Toronto Maple Leafs 2009 Season Preview, Picks & Odds

With the NHL Hockey season just around the corner, we are providing season previews for all 30 teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best NHL Hockey Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2009 season preview. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the NHL in our recommend sportsbooks. View the rest of our 2009 NHL Season Previews here.

Toronto Maple Leafs 2008-’09 record:
34-35-13, 81 points (5th in Northeast, 12th in East)

Toronto Maple Leafs 2008-’09 playoffs:
Did not qualify

Toronto had a ghastly season for one major reason: Their 293 goals allowed was by far the worst in the entire NHL! Despite their defensive inadequacies, the Leafs managed to finish with a 34-35-13 record but missed the playoffs for the 3 rd consecutive season.

Toronto Maple Leafs 2009 Preview

Toronto Maple Leafs General manager: Brian Burke (407-333-143, 12th NHL year, 4th team)

Toronto Maple Leafs Coach: Ron Wilson (531-481-140, 16th NHL year, 4th team)

Toronto Maple Leafs Captain: TBD

Toronto Maple Leafs Top Returning Scorer: LW Jason Blake (25 goals, 38 assists, 63 points)

Toronto Maple Leafs Top Returning Goalie: Vesa Toskala (22-17-11, 3.26, .891)

Toronto Maple Leafs Key Additions: D Mike Komisarek; RW Colton Orr; D Garnett Exelby; C Wayne Primeau; D Francois Beauchemin; C Tim Brent; C Rickard Wallin; G Joey MacDonald; RW Phil Kessel.

Toronto Maple Leafs Key Subtractions: C Andre Deveaux, D Pavel Kubina; D Jay Harrison, LW Ryan Hollweg, D Erik Reitz, D Jaime Sifers; D Pavel Kubina, C Tim Stapleton; RW Jeremy Williams; RW Tim Stapleton; D Anton Stralman; G Justin Pogge; LW Ryan Hollweg; C Boyd Devereaux; G Martin Gerber; G Olaf Kolzig; LW Brad May; G Curtis Joseph.

Toronto Maple Leafs Top Line: LW Jason Blake, C Mikhail Grabovski; RW Phil Kessel

Toronto Maple Leafs Top Defensive Pairing: Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek

The only downside to the Kessel deal is that the he won’t be able to play for a few months due to offseason shoulder surgery and the Leafs badly need his 36 goals in their lineup. Aside from Kessel, there is some solid talent like Jason Blake, Alex Ponikarovsky, Matt Stajan and Nik Hagman that should form two fairly strong lines but depth is an issue. This offense has some pieces but it won’t scare anyone until Kessel is back at 100%.

The good news is that the Leafs have a significantly better set of defensemen this year. Beauchemin and Komisarek are great additions to a unit which also boasts the two way talents of Tomas Kaberle and the enormous potential of sophomore Luke Schenn. Ian White, Jeff Finger and Exelby round out a solid group which should be vastly improved from a year ago.

In goal, there are some concerns despite inking Gustavsson. Vesa Toskala is still expected to enter the season as the starter and he needs to perform much better after struggling at times last year. An improved defensive front should help the Finnish netminder rebound this season and there is good depth available but the Leafs needs a top keeper to emerge.

2009 Toronto Maple Leafs Goaltending:

Toskala did a stellar job despite playing much of the season with hip and groin injuries that required season-ending surgery. Determined competitor isn’t the largest NHL netminder, but makes up for lacking size with solid angles play. Athletic and an excellent pokechecker.

2009 Toronto Maple Leafs Player To Watch:

G Jonas Gustavsson. The Leafs paid plenty to land the Swedish monster, as he was known in Farjestad, whom he led to the Swedish Elitserin title. Posted a 241-minute shutout sequence to shatter Henrik Lundqvist’s league record. Cause for concern in preseason after electrical difficulties in his heart required surgery to rectify. Solid butterfly netminder owned best GAA (1.96) and save percentage (.932) in Sweden.

2009 Toronto Maple Leafs Offense:

Komisarek’s presence will help in the development of 19-year-old defenseman Luke Schenn, who made his presence felt in his rookie season — leading rookie defensemen with 206 hits and all first-year players with 119 blocked shots. He recorded over 20 minutes of ice time in 49 games last season.

2009 Toronto Maple Leafs Schedule | 2009 Northeast Division Preview
2009 Eastern Conference Preview | Toronto Maple Leafs Sportsbooks

Toronto Maple Leafs 2009 Season Predictions

One Toronto newspaper is already running a fight chart, as Burke followed his gameplan and toughened his team up considerably. Should be much better defensively, but Leafs will struggle to score, especially with Kessel (shoulder surgery) out until mid-November.

We predict that the Toronto Maple Leafs will finish 4th in the NHL Northeast, 10th seed in East: 87 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs Betting

Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Odds: +5000
Toronto Maple Leafs Eastern Conference Odds: +2500
Toronto Maple Leafs Northeast Odds: +450

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