Stickytape
New member
I think it's great that a case can be made for several players. This isn't a team that's riding on just one or two big names.
I'd say Phaneuf has the second hardest job on the ice, after Reimer, and there's no way to make that look easy; plus he has the C on his chest, so I think people expect more out of him than your average player. However, if you set that aside and simply look at what he's contributed to the team, I think he's definitely in the running, and quite possibly the guy.
That said, Reimer has stolen a couple of insanely hard games, and has come away with wins despite the team being outshot as much as 3 to 1. And this is on top of a lot of testing periods where he and Scrivens were swapping spots, which has to be hard on the nerves. He's been amazing since the trade deadline and I'd say he's the biggest reason why the leafs have clinched their first playoff spot in 9 years.
I feel like it's one of those two guys, though there are a lot of honourable mentions. Kessel and Kadri have both been responsible for a lot of points, and Kadri's in particular have resulted in a lot of almost single-handed wins. Also, I have the feeling that if Lupul had been healthy all year, it'd be him, no contest. And there are a few other guys who have had great years in general, who have been invaluable; McClement, for example, has been a huge reason for the way the Leafs have turned the 3rd worst PK into the 3rd best.
I'd say Phaneuf has the second hardest job on the ice, after Reimer, and there's no way to make that look easy; plus he has the C on his chest, so I think people expect more out of him than your average player. However, if you set that aside and simply look at what he's contributed to the team, I think he's definitely in the running, and quite possibly the guy.
That said, Reimer has stolen a couple of insanely hard games, and has come away with wins despite the team being outshot as much as 3 to 1. And this is on top of a lot of testing periods where he and Scrivens were swapping spots, which has to be hard on the nerves. He's been amazing since the trade deadline and I'd say he's the biggest reason why the leafs have clinched their first playoff spot in 9 years.
I feel like it's one of those two guys, though there are a lot of honourable mentions. Kessel and Kadri have both been responsible for a lot of points, and Kadri's in particular have resulted in a lot of almost single-handed wins. Also, I have the feeling that if Lupul had been healthy all year, it'd be him, no contest. And there are a few other guys who have had great years in general, who have been invaluable; McClement, for example, has been a huge reason for the way the Leafs have turned the 3rd worst PK into the 3rd best.