The Mark Bell Hit: Was it Clean?

The Senators may be in trouble even though they managed the squeak into the playoffs. No, it's not their goaltending woes (which are non-existent), it's their loss of both their Captain Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher to injuries. Both of the injuries occurred Thursday night in their 8-2 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and both came at the hands of Leafs forward Mark Bell. A recent TSN.ca poll has revealed 82% of viewers think that the Sens can't win in the playoffs without their captain. The injury to Fisher is not really arguable since it was only a small collision, which you cannot blame Bell for. His injury was a fluke. The hit that injured Alfredsson, on the other hand, has been quite the hot topic.



I believe it was clean. I'm probably one of the biggest Leaf "jokers" ("haters" is just too strong) around, so this determination is not biased whatsoever. I think that if Alfredsson got up uninjured, this hit would just be on the highlight reel of every sports station and not ripped apart like it has been. Of course the reason people say he got hurt was because of the way Bell hit him.

The way Mark Bell hit Daniel Alfredsson caused him to get injured.

That is absolutely correct.

Was the hit illegal in any way? Not at all. Bell caught Alfredsson in a vulnerable position and punished him the way any good NHL checker does. If that's dirty then so be it, hockey is a dirty sport by their standards.

We should be worried much more about REAL head shots (and the people who go around looking for them), hits from behind, and protecting the goaltenders. Hits like these can stay in my NHL.

**You can vote on whether it was a clean hit or not on the top right hand corner of this site**

Playoff Battles for the Leafs

In spite of all the negative attention surrounding the Leafs lately, I thought I'd take a different angle and -- god forbid -- take a look to the future of a possible playoff berth. While the Leafs have their work cut out for them, it’s not impossible for them to attain post-season play. While it may seem improbable considering the teams they must leapfrog, the recent play of the Buds suggests they got the heart to overcome such odds.

What stands between the Leafs and 8th place are the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres,

Washington Capitals, and last but not least, the Boston Bruins. In order for the Leafs to be considered serious contenders for the dubious position, they would have to win atleast 5 of their last 6 games, garnering 10 pts out of a possible 12. But even that might not be enough, most likely putting them in the placing their all too familiar with, the dreaded 9th place.

However, the Leafs will need to play at their absolute best, and while their recent play without Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov has been impressive, they will need to withstand the upcoming schedule without the pair for a little longer. Consistency will be key here, something the Leafs have struggled with all season long. A huge part to their recent upswing as been the emergence of Matt Stajan and Alexander Steen, the two have displayed strong leadership for the Buds, and have produced points consistently in the past few weeks. But with the upcoming double-header against the Bruins, the pair will have to solidify themselves as the team’s leaders if the Leafs wish to even flirt with a possible playoff berth.

With all that said, let's assume the Leafs do make the playoffs. What are the possible team's they would face? Is it possible to advance to the 2nd round against any of these foes? The answer is yes. Here's your preview:

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Season Series: 2-2

When I think of this potential playoff match, goals are what instantly come to mind. The emergence of Evgeni Malkin in the absence of Sidney Crosby has been beyond impressive. The kid has established himself as a true first line winger and franchise player for the Pens. Once "Sid The Kid" returns from his injury, you can bet these two will be causing loads of havoc on the powerplay, and head coach Micheal Therrien will be looking to give Malkin the same kind of ice-time he's receiving now. While the Leafs can handle faster teams more efficiently this season, I highly doubt they would be able to contain their offense for an entire series. While goaltender Vesa Toskala has been great for the Leafs, his durability is still a concern considering his career high in games played was 38 before this season.

Outcome: Pens in 5 games

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New Jersey Devils

Season Series: 4-0 Devils

If the Leafs were to enter the playoffs facing the Devils, I’d bet it would end much like the season series. The Devils play trap hockey, and magnificent goaltending from Martin Brodeur helps them perfect the style of play. The Leafs offense is anything but explosive and their defense has been mediocre for most of the season. Their only prayer would lie with Toskala, and that would be quite the challenge for the 31-year old netminder, who's played game after game for the Buds this season.

Outcome: Devils in 5 games

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens

Season Series: 3-3 as of now

What a treat this would be, the two most passionate fan bases colliding for post-season supremacy. Whether you hate the Habs or the Leafs, we must all respect the rivalry that has evolved between these two ever since the league began in 1916. With this particular series, it doesn't matter what place both teams finish, because both clubs always play above their heads when they meet up at centre-ice --especially the Leafs. Both clubs have enjoyed great goaltending this season, but the Habs have something special in Carey Price. The 20-year old netminder will be the go-to guy going into the playoffs, and those who have watched him know that he is capable of handling his own. While the Habs have a young team, they have no shortage of leadership with the likes of Saku Koivu and Alexei Kovalev leading the charge. The key to this series would be physical play, and strong puck movement. One thing is for certain, however, if the Leafs are to beat the Habs in the playoffs, it would definitely require a healthy Mats Sundin.

Outcome: Leafs in 7 games

As you may have noticed, I did not add the Ottawa Senators to possible playoff opponents. This is due to the fact that they are now 7 points behind 1st place, and I find it highly improbable that they attain the position. But, barring a miracle, it would be an instant classic to see the Leafs and Sens gear up for another round of playoff battle.

With all that said, this could all be for not if the Leafs don't win their upcoming games. It starts tonight with the Boston Bruins.

Shedding Light on Vesa Toskala and the Leafs Future

After the recent 174-foot goal Vesa Toskala allowed against the Islanders, many non-Leafs fans may question the 31 year old goaltender, but that would be a mistake if you're not aware what kind of season he's endured with the Blue and White.

To begin, when the Leafs acquired Vesa Toskala in the summer, they were not expecting top five quality goaltending. Fact is, Toskala had been a career back-up goaltender to Evgeni Nabokov on the San Jose Sharks for most of his career. In the last two seasons with the Sharks, injuries to Nabokov gave Toskala the call as the starting goaltender, and he performed brilliantly. In fact, he played in the playoffs for San Jose that season, making it to the second round. Toskala finished the playoffs with a 2.45 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage. However, last season there was a fierce goaltending battle between the two, and at year's end head coach Doug Wilson decided to trade one of them to have an undisputed starter for his club, clearing cap space in the process. He opted with Toskala after attempting to trade Nabokov's 5.1 million contract proved too be difficult. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a city where the scrutiny can be too much to handle for many, and often the pressure can ruin careers. The Leafs extremely critical fan base and media are constantly judging the professional athletes that represent their city, and most times, they deem unfair opinions of them. What no one was expecting, however, was the puzzling downfall of Toronto's defense. A position that was weak last season is being even more exposed this season, and it's essentially the same core.

Vesa Toskala was then thrown into the fire. He began with a sub-par pre-season, and immediately the fans and media were on his back, calling for the head of former Leafs GM, John Ferguson Junior. What many did not take into account, however, is that many goalies do not have great stats in pre-season, even future hall-of-famer Ed Belfour struggled in his pre-season debut for the Leafs a few years back. The negative attention was so overwhelming that even Doug Wilson came to defend Toskala, stating that he is a great goaltender and he's confident he'll do well in the hockey crazed city of Toronto. Shortly after this, the opening night of the regular season kicked off, a game which saw the Toronto Maple Leafs head-to-head with arch rivals, the Ottawa Senators. A difficult task considering the Senators has had the Leafs number in recent years. The Leafs lost both games against the Senators, and Toskala was once again questioned for his goaltending abilities.

While Toskala was not the goalie he is now, it's not as if the Leafs defense were helping, consistently coming up with mediocre efforts to defend their goaltender. Part of the problem was that they often left one offender in front of the net unharmed, because the two defensemen were chasing one forward in particular. Not only that, but the Leafs couldn't get control in their own zone; every game they were struggling for possession of the puck and the opposition took full advantage, making the Leafs defenders look like pylons. That's not all either, when the attackers were entering the zone, the defensemen often huddle up in the crease, screening Toskala in the process -- if they were planning to get a higher draft pick, bravo troops, bravo!

As the season progressed, so did Toskala, eventually ceasing all doubt that he is not a capable #1 goaltender. Clearly the issue was to adapt to his new team, and he did so fairly quick, covering up the defensive woes that plague this team night in and night out. Throughout the course of the season, he has consistently come up with game savers; giving the Leafs a chance to win games they have no business winning. Last season, the goaltending was a liability to the team, this season it is not.

What makes Toskala so valuable to the Leafs are his lighting quick reflexes, superb glove hand, fast lateral movement and his ability to steal games. While he is small at 5'10, he makes up for it by challenging the shooters at the appropriate times and possessing a cool demeanor. The man is fazed by absolutely nothing; he stays mentally strong no matter what the scenario, as he proved on the Island earlier this week. He currently holds a 31-22-6 record with a 2.57 GAA, a .909 SV% and 3 shutouts. Remarkable stats considering the Leafs were in the Eastern Conference basement for the better part of the season.

However, next season may once again surface some interesting decisions going into the Trade Deadline. If Cliff Fletcher is true to his word, then the Leafs will forming a much different club next season, one that will hopefully consist of young players. And with Andrew Raycroft putting up another abysmal season -- even as the Buds back-up -- all signs point that the incumbent goaltender is on his way out, thus leaving the door wide open for Justin Pogge.

With that said, you can most certainly expect that Toskala will once again be the team's go-to guy, only difference being that Pogge will be his back-up, so you can expect a shortened work load for the Finnish netminder. One has to wonder though, if Pogge delivers some solid performances will the next GM of the Leafs look into trading Toskala? The Buds would be able to acquire a vast portion of prospects, which would do nothing but help this wounded franchise. If the Leafs do decide to rebuild, then having a 23 year old goaltender in Pogge will not be the end of the world, and he can grow with the young team in the process.

Amateur Scouting Report: Justin Pogge

I had an opportunity to see the Leafs future #1 netminder tonight, as his Marlies visited Hamilton in the first game of a home-and-home, picking up a 3-2 victory in overtime. I say "future #1" with conviction after what I saw tonight. Not that there was any doubt before I got to see him in person, we all remember his great World Junior run, a tournament where he was named MVP of the gold medal winning Canadian squad.

First Impression

At first glance he looks very big, and takes up a lot of net. He is strong and powerful, but his balance and skating could still be improved. He likes to wander when playing the puck, but has a hard shot and great hockey sense. He always seems to know where his teammates are, and is able to get them the puck, even under pressure. That doesn't mean he is immune from any mistakes. A couple of times tonight he was caught hanging on to the puck for too long, and it nearly cost him.

Pros

He uses his size to his advantage, cutting down the angle very well. He is rarely caught out of position because of his power, which is a credit to his conditioning. His rebound control and reflexes both seem to be above-average, although one of the goals was scored when he got a large piece of a puck with his glove hand, it popped up in the air and landed in the net. I would write that off as a fluke because even getting his glove on the shot in the first place was remarkable.

Cons

His only downsides are his skating and balance, and they aren't even that bad. I'm really nitpicking when I say those are issues. They are just some areas he can improve at, although he is already better than most goaltenders in those areas. His maturity has also improved from last year, he now knows player's tendencies and has adapted very well to professional hockey.

Future

Pogge's future remains unchanged from when they brought him up from the Calgary Hitmen. Play 2 or 3 years in the AHL and gradually make his way to the #1 job in Toronto. I believe that a 3rd year in the AHL can only be a good thing for Pogge. There is absolutely no reason to rush him, especially when it is up to a lackluster team such as the Leafs. I can see him splitting time with Vesa Toskala next season, but I wouldn't like it. It's not that he can't handle it, he's just as ready as Carey Price, but he can only get better from playing in the AHL. The Leafs don't need him, and shouldn't waste him. I know for Leafs fans keeping Pogge down in the minors feels a little like Christmas Eve, but it's for the better if you wait until morning to open your present. You don't want to spoil the surprise.

Chin Up: Better Days Ahead

After a long and suspenseful NHL Trade Deadline, Maple Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher felt the ripple effects from former GM, JFJ. With Bryan McCabe, Mats Sundin, Tomas Kaberle, Darcy Tucker and Pavel Kubina all refusing to waive their respective no-trade clause agreement, “Silver Fox’’ had to chip away the outer core.

Hal Gill, Chad Kilger and Wade Belak are no longer Toronto Maple Leafs’. In exchange, the Leafs ended up acquiring a 2^nd, 3^rd, and two 5^th round picks at the end of the day. Hardly enough to bolster up a future for an abysmal Leafs club, but it’s a start. Cliff has sent a message this afternoon, and its music to my ears. “One thing I can assure you is that the face of the Maple Leaf hockey team come opening game in October will be different than it is right now. We have to change this team to move forward” said a frustrated Fletcher. As disappointing as this day was for him, this quote should bring chills to your spine, especially the last sentence.

Where Fletcher separates from the familiar Leafs attitude is realism. He doesn’t care that they are 6 points out and he has now made it clear he wants a good draft choice. All hope is gone for this club and Fletcher knows what needs to be done. Mark my words, he will lay a much better foundation for the next GM of this hockey team and Leafs fans everywhere will be able to wave the Leafs logo with some pride.

While you may think the subtractions to the team will not end the Leafs playoffs hopes…think again. What Cliff has done is eliminate the Leafs best defensive defenseman and most reliable defensive forward. It’s an area where this club has faltered even with those two. Expect to see a frustrated Vesa Toskala is all I have to say.

With that said, expect to see another defenseman on his way out in the summer. Kubina will no longer hold a NTC agreement in his contract if the Leafs miss the playoffs this season, an outcome which will surely happen. With Bryan McCabe and Tomas Kaberle all tied up, moving a pricy Kubina is going to be a move Fletcher can really benefit from. Not only will he clear up 5-million dollars in cap space, but he will clear a spot on the back-end for a young d-man, whether it is Staffan Kronwall or Phil Oreskovic.

What you also have to keep in mind is that the Leafs will more than likely host a team with no Mats Sundin next season. Add in a young and inexperienced defense core and this team will struggle tremendously to make the playoffs, or better yet, get out of the Eastern Conference basement.

Players like Tucker, McCabe and Kaberle may refuse to leave the club, but with some well strategized tweaking it is very likely the Leafs can turn this thing around. In 3 or 5 years, preferably 5, things may be glowing with optimism and playoff-like atmosphere.

Chin up.

The List: Buyers and Sellers

As the Trade Deadline approaches, GM’s around the NHL are gearing up for one of the most exciting days of the NHL schedule. It is the day where teams must decide their fate and either give the fans hope or preserve it for the years ahead.

While teams decide their fate, so will GM’s. It’s an emotional, nerve racking affair for them; a last chance at redeeming their mistakes in the off-season. The pressure that resides in this event is what often pushes GM’s to make a pitch for a rent-a-player, which can all-too-often damage the future. Just ask the Atlanta Thrashers who dealt considerable youth for Keith Tchakuk, or the Nashville Predators who dealt a core of youngsters to the Flyers for often injured Peter Forsberg. Where are they now? Well, nowhere near the team they got traded to.

Still, teams are willing to take that chance, and give a volt of energy to fan bases that crave it come April. Perhaps it is what makes the day so special, the consequences and rewards can be dire or fulfilling. Suspense is a word best suited for February 26^th.

With many questions swirling around numerous players, I’ve put together a list of teams that I think will be buyers and sellers.

Buyers:

Detroit Red Wings – 46.6M cap total: The cherry of the NHL, a team that instantly defines the word “powerhouse”. While they are solid in all positions of the game, there’s no such thing as enough firepower or defense. You can bet that the Wings will be in search of some assistance for the playoffs. With a recent 6-game slide (and counting), GM Ken Holland will surely flex his options a little more.

Anaheim Ducks – 51.4M cap total: While the Ducks have recently re-signed Teemu Selanne and Scott Neidermeyer, they are rumored to be looking for more goal scoring up front. The defending Cup champions are slowly forming to a similar core of last season, and are once again amongst one of the Cup favorites.

Dallas Stars – 48.5M cap total: With a strong defense under medical attention, the Stars could find themselves looking for some help on the blue line or even some more firepower upfront. As it stands, they have the best shot at catching the Wings for 1^st in the Western Conference.

San Jose Sharks – 40.6M cap total: The Sharks are among the elite teams in the NHL, while their defense and goaltending is solid, some extra offense would lend a big impact. With lots of cap space at their disposal, the Sharks may end up making a blockbuster deal to make them serious Cup contenders.

N.Y. Rangers – 51.0M cap total: When the dust settled, the Rangers were expected to be among the best teams in the Eastern Conference after key UFA signings in the off-season. They now sit at 8^th place in the East. Some improvements will be in full force come Feb.26^th, and I expect them to be one of the liveliest teams personally.

Pittsburgh Penguins – 43.4M cap total: With the injury of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin has erupted into the team leader, making the Pens a team to fear. Adding some offense and defense would help the clubs chances of taking the next step to the Stanley Cup. Of course, a returning Crosby will help their case as well.

New Jersey Devils – 47.1 M cap total: While the Devils host a competitive club, they still lack serious firepower (156 GF – 3^rd worst in the conference). Lou Lamoriello will have to work his magic if he wants his team to go deep into the playoffs.

Ottawa Senators – 47.2M cap total: With the recent acquisitions of Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore, the Sens have gotten their secondary scoring they lacked and have bulked up defensively in the process. However, they still lack solid and consistent goaltending. If Ottawa can snag a veteran goaltender for the playoffs, they will be a major force to be reckoned with.

Montreal Canadiens – 48M cap total: An underdog team that was written off the top16 before the season even started. They stand tied for 1^st in the Eastern Conference for points (tied with the Sens) and have seen some serious offense upfront, but only from one line consistently. Bob Gainey will be looking for more balanced scoring; a big, powerful forward would be ideal if you ask me. But with Gainey, you never know, the Habs may very well stay put.

Sellers:

Toronto Maple Leafs – 49.3M cap total: Hard to not put them first on the list, they are amongst the basement dwellers of the NHL. Much of their fire sale depends on the Big Swede and if he is willing to waive his no-trade clause. If he does, expect a much younger and promising core ending the 07/08 NHL season.

N.Y. Islanders – 43.4M cap total: While the beginning of the season started well, they have been descending a downward spiral into the abyss since then. It would be in the Isles best interest to unload some veteran talent and start over next season.

Florida Panthers – 46.1M cap total: The Panthers are rumored to be dealing Olli Jokinen – a trade that would undoubtedly debut a rebuilding phase for Florida.

Los Angeles Kings – 46.6M cap total: The Kings have been in the NHL basement all season long, with a defense core full of pending free agents; they will sell for picks and prospects and aim for youngster Steven Stamkos in the draft.

Edmonton Oilers – 49.6M cap total: After losing Shawn Horcoff to an injury, the Oilers have little to no hope of attaining the playoffs; it would be in their best interest to unload their veterans and attain some young talent on a season lost.

Tampa Bay Lightning – 43.8M cap total: The Lightning host one of the best trio’s in the NHL in Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St.Louis. However, their lack of defense and inconsistency between the pipes has landed them in the basement. Unloading one, or even two, of the big three would be a great start at rebuilding for the future. GM Jay Feaster will have some NTC’s to work around though.

The Dreaded NHL ''No-Trade Clause''

In the "Salary Cap" world of today's NHL, all teams must configure their rosters to fit within the Cap currently set at $52M USD. And this system encourages a bargaining chip - the no trade clause.

While general managers employ this for different reasons, it ends up having the same effect. Some will use it to pursue players in the free agent frenzy to assure them of stability with their club, and with the same reasoning it is also used for RFA's.

But I ask you this: Is this something important for the NHL?
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing it removed from the league entirely, but some restructuring would also be appreciated.

Look at JFJ, for example. It can be argued that he lost his job because he abused the NTC's to assure the players stability. Ferguson put himself into a corner by giving a no-trade clause to Bryan McCabe, Tomas Kaberle, Darcy Tucker and Mats Sundin. And I ask you this: If JFJ had not given those players a no-trade clause, would he have his job today? It is something to ponder.

With the freedom to trade these players at will, JFJ could have easily moved some of them right when things went awry. In fact, JFJ told TSN last night that he had growing interest for McCabe, Kaberle, Sundin and Tucker from GM's around the league, funny how that works out.

Another example is the Tampa Bay Lightning. GM Jay Feaster has included no-trade clauses in the contracts of Brad Richards and Martin St-Louis. The Lightning are near the bottom of the NHL this season with three of the best forwards in the league, yet Feaster can do little to nothing to cure his club'€™s woes because St-Louis and Richards need to give permission to be dealt.

But here's another question: Should NHL players have this kind of power? Sure, some will argue every player should have the right to stability, but I disagree with this. When you're playing professional sports, you have to be prepared with the possibility of changing cities. The whole basis off their career is to play hard and impress to stay with their team.

With the NTC, player movement is also on the decline. Don't get me wrong, as always there will be a load of trades at the deadline, but this all goes back to the Ferguson scenario. If teams like Toronto were able to unload their players at the deadline without wondering about the possibility of those players waiving their NTC's, we'd see a considerable difference of liveliness come Feb.26th.

So here are some suggestions to mitigate the effects of this flaw (IMO):

- - Teams should be limited in the number of players to which they can grant no-trade clauses. This would force teams into only giving NTC's to their star players, thus making it much more interesting come Feb.26th.

- - Assign a cap value to a NTC - charging the no-trade clause against the cap would ultimately cost the teams more money, making them think twice before unloading them on half the team. (Thanks Scoop)

If you don't like that, there's always my suggestion - eliminate it. Doing this ensures a no-safety zone for all players and, come Feb.26th, a frenzy of trades would occur. Do the players really need that stability? This is something they surely considered when they chose this career path, so the lack of it won't come as a huge surprise to them.

NHL Salary Cap: A Push from the Elite?

Conceptions around the NHL world differ on a newly implemented system – the NHL salary cap. It is a system that guarantee’s hope, even if it is an illusion to some, for less-talented teams that befall the lower class of the league.

The point of this experiment was too create a more competitive and intense league. So the NHL decided to bring in a system that rewards a point for an overtime loss – a tactic giving at least half of the NHL something to lean on. A chance to renew their club and perhaps catch up to more talented clubs like the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs (ahem…what?) to name a few. However, some will argue that this encourages a journey to mediocrity rather than excellence.

The system in place forces team to be more cautious with their spending, thus not being pro-active with their club. When injuries take their toll, teams have a much harder time replacing a woe. This is what often causes teams to wallow in a spiral of wins and losses that come few and far between.

This is something that pushes the truly elite teams out of the NHL. Look at the New England Patriots for example. They are the Mecca team of the NFL, destroying all teams that lay in their path (they will lose the Super Bowl though, this is my wild prediction). They are a team that packages tremendous talent in huge quantity. With the NHL however, we have a more conservative league with less intimidating teams.

But the question pertains, is this a good or bad thing for a league begging for more attention?

For what it’s worth, I think the current system is effective. Here’s why:

While the cap and points system takes away from the more elite teams of the league, it is a process that needs to be fully revved to see its true benefits. Teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes and Washington Capitals, to a name a few, or giving a second jump to touch the level of more talented teams quicker. It implements a more competitive league that enthralls 30 teams that all have hope to attain the NHL playoffs. Yes, it inspires some teams to play a 60 minute game to at least attain a point instead of going for all the marbles, but is this really a bad thing?

While the thought of just settling for a point to create an illusion for success can seem like that of a loser league, it is not. While the upper-class teams can’t fully dominate and stand-out as a Mecca among the NHL, the rest of the teams (and fans amongst those teams) are always in a competitive state and all have the sense to win.

Instead of having marquee franchises that emerge from the league, why not have a league that gives everyone a chance at success and ultimately giving them room to grow. Once most of the teams flourish and develop under the new system implemented for them, the league will have a wide-spread display of teams that all have a shot at the Stanley Cup. Instead of having a small batch of favorites, there will be a line-up of teams that will entertain, thrill and excite fans everywhere.

To me, this creates a league with even more excitement because there is no sense of a team that stands out tremendously over another when the top 8 are decided for each Conference. It creates an intense, unpredictable environment that can change based on the spirit of the players, not the money spent on a load of talent.

This is what sports should be about; the determination and willingness to overcome the odds. It is where the poise and determination of the players is truly tested. Don’t get wrong, leagues that boast marquee franchises package all of these important qualities… but not to the same degree. There is no saving grace of expensive, quality -- and quantity -- players to better the odds. They have their limits and they must embrace their true spirit for the respective teams.

In my mind, this is what hockey is about.

A New Era...Right?

To start, I am completely behind the signing of Cliff Fletcher as interim GM. With the interim status he will be given the green light to undergo a series of changes in Leafs land, and all signs seem to point to the big, flashing rebuilding sign, I really don’t have to explain why. However, some fans are skeptical on Fletcher because his track record of depleting youth and attaining veterans. They have every reason to poor some sweat over this matter, this team has ended up with nothing but failure for over 40 years, this is only natural.

With that said, I don’t think Leafs fans will have to worry about this. Cliff stressed to the Toronto media that to make a significant impact in this league, you have lay the ground work. He added that good drafting and developing a young core is essential to any success. It is music to my ears. Thank you very much, Cliff.

But wait! In comes the sinister Richard Peddie with an absolutely golden quote “Cliff Fletcher is the ideal person to lay the groundwork of positive change for the Leafs. As all of our general managers have had, he will have the autonomy and responsibility for all hockey decisions with a focus on establishing a foundation from which the next general manager can build.’’ I say pardon!? You sir, are a liar. If JFJ was given that kind of freedom, why did you shoot down his plan to re-build the Leafs a couple of years ago? Is it because you a) thought the Leafs were Stanley Cup bound? Or was it b) the satisfying sound of “ca-shing!” was too much.

Here’s the thing. Cliff Fletcher doesn’t worry me, Richard Peddie does. If the quote above tells us anything, it’s that Peddie is delusional and/or a liar. If Cliff decides to do a major overhaul of the Leafs come the trade deadline, what will Peddie’s reaction be? If it means missing the playoffs for 3 more seasons will he accept such change? Maybe, like JFJ, he will refuse such suggestions and swipe it under the rug. Like it or not, the Leafs are a very dysfunctional family, and I believe it will take much more than an interim GM to solidify a better future.

JFJ was never really the problem, he was just a deer caught in the headlights with no survival experience… so he got squashed. In a very unprofessional and heartless way, at that. I am not defending John, because his work as GM has been certainly questionable, but with that said, he did have plans to rebuild this club. He got rejected. So we end up with a rookie GM who has been denied to rebuild a team headed to demise in a scrutiny infested city. What did we expect? His limitations were extremely small and he did not have much to work with.


If there is one thing they could not snub him on, it is drafting. JFJ is considered to be skilled when it comes to drafting. While he traded some highly touted prospects (Tukka Rask) you have to remember he had no choice, because playoffs were the number one priority.

Let’s look at some of the acquisitions JFJ has brought to Toronto:

- Joe Nieuwendyk - Eric Lindros
- Andrew Raycroft - Ken Klee
- Pavel Kubina - Brian Leetch
- Hal Gill - Ron Francis
- Vesa Toskala - Ed Belfour
- Jason Blake - Jason Allison

Notables:
- Signed D Bryan McCabe to a 5-year, 5.75 mil contract with a NTC.
- Signed D Tomas Kaberle to a 4- year, 4.20 mil contract with a NTC.
- Signed D Pavel Kubina to a 4-year, 5.00 mil contract.

Not exactly impressive, however, there is a few good signings here. Most notably, the contract extension of Tomas Kaberle is quite simply a steal. With Kaberle you get almost a carbon copy of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov, but a bit more skilled. Markov makes 5.7 million per season, Kaberle makes 4.2, and there is a considerable difference there.

Also, how different do you think this list would be if JFJ was given full autonomy? It is something to ponder.

Well, either way you slice it - the JFJ era est fini. A new era is coming, we don’t know who will overtake the Leafs throne, but it won’t be Fletcher – who is serving as a patch to the heavily wounded Maple Leafs. Fletcher’s job will be to lay out a blue print of how the Leafs will be outlined. Not exactly an easy job, because getting key youngsters to replace players like Mats Sundin will be very -- and I mean VERY -- important to any kind of Leafs future. Whatever he does, the new GM will have some pieces to work with, hopefully to bring the Leafs to a respectable level.

When you fully analyze the situation the Leafs are in… it’s not that bad. I’m super cereal. A long term rebuilding plan would pretty much ail the wounds of the Leafs. But, there is one glaring problem.

MLSE.

Message to Leafs Fans

Your team is not as bad as you think. That being said, they were downright awful tonight versus the Rangers. After a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Rangers you'd think the finger would be pointed at the goaltending. No, I'm not talking about some drunken Leafs fans gesturing at Raycroft, I'm talking about the blame game. After games like these, the coaching staff has to relax, and analyze what exactly did they do differently in this game that led to such a terrible result. The defensive woes are clear, but I'm sure it has more to do with strategy and match ups than the goaltending. Were the Leafs prepared to deal with the Rangers powerplay? Were they prepared to contain Jagr? Sure it's easy for us to say they weren't because we've seen the result, but believe it or not, the Leafs have to actually take something out of this game. Maybe it's more video analysis, or just a better job at matching up. The possibilities are endless, and it's up to the coaching staff to pinpoint exactly what went wrong, and what they can do to prevent future collapses of this sort. The great thing is that these are all things that can be corrected. The old saying that teams are never as good as you think they are when they win big, and never as bad as you think they are when they lose big rings true. Raycroft was not at fault tonight. Even if he was on his "A" game the score would still have ended up 3 or 4 to 1. Toskala would have helped, but that is irrelevant because it is not their issue.

McCabe Breaks Hand in 3 Places, Leafs Nation Rejoices?

But seriously folks, I don't want to hear anything from the people who were ragging on him earlier this year. You wanted him gone, you got your wish. It looks like he'll be out for a while now. McCabe was hit awkwardly into the boards by Canadiens forward Andrei Kostitsyn in the third period, and looked severely injured right away. After the game it was announced that McCabe suffered 3 broken bones in his hand on the play and will likely miss over six weeks, more if surgery is necessary. Leafs coach Paul Maurice was livid with the play after the game, basically calling it a cheap shot. I'm pretty sure that it was just the emotions talking, but you still have to be able to control what you say. Kostitsyn clearly did not intend to hurt McCabe, and nothing else should come of this.

To add insult to injury, with McCabe writhing in pain on the ice, the Habs' Alex Kovalev was able to go down the ice and score his 14th goal of the season. The rambunctious crowd of over 21 thousand (our own Ron Guillet one of them) saw goaltender Carey Price make 28 saves for the win, the same night that Jaroslav Halak was sent back down to Hamilton because of Cristobal Huet's injury being over. When you really boil it down, the Leafs not only lost the game tonight, they also lost their top minute eater which could prove to be their biggest loss of all.

Vesa Toskala Superb : Prepare For New York Rangers

In the night the Leafs played the western conference Nashville Predators, there was one shining light of hope throughout the night. It was none other then the man I was defending a couple of weeks back. Vesa Toskala was nothing short of sensational last night, he was shutting down the Preds all night and drove Jason Arnott to a severe headache, who told Toskala during the game '' How the hell do I get one by you?'' Vesa replied with a smile. And that smile transferred to the fans, who were cheering as loud as I've heard them for the Finnish net minder. Chants of '' We love Vesa!'' were echoing throughout the ACC... until Kaberle tipped one past Toskala to spoil the shut-out about 5 seconds later. Figures. Either way, we got the 2 points and are now on a run with 3 wins in a row. But Thursday night will be a huge test for not only Toskala, but T-Dot's team, and more specifically defense. The core has clearly bought in to Paul Maurice's defense first approach and it's working beautifully so far. Vesa Toskala has not let in more than 3 goals in his last 11 full starts. He has had six 2 goals against games, three 3 goals against, one goal against twice, and 1 shut-out. He's been superb.

In come the New York Rangers, a team who's now second in the east making the Ottawa Senators actually look back in fear. Lundqvist has been nothing short of superb with 4 shutouts so far this season. Shanahan has woken from slumber and provided the Rangers with some offensive help. Jaromir Jagr, another sleeping beast, has awoken as well and is one of the main primers for the Rangers recent success. It appears the gears are now in motion and the Rangers mean business. I pick them to the win the cup in the East Conference. I pick the Vancouver Canucks for the West. Would be a good Stanley Cup Final.

The Leafs will have to tighten up on D and force Rangers to take shots from the perimeter. Do not worry about Vesa Toskala and just play your game, do not take chances. Play a simple, defensive, boring game and the W is in reach. 4 in a row would be a huge statement for a comeback and would raise the spirits of many.

Keep on truckin'!

Vesa Toskala Has Been Great, And I'm Sticking To It!

On the verge of a disheartening 4-2 loss to the Bruins, it appears as if Vesa Toskala is now being labelled ''average'' ''fair'' or even ''mediocre''. Give me a freakin' break. Give your head a shake while your at too. The guy has let in two.....TWO....weak goals all season. He's been giving us a chance to win every night and has made huge saves when needed, look at the games vs. Habs specifically. How on earth do you expect him to recover the Leafs defensive gaffes? These aren't your ordinary mistakes either, it's leaving your goaltender helpless and stranded in the crease....or outside of it. The Leafs, admittedly from Pavel Kubina, too often leave one offender in front of the net with no one covering him because the two defense-man chase ONE guy. Yea, and we wonder why we get scored on so much. Not only that, but the Leafs can't get control in their zone; every game they are running in circles in their own zone while the opposition passes the puck around with ease.... it's look like a PP for crying out loud. Also, if the opponents get a rush, our defense-man like to huddle up to the crease and screen our goalies, an effective task for losing games indeed.

To me, all this comes back to the negative, pathetic energy that surrounds this Leafs club. A drop of failure is a bucket full in a matter of seconds. And suddenly, your on the Jose Theodore train.

Give me a break!

Ugh.

Kubina's Injury More Costly Than Expected

Greetings, long time no see folks, but I'm back, kind of and I'm not wasting time.

Kubina's injury is going to cost the Leafs a lot more than anybody is going to expect. To begin with, our 5 million dollar a year number 2 is down. That's the obvious part. He's not my favorite player, and I'd actually like to see him traded but that's not because he's Aki Berg-like, it's because we already have a guy exactly like him in McCabe which I will get to shortly. Kubina is an offensive defenseman, there is no hiding that, however, this season Kubina has proven he's a little more reliable defensively than most once thought. With the Buffalo disaster aside, which by the McCabe took the brunt if not all of the blame for, wrongfully I might add, Kubina has been a pretty steady guy back there with Kaberle at his side. Kubina leads all Toronto defensemen, physically speaking, with 28 hits. He also leads the team in blocked shots with 39. Kubina's giveaway to takeaway ratio is also 11:9. I expect the PK to take a hit. And I didn't think it was possible. I hate to be repetitious, but, Peca would have been really nice to have right about now, that's for sure.

Now, back to McCabe. With Kubina out of the lineup, we all know what that means. McCabe is going to take all of Kubina's ice time and be reunite with Kaberle in almost every scenario. I know Leaf fans, but hold your collective groans because this also means our good friend Anton Stralman will make his return to the lineup. I expect McCabe to do better than his worst critic expects but significantly worse than his greatest fan. As always, I expect him to land right in the middle which is quite typical on a team that has been the model of mediocrity for the last 40 years. McCabe is surprisingly only 4th on the team in giveaways with Kaberle leading the team in giveaways with 20 and having only 4 take aways to counter it with. My theory on this is that Kaberle has been playing with Kubina, a right handed shot, and has been forced to throw pucks closer to the middle on the break out. It's a pretty weak theory, but we'll see how things go with McCabe. McCabe also has 22 blocked shots, only 17 fewer than Kubina in 7 fewer games.

Personally, if I was the coach of this team, I think I would try and pair Stralman with Kaberle, McCabe with White, while alternating McCabe and Stralman, and Gill with Wozniewski. Stralman may be a rookie, but I've got a feeling about him. He has 3 giveaways in 7 games, not bad for a rookie, but at the same time, has 4 take aways which I believe is very good. I think a mistake Maurice might make with McCabe is overplaying him and going back to 3 years ago when McCabe was playing 30 minutes a game, rivaling Pronger and Lidstrom a top the league. McCabe can't be on the ice for that long. He takes things upon himself and it could see him add to his giveaway totals.


As you all know, I'm a believer of blowing this team up and letting guys like our friend Stralman play meaningful minutes at the NHL level, however, considering that isn't in the cards for certain people who are looking for extensions, or profits, the very least one can hope for is that guys like Stralman get to play a little bit more and guys like McCabe can play a little bit less because not only does it helps them both out tremendously but ultimately the team, now, and moving forward.

Also, one last thing, Colaiacovo has been reported to have skated for 7 straight days without pain. No timetable has been set yet, but hopefully, he can replace Wozniewski as quickly as possible and start dishing out some pain to some of our friends.

Until next time, don't give MLSE your money. It's not worth it.

Leafs Lose To Sens, Look Ahead For Hope

After the Leafs looked to start off the week with a bang... they did just the opposite. The defense was sloppy and once again, did not care for goaltender Vesa Toskala. The offense was also lackluster and Toronto did not generate much in terms of anything really. Give Ottawa two points and leave ScotiaBank Place... job well done, boys.

Up next, the Buffalo Sabres. A inner-division rival club who has our number in the recent years, but with the Sabres struggling does this put an end to era that was? Or will the Sabres lay waste of the Buds and use them to break-out of their slump? Well, one thing to definitely count on is Andrew Raycroft starting after Vesa started 9 games in a row. And if memory serves correctly, the Sabres love to play Raycroft....yikes.

Next on the list is original six foe, New York Rangers. Keywords: Lundqvist, two shutouts in a row, Avery, Jagr, Rangers comeback. Watch out, Leafs. The Rangers are indeed a top conference team and they'll be looking to get back up there, the Leafs will have to be on their A-game and playing two nights in a row should help that...seeing on how we need a jump start to actually play a solid game.

So far, the Leafs are losing the games that ultimately led them to their demise last season....lose important games and miss the playoffs by a couple of points. If they want to attain that feat, then smarten the F up and start backing your goaltender Toskala, because he is playing very solid. Frankly, I'm extremely tired of seeing Vesa get ripped apart by laughable defense and lackluster effort by his teammates.

With all this said, I'm gonna try to stay as positive as possible this upcoming weekend, two teams, one on the up rise and one on the verge of breaking-out... play your cards rights, boys.

Leafs Lose Big Time to Sens, but Need to Look on the Bright Side

The Ottawa Senators are a very good team, there's no doubt about that at all, but the Leafs and their fans should not hang their heads low. The reality is that these are the types of teams that they have to beat in order to go anywhere at playoff time. Now don't get me wrong, this isn't your average Leaf-hate blog, I have absolutely no issue with them. As a third party, this is just my opinion of them.

They have talent and promise, but they certainly aren't reaping the benefits of it. A 5-1 loss to a great team is nothing to be proud of, or to be overly upset about. They got beat quite easily, which was expected (admit it Leafers, it really was), this just sets the bar, giving them something to strive for.

The Leafs should not look on the bad points of this game, they are clearly a less talented team than the Senators, but they should instead look at what they did good, because in order for them to beat them they need to single out what they did good, and exploit it. Whether it's out hustling, or just finding a set play which plays to their advantage, that's for the Leafs coaching staff to figure out.

It is not impossible for the Maple Leafs to beat the Senators, although after tonights' game it sure looks that way. They need to realize that, and they shouldn't hang their heads low. They did what they were expected to do, and that was lose to them. the really good teams bounce back from this, and not only learn from their mistakes, but they take the good points out of the game, and use it next time! That's the beauty of early season games, there's plenty of time to improve.

I believe that a quote from the great philosopher Confucius sums this loss up extremely well, "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." The Leafs shouldn't hang their heads because they failed, they just need to get a new game plan and keep on trying, because nobody will ever remember losing to the Senators in an early regular season game, they will remember winning the big game, and that is ultimately the Stanley Cup. I truly hope they take my advice, so I can stop hearing their whining...