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  1. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Rick Nash, #61, Columbus Blue Jacketsphoto: mapleleafs.com
    News broke on Tuesday that Rick Nash is willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to a short list of teams. Rick Nash is under contract until the end of the 2017-18 season. His cap hit is $7.8M per season. The list is suuposedly 5 teams or less, and as for Canadian teams, it has been reported that the Canucks, and the Leafs, are somewhat in the run. The problem for both teams is that they are right against the salary cap.
    The price the Blue Jackets have put on Rick Nash is 3 or 4 good young players. According to TSN, a deal that would move Nash to the Maple Leafs would invovle Jake Gardiner and another 2 or 3 good young players. The problem is that the Maple Leafs don't want to "mortgage their farm", or trade away all of the good young assets that they have drafted and acquired over the last few seasons.So, Maple Leafs General Manager, Brian Burke, must ask himself a few important questions. Are there sufficient players available on the Marlies that can jump up to the NHL level and play in an opening that might be created by trading for Nash? Will the Leafs have to trade away salary to have a manageable amount of cap space to make the trade? Is it worth it to trade away a handful of good young talent for Nash?
    The Leafs have played 19 different forwards this season. These include their usual starting line up, but also others in the Marlies. Such as Matt Frattin, Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne. Jay Rosehill and Colby Armstrong have been a healthy scratch the last few games, and Philippe Dupuis is in the Marlies as well, but he wasn't much help to the Leafs when he was up here.
    The Leafs have also used eight defensemen this season. Including Phaneuf, Liles, Schenn, Gardiner, Gunnarsson, Franson, Komisarek and Aulie. They are very deep in defense as they also have Korbinian Holzer, Matt Lashoff, Jesse Blacker, and Simon Gysbers in the Marlies. Blacker is still very young, and not ready to be put into the NHL, but the other three might be able to pull it off. Lashoff has previous, although limited, NHL experience with the Leafs as well as with the Lightning and Brunis.
    The Leafs wont have to trade much to fit Nash under the cap for the remainder of this season. They will only need to shed a little over 1.8 million worth in a yearly salary. That is the equivilent of David Steckel and Mike Brown. Next year, however, they have to resign some quality UFAs and RFAs (such as Grabovski, Kulemin and Franson), and won't have enough space under the cap with Nash on the team unless they trade away a good chunk of salary. Toronto would likely have to get rid of the about 7 million dollars off their cap (almost equal to the $7.8M cap hit Rick Nash brings.
    We've established thats it's possible, but is it worth it? I'm not a big fan of trading away a lot of young players with potential for one player, but Rick Nash is only 27 years old and have plenty on NHL in front of him. He's the big skilled body that the Leafs are looking for that would fit in their top 3. I think it is possible, and it is worth is at the least have the depth to support the trade, and they've proved it with all the different players that jumped into the line-up due to all the injuries earlier in the season.
    So, how would you go about trading for Rick Nash? I would start with shopping Tim Connolly for anything. Connolly is a cap hit of $4.75M and hasn't shown much more than a guy like Matt Frattin, who makes a lot less money this year, and is an RFA next year. If the Leafs can get Tim Connolly off their books, it will already equal nearly 2/3rd the amount of salary needed to cover Rick Nash's salary. Tim Connolly is only signed through next season, so it is not a long-term gamble for any team considering taking on this salary. I'd say its proposterous that anyone would trade for Connolly, but the Habs traded for Gomez while he was in a terrible slump and in a much worse contract in New York. According to capgeek.com, Tim Connolly has a motified no-trade clause, but it does not elaborate anything beyond that.
    Assuming Jake Gardiner is a must, and Columbus wants another three good young players, is it not worth it for the Leafs to try to get this deal done? Let's say the asking price is Gardiner, Kulemin, Kadri and Colborne, is that too much to ask? What about Horbinian Holzer, Keith Aulie and Luke Schenn? Is Clarke MacArthur too old for Columbus to take him in a package deal?
    Brian Burke doesn't traditionally like to make any big deals at the trade deadline, he is known to make his trade weeks or months prior to the deadline. This year is going to be different though, because the Leafs are so tight to the salary cap, and as the trade deadline approaches, he will have a little more wiggle room. Brian Burke and his management staff will have a lot of decisions to make heading towards the trade deadline.
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  2. 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.
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  3. TMLsHockeyBlog
    James Reimer and Phil Kessel celebrate after their victoryPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    Quite possibly one of the worst collapses in recent memory is that of the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Two months ago the Leafs were in a respectable playoff position with hopes of playing in the post-season for the first time in almost a decade. However, a monumental collapse in February, that has continued into March as well, has left the Leafs stranded far from a playoff spot as they currently sit seventh last in the entire league. With the win yesterday, Toronto's record is 31-32-8 with only 11 games left in the season. But are the Maple Leafs really as bad as their record suggests?The Leafs only have three wins in their last 15 games, and many fans who were praising the team just a few months ago, are now turning against Brian Burke, with complaints that he hasn't assembled a good enough roster. In my opinion, such criticism is not fair to Brian Burke. Many are quick to judge, but have short memories. Before Brian Burke became the General Manager in Toronto, the teams top three forwards were Matt Stajan, Alex Ponikarovski and Nik Antropov. Now, our top three forwards are Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, and Mikhail Grabovski, a big improvement from the previous three players listed.
    There is a simple way to sum up Toronto's woes this season. It isn't uncommon for a young team, who started out strong, watch their season crumble. This happened to the Leafs and they were unable to pull it back together. Add a coaching change and a new playing system and things get complicated even further. But are the Leafs a bad team? I don't think so. Sure, there are a few bad contracts on the team, but asides from those players, the Leafs are far from being a bottom ten team in the NHL. They may not be a Stanley Cup contending team, but they are definitely playoff contenders.
    Things didn't turn out that well for them this season, and the Leafs find themselves in a familiar position in the standings, near the bottom. After the playoff hopes went out the window, I am glad the Leafs continued to lose. There is no point in winning here and there and finishing just a few points out of a playoff spot but not having a top ten draft pick. It seems most fans understand this, and remember those years of finishing a few points out after the last lockout, yet these fans are the same ones that criticize the Leafs for losing a bunch of games. You can't have it both ways!
    So, I am looking forward to next season. A clean slate for the players to make up for the mid-season mistakes. A clean slate for the goaltending to step it up and for the defense to help the goalies out, instead of hanging them out to dry. All of this with a new coach and a new style of play, likely a more defensive strategy, and if all goes well, a high draft pick developing in the Leafs' system en-route to becoming a good contributor in the years to come.
    Source
  4. 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.
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  5. 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.
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  6. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Jonas Gustavsson, #50, Toronto Maple LeafsPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    In the movie of the Toronto Maple Leafs 2012 season, the hero is currently at war with the villain. However, in this complex story-line, the villain is actually one of the good guys who means well, but can't seem to handle the pressure and ends up doing harm to their surroundings. The villain is Jonas Gustavsson, and even though he is good at heart, the hero, Brian Burke, needs to take him down, away from the surroundings where he is causing all this destruction.Last nights hockey game will likely mark the beginning of the end of the Gustavsson goaltending experiment in Toronto. It takes a special kind of goalie to play in this city. He has to be composed, confident, and skilled. It doesn't take much for the fans in Toronto to turn on you, as we have seen in recent years with Vesa Toskala and Andrew Raycroft, just to name a few. Without those three characteristics in perfect balance, this city will eat you up as a goalie.
    Gustavsson, who is 27 years old and in the last year of his current contract, will likely be a free agent this summer. I hope the best for him, and I hope he thrives in a smaller market that doesn't demand perfection from their goalies. Without all the pressure on his shoulders, he may be able to find more consistency in his game.
    As it stands now, the Leafs have two struggling goaltenders. Gustavsson has been known to make some really big saves, but let in some really bad goals. The other, James Reimer, hasn't shown that he will make the big saves for the Leafs as much as Gustavsson, but he has shown that he will let in few bad goals in comparison. In my opinion, the Leafs need a steady goaltender in Reimer down the stretch. It was pretty evident, by the look on the faces of several of the Leafs players, how they felt about Gustavsson in net on Tuesday night.
    So, with the trade deadline just a few days away, why not move Gustavsson? There are a handful of teams around the league that have major goaltending woes and would likely take on Gustavsson for the remaining 20 or so games in the season. If he doesn't pan out, it's not a big deal because his contract is ending, but just maybe he can thrive in another market, and its a winning situation for both the Monster and his new organization.
    In comparison, in November of 2006, the Leafs traded Mikael Tellqvist to the Pheonix Coyotes for Tyson Nash and a fourth round pick. The Leafs would end up using that fourth round pick to draft Matt Frattin, who has shown good signs of NHL potential. In my opinion, Jonas Gustavsson is a better goalie than Tellqvist was at the time the Leafs traded him. I don't think it would be unreasonable for the Leafs to get a fourth round pick in return, and maybe, just maybe the Leafs can turn that pick into something of value. The Leafs have had above average success with their fourth round picks in recent years. James Reimer and Korbinian Holzer along with Frattin were all fourth round picks.
    The Leafs can give the goalie another chance in a smaller market, get a mid-to-late draft pick in return, and hope the best for everybody... Or they can keep him down the stretch. Either way, I would expect James Reimer to get the majority of the starts from here on out for the Leafs.
    Source
  7. 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.
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  8. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Shea Weber smashes Henrik Zetterberg's face intothe glass twice
    PHOTO: TMLHockey
    Brenden Shanahan is in charge of administering discipline to NHL players whose actions are not within the rules of the NHL and thus warrant punishment. The punishment is usually a fine, suspension or both.
    Let us look at his role administering suspensions and fines thus far in the playoffs. Things started off really bumpy when Shanahan chose only to give Shea Weber a $2500 fine for his attack on Henrik Zetterberg in game one. Weber took Zetterberg by the back of his head and smashed his face into the glass twice. Since that decision, it seems Shanahan is determined to punish every player regardless of whether they are a superstar or not, which is something that should have been done from the start, but now leaves a void of confusion from player to player as to what will get you suspended and what will not.
    Much like watching a game where a ref misses a call and the remainder of the game is a series of make-up-calls, Shanahan has made it very unclear as to what is acceptable and what isn't. Since the Weber incident he has chosen to suspend over half a dozen players for varying amounts of games. The message Shanahan is sending is that it isn't okay to hurt someone with a play within the rules, yet its all fair when you physically assault them without any attempt at making a hockey play.
    Enough is enough already with NHL suspensions. Much like how diving seems to get worse every season because referees neglect to make the call, the lack of suspensions in the NHL will lead to worse plays on the ice. Even when suspensions are administered, they are usually only for a game or two. Being suspended for a couple of games in an 82 game season isn't much of a punishment. Players will not stop head hunting because of a three game suspension. The league needs to start throwing around more 10 and 20 game suspensions like they did to Raffe Torres. More long-term suspensions without pay may actually make a difference.
    Sadly, I bet of Marian Hossa wasn't carried away in an ambulance, Torres would have only gotten a one game suspension. Maybe even more sad is that Torres made somewhat of a hockey play whereas Weber simply assaulted Zetterberg. I must say that if I were Torres, I'd be pretty unhappy when comparing both instances and both punishments. You know things are unclear when players, such as Jonathan Toews, who were not involved in any way with the suspensions, and lack of suspensions, are saying that something isn't right.
    Its about time Shanahan, and the league officials get together to find a solution that works. Harsher punishment to everyone, and not just Torres, may make a difference... I just don't see that happening in the near future. Until someone gets seriously injured, nothing will change. Things will remain the same because the NHL is more about reaction than prevention.
    Source
  9. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Ray Whitney, #13 Phoenix CoyotesPHOTO: nhl.com

    So we all know who Ray Whitney is, and we all are finally realizing that he is good, but how good is he? Whitney was a name that was seldom mentioned even just a few years ago. Somehow he has managed to remain one of the most underrated players in the NHL over the last decade or so, and despite the fact that he is 40 years old, he is still putting up great numbers late in his career. 
    Success in hockey came early for the Canadian-born Whitney. In his third year playing for the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League (WHL), he lead the league with 185 points and helped the Chiefs win the 1991 Memorial Cup. He was drafted 23rd overall by the San Jose Sharks in 1991, however his NHL career didn't start off as well as he would have liked. Whitney played the better part of two season in the International Hockey League (IHL). After four partial seasons with the Sharks, Whitney was sent down and split time in the American Hockey League (AHL) and IHL. It was only in the 1997-98 season, when Whitney was already 25 years old, that he started to play complete seasons and put up points just shy of a point per game.
    On March 31st, Whitney became the 79th player in history to reach 1000 points in the NHL. He had 77 points in the regular season this year, and since the lockout has put up 468 points in 529 games. In total, he has 1003 points in 1229 NHL games. He also helped the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup in the year following the lockout season. Despite the good numbers, and the ability to do so year after year, he rarely seemed to be mentioned in a conversation of top players in the league. In fact, in the last twenty years that he has played in the NHL he has never made more than $3.55M per season.  
    At age 40, most players who haven't already retired, would seriously be considering it, as I would assume Whitney is. But his stats over the past few seasons prove that he still has what it takes to not only manage to get the job done, but be a very good asset to whomever he plays for. If Whitney decides to continue for another year or two in the NHL and can put up numbers comparable to what he has done in the past few seasons, he may be considered for the Hockey Hall of Fame. His numbers are already pretty good, and comparable to several players that are already in the hall, including Henri Richard, who amassed 1046 points in 1256 games. Although the fact that Whitney didn't win 11 Stanley Cups like the 'Pocket Rocket' makes it a tough comparison, the stats are very similar and worth considering.
    At the end of the day, when Ray Whitney decides to retire from playing hockey, he will go down in history as one of the most underrated players in the league, who quietly played almost twenty years in the NHL and won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.Source
  10. TMLsHockeyBlog
    In this episode, the ever-so-wacky Tim Connolly has to be serious. He is having some really troublesome health issues. But GM Brian Burke knows a good doctor or two, and with the help of an unlikely friend, Tim realizes that his health problem isn't so bad after all.

    <a href="http://tmlshockeyblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/new-video-tim-connolly-no-heart.html">Source</a>
  11. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Finally I've mustered enough desire to fight off the laziness that has kept me from writing an article over the last few months. This is because EA Sports has released the Demo for NHL 13 today. The game will be available on September 11th, 2012.
    After pretty much releasing the same game since 2008 with some minor tweaks over the last four years, this year EA Sports added a bit more to the game. Is it completely different? Absolutely not. Are there a lot of tweaks or just a few? There isn't a lot, but there isn't a few. However, the parts that were revamped this year compared to years in the past were done very carefully to the best detail.
    So, what's new?
    Speaking strictly about gameplay, there are a few improvements they have made this year. Some for the better, some that may need to be working on by next year to get it just right. The biggest improvement this year is the new skating engine. Players actually look like they're skating across the ice. Unlike previous years where you could do things like stop, turn on a dime and skate at full speed, the skating this year is far more realistic. The downside with the skating, and what may end up being a problem with the game until it is patched by EA (hopefully), is the new skating backwards option. It's a great idea to fully optimize skating as their tutorial video shows, but I think the backwards skating is way too powerful and will end up being a big problem when playing other users online. I have already seen a shoot-out glitch goal where the skater just skates backwards towards the goalie until the last second and turns to face the goalie to score. He did it over and over again only missing a few times.

    I also found that hitting has been adjusted so it isn't so easy this year. In previous years you were sometimes magnetized to the player while hitting, and while that is still there, it seems they lowered the magnetism so that you actually have to time your hits. Also, passing the puck is a lot more sensitive. You need to really aim nicely to hit a player with a long pass, also if you are on your backhand you wont be able to make a hard pass all the way up the ice, which I like because it is far more realistic.
    Another thing I enjoyed is the effort done to creating really authentic looking players. Each players face in the video game looks just like in real life. It's a really big improvement on last year. The whole graphics in general have been stepped up quite a bit.
    On the downside, which was a bit disappointing, is the fighting engine is still the same awful engine we have been playing with for the past few years. In hindsight, it's probably a good thing, because game times won't be longer due to constant fighting, but it would have been nice to have a new fighting engine.
    One thing I found really annoying was the advertisement above the scoreboard. It really isn't much, but a few times I noticed that during a whistle a Honda pick-up truck drives above the scoreboard and stays there for a few seconds before driving off. I just found that slightly annoying.
    New to the Main Menu
    The main menu has a lot of the same features as previous games. From the "Play Now" option you can play a game, play in the winter classic or "Battle for the Cup". Next is Hockey Ultimate Team, which at a brief glance looks fairly similar to previous years, except when you pick your starting roster, there is a much more in-depth menu.
    New this year is GM Connected mode. This mode is basically a fantasy league with your friends. In essence it is an online version of "Be a GM", where you can play against up to 29 your friends as opposed to computer AI. You have the option of playing each game or just coaching them.
    Another new addition to the Main Menu is "NHL Moments Live". This is where you are shown a moment of the last NHL season and you can either re-create that moment or change the moment. For example if your team lost a heart-breaking game in overtime, you now can replay that and win the game instead. You have the option to re-live moments of your favourite team or even just your favourite player.
    Free skate is the same mode as last year, where it is exactly as it sounds. It's a free skate, an opportunity for you to practice and master some of your favourite moves in NHL13.
    Lastly, the EA Sports Season Ticket is brought back this year. With the purchase of it you get the three day early release, much like last year. You also receive 24 Gold Premium Packs for Hockey Ultimate team, which are distributed on a weekly basis and must be redeemed each week. Lastly, you get 20% off downloadable content in NHL 13 and access to other downloadable content.
    NHL 13 comes out on September 11th, 2012.
    CLICK HERE FOR MORE VIDEOS
    Source
  12. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Ilya Bryzgalov pulls the puck out of his net as the Flyersface elimination in the playoffs
    PHOTO: NHL.com
    When Paul Holmgren, the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers, acquired Ilya Bryzgalov, he thought all of the goaltending issues that plagued the team over the past few years were a thing of the past. But as time has shown, not only is there still have a ton of issues, but they are also shedding quite a bit of salary towards their goalies, mainly Bryzgalov, whereas in the past that wasn't the case. Holmgren made some aggressive moves in the summer to fit Bryzgalov's salary under the cap, and isn't getting his moneys worth, while Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the big name players that he traded, are in the Conference finals with the Los Angeles Kings. I don't think Holmgren ever thought that he needed a backup plan for a starting goalie, but he definitely needs to figure something out for next season. The last time the Flyers won the cup was 1975. While the Flyers have shown themselves as Cup contenders in recent years, goaltending has been a lingering thorn in their side. Since the lock-out, the Flyers have used several goalies from season to season, and even game to game. There have been eight goalies to play more than a handful of games, Antero Niittymaki, Robert Esche, Martin Biron, Michael Leighton, Ray Emery, Brian Boucher, Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Bryzgalov. All of which have shown that they are not capable starting goalies. With the exception of Bryzgalov, they are either all back-up goalies or they aren't even in the NHL anymore.
    In his defense, Bryzgalov has shown that he is capable of being a good starting goaltender, but he has also shown that it doesn't take much to shake his confidence and he has looked really shaky during most of the season and playoffs. If the Flyers don't have enough confidence in Bobrovsky, they need to go find another goalie that they feel comfortable with riding through the season if Bryzgalov continues to play as bas as he is.
    The Flyers have shown that they have quite a bit of offensive firepower, and some games that may overshadow a struggling goaltender. This was evident in the Flyers first round playoff match-up with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But you can't expect that on a nightly basis. And when your players see that their goalie seems to struggle with even some of the easy shots, they tend to adjust the way the play the game. It's hard to play game after game with sub-par goaltending. From losing the Stanley Cup to a shot from the icing line that beat Leighton a few years ago to struggling goalie after struggling goalie since, you have to assume that some players will begin to get rather frustrated. At some point you owe it to your players to get a better goalie that isn't bringing down the rest of the roster before they miss their chance at winning the cup.
    <a href="http://tmlshockeyblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/philadelphia-flyers-acquiring-goalie.html">Source</a>
  13. 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
  14. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Randy Carlyle during practicePHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    Randy Carlyle made his debut as Leafs coach tonight in Montreal. The Leafs won the game by a score of 3-1. The Leafs came out with some jump tonight, but the Habs quickly matches their pace and slowed down the team in blue. Montreal got on the board in the first period and really took the momentum from there. In the second though, the Leafs started to get their game going. Matt Frattin tied the game as he pulled the puck off a scrummed face-off and threw it at the net, over the glove of Carey Price. The third period was a little dull compared to the first two, until Mikhail Grabovski broke the deadlock with a beautifully placed shot into the top corner. The game really heated up after that goal as Montreal pressed for the equalizer, but late in the game Frattin fed the puck to Grabovski, who was wide open in front, and he put his second of the game past Carey Price.
    This was the first win for the Leafs since February 15th, and their second win in just under a month. It might be too late for the Leafs to rejuvenate a playoff run, but this win gives a glimmer of hope. The Leafs are three points behind the Jets for the last playoff spot, but will have to jump Tampa Bay, Washington, and Buffalo, assuming the Sabres convert their lead into a win tonight.
    The Leafs return home for Tuesday's game with the Boston Bruins, before heading back on the road for Wednesday night's match-up with the Penguins. These two upcoming games will effect their playoff run immensely.
    OTHER NOTES:

    Mike Brown left the game after fighting in the first period. David Steckel was moved up to the third line, Tim Connolly moved to the wing and Matthew Lombardi centered the fourth line, where Steckel has played for most of the season. Cody Franson and Colby Armstrong were healthy scratches, the Leafs have also called up Jay Rosehill from the Marlies. Jonas Gustavsson struggled early on before settling nicely for the second and third period. Source
  15. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Kessel scores on a penalty shot in the first periodPHOTO: mapleleafs.com
    Say what you want about Jonas Gustavsson... He's too awkward in net. He always lets in the easy goals. He's flopping around everywhere... At the end of the day all that matters is whether or not he gets the win and he's riding a three game winning streak. The most recent win being tonight's game against the Detroit Red Wings, one of the best teams in the league. The Leafs started off strong in the first period scoring three unanswered goals. Phil Kessel was hooked on a breakaway and scored on the resulting penalty shot. Dion Phaneuf scored a powerplay goal a few minutes later and Joffrey Lupul would set up David Steckel for the third Leafs goal. At the end of one period not too many people would have expected the Leafs to be sporting a three goal lead, but things would change in the second period.
    The second period was all Red Wings. The Leafs could not get the puck out of the defensive zone as the Wings worked the puck down low shift after shift. The Leafs did manage to insulate Jonas Gustavsson for the majority of the first period and early into the second but things came apart when Todd Bertuzzi tipped in a shot for the Red Wings first goal. The ref ruled it a goal on the ice but his stick was at one point a foot above the crossbar so the goal was reviewed. Upon review the goal counted due to there not being sufficient evidence to overturn the ruling by the referee on the ice. Apparently the only angle CBC wanted to show the fans at home was from 20 feet above ice level behind the net. It's impossible to tell if a play is a high stick from that angle. You would think that in a sport where goals are reviewed for possible high sticks there would be a camera angle at the same height as the crossbar to have an accurate view of what's a goal and what isn't... Apparently that's not the case. So the Wings are on the board with a rather questionable goal in my opinion. Just a few minutes later, with Detriot carrying all the momentum, Jonas Gustavsson makes a big diving pokecheck to prevent a partial breakaway from materializing. The Leafs didn't get their first shot of the second period until over 13 minutes into the period. Detroit would score again in the second on a miscue of defensive zone coverage between the Leafs players.
    The third period was better for the Leafs, but just four minutes into the period Jiri Hudler scored the tying goal and the three goal lead that Toronto had built in the first period had evapourated. The Leafs were slowly getting their legs back and managed to hold off the Red Wings for the next few minutes. Then, Tim Connolly won an offensive zone face off forwards and the bouncing puck made it's was to Lupul, who pulled the puck to the front of the net and lifted it over a sprawled Howard. The Leafs would hang on to the lead and win their third game in a row.
    NOTES:

    The Leafs sent forward Matt Frattin and defenseman Korbinian Holzer back down to the Toronto Marlies. Jake Gardiner was a healthy scratch for tonight's game. Colby Armstrong had a set back in his recovery of a concussion... There is no timeline for his return. Dion Phaneuf played tonight despite his cheek being swollen to the size of a softball after taking a puck in the face in Thursday nights hockey game. Phaneuf scored the second goal of the game and didn't miss a beat despite his injury. Joey Crabb did not look too good playing on the second line with Kulemin and Grabovski. He's had his up and down shifts with that line but it just seems that the chemistry isn't there. There seemed to be a lot of chemistry between Connolly, MacArthur and Kadri, but since Tyler Bozak was injured and Connolly moved up to the first line, there hasn't been that chemistry with Matthew Lombardi centering that third line. Both Brown and Komisarek returned from their respective injuries to play tonight. They both played well enough in their first game back. Jonas Gustavsson picked up his third win in a row. He is getting great goal support from the Leafs who have scored 59 goals in Gustavsson's last 12 starts (nearly five goals for per game). I'd like to see a bit of line juggling when Tyler Bozak returns to the line-up. If Ron Wilson decides to keep Connolly on the first line, which is almost a guarantee, I'd slot Bozak to center the third line between Kadri and MacArthur. Joey Crabb would be the odd man out and I would move Matthew Lombardi up with Grabovski and Kulemin on the second line. I think Lombardi's speed will compliment the second line where as Bozak's passing will work nicely with Kadri, who has great vision, and MacArthur, who would be the trigger man on that line.The Leafs finish their current home-stand on Tuesday night as Buffalo comes in to town. Then on Friday the Leafs will make the short trip into Buffalo to complete the home-at-home series before heading back to Toronto for five more games at home over the next two weeks. I'd imagine Jonas Gustavsson will get the start again on Tuesday as it seems Ron Wilson could be running a "win and you're in" coaching philosophy regarding the starting goaltenders. I like the idea as it will push both Gustavsson and Reimer to improve their game, though when the dust clears I would assume James Reimer would be the starting goaltender. He plays in a very calm manner that seems to be contagious to the rest of the Leafs line-up and for the most part they play better in front of him. If Reimer was getting the kind of goal support Jonas Gustavsson has been getting the Leafs would have put up a few more wins in the month of December.
    The Leafs are at the half-way marker of the season and currently sit in sixth spot in the East. If they keep up the hard work and determination, Toronto fans will be delighted to see playoff hockey return to the city for the first time in nearly a decade.
    Source
  16. TMLsHockeyBlog
    Roberto Luongo may no longer be a Vancouver Canuckby the start of next season
    PHOTO: nhl.com
    Following a season where the Leafs found themselves free falling from a playoff spot to a top 5 draft pick, largely due to inconsistent play in the defensive zone and sub-par goaltending, many fans and members of the media are looking for change. One name that has been rumoured to be on the move this off-season is Vancouver Canucks goalie, Roberto Luongo.Luongo has played his last six seasons in Vancouver, however with the emergence of Cory Schneider, and the Canucks coaching staff leaning towards him in crucial playoff games, it would seem Luongo would be on his way out. But does he really want to play in Toronto? And how badly do the Leafs need a starting goalie? Well, let's look at the last decade of so of Leafs goaltending.

    Between the years of 1998 and 2002, Curtis Joseph played four seasons for the Leafs, leading them into the playoffs every year. Joseph's excellent performance earned him two all-star game appearances while with the Leafs. The Leafs haven't had a good playoff run since Joseph left the team to sign with the Red Wings in 2002.
    Following Cujo's departure, Ed Belfour played three years in net for the Maple Leafs and was arguably the last good and consistent starting goalie that has worn the blue leaf on his jersey. Belfour played some of his best hockey for the Leafs in two seasons prior to the lockout. After the lockout, he played one more year for the Leafs but didn't look very good. This was likely due to a combination of his age, as he was closing in on retirement, and not playing for a year due to lockout.
    Other goalies to play more than a handful of games for Toronto since then include: Mikael Tellqvist, J.S. Aubin, Andrew Raycroft, Vesa Toskala, Martin Gerber, Jonas Gustavsson, J.S. Giguerre, James Reimer and Ben Scrivens. None of these aforementioned goalies have proven to be a considered a consistent starting goalie.
    Luongo might be the next star goalie in Toronto. He might be the guy to take up where Cujo and Belfour left off. He might not, and that would be bad news for whomever acquires his services because he carries a $5.33M cap hit through to the 2021-22 season.
    Although the Leafs are right up against the cap, it would only take a few small moves to free up enough space to fit Luongo. Armstrong, Lombardi and Komisarek are names that come to mind when thinking of player that are signed to rather generous contracts that could offset Luongo's salary. Now the last remaining question is whether or not Luongo wants to play in Toronto for the Maple Leafs, an question that only a handful of people know the answer to.
    Source
  17. 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
  18. TMLsHockeyBlog
    So, I haven't put anything new up in about a week. If you want a Leafs update, they haven't scored in two games and I keep falling asleep while my TV is still on.
    I decided to make a list of some of my favourite posts and some of the most viewed posts on my blog, if you haven't checked them out before, give them a look...
    They are sorted from oldest to newest.
    Fifteen Ways To Become An Elite Hockey Player
    Defensive Mistakes and Coaching Errors - Leafs Lose Again
    Eric Staal and the Maple Leafs - Wishful Thinking
    Why Good Teams Never Trade Their Draft Picks and Comparing With The Leafs
    Leafs Have Messed Up Drafting For Twenty Years
    Leafs Trade Talks - Kulemin and Gunnarsson
    Is Dion Phaneuf the Most Overrated Player in the NHL?
    Concussion Prevention - Ten Questions Every Player Should Ask Themselves
    How Good Is Cody Franson and What Is He Worth?
    2013 Winter Classic - Leafs vs Red Wings
    Rick Nash in a Maple Leafs uniform - Is it a good idea?
    Grabovski Trade Rumours - What Makes Sense? (pre-trade deadline)
    Leafs Fire Ron Wilson and Hire Randy Carlyle
    Source
  19. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8r2FlD_kQyY/T7asIIqsA2I/AAAAAAAAAOA/MpyPdOXjsNE/s320/ray+whitney.jpgRay Whitney, #13 Phoenix Coyotes
    PHOTO: nhl.com
    So we all know who Ray Whitney is, and we all are finally realizing that he is good, but how good is he? Whitney was a name that was seldom mentioned even just a few years ago. Somehow he has managed to remain one of the most underrated players in the NHL over the last decade or so, and despite the fact that he is 40 years old, he is still putting up great numbers late in his career. 
    Success in hockey came early for the Canadian-born Whitney. In his third year playing for the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League (WHL), he lead the league with 185 points and helped the Chiefs win the 1991 Memorial Cup. He was drafted 23rd overall by the San Jose Sharks in 1991, however his NHL career didn't start off as well as he would have liked. Whitney played the better part of two season in the International Hockey League (IHL). After four partial seasons with the Sharks, Whitney was sent down and split time in the American Hockey League (AHL) and IHL. It was only in the 1997-98 season, when Whitney was already 25 years old, that he started to play complete seasons and put up points just shy of a point per game.
    On March 31st, Whitney became the 79th player in history to reach 1000 points in the NHL. He had 77 points in the regular season this year, and since the lockout has put up 468 points in 529 games. In total, he has 1003 points in 1229 NHL games. He also helped the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup in the year following the lockout season. Despite the good numbers, and the ability to do so year after year, he rarely seemed to be mentioned in a conversation of top players in the league. In fact, in the last twenty years that he has played in the NHL he has never made more than $3.55M per season.  
    At age 40, most players who haven't already retired, would seriously be considering it, as I would assume Whitney is. But his stats over the past few seasons prove that he still has what it takes to not only manage to get the job done, but be a very good asset to whomever he plays for. If Whitney decides to continue for another year or two in the NHL and can put up numbers comparable to what he has done in the past few seasons, he may be considered for the Hockey Hall of Fame. His numbers are already pretty good, and comparable to several players that are already in the hall, including Henri Richard, who amassed 1046 points in 1256 games. Although the fact that Whitney didn't win 11 Stanley Cups like the 'Pocket Rocket' makes it a tough comparison, the stats are very similar and worth considering.
    At the end of the day, when Ray Whitney decides to retire from playing hockey, he will go down in history as one of the most underrated players in the league, who quietly played almost twenty years in the NHL and won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.
  20. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EkD9tN5wTqQ/T6nK79Hk_JI/AAAAAAAAANw/Rtd_XD-im30/s320/bryzgalov+picks+puck+out+of+net.pngIlya Bryzgalov pulls the puck out of his net as the Flyers
    face elimination in the playoffs
    PHOTO: NHL.comWhen Paul Holmgren, the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers, acquired Ilya Bryzgalov, he thought all of the goaltending issues that plagued the team over the past few years were a thing of the past. But as time has shown, not only is there still have a ton of issues, but they are also shedding quite a bit of salary towards their goalies, mainly Bryzgalov, whereas in the past that wasn't the case. Holmgren made some aggressive moves in the summer to fit Bryzgalov's salary under the cap, and isn't getting his moneys worth, while Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the big name players that he traded, are in the Conference finals with the Los Angeles Kings. I don't think Holmgren ever thought that he needed a backup plan for a starting goalie, but he definitely needs to figure something out for next season.

    The last time the Flyers won the cup was 1975. While the Flyers have shown themselves as Cup contenders in recent years, goaltending has been a lingering thorn in their side. Since the lock-out, the Flyers have used several goalies from season to season, and even game to game. There have been eight goalies to play more than a handful of games, Antero Niittymaki, Robert Esche, Martin Biron, Michael Leighton, Ray Emery, Brian Boucher, Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Bryzgalov. All of which have shown that they are not capable starting goalies. With the exception of Bryzgalov, they are either all back-up goalies or they aren't even in the NHL anymore.


    In his defense, Bryzgalov has shown that he is capable of being a good starting goaltender, but he has also shown that it doesn't take much to shake his confidence and he has looked really shaky during most of the season and playoffs. If the Flyers don't have enough confidence in Bobrovsky, they need to go find another goalie that they feel comfortable with riding through the season if Bryzgalov continues to play as bas as he is.

    The Flyers have shown that they have quite a bit of offensive firepower, and some games that may overshadow a struggling goaltender. This was evident in the Flyers first round playoff match-up with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But you can't expect that on a nightly basis. And when your players see that their goalie seems to struggle with even some of the easy shots, they tend to adjust the way the play the game. It's hard to play game after game with sub-par goaltending. From losing the Stanley Cup to a shot from the icing line that beat Leighton a few years ago to struggling goalie after struggling goalie since, you have to assume that some players will begin to get rather frustrated. At some point you owe it to your players to get a better goalie that isn't bringing down the rest of the roster before they miss their chance at winning the cup.
  21. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6p3Pzdvw3Ds/T6NnjMWAuEI/AAAAAAAAANk/ZEyZecFXqZQ/s320/weber+smashes+zetterberg+head+into+glass.pngShea Weber smashes Henrik Zetterberg's face into
    the glass twice
    PHOTO: TMLHockey
    Brenden Shanahan is in charge of administering discipline to NHL players whose actions are not within the rules of the NHL and thus warrant punishment. The punishment is usually a fine, suspension or both.

    Let us look at his role administering suspensions and fines thus far in the playoffs. Things started off really bumpy when Shanahan chose only to give Shea Weber a $2500 fine for his attack on Henrik Zetterberg in game one. Weber took Zetterberg by the back of his head and smashed his face into the glass twice. Since that decision, it seems Shanahan is determined to punish every player regardless of whether they are a superstar or not, which is something that should have been done from the start, but now leaves a void of confusion from player to player as to what will get you suspended and what will not.


    Much like watching a game where a ref misses a call and the remainder of the game is a series of make-up-calls, Shanahan has made it very unclear as to what is acceptable and what isn't. Since the Weber incident he has chosen to suspend over half a dozen players for varying amounts of games. The message Shanahan is sending is that it isn't okay to hurt someone with a play within the rules, yet its all fair when you physically assault them without any attempt at making a hockey play.

    Enough is enough already with NHL suspensions. Much like how diving seems to get worse every season because referees neglect to make the call, the lack of suspensions in the NHL will lead to worse plays on the ice. Even when suspensions are administered, they are usually only for a game or two. Being suspended for a couple of games in an 82 game season isn't much of a punishment. Players will not stop head hunting because of a three game suspension. The league needs to start throwing around more 10 and 20 game suspensions like they did to Raffe Torres. More long-term suspensions without pay may actually make a difference.

    Sadly, I bet of Marian Hossa wasn't carried away in an ambulance, Torres would have only gotten a one game suspension. Maybe even more sad is that Torres made somewhat of a hockey play whereas Weber simply assaulted Zetterberg. I must say that if I were Torres, I'd be pretty unhappy when comparing both instances and both punishments. You know things are unclear when players, such as Jonathan Toews, who were not involved in any way with the suspensions, and lack of suspensions, are saying that something isn't right.

    Its about time Shanahan, and the league officials get together to find a solution that works. Harsher punishment to everyone, and not just Torres, may make a difference... I just don't see that happening in the near future. Until someone gets seriously injured, nothing will change. Things will remain the same because the NHL is more about reaction than prevention.
  22. 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?
  23. 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.
  24. TMLsHockeyBlog
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DSK6m08WtZw/T2O_WJGk2-I/AAAAAAAAAM8/FAMqUTKEAA4/s320/reimer+and+kessel+celebrate.jpgJames Reimer and Phil Kessel celebrate after their victory
    PHOTO: mapleleafs.comQuite possibly one of the worst collapses in recent memory is that of the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Two months ago the Leafs were in a respectable playoff position with hopes of playing in the post-season for the first time in almost a decade. However, a monumental collapse in February, that has continued into March as well, has left the Leafs stranded far from a playoff spot as they currently sit seventh last in the entire league. With the win yesterday, Toronto's record is 31-32-8 with only 11 games left in the season. But are the Maple Leafs really as bad as their record suggests?

    The Leafs only have three wins in their last 15 games, and many fans who were praising the team just a few months ago, are now turning against Brian Burke, with complaints that he hasn't assembled a good enough roster. In my opinion, such criticism is not fair to Brian Burke. Many are quick to judge, but have short memories. Before Brian Burke became the General Manager in Toronto, the teams top three forwards were Matt Stajan, Alex Ponikarovski and Nik Antropov. Now, our top three forwards are Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, and Mikhail Grabovski, a big improvement from the previous three players listed.


    There is a simple way to sum up Toronto's woes this season. It isn't uncommon for a young team, who started out strong, watch their season crumble. This happened to the Leafs and they were unable to pull it back together. Add a coaching change and a new playing system and things get complicated even further. But are the Leafs a bad team? I don't think so. Sure, there are a few bad contracts on the team, but asides from those players, the Leafs are far from being a bottom ten team in the NHL. They may not be a Stanley Cup contending team, but they are definitely playoff contenders.

    Things didn't turn out that well for them this season, and the Leafs find themselves in a familiar position in the standings, near the bottom. After the playoff hopes went out the window, I am glad the Leafs continued to lose. There is no point in winning here and there and finishing just a few points out of a playoff spot but not having a top ten draft pick. It seems most fans understand this, and remember those years of finishing a few points out after the last lockout, yet these fans are the same ones that criticize the Leafs for losing a bunch of games. You can't have it both ways!

    So, I am looking forward to next season. A clean slate for the players to make up for the mid-season mistakes. A clean slate for the goaltending to step it up and for the defense to help the goalies out, instead of hanging them out to dry. All of this with a new coach and a new style of play, likely a more defensive strategy, and if all goes well, a high draft pick developing in the Leafs' system en-route to becoming a good contributor in the years to come.
  25. TMLsHockeyBlog
    So, I haven't put anything new up in about a week. If you want a Leafs update, they haven't scored in two games and I keep falling asleep while my TV is still on.

    I decided to make a list of some of my favourite posts and some of the most viewed posts on my blog, if you haven't checked them out before, give them a look...

    They are sorted from oldest to newest.

    Fifteen Ways To Become An Elite Hockey Player

    Defensive Mistakes and Coaching Errors - Leafs Lose Again

    Eric Staal and the Maple Leafs - Wishful Thinking

    Why Good Teams Never Trade Their Draft Picks and Comparing With The Leafs

    Leafs Have Messed Up Drafting For Twenty Years

    Leafs Trade Talks - Kulemin and Gunnarsson

    Is Dion Phaneuf the Most Overrated Player in the NHL?

    Concussion Prevention - Ten Questions Every Player Should Ask Themselves

    How Good Is Cody Franson and What Is He Worth?

    2013 Winter Classic - Leafs vs Red Wings

    Rick Nash in a Maple Leafs uniform - Is it a good idea?

    Grabovski Trade Rumours - What Makes Sense? (pre-trade deadline)

    Leafs Fire Ron Wilson and Hire Randy Carlyle
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