Toronto Maple Leafs: Individual Grades, Forwards Pt. II
At seasons end the Toronto Maple Leafs dressed 46 different players this season, with many making their NHL and/or Leaf debuts.
I have ranked each player on a grade scale (A, B, …F) that has played at least 20 games this season for Toronto and is still with the team. These grades are based more on both how they fared to their expectations at the beginning of the season than the level of player they are relative to the rest of the team. Part I can be found here. The defensive rankings will follow later this week.
RW. Toronto Maple Leafs. BRAD BOYES. D+. Brad Boyes had a very unspectacular season, finishing with 8 goals and 16 assists in 60 games. It is no surprise that he was not traded at the trade deadline; who would really want Brad Boyes enough to trade away assets? He had good underlying numbers but at some point you have to use the eye test and Brad Boyes did not pass the eye test.<p class=
B-. <p>Tyler Bozak has had a very eventful career as a Maple Leaf. Being signed after going undrafted, Bozak eventually found himself on the top line with the likes of sniper Phil Kessel. However, this year was different with the departure of his best friend and linemate. Many expected Bozak to take a lesser role on the team, as far as on ice responsibility, and he did. But many expected him to fall victim to playing with lesser players and he did what Tyler Bozak does best. He proved his critiques wrong, again.</p><p>Now, nobody is saying Bozak is a number one center, but he is competent linemate wherever he is placed on the lineup. With over 56% success in the face-off circle, he was once again relied on in many important and defensive situations. No doubt Kadri took over much of Bozaks responsibilities but never did Bozak look to fall victim of playing without Phil Kessel. He was the same Tyler Bozak we have known for years. He was underwhelming at times, but always consistent.</p><p>With the expectations on him at the beginning of the season being that of just a player that looked OK because of his linemates of JVR and Kessel, Bozak came through and showed us all that he is his own player. Competent, but not flashy. His consistency from this year compared to his past gives him the respectable B- grade.</p>. C. Toronto Maple Leafs. TYLER BOZAK
BYRON FROESE. A-. <p>For a guy that played 17 games in the ECHL last year, to be able to suit up for an NHL team for 56 games is nothing short of impressive however perplexing the decision was. On a team that was clearly inferior to all other teams with regards to talent, it led to the opportunity of Froese to break through in training camp and early in the season.</p><p>His defensive play and grit is what earned him the trust of Coach Babcock. The hard working fourth-liner finished with 5 points in 57 games, a feat not impressive in the slightest looking at the points alone. The impressive feat was his ability to take advantage of an opportunity when the door opened for him.</p><p>Very much like the Brandon Kozun of last year, Froese earned his way onto a talentless team that was just looking for someone to play the game the right way. With his lack of experience in the league, and playing in the ECHL for part of last season, the expectations on Byron Frosese were absolutely non-existent but he was able to force his way into the good books of Mike Babcock leading him to the surprising grade of A-.</p>. C. Toronto Maple Leafs
F. <p>Joffrey Lupul, the biggest supporter of guaranteed contracts on the active Toronto Maple Leafs roster. Once again Joffrey Lupul was plagued by his injuries leaving him to play in just 46 games. Even when Lupul suited up he never was able to make much of an impact. The career streaky scorer never got streaky this year leading to 11 goals and 3 assists. That’s right, 3 assists.</p><p>With the talent that Lupul possesses, his 3 assists are pitiful. That is 0.065 assists per game! There is no way on this green earth that 3 assists was a result of having poor teammates. Even players that played with Tie domi registered assists. Lupul had the expectations to be a leader on and off the ice this season, especially with the young guns coming up to play after the trade deadline.</p><p>Lupul, however, was not available as he was on IR, again. Joffrey Lupul has the talent to be a good top 6 winger or a very good top 9 winger. This year, he was neither. As to the expectations on him going into the season, the only thing he lived up to was us all expecting that he would be injured.</p>. LW. Toronto Maple Leafs. JOFFREY LUPUL
<p>William Nylander was given the title of best prospect not currently in the NHL, about have way through the Marlies season. He came onto a Leafs team that was desperately needing talent, a scoring touch, and someone to be excited about. Nylander was expected to be this guy…and he came through for the Toronto Maple Leafs fans.</p><p>Leaf nation got to see the sniper that William Nylander is and if they hadn’t already forgotten about a former hot dog eating sniper, people were really now asking Kessel who? Nylander is the face of a new franchise, whether he becomes captain or is an all-star is irrelevant. He is a sign of hope and excitement on a team that has had neither in far too long. Like I said, he is the face of a new franchise – not necessarily the face of the Toronto Maple Leafs, although he could be.</p><p>The expectations on William Nylander were too high to ever overachieve and far too easy to fall short. Nylander was able to do neither. He was the exact guy we had hoped he would be. Exciting, fast, a great skater, and a sign of hope on the Toronto Maple Leafs.</p><p>With the expectations that we all had of him, he was never going to be able to achieve an ‘A’ in this grading system, but he earns what is probably the greatest B grade that one could give. Meeting the expectations that we all had for Nylander was nothing short of impressive.</p>. C. Toronto Maple Leafs. WILLIAM NYLANDER. B
C. Toronto Maple Leafs. BROOKS LAICH. B+. Brooks Laich was seen as a salary dump to the Washington Capitals but he was welcomed in Toronto as a leader. On a team that once had less games played than Jaromir Jagr, the Maple Leafs needed a character veteran and they found him in a salary dump.<p>While he only had two goals in 81 games between both teams, he was clearly a leader. Taking many interview requests mid-periods and helping the rookies deal with the new pressure that is the Toronto media. Brooks Laich was the type of salary dump that the Toronto Maple Leafs needed to fall into. </p>
D+. Mark Arcobello barely made this list by playing in 20 games exactly. Arcobello never made it into the good books of Coach Babcock and was quickly regulated to the Toronto Marlies for the remainder of the season where he was a leader and one of their top scorers.<p>It was pretty obviously from early on in the season that Arcobello was not going to be the hidden gem they were hoping to unload at the trade deadline for a good prospect. His skating was never up to par to keep up with the speed of the NHL. </p>. LW. Toronto Maple Leafs. MARK ARCOBELLO