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But with the Leafs 14 points out of a playoff spot and having already started the process of rebuilding the team for the future, it appears that he has come to terms that his days in Toronto might be numbered.

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He is tied with Phil Kessel with a team-leading 22 goals. He is ranked just outside the top-20 in league scoring with 45 points. In terms of offensive production, he is on pace for the exact same number of goals (30) and points (61) that he achieved last year in what was deemed a breakout year for the Toronto Maple Leafs forward.

And yet, it feels like his season has been one big disappointment.

Maybe it is because the Leafs, who went from a playoff contender to a lottery team in the last two months, have been such a colossal failure. Or maybe it is because van Riemsdyk, who teammates say could easily be a 40-goal scorer, has not even scratched the surface of his potential.

“He’s got all the advantage of [being] a 6-foot-5 guy with great, soft hands and a good shot and ability around the net,” said interim head coach Peter Horachek. “He’s got to push himself internally to get to that level. He’s always going to get his goals and is going to have decent numbers all the time.

“But in order to get to that elite level — that level that goes past 30 goals is impressive, but 40 goals is elite — he has to push himself and be more demanding on himself.”

It is unclear what Horachek meant by “push himself.” By all accounts, van Riemsdyk, who wears a bracelet with the message “Prove People Wrong,” works hard at his craft. He usually spends time after practice standing in front of the net and redirecting point shots and a year ago worked with a power skating instructor to re-make his stride.