BLITZ 07 TEAM REVIEW -TORONTO - B LEAGUE

[LA Robbie]

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS - BLITZ 07 B LEAGUE

COACH: DA94WOOKIE

TEAM LINK: http://www.blitz94.com/draftab/rosterinfo.asp?team=TOR

TEAM OVERVIEW

After a disappointing Blitz 06 season in the A league Toronto have moved down to B and have changed coach as the talented Wookie takes over the team. He's completely changed the look of the roster & has put together a nicely balanced side that is sure to challenge the best in B.

There's some great attacking players, varied defensive styles, good roster depth and a bit of muscle. It's a team that looks set for all occasions but is the lack of elite speed, elite shooting and a decent goalie going to limit their overall potential?

TEAM MAKE-UP

It could be suggested that last season's Selanne, Klima, Thomas forward line, backed up by Neil Broten lacked a real physical presence. Losing Selanne & Klima Wookie has had to start again in building a new look Leafs offence. He's started by recruiting what they didn't have last season - muscle. Mark Messier comes in with his huge hitting & elite playmaking skills. 10 weight & 5 checking make him a formidable defensive forward, but his 4/4 skating, 5 stick handling and 5 passing means he's the perfect foil for a sniping center, bouncing off the checks to weave his way through the defensive line before dishing it off for a better finisher.........because that's his Achilles Heel. His 3/3 shooting is average at best, and it's limited his Blitz success. 67 goals in Blitz 03 is easily his career best, and he's coming off his worst Blitz season with Tampa Bay, in which he scored just a measly 59 points. Toronto will have to figure out how to get the best out of his undoubted talents if he is to fulfil his potential.

Messier is partnered for Blitz 07 with Doug Gilmour. Not quite the force he is in classic, but his last 3 Blitz seasons have been good, if not exceptional. His 4 weight makes him easy to put down, but with 5/4 skating, 5 Off aware, 4/4 shooting and 4 passing he has the skills to avoid the hits, get in position for the 1timers and put away the chances. His stats are short of elite for sure, but if Messier can feed him regularly the two could compliment each other perfectly, and perhaps he can get somewhere near his career best 74 goals in Blitz 07.

Steve Thomas has been retained from last season's roster, along with Neil Broten, and Nikolai Borshevsky & Yuri Khmylev have also been added giving the Maple Leafs nice depth and a lot of great options to add to this forward line. Steve Thomas has never been a big Blitz point scorer, which is surprising because his 4/4 skating, and 4 passing make him a useful winger, but 3/3 shooting's not great. Borshevsky is virtually the same player, but his 3/4 shooting is a little better, although Thomas' 4 checking actually makes him a better defensive option despite his 6 weight. Neil Broten is virtually the same player, but his 2/3 shooting and 4 weight could limit his usefulness, and Khmylev is........erm, virtually the same player. His 4/3 skating and 3 passing is a disadvantage over the others, but his 4/4 shooting equals Gilmour as the best on the roster. Does he come on in the 3rd if the Leafs need a goal to tie it up?

On D Alexei Kasatonov and Steve Konroyd stay on the roster from 06, and Brian Leetch & Michel Petit have been added to give Toronto a tough look, but with a touch of class. Kasatonov is going to do the dirty work for Leetch in this line-up. 11 weight and big hits combined with 4/3 skating mean he can dominate most forwards, and won't lose out to many for pace, but with his 4 passing he also adds a great playmaking option to bring the puck out from the back and start the plays. He'll certainly get his fair share of assists this season. Brian Leetch then, freed up by Kasatonov's protection will really be the playmaking Dman here. With 6/3 skating, 5 stick handling and 5 passing this tiny 6 weight looks more like a winger than a defender. Coming from deep he can use the space to work his magic and set up the forwards. Just a shame that his shooting's not good enough to add regular goals too.

Petit & Knoroyd both bring solid skills and respectable hitting to add good depth to the D, and either looks a good choice to come in for Leetch on PKs or to add muscle if Leetch is getting dominated by a big forward. A really solid and skilled looking D line.

In goal we may have identified the biggest obstacle to Toronto's success this season. Darren Puppa will be between the sticks this season, a huge down grade on Ed Belfour in Blitz 06. With Puppa we've gone over the goal tending peak and we're on our way down the hill towards the crap. He's averagely skilled and can't be trusted too much in auto. He should handle well in manual though, so Wookie will need to take control regularly if Puppa is to play an effective part. Backing up Puppa is Craig Billington..............we don't really need to talk about him do we?

STARS

The offence this season is all about Gilmour & Messier. I have a feeling they could compliment each other's weaknesses very nicely, and don't be surprised if they both end up with career best seasons.

On D Leetch & Kasatonov looks another good partnership that will compliment each other nicely. Both can pass the puck and are likely to give solid protection to the goal tender.

WEAKNESSES

This looks an all round solid roster, but the biggest question mark is can they score enough goals? Gilmour & Messier don't have elite career records, Thomas' is average at best and the other 3 forwards are unknown quantities. The forward line is going to be all about Gilmour & Messier. Stop them & there looks little else to worry you in the way of goals.

Puppa in goal has to be flagged up as a weakness. He's not up there will the best goalies, and if Wookie's not on his game with manual he'll certainly not make the saves that the better goalies will. Potentially Toronto have a lack of goals at one end, and an inability to stop them at the other. A dangerous combination!

PRE-SEASON PREDICTION - PLAYOFF QUALIFICATION

Like I said, the balance in the roster is great, with really nice variation. The season hangs on overcoming the weaknesses mentioned above, but I can easily see Messier winning & retaining the puck in the offensive zone and consistently finding Gilmour when he gets free. Will they score enough for a championship push? Time will tell.

Puppa's a big downgrade on Belfour, and again, time is going to tell how much that hurts the team, but I think we can certainly predict that Toronto are going to be strong, even if competing at the very top of the league is in the balance.

[da94wookiee]

Nice writeup Robbie.