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  1. TMLsHockeyBlog
    The NHL made it official yesterday. The Winter Classic for next year would be in Detroit at Michigan Stadium, which is more commonly known as the Big House. The Leafs would visit the Red Wings in front of over 110, 000 fans. This isn't big news as this was a poorly kept secret, the rumours had been around for nearly a month. Assuming HBO does a 24/7 series on the event, like they have in the past, it will be a very exciting month leading up to the Winter Classic.
    Two Original Six rivals will be going at it in front of an NHL record breaking audience. Leafs GM Brian Burke said, "It's Hockeytown against the center of the hockey universe", when describing the event. The Winter Classic is expected to break the NHL record for largest attendance at a single game, but there are also plans for a series of events to build up to the game around the city. Rather than calling the entire plan the "Winter Classic" its being dubbed the "Hockeytown Winter Festival".
    The Winter Festival is set to include far more than the outdoor game between the Leafs and the Red Wings. As per tradition there will be an alumni game played at Comerica Park, but there is expected to be far more. The Great Lakes Invitational, which is a tournament of Michigans four college teams, is also to occur during the weeks leading up to the outdoor game. There is also going to be an AHL match-up between the Maple Leafs affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, and the Red Wings affiliate, the Grand Rapid Griffins. Two OHL games, high school games, youth hockey games, and public-skating sessions are also to be arranged at Comerica Park.
    Lets not forget about HBO's 24/7 series. A series of four episodes that shows footage of what really happens behind closed doors with these two teams. This will be the first 24/7 series showcasing the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs fan base is a very off-the-wall fan base. It seems everyone thinks they're a better GM or coach or player than the ones currently employed. Brian Burke and Ron Wilson are criticized after every game, lose or win. In the past, these rather opinionated, and often uneducated, fans would call in on radio shows and voice their thoughts. As technology advances, avenues such as twitter give an open shot to everyone to say speak their mind, regardless of how vulgar or indecent their thoughts are. It's sad when someone creates a twitter account solely for the purpose of retweeting the stupid things that other people tweet to Brian Burke. If you want a good laugh and you're a twitter user you should follow @AskBrianBurke.
    The reason I decided to bring this up is because the 24/7 series will show an in-depth look at how Brian Burke works, and how Ron Wilson and his assistant coaches run the team. There are a ton of people that say the Leafs should have fired Wilson, but they have never seen the team in practise. They have never seen what he tells the team to do, and how the players react to him. A coach loses his job when the players stop playing for him, when they don't try because they're fed up, and once the team stops listening to the coach, there's no reason for him to be there. There's no evidence that the Leafs have ever stopped playing for Ron Wilson, and based on what I have picked up from interview of both the coach and the players, the relationship seems to be a very strong one. That being said, I could be completely wrong. The point is that I just dont know, and neither do most people. That is why it will be interesting to watch the 24/7 series and get a look at how Ron Wilson chooses to coach the team and on where the respect level is for both him and the players.
    The bad news is that all this news broke almost a calendar year before the event is set to take place. So everyone just needs to sit tight in anticipation for the next few months...
    Source
  2. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KbewvzV2Gt0/T5GHYQSm8JI/AAAAAAAAANU/ZNxJabTov7U/s320/crawford+lets+the+puck+slide+past+him.jpgCrawford lets the puck slide past him in overtime and the
    Blackhawks lose in another tight game with the Coyotes
    PHOTO: nhl.comSo, we've made it to the halfway point of the first round of the playoffs, and it has been rather eventful when compared to previous years. Here is my breakdown of each series this far.


    VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs LOS ANGELES KINGS

    The Canucks finished this season with the best record in the NHL, which earns them the President's trophy, but things didn't quite go their way early in the playoffs. Daniel Sedin didn't play in their first three games for the Canucks as the Kings jumped to an 3-0 series lead. Vancouver would win game four with Daniel Sedin in the line-up, but have a big hill to climb.

    Roberto Luongo played in net for the Canucks in games one and two, and played considerably well, but Cory Schneider was given the call for game three to change things up. Despite the loss in game three, Schneider, who played well, was given the nod to start in net for game four which he won. This raises a lot of questions about the future of Luongo and whether or not he will be playing for the Canucks in the near future.

    The real goaltending story in this series is Jonathan Quick for the Los Angeles Kings. In my opinion he has been the best goalie of the playoffs thus far.


    Although the Kings are the eighth an final team to make the playoffs in the Western Conference, they are still a very good team with a very talented roster. I don't see the Canucks winning another three consecutive games to knock the Kings out. In fact, when the dust settles and the first round is behind us, I think Los Angeles will be many people's favourite for the Stanley Cup.


    ST. LOUIS BLUES vs SAN JOSE SHARKS

    After last nights win, the St. Louis Blues have a 3-1 series lead. The only game they lost happened in the second overtime. Even despite the injury to Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis' number one goaltender, they still managed to win with Brian Elliot in net. Although Elliot is the back-up goalie, he put up great numbers in the regular season and is continuing where he left off in the playoffs. Andy McDonald has been great as well as he leads the Blues offense with seven points.

    As for the Sharks, Neimi has played well enough to win most nights, but their top players need to start producing. Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski are still held pointless thus far in the series.


    PHOENIX COYOTES vs CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

    Although Chicago is the lower seeded team in this match-up, many people considered them favourites to get past the Coyotes. With all the fire power and skill up front, it's surprising that the Blackhawks trail the Coyotes 3-1 in the series. Simply stated, Crawford has been bad in net for Chicago, and across the ice, Mike Smith has been phenomenal for the Coyotes.

    Granted, all four games were decided in overtime, but the last two games were decided by bad goals. In game three Crawford let in a goal from the icing line, and in game four he let a sliding puck get behind him. If the Blackhawks want to get back into this series, they need Crawford to start playing like a starting NHL goalie. But let's not put the whole blame on Crawford. Johnny Oduya, who the Blackhawks picked up at the trade deadline, is having an absolutely terrible run thus far in the playoffs.


    NASHVILLE PREDATORS vs DETROIT RED WINGS

    The Predators lead the series 3-1 over the Red Wings in another series where most games have been decided by a single goal. When things are that tight, it helps to have a goalie like Pekka Rinne in net. It also helps that Shea Weber is in the line-up and not suspended despite a vicious play involving him and Zetterberg earlier on the series. But that's another discussion entirely in itself.

    Who would've thought that two former Stanley Cup champions and one runner up, all within the last five years, would be on the brink of a first round elimination?
  3. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Crawford lets the puck slide past him in overtime and the Blackhawks lose in another tight game with the Coyotes
    PHOTO: nhl.com
    So, we've made it to the halfway point of the first round of the playoffs, and it has been rather eventful when compared to previous years. Here is my breakdown of each series this far. VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs LOS ANGELES KINGS
    The Canucks finished this season with the best record in the NHL, which earns them the President's trophy, but things didn't quite go their way early in the playoffs. Daniel Sedin didn't play in their first three games for the Canucks as the Kings jumped to an 3-0 series lead. Vancouver would win game four with Daniel Sedin in the line-up, but have a big hill to climb.
    Roberto Luongo played in net for the Canucks in games one and two, and played considerably well, but Cory Schneider was given the call for game three to change things up. Despite the loss in game three, Schneider, who played well, was given the nod to start in net for game four which he won. This raises a lot of questions about the future of Luongo and whether or not he will be playing for the Canucks in the near future.
    The real goaltending story in this series is Jonathan Quick for the Los Angeles Kings. In my opinion he has been the best goalie of the playoffs thus far.
    Although the Kings are the eighth an final team to make the playoffs in the Western Conference, they are still a very good team with a very talented roster. I don't see the Canucks winning another three consecutive games to knock the Kings out. In fact, when the dust settles and the first round is behind us, I think Los Angeles will be many people's favourite for the Stanley Cup.
    ST. LOUIS BLUES vs SAN JOSE SHARKS
    After last nights win, the St. Louis Blues have a 3-1 series lead. The only game they lost happened in the second overtime. Even despite the injury to Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis' number one goaltender, they still managed to win with Brian Elliot in net. Although Elliot is the back-up goalie, he put up great numbers in the regular season and is continuing where he left off in the playoffs. Andy McDonald has been great as well as he leads the Blues offense with seven points.
    As for the Sharks, Neimi has played well enough to win most nights, but their top players need to start producing. Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski are still held pointless thus far in the series.
    PHOENIX COYOTES vs CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
    Although Chicago is the lower seeded team in this match-up, many people considered them favourites to get past the Coyotes. With all the fire power and skill up front, it's surprising that the Blackhawks trail the Coyotes 3-1 in the series. Simply stated, Crawford has been bad in net for Chicago, and across the ice, Mike Smith has been phenomenal for the Coyotes.
    Granted, all four games were decided in overtime, but the last two games were decided by bad goals. In game three Crawford let in a goal from the icing line, and in game four he let a sliding puck get behind him. If the Blackhawks want to get back into this series, they need Crawford to start playing like a starting NHL goalie. But let's not put the whole blame on Crawford. Johnny Oduya, who the Blackhawks picked up at the trade deadline, is having an absolutely terrible run thus far in the playoffs.
    NASHVILLE PREDATORS vs DETROIT RED WINGS
    The Predators lead the series 3-1 over the Red Wings in another series where most games have been decided by a single goal. When things are that tight, it helps to have a goalie like Pekka Rinne in net. It also helps that Shea Weber is in the line-up and not suspended despite a vicious play involving him and Zetterberg earlier on the series. But that's another discussion entirely in itself.
    Who would've thought that two former Stanley Cup champions and one runner up, all within the last five years, would be on the brink of a first round elimination?
    Source
  4. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQX5XMYHvRk/T3agqYk_z2I/AAAAAAAAANM/m8mXhfcqM2c/s320/leafs+flyers.jpgLeafs are dominated by the Flyers
    PHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    The Toronto Maple Leafs suffer yet another humiliating loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers and all is lost for many Leaf fans. While some fans are calling for General Manager Brian Burke to be fired, others are calling the Leafs the worst team in the league.

    The harsh words and opinions may simply be the aftermath of another disappointing season, which showcased a rather significant debacle. Regardless of anything, the fact of the matter is that the Leafs haven't appeared in the playoffs in eight years.

    But let's be honest, everyone calling for Burke's head and running around saying the Leafs are the worst team in the league, are the same people that were claiming to be the #1 Leaf fan a few months ago. So, sometimes things didn't go as planned. In fact, things went terribly. This season ends as a completely failure for the Maple Leafs, but why is everyone blowing up over how bad the team plays in meaningless games?


    After almost being a lock for the playoffs in January, the wheels came off the wagon and the Leafs find themselves in a lottery pick with half a dozen games left in the season. It's only logical that the players on the team would feel a little demoralized. I don't agree with the lack of effort the Leafs have put forth the last few games, but I'm not going to hold the teams future on the results of meaningless games.

    I, for one, am excited for the Leafs next season. Sure, it's the same thing most Leaf fans say every year, but this team has come a long way since Brian Burke took the helm as the GM. A clean slate after the harsh debacle this season will be good for the team. So for everyone who is going to watch the last four games of the season with expectations of seeing the Leafs play a great game, I'm sorry, but you will likely be disappointed. So take a nap, or fire up Netflix and start watching some NewsRadio if you can't handle watching the game tomorrow night.
  5. TMLsHockeyBlog
    The Toronto Maple Leafs suffer yet another humiliating loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers and all is lost for many Leaf fans. While some fans are calling for General Manager Brian Burke to be fired, others are calling the Leafs the worst team in the league.
    The harsh words and opinions may simply be the aftermath of another disappointing season, which showcased a rather significant debacle. Regardless of anything, the fact of the matter is that the Leafs haven't appeared in the playoffs in eight years.
    But let's be honest, everyone calling for Burke's head and running around saying the Leafs are the worst team in the league, are the same people that were claiming to be the #1 Leaf fan a few months ago. So, sometimes things didn't go as planned. In fact, things went terribly. This season ends as a completely failure for the Maple Leafs, but why is everyone blowing up over how bad the team plays in meaningless games?
    After almost being a lock for the playoffs in January, the wheels came off the wagon and the Leafs find themselves in a lottery pick with half a dozen games left in the season. It's only logical that the players on the team would feel a little demoralized. I don't agree with the lack of effort the Leafs have put forth the last few games, but I'm not going to hold the teams future on the results of meaningless games.
    I, for one, am excited for the Leafs next season. Sure, it's the same thing most Leaf fans say every year, but this team has come a long way since Brian Burke took the helm as the GM. A clean slate after the harsh debacle this season will be good for the team. So for everyone who is going to watch the last four games of the season with expectations of seeing the Leafs play a great game, I'm sorry, but you will likely be disappointed. So take a nap, or fire up Netflix and start watching some NewsRadio if you can't handle watching the game tomorrow night.
    Source
  6. TMLsHockeyBlog
    The Toronto Maple Leafs have relieved Brian Burke of his job and replaced him with his Dave Nonis, one of Toronto's assistant General Managers. The news came as a shock today when the decision was made, and was followed up by a press conference from Toronto at 1:45pm this afternoon. Burke has been appointed a new role for the Maple Leafs as a senior advisor.

    http://3.cdn.nhle.com/mapleleafs/images/upload/gallery/2011/06/117309102_std.jpgBurke, who was the GM for the Leafs for the last four years, had a losing record in his tenure with Toronto. He just recently signed Randy Carlyle to take over as the coach at the tail end of last season. Considering the fact that the NHL and the NHLPA have finally come to a deal after four months of lockout, the timing of this news is rather odd. Why not fire Brian Burke in the summer? Or why not fire him in the dead months during the lockout? The timing doesn't seem right for a change to just happen. What made this decision happened just a few days prior to training camp for the 48-game shortened NHL season.
    During the press conference held this afternoon, it was noted several times that the decision to let Burke go wasn't anything reactionary, but rather that the relationship with Burke "wasn't something that would last long-term". But could there be something else? Is it possible that Burke's headstrong morals, that may have rubbed other general managers the wrong way and interrupted possible trades, be the reason that he lost his job? At this point, no one knows, but maybe in time the answers will be revealed.
    All these questions aside, there is one far more important to Maple Leafs fans, what does this mean for Roberto Luongo coming to Toronto?
  7. TMLsHockeyBlog
    The Toronto Maple Leafs have relieved Brian Burke of his job and replaced him with his Dave Nonis, one of Toronto's assistant General Managers. The news came as a shock today when the decision was made, and was followed up by a press conference from Toronto at 1:45pm this afternoon. Burke has been appointed a new role for the Maple Leafs as a senior advisor.

    Burke, who was the GM for the Leafs for the last four years, had a losing record in his tenure with Toronto. He just recently signed Randy Carlyle to take over as the coach at the tail end of last season. Considering the fact that the NHL and the NHLPA have finally come to a deal after four months of lockout, the timing of this news is rather odd. Why not fire Brian Burke in the summer? Or why not fire him in the dead months during the lockout? The timing doesn't seem right for a change to just happen. What made this decision happened just a few days prior to training camp for the 48-game shortened NHL season.
    During the press conference held this afternoon, it was noted several times that the decision to let Burke go wasn't anything reactionary, but rather that the relationship with Burke "wasn't something that would last long-term". But could there be something else? Is it possible that Burke's headstrong morals, that may have rubbed other general managers the wrong way and interrupted possible trades, be the reason that he lost his job? At this point, no one knows, but maybe in time the answers will be revealed.
    All these questions aside, there is one far more important to Maple Leafs fans, what does this mean for Roberto Luongo coming to Toronto?
    Source
  8. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UqhnZn4WagM/T1bOegNgHFI/AAAAAAAAAMk/TdS-ps68VCQ/s320/bruins+celebrate+goal+on+leafs.jpgBruins celebrate second period goal vs Leafs
    PHOTO: mapleleafs.comThe Toronto Maple Leafs were host to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night in search of a win to revive their playoff aspirations, but things didn't go their way. As has been the tradition in the past, the Bruins dominated the majority of the game, especially the second period. The Leafs would lose the game by a score of 5-4.

    Toronto scored first and stayed in the game early, as the both teams bounced goals back and forth. The momentum began to seriously shift in Boston's direction late in the first period and continued in the second. A pair of quick goals from the Bruins in the second period was the turning point in this game. The Leafs would gain some momentum back in the third as Mikhail Grabovski, who just signed a 5-year contract extension, scored to cut the Bruins' lead in half. In the end though, some collapses in the Leafs defensive zone in the second period lost them the game.

    Randy Carlyle mentioned earlier this week that each player will have a specific role on the team under his coaching. That was evident as Jay Rosehill was inserted back into the Leafs starting line-up and fought Shawn Thornton. Colby Armstrong and Tim Connolly also dropped the gloves, although Tim Connolly and Brad Marchand were only given minor roughing penalties for their short tussle.


    More bad news came for the Leafs in terms of injuries. Toronto played half of the game with just three lines. Joffrey Lupul left the game early in the second period after being hit hard into the boards. The team is calling it an upper body injury. Colby Armstrong also left the game and didn't return after a fight between him and Dennis Seidenberg.

    On the plus side, Toronto's goaltending was much better than it has been recently. Despite what the scoreboard may lead one to believe, Jonas Gustavsson played a solid game. He looked quiet and steady from the start of the game and maintained that throughout the game. His rebound control was as good as it's been in any game this season.

    The loss tonight all but puts their playoff hopes to rest. Toronto heads into Pittsburgh tomorrow to play the Penguins. Then they will return home on Saturday to face the Flyers before heading into Washington on Sunday.
  9. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Bruins celebrate second period goal vs LeafsPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    The Toronto Maple Leafs were host to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night in search of a win to revive their playoff aspirations, but things didn't go their way. As has been the tradition in the past, the Bruins dominated the majority of the game, especially the second period. The Leafs would lose the game by a score of 5-4.Toronto scored first and stayed in the game early, as the both teams bounced goals back and forth. The momentum began to seriously shift in Boston's direction late in the first period and continued in the second. A pair of quick goals from the Bruins in the second period was the turning point in this game. The Leafs would gain some momentum back in the third as Mikhail Grabovski, who just signed a 5-year contract extension, scored to cut the Bruins' lead in half. In the end though, some collapses in the Leafs defensive zone in the second period lost them the game.
    Randy Carlyle mentioned earlier this week that each player will have a specific role on the team under his coaching. That was evident as Jay Rosehill was inserted back into the Leafs starting line-up and fought Shawn Thornton. Colby Armstrong and Tim Connolly also dropped the gloves, although Tim Connolly and Brad Marchand were only given minor roughing penalties for their short tussle.
    More bad news came for the Leafs in terms of injuries. Toronto played half of the game with just three lines. Joffrey Lupul left the game early in the second period after being hit hard into the boards. The team is calling it an upper body injury. Colby Armstrong also left the game and didn't return after a fight between him and Dennis Seidenberg.
    On the plus side, Toronto's goaltending was much better than it has been recently. Despite what the scoreboard may lead one to believe, Jonas Gustavsson played a solid game. He looked quiet and steady from the start of the game and maintained that throughout the game. His rebound control was as good as it's been in any game this season.
    The loss tonight all but puts their playoff hopes to rest. Toronto heads into Pittsburgh tomorrow to play the Penguins. Then they will return home on Saturday to face the Flyers before heading into Washington on Sunday.
    Source
  10. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Carl Gunnarsson celebrates with Jake GardinerPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Carl Gunnarsson left practice this morning after suffering an injury due to a collision with Jay Rosehill. It's sad enough that Jay Rosehill gets to practice with the team and collect an NHL salary, but now he could be on the bad side of many Leaf fans if in fact Gunnarsson is out for a substantial period of time. Apparently Rosehill and Gunnarsson collided during practice and Gunnarsson was helped off the ice. He seems to have injured his leg and Ron Wilson suggested that "an image" would need to be taken and reviewed before the team can correctly evaluate the injury. It sounds like he's definitely going to miss some time, but hopefully its not a long-term injury.
    Despite the fact that the Leafs have quite a bit of depth on defense, they have some big shoes to fill. Gunnarsson has arguable been the Leafs best defenseman this season. He's a steady defender, who also has some offensive flare. Any replacement the Leafs put into the line-up will not be as good as Gunnarsson has been this season.
    Mike Komisarek, who has been a healthy scratch for the last handful of games, will likely return to the line-up if Gunnarsson misses time. Next in the depth charts is probably Keith Aulie, but I would like to see the Leafs call up Korbinian Holzer to actually play a game or two so we can truly evaluate him in an NHL setting. There has been a lot of talk that Holzer is "NHL ready", but he has yet to play in a game this season despite being called up several times.
    On the heels of a three-game losing streak, things aren't looking good for the Leafs, but they have to simply play through their injuries, like every other team in the league. The teams playoff hopes have fallen from near certainty to being on par with the others fighting for a spot. Toronto needs to win tomorrow night and get at least 4 points in their next three games. They are currently on a three-game road trip against western Canadian teams with a few days off between Wednesday and Saturday's games, but the schedule doesn't get any easier for them down the stretch. There are few rest days and the Leafs have back-to-back games six more before the end of the season.
    The Leafs also have big games against the teams they've been fighting for a playoff spot with. They play the Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals, and New Jersey Devils twice each. They also have one more game against the Ottawa Senators. Two regulation wins against either of those teams might be enough to bury one of them by the end of the season.
    The Leafs (28-22-6) are in Calgary tomorrow night as they play the Flames (26-22-8). Puck drop is at 9pm EST.
    Source
  11. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Every player should ask themselves these ten questions when on the ice. Being aware of your surroundings can help you prevent a concussion.
    So here, in no apparent order, are the questions:

    Is Matt Cooke on the ice? - Is Chara angling me into the ... ? (CRASH) ... Oh God - Has Chris Neil sucker-punched you in the face yet? (Watch him pretend he got hit in the face too... what a tool) - Did you recently take part in the Sports Illustrated "Most Over-rated NHL player" poll and are Dion Phaneuf and Chris Pronger standing on your porch? - SI.com link Wendel Clark doesn't still play hockey, does he? - Is David Steckel skating near you and pretending not to see you? - Did Milan Lucic just run over my goaltender? Should I jump in there and show him that here in Buffalo we don't roll over to physical contact? ... Whats that?... We do roll over? ... Good, I'll stay here then. - Is that Glenn Healy between the benches? Damn you Hockey Night in Canada! (beats head repeatedly on the boards.) - If I attempt to settle this bouncing pass with my head down, will I be crippled? - Video link Wayne Simmonds has the perfect NBA body type, he should be able to jump over me, right? -  ... I guess that's why he's playing hockey and not basketball... I'll show him, I'll get some dumbass to throw a banana at him! -  ... What's that ref? No, that wasn't a racist comment... I can't say "banana"? Barch article link ... Wait what? ... Wayne Simmonds is black? I never noticed... (the ref must be the racist one... tsk tsk...) P.S. For the record I don't condone fighting. At the same time, I'm not against it, especially in a league where you have guy running around taking cheap shots at other players. But there's a big difference between fighting at a stand still and skating full speed to hit a guy in the head.If you dispute my theory, I highly encourage you to participate in our final experiment. In this test we have you stand in front of one of you're friends as they punch you in the face several times... How do you feel? A bit woozy? ... Okay, now go stand in the middle of the road and have a friend drive a motorcycle at 50 km/h towards you. While he approaches, get him to stick his elbow out and drive it into your head... How do you feel now?
    Source
  12. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Leafs win 4-0 but Dion Phaneuf leave the gameafter taking a puck to the face
    PHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    The Leafs climb back into a playoff spot with a convincing 4-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg, who lost last night to Montreal, were no match for the Leafs. Jonas Gustavsson earned his first shutout since December 19, 2009. Gustavsson didn't have to make very many saves, but when he was called upon, he was perfect on all of the 24 shots the Jets put at Toronto's net.
    The biggest improvement about Jonas Gustavsson's game is that he looked confident. There have been far too many games this year where he looked really shaky and lacked the confidence that a good NHL goaltender needs, but after tonight I am pretty optimistic to see what he can do on Saturday nights game against the Red Wings (I would assume he would be the starting goaltender). James Reimer sits at the end of the bench, on the outside looking in. It's not that he has played really bad, the results are what matters and with Gustavsson earning two wins in as many games in the new year, how do you justify starting Reimer? The Monster will really press Reimer and it will be nice to see some improved goaltending, from both goalies, knowing that one bad game could have you on the bench for a week or two.
    Just five minutes into the first period the Leafs opened the scoring. Phil Kessel tucked the puck in for his 23rd goal of the season. In the second period Tim Connolly had the lone goal for the Maple Leafs and Grabovski and MacArthur each scored in the third. The win tonight puts the Leafs back into a playoff spot just one game away from the half way point of the season.
    The Leafs were perfect on the PK again tonight, although they only took one penalty. With the improvement on the penalty kill and the fact that they aren't taking as many trips to the penalty box, the Leafs are giving themselves a much better chance at winning games, and ultimately making the playoffs. Colton Orr cleared waivers and report to the Toronto Marlies. Orr has been a healthy scratch for the Maple Leafs for all but five games this season and was send down due to the return of Mike Brown. He has been on the IR for quite some time now and the Leafs feel that he will be ready to return within the next couple of games.


    There's some bad news on the injury front though. Dion Phaneuf took a puck to the face in the third period and did not return to the game. The Leafs had already built a solid lead and Winnipeg showed no signs of making a come back, so he could have been kept in the back for precautionary reasons. Ron Wilson did not have an update on his condition as he spoke to the media following the game. It didn't appear that Phaneuf lost any teeth during the play but he was bleeding on the ice. Hopefully the injury to the Leafs captain is not a major set-back and it would be nice to see him on the ice as the Leafs host Detriot on Saturday night. If you missed the game, here's a video of the puck hitting Phaneuf in the face...
    Dion Phaneuf hit in the face with the puck

    Saturday will be the third game of the Leafs current four-game home stretch. They will also host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. On Friday the Leafs head into Buffalo to complete the home at home, which is divided by a two day resting period. They will return home to square off against the Rangers next Saturday night as they open a five-game home swing. The Leafs have been much better at the Air Canada Centre than they have been on the road. Stacking a few victories this month may prove to be very useful down the stretch run as they search for the post season.Source
  13. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3fG9HqpLSP4/Tz65LVyRoAI/AAAAAAAAAH0/tAyy2ctdwgc/s1600/gill+small+pic.jpgHal Gill
    PHOTO: mapleleafs.comIt must be really difficult to manage a team when the ownership keeps you on a really tight budget. Such is the problem in Nashville. That is why in the off-season the Predators traded Cody Franson and Matthew Lombardi to the Maple Leafs for Brett Lebda and Robert Slaney. The only reason the Predators gave up an asset like Franson is because they wanted to get Lombardi's contract off their books. Nashville would end up letting Lebda go and keeping Slaney, until today.

    The Predators traded Slaney along with Blake Geoffrion and a second round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Hal Gill and a conditional draft pick. Gill, who is 36 years old, is in the last year of his current contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. With not much money left to pay to Gill from now until the end of the season, the Predators add some depth to their defense as they prepare for the playoffs, at a very minimal cost.

    Looking back at the those two trades, there isn't much return for what the Predators have given up. They did manage to save the 3.5 million dollars per year, for this year and next year, that Lombardi would have been paid, but have given up quite a bit for not much in return. Compared to last years roster, out of Nashville is Cody Franson, Matthew Lombardi, Blake Geoffrion, and a second round draft pick, and in return is just Hal Gill, who is likely just a rental player until the end of the season.


    The limited funds in Nashville have really handcuffed the management of the team, despite that though, the Predators are currently fifth in the West. They are also in one of the hardest divisions in the league. The Central Division also has the Red Wings, Blues, Blackhawks and Blue Jackets. All of those teams except Columbus are in the top six in the West, yet the Predators have a record of 13-2-2 against teams in their division.

    Indeed, the Predators are a model NHL team to follow. I'm sure they would much rather have Cody Franson on their team right now, they may not have had to trade for Gill if Franson was still there, but they keep on doing what needs to be done. They are a new team compared to others in the league, and there really isn't much going for them, yet they almost always seem to manage their way into the post-season. So thumbs up to the Predators for this trade given their circumstances.
  14. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Hal GillPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    It must be really difficult to manage a team when the ownership keeps you on a really tight budget. Such is the problem in Nashville. That is why in the off-season the Predators traded Cody Franson and Matthew Lombardi to the Maple Leafs for Brett Lebda and Robert Slaney. The only reason the Predators gave up an asset like Franson is because they wanted to get Lombardi's contract off their books. Nashville would end up letting Lebda go and keeping Slaney, until today.The Predators traded Slaney along with Blake Geoffrion and a second round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Hal Gill and a conditional draft pick. Gill, who is 36 years old, is in the last year of his current contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. With not much money left to pay to Gill from now until the end of the season, the Predators add some depth to their defense as they prepare for the playoffs, at a very minimal cost.
    Looking back at the those two trades, there isn't much return for what the Predators have given up. They did manage to save the 3.5 million dollars per year, for this year and next year, that Lombardi would have been paid, but have given up quite a bit for not much in return. Compared to last years roster, out of Nashville is Cody Franson, Matthew Lombardi, Blake Geoffrion, and a second round draft pick, and in return is just Hal Gill, who is likely just a rental player until the end of the season.
    The limited funds in Nashville have really handcuffed the management of the team, despite that though, the Predators are currently fifth in the West. They are also in one of the hardest divisions in the league. The Central Division also has the Red Wings, Blues, Blackhawks and Blue Jackets. All of those teams except Columbus are in the top six in the West, yet the Predators have a record of 13-2-2 against teams in their division.
    Indeed, the Predators are a model NHL team to follow. I'm sure they would much rather have Cody Franson on their team right now, they may not have had to trade for Gill if Franson was still there, but they keep on doing what needs to be done. They are a new team compared to others in the league, and there really isn't much going for them, yet they almost always seem to manage their way into the post-season. So thumbs up to the Predators for this trade given their circumstances.
    Source
  15. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Cody Franson #4 - Toronto Maple LeafsPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    When the Leafs traded Slaney and Lebda for Franson and Lombardi everyone thought the key to the deal was Franson. The Leafs would take on the extra salary from Lombardi but in exchange Nashville had to give up a good young defenseman. Cody Franson, who is 24 years old, had 29 points in 80 regular season games, and six points in 12 playoff games last season. The Leafs weren't just getting a prospect in return, but an NHL ready defenseman who makes a mere 800k this season. Everything seemed to be going well until the season started and Cody Franson found himself a healthy scratch. On top of that, he publicly made known he felt that he deserved to play on a regular basis for the Leafs. This caused a bit of controversy, and suddenly things didn't seem as bright as they were in the off-season, which is when the Leafs made the trade.Franson would be patient over the next half a dozen games or so until he finally got a shot to play, but he didn't look all that impressive and was in and out of the line-up until Toronto suffered some injuries on the back end. As Franson continued to play more he became more steady in the defensive zone, cutting out those little mistakes that a coach hates, and he showed his offensive skills as well. Franson has a really hard shot, but also knows when to take a softer shot and get it through the traffic on the net. Leafs defenseman have struggled many times with actually getting a shot on the net, often times they shoot the hardest slap shot they can muster and the puck sails over the net or wide of the post.
    Franson has somewhat cemented his role on the team. He usually gets powerplay time on the second unit, and has seen his production grow this season. Through 36 games he has three goals and 11 assists for 14 points. Those stats are respectable, but not great, until you do some further research. And I took two key points to research how his offensive numbers could be in the elite class of players this season. The first is the amount of games he didn't play due to being a health scratch behind players that many consider him to be superior to, and the second is his ice time per game.

    Firstly, if Cody Franson had played all 51 games for the Leafs this season, he would have 20 points thus far and be on pace for over 30 points by the end of this season. Secondly, this season Cody Franson had played on average 16 minutes and 13 seconds per game, which is the least of any defenseman that has dressed for the Leafs. Hypothetically speaking, if Cody Franson played about 21 minutes per game, which is a respectable amount for most defenseman, his production would increase even more. Franson has played roughly 583 minutes this year (16m 13s x 36 games). If you divide that number by the amount of points he has, which is 14, you would get 41.7. This number represents the average amount of time he plays in comparison which each point he gets. So, if Franson wasn't scratched earlier this season, and plays 21 minutes a game, he would be in the top 20 in points by a defenseman thus far in the season, and he would be on pace for over 40 points by April.Now, I'm not saying Franson is getting the raw end of the deal here, and these above hypothetical stats are all based on "what ifs" which probably wont occur, but one has to wonder... I was just as unhappy with Franson's play early in the season as Ron Wilson was, and although I wouldn't go as far as justifying playing Mike Komisarek over him every game, I didn't mind the coach's decision to sit Franson. Since then, however, he has proven that he deserves to be a regular in the line-up.
    Now you're probably annoyed of reading hypothetical stats and how he played last season and blah, blah, blah. So, where am I going with all of this? Well, with all the talk in Toronto being about Mikhail Grabovski and his contract expiring this off-season, little has been mentioned that Cody Franson's contract is ending as well. Other players with expiring contracts include: Nikolai Kulemin, Joey Crabb, Darryl Boyce, Jay Rosehill and Jonas Gustavsson. Below is a chart of Toronto's pending unrestricted and restricted free agents.


    The Leafs already have over 51 million dollars in player salaries tied up for next season. That 51 million includes nine forwards, six defenseman, one goaltender, and the one million dollars they are still paying for buying out Darcy Tucker. There really isn't much room for signing the key players with expiring contacts, who in my opinion are Grabovski, Kulemin, Franson, and Crabb, let alone improving the team going forward. Brian Burke and his team will have to crunch numbers and find out exactly what the plan for next season is.

    If the Leafs are unable to unload some of their currently signed over-priced players, such as Tim Connolly, Matthew Lombardi, and Mike Komisarek, they may have to trade someone with an expiring contract before the deadline, or let them go to free agency. Grabovski, Kulemin and Franson would likely be getting the most interest. I would assume Grabovski would sign for between 4-6 million a season for a five year term, and Kulemin would sign for a similar contract as the one he currently has, which is between 2-3 million a year. But where does Cody Franson fit?
    It's hard to say at this point of the season how much Franson would ask for next season, but it could be anywhere from 2-3.5 million a season. Obviously anything over three million sounds like it's coming out of left field, but if Franson is still unhappy with the amount of ice time he is getting and his state with the team overall, he may push it a bit. You can couple this with the fact that Luke Schenn is making 3.6 million this season and you could argue that Franson has been the better and more consistent of the two. That being said, I don't see him signing for much more than 2 million dollars, but you have to consider every angle.
    So comes the decision to trade Franson at the trade deadline later this month, re-sign him in the off-season, or if he doesn't want to re-sign for a price the Leafs are comfortable paying given their cap situation, trade his rights as a restricted free agent in the off-season. If the Leafs will end up trading him they would want to do so at the deadline as opposed to in the off-season as his value will be much higher at the deadline. That being said, the Leafs are in a playoff push and trading Franson may hurt their chances at the post season and beyond. I'm not sure what teams are offering for Cody Franson, or if Brian Burke is getting any calls at all about him. In my opinion if the Leafs decide to trade Franson, rather than trading him for a pick (likely a second or third rounder) or a prospect, the Leafs would be better off trading him as part of a bigger trade for a top 6 forward they have been looking for. Either way Brian Burke and his management staff have some decisions to make.Source
  16. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Tim Connolly #12, Toronto Maple LeafsPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    So, the Leafs lost again, their fourth straight in regulation. Jonas Gustavsson was in net tonight, and although he let in 5 goals, he looked pretty good aside from a penalty shot goal against. Although, one could argue if Phaneuf didn't get lost on the play there wouldn't have been a penalty shot after all. Kiprusoff was the key to the Flames holding a 3-1 lead until late in the third period when the Flames added two more goals as the Leafs had pretty much given up. The lone goal scorer for Toronto was Tyler Bozak. Leafs defensive zone coverage was a disaster, the slot was open all night and the Flames were ripping them at the Monster from close range. The final score was 5-1 in favour of Calgary.After three straight loses and an injury to Gunnarsson, the Leafs had to juggle their lines heading into tonight. I don't disagree with the decision to juggle the lines, but I can't say the same for the players Ron Wilson decided to promote. Tim Connolly was jumped up to the second line, where he played the wing with Grabovski and MacArthur, and Mike Komisarek started the game on the first defensive unit with Dion Phaneuf. You would think with the salary spent on these two players, over nine million dollars per season combined, they would deserve their new assignments, but if you've watched many games this season its quite the opposite.
    In Komisarek's defense, he wasn't playing on the top defensive unit for long. He finished the game with over 15 minutes of ice time, second lowest of the six Leafs defenders. Mike Komisarek has a no movement clause, so unlike Jeff Finger, the Leafs can't bury him in the minors and take his salary off the cap. That being said, he clearly isn't capable of playing in the NHL. Toronto has to suck it up, eat the money, and put the best guys on the bench and on the ice. I would much rather see Keith Aulie or Korbinian Holzer playing. At least if they make a mistake, you can justify it in many ways that you can't for Komisarek. They're young, they don't make big money, they have a good future in front of them. Komisarek has none of those things going for him.
    And now, the main attraction, Tim Connolly. "Cheap man's Brad Richards", "Plan B", or as I like to call him, "useless". His lack of effort is sickening. I can't handle watching him coast around the ice and exerting no visible effort. Lately I've seen a "skating top speed" radar on TV broadcasts, they should do the same for Connolly to see how slow he's skating.
    He's a waste of talent, and he has quite a bit of it. He's has exceptional vision, and was supposed to be the top line center. He was supposed to be playmaking with Phil Kessel. Hard to imagine that as Kessel would be in the offensive zone and Connolly would still be at the defensive zone face-off dot, coasting up the ice.
    But hey, at least he doesn't make over seven million dollars a season, like Scott Gomez. I must say though, he is definitely in line to take over where Gomez left off when he scored a few days ago. If there's any justice in the Leafs organization, he should be benched until he comes out to play hockey. Nazem Kadri gets benched for rookie mistakes and lack of effort, yet Tim Connolly, a veteran in the NHL, gets promoted to the second line to play like crap... He's junk, wasted money, teach him a lesson and bench him!
    It's nice to see the fourth line work their ass off and average around nine minutes of ice time a game. I wonder what Darrly Boyce thinks to himself while he's warming the bench watching Connolly glide around offering no help in the defensive zone, let alone the offensive zone. Boyce and Brown go hard on the forecheck, cycling the puck and finishing their checks and they get minimal ice time.
    Ron Wilson needs to start rewarding effort and benching players who aren't trying. By letting Connolly play 16 minutes, including power play ice time, you send a message that you tolerate lazy players with no drive to compete. You're looking to discourage that type of play, but your action are in turn encouraging it. If Wilson can't get these guys going, then its about time Wilson gets going.
    The Leafs are in Edmonton tomorrow night. A fifth straight loss will cripple their playoff aspirations. The Leafs have thus far been lucky that Capitals, who trail the Leafs for that last playoff spot, are in a losing slump as well. The Maple Leafs are the only team in the top eight in the Eastern Conference with a losing road record (12-14-2). They need to get things in the right direction tomorrow with a win over the Oilers.
    Source
  17. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Overrated?PHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    In a recent and anonymous poll by Sports Illustrated, Dion Phaneuf was voted the most overrated player in the Nation Hockey League. The poll was anonymous and was taken by 161 NHL players. Here's how the top fifteen rounded out:
    Dion Phaneuf Alex Ovechkin Scott Gomez Roberto Luongo Dany Heatley Ilya Kovalchuk Vincent Lecavalier Jay Bouwmeester Ryan Kesler Mike Komisarek Chris Pronger Jerome Iginla Alexander Semin Olli Jokinen Ed Jovanovski
    Leafs General Manager Brian Burke summed up the poll nicely. He said "Yes, players dumb enough to participate in polls designed to crap on fellow NHLPA members are not very bright... I am thrilled to have both player (Phaneuf and Komisarek) on my team."
    Is it just me or is this whole idea completely ridiculous? Regardless of who was voted number one, Sports Illustrated was looking to start something controversial in order to gain some exposure... And it worked... Most sports fan know or at least have heard of Sports Illustrated, so they're not a name that's trying to get out there, but I don't think I've mentioned their name once in the last 3 years whereas I've mentioned it about 30 times in the last 24 hours.
    The term "overrated" is another topic in itself. Its such a vague term that may hold different meaning to different individuals. How does one classify overrated? Is it league wide exposure? Is it stats vs. salary? In this case the poll could be entitled "Which NHL player do you hate playing against", with a few exceptions. 
    There are too many inconsistencies with this list. Apart from a few of these players, the rest are some of the elite in the league. Mike Komisarek is definitely an overpaid player. He is a defensive defenseman with almost no offensive upside, but doesn't everybody know that already? Who around the league is rating Mike Komisarek in the same breath as Alex Ovechkin or Chris Pronger? You'd be hard-pressed to find someone that would. So why put him on this list? I have no idea...
    Of course, Alexander Ovechkin is the second most overrated player in the league. I don't think anyone would disagree with that... I'm being completely sarcastic of course. This is a player that came into the league as a 19 year old rookie and has pretty much destroyed the league.  He has the most points and awards of any player since the NHL lockout. Last I checked, that makes you a damn good hockey player, far from being overrated.
    I do think Dion Phaneuf gets paid a little more than he should. Calgary gave him a large contract, that's not really his fault. If you were in his position would you have said "no thanks, that's too much for me"? There's a reason Calgary's management has been flipped upside down. You think Matt Stajan is running back with a cheque for the 3 million a season he's being overpaid? Then again, Dion Phaneuf has the sixth most points by a defenseman thus far this season. So I'm not sure I really have any ground to stand on when I say he's a little overpaid. He's in some pretty good company with similar contracts. Let's also not forget the intangibles such as his leadership qualities, his desire to win and so forth. Seriously, his face looks like its pregnant and he doesn't complain. He doesn't sit for a game or two. He comes back and plays big minutes, usually around 25 a game.
    The 161 players who participated in this poll should feel stupid. Nothing good can come out of calling out your peers to the media. And the list is so bizarre to begin with, I'm questioning whether they just asked Mike Sauer 161 times over and he's still a little confused and bitter after Phaneuf ran him over back in early December. But we'll likely never know who actually participated in the poll. I bet they wouldn't call those players overrated to their respectable faces. Something tells me Pronger would have something to say about that. They're cowards, and Sports Illustrated are cowards for making headlines with such a stupid list. Source
  18. TMLsHockeyBlog
    So we all watch the All-Star weekend, but if you're like me, chances are you walk away from it asking yourself why you wasted all that time. I say that to myself year after year and yet I still get sucked into watching everything, from the fantasy draft all the way to the All-Star game, which looks like a game of gym hockey sometimes. I'm not completely ripping the All-Star weekend, but someone definitely needs to cut the fat.
    FANTASY DRAFT
    The All-Star fantasy draft was a decent idea, but the execution of it is terrible. First off we have James Duthie hosting the show and attempting to make jokes that aren't remotely funny for an hour and a half. I have nothing against James Duthie, I think he's done well for TSN, but the only time I laughed all night was when he said the giant key could be for Chara's car, and even then it wasn't much of a laugh. The fantasy draft also didn't begin for about 20 minutes. In that time we saw a few clips of James Duthie and what seemed like a million commercial breaks. We get it, the entire all-star weekend is a cash grab, just please don't throw it in our faces. By about the third round of draft pics I was completely out of the loop. I have no idea who was drafted or when, I spent all my energy waiting for a decent camera angle of those two blonde girls bringing out the jerseys. Don't get me started on all the boring player interviews, I don't think there's ever been a room of people that shy with a microphone being forced into one face after another. James Duthie asking Tim Thomas about the Obama stuff was really not the brightest thing to do either.
    SOLUTION TO ALL-STAR FANTASY DRAFT
    They should cut the length of the program to 30 minutes instead of 90 minutes. Nobody wants to sit through the entire thing. Either that or replace some of the commercial breaks with decent camera shots of the jersey girls. I mean it's all about trying to make extra money anyways, right? A little sex appeal never hurt anyone.

    SKILLS COMPETITION
    Was it really necessary to see an endless amount of shooters in the shootout? Thank God Carey Price had a mic, he was the only saving grace for the entire program. They should really just have the actual skills and not the rest of the crap in the competition. It's all fun and games watching Patrick Kane slide stomach-first on the ice throwing the puck around with his glove, but really how long can you milk that for? The rest of the shootout attempts were boring, some even terrible. If people want to see some creative shootouts, the NHL and CBC would be better off just showing clips of Kyle Wellwood doing shootout attempts in practise.
    SOLUTION
    First off, can someone please get Glenn Healy out of there. I cannot stress this enough... How about we actually have skills in the skills competition. More events like the hardest shot and most accurate etc. I really don't want to watch Carey Price make a save facing the glass, although that was the probably the most entertaining part of the shootout competition.
    ALL-STAR GAME
    Is there any way of making the game itself actually competitive? Understandably nobody wants to get injured so there isn't much hitting and such, but if I want to watch a full game lacking effort or contact I'll watch a Habs game... Maybe we can give the players some incentive for winning... Maybe the players on the winning team all get a car, preferably something nicer on the eyes then Honda's odd looking station wagon. I'll give them credit though, the front end of the car looks really nice, so if you plan on running over someone, they'll think you have a pretty nice ride. I don't really have any ideas for a solution to this one, but surely someone somewhere on the Earth can think of a way to make this entertaining. Someone get Shanahan on it, he clearly isn't doing any better with administering suspensions. It's been the same inconsistencies year after year. Maybe next year they'll consider twice before suspending Ovechkin for three games for a boarding hit and letting Milan Lucic off with a warning for running over Ryan Miller. If Lucic was a Honda Crossover though, you see where I'm going with this? Maybe Miller wouldn't have been so pissed...
    FINAL VERDICT
    Is anyone actually reading as I ramble on? I would like to hope not, but then again this just proves that the NHL doesn't have to do anything with the All-Star weekend. Some people, myself included, are just way into hockey... Normally thats a good thing, until you realize you wasted half a dozen of hours on the All-Star weekend. Now you feel ripped off...
    Oh well...
    Source
  19. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Nazem Kadri celebrates scoring his thirdgoal of the 2013 season
    PHOTO: NHL.com
    When the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Nazem Kadri seventh overall in the 2009 entry draft, they had high hopes for the former London Knight forward who showcased an amazing set of hands alongside great playmaking abilities. But as the years passed in Toronto, Nazem Kadri hasn't been able to find a regular spot in the line-up, despite multiple opportunities being called up over the last three seasons.So this past off-season Kadri worked hard so that when the season came around he could prove that he deserved a regular spot on the roster. But things didn't quite work out when the NHL and NHLPA couldn't come to a collective bargaining agreement and the NHL went into a lockout. So Kadri started the season for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League as he awaited the lockout to end. It wasn't the start to the new season that he was looking for, but what made matters worse was when his coach in the Marlies, Dallas Eakins, questioned his play and even benched him at one point during the AHL season.

    But once the NHL came back, Kadri had his chance to prove his worth to the Leafs, and thus far he has been playing better than most would have expected. He is playing hard, going into the dirty areas when needed, and he isn't hesitating to try to make a play in the offensive zone. His defensive play, which has been criticized in the past, has also greatly improved.
    Kadri has played all of the first four games for the Maple Leafs this season, and leads his team with three goals and five points. Two of his three goals were scored on the powerplay, which is an area where the Leafs have been struggling and look towards a player like Kadri for help.
    So Kadri is off to a good start to the 2013 NHL season, but his biggest goal to overcome is consistency. Kadri has been inconsistent in previous years after being called up. He would look great for the first few games and then get a bit comfortable and his game would suffer. With Matt Frattin and a few others trying to gain a regular spot on the Leafs line-up, Kadri needs to play with urgency every game to remain an effective piece of the Maple Leafs.
    Source
  20. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://2.cdn.nhle.com/mapleleafs/images/upload/gallery/2013/01/159992577_std.jpgNazem Kadri celebrates scoring his third
    goal of the 2013 season
    PHOTO: NHL.comWhen the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Nazem Kadri seventh overall in the 2009 entry draft, they had high hopes for the former London Knight forward who showcased an amazing set of hands alongside great playmaking abilities. But as the years passed in Toronto, Nazem Kadri hasn't been able to find a regular spot in the line-up, despite multiple opportunities being called up over the last three seasons.

    So this past off-season Kadri worked hard so that when the season came around he could prove that he deserved a regular spot on the roster. But things didn't quite work out when the NHL and NHLPA couldn't come to a collective bargaining agreement and the NHL went into a lockout. So Kadri started the season for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League as he awaited the lockout to end. It wasn't the start to the new season that he was looking for, but what made matters worse was when his coach in the Marlies, Dallas Eakins, questioned his play and even benched him at one point during the AHL season.


    But once the NHL came back, Kadri had his chance to prove his worth to the Leafs, and thus far he has been playing better than most would have expected. He is playing hard, going into the dirty areas when needed, and he isn't hesitating to try to make a play in the offensive zone. His defensive play, which has been criticized in the past, has also greatly improved.

    Kadri has played all of the first four games for the Maple Leafs this season, and leads his team with three goals and five points. Two of his three goals were scored on the powerplay, which is an area where the Leafs have been struggling and look towards a player like Kadri for help.

    So Kadri is off to a good start to the 2013 NHL season, but his biggest goal to overcome is consistency. Kadri has been inconsistent in previous years after being called up. He would look great for the first few games and then get a bit comfortable and his game would suffer. With Matt Frattin and a few others trying to gain a regular spot on the Leafs line-up, Kadri needs to play with urgency every game to remain an effective piece of the Maple Leafs.
  22. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Liles defending against the CapitalsPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    John-Michael Liles signed a deal with the Maple Leafs where he would make 3.875M per year for the next four seasons. Shortly after hearing the news today, I learned something new. Apparently 30 is the new 50 and somehow I never noticed. There's a lot of backlash with Leafs fans about signing Liles to a four-year extension. Liles is 31 years old and so when his contract ends he will be 35. Apparently that's far too old for many Leafs fans (yeah, cause you wouldn't all kill to have Lidstrom in a Leafs uniform). Not to say that's a fair comparison, but that's why Liles signed to under 4 million dollars.The Leafs are one of the youngest teams in the NHL, with an average age of about 26 years. Contrast that with the model hockey franchise, the Detroit Red Wings, who are over 29 years. Why so many fans are upset about signing a player in his 30's to less money than he made this year, when he was already being underpaid in my opinion, is beyond me. Great signing on Brian Burke's part as well as the rest of the Leafs management.
    I gathered a list of NHL players who are older than Liles and would have a larger cap hit next season. Those players include:
    Brian Campbell - 32 years old - 7.14M until 2016
    Zdeno Chara - 34 years old - 6.91M until 2017, 4M cap hit in 2018
    Dan Boyle - 35 years old - 6.66M until 2014
    Wade Redden - 34 years old - 6.5M until 2014
    Kimmo Timonen - 36 years old - 6.33M until 2013
    Andrei Markov - 33 years old - 5.75M until 2014
    Lubomir Visnovski - 35 years old - 5.6M until 2013
    Sergei Gonchar - 37 years old - 5.5M until 2013
    Tomas Kaberle - 33 years old - 4.25M until 2014
    Ed Jovanovski - 35 years old - 4.125M until 2015
    Mark Streit - 34 years old - 4.1M until 2013
    Robyn Regehr - 31 years old - 4.02M until 2013
    Marek Zidlicky - 34 years old - 4M until 2013
    There are only a couple of these players I'd rather have on my team and they have twice the cap hit Liles will have next season.
    Now there is a valid argument that at this point, if the salary cap doesn't change for next season, the Leafs will have just over 11M cap space next season. Aulie, Franson, Rosehill and Kulemin are all RFAs. Grabovski, Crabb, Boyce, and Gustavsson are all UFAs. It seems there's barely enough money to sign the key players for next season, and if that happens the Leafs will be the same team next year as they are this year. The flaw in the argument is that one would assume the Leafs wont make a trade or buy out a contract or do something to free up any extra cap space they need. By some peoples logic you should not sign one of your best players because other under-performing players are on your team taking up all the cap. Sounds pretty stupid to me.
    Liles is a great puck moving defenseman. We've seen the difference in the Toronto's powerplay when he is in the line-up as opposed to when he's not. He's not a defensive liability like many other powerplay specialists in the league. He brings experience to a very young team, he's a hard-worker, he leads by example on the ice and he's a leader in the dressing room... Any GM that wouldn't sign him is a fool and should be locked up in a room with John Ferguson Jr.
    Source
  23. TMLsHockeyBlog
    With the acquisition of Dave Bolland, it looks like Tyler Bozak will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the upcoming season, unless Leafs GM Dave Nonis makes a few more trades to free up some salary.
    The Leafs only have $16M of cap space remaining and only have 12 players currently signed. Toronto has a long list of players to either re-sign or let go to the free agent market before the start of the season in October. Those players include Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne, Clarke MacArthur, Tyler Bozak, Ryan Hamilton, Carl Gunnarsson, Cody Franson, Mark Fraser, Ryan O'Byrne, Mike Kostka, and the newly acquired Jonathan Bernier.

    Assuming the Maple Leafs use one of their two compliance buy-outs on Mike Komisarek, that will free up another $3.5M to get their cap space to just around $20M. But some of those guys on that list are due for a significant pay increase. Kadri, Franson, and Bernier are the most important targets, as well as Colborne and Gunnarsson in the mix too. On the plus side all five of those players are restricted free agents, so there isn't a rush to get them signed in the next week before the market opens up for unrestricted free agents.
    It would look like the Leafs aren't going to sign any of their four unrestricted free agents. MacArthur and Bozak are both probably too rich for the Leafs to sign, and O'Byrne and Kostka were seldom used by coach Randy Carlyle down the stretch, so there doesn't seem to be a pressing need to sign either of those players.
    Source
  24. TMLsHockeyBlog
    With the acquisition of Dave Bolland, it looks like Tyler Bozak will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the upcoming season, unless Leafs GM Dave Nonis makes a few more trades to free up some salary.

    The Leafs only have $16M of cap space remaining and only have 12 players currently signed. Toronto has a long list of players to either re-sign or let go to the free agent market before the start of the season in October. Those players include Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne, Clarke MacArthur, Tyler Bozak, Ryan Hamilton, Carl Gunnarsson, Cody Franson, Mark Fraser, Ryan O'Byrne, Mike Kostka, and the newly acquired Jonathan Bernier.

    Assuming the Maple Leafs use one of their two compliance buy-outs on Mike Komisarek, that will free up another $3.5M to get their cap space to just around $20M. But some of those guys on that list are due for a significant pay increase. Kadri, Franson, and Bernier are the most important targets, as well as Colborne and Gunnarsson in the mix too. On the plus side all five of those players are restricted free agents, so there isn't a rush to get them signed in the next week before the market opens up for unrestricted free agents.

    It would look like the Leafs aren't going to sign any of their four unrestricted free agents. MacArthur and Bozak are both probably too rich for the Leafs to sign, and O'Byrne and Kostka were seldom used by coach Randy Carlyle down the stretch, so there doesn't seem to be a pressing need to sign either of those players.


  25. TMLsHockeyBlog
    
    Gustavsson lets in a soft goal vs the JetsPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
     After Kessel opened the scoring to give the Leafs an early one goal lead, a familiar face came to see the Maple Leafs in their efforts against Winnipeg tonight. It was another really bad goal against due to goaltending that simply isn't up to the task. Jonas Gustavsson lets a really soft backhand from a near impossible angle get by him and the Jets would tie the game. Winnipeg would later score again to make it 2-1 and held the lead through the rest of the game.  
    For it being the second game in back to back nights, the Leafs put together a very honest effort. The team as a whole worked hard throughout the game, and maybe didn't deserve to win, but at the very least it should have been a tie game through regulation. The Leafs were hesitant to shoot the puck, often electing to make one more pass for the perfect goal that just didn't materialize. That being said, they didn't deserve the fate they walked away with tonight.Up until James Reimer took back the number one starter job in the last few weeks, those watching the Maple Leafs were all ready to watch an awful goal make it's way into the net behind a blue and white jersey. Joe Bowen's excited voice saying "he would like that one back" would ring in my ears game after game. I had almost forgotten the feeling altogether for the past few weeks as Reimer backstopped the Leafs to a few wins with some very steady goaltending.

    Coming off a six game streak where they went 5-0-1, it was almost inevitable that the Leafs were going to struggle to get any points in tonight's game. I will consistently reiterate that I don't think Gustavsson is a terrible goalie, he does make some big saves every game, but the fact that he lets in an absolutely terrible goal almost every single game is unacceptable. He will not be the goalie that will take the Leafs into the playoffs or beyond as the year progresses. I would expect him to get only a handful of starts from here to the end of the season as the Leafs battle for the post-season.
    The only good news around the East for the Leafs is that the Senators lost again against the St.Louis Blues. The Devils beat the Rangers 1-0, the Penguins lost in a shootout but managed a point. Washington played Florida, so from a Leafs perspective as long as that game didn't go into overtime they'd be fine, and the Capitals beat the Panthers 4-0. So the Leafs still hold the 7th spot with one point over the Senators and two games at hand. The Panthers drop to 9th as the Caps take the division lead, but the Panthers have only played 52 games, two less than Toronto and four less than Ottawa.
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