May 8, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs players celebrate a goal by left wing Clarke MacArthur (16) in the second period against the Boston Bruins during game four of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

The first thing I wanted to see was already changed going into game 4. Clarke MacArthur was put back in the lineup and Ryan Hamilton was the healthy scratch. I do not understand why Hamilton played in the last 2 games and MacArthur didn’t. As much as I adore Hamilton the playoffs are not the time to give the kid from the AHL a shot, you are always better to go with the guy who has been with the team all season, but I think MacArthur’s goal said all that for me.

Secondly, Phil Kessel should not be on the first line. Yes, I said it, again. I know I’m probably starting to sound like a broken record but he isn’t a first line guy. Kessel cannot pass, a failed pass cost a goal in game 3 and there were many more in that game and game 4 that cost the Leafs puck possession. The difference between the passing between the Joffrey Lupul, Tyler Bozak, Matt Frattin line and any line involving Kessel is remarkable. The second thing about Kessel is that he is a one-trick pony and Tuukka Rask has figured out the trick. Rask knows he is going to try to go high glove side so every time Kessel is gunning for the net Rask takes it away leaving the whole blocker side completely open. Rather than shoot at the open net Kessel shoots wide causing a rebound off the boards which usually results in Bruins puck possession.

May 8, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner (51) skates out with the puck against the Boston Bruins during game four of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Lastly, something needs to be done about the amount of times I shouted this name at the television in frustration: Dion Phaneuf. Phaneuf should not be playing 31 minutes a game.  He gets tired and thinks he’s better than he is, which causes him to try and make hits in overtime that cost goals. Jake Gardiner should have been the one to pick up the slack when Mark Fraser was injured. Gardiner was on fire last night, he was the Jake that I know and love. I had the privilege of watching him play at the beginning of the season, during the lock-out, pre-concussion and it was unbelievable.  He was a man playing with the boys. He has this calmness and intuition that makes it so he knows when to stay back and when to join in on the play. Phaneuf doesn’t have that, Gardiner should be playing more minutes than him.

So that is my rant for the day. I know you are going to disagree so share your thoughts in the comment box below, on facebook, on twitter (@kcapp22 or @TMMotS), or by email (tmmots@yahoo.ca).

There are a few keys to success in this playoff series and the first will be goal tending  This is usually what most series boil down to. The team with the best goaltender usually wins the cup, for the last two years the Conn Smythe Trophy has gone to a goalie (Jonathan Quick and Tim Thomas). In this series we have James Reimer and Tuukka Rask. These two are very similar when it comes to stats. They both have 19 wins, Reimer has a goals against average of 2.46 while Rask’s is 2.00, Reimer’s save percentage is 0.924 and Rask’s is 0.929. When it comes to goaltending it is really anyone’s game.

Another huge part of this series is going to be physical play. Boston is a physical team which means they are going to come out swinging, but the Leafs have become a very physical team this season. Leo Komarov leads the team in hits with 176 he is also fifth in the league in hits. Mark Fraser is second on the team with 153 and Dion Phaneuf is third with 131. Colton Orr leads the league in penalty minutes with 155. I think the Leafs will hold their own physically just fine.

The players to watch are the same as every Leafs and Bruins game Phil Kessel, Tyler Seguin, and Dougie Hamilton. The reasoning behind this is that the picks that allowed Boston to draft Seguin and Hamilton were acquired from Toronto for Kessel and ever since (especially now that Brian Burke is no longer GM of the Leafs) everyone has been trying to figure out who the winner of the trade was. I don’t know about anyone else but Tyler Seguin’s Stanley Cup ring tells me the Leafs lost big time. It also  doesn’t help the Leafs case that Kessel checks under his bed for Zdeno Chara every night.A couple of other players to watch on the Leafs would definitely be Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul. Kadri has been hot all season and I expect him to bring all that and more to the playoffs. When he has been healthy this season Lupul has been on fire and he can be considered a playoff veteran on this young team. On The Bruins I would be keeping an eye on Carl Soderberg. With all of the anticipation regarding his signing in Boston it will be interesting to see if he will live up to all the hype.

In the end I’m a Leafs fan, so I have to pick them to come out of this one, but I want to hear what you all think. Who will win the series? Who should we be keeping an eye on? What does each team need to do to win? Share your thoughts in the comment box below, on facebook, on twitter (@kcapp22 or @TMMotS), or by email (tmmots@yahoo.ca).

A member of the original six, the Maple Leafs have not made the playoffs since before the last lockout in 2004-05 that wiped out the entire season.  The 2003-04 season was the sixth straight year the club made the playoffs and now it’s been seven long years since they’ve had playoff hockey in Toronto.

With eight games remaining in the Leafs schedule and seven points up on the ninth place club, the Leafs look promising to make the cut and play in the second season.  But is that as far as it will go or does this team have what it takes to make a run at the Stanley Cup?

The obvious point that will surely bring up the most debate is in goal.  Can James Reimer and Ben Scrivens carry the workload and play well enough to help this team win a few rounds.  In other words, can Reimer put the team on his back and steal a game or two on the road, like Boston for example, that could be the turning point in the series.  Remember Dwayne Roloson when the Edmonton Oilers went on their playoff run in 2005-06 and how he carried the team in multiple games that they had no right to win but managed to squeak out a key victory?  Reimer may need to do something similar if this team wants to play past the first round.

Management tried to trade for Roberto Luongo and tried to convince Miikka Kiprusoff to come Toronto but to no avail.  Does this mean that management doesn’t have the faith in Reimer or Scrivens to be able to outperform Tuukka Rask or Carey Price or any other goalie the Leafs may face in the first round?  Probably not, but it does mean that they recognized the need for a veteran presence in net that has playoff experience.

Regardless, the trades never happened and it’s now Reimer’s job to elevate his game come playoff time.  Leafs’ fans will no best if they have complete and utter confidence in Reimer or Scrivens or if trading for Luongo or Kiprusoff was essential.

Leafs’ fans have to recall the 1992-93 playoffs when a young, 23-year old rookie netminder named Felix Potvin stole the show in Toronto and came within a game of leading the Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup final.  Maybe twenty years later we’re set for another reunion of sorts for the Maple Leafs, this time in the form of James Reimer.

Up front the play of Phil Kessel recently has brought renewed optimism for the forward after a slow and horrific start.  He does bring some playoff experience and despite it being only two seasons in the playoffs, he has averaged a point per game with 15 points in as many games, all with the Boston Bruins.

But if the Leafs should draw the Bruins in the first round will Kessel disappear like he’s known to in the regular season when big Zdeno Chara runs ragged on him?  Kessel’s offensive production will be key to the Leafs having success in the postseason and it may mean having to come out from under his shell if they play his former team.

Having a healthy team is always vital to a club’s chances in competing for the cup and perhaps none more so than Joffrey Lupul‘s to the Maple Leafs.  When he’s playing this year for the Leafs he scoring goals.  When he’s not the team is still finding ways to win but it’s obvious they are a much better club with him in the lineup.  Whether or not he can recover from the concussion that the team refuses to admit that he has could go a long way in determining how far the Leafs will play into the spring.

Another key is Nazem Kadri. The often scrutinized forward is having a career year with 17 goals and 23 assists in 40 games.  There have been nights where Kadri has won the Leafs the game on his own.  How well that translates into playoff production will remain to be seen but the Leafs need him to continue his torrid pace to have a shot.

On the backend the Maple Leafs can look no further than their captain Dion Phaneuf.  He needs to lead by example which also means staying out of the penalty box.  Discipline will be crucial for the Leafs and their captain has to reiterate that by his own play.

Cody Franson, John-Michael Liles and Ryan O’Byrne will need to elevate their game and youngsters Michael Kotska and Carl Gunnarsson need to play fearless.  Of course there is the Jake Gardiner fiasco that is ongoing in Toronto who could be an asset come playoff time.

The Maple Leafs have the toughness to compete with the Bruins should they meet in the first round, they just have to play like it and not back down.

It may be asking too much to have all the above come together and even then it might not be enough for the Leafs to win the cup.  But if last year’s epic run by the Los Angeles Kings taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen and never rule out the impossible.

All the jokes about the Leafs winning that cup and 1967 could finally be erased or it could be another year tacked on to the drought.  Either way, the Maple Leafs are sure to bring some exciting hockey to the playoffs this year.  What happens after that is anyone’s guess.

What are your thoughts or comments.  Do the Leafs have a chance to win the Stanley Cup or do they fall into the pretender category? Leave your comments below.