While we pretend there will be hockey soon, a highly-informal ranking of the Leaf roster as we head to training camp

Those who know the leanings of the Vintage Leaf Memories site know that I tend to eschew doing the traditional (if often fun) player rankings.  What I’m referring to are those “letter” assessments that seek to categorize players in a quasi-academic style of grading.  I’ve tended to not do this because I feel there are other observers who are much more qualified and who do it more expertly than myself.

Acknowledging that, let’s have some fun nonetheless and walk through the present Leaf roster, and, as best we can, project what it will look like come October (or early January, more likely…).

(Editor’s note- though I’m the writer and the editor, so no discernable distinction there, eh?  My method is kind of a amalgam of different criteria.  It is not based on statistics, and certainly not the popular ‘advanced stats’ utilized by many modern-day analysts who have an expertise I simply don't.  It’s also not just my perceptions of how guys performed this past season, though that obviously is a significant element in my breakdown.  It does include my view of their track record, their potential for growth and their desirability when it comes to being a Maple Leaf for the foreseeable future.

Today:  Goaltenders and the defense

Goal

James Reimer:  B

Now, you may wonder precisely how I can possibly ascribe this kind of relatively high “grade” to a goaltender who is coming off a serious injury and played only sporadically—and somewhat inconsistently—during a grueling sophomore season in blue and white.  For me, it’s simple.  I know he has issues with his glove hand.  I know he is lacking in certain areas.  But beyond his engaging personality (which I really do appreciate), I think we can better make an assessment on a young player as he strides through his third season than in our usual rush to judgment after a flashy rookie season—or a struggling sophomore year.  Let’s just say this:  I think Reimer has something to “prove” this coming season.  If he stays healthy, I think he will grab the number-one job and run with it.  In his first year here, he gave up soft goals, as most netminders do, but he also usually closed the door late in games or when the Leafs were fighting to crawl back into a contest.  I like his spirit, and think he can play the position.  Thus, the “B” grade.

Ben Scrivens:  (incomplete)

I guess we're looking at Scrivens as the "other" Leaf goalie at this point, along with Reimer.  But I actually believe something will happen once the CBA is cleared up and the Leafs will ultimately sign or trade for a goaltender.  Whether that it a big name like Luongo, someone we're not even thinking about or simply an experienced back-up, I have no idea.  But I'd be shocked if we went into a season with two young guys that have less than 100 NHL games between them.

Scrivens played OK during his brief time with the big club last season, and was certainly instrumental in the Marlies making it all the way to the Calder Cup finals.   But I can't say I have much to offer when it comes to assessing him.  Does he have a much higher ceiling?  Is he just another nice goalie, someone who can play well in bursts but is generally just another guy in net?  I don't know at this point.  But he seems to want it, and that counts for a fair bit.

Defense

Dion Phaneuf:  B+

Phaneuf rates this grade, for me, because he logs huge minutes on an unproven blueline corps. He brings an offensive dimension, though perhaps not quite what we were sold on (or hoped for, with that big shot) when he first came over from Calgary.  He can certainly be beaten on the outside, and he gives up on plays sometimes, but by and large he brings a modestly physical presence to his work, the occasional big hit and is a solid overall contributor.  A team leader?  That I’m not sure of, but I’m comfortable focusing on what he can do, as opposed to what he can’t—at this point.

John-Michael Liles:  B-

Liles may have been operating at a B+ or even better level in the first part of the 2011-’12 season, but post-concussion, he was not really the same guy, understandably so.  So I’ll saw it off in the middle.  He has always been a fine skater, and makes heads-up plays to go along with the usual assortment of flaws in his defensive game,  Is he just another everyday NHL defenseman?  Maybe.  I'm not sure he will ever be more than that.  Whether he is now “trade bait”, I have no idea.  But a Liles who played as he did in the early part of last season would be fine, thank you.

Carl Gunnarsson: B

I’d like to give Gunner a higher grade (he’s probably one of my favourite Leafs) but he remains a mystery man to me.  He’s not particularly anything (not super physical, not the world’s best skater, etc…) but  he can play significant minutes if necessary and does more than just take up space.  He’s a smart player who seems to play his position well most nights and can chip in with some timely offensive plays.  He’s one of the few trading chips that we have (a proven NHL defenseman) but I continue to hope that we won’t have to move him.

Mike Komisarek:  C-

I spent the last two autumns telling myself (and readers here) that I believed Komisarek would bounce back and find his stride -and confidence- in Toronto.  He never really has.  I like his attitude and he certainly is a ‘gamer’.  I just don’t know if he somehow peaked in Montreal,  while playing in the perfect pairing for him (it was Markov, right?) or what happened, but he’s not the same guy here.  I’m trying to keep salary out of the assessment equation here, but that can’t help but colour my thinking just a bit.  So a C- seems fair.

Jake Gardiner:  B

Now, I’m sure some observers will say I am grossly under-valuing Gardiner here.  But I need to see more.  He clearly is a wonderful skater.  But like a skilled young pitcher (or hitter) in baseball, the league will know him a lot better the second time around.  Teams know he doesn’t like to be hit, and they will know better how to not go for his jukes, feints and 'head bobs' (a la Carl Brewer, right, the ultra-skilled Leaf defenseman in the team's hey-day in the early 1960s.  While Brewer was a sneaky dirty in his early NHL days and Gardiner is not that, young Jake does possess some of Carl's splendid offensive gifts...) this season, I would suspect.  Yes, he can often skate away from trouble, but while he is no doubt an untouchable in the minds of the Leaf brass, he remains, again just for me perhaps, a work in progress.  If his career arc grows as it did last season, he may well be a straight “A” in terms of not just skill but impact before too long.  Right now, I think we were blown away because we were surprised by his performance last season—and we haven’t had a lot to cheer about in terms of high-end skill here in recent years.  As I’ve posted here before, I want to see him develop as an all-around defenseman and be better in the corners and in front of his own net.  So I’ll apply a somewhat harsher criteria here, and a more modest-level grade.

Cody Franson:  C+

I really don’t know what to make of Franson.  He was good enough to help the Predators in the playoffs and play key minutes in 2010-’11,  and his former coach, Barry Trotz, said last season they'd take him back in a second.  Yet  he wasn’t even dressing for the Leafs early last season.  There seemed to be a feeling that, like Keith Aulie, he had “assumed” his position on the roster.  Perhaps was a victim of the supposed “meritocracy” regime.  (You know, where Leaf players have to "prove" themselves and all that.  Until they’re in the regular, everyday line-up, that is, and then their flaws are seemingly more easily forgiven…)  Bottom line: the guy can skate a bit, has that powerful shot, and can be somewhat physical.  An All-Star?  No, not right now, but an NHL defenseman, yes.

Part of the fun in all this is that we all see things differently, and I full anticipate that many observers will disagree rather vehemently.  So by all means share your views.

I’ll aim to post on the forwards in the next day or two….