Recap: TOR sort of spun its wheels this year. The loss of Maurice Edu hurt them badly, as he was their defensive leader. They simply lost too many games on the road and tied too often at home, a recipe for disaster. They finished last in their conference and 12th overall. But they are still only 2 years old so I give them a D+.
Offense: The growing pains continued for the attack, as they lingered near the bottom of the table. Luckily, SJE was the new expansion side and it was their turn to sit at the very bottom. Not a good harbinger for Seattle, I guess. The addition of Barrett helped though, so they get a D- for offense, instead of an F.
Defense: Toronto’s defense was pretty poor in 2008, ceding 43 goals to finish ninth in the league in goals allowed. Greg Sutton played quite well too, but the loss of Edu exposed the defense’s gaping holes. Wynne and Brennan can play, but they need help. They did OK this year though, so they get a C for defense in 2008.
Needs: Offense, offense, offense. Barrett helped a lot, and Guevara can still play well when properly motivated, but they need an offensive centerpiece to intimidate opposing defenses. The defense has improved, but until they can consistently find the back of the net, TOR will continue to languish at the table’s rear end.
