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TSN Director of Scouting

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The Toronto Maple Leafs were projected to finish last in the Eastern Conference and they are challenging for that dubious distinction. That said, the team has exceeded expectations by winning more games than predicted and playing a better brand of hockey along the way.

Based on exceedingly low expectations – propagated by the Leafs themselves - they have earned a C-minus grade on their Interim Report Card.

Below are the Maple Leafs’ individual player grades.

Three factors were considered in assigning grades: performance, results and expectations, as framed by age, previous performance and cap hit/contract average annual value (AAV). Skaters must have appeared in a minimum of 10 games and goalies, five, to be graded.

Spotlight Player Grade: Assigning a mark to Nazem Kadri is tricky. He is among the NHL leaders in generating shots (84) and has earned the wholehearted trust of Mike Babcock, who calls him his best forward. Juxtapose that, though, with meagre scoring results - two goals and eight points in 21 games – and his $4.1-million contract.

Everybody knows that it’s about playing the right way – which, by all accounts, Kadri is doing - but that doesn’t register on the scoreboard. For that reason, my quarter-season grade for Kadri is C-plus. 

Editor’s Note: Follow TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button at  @CraigJButton and join the discussion on his Interim Report Cards.

 

Grading System

A  Excellent
B  Very Good
C  Satisfactory
D  Poor
F  Failing
Inc. Incomplete

 

Leafs' Grades By Player

 
               
Goalies Grade Age AAV W L OT Sv%
James Reimer A+ 27 $2.3 m 7 3 3 0.936
Jonathan Bernier F 27 $4.2 m 0 7 1 0.895
Defencemen Grade Age AAV GP G P +/-
Morgan Rielly B 21 $894 k 21 3 12 -8
Dion Phaneuf B 30 $7.0 m 21 2 11 2
Matt Hunwick B 30 $1.2 m 21 0 1 -6
Jake Gardiner C 25 $4.1 m 18 2 5 -2
Roman Polak C 29 $2.8 m 19 0 3 2
Scott Harrington C 22 $589 k 14 0 1 1
Martin Marincin D+ 23 $700 k 12 0 0 -3
Forwards Grade Age AAV GP G P +/-
Tyler Bozak B 29 $4.2 m 17 3 12 -2
Joffrey Lupul B 32 $5.3 m 21 7 10 -2
Leo Komarov B 28 $3.0 m 21 6 10 -3
James van Riemsdyk C+ 26 $4.3 m 21 7 11 -7
P.A. Parenteau C+ 32 $1.5 m 21 6 9 -4
Nazem Kadri C+ 25 $4.1 m 21 2 8 7
Daniel Winnik C+ 30 $2.3 m 20 2 7 4
Nick Spaling C+ 27 $2.2 m 15 0 2 -2
Peter Holland C 24 $775 k 16 3 8 1
Shawn Matthias C 27 $2.3 m 20 2 6 -2
Byron Froese C 24 $575 k 15 0 3 -2
Brad Boyes D+ 33 $700 k 16 1 7 -3
Michael Grabner D 28 $3.0 m 19 0 2 2