A New Sweater

Antropov looks good, doesn't he?

It might take some getting used to, but I've always kind of had a thing for the Rangers' jersey.

Do your thing, Nik. 

Playoffs!!!!1 (for the Rangers, preferably a berth in the semifinals).

Gerber Time

That was quite the debut my new favourite Toronto Maple Leaf Martin Gerber, wasn't it? What a ... goalie. Thirty-seven saves on thirty-eight shots. Forty seconds away from a shutout. What a hero.

The fact that Gerber comes via the Ottawa Senators makes his splendid effort, albeit just one game, that much sweeter. I think Leafs fans would agree that there exists in life a certain joy that comes with screwing the Senators. And it never gets old. I thought it might. But it hasn't. And it won't.

Oh yeah, the trade deadline. Look, all you really need to do is read this. But I like what Brian Burke did and what he was able to accomplish.

I wasn't happy with the return for Nik Antropov at first, but understand it now. Even though there's no way we're getting that conditional pick. (Rangers have to make the semifinals. Ha.) Regardless, I have put my faith in Burke. I trust that the deal was the best offer on the table. 

Dominic Moore for a 2nd rounder? Sure. Fill that draft pick cupboard.

By trading those two, Burke proved that players who sign in Toronto will do so on his terms. And it's been a while since I got that feeling from a Leafs general manager (if ever?).

As for the trade with Tampa, in which the Leafs essentially bought a 4th round draft pick for about half a million bucks, it showed the type of creativity that has for too long been AWOL from Toronto's front office.

Alex Ponikarovsky is still a Maple Leaf; there was some doubt as to whether he was in the minutes before the deadline. As are Tomas Kaberle and Pavel Kubina. And that's a good thing. I believe all three of them can be part of the solution.

And I like the addition of Gerber. A lot. Burke is proving to young Justin Pogge that he is going to have to earn every God damn inch of that crease. Pogge will not be the man between the pipes for the Maple Leafs until he deserves to be. Period. And say what you want about Gerber, but he's come to Toronto with better statistics than any other goalie in this town. 

I like Gerber's acquisition a whole lot more after the Leafs went into Washington and handed the Capitals only their ninth home loss of the season last night. Dude was phenomenal. Made a number of great saves. It helped that the Caps were missing some guy named, what is it, Alexander Ovechkin? Yeah, I think that's his name. But, hey, a win's a win, and full marks to the Leafs, especially Gerber, as they continue their late-season surge to 9th place in the Eastern Conference miracle city (you really should read Puck Huffers) and the playoffs.

Speaking of the playoff quest, I'll be at the Leafs game on Saturday night, in my new Gerber jersey. If you see me on TV, I'm the guy holding the PLAYOFFS!!!!1 sign.

Vesa Toskala? Get. Well. Soon. 

Let's be honest, Toskala was really close to being taken out back behind the ACC, and having the shit kicked out of him. February saved him. February also put him back in my good books. I can't stay mad at a goalie for too long. Well, except Andrew Raycroft. He's clearly the exception to that rule.

Speaking of the useless Raycroft, I've added Marty Gerber's save percentage to the "Interns of the Iced Igloos" sidebar I've got running on your right hand side (above). And you know what? Gerber's winning. As long as a Leafs goalie - any, one, whatever - finishes with a higher save percentage than Raycroft, the universe is in good shape.

And how about John Mitchell last night? Twenty-one minutes of ice time, five shots on goal, and an assist on Pavel Kubina's game-winner. He also went 6/11, 55%, in the faceoff circle. Needless to say, Mitchell is skyrocketing up the depth chart right now. He definitely needs to take Antropov and Moore out for drinks over the summer.

The story last night, though, was Gerber. He thought his NHL career might be over when the Senators banished him to the AHL (you know, because Brian Elliot is so good). Now that he's back, he ain't going out like that. Anybody else looking forward to Monday night, when the Leafs are in Ottawa?

Welcome to Toronto, Martin.

Welcome to the good side.

And I'll take with me the memories...

They haven't been traded yet. They might have been by the time you read this. But Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore were healthy scratches last night, and have played their final game for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I hate goodbyes.

Nik, what a roller coaster ride it has been. It took a while, but you did good.

Dominic, you had me at hello. A Toronto boy, you lived the dream.

You know, there's nothing I can say that Boyz II Men can't on my behalf.

The biggest of big tunes. Good luck, boys. You will be missed.

Trade Deadline Day. A pseudo-holiday here in Canada, especially Toronto. Everyone's got Andy Williams playing in the background, ready for Brian Burke to make it rain draft picks.

It should be one helluva ride until 3:00 PM. All I'm going to say is that if Tomas Kaberle gets moved, you'll be able to find me sobbing uncontrollably at the bottom of a bottle, listening to the song above on repeat.

1.2%

My good friend MF37 has pointed out that those are the odds of the Leafs making the playoffs(!!!!1) this season, after they picked up another point last night, thanks to the divine exploits of one Vesa Toskala.

Toskala stopped 49 of 52 shots and his save percentage, I'm proud to report, is now above the .890 threshold, coming in at .891.

He went save for save, and beyond, with Marty Brodeur. It was glorious. The Leafs, without Antropov, Moore, and Niklas Hagman, and thanks to Vesa, battled to pick up a point. And John Mitchell's stock is quickly rising in my books. What a rudey.

Anyway, as I mentioned in the comments over at MF's blog, while it takes a certain type of lunatic to stroll through Al Gore's internet hollering "Playoffs!!!!1," it takes another type of lunatic to believe that the Leafs are buyers at the deadline. Not even I am that delusional.

Once again, my thoughts, this time about the Leafs' post-season chances, can be summed up much better by someone else. Ladies and gentlemen, a regular around here at this time of year, Lloyd Christmas:

Seven points. Don't stop believing.

Happy Trade Deadline Day. Behave.

Reflections before the deadline...

If I'm watching guys like Nik Antropov, Matt Stajan, Dominic Moore and Pavel Kubina play their final games in a Toronto Maple Leafs uniform, I must say, I'm enjoying myself.

If one or all of them are gone by next Wednesday, they will most certainly be missed.

Nik Antropov. What haven't we been through together? The potential, the knee surgeries, the bullshit injuries, the blossomage into a 20-goal scorer, the "A" on his shoulder. It's been one helluva ride over the last 10 years.

I'll be honest, I'd hate to see #80 go. I still think it's in the best interest of the Leafs to offer him a three or four year deal, at $3 or $3.5 million a year. If he signs, great. If not, let's see what we can get for him. But I'm definitely leaning towards wanting to keep him.

Dominic Moore. Other than Jason Blake, Moore has got to be the most pleasant surprise on this year's Leafs squad. He picked up another goal last night, a shortie, his 12th of the year, and his 40th point on the season. Dominic Moore. Forty points. Can you believe it?

Moore, an unrestricted free agent next season, can surely help a playoff team. But I want him to stay. He plays hard. He's a leader. He's huge on the faceoffs. He's a Toronto boy. Let's keep him.

Pavel Kubina. You know, a lot of people shit all over Kubina for not waiving his no-trade clause, and not even giving GM Brian Burke a list of teams he's willing to accept a trade to, but I'm beginning to respect Kubina and his desire to remain a Toronto Maple Leaf.

Since Tomas Kaberle went down with an injury, Kubina's been, to quote the insufferable Pierre McGuire, "a monster." In 13 games without his Czech mate, Kubby's scored two goals, added 10 assists, and is a +5. He's been logging crazy minutes, including 28 more last night, and is clearly the leader of the blue line brigade. 

I'm torn on Kubina. If I have to choose between him and Kaberle, I'm choosing Tomas seven days of the week. But over the last month I've come to appreciate Kubina a lot more, thanks to how hard he plays. He wants to be part of the solution around here, and I can't help but respect that. There's a reason he's got an "A" on his shoulder, as well.

Matty Stajan. I've ripped on him for a long, long time, yet here he is, centring the Leafs' top line, and already having set a new career high with 41 points. While I don't believe he's an elite player, he could definitely help a playoff team. It will be interesting to see what Burke does with him.

For the first time in his career, Stajan is producing, and maybe this is one of those cases where the Leafs should trade an asset when he's at his peak. Again, I'm torn.

Before I leave you, I've got a message for Leafs fans, and fans of the New York Islanders (yes, all three of them): fuck Brendan Witt.

Witt better get at least a seven game suspension for that bush-league hit on Niklas Hagman. What a douchebag. Hate the Witt.

Here's hoping Hags is not completely messed up.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, props out to Ron Wilson for sending Tim Stapleton over the boards in the shootout. Playing in his first NHL game, Stapleton sealed the deal, and two points, for the good guys. Stay classy, Coach Wilson.

And, yes, the Leafs did just win back-to-back games in the shootout.

Best. Celebration. Ever.

I planned to write a post about Nik Antropov, and how Brian Burke is an idiot for publicly saying he's not going to offer him a new contract. Way to go Burke. That's real smart. It should do wonders in terms of trade leverage. But you know what? Fuck it.

One of my homeboys, Karan, a loyal Sports And The City reader who also goes by the monikers "deeismovingbacktotorontoandican'twait" and "deewouldletARodstickhisneedleinhimanyday," sent me the video below. It's straight out of an Indian movie. And it is, without a doubt, the greatest goal celebration I have seen in my 26 years on this here earth.

Enjoy.

Epic, wouldn't you agree? It might just be better than the timeless art of the fist pump.

If Jason Blake pulls that one out of his bag of tricks, his number might have to be honoured one day.

Don't thank me. Thank Karan.

The Raycrap Report Vol. 8: Walking on Sunshine...

Sorry mates. I wanted to write this post on Friday, but I was stuck up on cloud nine. I don't know about you, but in the aftermath of the beating the Maple Leafs laid on Andrew Raycroft, I was beaming. It just felt great to be alive.

Seven goals. On 30 shots. A truly Raycroftian performance. And I enjoyed every bloody minute of it.

I took in the festivities at a local establishment. I was hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst (read: I was drinking). Thankfully, in a 4-4 game, Raycroft did in the third period what he does best: suck.

Now, let's not kid ourselves. A goaltending duel the game most certainly was not. Raycroft made only 23 saves, while Vesa Toskala was whorishly bad as well, getting in front of only 16 of the 20 shots he faced.

But, like I wrote about in my previous post, Thursday night wasn't about the Vesa. He was awful (I think Cujo - Cujo! - could have stopped that Hejduk wraparound in the second period), but Raycroft was even sluttier.

Of course, as is the case when any team plays Raycrap, slumps were broken. Nik Antropov scored for the first time in 17 games, Mickey Grabs got off the snide after 12, and Matt Stajan scored his first goal in eight contests. Hell, even Jeff Finger got in on the act. And, don't look now, but Jason Blake, with another three points, is a point away from becoming Toronto's leading scorer this season.

Andrew Raycroft: the greatest slump-breaker in the game today. If only the Leafs could play against him more often.

Thanks to the Maple Leafs, Raycroft's goals against average now sits at 3.01, and his save percentage is back where it belongs, below the .900 threshold, at .895. Way to make me proud, boys. And way to get up for the big game, Andrew.

You know, Thursday night's game might have been the highlight of the season for me. By the time it was all said and done, I was in my happy place. So much so that I picked up the tab for the boys. It had to be done. It was a celebration - or rather, vindication - after all.

Deep Thoughts Vol. 13: Marvelous Mikhail Edition

Real heroes - Canadian war veterans - took to the ice last night and before I mildly entertain you with my thoughts on yesterday's game, I must embark on a short, but important, rant.

Over the last week or so, through my travellings along the streets of midtown Toronto, I've picked up four poppies off the ground. I don't care where you're from or what you think about Remembrance Day, poppies should not be on the pavement. Ever.

Do me a favour and don't walk past the next poppy you see on the ground. Pick it up. Clean it off, and wear it. Or put it on your bag. I think you would agree that it's the least you can do for the greatest of generations.

A Man Crush Is Developing

How about Grabs, eh? Kid is fly. Actually, the kid can fly. I think he is clearly the most talented Maple Leaf on the team this year. How about that move to get by Andrei Markov on the first goal? Dirty. Grabs ripped apart his former club, was all over the ice, and, well, the sensitive little Habitents didn't like it.

I believe the perception in Montreal is that Grabovski quit on the Habs last year, after he asked for a trade because he was buried on the depth chart and barely playing. Ok, not the greatest attitude for a young player to exhibit, but in Grabs' defence, I don't really give a shit about what he did before he arrived in Toronto.

All that matters now is that he's a Maple Leaf, he's scoring, and he's helping us beat Montreal. Pissing off renowned tough guys like Saku Koivu and Sergei Kostitsyn in the process is just icing on the cake. 

It's funny how much Koivu loves to chirp when the guy he's dealing with is actually his size. Pussy. As for "Little Tits" Kostitsyn, we learned that when he wants a piece of Grabs, the linesman has to hold him back. Scary.

Attaboy, Grabs. Way to stick it, Costanza style, to your former club. I'm looking forward to the next Leafs and Habs tilt to see what more tricks our boy Mikhail has up his sleeve for his former mates. And I'm sure Habs fans, because they are just so fucking original, will be booing our boy every time he touches the puck. I can't wait.

I don't know if it's just me, but Grabs' success is all the more sweeter because he's a Montreal cast-off.

Fuck you, Tom Kostopoulos

Mike Van Ryn has a concussion, a broken nose, and a broken finger. All thanks to a Kostopoulos cheap shot from behind.

Van Ryn, arguably the Leafs' best defenceman this season, will miss at least a month. I can't imagine Kostopoulos will miss more than three or four games via suspension, at the most.

It's true: there is no justice like vigilante justice. Get well soon, Van Ryn. And keep your head up, Kostopoulos.

Still on the subject, I've got to show some love to Carlo Colaiacovo for stepping up for his fallen comrade. As soon as Van Ryn's face was introduced so rudely to the glass, Carlo's gloves were off, and he was chucking in the direction of Kostopoulos' dirty mug. And that's how it should be. Thanks Carlo. You are appreciated.

Carlo was also quick to get into Andre Kostitsyn's grill after he tripped Luke Schenn into the boards late in the first period. Colaiacovo was there, no questions asked, for his teammates, and it was just another example of why I fancy him.

What The Fuck?

After last night's joyous 6-3 win, your Toronto Maple Leafs are the highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference, with 47 goals in 15 games.

Full disclosure: The Leafs are the worst defensive team in the Eastern Conference as well, having allowed 54 goals in 15 games. But let's just focus on the first, more happy, stat. Thanks.

Best Celebration Ever

How about our Eastern Bloc boys on that sixth goal? It was strange enough to see Ponikarovsky finish like that in tight near the crease, but then he went flying into Antropov, knocking the big Kazakh awkwardly into the boards.

The two of them ended up lying on the ice staring at each other, and I thought Poni was going to tell Antro how much he loved him, and poke him in the face.

My initial concern was that Antro was injured, because a collision with his own teammate after a goal would have been a typical Antropov injury. I was most releaved to see him get up and watch Matt Stajan proceed to put his stank-ass glove in his face (pictured above).

Ian White Haters to Aisle 3

Are you guys still out there? I mean, I'm of the always right opinion that Ian White has played pretty well since he's been inserted into the lineup as a forward. God, and Ron Wilson, knows that he's better than Ryan Hollweg.

Anyway, White turned out to be a pretty valuable commodity last night. He returned to the blue line after Van Ryn was lost and finished with an assist and a +1 rating in 14 minutes of ice time. White is a skilled Wade Belak, and I'm glad he's on our side.

I've come to terms with the fact that this town needs a scapegoat (see: Murphy, Larry and McCabe, Bryan), but if it has got to be someone, can it not be Ian White or Jason Blake? Can we all agree to let Hollweg wear the crown? Let's be honest, becoming the scapegoat would in all likelihood be the most significant accomplishment of Hollweg's Leafs career. 

Balanced Scoring

Antro's leading the team with 13 points. Niklas Hagman, who is an absolute delight to watch every night and a bargain at $3 million a year, has 12. Ponikarovsky and Stajan have 11. (Seriously, Stajan has 11 points.) Grabs has 10 points, including a team-high seven goals.

So, can Mats Sundin play defence?

Schenn-d him down, and FREE CARLO...

Fourteen games into the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have allowed a league-worst 51 goals against. Half the league's 30 teams have allowed 35 goals or less. And we still can't kill a penalty. Is this really the environment we want Luke Schenn developing in?

Don't get me wrong, for a 19-year-old kid I think Schenn has played great. He's got all the makings of a great shutdown defenceman in the NHL. I love the fact that he loves to play the body and that he's quicker than he looks on his skates.

At the same time, he hasn't blown my mind. He hasn't left me dumbfounded. I know, a part of that is the position and style of game he plays. But, well, still. I'm left thinking that another year of junior hockey - four full years like, say, Dion Phaneuf - cannot hurt him.

Once again, before you get out the pitchforks, I dig the Schenn. But we've got to send him back to junior hockey. For the good of humanity. He doesn't need to be here right now. He can play 25 minutes a game down in Kelowna, run shit, and dominate at the World Juniors. Let Ron Wilson deal with the rest of our chumps on defence because God knows they could use some work, especially on special teams. Schenn can join us next season. Wilson and the rest of the coaching staff ain't going anywhere. They can impart their wisdom on Luke next season.

Free Carlo!

I heart Schenn, but another reason he doesn't need to be here right now is because we've got two young defenceman who can play, and who need the playing time, sitting in the press box every night. One of them happens to be Carlo Colaiacovo, and he needs to be emancipated.

I refuse to give up on Carlo Colaiacovo. Not yet. He's a 2001 draft pick with a ton of potential, and I'm just not ready to let go. We showed Antropov all the patience in the world, and he's finally come through. We need to do the same with Carlo. A  solid, top-three defenceman exists somewhere inside him. 

Carlo's finally healthy and, much to the pain of my soul, he's a healthy scratch. Injuries have just fucked with him and, now that he's finally healthy, it pains me to see him sitting on the sidelines along with another of my man crushes, Anton Stralman.

I mean, I love Jonas Frogren and his aggressive, hitting-oriented style, and Mike Van Ryn has done nothing but impress since he donned the blue and white, but who's got more of a future with the Leafs going forward? The youngsters, Colaiacovo and Stralman, n'est pas? Don't they? I would say so. And in a rebuilding and experience-building season, why aren't they playing every night? Why can't Schenn - sent down to work on his game and continue to develop - Colaiacovo, and Stralman be the anchors of our defence core two or three years down the road, with Kaberle and Van Ryn, or Kubina, providing veteran presence?

Free Carlo, Cliff Fletcher. His destiny awaits.

Say It Ain't So

Shoaltsy at The Globe is reporting that the Maple Leafs are set to bid adieu to diminutive playmaker Kyle Wellwood. I am rather saddened by the news. Say it ain't so, Cliff, say it ain't so.

I guess I just assumed that Wellwood, a restricted free agent come July 1st, would get another shot with the Leafs. I know, he was awful last season - 21 points in 59 games, and a nasty -12 rating - but he was coming off two abdominal injuries and surgeries, and those are traditionally the toughest ones to recover from. Can we just forget last year ever happened?

I know, it doesn't help that Kyle doesn't give a damn about off-ice conditioning and that his exercise regiment is centred around carrying two-fours from the Beer Store to his car. However, on a team so devoid of offensive talent, there's no room for Kyle Wellwood? Really? Seriously?

We're talking about a guy who is only 20 months removed from a season in which he put up 42 points in 48 games, and who was a big part of a mostly successful power play back in 06/07. And now we're just going to give up on him, and let him walk away for nothing?

I don't get it. Wellwood should be a part of the youth movement going forward. He's only 25 years old and clearly possesses gifted offensive talent. His 108 points in 189 career games proves that. Let's give Ron Wilson a chance to work with him, and mould him into the stud playmaker we all know he can become. Or at least give Wilson a chance to write his name on the white board and call him out.

Come on Fletch. Please. Don't do this to me. Welly made $975,000 last year. Give him a one-year deal at, say, $1.2 million. Let him earn it. If he doesn't perform 40 games into the season, send his ass to the minors. If someone claims him off waivers, so be it. But let's give him another chance. I know he doesn't really deserve it but, well, just do me a solid, Uncle Cliff.

You want to know why I'm so desperate to retain Wellwood? I'll tell you. Because I'm scared. Yeah, I'm scared. I'm man enough to admit it. If Mats Sundin bolts for greener pastures (not that there's anything wrong with that), and Wellwood isn't brought back, who the hell is going to play centre? I'm assuming Nik Antropov would take over line one duty, and I shudder to think that Matt Stajan would be expected to be the teams second-line centre. Stajan is a third-line centre, at best.

Speaking of Stajan, Shoalts' excellent reportage also fills us in on the fact that talks between the Leafs and the restricted free agent are not going well. Stajan apparently wants $2 million a season. Based on that request, he's clearly smoking a lot of dope. I would have to respectfully agree with Fletcher that Stajan is not worth that kind of money. Alex Steen is scheduled to make $1.7 million next year, and there's no way in hell Stajan should be making more than Steen.

As for Wellwood, look no further than Antropov as an example for dealing with young players and injuries, and the question of whether to keep fishing or cut bait. Antropov dealt with his fair share of injuries, serious knee operations at that, after teasing us with his initial progress. Much like that jackass George W. Bush, we stayed the course on Antropov, and he certainly paid off last season.

I can only hope we'll do the same with Wellwood. Stay the course, Cliff, stay the course...

Hope

The future was on display last night for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Led by two goals each from youngsters Jiri Tlusty and Anton Stralman, and three assists from Nik Antropov, it seems as though there may be light at the end of the long, long tunnel of disappointment.

The game, a 4-2 Leafs final and not-so-classic HNIC encounter between Toronto and Montreal, meant nothing for the home side. So it was to no one's surprise that the Leafs came flying out of the gate, out-shooting the Habs 10-2 in the first twenty minutes.

It was a surprise, however, to see Vesa Toskala still between the pipes for the Leafs, making his 30th consecutive start, even though the season is now officially a lost cause. It goes to show just how far Andrew Raycroft's stock has fallen. And it almost makes me feel bad for the guy. Almost. He's still a douche.

Raycrap will be between the pipes on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres, and I hope the Sabres absolutely crush him. I'm thinking, like, 10-2. One of those severe beatings the Leafs are so good at taking. Lay it all on him, Buffalo. Make his final start in Toronto one he will never, ever forget.

Anyway, back to the kids. They were pretty damn good last night. At the beginning of March, Tlusty was on the fourth line, playing only a few minutes every night, leading me to question how his development was being handled. Wouldn't he be better served down on the farm with the Marlies, playing 20 minutes a night?

Tlusty will be on his way to the Marlies for their playoff run once the Leafs' season wraps up, and in recent weeks his ice time increased. In the last two games, he found himself alongside the Captain.

Well, Tlusty's made the most of his time on the first line. He scored twice on nifty deflections last night, and added an assist. It was his fourth point in the last two games. His second goal last night was his 10th of the season. Not bad for a kid playing limited minutes in his first NHL season. Hell, on some nights Tlusty was out on a line with sharp-shooter Wade Belak. Think about it, Jason Blake has 15 goals this year, only five more than our nudey-picture-taking youngster. Tlusty, only 20 years old, has a bright future and will be looked to improve on his numbers next year.

As for Anton Stralman, the Leafs are hoping they've found the next Tomas Kaberle in the smooth-skating Swedish defenceman. Kaberle was chosen with the 204th pick in the 1996 draft. Stralman was selected by Toronto in the seventh round, 216th overall. Kaberle certainly slipped through the cracks (thank God), and the Leafs are hoping they've found another diamond in the rough in young Anton.

Since the Hal Gill trade, Stralman has found himself a fixture on the Leafs blue line, and hasn't looked out of place. He can skate like the wind, can make the break-out pass, and definitely has some offensive flair. Anton's second goal of the game last night was a thing of beauty, and showed just how much talent this kid has. An end-to-end rush, Stralman finished it off with one hell of a wrist shot that hit iron and found the back of the net. Check it out:



Like Tlusty, Stralman will be counted on a lot more going forward, especially next season. I think he's played himself on to the team next year, although there should be no guarantees. We've got to keep the kids hungry. But, with that being said, if the Leafs do move one of McCabe and/or Kubina, Stralman becomes all the more important.

Before I bid you adieu, I've got to shout out Nik Antropov for his performance last night as well. He racked up three assists, upping his point total this season to 56 in 72 games. For Antropov, it has definitely been a breakout campaign, one he desperately needed for his own psyche, to prove that he can play in this league. For the Antropov haters still out there, and there are plenty, there's more to his stats than just 56 points. His +10 is tied for second-best on the team, his 12 power play goals lead the club, as do his five game winning goals. Antropov, still relatively young at 28, is a key forward for the Leafs going into next year, regardless of what anyone says. The thought of trading Antropov should not even be entertained, especially with his bargain salary of just over $2 million dollars.

It's been another cluster-fuck of a regular season here in Toronto, but last night gave me a little bit of hope. And even though he won't be the coach of the Maple Leafs much longer, Paul Maurice was right about one thing: without hope, you ain't got a damn thing.

Eliminated

I come to you today a broken man. It's over. Officially. The Maple Leafs have been eliminated from playoff contention. We didn't even make it to April. For the first time in 80 years, Toronto will miss the playoffs for the third straight season. Hold me...

There's not much to say, really. The writing had been on the wall for months. It still hurts though, because the Leafs put together a decent stretch of hockey and had the Bruins within their grasp going into the two-game set with Boston. It wasn't to be, however. Once again for the Leafs it was too little, too late.

There's going to be a lot of people shitting on the Leafs today and in the next couple of days. You're going to hear the "Golf Leafs Golf" bullshit, and a lot of Sundin bashing, from a lot of different people in a lot of different places. So I'll let others shit on the team. I won't do it. At least not right now. Instead, I hope the Leafs hold their heads high. It was a tough season. But I'm here for both the good and the bad, and I'm not going anywhere. It will be these last three seasons that I will appreciate the most when the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

Back to last night. Sundin and Antropov returned to the lineup, but it wasn't enough. I'll give Mats some props, because it was obvious he wasn't 100%. He still gave it his best shot, and picked up an assist on the night. The Leafs, who had been playing decent defensive hockey of late, allowed 10 goals in two games to Boston. That, right there, sealed their fate.

It was a 1-1 game to start the third period last night, but then it all went to hell. Fitting how it happened, actually. The Leafs were done in first by the stripes, who blew an offside call on Phil Kessel's goal that put Boston up for good. It was ridiculous how far offside Kessel actually was. Only against Toronto can a call like that be missed. Only against Toronto.

Then Ian White took a bonehead hooking penalty and Boston cashed in on the power play to make it 3-1, and lights out. The final nail was dug into the coffin on the penalty kill, something the Leafs struggled tremendously with all season.

For good measure, Pavel Kubina brought Toronto within one and kept the dream alive for, oh, about another 20 seconds. That's when Boston's Peter Schaefer scored to make it 4-2. The puck deflected beautifully off of Jason Blake's stick and into the top corner over Vesa Toskala's shoulder. If only Blake could have scored more of those types of goals on the other net.

Thank God the Boston fans didn't serenade the Leafs with the dreaded "na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey-hey-hey, goodbye!" song because, honestly, I don't think I would have been able to deal with that.

One thing I must say is that in the two most important games of the season, Tuesday and last night, Bryan McCabe did not show up. Worse than that, he played atrocious. I still don't know what he was doing on the Murray power play goal that sealed the deal for Boston.

You know, I've been a McCabe supporter during all of his struggles. I've always been in his corner. But I think I have reached my tipping point. If there is a team out there that is willing to take McCabe off our hands this off-season, the Leafs must take the offer. At this point, in my emotional state, I don't really care what it is. If the stretch run proved anything it's that Pavel Kubina is a better defenceman, both offensively and defensively, than McCabe. Kubina, with his booming shot, resurrected the dormant Leafs power play after he was put on the top unit with Kaberle. I'd rather the Leafs keep Kubina in a Toronto uniform, and move McCabe. Bryan's been a dedicated Maple Leaf since he joined the team back in 2000, but I think it's time to move on. There, I said it.

Vesa Toskala, get some rest bro. You were phenomenal. Yeomen-like work, straight up. What a goalie. Love that guy.

In all honesty, I hope the Leafs call up Justin Pogge for the final four games on the schedule. Andrew Raycroft is not going to be a part of this hockey team going forward (thank God), so there's no need for him to play. If Pogge is the future, and he most certainly has been pegged that, let's put him in there and see what he can do. The remaining games mean absolutely nothing and are the perfect opportunity to get Pogge some NHL experience before the AHL playoffs. Do it, Fletch.

These will also be Paul Maurice's final four games as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I feel for him, I truly do, because he's such a nice guy. He's always been a great quote. I wanted him to succeed, especially because this was his dream job. It's a shame it hasn't worked out but, like McCabe, the Leafs must move in another direction.

As for Mats Sundin's future, who, other than Mats himself, really knows? I don't want to think about it. Not right now at least. I cried myself to sleep in the fetal position last night, wondering if he's going to retire or sign with another team and, man, I'm just emotionally drained right now.

It feels like its been years since I last watched a Leafs playoff game. Probably because it has. 2004. Four years ago. Jesus. I miss it. I miss it so bad.

The dream of winning a Stanley Cup with Mats Sundin, if he moves on or retires, may have died for good last night. It hasn't sunk in yet. Probably won't for a while. But on that note, I leave you with a little something poetic, from my favourite MC Talib Kweli, from the track "Everything Man" off his latest album, Eardrum:

"Yo, what becomes of a dream deferred,
That never makes it to the world to be seen or heard,
Do it breathe?
Do it got a heart beat?
Is it alive?
Do it leave, only to become a star in the sky...?"

Sundin In The Bleu, Blanc Et Rouge?

Painful loss last night by the Maple Leafs in more ways than one. It took a hell of a lot longer than I thought, but Nik Antropov has finally been injured. A knee injury to boot. His was a run that was good while it lasted. I hope you enjoyed it.

Already missing Sundin from the lineup, once Niky went down the Leafs didn't have much of a prayer. A win minus the big Swede and the lanky Kazakh, who have 58 goals and 129 points between the two of them, was too tall an order for the remaining Maple Leafs.

The Buffalo Sabres, also fighting for their playoff lives, came out hungrier and harder and were full marks for a 6-2 win. They did score some hella cheap goals, though, so I can't blame Vesa back there (not that I ever would).

Toskala does, however, look a bit tired. Can't blame him for that, either. Vesa has started 57 games for the Leafs this season, including something like the last 22 or 23 in a row. His previous career-high in starts? Thirty-three, established last year with San Jose. His workload has increased tremendously as he's now a full-fledged number one goalie in the NHL. This is new territory for the Leafs backstop. He's got to be feeling a bit worn down. It's a shame the Leafs don't have a half-decent backup goalie that could give him a rest here and there. Stupid Raycrap.

Enough about last night. The Leafs are still mathematically alive. The Flyers got their asses handed to them today by the Penguins so it's still Philly we're chasing. Six points out, with nine games to go. Play time's over. The Leafs have to run the table from here on out. Next up are the Islanders on Tuesday in Long Island, likely without Sundin and Antropov. Possibly even Colaiacovo. Start praying.

On to one juicy rumour about our beloved Captain. Full disclosure: the source is Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. The same Steve Simmons who said last summer that Sundin needed potentially career-ending hip surgery. It's funny that after that story was proven to be false, Sundin has gone out and, with very little skill around him, has had his best season in, oh, about 10 years. It's also comedic that Simmons still has his job.

Anyways, I'll leave the Simmons bashing to CoxBloc. They're much better at it than me. Here's what the douche bag had to say: the Montreal Canadiens, for the services of the great leader of men known as Mats Sundin, offered Toronto winger Christopher Higgins and their first, second and third-round draft picks. Toronto agreed, but Sundin refused to go.

My initial reaction: "Wow."

If it's true, that's a mighty decent offer. Higgins is a 20-goal scorer who has a bright future in front of him. And three draft picks, including a first-rounder, are exactly what the Leafs need going forward.

My second reaction: "Would it have been so bad for Mats to have gone to Montreal for a few months?"

I know. It's a terrible thought. A selfish thought. I'm so sorry, Mats.

My third reaction: "The Leafs trading their Captain, Mats freakin' Sundin, to the Canadiens!? How weird would that have been?"

Imagine, eh? Sundin in a Montreal uniform and going to the playoffs. It would have been something else. Again, because it's Simmons, I'm loathe to believe it. We must not give him the benefit of the doubt. He works for the Sun, after all.

In the end, Sundin had every right to use his no-trade clause, and he did. And like I wrote about before, I can't be, and am not, mad at him about it. Since his refusal to leave Toronto, Sundin has been on an absolute tear - 18 points in 9 games - in trying to single-handedly take the Leafs to the playoffs.

Bottom line? Sundin's a Toronto Maple Leaf. Not a Montreal Canadien. And I love him for that. Because it's the truth. He's no Hab.

One thing's for certain, though: had Sundin agreed to be traded to Montreal, and Kaberle to Philly for Jeff Carter and a first-round pick, winning the Steve Stamkos sweepstakes would have been a realisitic goal. The Leafs, as they proved last night, are pretty much nothing without #13 in the lineup.

My final reaction about Sundin in the bleu, blanc et rouge, playing in the always sold-out and loud-as-hell Bell Centre in Montreal during the playoffs: it might have been pretty cool. No, you sickos, not for Montreal and their fans.

For Mats. As the sun begins to set on what has been a marvellous career, he deserves every opportunity to play for hockey's greatest prize.

(PS: keep the faith...)

The Not-So-Instant Analysis

Forget "Family Day." If Dalton McGuinty and the Liberals wanted to give Ontarians a February holiday, it should have been on Tuesday so we could have all celebrated "Trade Deadline Day" at home. I guarantee it would have assured McGuinty more than 42.2% of the popular vote.

McGuinty declaring "Trade Deadline Day" a province-wide holiday likely would have found PC leader John Tory in an even bigger mess than he finds himself in today. Although, after last weekend, that's debatable.

But I digress.

Another NHL trade deadline has come and gone, but fret not internet, I'm here to offer my $0.02. In contrast to the hours and hours and hours and hours of deadline day coverage on TSN, Sportsnet and The Score - I think TSN was on the air at a ridiculous 8:00 am - which were full of breaking trades and expert opinion, I offer you my not-so-instant analysis. Better late than never, right?

First of all, Maple Leafs fans rejoice! The trade deadline is done and gone and Yanic Perreault is not a Maple Leaf for the fourth time in his career. Phew. With Toronto only six points out of the eighth and final playoff spot on Tuesday morning I was beginning to get a little worried.

I think general manager Cliff Fletcher, who is pictured above looking at the Leafs' roster the day he was re-hired in January, did the best he could. As everyone knows by now, none of the Untradeables (literally) - Sundin, Kaberle, Kubina, Tucker and McCabe - were willing to waive their no-trade clauses, so Fletcher's hands were tied. After those five, the roster was pretty thin. Sure, teams called about Antropov and Toskala, but Fletcher made it known that he wasn't even entertaining the notion of trading those two (atta boy, Clifford!).

"There were enquiries about Nik, but you have to decide where you start building. ... For us, Antropov and Toskala fit nicely into that pattern, they are two players we want to see around here and be part of a winning team," he said.

So all you suckers who wanted Antropov to be traded (Damien Cox I'm looking at you), all I have to say is: ha-ha!

As for the deals Fletcher did make, I'm in approval of all them. By trading three roster players for draft picks Fletcher proved that the organization is headed in the right direction, and Leaf fans across the land, near and far, should take solace in that. Had Fletch added a body for the stretch run (ie: "No Panic" Yanic freakin' Perreault) it would have simply been more of the same old, same old that has found the Leafs in their current predicament. And Fletcher's comments after the 3:00 pm deadline passed proved that had some no-trade clauses not been exercised, the Leafs would have been even bigger sellers.

Wade Belak to Florida for a 5th round selection in 2008

Wow. For a guy with an expiring contract who hardly plays, and is only skilled with his fists, it's pretty damn impressive that Fletcher was able to coax a fifth rounder out of the Panthers for Belak's services. Cliff really is the Silver Fox.

I will say this about Belak though: he knows his role, and he fulfilled it admirably in Toronto. It's not easy to shuffle in and out of the lineup, never playing more than a few minutes a game, and play both forward and defence whenever called upon. I'll also never forget the way Belak so graciously gave up his number two the day Toronto acquired Brian Leetch. Last season, after lousy thug Cam Janssen almost tore Kaberle's head off with a cheap shot, Belak went toe-to-toe with him in the next meeting between New Jersey and Toronto. Belak protected his teammates passionately and made sure anyone who took liberties with them was dealt with accordingly.

Wade was also a great quote and one of the funnier characters in the Leafs dressing room. He always made fun of himself, and here's the best example. Belak will be missed, and I'm glad he was able to pot one earlier this season to end a four year drought. My friend Ryan put it best: "Once you go Be-lak, you don't go back." Cheers, Waddy.

Chad Kilger to Florida for a 3rd round pick in '08

A sound trade. I grew fond of Kilger over the past few seasons, but he was one of the few Leafs who could actually help another team out there, although I figured he would go to a contender. He's under contract for a very reasonable $700 grand next season and if every player finished their check the way Kilger does, well, teams would need a lot more ice packs in their dressing rooms. The guy's a machine.

From the day he arrived in Toronto, Kilger impressed me with his work ethic. He skated hard every night and was the most dogged forechecker I can remember in a Leafs uniform. He literally hit everyone in sight. He turned out to be a useful third-line player and his 17 goals last season were a career high. If there's one thing John Ferguson Jr. can be applauded for, it's for picking guys up off the waiver wire and getting them to contribute. See Kilger, Boyd Devereaux, and most-recently Dominic Moore as examples. However, the rebuilding process is slowly but surely under way in Toronto, so Kilger for a third round pick had to be done.

Kilger's clearly going through some personal problems but I wish him well down in Miami.

Hal Gill for a 2nd round pick in '08 & 5th round pick in '09

Big Hal was another guy I figured would be relatively easy to move come trade deadline day and I'm glad he's off to Pittsburgh to play for a contender. He deserves it. At $2.1 million next season, Gill is a great number four or five defenceman who effectively kills penalties, although you wouldn't know it by looking at the Leafs' penalty kill numbers.

Gill was steady as they come in the defensive zone in his one and three quarter seasons in Toronto. While much-maligned for usually being the slowest guy in the rink on most nights, what he lacked in foot speed he made up for in size and reach. He's a stay-at-home defenceman who can play 20 minutes every night against the opposition's top forwards. What's wrong with that? I've said it before and am sticking to it: people who hate on Hal Gill don't know their hockey.

Gill's departure means a permanent spot on the blue line for youngster Anton Stralman, who looks like a promising puck-moving defenceman. I am a little concerned as for what the plan is when Carlo Colaiacovo inevitably gets injured but, hey, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

On to the trade that didn't happen - Pavel Kubina to San Jose for Kyle McLaren. Supposedly, Kubina had agreed to waive his no-trade clause and be sent out west, but after the 5-0 shelling of the Ottawa Senators by the Leafs on Monday night, he changed his mind, much to the chagrin of Fletcher.

Now Kubina has come out and said it was all a big misunderstanding. Of course it was. What really happened? Hell if I know. What I do know is that Fletcher was not a happy man at his post-deadline presser and unless Kubina is instrumental in leading the Leafs to the playoffs, his career in Toronto looks to be winding down. You don't piss off the Silver Fox and get away with it. If the Leafs do miss the playoffs, Kubina can be traded over the summer without his consent and it looks like Fletcher is going to be all over that clause like a fat kid on a smartie (a red one).

I've got to admit that I enjoyed Fletcher's pissy mood at his presser Tuesday afternoon. While he was able to pick up some draft picks, it's clear he wanted badly to move some of the Untradeables. He knows that this Leafs team reeks of mediocrity and needs to be rebuilt. It seems like he's made it his mission to fix this mess, and then sail off into the sunset of retirement as the man who fixed the Toronto Maple Leafs, or at least got them going down the right path. I don't know about you, but I like what Fletcher has done and am buying what he's selling (full disclosure: I'm a Leafs whore - I even bought what Ferguson Jr. was selling).

Quick side note - how about Captain Mats? He was a monster in Florida last night, rallying the Leafs from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2, and scoring the tying goal with just over a minute left to play in regulation. The Leafs went on to win the game in a shootout and have now won five of six. The Leafs have commenced their standard late-season push and mission squeak into the playoffs is under way in earnest.

In the two games since refusing to be traded out of town, Sundin has tallied three goals and one assist. This is why I have no qualms about him staying in Toronto. He is the Maple Leafs. A friend of mine, Rav, was pretty upset after reading Dave Feschuk's column in the Star on Tuesday. Upset enough to send me an email announcing his hatred for all things Feschuk, who was all over Sundin for not agreeing to be traded. Hey Dave, Sundin did hold all the cards, and deservedly so. He didn't want to go and play for the Montreal Canadiens because in his heart he's a Toronto Maple Leaf. Any true fan will tell you that they understand that. If Sundin is a Maple Leaf in his heart, putting on the Habs sweater, or the Senators sweater, the jersey of the enemies, is akin to blasphemy.

For Feschuk to justify Sundin's numbers by saying, "But playing for a bad team, facing mostly B goalies and opponents' C games, is one of easiest ways to put up good numbers in pro sports," is completely ludicrous and tells you why Feschuk is the Star's basketball columnist. Stick to hoops, bro.

Alright, I'm glad that's off my chest. On to the rest of my better-late-than-never trade deadline thoughts. Other than the "my jobber for your jobber" trades and teams looking to get rid of their expiring contracts trades, only a few of the deals really were shockers - Brad Richards to Dallas, Cristobal Huet to Washington, and Marian Hossa to the Penguins.

Richards to Dallas, in my opinion, makes the Stars the team to beat in the Western Conference. I know the Ducks are the defending champions but the Stars have been quietly putting together a superb season, and Richards is going to explode now that he's finally out of Tampa Bay. While he certainly does make a lot of coin ($7.8 million a season!) he'll only be 28 in May, and already has a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe on his resume. Not too shabby.

I actually had a dream about Brad Richards once. I dreamt that he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. I swear. It felt so real. I must say it was pretty awesome. Until I realized it was only a dream. Then it sucked.

I definitely did not see the Huet to Washington deal coming. I don't think anybody did. At first, I figured it was the pre-cursor to another trade, as both Alex Tanguay and Marian Hossa were rumoured to be headed to la belle provence. But, nope, Huet for a second round pick was all the Habs did on Tuesday. Huet, turns out, is a free agent, and with Carey Price in the mix the Habs had no intention of bringing him back, so they got what they could.

No doubt it's a risky move by Bob Gainey. He's got balls of steel, that Gainey does. But his track record speaks for itself. I think Habs fans are lucky, and appreciative, to have Gainey steering their ship. Price, the future, is only 20 years old, and is now the new number one goalie in Montreal. I guess the future is now.

A risky move, yes, and while Montreal isn't exactly the easiest place for a young goalie to step in and lead the team to the promised land, I believe the Canadiens have been through something like this before. Back in 1986, some guy named Patrick Roy played 47 games in goal for the Habs during the regular season before being handed the reigns in the playoffs. The end result? Montreal won the Stanley Cup, and that Roy fellow won the Conn Smythe as MVP. I think that Roy dude ended up having a pretty decent career.

Oddly enough, in 1985 Roy came out of nowhere to lead Montreal's farm team, the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the AHL, to the Calder Cup. Last season, Carey Price came out of junior hockey to lead the Montreal farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs, to the Calder Cup. The similarities are downright scary.

What's left? Ah, yes, Marian Hossa, the biggest name on the market. I'm not sure what the folks down in Pittsburgh are smoking but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's some pretty good stuff. The Penguins, by trading Colby Armstrong (age 25), Erik Christensen (age 24), Angelo Esposito (age 19), and a first round draft pick to boot, grossly overpaid for Hossa and journeyman Pascal Dupuis. They basically gave up three first round picks (both Armstrong and Esposito were selected in the first round of the draft) and a young player with decent finish around the net to acquire a soon-to-be free agent who disappears in the playoffs.

It's one thing if they were getting a proven playoff performer, but Hossa's playoff stats are abysmal. In 55 career post-season games he's managed to score only 13 times and put up an uninspiring 35 points. Dude's invisible when the games really count. Last season, when Atlanta was swept by the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs, Hossa went out with a whimper, registering only one assist and a -6. Grossly overpaid is an overstatement. I know the Penguins wanted someone to play with super Sidney Crosby, but they gave up a nice chunk of their future to get Hossa, who I'm not even sure they'll be able to re-sign after they hand Evgeni Malkin a blank cheque (seriously, when did Malkin become the league's leading scorer?!?!?).

If Hossa could command such a price from the Penguins, imagine what Sundin would have gotten the Leafs in terms of young players and draft picks? It definitely makes you think. While I'm more than happy Sundin is still in Toronto, I can definitely understand why Fletcher was peeved. The Untradeables really made his job a lot tougher than it needed to be, and Fletch only has John Ferguson Jr. to blame for that.

Now that the deadline has passed the games start to get really interesting. The intensity kicks up a notch as the playoffs creep closer and closer. This is what it's all about. This is the time of year I live for, especially since the Leafs don't make the playoffs anymore. Unfortunately, the stretch run has become my "playoffs." Here's hoping, err, praying, that changes.

Don't Trade Antropov

His three game suspension over, Nik Antropov returned to the Maple Leafs lineup with a bang yesterday afternoon. The lanky Kazakh tipped in Anton Stralman's shot from the point to give the Buds a 3-2 overtime win against the NHL's best Detroit Red Wings.

So, looking back to last Saturday, the Leafs have defeated the Ottawa Senators (#1 in the Eastern Conference), the Montreal Canadiens (#2 in the East), and the Detroit Red Wings (#1 in the NHL). Between the victories over rivals Ottawa and Montreal was an 8-0 shelling, on home ice no less, at the hands of Florida Panthers, the twelfth-best team in the Eastern Conference (or the third-worst, depending on how you look at things in life). Go figure. The Leafs are one strange hockey team.

What made the past week even more perplexing is that the Leafs were able to beat the Senators and Canadiens without their second-leading scorer, Nik Antropov.

Yes, you read that right. Antropov is second to only Mats Sundin this season, with 42 points in 54 games. Although I hate to think that I might be jinxing him, I think it is fair to say that Nik Antropov has, finally and mercifully, arrived. His goal against the Red Wings, to give the Leafs one hell of an improbable win, was his 19th of the season and a new career high. Last season, Antropov was limited to only 54 games because of injury, and potted a personal-best 18 goals.

It's kind of fitting that yesterday was his 54th game of this season. For once, and knock on wood (seriously, do it, please, for Nik), Antropov is healthy. The three games he missed while suspended were the first games he's missed this season. For Antropov, that's nothing short of a miracle. That's like Carlo Colaiacovo playing 30 games in a row. It's unheard of!

I've got to admit, I've got a little bit of a man crush on Antropov. He's always had so much potential and he seems to have finally developed. He's a big boy, strong on the puck, beauty down low in the corners, physical, and for a big man has a pretty sweet pair of hands, which he displayed early on in his career. He also shows emotion, even though this particular display got him suspended. I have enjoyed very much his success this season, especially after some people I know ridiculed the fact that he was signed to a two-year deal in the off-season for just over $4 million. At that price, the man is a bargain.

Of course in this town, where no one is ever satisfied, the calls to deal Antropov before the trade deadline have begun. I've heard people tell me trading Antropov is a great idea because his value has never been higher, along with the regular psycho's calling in to the radio shows saying that he must go.

Trade Antropov? I don't think so, Homey don't play that. Sure, his value has never been higher, but that's because he's finally performing and living up to the potential of a player selected 10th overall in the first round of the NHL entry draft. The Leafs selected Antro back in 1998 and, here we are, 10 years later, finally getting a decent return on our investment, and now we should trade him? I'm sorry but I don't understand that logic.

Antro should be one of the few guys the Leafs should hold on to. I waited 10 freakin' years, and through two devastating knee injuries, for this guy to become a decent NHLer. I don't want him to go anywhere. The point isn't to groom talent and trade it once it starts contributing. What are we, hockey's Montreal Expos (RIP), or Florida Marlins? Antro is scheduled to make $2.15 million next season and for someone set to become a 25-goal and 65-point man, that is a steal. And he's turning only 28 years old next week. Considering all his injury problems and how long it has taken him to find his game, he's only entering his prime.

Antro's only three points away from his career high of 45, set eons ago back in the 2002/2003 season, when he played 72 games, another career high. While #80 does take the occasional moronic penalty - ok, occasional is being generous - he still brings a lot of positives to this Leafs team. This season, he's second to only Sundin in goals and points, and he leads the team in power play goals with nine, and in game-winning goals with four.

Nik Antropov is in the midst of his best season as a professional hockey player, and all a bunch of the Toronto faithful can think of is trading him. Don't do it, Fletch...

A Rally in Raleigh

The Toronto Maple Leafs were up to their old tricks last night in Raleigh. Up 2-0 with a minute and a half left in the game the Leafs once again imploded, in fine fashion I might add. Chalk up another overtime loss for the boys in blue and white.

Ah, the dreaded 2-0 lead. The worst lead in hockey, so they say. Whoever "they" are, the Leafs are proving them right. Toronto just couldn't hold on, even when it seemed like they were going to ice the game with an empty-net goal with 30 seconds left on the clock.

The Leafs have played a lot better with the lead, especially the 2-0 margin, since the start of December, but it wasn't to be last night. They had 58 excellent minutes of hockey in the bag, and I had already penciled in a win thanks to another textbook display of great goaltending by my new favourite goalie Vesa Toskala.

Unfortunately, Toskala can't do everything out there. Like score on an empty net. The goat horns were being worn by one Alexei Ponikarovsky last night, that's for sure. I've got a soft spot for Poni, but boy did he pick the worst time to have a brain cramp. At the Carolina blue line with 30 seconds to go Poni could have attempted to fire the puck at the empty net. He could have dumped the puck deep into the Hurricanes zone. Or he could have fed Mats Sundin, who was open on his left wing. Instead, Poni did nothing. He had his pocket picked from behind by Cory Stillman, the Hurricanes went the other way, and before I could yell "what the f**k!?", the game was tied.

Poni's misery, and mine, didn't end there. He took a penalty in overtime and was in the sin bin, along with Nik Antropov, when the Hurricanes bagged the winner on the power play.

The Leafs lost this game for three reasons:

a) Poni, God bless his heart, fucked up;
2) The Leafs' defense was dog-tired by the end of the game because they were, essentially, a five-man unit all night long;
d) The officiating was, as usual, bogus.

Poni made a mistake. I'm over it. I suggest you do the same. He's an important piece of this Leafs team and I have no doubt he'll make up for his gaffe on the rest of the road trip.

As I predicted in my previous post, Toronto called up Anton Stralman to replace the injured Bryan McCabe. The logical choice would have been, in my opinion, Derrick Walser, but he's got contractual issues, as I assumed. Thanks to David Shoalts at the Globe for letting me know that Walser, if called up from the farm, would have to clear waivers on his way back down to the Marlies.

I still think Walser should have been recalled, and I honestly don't give a damn about his contract situation. You want to know why? Because Stralman played less than five minutes last night. Someone, anyone, please explain to me the rationale behind recalling a player from the Toronto Marlies whom the coaching staff has absolutely no confidence in sending out on the ice. What's the point? This is clearly the case with Stralman, who I don't think played one shift in the third period of last night's game. Maurice and company have no confidence in the kid, and they're totally messing with his head by sending out Andy Wozniewski for a regular shift while Stralman sits and watches. It is incredibly infuriating. If this is the solution while McCabe is out - to play Stralman less than five minutes a night - the Leafs are in a world of trouble.

Stralman's ass on the bench effects the rest of the defensive unit. Pavel Kubina was about to pass out by the end of the game. His legs were seemingly on fire. The gas tank was empty. Use whatever analogy you want, but he needed a breather. The Leafs, however, couldn't afford him one. On some nights in the NHL, teams dress seven defenceman. Last night Toronto played with five.

I hate to bitch and moan about the officiating, but it was brutal last night. It seems like it's always Toronto versus not only the opposition, but also the referees. The penalty calls against the Leafs in overtime had me throwing stuff against the wall. Ponikarovksy was called for tripping literally five seconds after he was dumped in front of the Carolina net. While Antropov's penalty, to make it a five-on-three advantage for Carolina in the extra session, was justified, Eric Staal should have been called for holding on Mats Sundin while the Leafs were killing off the penalty. The winning goal by Scott Walker came on Carolina's second five-on-three advantage of the game. Now I know the Leafs have discipline issues, but they deserved a better fate from the stripes last night.

As tough a loss as it was to swallow - blowing a 2-0 lead with less than two minutes to play broke my heart (and had me reaching for the bottle) - I've got to show the Leafs some love. They did play a strong game, and hell, I'll take the point. It should have been two points, but it's better to leave Raleigh with something rather than nothing. Although in the long run, I know it's games like these that really come back to bite you in April. The Leafs, as we all know so well, missed the playoffs by a point last season. One point. One measly point, like the one they gift-wrapped for the Hurricanes last night. Merry Fucking Christmas.

*Sigh*

The penalty killers were on point last night, especially Kubina and Hal Gill. Kubina's still finding his legs after missing 10 games in November and early December, but he was a horse last night, logging a shade under 33 minutes of ice time. Gill played 29 minutes and is the leader of the PK unit, which shut down the potent Hurricanes power play until the overtime session.

I really appreciate what Gill brings to this Leafs team. A lot of people in this town love to hate Hal Gill, for reasons I will never quite understand. He led the Leafs in plus/minus last year, and is once again having a quiet but sound season. He's a defensive specialist who plays the man and plays hard every night, but this year he's even become somewhat of an offensive juggernaut, with a goal and 13 assists to his name (that's, umm, more points than McCabe!). Gill always makes the smart, safe play and keeps his game simple. It's the little things that Gill does that impress me the most. If he's got the puck at the blue line in the offensive zone, he'll never try and shoot it past a bunch of bodies and towards the net. He'll always send it back around the boards to the goal line, and I dig that. And you've got to love his reach. Can't beat the Hal Gill six-foot-seven reach. If you don't like Hal Gill and don't appreciate what he does, you don't know a damn thing.

Toskala also deserves a shout out, because he was phenomenal last night, especially in the first period. He made a number of fantastic saves early on to weather the storm (hurricane?) and has continued to provide stellar goaltending to a Leafs team that clearly needs it. I thought for a few moments in the third period that he'd be leaving North Carolina with a shutout and first-star honours. I guess not. But I've got still mad love for my man Vesa. He's the real deal between the pipes.

A tough loss is in the books and the Leafs continue their trek south to Florida for games against the Lightning and Panthers on Thursday and Saturday. They've got three out of a possible six points on the road trip so far - .500 hockey. I'll take it.

My only wish? Get well soon Carlo Colaiacovo. We're desperate over here, man...

The Plague Strikes Again

The Toronto Maple Leafs were all but fully healthy and, finally, playing good hockey. In retrospect, it was only a matter of time before the MLSE injury plague struck this team again, and strike did it ever last night. With a vengeance.

The Leafs lost much more than their game to the Montreal Canadiens last night. Gone is their momentum from the last two weeks and, more importantly, gone is Bryan McCabe, lost for two months with a broken hand. He's scheduled to go under the knife tomorrow.

Wonderful. Just wonderful. McCabe had been playing his best hockey of the season in the last couple of weeks. He was logging a ton of ice time and was focusing on the defensive aspects of his game. Best of all, he was playing with confidence, something he lacked throughout October and November (I guess own goals and headlines like "Bryan McKlutz" in the local papers will do that to you).

I can't say I'm surprised. Someone was bound to go down. It was only a matter of time. I figured it would be the oft-injured Nik Antropov. He's been playing phenomenal hockey all season and hasn't missed a game all year. That - thirty-three games played in a row for big number 80 - is an accomplishment in itself for Antropov. It has got to be a personal record for the big man from Kazakhstan.

The McCabe injury means JFJ is going to be dipping into the farm once again. It won't be Staffan Kronwall getting the call. He's injured too. He's got about as much luck with injuries as Carlo Colaiacovo, and that ain't a good thing.

Anton Stralman might get the call, but it should be Derrick Walser. Walser has been a force with the Toronto Marlies and is second on the club in scoring, with 21 points. The defenceman is actually tied with Kris Newbury for the team lead in goals with nine. He's also tied for the team lead with five power play points. Walser's got a respectable shot from the point and has 91 games of NHL experience under his belt. He's the logical choice, which means Stralman will probably be on the blue line for the Leafs in Carolina on Tuesday night (you know how we do!).

The McCabe injury also means more ice-time for Pavel Kubina, especially on the power play, and (gulp!) Andy Wozniewski. Kubina paired with Tomas Kaberle on the power play might be a good thing, because the Leafs' power play has continued to do, well, nothing. It's sputtering along and I'm welcome to any changes in order to get it going. As for more ice time for the Wizard of Woz, well, I'm not even going to go there. There's no point. Although the Woz does have more points on the season than Darcy Tucker. Tucker should be deeply, deeply ashamed of himself.

As for Carlo Colaiacovo, he's back on the ice skating again and reportedly will be ready to join the Leafs by the end of the month. If I was a betting man, and I am, I'd put money on that not happening. He'll suffer a setback. He always does. Before he does return he'll likely join the Marlies for a conditioning stint, so I don't think he'll be with the Leafs until at least the new year.

People in this town love to hate on Bryan McCabe and his salary, but he's an important part of the Maple Leafs. He will definitely, and sorely, be missed. The Leafs know the drill by now. Someone has got to step up. It's practically this team's mantra.

Toronto is on a season-long seven game road trip (with a 1-1 record to show so far), and now have to finish it without one of their top defenceman. With solid play in the last two weeks the Leafs have managed to salvage their season but, without number 24 and his 30 minutes a game, the going just got a whole lot tougher...

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...