My Leaf Christmas

Before I start, let me say Merry Christmas to all and all a good night. Santa Claus is coming around, putting gifts and toys in your stockings. So what is he putting in the Maple Leaf stocking?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been running on all cylinders this season and there has been little to complain about. They just need a little tinkering. I would love to add a little more stability to the defense by bringing in a number 5 defenseman. For that, I am wishing for Santa to bring a Brian Glennie. If you don't know who he is, please look him up! The addition would strengthen the Leafs' defense and provide Reilly with some much-needed support.

The Brian Glennie Player

Every team needs another stay-home steady defenseman, and the Maple Leafs are no different. The best player that fits that description is Justin Braun. Justin is great on his own and plays the body. He keeps players honest. The Maple Leafs could also use his help in the toughness department.

A Healthy Reilly

The other worry is making sure Morgan Reilly is healthy. Having Morgan back is like bringing in a new player at the deadline. The Maple Leafs have missed his presence. He is by far their best blue-liner and makes everyone around him better. 

I love the way the Leafs are playing right now. Who wouldn't? The greatest gift they can give their fans is remembering their defensive responsibilities. Sure, it would be awesome to bring another forward to help the third line, but I worry about ruining the chemistry. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! My fingers are crossed that they don't mess anything up.

Randy

My Isles Christmas

Before I start, let me say Merry Christmas to all and all a good night. Santa Claus is coming to town, putting gifts and toys in your stockings. So what is he putting in the Isles stockings? 

Let's not be greedy; the Isles have two pressing needs that need to be addressed immediately.

Isles need a power forward who can take advantage of Barzal's generosity. You know, someone who can fill the net with pucks. For the sake of nostalgia, let's call him a Mike Bossy player.

The Mike Bossy Player

The power forward must meet my list of specific characteristics. The first is that he must have the ability of a one-timer. He has to have an accurate and quick release. There is a misconception that wrist shots must be hard to be effective. Most of the time, the quick release gets it done. The second ability he needs is to understand Barzal. Knowing where he is supposed to be at all times is vital for his success as a sniper with Matt. My first gift to the Isles is Vladimir Tarasenko.

 

The second gift for the Isles roster is more complicated. It is dependent on the injury status of Adam Pelech. The concussion issue is frustrating; you never know how long it will last. Every player is different, and of course, there is the degree of the injury. If Pelech is out long-term, we need someone who is durable. Let's call him the Ken Morrow player. If Pelech's injury is less severe, a player like Dave Langevin, who is not quite as good will suffice to fill the gap. 

The Ken Morrow Player

Nathan Beaulieu is a big steady dman who is nothing fancy and may not be a sexy pickup, but someone who gets the job done. Great shock blocker who can play the man. He is decent with the puck and is a decent passer. He can fill nicely for Pelech while he is out and would make a decent number five when Pelech returns. 

The Dave Langevin Player

Now just the fill in a player, the shorter-term player. A number five-six type of dman who knows his abilities. 

Luke Schenn is a nasty stay-home defenseman who can clear a room. A no-nonsense dman you don't notice. This is good because he ensures everything is running well on the defensive end—a perfect fill-in short-term solution. 

Randy

Isles: Do they need to worry?

The Isles's losses to the Flyers and Preds were worrisome, but they rebounded with a 3-0 over the Blackhawks. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are getting tiresome. The Isles have to be consistent to be successful. 

This lands on Matthew Barzal. He is the man who stirs the pot. I love how he has been playing; he is skating like the wind. But the biggest improvement is shooting the puck. Another good sign is that Dobson is firing bombs from the point. He is getting involved with the offense, which is vital to the success of the Isles. What is making the Isles inconsistent is the defensive blunders. 

Brock Nelson has been on a mission this season. He is scoring at a pace of 40 goals. He has been a great support to Barzal. The Islanders' offense is fine; it is where it suppose to be. I love the first two lines, and I would love the bottom two lines to support it, but beggars can't be choosers. 

They need to improve in staying out of the penalty box. Although the penalty killing is good, it takes away momentum or flow in the Islander's game. 

Is there a concern about Pulock's health? He has been really struggling this season. He has not had the energy that he has shown in the past. He needs to be up to the task in the defensive zone coverage. He has been off during the beginning of the season.

Varly is picking up his game during his last start against the Blackhawks. He was lights out. He felt it with the Hawks; he was in a significant role. I loved his attention to the play. His puck vision was dead on. He rarely was caught out of position and controlled the rebounds to a minimum. 

The ups and downs of a season. As an Islanders fan, there is plenty to be excited about. But there are still concerns. The Islanders have to get more consistent and can't afford to take time off. They need to play a full sixty minutes to cut down the defensive lapses. 

Randy 

The Midas Touch

The Maple Leafs have been running on all cylinders of late. It seems like everything they do turns into gold. Seriously what is happening in Toronto? I have gotten all sorts of answers. The most popular one is the Maple Leafs are buying into the defensive game in front of the goalies. This is very accurate. I have especially noticed how well the forwards have been coming back into the zone and coming out as a unit. The defense, knowing their limitations, is doing only what is needed. It is vital that they not get caught out of position. 

Another answer is less obvious. I asked my source his thoughts on why the Maple Leafs continue to win. He promptly answered: Mitch Marner. Mitch is on an 18-game point streak, but he does much more than just score goals. Mitch has led the Forwards. Since the Reilly injury, Mitch has put a lot of work into his defensive game. 

The third answer is goaltending. Whether it was Murray, Samsonov, or Kallgren, bad goals have been nonexistent. It is much easier to play defense when your goalie has your back. I wanted to comment on the job Erik Kallgren did in the absence of Samsonov. Kallgren was nothing short of outstanding. He gave the Leafs every chance to win. The Maple Leafs don't need goaltending to be perfect. What they need is to be steady. For the most part, he was there doing his job and bailing them out. 

Final word

There has been a suggestion that the Leafs might return to their old style when Brodie and Reilly come back. Hear me out. They should not because they're playing playoff hockey; their style will win defense and championships. 

Randy