'Cause Nothin' Lasts Forever, Even Cold November Rain

The Leafs turned things around Thursday, overcoming the slumping Atlanta Thrashers and their skilled forwards Hossa and Kovalchuk.


So I was wrong from what I said. I stated that Kovalchuk would get 3 pts. last night, but he ended up getting 1 goal and being a -2. Something that I noticed the Thrashers did good of was not take very many penalties while having the worst penalty-killing unit in the league. The Leafs only had 1 power-play the whole game, and did not take advantage of it.

The Leafs came out great on all cylinders in last nights game, and never gave away any great chances. Any great chances by Atlanta resulted in a blocked shot or a timely save by VeTo. The one goal on Kovalchuk was a weak goal which Toskala should've had, but it is possible that White's stick deflected it or messed up Toskala's view. Some things that the Leafs altered to win this game were the strong points of the win. The Leafs had recovery of almost all of the offensive AND defensive rebounds. On the powerplay or great chances with lots of cycling they had two men in front of the net for deflections and rebounds, and every Leafs rush was the result of bad transition mistakes by Atlanta.

I'm not sure if Wellwood is the best player at dangling on the Leafs....Oh wait, he is. On Steen's goal, him and Wellwood went into the Atlanta zone, Steen wide open, Wellwood makes his way past two guys, and then a strong tape-to-tape drop pass to Steen who was awaiting with his stick in the air. Steen sniped it top shelf, right where the peanut butter goes!

Random Game Notes:

- The line of Steen-Stajan-Devereaux seems to becoming increasingly better every game. Last night, both Steen and Stajan ended long overdue goal droughts.

- After a four game losing skid, the Leafs will take any kind of goals, including the Wozniewski goal off the glass, off the top of the net, off Hedberg and in. There was speculation that Antropov batted it in from above but the review found he did not even touch it.

- Belak's fight against Boulton was amazing. Finally a fight from the Leafs where our team didn't get annihilated. Belak put up a great fight and arguably won with the bombs he was throwing in the early part of the fight.

- Vesa Toskala (VeTo) came out with another strong night for the Leafs, allowing just 2 goals on 20 shots. Maybe we could see our league-worst GA slow down a bit with some solid play from Toskala going into December.

Shine of Hope:

Well, the title pretty much says itself, the Leafs cold November is over. In November, the Leafs went 4-6-4, or as Mr. Bone would say, 4-10. That's balls, and it's unacceptable. The Leafs really need to turn things around come December, and hopefully become a .500 team or better. Saturday's game against the Penguins will be the first game of December. Poni is expected back in the lineup, and expect VeTo to start again, as he has clearly taken over the number one job in T.O.

You stay classy, Leafs Nation.

Do The Thrashers Have Large Talons?

The impotent Leafs are in Atlanta tonight to face the Thrashers. The most burning question before the game tonight is: Why the fuck do people insist on referring to Atlanta as Hotlanta? It doesn't really even rhyme! It's hot in Atlanta - I get it - but can we fucking move on? You don't hear people from Houston calling it Hotston. Or Charlotte getting called Charlhot. Why? Because its fucking lame.

I guess in Atlanta it's especially hot in the 'hood.

Toronto is 2-5-3 in its past 10 games, including 0-3-1 since shutting out Ottawa just under 2 weeks ago.

Something needs to be said:
I really dislike the overtime/shootout losses (OTL) category, as it makes bad records seem more acceptable. Anyone that watches hockey today grew up in a time when that 3rd column was for ties (i.e. W-L-T rather than W-L-OTL). Obviously there are no longer tie games in the NHL, but the 3rd column has remained and has effectively skewed the idea of a .500 record.

A .500 record is supposed to denote a record of equal wins and losses. In the NHL, however, it means the same number of points as games played. There is a difference.

Buffalo's 11-11-1 record, for example, is called a .500 record in today's NHL, but really is not. Buffalo has won 11 games and lost 12, which equates to .478, not .500. New Jersey, on the other hand, is considered above .500, but their 12-10-2 record actually means they are exactly at .500 with 12 wins and 12 losses.

What this means to the Leafs is that their 2-5-3 record over the past 10 games is actually 2-8; their 0-3-1 losing streak is actually 0-4; and their 8-11-6 overall record is actually an 8-17 record. They are tied with Washington for the most losses in the NHL. Sure, they have a few more points than the Capitals, but lets not kid ourselves...the team is doing extremely poorly. The media talks of the Leafs being 3 games under .500 when they are actually 9 games under .500. It gives typical Leafs fans - incapable of thinking for themselves - a false sense of accomplishment and hope.

(I wonder if a team has ever made the playoffs after leading the league in losses this late into the season. It really doesn't seem likely.)

The Good News
Atlanta is on a 2 game losing streak wherein they haven't scored a goal, and they are 4-5-0 at home this year. Atlanta's penalty kill is dead last in the league at 72.6%, so this is a great opportunity for the Leafs to improve their powerplay. Atlanta's #1 goaltender Kari Lehtonen - recently activated from the injured reserve - is still on a conditioning stint and will not play. Expect Johan Hedberg to start.

The Bad News
Atlanta is 7-3-0 in their past 10, and this highly offensive team won't be shut out forever. Misters Kovalchuk & Hossa might have something to say about a 3rd straight defeat.

The Pain Continues

Sorry for being late on a post, have been swarmed with school work and busy doing other things.

Last night the Leafs tried to end their three-game losing streak, while losing 6 out of their last 7. It did not happen, as the Canadiens came out the victors in a 4-3 shootout win. The shootout loss moved the Leafs to a disgusting record of 8-11-6.

The Leafs went down with a bang - as Sundin scored a cheapy right in front of the net with 18 seconds left in regulation - to tie the game at 3 a piece. Overtime didn't prove much, as there were few good scoring chances for each team and the goalies were stellar.

The shootout has haunted the Leafs all season; they haven't won once after 65 minutes played. Toskala seems to be strong when the pressure is on him, but in shootouts he has been very weak. After Kovalev sniped one top shelf, it seemed as though the Leafs were done for. Toskala came up huge on the next 3 shooters, but the Leafs were only able to score one to tie it up. Then when it seemed as though the Leafs might actually win in a shootout, Andrei Kostitsyn slipped an easy one through VeTo's five-hole to end it.

That makes it four god damn losses in a row. And with all the rumours of Paul Maurice, and/or John Ferguson Jr. being fired, rumoured trades, and even some talk of Richard Peddie being forced to step down after his comments on JFJ, everyone wants to know - including me - when all this madness is over.

Random Game Notes:
- Pohl, Kilger, and Belak all returned to the lineup with the absence of Battaglia, Poni, and Tlusty.

- Jason Blake had another huge shot totals game with 8. Result = 0 goals. He did add two assists, and was a +2. The line of Blake-Wellwood-Tucker seemed to add a jolt of energy to the Leafs lineup, and Mark Bell joined Sundin and Antropov on the first line. Later in the game, Blake rejoined Mats and Nik on the number one line.

- Ian White and Woz are officially the two biggest losers on the Leafs. Every game they constantly make bad plays, and giving away the puck. Last night, they combined for 4 giveaways. Woz was two steps behind the play which resulted in a great scoring chance for Montreal, and it seems to becoming more frequent.

Something must be done very soon, or the Leafs will find themselves in last place in the East, and the only option will be to blow up and rebuild.

If the Leafs put together a big stretch of being over .500, you can believe the rumours will subside, and Mr.Bone's boner will be back.

The Leafs play tomorrow in Atlanta, and expect Kovalchuk to get three points off our poor goaltending.

The Day Ahead

It seems the Steve Simmons article I linked to yesterday has generated quite the buzz in the hockey world. Leafs' management has given their typical response, void of any information and full of corporate-speak. JFJ has downright denied trying to fire Paul Maurice. Paul Maurice said he is looking for the dressing room leaders to change the course of the team.

In short, nobody is taking responsibility for a forgettable season, and nobody within the organization seems alarmed that the team is as low in the standings as an expansion team. 'Tis a typical day in Leafs Nation, I suppose.

The Leafs' season thusfar, explained in one image.

The Leafs are back in Toronto tonight to take on the Canadiens. This game might be what the Leafs need, as they have a 2-0-1 record this season against Montreal, who have lost 5 of their last 8. It should be noted, however, that the Leafs haven't fared much better of late (1-4-2 over last 7 games). Divisional rivalries are often great matchups featuring two teams pulling out all the stops to better their opponent, but considering these teams' recent play, tonight's game might look more like fancy boys fighting over an autographed Rip Taylor t-shirt.

Random Pre-Game Notes:
- Expect Vesa Toskala to start for Toronto, and Carey Price to start for Montreal.

- Mark Bell leads the Leafs in penalty minutes with 35 - despite missing 15 of 24 games - and averages only 8:35 of icetime per game. I'm not sure this is an accomplishment. I'm also not sure Bell is being used in the right role on this team; the man can score almost as well as he can drink and drive!

- The Leafs own a laughable .167 win percentage when leading after 1 period. Translation? They lose 5 of 6 games in which they're ahead going into the first intermission. How is that even possible?

- Maybe even more comical is that the Leafs' win percentage when leading after 2 periods is only .500. Yep, one of every two leads is blown in the third period.

- With stats like these, the team has more chance at Steve Stamkos than a playoff spot. And, at this point in the season, isn't the smarter move to make the push for last place overall - in order to have the best shot at the #1 overall draft choice next summer in the draft lottery - rather than making the push for the 8th playoff spot? Placing 8th would only match the Leafs up against Ottawa, a team they're incapable of beating over a 7 game series.

10 Degrees of Kevin Bacon
Ok, this has nothing to do with Kevin Bacon, but David Amber's latest '10 Degrees' column looks at the top 10 'nightmare contracts' in the NHL's new-ish salary cap world. You may be asking yourself how this applies to the Leafs, but I'd question your mental health if you were. Our good friends Pavel Kubina (#9) and Bryan McCabe (#2) both made the list. Way to go, boys!

Media Roundup...again

The Toronto hockey media is odd. There are more writers covering hockey in this city than there are pock marks on Cameron Diaz's face, yet there is very little in common with their writing. This post is my effort to show that everything you read - even with respect to something as trivial as sports - must be taken with a grain of salt, because most people are full of shit, at least some of the time. Today, for example:

Steve Simmons at The Sun is reporting that John Ferguson Jr. tried to fire Paul Maurice last week. And that the team is also 'frantically searching' for JFJ's replacement.

Mark Zwolinski at The Star is reporting that no changes are coming from the Leafs.

Lance Hornby at The Sun is reporting that JFJ is standing pat with his team.

Darren Dreger at TSN ponders whether the team would be best served by a GM-by-committee approach.

Damien Cox is calling for mass changes in Leafs' management...and dare I say that his article is actually pretty reasonable?

So much opinion. So little fact. For every writer that tries to create credibility in his story by citing anonymous sources, there is another writer citing sources for the exact opposite. I'd love to believe that Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment brass is misleading the media by planting fake stories in an effort to keep the truth from being written, but I really don't believe they have the brains or the bollocks for that.

*EDIT - Fucking Coxsucker. I go and give him props for an article well written, then I check out Cox's other staple - The Spin - and he contradicts what he wrote in the article cited above. See below:

An excerpt from Leafs should start chopping from the top:
"Still, it says here that the Leafs, by recognizing the mess they're in immediately and moving proactively, could by this time next year have made the same leap back into competitiveness that the Philadelphia Flyers made in a single season.

Keep the draft picks intact and draft high in June. Make it clear to the other 29 teams that Mats Sundin, Bryan McCabe, Tomas Kaberle and Nik Antropov are all available to the highest bidders by March. Collect all the draft picks and prospects you can, and then dip back into free agency in the summer."

And from The Spin:
"One of the most popular suggestions these days for the Maple Leafs, a team without a clear immediate future or long-term future, is that the team should "blow up" its current roster, sink to the bottom of the NHL standings for a few years and rebuild with stars through the draft.

You know, just like the Pittsburgh Penguins did it. Sort of.

Well, the Washington Capitals should serve as a warning to the Leafs or any other team considering that strategy.

See, it just may not work. There's no guarantee."

Damien, you're seriously the worst sports writer in the city. Probably in the country. What you've written is that the team has a great opportunity to sell off its assets in order to rebuild, hopefully for next year...and then you go and take the piss out of that very idea in your blog. What the fuck? Just because you don't directly call the former method 'blowing up the team' doesn't mean it's not the same thing. Getting rid of Sundin, McCabe, Kaberle, and Antropov is blowing up the team, and that's a scientific fact.

According to you, the team is in dire straits, has been for 40 years, needs to rebuild drastically...but shouldn't rebuild in case it doesn't work? Do you have any idea how little sense that makes? Maybe in your next article, you'll include the Damien Cox model for team building - you write as if you're an expert on the topic. Even a couple of ideas about how to improve the team might help.

You constantly write about how the team has done poorly in trades, free-agent signings, and personnel decisions, but since your hindsight is no better than everyone elses, why not keep your empty-headed bullshit opinion to yourself? Do you know what I call people that constantly regurgitate the problem without any hint of a solution? I call them Coxsuckers, Damien. And you're the biggest Coxsucker out there.

Extra! Extra! Maple Leafs now less exciting than Dancing With The Stars!

Normally, claiming that anything is less exciting than Dancing With The Stars is more of a bold statement than wearing a "I Fuck On The First Date" t-shirt to a job interview. Alas, the Leafs are in a downward spiral not seen since...well, since last season when they hit the shitter.

In a stunning turn of events, the Leafs lost again last night, this time to the Phoenix Coyotes. Okay, so it isn't so stunning - more stunning would have been this Leafs team pulling their heads out of their own asses and winning a game.

Andrew Raycroft, Vesa Toskala, and Raycroft's molester moustache combined to allow 5 goals against a very weak offensive team. Raycroft was actually pulled after 2 goals on 7 shots, but not because he played badly - his moustache just needed to air out.

Tomas Kaberle was -4 last night. For anyone keeping count, that's -7 in his last two games. Isn't he supposed to be our top defenseman?

Random Game Notes:
- There are no game notes from last night. After the first period, I was so drunk that I actually contemplated growing a Raycroft 'stache. Then I crushed a few beer cans on my forehead and passed out on my living room floor.

The Leafs are off until Tuesday, when they'll lose to the Canadiens.

Kill me now.

Next Stop: Last Place

Last night was the Dallas Stars' turn to beat the Leafs. The Leafs were again unable to hold a lead and it cost them the game. It's official: the Leafs are harder to watch than Fred Claus.


The loss comes only a day after the Leafs took in the Thanksgiving Day NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets. You know, the game that was intended to get their minds away from their own shittiness. The game that was supposed to be a great team-building exercise. Methinks the day would have been better spent practicing the game of hockey that the team obviously hasn't mastered. Seriously though, I am glad the team was able to take a vacation...in the midst of especially weak play. 'Tis a good life if you can get it, I suppose. I hope everyone remembers the Leafs enjoying their private box at Texas Stadium the next time the team whines about fans booing them.

BONEhead of the game: Tomas Kaberle
Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. It wasn't enough that you were -3 last night - on the ice for every Dallas goal. No, you had to be directly responsible for both Dallas goals that weren't empty-net goals. You gave the puck away to Mike Ribiero and he made you look silly before he scored (albeit on a weak goal by Vesa Toskala). Then, you and Andy Wozniewski decided to shit the bed in tandem, giving the puck to Antti Miettinen so that he could waltz in on a breakaway and score the game winner. Tommy, why were you that close to your defense partner? Do you know how easy it is for a forechecker when you are within a stick length of your partner? I guess you didn't know - but you do now. What are you, taking direction from Bryan McCabe? Fuckkkk.

Hot & Cold...again:
Vesa Toskala let in a weak goal to Mike Ribiero to tie the game, but previous to that he made two really fucking fantastic saves in the first period to preserve the lead. We'd be talking about those saves this morning if the Leafs had managed a little offense last night. Instead, all the talk is focusing on the one weak goal Toskala let in.

On a positive note:
This isn't a play that will make any of the highlight reels, but it led to the Leafs only goal last night. Staffan Kronwall and Andy Wozniewski both pinched in at the point to keep the puck in the Stars' zone for Alex Ponikarovsky's goal. Two rookie defensemen took chances on pinches on the same shift...in the midst of their coaching staff preaching nothing but defensive responsibility. It was a two-pack of really fantastic hockey decisions, back-to-back, by rookies. Really great play by both players.

Another Kronwall play struck me as fantastic: with three minutes to go in the game and the play in the Dallas zone, Kronwall snuck in from his spot at the point and stood, undetected, in front of the Dallas goal, waiting for the puck. It never got to him, but he was ready to put home the game-tying goal if his forwards were capable of getting him the puck. It was a refreshing sight on this Leafs team, whose defense might as well be stone statues stuck by the blueline. It's quite rare to see a Leafs d-man create scoring chances by sneaking in like that. Boner! This is the start of my petition to keep Kronwall with the Leafs for good.

Some interesting stats:
The folks at Sportsnet flashed a statistic last night that got me thinking. It showed the Leafs' goal-scoring over their first 12 games versus their 10 since:

1st 12 games: 46 goals for, 4 or more goals scored in 8 different games.
10 games since: 23 goals for, 4 or more goals scored 0 times.

So, I saw that and thought to myself "Fuck you're cool!". But immediately after that, I thought "The team is scoring much less lately in an effort to become defensively responsible, but I don't think their record is any better. Why not keep up the high-flying offense if the 'defensively responsible' system isn't doing you any better? At least you are guaranteeing goals for - half of what it takes to win."

Add in last night's game against Dallas and the 12/11 game split is almost a perfect comparison between the first and second halves of the season thusfar. The first half (1st 12 games), the Leafs scored 46 goals - an average of 3.8 per game - and had a record of 5-4-3. Not great, but much better than their second half: 23 goals scored - 2.1 per game - leading to a 3-6-2 record. Really fucking terrible.

Why the fuck not stay with the system that gave you more success, not to mention gave your fans a little excitement?

More bad news:
The Leafs are in 4th place in the Northeast division, despite having played more games than any other team in the division. The 5th place Buffalo Sabres are only two points down with three games at hand. The smart money is on the Leafs occupying the bottom of the division when Buffalo catches up to them in games played, as the Sabres are finally turning it on with a three game winning streak. Did I mention the Sabres won the President's Trophy last season for most points during the regular season? Yep, unexpected strong play from Boston and Montreal means the Leafs' mediocre play will land them (and keep them, unless something drastic changes) in last place in their division.

Media Roundup

Another off day after another loss. I thought I'd link to a few stories I've found interesting today.

Hockeynomics
Alan Ryder's Hockeynomics uses statistics to form opinion. This is rather refreshing considering that many sports writers form opinion, then find statistics to back up that opinion. Hockeynomics is unbiased; it lets the numbers tell the story. This week, Ryder looked at goaltender success in shootouts. His main findings, as they relate to the Leafs:

- There is very little correlation between goalie success in shootouts and the rest of the game. Translation? Strong goaltenders are often terrible in shootouts, and vice versa.

- Toronto is 7-16 all time in the shootout, good for 5th worst. This number seems very indicative of the Leafs' play since the inception of the shootout, but makes less sense when you consider that both Ottawa and San Jose - two very good teams - have been worse than them.

- Vesa Toskala is the worst shootout goaltender ever. He has stopped only 8 of 20 shots against. Andrew Raycroft comes in at 13th worst of all time, having saved 20 of 34. In other words, both Toronto goalies are really fucking terrible in shootouts.


What could have been...
This morning in The Sun, Scott Morrison reported a trade that almost was. It would have brought current NHL leading scorer Vincent Lecavalier to the Leafs in exchange for Tomas Kaberle, Nik Antropov, Jonas Hoglund and either Brad
Boyes, a first-round pick in 2000, or a first-round pick in 2002.

That's a big deal. Tampa Bay ownership decided it wouldn't part with Lecavalier, and I am almost glad. I mean, where would the Leafs be without Jonas Hoglund's years of service?


Brian Costello, you saucy bastard!
Brian Costello over at The Hockey News put together a killer article yesterday: THN.com Top 10: Reasons for trading Tuukka Rask. It's really worth a read.


Leafs to take in foozeball game
While the team is in Dallas awaiting their game with the Stars tomorrow night, they will take in the Thanksgiving Day NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets. What a nice diversion for a team that is circling the drain.

Before deciding on the foozeball game, a few other ideas were tossed around as possible day off activities. The runner-up to the Cowboys game was taking the interstate over to Nashville to see the Predators take on the Red Wings tonight - you know, to see how good hockey teams play the game.

It should also be noted that Bryan McCabe and Darcy Tucker both wanted to head over the border to Mexico to take in a ping pong show.

The Toronto Maple Leafs: The Official Team of Roy Munson

The Leafs are again under .500 after last night's loss to the Boston Bruins.

I'd love to write a long, detailed post about the game, but it'd be nothing you haven't read before. Two Boston goals came as the direct result of poor play by Leafs defensemen. Bryan McCabe's inability to clear the puck and Hal Gill's complete lack of coverage led to Phil Kessel's goal. On Boston's third goal, Ian White wasn't able to get the puck out, which led to a Chuck Kobasew shot that should have been stopped by Vesa Toskala - but obviously wasn't - even if it was probably tipped.

What is encouraging is that last night the problem wasn't defensive zone coverage. The Leafs have actually looked good in that respect over the last two games. Sure, Hal Gill should have been covering Kessel when he scored, but Boston was on the powerplay, and it's not quite the same sort of defensive assignment.

What has improved for the Leafs is that the centreman has been running a much more pronounced backcheck, effectively becoming a 3rd defenseman and negating any numbers advantage the opposing team has. It's been working. If it weren't for bad clearing attempts last night, the game would have been drastically different.

But, I guess you could say the Leafs found a way to lose again last night...against a third string goaltender. There are only so many excuses that can be made before the realization hits: with every game that the Leafs continue to hover around .500, the playoffs become more and more unrealistic.

The team hasn't shown anything in the way of desire to improve. After 22 games, the Leafs have 21 points, meaning there are 60 games to go in the season and the team realistically needs 72 more points to snag the final playoff spot. Do any worse than 72 points in 60 games and the playoffs will not happen.

Random Game Notes:
- Both Toronto goals went in off Bruins players.
- Ian White again took my vote for least effective Leafs defenseman. Instead of improving, he seems to be becoming worse with every game. He looks lost defensively and his offensive talents have been in hiding.
- Andy Wozniewski and Staffan Kronwall both played about 10 minutes last night. Contrast those numbers to Bryan McCabe's 32:55 and Paul Maurice's lack of confidence in the two young defensemen becomes quite apparent. Woz has consistently been logging fewer minutes than anyone else on the blueline, and I look for him to be the d-man scratched when (if?) Carlo Colaiacovo returns from injury.
- Just before Bryan McCabe's goal, Nik Antropov carried the puck into the Boston zone, and was lined up for a Scott Stevens-esque open ice hit by a Bruins player. Nik was seemingly unaware that the Bruin was coming at him. I cringed, thinking Nik was about to receive a career-ender. But, Nik simply laid his shoulder into the Bruin, who went down a boner that's seen Kelly Osbourne naked. It's not often you see the checker hit the ice like that.

If Jim Kelley says it, it's the truth...

Not exactly, but Kelley is a sports writer of the finest calibre. If you are looking for quality sports writing, you are looking for Jim Kelley. In his latest column, which is a rundown of the biggest surprises of the NHL season, Kelley gives the Leafs a less than honourable mention with respect to their play thusfar. He called the Leafs "...a team that simply refuses to work hard enough to play even decent defence". It's funny cause it's true.


Next up are the Dallas Stars on Friday night in Dallas. Cover your cornholes, guys!

Correction

I just read Danno's recap of the last Leaf game, and before I get into my own, this needs to be said:
Bryan McCabe is not one of the top defensemen in the league. At all. Not even close. McCabe might be one of the better offensive defensemen in the league. There is an important distinction to be made here. Those that watch only Maple Leafs games haven't had a great defenseman to look at in quite some time, so McCabe and Kaberle are often mistaken for top calibre defensemen. But they aren't. They are high-quality offensive d-men that are average at best defensively.

In any event, the Leafs did the impossible on Saturday night - they managed to make themselves look adequate defensively. Oh, and they shut out Ottawa 3-0.

The Leafs defensive system was totally different on Saturday night than it had been previously. At the very least, they were executing their defensive system correctly for the first time in a long time. They had one or two forecheckers heading into Ottawa's end, leaving three or four men back, most of the time. Moreover, the centreman was backchecking as far as the goal line, ensuring that the defensemen weren't being overwhelmed by the attacking Senators. It was a formula that worked, as Ottawa looked like an impotent version of its old self.

Danno's summary of the special teams was fairly accurate. The powerplay notched two goals, although Sundin's goal was a bit of a bed shitting by Martin Gerber.

Peanut Butter and Jaaaammmmmmmm!
Matt Stajan and Alex Steen are getting a lot of props since Saturday night for their play together. Kevin McGran at The Star intimated that they go together like peanut butter and jam. Kevin McGran's obvious mental illness aside (what a lame fucking comparison), I would like to remind everyone of something: the Leafs currently don't employ a man by the name of Chris Pronger because Alex Steen was thought of as too valuable by our (questionable) management. Now, Steen seems to be settling into a shutdown role on the team - and he seems to be damn good at it - but we are looking at the prospect of having a decent 3rd line winger instead of a superstar defenseman. Why would anyone be happy about that?

Powered by ScribeFire.

It's About Fucking Time

On Saturday night, the battle of Ontario resumed for the fourth matchup between the Leafs and the Sens. The first three matchups, Ottawa lead the series 3-0-0, one win coming in overtime.

Tucker celebrates his first powerplay goal this
year, second goal of the year, and a much needed
game-winning goal for the
Leafs.

Finally, the Leafs came out on top in the Battle of Ontario for the first time this season. Bryan McCabe seems to be regaining his old self back, Toskala earned his first shutout as a Leaf, and the Toronto special teams seems to have caught some success.

The Leafs ended a five game winless streak at home, and handed Ottawa their first road loss of the season, beating the Sens 3-0 with the superb goaltending of Vesa Toskala.

McCabe should finally gain the respect he deserves for being one of the top defenseman in the league. In Saturday's game against the Senators he played over 30 minutes of icetime, notching two powerplay assists, and getting +1 for Tlusty's third-period goal. THIRTY minutes of ice-time, that is alot for Caber (Gonchar 27 min, Pronger 28 min, Lidstrom 27 min). He definitely played like the McCabe we know of before the huge contract signing. In fact, I have never once seen McCabe have a better game defensively.

Vesa Toskala played like the Toskala we traded for from San Jose last night, making huge saves whenever it was needed, earning him his first shutout of the season, and finally having the fan support behind him. It made me so happy seeing Toskala absolutely school Daniel Alfredsson on his breakaway in the third period, after a giveaway by Tomas Kaberle. It was strange to see solid goaltending for a full 60 minutes, which I think the Leafs have missed for 5 or 6 years, especially against the best team in the league, the best line in hockey (Alfie-Spezza-Heatley), and a team that is unbeaten on the road, while the Leafs aren't very good at home of late.

The Leafs special teams were incredible last night, with the 29th rank PP scoring two goals on the hottest goalie in the league. The job they did shutting down Ottawas PP wasn't too bad either, with big Hal Gill, McCabe, Anty Nik, Devereaux, and the combo of Steen-Whistle and Stajan all coming up huge. Even after getting our old powerplay back, it needed to regain its formation with Cabers cannon at the point, Tucker beside the net and Kaberle feeding everyone with mind-blowing passes. Last night the Leafs had all of that, along with a barrage of shots on Martin "Baby food" Gerber. In past games the Leafs were doing far too much passing and not enough shooting, resulting in costly giveaways after the other team caught on.

Wozniewski had another bad night, playing 7 minutes, indirectly causing two giveaways and a penalty where I thought Ottawa would definitely score. Ian White didn't look too hot out there, according to Mr. Bone.

Danno's BIG TIME Players of the Game:

Vesa Toskala earned his #1 goalie status for the Leafs last night with the shutout against the Sens, coming after two straight Raycroft losses. The saves that he was making in the third period were so clutch and it's definitely something the Leafs need to be above .500 and beat teams like the Sens.

Bryan McCabe had a great night offensively and defensively, contributing to all the goals the Leafs scored, the powerplay, and shorthanded. And tonight, surprisingly, he didn't give up the game winner to the other team. I think he should keep that dirty handlebar moustache he's rockin' like I've said before, and maybe we will see the old Caber again.

Upcoming Leaf Game:

The Leafs next game comes Tuesday against the Boston Bruins at the ACC. Catch this game on Sportsnet at 7pm ;). The Leafs should keep an eye out for Tim Thomas' hot goaltending and Zdeno Chara. Let's see if Bell or Gill can beat Chara in a fight.. Not likely. After that the Leafs head West for a pair of games Friday in Dallas, Saturday in Pheonix.

The Dong Remains The Same

The Boston Bruins easily beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 last night. It was really a difficult game to watch from a Leafs point of view. Leaf haters: rejoice! You may not see a display that poor for quite some time.

This was the game, as I remember it:
- Marc Savard scored 19 seconds into the game. He was wide open after getting a pass from an equally wide open Glen Murray. The Leafs defense had more holes in it than a meth head's face.

- Milan Lucic pretended he was Zdeno Chara and Koci'd Mark Bell.

- Andrew Raycroft allowed 5 goals on 27 shots (.814 save % - ouch), at least 2 of which were very weak goals.

- The Leafs had 5 powerplays (including two in the third period) to Boston's 1 (early in the first) and were still dominated.

- Bryan McCabe nearly gave away a short-handed breakaway opportunity - similar to the gift he gave to Mike Komisarek recently - but the Bruins player fell.

- Andy Wozniewski has been looking worse and worse. Last night Woz was -3 over 9:35 of icetime. Brutal. For my money, if you are going to have a 6th defenseman on the team that'll play 10 minutes as Woz does, it should be Staffan Kronwall, who has looked good since his recall from the Marlies; or Anton Stralman, who is dying for another taste of the NHL.

- Sticking with the defense theme - I am supremely unimpressed with Ian White lately. He has somehow been the only Leaf defender who's escaped his share of the blame for the team's defensive woes. I think it's time that Ian was taken down a peg or two. My game notes from the last several games have White being directly responsible for opposition goals.

Paul Maurice may not have his head fully up his ass...
A quote by the coach after the game last night: "We've got to find a way to move the puck better from our end or Stralman's going to have to come back and move the puck for us."

BAM! That's it, Paul. You were too much of a sissy to bench players that were consistently underperforming (like you said you might), but threatening to bring in a rookie to right the ship? That may work. I mean, at the very least it'd be humbling to the current defensemen. After all, isn't puck movement supposedly one of the defense's strong points?

Wisdom from the new guy:
Staffan Kronwall quotes, from last night:

[1] "We're getting caught in our own end for too long,"

[2] "We don't make the aggressive play right away as we need to do. Instead, we get caught and wind up in our own zone for two minutes. Then you get tired and they score goals on us."

I fucking love it. The new guy is taking the piss out of the Leafs' defensive system. Translation: it is so bad that not only does the new guy realize, but he isn't afraid to say it.

P.S. Your new website is fucking garbage:
The first good thing to come out of The Hockey News since they switched to a new website format is the newest installment of Screen Shots by Adam Proteau (a The Hockey News blogger). He lists several instances where NHL general managers may have been better served by letting their star players go, rather than re-signing them to gigantic contracts that handcuff the team. The picture in the article is this close-up of Bryan McCabe. Go figure.

Jason, you've been given a lot of leeway this year...why fuck that up?
Jason Blake, last night: "To be honest, I'm getting a bit sick and tired of people pointing the finger at Bryan McCabe. They constantly scrutinize him, and that's wrong. It's not just one guy's fault, it's the whole team."

That may be true Jason, but the most glaring mistakes always catch the eye of the fan, and Bryan McCabe has made the most glaring mistakes. Everyone remembers Bill Buckner's epic error in the 1986 World Series, but it wasn't only his fault that the team lost the series. That's how most remember it, though, as it's the easiest single event to pinpoint.

Perhaps we should take your advice and begin to look elsewhere for players to scrutinize? Last night was the 1/4 mark of the season and you have 2 fucking goals. Jason, you're on pace for 8 goals. That's 1 goal per $500,000 salary you earn. You are ranked 451st in shooting percentage (5th worst of all players that have scored a goal). Should we transfer blame to you?

I want to note something else here: I was all set to rip into Damien Cox for not calling out Blake, because Cox is clearly more negative than Debbie Downer. There was no doubt in my mind that Jason Blake had been spared because of his illness. Damien then admitted to it in his latest column. Good on you, Damien. You're the worst, but you'll definitely get credit where it's due.

Rumours: Not just a killer album:
For a couple of weeks now, internet rumours - admittedly about as reliable as a 1992 Chevy Cavalier - have stressed that the Leafs' current stretch of games against their divisional opponents holds the key to the direction the team will take. Do well and the team remains. Do poorly and trades will be made.

So, with that in mind, I've actually been excited watching the team lose to the Rangers. Then to Montreal. Then to Boston. And, almost certainly against Ottawa tomorrow night. If you want to extrapolate a little further, the Leafs' next game after Ottawa is against the same Bruins that handed them their asses last night. Realistically, the Leafs could be in the midst of a 5 game losing streak before they play the Dallas Stars next Friday.

If that is the case, I pray to Mick Fleetwood that there are a couple of fresh faces on the team...

I Have Seen Jiri Tlusty's Dong

Reports surfaced late Tuesday night that naked pictures of Jiri Tlusty had been published on the interweb. The Toronto Sun - highbrow as ever - made this front page news.

Tlusty sent pictures of his naked, and 'attentive' dink to a puck bunny via Facebook, everyone's favourite substitute for actual communication.

Some reports actually have Tlusty pegged as homosexual. Being gay is only news in the world of sport, where homosexuality is not tolerated, but latent homosexual behaviour between teammates is not only encouraged, it's a staple.

In any event, the homosexual accusation seems to stem from another picture wherein Tlusty and another man are touching tongues. This along with the naked picture apparently point to him being gay.

The picture that I've linked to above is really very harmless. Anyone who's been to college and partied - like any self-respecting student would - has a few such pictures*.

There really doesn't seem to be any evidence that he's actually gay. And, if he is, I applaud his strength for coming out while playing professional sports. After all, probable Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson didn't have it in him to come out despite overwhelming evidence.

It seems Tlusty is just like every other 19 year old these days; he used the Facebook to pick up a girl. Let's not forget that countless girls are sending naked shots of themselves to attract boys.

The real shame in this whole story is that Tlusty will never live this down in the dressing room. His teammates are likely to cover his locker with that naked photo every day for the rest of the season. Ahhh, shenanigans...


*Please, Jeebus, please don't let me be the only one.

To McCabe (verb): see "To Munson"

I apologize for the lack of posts recently; I've been extremely ill. I feel like a Thai hooker the day after the Navy leaves town.

The Leafs lost last night - at home, of course - to the Montreal Canadiens. This shouldn't surprise you, as this has been happening all season. Poor defensive play, average goaltending, and major gaffes cost the Leafs the win.

My rundown of the game:

-The Leafs outplayed the Montreal Canadiens most of the night but didn't have the cojones to put the Canadiens away (they held 2-1 and 3-2 leads).

- The goaltending line: Carey Price - 3 goals on 40 shots; Andrew Raycroft - 4 goals on 25 shots. Carey Price kept Montreal in the game with several big saves at opportune times. I won't say that Andrew Raycroft played badly tonight - because he really didn't - but an average team like the Leafs truly need exceptional goaltending to succeed. Instead, they have been getting goaltending that's been decent. It's been just good enough to win, or just good enough to lose. Last night, obviously, was the latter.

- The Leafs did get a powerplay goal last night, but they were on the powerplay for over 12 minutes - nearly three times what the Canadiens were. Despite what some in the media are saying this morning, the powerplay looked bad again last night. The Wellwood powerplay goal was at the very tail end of a prolonged powerplay that included some time up 5 on 3. This powerplay has not been good enough - not even close - to be competitive. The Leafs' powerplay often looks like a pleasure skate. They are quite intent on keeping full control of the puck without actually attacking the net. There are no surprises on the powerplay, and the opposing teams have adjusted accordingly. It's Kaberle to McCabe, back to Kaberle, then to Sundin, then back to Kaberle. Repeat several times until the powerplay is over. So frustrating!

- 3 of Montreal's 4 goals were questionable at best; the first (Markov's goal on a 5 on 3 powerplay) being the exception. Andrei Kostitsyn was left alone to score by Ian White and Nik Antropov on the Habs' 2nd goal; Ian White and Hal Gill switched coverages at the absolute worst time to allow Tomas Plekanec to feed Alexei Kovalev to tie the game at 3; and the most glaring of all - Bryan McCabe's no-look tape-to-tape pass to Mike Komisarek (who is on the other team, by the way) that perfectly set up the dramatic game winning goal. At the rate he is going, McCabe is going to set some record for highlight reel fuckups.

During the post-game interview, McCabe pointed out that getting at least one point in three consecutive games was a positive. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't earning one point mean you've lost the game? In their last three games, the Leafs are 1-2 - surely not good enough by any standards - and yes, they've earned points in all three, but only because the league hands out points for losing. Only in Toronto would players pat themselves on the back for losing.

Next up are the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. Look out Leafs, the Bruins are more than decent on home ice...

Losing: Par For The Course

Although it hasn't happened in a few games, the story that unfolded last night during the Leafs' 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers has become quite familiar.

Say hello to my little friend!

The Leafs lost to an average team - that played its back-up goaltender - in their own building. Games like this are the ones the team really shouldn't lose. The Rangers were 0-5-1 with only 6 goals scored on the road previous to last night. The difference between winning and losing such games is the difference between a playoff team and a non-playoff team.

The Rangers didn't beat the Leafs; the Leafs found a way to lose.

Pavel Kubina played only 15:49, down 10 minutes from his average icetime. He was partly responsible for Sean Avery's goal and didn't play much afterward. I like that Paul Maurice is beginning to sit players that shit the bed defensively. Now, I don't think that Kubina played especially badly, but benching him after a bad play creates a culture of accountability within the team. I've said it before, but punishing players for poor play is something that good coaches do - and that Paul Maurice usually doesn't. I really like the idea of letting a player know that poor play won't be tolerated. At the very least, going this route is the opposite of what wasn't working. Logic dictates that the opposite of what doesn't work is what works.

*EDIT: Just read Eklund's latest post, and he noted the following about Kubina:
"The Ducks may have interest in Kubina. There were two scouts in Toronto last night, and Kubina NOT playing in the third period sent all sorts of rumblings through the press box."
So, if Kubina is traded in the next couple of days, we'll know that Maurice didn't bench him for poor play after all. If not, disregard Eklund's jibba jabba.

Lest We Forget...Those Teeth
This may be offside, as it happened during a Remembrance Day ceremony, but what was up with that soldier who sang the national anthems? He was definitely Christopher Walken's double in Sleepy Hollow. And, like the Horseman, his teeth will haunt me for several weeks. If you missed the ceremony, picture this grill singing the anthems:

Ughhhh.

New Faces, New Story

First of all I am really happy that Raycroft got the start tonight, even though Toskala's is superior to Raycrofts skills, eight consecutive games is FAR too much, especially playing Friday-Saturday this weekend.

The presence of Darcy Tucker and Bryan McCabe making their return to the lineup was key to the win tonight, although previous to their injury they had merely a combined nine points and were a -10. Most meathead Leaf fans would think that bringing back a guy who scored on his own net in overtime to lose the game in one of the last games he played for the Leafs before getting injured, conveniently he returns to play that same team. But McCabe is a huge part of the Leafs' lineup, along with Tucker, because of the frequent mistakes that the Leafs defense has been making in the neutral zone, giving up 300 odd-man rushes a game.

The Leafs 3-0 win over the Sabres tonight gave Raycroft his first shutout of the season, but I believe it sparked something else. You can blame the Leafs all they want for being shit, but I will argue the fuck out of it. This is the first game they have had their full healthy lineup since early last year. Their powerplay that was once best in the league is now back together, and they finally have an amazing gritty line. The Leafs third line was dominant tonight. Fact. Kilger-Bell-Tucker were by far the most energetic, fast, powerful line out there. You have the hardest slapshot in the world, paired with two guys that will break your nose and then go deal with your sister. And this line definitely doesn't lack speed like most teams' enforcing 3rd/4th line.

Another thing that I really miss from the Leafs powerplay is the big slapper that Caber has from the point that we got a little taste of tonight. Maybe if Caber keeps rockin' the Hulk Hogan handle-bar moustache, we will see that boneriffic slapshot of his more often.

Going deeper into the game, I noticed that the Leafs began to panic in the third period, and taking stupid penalties. It seems to be that whenever the opposing team has the powerplay formation going and has the Leafs scrambling, they start taking hooking and holding penalties. What I thought the Leafs did really well of tonight was not having to many giveaways and odd-man rushes. It seemed that they were trying to play more of a dump-and-chase game, playing it off the board rather than cross-ice neutral zone passes.

Danno's BIG TIME players of the game:

Tonight I really liked the play of Boyd Devereaux. Surprised that he was not a healthy scratch tonight, but rather Pohl, Battaglia, and Belak sat tonight. Devereaux played on the fourth line with Steen and Stajan, and you can't say enough about the Leafs young guys this year, but Devereaux really stood out for me in that line, showing his speed, getting to puck first before the Buffalo players, which is really saying something because the Sabres are a really young, fast team. Also, he seemed to be in the right place at the right time for all the passes, and contributed with the Leafs third goal in the third period. Also, since Devereaux joined the Leafs, he has hustled his ass every single game and every shift looks like it is his first of the game. Thats why Boyd Devereaux is my big time player of the game.

My second big time player of the game was Andrew Raycroft, getting his first start in 9 games, and coming up huge with the shutout. I hate Raycroft. Always have, always will. And I tell you, when he got hit in the throat with the puck tonight, I was hoping his season was over. For two reasons, every shot that is taken on Raycroft, high, low, slapshot, wristshot, doesnt matter. The book is out. He goes down. (You sick fuck, you thought that was gonna be something dirty didn't you?) Anyways, Raycroft played great tonight, getting to the puck really quick, and finally making a save when it is crucial. Oh, and did I mention he had a 30 save shutout, against the dreaded Leafs QEW rivals. That's why Andrew Raycroft is my big time player of the game.

Upcoming Game:

Now, the Leafs head home to the ACC to face the New York Rangers Saturday. Toskala will get the start in net for sure. The Leafs and Rangers are currently tied for 5th in the East with 17 points, but I hope they are aware of the Rangers 8-2-0 home record.

I predict another low scoring affair tomorrow, with the Leafs coming up with the win. Call me crazy, but I think the Leafs could go on a short winning streak here with their full lineup and good PP back.

The Blue & White Doubles In Size!

If I were a crossdresser with limited mental capability, that headline would have been "Here We Grow Again!". I really fucking hate that saying. It's definitely in the top 10 of annoying, overused sayings.

In any event, The Blue & White will officially welcome a new writer tonight. Danno will cover tonight's game between the Sabres and the Leafs, as Mr. Bone has tickets to the London Knights / Barrie Colts game in London and will miss the Leafs / Sabres battle.

A little about Danno: he is just 16, but possesses a hockey mind unlike anyone his age. Expect his comments to be of traditional Blue & White variety, from a slightly different point of view. Make sure to let Danno know how you like his post via the comments button. But please, wait until your boners subside.

I for one, look forward to having a fresh face here at The Blue & White...even if this is the fresh face:


Note to this guy: if you had a nose and a less disfigured mouth, you'd look exactly like Bruce Willis. Sorry 'bout your luck!

He is sporting the Hasselhoff neck very well, though. Maybe that's what happened to his face - he Hassel'ed the Hoff and paid for it!

It's Not Over Till The Fat Lady Takes The Money Shot

A year ago, the thought of playing the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo would have given me cold sweats. The Leafs have had a shitload of difficulty winning in Buffalo for as long as I can remember - even when Buffalo was a terrible team. This year - previous loss in Buffalo aside - I'm OK with it.

Buffalo is a struggling team, and look nothing like the dominant team they've been the past two seasons. Their 6-7-1 record is almost identical to the Leafs' 6-7-3 record. So, don't bury the Leafs yet.

With the return of Darcy Tucker and Bryan McCabe, the Leafs' powerplay will be considerably different than it has been. The projected #1 unit is the one we saw dominate (5th in the league until injuries hit) last year - Sundin, Wellwood, Tucker, Kaberle, McCabe. This likely means a #2 unit of Antropov, Poni, and Blake, with Kubina and White/Bell on the point. Yeah, that's right - Mark Bell. His slapshot is McCabe/Souray good, and he's played the point on the PP before.

The Leafs' practice lines yesterday were as follows:
Blake / Sundin / Poni
Kilger / Bell / Tucker
Antropov / Wellwood / Tlusty
Steen / Stajan / Devereaux
Battaglia / Pohl / Belak
Obviously, there are 5 lines listed, so 3 of the players listed will sit. And, there are no guarantees the lines will look anything like this come game time.

Interesting Reads:
-The Leafs again came out on top of Forbes' list of most valuable NHL franchises. They are valued at US$413 million, a 24% increase over 2006, and over 13% more than the next most valuable team, the New York Rangers. Not too shabby, considering the Leafs often play more like a beer league team that is sponsored by the local taxidermist.

-Dirk Hoag (AKA The Forechecker) has analyzed the number of penalties drawn vs. penalties committed by all NHL players. As an example, Scott Gomez leads all players, having drawn 12 penalties and committed only 1. His rating is +11. No Leafs player is in the top 30. The Leafs are, however, proud owners of the #1 (Andy Wozniewski at -11) and #7 (Pavel Kubina at -8) worst offenders. For as much credit Woz gets from respected hockey minds (Bill Watters, for instance), he really sucks the wang sometimes.

-HockeyAnalysis.com has interesting power rankings. Ottawa is #1 - no surprise there - but after the Sens come the Carolina Hurricanes, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Not what traditional power rankings reflect - likely because HockeyAnalysis.com prides itself on digging deeper than most sites - so these rankings may indeed be more accurate. The Leafs are at #11, which is higher than any other current ranking I've seen. Interestingly, they have included a factor called schedule strength, which measures the difficulty of a team's opponents thusfar. According to HockeyAnalysis, Toronto has had the toughest schedule thusfar, kinda like Sly Stallone in Over The Top - and we all know how that ended!

Powered by ScribeFire.

Reinforcements? Yeah, I guess...

I won't predict a win this time, but the Leafs will again welcome back two players in time for tomorrow's game against the Buffalo Sabres, as Darcy Tucker and Bryan McCabe are both scheduled to return. Hopefully, the two will provide positive contributions this time around. Both had been largely ineffective this season previous to getting injured - they could have been tossed into a bucket full of tits and they'd have come out sucking their own thumbs.

McCabe's return meant that Anton Stralman has been returned to the AHL Marlies. Stralman didn't play any worse than Andy Wozniewski or Ian White during his time with the Leafs, but his rookie status meant he didn't have to clear waivers to be sent down, whereas the other two would have.

It'll be interesting to see who Tucker replaces in the lineup. Expect a 4th liner - one of Chad Kilger, John Pohl, or Boyd Devereaux - to sit in Tucker's place. Of the three, Devereaux seems the most likely to sit. He plays RW (as does Tucker), plays the least of the 4th liners, and is a total bag of shit. Really, the only thing that Boyd Devereaux brings to the rink is hustle - and without skill, hustle is just not enough to compete in the NHL.

Of course, it's also possible that Jiri Tlusty will be sent back to the Marlies now that the Leafs have all of their forwards ready. He's played really fucking well thusfar, and I'd like to see him stay with the big club. The only reason he is in the AHL in the first place is to make him ready for the NHL...and it seems he may already be there.

Bones It!
Mark Bell didn't play all that much in his first game of the season. He did, however, impress me late in the game when he went after Chris Neil for taking a run at Jiri Tlusty. If you're not too familiar with Mark Bell's game, know this: the man isn't afraid to fight. If you want to chuck fists with Mark Bell, he'll chuck fists. I posted this video in the summer, but here it is again: Mark Bell breaking Jon Sim's orbital bone in a fight. Boner!

And The Dream Is..........Over!

One of the strangest hockey player photos I've ever seen. He's either about to pick up the hottest girl at the club , or he's extremely confused and trying to hide it.

With Kyle Wellwood's return from injury and Mark Bell's return from suspension, Simon Gamache has been placed on waivers with the intent of sending him back to the Toronto Marlies.

"It's a sad day for me," said Gamache from the Scotiabank Place press box. "I'm very disappointed. I didn't come here to play in the AHL."

I feel for Gamache. He has put up good offensive numbers at every level that he's played at, except the NHL where he's never been given a fair shake. I'm not naive enough to think that Gamache could be a star in the league, but I do think he warrants a spot on an NHL team. He brings tenacity and offensive potential, every single game.

Gamache still hasn't decided whether he'll report to the Marlies.

Shit Piss Fuck Cunt Cocksucker Motherfucker

Yesterday I predicted that the Leafs would beat the Senators - in Ottawa no less - because Ottawa was missing their #1 centre and the Leafs' lineup would be injected with two new faces.

Motherfucking fuck was I wrong.

The Senators again dismantled a comically outmatched Leafs team. Ottawa ended up winning 5-1, but they were in cruise control for the majority of the game. Want proof? Vesa Toskala was pulled about 8 minutes into the second period - and Andrew Raycroft only saw one shot against until the last minute of the period. Over 10 minutes of play, and the most dynamic offense in the league gets one shot? Not likely. Funny enough, this is the part of the game that the media described as Toronto's best. In reality though, the Senators were sitting back and playing a trap-style defense, fully knowing the game was theirs.



Random Game Notes:
- How many times is Joe Bowen going to say "I don't think anyone in the league can stop Mats Sundin when he is trying to come out from behind the net"? Fuck, Joe, Mats has been doing that for 15 years and all of a sudden this season you can't stop remarking about it? I think you forget that many people watch most Leafs games, and hear you say that every fucking game. It gets old. Move on to something worth noting.

- Using a conservative figure, the Leafs gave up about 250 odd man rushes last night. Just brutal.

- After Ottawa's 4th goal, Paul Maurice called a timeout and screamed at his team like they were Gitmo prisoners. Great tactic, Paul, but where the fuck was the passion before your team got blown out? This is something I've noticed from the coach since he arrived in Toronto. A slow reaction time; making coaching moves when it's simply too late. He doesn't bench players often for shitting the bed. He only pulls a goaltender when the game is out of reach. If I am behind the bench last night, Vesa Toskala is pulled after the two quick Ottawa goals in the first. Not to blame the goaltender, but to remind the team that poor play will not be tolerated. Moreover, players whose mistakes lead directly to quality scoring chances for the opposition can take a seat on the bench until a point is made. Great coaches do all of these things. Paul Maurice doesn't.

- From Mike Zeisberger's column today in the Toronto Sun: "A disgusted Maurice said afterward he might have to start sitting out players." You absolutely do, Paul. It should have been happening most of the year.

- One more kick to Maurice's vagina: last night, the Leafs scored a powerplay goal to gain momentum - however little - and the coach immediately put out Chad Kilger, John Pohl, and Boyd Devereaux. Paul, what the fuck? That's a sure way to lose any and all momentum you had. Still down 3 goals in the opponents building, you have to come back with a strong line, not your 4th line shitbags.

Wisdom, from Howard Berger:
"Naturally, there remains a large faction of Leaf supporters that is more than content with the status quo and cannot even fathom a sensible, business-type decision that might spell the end for Sundin in Toronto. It is, of course, their glazed-over attitude that the owners of the Leafs have preyed on for decades. Winning is such a foreign concept in Leaf-land that few fans can truly identify with it. Instead, the undying devotion for long-time heroes easily fills the void, along with dreaming in technicolour about the immediate impact of future heroes (i.e. Anton Stralman)."

Wisdom, from Steve Simmons (no, seriously):
"In the wake of Ottawa's signing of Jason Spezza for seven years and $49 million US, it is even more apparent what a mess Ferguson has made of the Leafs' salary situation for this and the coming years.

The Stanley Cup contending Senators, with Spezza, Dany Heatley and Daniel Alredsson all under contract for the future, have just more than $41 million in salaries committed to next season.

The non-contending Leafs, playing at a 72-point pace heading into last night, have $42 million already committed -- the highest number in the NHL -- without having Mats Sundin, Kyle Wellwood, Alexander Steen or Matt Stajan under contract for next season.

If this team isn't anywhere near upper echelon now considering the contract situation, how can anyone not see that they will be worse off a year from now having been strangled by Ferguson's cap counting?

No one knows what the salary cap figure will be for next year, but if the number drops from just over $50 million, the Leafs will have no room for movement or improvement: Making
the playoffs shouldn't determine Ferguson's future.

Botching the economics should."