Leafs close to flunking out
Only Kessel, Kaberle score high marks on team report card
Michael Traikos, National Post
Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009They did not have letter grades where Jonas Gustavsson went to school.

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jonas Gustavsson skates to his net as Calgary Flames forwards Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla celebrate Iginla's goal during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Toronto November 14, 2009.
Photograph by : Reuters
So the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender, who grew up in Sweden, does not know what receiving an F in a report cards means. But he understands failure.
And with just three wins in their first 19 games Gustavsson has no problem assigning a failing grade to his team now that the first-quarter of the season is in the books. In the Swedish approval system, the result would be an IG (Icke godkand).
Or "not approved."
"Of course, we can improve on lots of things," said Gustavsson. "We haven't got as many wins as we want. And we haven't got as many points as we want. It's something that we have to work on."
Indeed, the Leafs are in serious need of a tutor.
Toronto is tied with the Carolina Hurricanes, its opponent tonight, for last place in the overall standings. The Leafs are also last in goals-against average (3.68 per game), penalty killing (71.4% success rate) and even-strength goals (1.42 per game).
If there is something to be optimistic about, it is that the season is far from over. And based on the effort in the last 10 games, the players are striving for a passing grade.
"We are working all the time to be better as a team," Gustavsson said. "I think everyone is working hard to be better as a player, too. I think you haven't seen our best yet."
As for what we have seen, here is the Leafs' report card -- Swedish style -- through the first quarter of the season.
Passed with special distinction (MYCKET VAL GODKAND)
Tomas Kaberle
It is hard to imagine what state the Leafs and their power play would be in had they traded the offensive-minded puck-mover, who has 13 points on the man-advantage. Phil GP G APts /-
Pil Kessel
Arrived to Toronto with great expectations. He missed the first month of the season, but has delivered on offence by averaging nearly a goal per game.
Passed with distinction (VAL GODKAND)
Ian White
The diminutive and underrated White is among the league's top 20 defencemen in scoring, and has the best plusminus rating of Leafs defencemen.
Passed (GODKAND)
Jonas Gustavsson
The Monster is the only Toronto goalie to have won a game. But he has also allowed seven goals on 35 shots in his last two starts.
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Has quietly led Toronto forwards in hits (34) and plus-minus rating (2). Of his team-leading seven goals, six were scored in even-strength situations.
Colton Orr
With seven fighting majors and 59 minutes in penalties, the fourth-liner has added truculence and spent as much time in the box as on the ice.
Did not achieve the goals (EJ UPPNATT MALEN)
Francois GP G APts /-Beauchemin 19 2 5 7 -9 Former Duck has looked lost without Scott Niedermayer by his side. Has no points in 5-on-5 play, and is tied for the worst minus rating on the team.
Jason Blake
The veteran winger had a team-leading 25 goals and 63 points last season. This year, he is on pace for eight goals and 47 points.
Garnet Exelby
Along with Finger, has rotated in and out of the lineup. When he plays, the heat-seeking defenceman sometimes puts himself out of position looking for a big hit.
Jeff Finger
If fans can get past the fact that Finger is overpaid, the hard-working defenceman has actually been an effective shot-blocker (2.8 per game) when in the lineup. Mikhail GP G APts /-Grabovski 19 3 9 12 -4 Finished third in rookie scoring with 20 goals and 48 points last season. But with no goals in eight games, he is one of four slumping sophomore Leafs.
Niklas Hagman
Almost half of his goals were the result of an Oct. 26 hat trick. Since then, he has one goal in his last 10 games.
Nikolai Kulemin
Kulemin has lacked consistency. He scored twice in one game and once in another. But he has gone the rest of the season without a single point.
Mike Komisarek
Leads the team with 41 hits and 38 blocked shots. But has also taken more minor penalties (12) than any other Leaf and is tied for the worst plusminus rating.
Jamal Mayers
Time appears to be running out on the 35-year-old, often left out of the lineup when all forwards are healthy.
John Mitchell
A brief promotion to the top line yielded two goals in two games. But the power forward has failed to produce anywhere else in the lineup.
Wayne Primeau
Was acquired for his veteran leadership in the dressing room and his physical presence. He already has more goals than he did last season.
Luke Schenn
After being named to the all-rookie team, the 20-year-old appears to have lost confidence, resulting in a six-minute reduction in ice time.
Matt Stajan
A lack of options has Stajan centring the No. 1 line. But with no goals and four assists at even strength, he has not exactly earned the ice time.
Lee Stempniak
Has picked up six of his nine points on the power play, where he plays the point. But like most of the forwards, Stempniak has been invisible in even-strength situations.
Vesa Toskala
Entered the season as the starter, but has struggled mightily, with no wins and the league's worst goals-against average and save percentage.
Rickard Wallin
Like Orr, he has gone 19 games without a goal. Unlike the physical Orr, Wallin has been mostly invisible.




