With any hope of making the playoffs this year fading faster than a three-goal lead, let's take a look ahead at what could be on the horizon for our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs have some "cornerstones" in place with Phil Kessel locked up for the foreseeable future, along with Nazim Kadri, Viktor Stalberg, Jiri Tlusty, and Nikolai Kulemin. The next couple of years could see remarkable changes in Leaf Land.
Overall, the game is moving both backward and forward at the same time. With the elimination of clutching and grabbing and more open ice, small "power" forwards, will once again be the mainstay of most teams.
With that being said, we should also see the re-emergence of the "stay at home" type of defenseman to a degree. With the speed and quickness of opposing forwards, the Leafs, as it stands right now, are ill equipped.
The Leafs' future on defense doesn't hold as much potential as the forward core. With the emergence of Luke Schenn and Carl Gunnarsson on the horizon, as well as stalwarts like Tomas Kaberle, Ian White, and Mike Van Ryn, the Leafs' defense will have a good solid base.
The biggest question ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Eric Warren
Toronto Maple Leafs: A Look Ahead to the 2010 Season
November 20th, 2009 by Eric Warren Leave a reply »
Advertisement