Leafs Face Red Wings

For the first time since December 6th, 2003, these two Original Six rivals will face off at the ACC in a matinée game, starting at 3pm EST.

Foreseeing image of what this game will probably look like.
Detroit is the tiger and Toronto is the innocent calf.

The game will see Dominik Hasek and Vesa Toskala in between the pipes, where the best team in the NHL is facing off against the 3rd worst.

The Leafs have sandwiched an 8-0 loss to Florida between two 4-2 division wins against Ottawa and the red hot Montreal Canadiens. Detroit lost their last game to the worst team in the NHL, but before that loss they had won eight straight and sit easily in first place, 15 points ahead of 2nd place Dallas. Their record is a whopping 41-11-4, and their road record is what the Leafs have to watch for tonight, being 20-6-2 as the guest.

But maybe the return of Bryan McCabe will spark the play of the team like it did against the Habs, and Toskala can continue his strong play so we can squeak out a rare win against the Wings. Maybe they are real down from adding their 15th loss of the season to the worst team in the league.

The Leafs Going Forward: From the start of the season, I believed the team that the Leafs have put together is a real playoff contender. With a bunch of injuries, the Leafs fell to last in their division and second last in the East. I kind of gave up hope on this season, but I will still watch every single game and cheer for them. I would like to see them get a great draft pick, and I believe their chances for the playoffs are almost completely gone.

You can't tell the players and the coaches to blow up the season. Cliff Fletcher may trade or get rid of 10 players at the deadline, who knows? But no group of players, especially this Maple Leafs team in a market like Toronto, is just going to give up on the season.

I heard a rumour yesterday that maybe the Leafs might be getting a top liner at the deadline in the midst of all the players they give up. It's not going to be another Gary Roberts or Jason Allison type pick up, I heard the names of Marian Hossa or Martin St. Louis could be coming to the Leafs. Probably not, but it just goes to show that maybe if the Leafs win some games and shake up their roster by getting rid of some older guys and guys making too much money and bring in a goal scorer - they would have a contending team. Of course, I would rather see them plummet to last and try to get the 1st overall pick and bring in raw young talent, but how do you tell a team of professional athletes to go out and lose? Maybe... just maybe. I sure hope they don't get a good enough team to finish 9th place again though, but would it be nice to have a goal scorer like Marty St. Louis as the face of the Leafs, rather than the old balding Mats Sundin?