In praise of the doctor ...

No, not Roy Halladay. Not this (one) time.

I'm talking about Dr. James Andrews, of Birmingham, Alabama, doctor to the stars pitchers.

Dr. Andrews apparently has a monopoly on the burgeoning Tommy John surgery market, thanks in no small part to our Toronto Blue Jays, and up next is Jesse Litsch.

I can't say I'm surprised, so let's forget about Litsch for a second. Can J.P. Ricciardi sign Dr. Andrews? He might as well lock him up. Let the other, less experienced doctors work on the rest of baseball's broken pitchers. Hell, even throw in a no-trade clause, JFJ-style. There could be a press conference, where Dr. Andrews is presented with a jersey, and a cap. It'd be grand. The jersey would, of course, have "DR. ANDREWS" across the back.

Oh shut up, Brad Arnsberg haters. I don't want to hear it. Dr. Andrews has got to eat, too.

One day, in a ceremony at the Rogers Centre with the future president of the ball club (how's that search going, anyway?), the legendary Dr. Andrews will have his name, along with the final number of Tommy John surgeries he will have performed on Blue Jays players, rightfully honoured on the Blue Jays' Level of Excellence.

Inshallah, I will be there, on my feet in applause. Thank you, Dr. Andrews, for mending our wounded.

(See you in a bit, Jesse. Make sure you hit the treadmill.)

UPDATE: Here's Dr. Andrews' jersey. Although I have no idea how many TJ surgeries he's performed on Jays players, it looks pretty fly.

Musings:

At one time, it was Jesse Litsch. Then David Purcey (by default). Scott Richmond, for a bit. Maybe even Ricky Romero, just once. Now, the answer is unequivocal: Brian Tallet is the number two man behind Halladay. The Summer of Tallet, indeed ...

Jason Kapono for Reggie Evans. A post defender with a zeal for rebounding, for arguably the most one-dimensional player in the NBA. Rejoice! Although sadness is there, as this signals the end of the Pops Mensah-Bonsu era in Toronto. For shame ...

The MLB Draft happened. I didn't really care ...

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a new goaltending consultant coach: Francois Allaire. Now they just need a goalie ...

Garfoose! ...

Deep Thoughts Vol. 17: Sorry, Michel...

I'm not sure what it is about the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they sure as hell bring out the best in our Toronto Maple Leafs, don't they?

Including Saturday night's dominant ass-kicking, the Leafs ended up taking three of four from the Pens this season. That's six points Therrien and co. left on the table. Against the Maple Leafs. Six points that I believe, in the end, cost Michel Therrien his job.

Sorry, Pens fans. And Pens bloggers. The Leafs didn't mean to drive the final nail into the Therrien coffin. Frankly, I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.

As a coming-out-of-the-closet Pens fan, I think Dan Bylsma for Therrien is a good move. The Penguins are too talented a squad to miss the playoffs. Period. There's a lot of hockey left to play, and the Pens are only five points out of eighth, and seven points out of fifth, in the Eastern Conference. I'm not worried. The Pens are making the playoffs. ComeBackCity2009.

And, for the record, I may or may not be the owner of a Penguins jersey. And I may or may not have found it in the depths of a closet at my parents' place over the weekend...

Jason Blake and the Fist Pump

Back to my first and true love, the Leafs (don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise).

I had a George Costanza moment in the third period of Saturday night's game. After my hero Jason Blake scored his second goal, an absolute beauty, in only 19 seconds, to put the Leafs up 3-2, my right arm involuntarily fist-pumped. It just happened. I didn't realize it until after the fact. And it freaked me the fuck out.

But deep down, I kind of enjoyed it. And I want it to happen again.

Speaking of #55, isn't he just a dear? So much so that even ardent Blake-hater Down Goes Brown is coming around. And if DGB is beginning to see the light, you know Blake truly is playing out of his mind.

John Ferguson Jr.'s Greatest Move

His name is Dominic Moore. He's got 38 points in 56 games, including a team-leading 27 assists. His career high in points, prior to this season, was 18, back in 2005/2006 when he was a New York Ranger.

Moore's been nothing short of a revelation, and has found chemistry alongside the fist-pumping wonder, Blake.

Picked up off the waiver wire, Moore hands down represents JFJ's finest hour (it was a looooong hour). He's making only $900 K, and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1st.

Here's hoping Brian Burke doesn't let it get to that point. Moore may be somewhat of an attractive commodity come trade deadline day, but I'd rather the Leafs get his autograph on a new contract. There's something to be said for a guy who works his tail off every night and is able to shed the label of "defensive specialist."

Moore's good people. A Toronto boy. He'll be 29 in August. He can surely teach some of the younger Leafs a thing or two, especially in the faceoff circle. Even during a rebuild, I believe Moore's proven he's the type of guy you want to have stick around.

Save Your Boos

Bryan McCabe, now a Florida Panther, anticipates being booed by you, by us, the Toronto Maple Leafs faithful, in his return to the Air Canada Centre tonight. 

Let's prove him wrong.

Look, I know the McCabe chapter in Leafs history had a shitty ending, but no matter what you think of him today, how about we show him some love tonight. What do you say?

We had some good times. Eight years. Over 520 games in the blue and white; 523 to be exact. Even 50 playoff games, including one of our deepest runs. Seasons of 43, 53, 68, and 57 points. A Team Canada selection. The can-opener. Dude was good.

And don't you forget the beautiful music McCabe and Tomas Kaberle made together. They were a lovely tandem back there. My lasting memory of McCabe, own-goal be damned, is him one-timing a cross-ice pass from Kabby, served up on a pillow on the power play, into the back of the net.

McCabe's trade out of Toronto has worked out for both teams. He's logging a ton of minutes on the Panthers' blue line and has responded well, as anticipated, to the fact that no one gives a shit about hockey down in Miami.

Mike Van Ryn, whom Toronto received in return, of course, has arguably been the best Leafs defenceman when he's in the lineup. Unfortunately he just can't stay in the lineup, thanks to douchebags who hit from behind.

So, do me a solid and save your wrath. McCabe doesn't deserve it. Even during his darkest days in a Leafs uniform, no one could accuse #24 of not playing with passion, or not trying. By all accounts, McCabe tried too much; tried too hard. He wanted nothing more than to live up to the massive contract John Ferguson Jr., aka the Antichrist, gave him, and his career in Toronto ended because of that desire and what it did to his game.

In the end, in my zen-like hold-no-grudges fashion, I wish McCabe nothing but good luck and all the success in the world. I'm glad to see him succeeding in Florida, and here's hoping he gets a warm ovation from the crowd tonight. Here's hoping the fans remember the good times. There were plenty.

Save your boos for Raycroft.

Bittersweet

You know, I've never been good at saying goodbye. I'm an emotional cat, I get attached easily. Carlo Colaiacovo, Alex Steen, and me, we had big plans together. Big plans. It's a shame they'll never come to light.

The trade caught me by surprise. I guess they always do, eh?

Lee Stempniak, welcome to Toronto. By all accounts, the Maple Leafs got the most accomplished player in this deal. Stemps is only two seasons removed from a 25-goal campaign, and he's producing at just under a point-per-game clip so far this season.

I'm high on Stemps and am looking forward to seeing him in the lineup tonight, but this here is about my boys Carlo and Alex.

I know Carlo's hurting right now. Yep, he was injured yesterday. Again. The diagnosis? A broken heart. Carlo's a local boy, and he was living the dream playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's going to be hurting for a while.

It just never happened for Cola here in Toronto, and I wish I knew why. The injuries, the frustration, the expectations. It was a crazy time. It's hard to believe that Colaiacovo, drafted way back in 2001, played only 111 games in the blue and white.

When he was on the ice, Carlo was a warrior. He never changed his style, injuries be damned. He played with a reckless abandon, and that's a big reason why he was in and out of the lineup. I loved that he was always looking for the clean, open-ice bodycheck, and that he was the first guy to step in for a fallen teammate.

I'll miss you, Carlo. I'll miss those hits the most. I hope you tear the roof off in St. Louis, and become the defensive stalwart I know you can be. Good luck, fella.

Oh, Alex Steen. Where did we go wrong, bro? Give me a second. There's, uh, something in my eye.

I remember Steen's rookie season like it was yesterday. He outscored rookies like Philly's Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, while playing wingman to one Mats Sundin. It looked like we'd found a left winger who would patrol the flank in Toronto for years and years to come.

Steen scored 30 goals combined in his next two seasons but, for some reason, we were always left wanting more. Looking back, I guess we wanted him to explode much like Carter and Richards did.

Perhaps expectations weighed Alex down, and perhaps they were too high from the very beginning. A late first-round pick, Steen came to Toronto with claims that he would be just like Dad, Thomas Steen, and that he might one day captain the Leafs, once Sundin passed on the torch.

John Ferguson Jr. thought so highly of Steen that he refused to send Alex, along with Tomas Kaberle, to Edmonton for Chris Pronger. I can't imagine that made Steen's life any easier.

I hope Alex Steen's tenure in Toronto is a lesson to all of us. We've got to keep our expectations in check.

Steen's got a bright future down in St. Louis. He's a great skater, with a fantastic release, a great forechecker, and a guy who can play a solid two-way game, while putting up 50 points. Did we give up on him? Maybe. But, sometimes, you've just got to go your separate ways.

Cheers, Carlo and Alex. May you one day sip from the sweet chalice known as success.

Good Riddance

Another thrilling episode of "Survivor: Toronto Maple Leafs" edition took place on Friday. The tribe (read: Cliff Fletcher) has once again spoken. Thankfully - no, mercifully - Andrew Raycroft has been voted off the island.

It's a joyous occasion, my friends. In making arguably the easiest decision in the history of mankind, the man known as "Raycrap" has been bought out of the final year of his contract by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Scheduled to earn $2.2 million next season, the Leafs will take a salary cap hit for the next two years of...you know what, I don't even know. And it doesn't even matter. It's worth it. I don't care how much we're on the hook for, it's worth it.

Andrew Raycroft will never again play goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Say it with me. Say it out loud. Believe it, man, because it's true.

"Andrew Raycroft will never again play goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs!"

Oh man, it feels great. It's a great day. Oh yes, forget the dollars and cents, it's worth it. A buyout worth every last fucking penny.

You know, I'm sure Raycroft is actually a swell guy. I'm sure he's someone who takes pride in what he does and who wants to succeed. But, man, his tenure in Toronto was so bloody awful that I can't help but feel happy now that he's heading towards the exit. I wish him well, I truly do. It's clear that he simply didn't possess the mental toughness to play goal in Toronto, one of the most difficult places to play. While I doubt he'll get another job in the NHL, I hope he can get a job in the minors and work on his game because, well, his game needs a lot of work. Here's hoping the dude lands back on his feet. For an Ontario boy who fulfilled a dream by lacing 'em up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, how it all played out has got to leave a bad taste in his mouth.

Sort of like the foul taste in the mouth of all the Leafs fans who watched him play these last two years.

In my mind, Raycroft will forever be tied to the John Ferguson Jr. era here in Toronto. JFJ made some incredibly stupid moves as general manager of the Leafs - such as, oh, I don't know, handing out no-trade clauses like fucking Halloween candy - but the Raycroft for Tuukka Rask trade might go down as his worst.

It was one thing to take a chance on Raycroft two summers ago. He had a phenomenal season in 2003/2004 and won the rookie of the year award. In the post-lockout season he was hampered by injury. When it was evident here in T.O. that Ed Belfour had reached the end of the line, the Leafs needed a goalie, and Raycroft became the man. When I heard we had landed Raycroft for Rask, I supported the move. With two blue-chip goaltending prospects in our system (Justin Pogge and Rask), one of them was obviously expendable, and I had high hopes for Raycroft to return to form.

What I'll never understand is why JFJ handed Raycroft a new contract - a 3-year, $6 million pact - before he even played a game in the blue and white. Instead of letting Raycroft go out and prove himself and earn the number one job, JFJ handed him the keys to the car. It was the worst decision he could have made. Even though he won 37 games two seasons ago (I still can't grasp my head around this fact), Raycroft stank. He let in soft goal after soft goal and was yanked from the crease in the biggest game of the year with a playoff spot on the line. Only one year after he was acquired for an incredibly high price, it was obvious Raycroft wasn't up to the task of manning the crease in Toronto and JFJ had to go out and get another goalie, and deal another first-round pick in the process.

I'm not even going to bother getting into Raycrap's most recent season. I've blocked most of it out of my memory. All you need to know is that he won two of the 19 games he played. With an NHL-calibre backup goalie, the Leafs might have made the playoffs.

Vesa Toskala has, thank God, worked out for Toronto (and JFJ, that moron, handed him a contract extension before he played a game for the Leafs, too), but JFJ really deserves a bitch slap for giving Raycroft that extension. In the end, it doesn't even matter whether Rask turns into a solid NHL goalie, even though all signs are pointing towards him doing just that. Raycroft was a monumental, colossal, epic, mammoth, mistake. Raycrap's shitty legacy in Toronto will forever be tied to JFJ's even shittier legacy.

Alas, what's done is done. What matters is that Raycroft, say it with me one more time, will never play goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs again. Another one of JFJ's wrongs has been righted.

Thank you, Cliff Fletcher. Thank you so much.

Maurice Must Be Sacrificed

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a free-fall. They've lost seven of their last eight games, including last night's 4-3 decision to the Montreal Canadiens. It's time for a change. It's time to fire head coach Paul Maurice.

I've had enough. Something needs to give. The Maple Leafs have managed to win only eight of their first 25 games. Someone needs to be held accountable.

I like head coach Paul Maurice. I like his aggressive coaching style, his passion, his youth, and his witty demeanour with the overbearing Toronto media. But, in these eyes, what ever Maurice is preaching in the Maple Leafs dressing room just isn't registering with the players.

For some reason (I'm going to go with blind faith) I still believe this Leafs team is a playoff team. So far, 25 games in to the season, they've been anything but a playoff team. They're a nightmare on ice. Toronto has surrendered a league-high 90 goals against, in only 25 games. That is a frightening statistic. Only one other team - the Calgary Flames - have let in more than 75, and they reached the mark after getting shelled by Detroit last night. The defensive game, or lack thereof, should be reason enough for the Leafs to bring in a new coach.

It's no secret that general manager John Ferguson and Paul Maurice are on the hot seat right now. And they should be. The Leafs are a mess. They can't win on home ice, they're brutal in overtime and the shootout, they can't keep a lead a lead (another two were blown last night against Montreal), the special teams - especially the power play - are horrendous and, to put it mildly, they can't keep the puck out of their own net.

Not even during the free-wheeling, offensive days of the Pat Quinn era did the Leafs play such abysmal defensive hockey. It's shameful. The Leafs break down with shocking regularity. They play man-to-man in the defensive zone like chickens with their heads cut off - it's mayhem.

I don't even know where to begin about the power play. Not only can the Leafs not score on it, but they've also allowed the most shorthanded goals this season. It's just one thing after another. The Leafs need to be allowed to decline penalties, like in football.

"Montreal penalty to Saku Koivu, Two Minutes for tripping...The penalty is declined. Face-off!"

The power play, once again, killed the Leafs last night. The Leafs went zero-for-four while Montreal converted twice on five opportunities. That's the difference in the game right there, kids.

I'm fed up. What does it take to get some changes around here? It's nothing against Paul Maurice. I believe he's a good coach, but this team ain't buying what he's selling. At the end of the day, Maurice hasn't been able to get the job done. He's coached nine seasons in the NHL, and his teams have only made the playoffs three out of those nine seasons. Not a great track record. After last night's shootout loss to Montreal, the Leafs sit in second-last place in the Eastern Conference, and third-last in the NHL. The power play, which used to be the team's strength, is 28th best in the 30-team league.

A part of me feels like I'm totally hanging coach Maurice out to dry. I've been a strong supporter of Maurice since he came aboard, and God knows how hard his job must have been last year when he was given a "goalie" (and I use the term lightly...very lightly) like Andrew Raycroft to trot out there night after night. It's not Maurice's fault Raycroft couldn't, and still can't, stop a beach ball. It's not Maurice's fault Vesa Toskala really hasn't been much better. But some of the blame does have to fall on Maurice's shoulders, because he is, after all, the coach. He's the guy giving out instructions in practice and I don't think the Leafs should be this poor in their own end, and about as potent as an 80-year-old in bed (giggity!! giggity!!) on the power play.

I desperately need an answer to this question - why in God's name is Maurice still sending out Andy Wozniewski for a regular shift? Why hasn't he gotten on his knees and begged Ferguson to send the Woz back down to the farm? The Leafs have got Anton Stralman and Derek Walser running the defence of the Toronto Marlies and it blows my mind as to why the Woz is still up with the big club, because even my mom knows he clearly does not belong.

While a part of me does still support Maurice, the results aren't there - and it's a results-oriented business - so I feel like he needs to be sacrificed in order to salvage this season. Let us think of Maurice as a martyr.

There are 25 players, but only one general manager and only one coach. As much as I don't like some of the moves John Ferguson has made over the years, I feel like this is a good Leafs team, on paper. On paper, it's a playoff team ("on paper" being the key words). On the ice, not so much. Ferguson can't trade all 25 guys. He can't get out on the ice during practice and change things up. But he can relieve Maurice of his duties, and I think that's the change the players are, unfortunately, waiting for. It seems they are resigned to the fact that something, anything, has got to give, and that there will be casualties from their poor play.

Two seasons ago, an eight game losing streak, while Bryan McCabe was injured, cost the Leafs a playoff spot. November, which has seen the Leafs win only three games, will surely come back to bite the team in the ass. But the key point is that it's still only November. The Leafs have 57 games to go. There is time to still turn this ship around.

The Dallas Stars fired their general manager two weeks ago, and have been on a tear since then. The Atlanta Thrashers fired their coach last month after winning only two of their first 10 games. Since then, they've turned around their season and have won nine of 13 games. Even the pathetic Washington Capitals won two in a row after they fired their coach, Glen Hanlon.

If it does happen, I'm truly sorry to see Maurice go. But based on the fact the Leafs missed the playoffs last year (although I blame Raycroft for 85% of that) and have struggled immensely through the first 25 games this season, Maurice has to go for the sake of making a change. For the greater good. In order to save the season, because I still do believe in this Leafs team. And remember, as a martyr, Maurice goes straight to NHL coaching heaven where the Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers dynasty and 80 Stanley Cup's are waiting for him.

As for his replacement, I haven't really given it much thought. There's the recently-fired Bob Hartley, who won a couple of Stanley Cup's in Colorado. The Leafs have always brought back players for second tour's of duty, so why not bring back Pat Quinn? I'd be open to it. What about Dougie Gilmour? Although he's never coached a day in his life, I love Dougie too much to not be intrigued by the idea. My fantasy? Pat Burns. I would kill to see Burnsy back behind the bench in Toronto. He'd bring some real passion. And some God damn accountability. There's no way any team coached by Pat Burns would play defense like the Leafs have this year. He'd send guys to the press box to sit and watch faster than you can spell Wozniewski (W-O-Z-N-I-E-W-S-U-C-K-S).

Alright, maybe I have given Maurice's replacement some thought.

I'm upset it has come to this. I was expecting a lot out of this year's Leafs squad. I still am. I haven't yet given up hope (yes, I am an idiot). There's still a lot of hockey to be played. Crazier things have happened. The Leafs are at the bottom of the standings but parity rules the NHL these days. Toronto, the 14th seed in the East with 22 points, trails 4th seed Montreal by only seven points.

And for all you Pavel Kubina haters out there, I hope you now realize how important he is to the Toronto Maple Leafs. As soon as he went down with a knee injury, this Leafs team hasn't been the same. It's been worse! And it was pretty bad to begin with. Kubina's a stud back there, and I hope you all realize it now. No Kubina means more Wozniewski, and we've all seen what that adds up to (losses, a lot of them; trust me, I've done the math).

Eight wins in 25 games. It simply isn't good enough. Sorry, Paul Maurice, but you've got to go.

John Ferguson, you're next...

The Leafs Finally Deliver

It took a while - only 11 games - but the Toronto Maple Leafs finally put in a quality 60 minutes of hockey last night. They played about as perfect a road game as you can play, and I couldn't be happier with their performance, a 5-2 dubya.

I'll be honest, I figured the Leafs were in for another beating last night in Pittsburgh vs Sidney Crosby and company. The Penguins are an offensively gifted and speedy team and, for the defensively-challenged Maple Leafs, they always pose a problem. Twelve days ago the Pens peppered Vesa Toskala with 52 shots and came away with a 6-4 win in Toronto. I was fully expecting another night full of cursing at my television screen.

Much to my pleasure, the Leafs had other ideas. It seems they learned from their last game against Pittsburgh. Imagine that, the Leafs actually learning something. Shocking, I know, but it's true. Toronto learned a valuable lesson: they can't play run-and-gun hockey with a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins. Yes, the Leafs can score goals in bushels, but lord known they can't keep them out of their own net.

Last night, the Maple Leafs finally played a complete game of hockey for the first time all season. It was long overdue, and the team put in the type of performance I have long been expecting. This is a good hockey team, one that I believe in, and they proved it with their performance by beating a good club on the road.

For the boys in the blue and white, it was about as perfect a road game as can be played. Toronto limited the Pittsburgh offense from any clear-cut scoring chances and kept the shots to the outside. Toskala saw everything that came his way and was great when he needed to be. The Leafs even out-shot their opponent, something they've rarely done all year. Toronto was hemmed in their zone for lengthy periods on a couple of occasions but instead of breaking down so pathetically in the defensive zone as they have so often already this season, or taking a penalty, they kept their composure, played man-to-man defense, and were able to weather the storm.

I don't know if it was Pittsburgh's best effort of the young season last night but Toronto's a fragile hockey team, and they needed yesterday's game, bad. I needed yesterday's game, bad. It was a solid win and I'm likely as happy with the win as Jiri Tlusty is about it today.

Shout outs to the fresh-faced 19-year-old rookie Tlusty. His first ever NHL game was that which dreams are made of. Playing on a line with Matt Stajan and Alex Steen, he didn't disappoint, scoring two goals, his second - a beauty I might add - being the winner. This kid did not look out of place out there, and it's exciting to see a young prospect like Tlusty come up from the farm and deliver in his first game. The Leafs have never been the greatest at developing their own talent (that's got to be the understatement of the century) but #41 Tlusty looks like a keeper. I know, it's only one game, but the kid certainly looks like he's got a bright future.

Toronto played a great game in all facets last night. They won 59% of the face-offs, out-shot the Pens 27-25, and killed off five out of six penalties. Pittsburgh's one power play goal came on a five-on-three man advantage, and the puck deflected in off towering defenseman Hal Gill - no chance for my boy Vesa.

Entering the third period, which has been the Leafs worst period this year, the game was tied 1-1 and instead of imploding, the Leafs exploded. They pulled off four straight goals and never took their foot off the pedal. That's the key, they were hungry last night, and it showed. It was encouraging, to say the least.

The power play even showed some power last night, as Kaberle converted on a one-timer off a great no-look pass from Alex Steen.

Steener was great last night, with a goal and two assists. Pavel Kubina had his best game of the season, logging over 25 minutes in ice time with a couple of assists.

Mats Sundin, with an assist on Kaberle's goal, moved into a tie with Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg for the league's leading scorer, with 18 points. A lot of guys said Sundin was washed up - The Hockey News did not put him in their list of the Top 50 players in the NHL - and I think Sundin has taken it personally. Jason Blake is creating more room for the big man and to all you Sundin hater's out there, how do you like Mats now? He's off to the best start to a season in his career. I've said it before, Mats is like a fine wine, he gets better with age my friends.

I'm not sure who the impostor wearing Nik Antropov's #80 is, but I'm really diggin his game right now. He's dominating out there. Antropov picked up another two assists for his sixth multi-point game of the season. He's continued his tremendous start to the season and is up there on the league's leading scorers list with 14 points. Nikky's got 11 points in the last seven games. I love this guy!

Before I forget, who could have imagined the much-maligned Antropov wearing the "A" on his jersey for the injured Bryan McCabe? Antropov has really come a long way - he's a leader on this team now - and he deserves props because he's worked hard. I'm thoroughly enjoying watching him succeed. I've always liked what the lanky Kazakh has brought to this team and it's good to see it finally coming together. It's a nice!!

Despite last night's solid victory the news on the injury front isn't so good (surprise, surprise). Darcy Tucker has got a partial tear in his knee and is going to be out at least a month, if not longer. Tucker's passion will always be missed, but the Leafs have got a lot of guys who are able to carry the load - hello, Tlusty.

Bryan McCabe is also out with a groin strain. McCabe's been brutal so far this year, and hopefully the injury played a part in his vomit-inducing play. The Leafs played their best game of the year without #24 in the lineup. Coincidence? Yes. I know the media and the McCabe haters will all say it wasn't a coincidence, but believe me, it was. This guy is important to this team and anyone who says otherwise is smoking that crack. Who would you rather have out there, McCabe or Wozniewski? It's a no-brainer my friends, and don't you dare say The Woz.

Injuries. What can I say? They were bound to happen. Guys like Anton Stralman, Simon Gamache, Boyd Devereaux and Tlusty need to continue to step up. If they do, and the Leafs play team defense like they did last night, and play Toskala in net (after Saturday's pathetic performance by Raycroft - who had absolutely no business starting that game - against Chicago, he should be super-glued to the bench), the Leafs will be alright. This team isn't as bad as they have played, or everyone thinks.

Reports in the Toronto paper's and on sports radio are already discussing the replacement for John Ferguson Jr. It's ridiculous how fast this city turns on the Maple Leafs. Toronto, with all their struggles, are sitting at .500 today after their win last night. Yes, they didn't get off to the greatest start, but we're only 11 games in here people. There's a lot of time to right the ship, and hopefully it began to move in the right direction last night.

I'm not saying everything is jolly after one impressive victory. If the Leafs play one great game out of every 11, well, pass the Pepto Bismol because they're in a world of trouble. I especially know that the Leafs have been God-awful to start this season, but like I said last week, it's still early. If last night was any indication, when this team keeps it simple, forechecks hard, and plays a full 60 minutes, they're capable of big things.

The Leafs take their road show to the Big Apple on Saturday night, and they're going to need another performance like last night's if they want to continue to stay in the win column. Right now, we've got to take last night's performance, and just beleaf...

My Maple Leafs Wish List

Finally, October 3rd has arrived - the NHL's opening night. One of the most exciting days of the year, my friends. This could be the only day the Toronto Maple Leafs are in first place. I know, technically they're tied for first place with the rest of the bloody league, but they're in first place nonetheless.

Before I get started, I'd like to wish my blog - SportsAndTheCity.com - a very happy first birthday! In the words of one Dave Chappelle - "It's a celebration, bitches!"

I can't believe it's already been a year. Time flies when you're...blogging. It's been fun sharing with the world the ups and downs in my life as an obsessed Toronto sports fan, and I thank each and every one of you who make it a point to stop here along your travels upon the information highway. Yes, thank you, all two of you. You are appreciated.

Sigh. Blogs, they just grow up so fast.

Last year on the eve of opening night, SportsAndTheCity began, with an open letter to Maple Leafs general manager John Ferguson Jr. It was a long, rambling letter, full of emotion, heartache, fear and optimism.

This year, on the eve of opening night once again, I bring you my wish list for the 2007/2008 Toronto Maple Leafs season - eight things I want, and desperately need, from the Maple Leafs this year. I'll try to keep it short and sweet, but we all know I'm pretty bad at doing just that. Happy birthday blog, and go Leafs go.

The Wish List:

1) Anything that resembles NHL-calibre goaltending:

For the love of Jesus Christ, Lord Krishna, the Prophet Muhammad, or whomever you prefer to believe in, the Leafs need some God damn goaltending. A part of me feels bad for hating on Andrew Raycroft as much as I do. A part of me wants to give him another chance, but the other half of me is calling myself an idiot. But when I look at his numbers, I just can't help being a hater. He's horrendous. He's the problem, and not any part of the solution.

The Leafs gave up a lot to get Vesa Toskola and although he didn't have a great preseason, he's got to be the man. Coach Paul Maurice has still not announced who's getting the nod in goal but I believe it will be Toskola. There's got to be pressure on Maurice from upper management, especially JFJ, to start Toskola. He is supposed to be the man to fix the Leafs' goaltending woes, not sit and watch the dry-heaves inducing Raycroft.

I've said it repeatedly to anyone who wants to listen - if the Leafs got 91 points with Raycroft in net, they can get 100 with Toskala - a real goaltender who can actually stop 9 out of 10 shots he faces.

This corner is praying, every night, for more Toskola and less Raycroft.

2) Healthy bodies:

Well, lets throw this one out the window. Kyle Wellwood is out at least four weeks with a recurring groin injury and Carlo Colaiacovo has not recovered from off-season knee surgery and won't be back until November at the earliest. Those are two guys who were supposed to contribute significantly to the Leafs' cause this season.

Wellwood's injury really creates a gaping hole down the middle, and is making JFJ look foolish for not resigning Mike Peca. Here's hoping guys like Boyd Devereaux, Andy Wozniewski and Kris Newbury, who filled in admirably last year when injuries struck, can do it again.

For the Leafs to make the playoffs, they've just got to stay relatively healthy. That's a mission, it seems, for any of Toronto's sports teams. You name the team - the Leafs, Raptors, Jays, Toronto FC, Argos - and they've all had do deal with a ridiculous amount of injuries over the past year.

Last season Darcy Tucker, Mats Sundin, Wellwood, Nik Antropov, Pavel Kubina, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Carlo Colaiacovo, and Wozniewski all missed significant time due to injury. If the injury bug bites again, the Leafs will once again find themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time.

And if Nik Antropov can play more than 70 games in one season, well, it just might snow in July.

3) 27 goals from Alexei Ponikarovsky:

This one is pretty straight forward, and also pretty selfish. I've got $50 bucks riding on Poni to bag 27 goals. It seems my boy 40 still doesn't have faith in one Alex Ponikarovsky. I'm confident Poni will prove him wrong for the third consecutive season. Oh yes, my friends, the Poni Express is set to ride again, and the ticker at the top of the page has been updated for your viewing pleasure.

Two years ago, the bet hinged on Poni scoring 15 goals. He scored 21. Last year, we raised the bar to 21, and Poni finished with 21 (it was close!). This year we've once again increased the total by six goals, to 27, and I see no reason why, barring any injuries of course, Poni can't do it. He's getting better every year and was the Leafs' fourth-leading scorer last season. And he hit the post about 15 times last year. His hands of stone are surely bound to get a little better. This guy is just coming into his own. He can skate, check and finish, and I see no reason why he can't be a consistent 30 goal man in this league.

4) A dominant Mats Sundin:

I'm not going to pull any punches - Mats Sundin needs to be better. If he's serious about leading the Leafs to the playoffs, and serious about winning the Stanley Cup, Sundin needs to be a man on a mission. For those of you that know me well, you know how much I love Sundin. He holds a special place in my heart. I could stare into his Swedish blue eyes forever.

But the truth is I need more from him. Only once in the past seven seasons has Sundin reached the 80 point mark, and it was back in the 2001/2002 season. He's still produced at a point-per-game over the past few seasons, but he's been forced to deal with some injuries. This year, Sundin has to stay healthy and return to form as one of the dominant players in the NHL.

To all the Sundin haters out there, I know Mats has it in him. He fired a career-high 321 shots on goal last year, and scored 27 times. He finished with a .084 shooting percentage, by far the lowest of his career. He's got a career shooting percentage of .142. Goal scoring wise, last season was on off year for the greatest captain to ever play in Toronto. He only scored six power play goals, his second-lowest power play goal total ever in a Leafs uniform.

He may be getting up there in age - he's 36 now - but I believe last year was just an aberration. I believe in Mats Sundin. I believe, with Jason Blake on his wing, that he's capable of 90 points. The Leafs need him to be that dominant.

The fact he signed a one-year contract in the offseason is already creating a buzz that this is definitely Sundin's final year in Toronto. I don't believe that to be the case - I'm confident he'll retire a Maple Leaf, and statistically the best one at that - but he can help keep the media and the fans off his back by having a huge campaign. He is the Captain and the driver of the bus, and the Leafs need him to lead more than ever right now. Make me proud, Mats. I love you.

5) Improved penalty killing:

This one is pretty simple. Paul Maurice has got to work on the penalty killing in practice until the boys figure it out. They were pathetic with a man down last year and although I blame Raycroft for the majority of the struggles (the goalie is the most important penalty killer, remember?), the Leafs to a man need to be better when they are killing penalties. They need to win more faceoffs, clear more bodies from the front of the net, and clear the puck when they have the chance.

I think Toskola and Jason Blake will markedly improve the penalty killing but, if all else fails, the Leafs need to learn to TAKE LESS FREAKING PENALTIES. A team with a penalty killing rating of 78.5% doesn't deserve to make the playoffs. It must improve.

6) Have guys take responsibility and step up:

Alex Steen, Matt Stajan and Pavel Kubina - I'm looking at you. When it comes to Steen and Stajan, the youth excuse isn't going to fly no more. If these guys are serious about becoming solid contributors in the NHL, they've got to make that leap. Now.

I'll give Steen and Stajan, who I'm really trying hard to not be so hard on (it's early in the season so I'm trying this whole "positive attitude" deal), some credit because, while they struggled offensively last season, they made sure they worked on their defensive games. But, with that said, there's no time like the present to step up. The Leafs need these two to contribute, especially now that Wellwood is on the injured list.

As for Pavel Kubina, he's looked good and faster (thank God) in training camp. Word is he spent a lot of time on the stationary bike in the offseason (I'm amazed that thought never entered former Leaf Jeff O'Neill's mind). I'm expecting big things from Kubina in 07/08. He gets the benefit of the doubt because last season was the first time in his career he was limited to fewer than 65 games. An injury at the start of the season really put him behind the 8-ball and he just wasn't able to get his game on track until too late in the season.

However, the Leafs are a much better team with him in the lineup, as he brings down the ice times of both Tomas Kaberle (God bless his heart) and Bryan McCabe. Paired with Tomas Kaberle over a full season, I think Leaf fans will see why Kubina scored a fat contract when he became a free agent. A healthy and hungry Kubina will go a long way in securing a playoff spot for Toronto.

7) Continued excellence:

There seem to be a boatload of Bryan McCabe haters out there in Leafs Nation and in the media, but this corner is a staunch supporter of #24 in the blue and white. McCabe put up 57 points last year and was a +3. Any player who finishes plus on a team with Raycroft in net has had a good season, in my opinion. If McCabe was a -20 like, say, Sheldon Souray, I'd totally understand everyone's beef, but McCabe isn't a pylon like Souray, so I just don't get it. McCabe, just keep doing what you're doing bro.

The people who focus all their attention on hating McCabe need to fuhgeddaboutit and start showing Tomas Kaberle some love. Kabby is the most underrated defenseman in the NHL, straight up. In all my years of watching hockey I've never seen a guy display so much confidence with the puck as Tomas Kaberle. He's a treat to watch, especially when he leads the breakout or makes a beautiful breakout pass. His continued blossom-age into one of the league's elite defenseman will help propel the Leafs to the playoffs.

Once again, welcome to Toronto, Jason Blake. I don't need 40 goals from him, 25 to 30 will be just fine. The Leafs can score goals, I know this already. Blake will add speed, grit, and heart to this Leafs team and he and Darcy Tucker are going to be counted on to provide a significant chunk of offense for this team. I have no doubt they will deliver.

That's it, my friends. Short and sweet, just like I promised. I like this team, I truly do. 100 points is not out of the realm of possibilities. The season begins tonight with another installment of the Battle of Ontario - it never gets old.

As for a prediction, I'm not going to go there. Not yet, at least.

I will, however, leave you with number 8 on my wish list:

8) Make the playoffs...

Well Done, John Ferguson Jr.

NHL free agency opened at high noon on July 1st - Happy Canada Day, eh - and a frenzy it most certainly was.

The league's general managers threw around money like steroids at Barry Bonds' house.

John Ferguson Jr. hit the phones at 12 pm sharp and came away with former New York Islanders sniper Jason Blake's signature on a five year contract worth $20 million dollars.

Shout outs are in store, to a most unlikely candidate - Mr. John Ferguson Jr., the much-maligned Maple Leafs general manager.

Jason Blake is the newest member of the Toronto Maple Leafs - welcome to Toronto, Jason - and he comes at a very reasonable price tag of $4 million a season. It's hard to believe a $4 million dollar annual salary can be called reasonable, but such are the times we now live in.

Blake was the only free agent on the market who scored 40 goals last season. He's got fantastic speed and skates like the wind. He's also a selfish hockey player - he loves to shoot the puck. He fired a total of 305 shots on goal last season, and finished with impressive statistics. Of his 40 goals, 26 came at even strength (which is sweet music to the ears of any Leafs fan), 14 came on the power play, and he led the Islanders with seven game winning goals. In contrast, only two Maple Leafs finished with more than 200 shots on goal - Bryan McCabe and Mats Sundin. And Darcy Tucker led the Leafs with 15 power play goals and six game winners, while only playing 56 games.

Whenever the Leafs played the Islanders last year, I wanted to reach into my television screen and slap Jason Blake. He's small in stature but has the ability to get under the skin of his opponents. He's feisty - he got into a publicized scuffle with superstar Sidney Crosby last year - and he's the type of hockey player that is easy to hate. All of that makes me even happier that he will now be playing for the good guys, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hating your opponent is the biggest compliment you can give a guy.

While I went into Sunday's free agent frenzy with dreams of Ryan Smyth, Scott Gomez, Chris Drury and Paul Kariya, I think JFJ really made good in signing Blake. Gomez and Drury never had any intention of coming to Toronto from the get go, and while there have been reports that the Leafs were one of the first teams to offer Ryan Smyth a contract, he's a western boy at heart and his stay in the Eastern Conference turned out to be a short one as he signed long term with the Colorado Avalanche.

I was very surprised to see Paul Kariya get $6 million a year, first of all, and, second of all, see him get that kind of loot from the St. Louis Blues. St. Louis? Are you kidding me, Kariya? It's clear that Paul Kariya will only play in hockey markets that aren't, well, hockey markets. He doesn't like or want the spotlight, and that's the reason why in free agency he has signed with the Nashville Predators and now the St. Louis Blues. Clearly there was no chance he was coming to Toronto either, and the Leafs knew that, so they targeted Jason Blake.

The knock on Blake, and JFJ for signing him, is that he will be 34 once training camp opens, and that he had a career year at the most opportune time - when his contract was up. Valid points, sure, but in the last three years Blake has scored 90 goals, for a solid average of 30 a campaign. No Maple Leaf scored 30 goals last season.

Now I love Alexei Ponikarovsky probably more than anyone in this city, but he's got hands of stone. Ditto for Alex Steen and Matt Stajan. Poni, although he did score a very respectable 21 goals and make me a cool $100 bucks, should have finished with at least 30, if not 35. These guys have about as much finish as an anorexic at Mandarin. It's nice to add a guy who can finish, and Jason Blake is all about it. He loves to score goals.

Blake automatically becomes the second shooter in the dreaded shootout for the Leafs. He's a sniper, and exactly what the Leafs have lacked in the shootout behind Mats Sundin.

I've heard some people say that the contract is too long and that Blake will be 38 by the time it's up. Once again, so be it. He's 33 right now and seems to have a lot of hockey left in him. He was a late bloomer on the NHL scene, is in tremendous shape, and skates like he's 24 years old. His contract, which doesn't include a no-trade or a no-movement clause, makes him easy to trade if need be down the line. This was the right move by JFJ at the right time.

Now, before I continue, there's two things I've got to get off my chest. Firstly, I'm sick and tired of hearing about Pavel Kubina's contract, and how atrocious it is. Sick of it. Get over it. Kubina has let it be known that there were two other teams last summer that offered him the same contract. JFJ didn't blow any other offer out of the water. He didn't give Kubina something that no one else was. He gave him market value at the time. Free agency drives up the cost of players, it's as simple as that. Look at the contracts other defencemen, comparable to Kubina, have signed recently:

Andre Markov - 4 years, $23 million
Scott Hannan - 4 years, $18 million
Roman Hamrlik - 4 years, $22 million
Robyn Regehr - 5 years, $20 million

I'd love it too if Kubina put up 50 points, but he is a number three defenceman on the Leafs and barely gets any power play time because Bryan McCabe and Tomas Kaberle get all the power play minutes. Kubina played hurt last season, and was a plus player, which is the most important statistic in my opinion. No one can argue that the Leafs are a better team when Kubina is in the lineup, because he's able to play a lot of minutes and in turn bring McCabe and Kaberle's minutes down.

Another favourite of Leafs fans is to say that the club continues to shoot itself in the foot by trading away draft picks and that the Leafs don't mould their own talent via the draft. People need to do their research before they give me that garbage.

Kyle Wellwood, Tomas Kaberle, Alex Steen, Matt Stajan, Alex Ponikarovsky, Nik Antropov, Carlo Colaiacovo, and Ian White.

Those are eight players who were drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and whom are extremely important pieces of the team today. For people to say that the Leafs have not drafted their own talent is simple false. Tomas Kaberle is a superstar defenceman in the NHL and Kyle Wellwood is a bright, young talent who is poised for stardom. No, the Leafs don't have the best track record of building through the draft, but they aren't as bad as some people believe they are.

After getting Jason Blake's name on a contract, JFJ wasn't done. He re-signed Bates Battaglia to a two-year contract and Battaglia has solidified his roster spot on the Leafs. His career has come full circle. It got off to a solid start but somewhere along the way Battaglia lost the passion he was known for. He lost his job, and even contemplated retirement. He even spent some time in the East Coast Hockey League, before resurfacing with the Toronto Marlies after the lockout. Battaglia ended up playing all 82 games for the Leafs last year, pretty good for a guy who didn't have a spot on the team coming into training camp. He's a dogged forechecker who also has some finish around the net. He finished with a respectable 31 points and is a solid third-line winger. Glad to have you back, Bates.

Word also dropped this afternoon that JFJ has signed his new goalie Vesa Toskala to a contract extension at $8 million over two years. I wasn't too thrilled when I heard the news, because JFJ played the same card with Raycroft last season - he gave him a new contract before he played a game in the blue and white. However, Toskala's contract kicks in after the 2007/2008 season. This season he will earn $1.375 million as Toronto's number one goalie.

See ya later Andrew Raycroft. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Rumour has it that JFJ is aggressively shopping around Raycroft, and that the Detroit Red Wings may be interested. I can't take that rumour seriously, because the Red Wings are smarter than that. Raycroft? After the season that Dom Hasek turned in for them? No way. It's not about what JFJ can get in return for Raycroft right now, it's about who will take his contract off the Leafs' books.

The Leafs are about a million away from the salary cap's ceiling of $50.3 million. I would have loved to see Mike Peca come back, but there's no way that can happen now.

There's definitely been a power shift in the Eastern Conference now that the big name free agents have all found new homes. The New York Rangers will be a dangerous team with new centres Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. The Gomez/Jagr/Shanny line, once Shanny gets his name on a contract with the blue shirts, might be the best line in hockey.

Daniel Briere is off to join the Philadelphia Flyers, who have assembled a roster that is much different from last year's laugher. Their rebuilding process was a quick one and although I'm still not convinced of their defence, they will be a competitive squad.

Poor Buffalo. The Sabres lost their heart and soul in Drury and Briere, and they also lost Danius Zubrus, whom they gave up a first round draft pick to acquire. I hate the Sabres, and the city of Buffalo, so I'm rather enjoying their sudden demise.

Even with a salary cap, it was all the big boys from days gone by that were spending the big bucks on Sunday. The NHL has got to be the most backwards league in the history of pro sports. What the hell was the point of the lockout? The big market teams are making profits and spending to the ceiling of the cap, while the small market teams like the Oilers and Sabres are struggling to attract free agents and remain competitive. It's absurd. And now they want to put a team in Kansas City. Seeing how great an experiment Nashville was, the NHL would rather put a team in Kansas City than let a Canadian business man bring a team back north of the border. Good call.

Lucky for me, the Leafs make billions of dollars. They can't win, but hey, they're working on it. I'm stoked about this Leafs team. JFJ has put together a solid, underrated squad that will make the playoffs. I'm calling it already. This team can score goals, has solid defence, a good goaltender (Hallelujah!) and a good mix of veterans and young players. I'm feeling it.

Here's my projected line-up for opening night. I know, it's still three months away, but seriously, I'm excited.

Line 1: Tucker Sundin Blake
Line 2: Antropov Wellwood Ponikarovsky
Line 3: Bell Devereux Steen
Line 4: Kilger Pohl Battaglia

Defence 1: Kaberle Kubina
Defense 2: McCabe Colaiacovo
Defense 3: Gill White

Goalie 1: Toskala
Goalie 2: Anyone but Raycroft

It looks like Matty Stajan is the odd man out. That's a shame.

I'm not an idiot, I know there's no way Stajan isn't on this team. I just love to hate him.

Don't sleep on these Leafs. It may not be a star-studded team, but it's a damn good one. Only three months til the puck drops.

I asked John Ferguson Jr. to make me proud. He didn't disappoint...

Free Agent Fantasies

I've had a week to ponder the Toronto Maple Leafs acquisition of goaltender Vesa Toskala and left winger Mark Bell. When I first heard of the trade, I felt "restrained jubilation" a la George Costanza. No more Andrew Raycroft! It was like Christmas morning, but in June.

The fact that John Ferguson Jr. pulled the trigger on the deal proves to me that he is not a complete idiot. It also proves that he's not blind either. He saw the quality of goaltending, or lack there of, that Andrew Raycroft provided his team last season. It was pathetic. The Leafs' most pressing need was in goal, and say what you want about Ferguson, he addressed the need. So I'm going to have to give him some props.

Sure, he may have committed the cardinal sin of trading away a first round draft pick, but Leafs management has not left him with many options. He's a man without a contract after the 2007/2008 season. He knows that if the Leafs fail to make the playoffs once again, it's bye-bye John Ferguson Jr. And he also knows that if Andrew Raycroft is the number one goalie for the Leafs again, it's bye-bye John Ferguson Jr.

The Leafs are a better team today than they were a week ago, when Raycroft was penciled in as the starter. For me, that's the bottom line. Only time will tell whether the Leafs really screwed up on this deal. With the 13th overall pick, the Leafs could have drafted Angelo Esposito or Alexei Cherepanov. They could turn out to be solid NHLers. The draft is a gamble, and Ferguson gambled by dealing away three picks. Bottom line, it had to be done.

In talking to other members of Leafs Nation about the trade, I got the usual responses. A couple of people told me the Leafs messed up, because Esposito and Cherepanov are going to be superstars. I've got to get my hands on one of these crystal balls my friends seem to have. They must be nice. I also got the "why didn't we get Vokoun" responses. Vokoun makes over $5 million a season and does not fit into the Leafs' budget. That's why Toskala makes sense. He's a good goalie and he comes at a bargain price of less than $1.5 million. He makes less than bloody Raycroft. This gives the Leafs the option of still being able to sign a forward during free agency. The trade works, people.

I was a little surprised to find out that Toskola is 30 years old. I always thought he was younger than that. Like Kramer said, I guess I just assumed! However, for a goalie, 30 puts him right in his prime. Toskala will provide better and more consistent goaltending than Andrew Raycroft, of that there is no doubt, my friends. All this talk about Raycroft and Toskala splitting the duties is pure BS. Toskala came at a hefty price, and he will be the number one goalie. Raycroft deserves to sit on the bench, and should be grateful that he will get the opportunity to sit on the bench. He should be traded, but we all know that isn't happening. Who in their right mind would give up anything, other than a stick or two of Juicy Fruit, for Raycroft?

The Leafs missed the playoffs by one point last season. One single, measly point. One point while employing arguably the worst starting goalie in the league. Raycroft let in a league worst 205 goals against, 16 more than the brutal Tim Thomas. His save percentage, a laughable .894, was tied for last among goalies that started more than 50 games. Raycroft's stats speak for themselves, and believe me, they're not making a lot of noise. Toskala gets the Leafs at least six to eight more wins, and voila, the Leafs are in the playoffs.

The dark horse in the trade is Mark Bell. He's a big boy, only 27 years old, and although he's coming off a terrible season, he's been a solid winger since he made the NHL in Chicago. He's a rugged winger who adds size, toughness and scoring to the Leafs lineup. He makes around $2 million, and I think he could really swing this trade in the Leafs' favour. With his passion to body check and fight, it won't take long before Bell is a fan favourite at the Air Canada Centre. I'll take Bell over Jeff O'Neill any day of the week, thank you very much.

In Toronto, everything the Leafs do is over analyzed. Case in point, this blog. Personally, I don't think it's a big deal that the Leafs want to hire a Senior Director of Hockey Operations. It doesn't change the fact that John Ferguson has a job to do.

It's hard to believe Ferguson is entering his fifth year as Maple Leafs General Manager. Where does the time go? I think he deserves some serious respect for the way he is handling himself right now. Like I said, he's got no contract after the upcoming season, so he's skating on thin ice. He knows the team has to make the playoffs or he's out of a job. That's pressure. His bosses at MLSE are looking to hire someone above him, and he pulled the trigger on a trade knowing there would be severe backlash in the city. Ferguson, after all, traded away a number one draft pick (Tukka Rask) to acquire Raycroft. His trading of Toskala proves the Raycroft trade didn't work out. But it takes a man to accept his mistakes.

On top of all of that, John Ferguson Sr. is battling cancer as I write this, and the prognosis is not good. John Ferguson Jr. has been by his father's side all week, I learned from the Toronto Star, and is preparing for the opening of the free agent market from his father's bedside. It's not easy to be John Ferguson Jr. right now. He deserves some support right now.

Speaking of the opening of the free agent market, we're just about 36 hours away! I love this time of year. July 1st is a beautiful day.

Every year around this time, I start to fantasize about who the Leafs could possibly add to their roster. This year, of course, there are a lot of big names who will be waiting by their fax machines come high noon on Sunday.

Ryan Smyth. Daniel Briere. Scott Gomez. Paul Kariya. Chris Drury. Todd Bertuzzi. Sheldon Souray. Jason Blake. Brendan Shanahan. Michael Nylander. Michael Handzus...

Sorry, I drooled all over myself. Had to grab a tissue.

The list is quite formidable. I do this every year. I dream big. My mother always told me to reach for the stars. Right now I'm picturing Scott Gomez in the blue and white. Now I'm picturing Chris Drury, Mr. Clutch himself. How about Ryan Smyth wearing Sergei Berezin's old #94? Oh my.

I actually had a dream a couple of years ago that the Leafs had signed Paul Kariya, when he was an UFA, and he was going to play on the wing with Mats Sundin. I awoke to find that it was in fact a wet dream. It doesn't get much better than that, eh? Not the wet dream, I mean Kariya! Come on. Maybe my dream will come true on Sunday, and Kariya and Sundin will make beautiful music together.

I always get my hopes up, and usually it's all for not. The Leafs don't have a lot of money to spend, and probably will only be able to sign a second-tier free agent. I don't really have a problem with that, but I just like to dream. I'm the kid who goes to sleep on Christmas Eve expecting Santa Claus to bring me an XBox 360, and who wakes up to find a Sega Genesis under the tree. That's how the Maple Leafs roll. They bring in the aging, cheap goal scorer, and try to tell me he's just as good as the young superstar.

The last big splash the Leafs made on the free agent front was Alexander Mogilny. I'd definitely take another signing like Alexander the Great. Definitely. I've got great memories of number 89 in Toronto.

In a perfect world, the Leafs land Scott Gomez as their second line centre, trade Pavel Kubina and his fat contract for a draft pick or three, and then sign Ryan Smyth to play with Mats Sundin. The odds of that happening? About the same as me writing a short blog post.

More realistic, you say? Okay, the Leafs sign Paul Kariya. He'd come cheaper than the big name guys like Smyth and Drury, and he would be a nice fit on Sundin's wing. I don't think the Leafs need to pay Ryan Smyth $6 million a year. The Leafs can score goals. They scored a lot of goals last year. The problem wasn't scoring, it was keeping them out. That problem has been addressed.

The Jeff O'Neill experiment is mercifully over in Toronto and it looks as though Mike Peca will not be returning to Toronto either. Peca and the rest of the world differ on Peca's value. He still likes to think of himself as a second line centre, while the rest of the planet simply knows that isn't the case. I'd like to see him come back, but only at the right price. Ditto for Bates Battaglia. The Leafs just have to bring back Bates.

If the Leafs fail to sign any of the big names, they should make a push for Todd Bertuzzi. Sure, he comes with a lot of baggage, but he could be given an incentive based contract, and he would look mighty good in the blue and white.

What can I say, I'm a dreamer.

What do you think? Who's on your wish list?

TSN is going to air Sunday morning at 11am with their show called "Free Agent Frenzy." They'll be broadcasting live as the free agent signings hit the board. Only in Canada.

I'll be watching though, with a bowl of popcorn and a beer. And I'm looking forward to it.

God bless this hockey crazed country which I so proudly call home.

Make me proud, John Ferguson Jr.

The Senators Have Changed

I've got a confession to make.

I'm actually enjoying the Ottawa Senators' playoff run. They're an entertaining squad, and man oh man, these aren't the Senators of days gone bye.

The Senators have changed. The Senators are ready. They're on the cusp. As a man who bleeds blue and white, this is about as blasphemous as it gets, but I can't keep this inside any longer. A part of me likes Ottawa Senators hockey these days. A part of me is rooting for the Ottawa Senators. It's sick, I know.

This isn't easy, my friends, believe me.

Never would I have thought it would come to this. The Senators were always the lame chokers that I loved to laugh at. The team that just couldn't get the job done. The team that would dominate the Maple Leafs in the regular season but somehow manage to lose to Toronto in the playoffs. Four straight years. Ah, those were good times.

But times have changed. My worst nightmare has always been the prospect of Ottawa winning the Stanley Cup before the Leafs. If that happens, and it's looking more and more likely now, I've got nothing left. All us Leafs fans have left on Ottawa is those playoff beatings. The ones I'm still clinging on to til this day.

Forgive me father, for I have sinned. I'm jealous of the Ottawa Senators. It's true.

The Sens were always the laughing stock. I laughed at the inability of guys like Marian Hossa, Radek Bonk, Alexei Yashin, Andreas Dackell and Zdeno Chara to get it done in the playoffs. But not anymore. Those useless guys have all been shipped out of town.

Today, I'd kill for guys like Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley, Mike Fisher and Ray Emery to be in the blue and white. I've always had a soft spot for Fisher, and Emery is quickly becoming one of my favourite goalies in the league. It pains me to say that, because he wears the dreaded Senators uniform, but it's the truth, God dammit.

I figured the Senators totally screwed Spezza's development up, what with the constant trips back and forth to the minors, and the benching's and the 4th line duty. But under Bryan Murray he's blossomed into a bonafide star in this league. He's got tremendous vision and is one of the more underrated passers in the league. And the kid can dangle. Ask Sheldon Souray. He's been posterized by Spezza, twice.

When guys like Mike Comrie and Dean McCammond are dropping the gloves, you know the culture has changed over in the nation's capital. These simply aren't the Senators of old, the Senators I constantly ridiculed.

Ottawa's got it right, and they're one win away from another trip to the final four. I think they're the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa has a good chance to win the Stanley Cup.

What the hell has the world come to?

I hope John Ferguson Jr. is taking notes, because Ottawa has put together one helluva team. I'm impressed. I'm a Leafs fan, how can I not be? It doesn't take much, after all.

I still can't believe I'm writing this. At least one thing hasn't changed, and that's my hate for Chris Neil. I want to kick him in his nuts.

I feel sick. I'm jealous of the Ottawa Senators! It's tough to swallow. I want Heatley. And Fisher. And Spezza. And Meszaros. And Volchenkov (this kid was BORN to block shots, he reminds me of Danny Markov, but better). Did anyone else see Alfredsson absolutely flatten a Devils player? Alfredsson! Unbelievable. How come Mats Sundin never lays anybody out like that? Sigh...

You know I've reached a new low when I'm comparing my Mats to Daniel freakin' Alfredsson.

I feel like Ace Ventura after he found out Finkle was Einhorn.

I'm gonna go put on "The Crying Game", burn my clothes, and stand in the shower crying uncontrollably.

I'm sorry Leafs Nation...

Huge Dubyas

Big win for the Raptors tonight at home against the Heat. They went with a small lineup and simply dominated Miami, who just aren't the same without D-Wade in the backcourt.

Anthony Parker was huge, but it was a total team effort with six guys scoring in double figures, including all five starters. Everyone contributed, just like Mitchell said they would have to.

Shoutout to the The Hump. He pulled down 10 boards in 27 minutes, and seven of them were offensive rebounds. Still can't believe we got this guy for Hoffa. It will amaze me till the day I die.

With every passing game, I grow fonder of Rasho Nesterovic. He is the centre I have always dreamed about playing for the Toronto Raptors. Nothing flashy, but he just gets the job done. He's played guys like Shaq and Dwight Howard amazingly well this year. He knows what is expected of him at the offensive end, and he's the leader on the defensive end. Rasho's a rudey.

As of tonight, the Raptors are in third place in the East. That means home-advantage in the first round, and the Raptors are dynamite at the ACC.

Huge win by the Leafs over the Hurricanes. A solid beating, one that was well-earned and due. The Canes lost to the Flyers tonight. These guys don't look like they're going to be in the race much longer.

Chad Kilger has finally found a permanent home with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Love the guy.

Kaberle is back and Kaberle is healthy. He's a genuis with the puck out on the ice. Simply adore the guy.

Jeff O'Neill, get comfortable in the press box my man. The Leafs are a much better team when O'Neill is out of the lineup. I'm tired of the guy.

Boyd Devereaux has earned a spot on the Leafs for next season. Great signing by JFJ. Everyone has got to love this guy because he's been just a pleasant surprise.

Another big game Thursday night against the Thrashers. The Leafs have six more games, they can afford to lose only one. They need to play just like they did Tuesday night - aggressive, assertive and hard. Leave it all out on the ice, boys.

On a side note, I can't believe baseball's regular season kicks off Monday afternoon. Where the hell did the off-season go? Time flies.

I'm worried about the Jays. Especially the bullpen.

But I'm excited about the Leafs making the post-season, hopefully, and the Raptors. Tonight's win over the Heat was for Garbo. Get well soon, amigo.

Goodnight Toronto...

The Comeback Kids

An article in the Toronto Star by Damien Cox today called out Mats Sundin to step up and lead the Maple Leafs to the playoffs. Sundin went into tonight's tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning with only one goal, and a bunch of goal posts, in his last seven games. Cox singled out Sundin as the MVP of the Leafs, and the driver of the bus. He said the Leafs' playoff aspirations sit on the broad shoulders of the Captain.

I can't really argue with that.

I know every athlete in Toronto says they don't read the paper, but it sure seemed like Sundin found his way to the sports section of the Star today. He was a force on the ice tonight and led the Leafs to a 3-2 victory over a Tampa Bay squad that looked every bit like a team finishing up a six game road trip.

I went into tonight's game still reeling from Saturday's thrilling come from behind victory over those fun-loving Ottawa Senators. On a side note, it looks like the Sens have the same third period disease the Leafs have suffered from this season. They've been blowing leads left, right and centre recently. It's been fun to watch.

What a comeback by the Leafs Saturday night. They dominated the Senators in all facets of the game and just never quit, even after what seemed like a back-breaking goal by Dany Heatley to close out the second period. Boyd Devereaux and Nik Antropov scored clutch goals in the third period and who better than Darcy Tucker to finish the game in overtime? He loves to score goals and when they're in overtime, against the Senators, it's hard not to go buck wild.

I was up at the cottage Saturday night, and was without a cable connection. I set up shop with a radio and AM 640 and it was sheer euphoria when I heard Joe Bowen call Tucker's overtime winning goal. Another improbable comeback, and another two huge points in the standings.

Tucker's been back for four games, including tonight vs Tampa, and he's got two goals and an assist. Both his goals have been game-winners. He was missed.

Tonight against Tampa Bay the Leafs came out strong once again, but fell behind by scores of 1-0 and 2-1. But like it's been all season with this team, they simply refuse to quit. The Leafs battled back on goals by Chad Kilger, on a great pass by Kyle Wellwood, and Mats Sundin.

Kilger's goal was all about the pass from Wellwood. It was a beautiful saucer pass in tight quarters. Wellwood is the true definition of a playmaker. He makes plays. He's called the Little Magician for a reason because everytime he's on the ice he makes something happen. This guy is just ready to blossom into a bonafide star in the NHL. He's got so much talent and it's great to see him back in the lineup. He really adds another dimension of much-needed skill to this team.

Sundin's goal was all about persistence and dogged determination. He had the puck behind the net, deked out Ponikarovsky, two Tampa defenders and then put it low glove side on Denis. It was a huge goal that tied up the match heading into the third. Sundin was a force on Saturday night, firing 11 shots on Ray Emery, and was dominant again tonight. He really took the team on his back tonight. When the Leafs see their Captain skating so hard and driving to the net with such determination, it's tough not to follow in his footsteps. The goal leaves Sundin only one behind Darryl Sittler for most goals by a Maple Leaf all time. Yet there's still people in Toronto who question this man's toughness and leadership. These people clearly are on crack. Cocaine, it's a helluva drug!

I've got to shoutout my man Nik Antropov. He tied up the hockey game Saturday night against the Sens and got the game winner tonight. He's been clutch to say the least. This guy is finally healthy - touch wood (no seriously, if you're reading this please touch some wood, for Antropov's, and my, sake) - and playing some of the best hockey of his career. He's using his body to shield the puck and going to the dirty areas of the offensive zone. I've said it before and I'll say it again, at $1 million a season Antropov is a ridiculous bargain. He'll be an unrestricted this summer and I definitely want to see Nikky back in a Leafs uniform next season.

I've also got to shout out Andrew Raycroft. It was a tough game for him because he barely saw any rubber in the first two periods. The Leafs were all over the Lightning through the first 40 minutes thanks to an incredibly aggressive and effective forecheck. But once the Leafs took the lead midway through the third it was all Tampa Bay. They came on strong and Raycroft stood tall, making a number of saves in order to assure the Leafs of victory. Lecavalier did hit the post with a minute left to play, but like a friend always used to say, the goalie's always only got to cover what he needs to. And it's about freakin time the Leafs caught a lucky break.

Speaking of Raycroft, Glenn Healy made an incredible comment on the broadcast tonight. Raycroft is only five wins away from setting a Leafs record for most wins in a season.

Go ahead, grab your jaw off the floor. I had to do the same.

Got it? Good. I know. It's hard to believe. But I guess that's what happens when he plays almost every game. At the end of the day, he's winning. That's all that matters.

Perreault, O'Neill and Steen all saw less than eight minutes of ice time tonight. Stajan, on the other hand, saw more than 15 minutes of ice time. I don't get it. I really don't. But it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters right now is the two points, and the Leafs got em.

It's tough not to look at the standings right now, especially with such an intense race for the final two playoff spots being waged. The Leafs sit in 9th place after their win tonight, and still control their own destiny. The standings don't matter because the Leafs just have to keep winning games. If they win, everything else will take care of itself.

The Leafs swept the season series with the Lightning this year, going 4-0. They came back from behind in each and every game.

It's a testament to the attitude of this team. They just never quit. Paul Maurice said it best, it's tough to not root for a team that simply refuses to give up, especially when the odds are stacked against them.

The Leafs have dealt with a ridiculous amount of injuries. They are near the top of the NHL in man-games lost to injury. All the other teams that have been dealt as many injuries as the Leafs are no where near the playoffs. Yet here we are, 70 games into the season, and the Leafs are in the thick of the race, one point behind Carolina for that 8th spot.

The Leafs have dealt with goaltending questions all year as well. The only consistent part of Raycroft's game is his inconsistency. I've been one of the many people who have been calling for Aubin to get more game action. But Maurice has done his best to quell a goaltending controversy. Razor is the number one guy and now I've bought into Maurice's faith. Raycroft is the guy, no matter how inconsistent he is, and I think he should play every game left from here on out.

The Leafs specialty teams have been atrocious. The penalty kill has been near the bottom all season, and that's not going to change. The Leafs can't kill penalties. There's no penalty killing switch the Leafs can turn on. They simply suck at it. The only solution is to stop taking penalties.

The power play was strong and effective to start the year but has gone into one helluva tailspin. Injuries have ruined the chemistry on the PP and the Leafs are now just average with the extra man. The power play used to be the strongest part of the Leafs' game! It's amazing how unproductive it has become.

On a related note, this Leafs team is markedly better 5 on 5 than it was last year. The team's 5 on 5 play was it's most glaring weakness last season, but John Ferguson Jr. rectified the problem this season. Yet he doesn't really get any credit for doing that, and I think that has something to do with the special teams being so poor. I guess it's one or the other for JFJ.

My point is with so many injuries and such weak special teams, how the hell are the Leafs still in this race? It comes down to passion and hard work. And that is what Paul Maurice is all about. This Leafs team is full of passion and pride. On many nights, passion can take a team just as far, if not farther, than talent alone. It's an extremely valuable asset to have, and this Leafs team has it in abundance.

By the way, how about the signing of Boyd Devereaux? JFJ deserves some serious props for that one. He's been a productive player at both ends of the rink.

I think the Leafs deserve some serious credit for still just being in this race. The win tonight simply keeps them in the race. They played with a lot of energy and passion tonight and they have no choice but to keep it up if they want to make the playoffs.

The Ottawa Senators, up 3-1 on the Leafs going into the third period Saturday night, had a chance to dig the nail into the coffin on the Leafs' season. But the Leafs refused to go silently into the night. They weren't going to have it. They battled, they fought, and they needed a few extra minutes, but they got to the two points.

That's all that matters.

Twelve games remain. That's 24 points still available. The Leafs control their own destiny. Weekend road dates with the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens await. They are games the Leafs should, and need to, win.

This team won't roll over and die, and I'm proud of em. They are resilient.

Paul Maurice is right - it is tough not to cheer for this team; a blue collar team that just refuses to throw in the towel. Sundin, Tucker and McCabe simply won't let this team fold. They will not go quietly into the night.

I, on the other hand, will.

Goodnight, Toronto...