After the Leafs battle in Boston, I need you to answer some questions…

While one game is rarely an absolute indicator of what’s to come, my guess is a lot of Leaf fans were looking at the Thursday night encounter in Boston as a mini-barometer, at least, of where the Leafs really are at this point in their development arc.  Most of us really do believe they are an improved squad- better coached, with better goaltending and more commitment to playing consistently hard than they had a year ago.

Whether you buy (or not)  the idea of the Bruins being the ultimate “measuring stick” in the Eastern Conference for an emerging team like the Leafs, I think there was a little extra interest in Leafland around this particular game, especially in light of how the Bruins have hammered the blue and white the last couple of seasons.

I said going into the game that I saw no reason that the Leafs could not match up against Boston.  That’s exactly what we saw—a competitive Leaf team.  Especially given that it was a road game and the second of a 'back-to-back',  they kept it close.  (That said, I didn't think the Leafs were particularly a threat in the third period, and the Grabbo/McClement goal was fluky, though the Leafs did a nice job of keeping the puck in the offensive zone.)  Boston was perhaps vulnerable coming off some recent games where they coughed up leads, but Toronto couldn't quite finish off the comeback late in the third.

Still, the Leafs can play with these guys.  This is a different Leaf team, one that has grittier players like McClement and Komarov, edgy guys who get the opposition off their game.  Too, they have Kadri finding his game -and his confidence- at this level, and they have achieved what they have this season without Lupul and Gardiner in their lineup—two mainstays from a season ago.  When Lupul and Frattin rejoin the squad, they should be operating on all cylinders.

This is not to get caught up in any hype.  That’s not it at all.  They have a ways to go to be a really top team.  But it’s clear the Leafs are a tougher team to play against.  Most teams in the East don’t like having to play teams like the Leafs, who finish their checks more often than not these days. Teams with skill and some toughness, like the Bruins and Rangers, usually have an edge

The Leafs are showing toughness, and it helps that the Leafs have some semblance of chemistry and harmony on their forward lines and on their defense pairings.

For their part, the Bruins are not quite as “rugged” as they were when they won the Stanley Cup two years ago, or at least I don’t see them as quite as physical as they were.  Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe there is no reason why the Leafs would be intimidated playing against the Bruins at this point.  They weren’t Thursday night.

I was impressed that Kadri scored in Boston, tying the game up at one in the second period on a nice rush with MacArthur.  Kadri is still improving, though he is developing quickly after his progress maybe seemed a bit stalled the last year or so.  We can debate whether the Leafs handled his ups and downs properly, but regardless, he’s the most dangerous guy on their roster right now and it’s a good sign that he can be offensively productive against Boston.  I say that because if Boston is indeed the best in the East (or at least in a group with other hopefuls like the Rangers, who I think may be rounding into form after a sluggish first half of the season) and Kadri can play well against them, that will be a huge boost for the Leafs.

We know the playoffs expose flaws in teams that aren’t quite ready for prime time, and that’s why making the playoffs is so important.  Let’s find out if this team is ready to win in the springtime.  If not, Nonis and Carlyle can see what exactly they need to alter to become, soon, the top team in the East.

After watching the Leafs in Boston, I need you to address a few specific questions, based on what you saw—and have seen from the Leafs lately:

1. Did we skate with the Bruins?  We’re a skating team, still.  How did we hold up in your estimation in that regard?
2. How did we measure up in physical terms?  I don’t mean fighting,  I’m talking about taking and giving hits, fighting for loose pucks and our grit in the corners and in front of the net.  (Some examples of the physical hockey I personally like:  the Holzer hip check late in the third and the Boychuk open ice hit on van Riemsdyk earlier in the game. For me, those were examples of tough, clean hockey.) Are we now in the Bruins’ league in that regard?
3. Do we have the defensive structure—and the personnel—to deal with what the Bruins would bring in a seven-game playoff series?
4. A couple of weeks ago I posted here that I thought the Leafs were already playing something akin to “playoff style” hockey.  That is, close checking, tight to the vest, with a focus on finishing checks and fighting for pucks while keeping the games close and relying on solid goaltending.  No, the playoff urgency is not there yet for any team, but have the Leafs maintained that approach, or have they hit the mid-season blahs, despite a lot of victories of late?
5. If you’re of the view we still aren’t quite in Boston’s league yet, what do you think we need to do to get there?

The Bergeron line was pretty good against the Leafs. If we can contain them, you have to think we really can play with the Bruins.

But before we look too far ahead, you have some questions to answer.