2009/2010 Preview
With the hiring of Brian Burke midway through the 2008/2009 NHL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have undergone a number of roster changes as Brian Burke molds the team into a bigger, tougher, and meaner team to play against. Below are listed all the moves that Brian Burke has made during his tenure with the Maple Leafs along with my own opinion as to how this new Maple Leafs team is likely to perform.
New Arrivals:
- Mike Komisarek
- Francois Beauchemin
- Colton Orr
- Garnet Exelby
- Tyler Bozak
- Chris Hanson
- Jonas Gustavsson
Departures:
- Pavel Kubina
- Dominic Moore
- Nik Antropov
What To Expect:
The Leafs were a top 10 team in scoring last season and while they have lost some of their scoring due to trades they should still remain in the top 15 in goals for. The team's big problem last season was both goaltending and defense as they were last in the league in goals against. While they have improved their defense with the additions of Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin, without better goaltending from Vesa Toskala and newly acquired backup Jonas Gustavsson the Leafs will likely fall short of making the playoffs for a 6th straight season. My own opinion is the Leafs offense will suffer while the defense and goaltending will slightly improve. I expect the Leafs will finish 9th-11th in the Eastern Conference.