffes or are inexperienced.
Q: …@Ydargo_asks - What is your ideal bottom 6 forwards?
A: The ideal bottom six for the playoffs would be contingent on Bolland being able to return at close to 100% in the next couple weeks. Reports are that the two-time Stanley Cup winner is close to being ready, but that there is still some discomfort and lack of mobility in his surgically repair ankle.
Assuming that Bolland is able to play, the best third line would be Mason Raymond, Bolland and David Clarkson, with a fourth line of Troy Bodie, Jay McClement and Colton Orr. For those who think Orr shouldn’t be in the lineup, he was very effective in putting the body on Zdeno Chara during last year’s series against Boston.
Q: …@steveclay asks -Will Phil Kessel be one of this year's Hart Trophy finalists? He may be the 1st Leaf in over 50 years to be top 2 in scoring. A: Sidney Crosby is a shoo-in to be nominated for the Hart, as he is leading the league with 88 points. Alex Ovechkin will likely not be selected if the Caps miss the playoffs in spite of leading the league in goals. The Blues are the current leader for the President’s Trophy, but their offense is more by committee and Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry could cancel each other out. If Kessel maintains his current pace and finishes behind only Crosby, he should get be one of the finalists.
Q…: @erikcarreau asks - Who could the Leafs target for a top 4 defenseman to bring a better balance to their top 6
A: Leafs GM Dave Nonis might be in a perfect position to add one of his former players if Vancouver GM Mike Gillis follows through on his plan to re-tool his declining club. Defenseman Alexander Edler will be entering year two of a five-year, $25 Million contract and was nearly traded to Boston at the deadline. If they want a right handed shooting blueliner, they could make a play for hard hitting Kevin Bieksa. The Grimsby, ON native is 32 and is under contract for another two seasons at $4.6 Million per year, but would have to waive his no-trade clause. Other possibles are Phoenix’s Keith Yandle or Buffalo’s Tyler Myers if the Sabres continue to strip down their team.
Q: …@joeymwilson asks – Is (Jake)Gardiner as good as gone?
A: All the signs point to the Leafs parting ways with the 23-year-old defenseman in the summer if they can get equal value for him. The skating ability and offensive potential of Gardiner is apparent in stretches like the playoff series against Boston, but in spite of being his third NHL season, he continues to make puzzling defensive gaffes.
Gardiner is an RFA after the expiration of his entry level contract this June and could be looking for a long term deal similar to young defenders like Roman Josi, Travis Hamonic and Slava Voynov received last year. Toronto would most likely want to commit to a two-year bridge deal as they did with Nazem Kadri. Rielly’s development as a mobile defenseman could make the Univ. of Wisconsin product expendable and Carlyle’s lack of trust in Gardiner’s decision making could limit him to a bottom pairing role, whereas the Leafs need to more solid two-way defender to eat minutes and play in their top four.
Q: …@charuk92 asks - What first-round playoff match do you think would give Leafs best chance to advance to 2nd round?
A: If the Leafs finish in the top three in the Atlantic Division, they will be able to avoid a difficult first round match against Pittsburgh and Boston. Tampa Bay would be challenging series, but the Leafs would have a good chance to beat the Lightning, who appear to have lost their mojo after trading Martin St Louis. My personal favorite would be for Toronto to play Montreal for the first time in the post-season since 1979. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are an entirely different level of tension and excitement and facing the Habs would be phenomenal.
Thanks for all your questions.
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******
For Those on Twitter: Follow @mikeinbuffalo
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information click here.