Kill the Messenger: The Mighty Leafs?

It seems like every time I watch the Toronto Maple Leafs this year, I'm marveling at how good they are.  Even as I write this sentence, I'm witnessing Dion Phaneuf murder the Pittsburgh Penguins on a high-tempo shift, which leads to a top-shelf goal for Clarke MacArthur.  Every game I catch, the Leafs' once laughable power play goes off like clockwork, often leading to a textbook offensive play resulting in a goal.  Brian Burke has seemingly finally managed to put together the team he wanted, a team which consistently out-works its opposition, and gains scoring chances through puck possession and smart decisions.  I know this team had a good start last season too, but I think this may actually be the year they return to the playoffs.  Why?  What makes this team any different from the rest of the various incarnations of Leafs teams which have repeatedly missed the playoffs since the lockout?

THE FORWARDS

For the first time in years, the Leafs have managed to put together an attractive group of quality forwards.  The biggest change is up the middle, which in years past has been a huge weakness for the team (last season, they had Tyler Bozak slotted in the top 6.  Laughable).  When your top 3 centers are Mikhail Grabovski, Tim Connolly, and Matt Lombardi, you're in pretty good shape, provided they're all healthy and producing, as they are all capable of 50+ points.  Of course, Lombardi has been playing wing of late, in order to have Bozak in the top 9.  I don't mind Bozak as a 3rd line center.  David Steckel as a 4th liner is nothing to sneeze at either, as he is a quality player who wins draws and plays lights-out defense.
Phil Kessel has been a machine lately, putting up some pretty ridiculous offensive numbers (9-7-16 +5 in 9).  As I'm writing, he just made that 10 goals in 10 games.  Holding a goal-per-game rate over that many games is pretty impressive, especially for a player like Kessel who is a model of inconsistency.
Mikhail Grabovski has taken heat in years past for being a lazy player who produces inconsistently.  Now, he is a reliable 2-way center who is responsible defensively and drives possession for his line.  So maybe he's not Sidney Crosby (lol) but when he has a supporting cast like he does, he's a desirable player.

THE DEFENSE

I don't know how long it's been, but the Leafs finally have a decent-looking defense corps.  And that's not just because a lack of depth no longer gives the illusion that Keith Aulie is a good player either. It's talented and diverse too, supplied with quality puck-movers like John-Michael Liles and rookie Jake Gardiner, powerful (if overrated) shut-down defenders Luke Schenn and Mike Komisarek, and high-end all-around players in Dion Phaneuf and Carl Gunnarsson.  That's a group of defenders to admire, especially being a Flames fan and having to deal with the likes of Anton Babchuk, and trying to swallow Chris Butler (a quality player, but no star) playing on the top pair.
Phaneuf seems to have finally regained the form he lost after his Norris Trophy nomination in 2008.  He currently sits at 7 points (2-5-7) and a +7 rating in 9 games.  When I watch him play, I'm reminded of the player we Flames fans saw so much promise in several years ago.  He makes smart offensive plays, winds up big slapshots, throws big hits.  He does it all.  And he does it wearing the 'C' proudly on his sweater.
John-Michael Liles, when properly kept from playing against top players on opposing teams, is a player I have liked for a long time.  He doesn't require sheltering to the extent of Anton Babchuk, because he isn't a full-on liability defensively.  Watching him skate is a pleasure for any fan of the game, as he possesses a nearly perfect stride.
The Leafs don't only have diversity on their blueline, they also have plenty of flexibility.  When they need to shut down a few high-end forwards on the other team, they have the luxury of choosing between 4--count them FOUR--players on their roster who have experience in that role.  Dion Phaneuf can do it, provided he's utilized in an offensive capacity.  The others are Carl Gunnarsson, Luke Schenn, and Mike Komisarek.  Talk about flexibility.

THE GOALTENDING

No longer do they have to choose between a big, talented goalie who seems to have had trouble adjusting to the speed of the North American game  (Jonas Gustavsson) and a slightly washed-up mediocre starter (Jean-Sebastian Giguere) who needs a strong defensive team to be successful.  They have James Reimer, who appears to be the real deal.  Of course, he's injured now, but there are several talented goaltenders in the system, including Ben Scrivens and Jussi Rynnas.

To conclude, it really surprises me how good this team looks in the early stages of this season.  Of course, as the Avalanche proved last season, it's a long year, and even the mighty (or those that appear mighty) can fall.

Oh, and the Leafs just beat the Pens 4-3.