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Players The players can't escape blame entirely either. They have to held accountable. This is as good a place as any to do just that.
Phil Kessel is proving he can be an elite NHL player this year. He has raised his offensive game to superstar status and he is actually back checking. Not just back checking, back checking hard. His heart has been questioned in the past, but he is answering those questions with consistent performance this year. The best part about Kessel's game has been the effect he has had on his linemates. Lupul and Bozak have been keeping up with Kessel and he hasn't made it easy for them. It's the best first line the Leafs have had in a lot of years.
Dion Phaneuf is going to be a lot of fun to watch. We haven't had a crusher on the blue line in a long long time. If we ever make the playoffs, one of the most important things our defence can do is to hit the other teams forwards so hard they are scared to cross our blue line. That's why Scott Stevens was so successful in the playoffs. Phaneuf gives us that presence on the blue line.
Luke Schenn was Toronto's first round draft pick in 2008. Not many people predicted he could make the Team right out of training camp. Schenn reminds me of Scott Young's fictional character Bill Spunska, the Polish kid from Peterborough who made the Leafs blueline against all odds. I am really looking forward to seeing him wear the "C" on his jersey one day. Schen is stuggling with the sophmore jynx this year, but he will rebound.
Mike Komisarek I think signing Komisarek from the Habs was a great move. Not only did we add a dependable, tough defenceman to our blueline, we stole him from a rival in our division. Komisarek year has been plagued with injuries, but he will recover and we will be glad we have him next year.
Alexei Ponikarovsky has proven to get better with age. I don't think he will ever be a dominant forward in the NHL but he is a useful second liner and he works pretty hard. I think we could probably get a decent draft pick if we package him with one of our extra defencemen and send them to a playoff bound team.
Tyler Bozak is a gifted young player who has a lot of potential. Now that Stajan is in Calgary, we have no choice but to give Bozak the chance he has earned. He is not worthy of a number one centre position in the NHL yet, but our options are very limited and the experience he is gaining now will help him become a better player in the future.
Colton Orr is a certified NHL heavy weight and it is nice to know he is on our team. He gives the Leafs a presence they badly needed last year. It's nice to know that if someone is taking liberties with our team, we have somebody who can answer the call.
Mikhail Grabovski has shown flashes of brilliance in his short Maple Leafs career. With his talent, speed and reluctance to keep his head up, he is an injury waiting to happen. Grabovski should send Brian Burke a thank you note for aquiring Colton Orr. Maybe this year people will think twice before taking a run at Grabovski.

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