Wait, What?

From Tim Wharnsby in The Globe and Mail, in an article about Phil Kessel being the apple of Brian Burke's eye:

"...The only current Maple Leafs forwards who have top-six status in Burke’s mind are Mikhail Grabovski and Matt Stajan."

The fuck?

Stajan over Alexei Ponikarovsky? It can't be. Someone please tell me that's a typo. Sure, when I'm drinking I get Stajan and Poni confused, and, sure, Mississauga Matt put up a career-high 55 points last season ... but he's no top-six forward.

Listen, I'm all about Burke. I've drank the proverbial Kool-Aid. But what does Jason Blake have to do to be considered a top-six NHL forward? Fifty forwards put up more than his 63 points last season. That's an average of 1.6 per team. Blake's a top-sixer, as is Ponikarovsky.

It doesn't happen often, but I don't believe in Matt Stajan. In fact, I believe in Jason Allison more than I believe in Matt Stajan.

Kid Kadri and Christian Hanson

After a weekend that saw family in town and two good friends tie the knot, Tuesday was a most unwelcomed return to reality. What helped was watching NHL Rookie Tournament highlights on Sportsnet. (Only in nutty Canada. I love it.)

It's hard not to be excited about Nazem Kadri and Hanson. Kadri's goal against Boston was filthy; remindful of the talent that led him to be drafted 7th overall. While Hanson, as much as it's footnoteingly possible to tally a hat trick, did just that.

I don't think Kadri makes the Leafs out of training camp, but let it be known that I thought the same about Luke Schenn. Also: we need a nickname for Hanson.

Media Relations

Not only do I run the editorial side of Sports And The City, I also work PR. And I'm here to remind you to head over to your local Chapters Indigo store (which one is it: Chapters or Indigo?) and pick up your copy of the 2009/2010 Maple Leafs Annual. It is, for lack of a better word, awesome.

Just as sweet on Monday...

I don't know about you, but I find the Monday after the Maple Leafs kick the shit out of the Montreal Canadiens, on Hockey Night in Canada, on a Saturday night, for all the country to see, to always be the greatest Monday of all.

The boys took no mercy against a fragile Habs squad. It was the type of game - the type of performance - that gets me excited about next season. It was all business.

And you know, of course, who took care of said business: Mikhail Grabovski Mickey Grabs. A goal, three assists, and another reminder of just what Montreal will be missing out on for years to come. With 40 points, he's now third in NHL rookie scoring, and his 18 goals rank fourth among freshman.

Those 40 points; they're as many as Andrei Kostitsyn has, and more than Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec, Sergei "AHL" Kostitsyn, and Chris Higgins have.

Looking like a pretty svelte trade now, eh Damien Cox?

Keep booing our boy Mickey, Montreal. We love it when you do that.

I can't talk about Saturday night and not mention Alexei Ponikarovsky. It was his second four-point game in March, and it couldn't have come at the expense of a team I dislike more.

My man crush for the big Ukrainian somehow continues to grow. No Mats Sundin? No problem. The trade-age of Nik Antropov? No big deal. Poni's simply gone about his business all season, cracking the 20-goal mark once again, and putting up a career-high 53 points. With a salary cap hit of only $2.105 million, there isn't a better bargain in the NHL, period.

You still hating, 40?

How about the Habs' goaltending? Yikes.

A veteran keeper like Martin Gerber sure would look good in the Montreal crease right about now, don't you think? It's a good thing he wasn't on waivers, you know, and available to any team, twice before the trade deadline.

Well done, Bob Gainey. Well done.


Saturday night was another coach killing performance by the Leafs. Gainey's just out of coaches to fire.

Happy 100th anniversary, Montreal. See you on the golf course next month.

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?

Deep Thoughts Vol. 12: Go Leafs Go! Edition

My worst nightmare has come true: Matt Stajan is the Toronto Maple Leafs' number one centre. I'm not sure whether to laugh, cry, or pour myself a stiff drink.

Let's not kid ourselves, I'm leaning towards the drink, but Stajan had me smiling last night. I have to give it up to him. He was on point: a two goal, one assist performance in easily his best game of the season. It might have been one of the better performances of his career.

Stajan has responded incredibly well since Ron Wilson had him watch a game from the press box a couple of weeks ago. On the high scoring Maple Leafs, Stajan has rocketed to third on the team with six points (three goals, three assists) in nine games.

Perhaps there's more to Stajan than meets the eye...

Guess Who

Is leading the Leafs in scoring? One Alexei Ponikarovsky. Nine points, on three goals and six assists, in ten games.

That's my boy.

Anyone else want to question whether he's anything more than just a third-liner?

Who Are These Guys?

Coming off a disappointing loss at home to Tampa Bay the night before, the Leafs had a sluggish first period yesterday. Once again, however, they rallied from two goals down, and ended up controlling the play for the majority of the back-and-forth game.

Toronto ended up firing 48 shots at Marty Brodeur, the most he has ever faced in his career. Ever. No, seriously, ever.

These Leafs don't quit. They come at you, all night. The effort has been there every game, and that's all we can ask for. They sure as hell are fun to watch.

Bizarro Game

A 6-5 final in New Jersey. Five goals on Marty Brodeur. Three-for-four on the power play. Flawless penalty killing. 55% on the faceoff dot. And Vesa Toskala dominating, and winning, a shootout.

That's pretty fucked up. Good thing I played the lottery. I could be a millionaire by the time you read this.

Dominic Moore

Has officially won my heart. I mean, dude is such a sweetheart. What a shift Moore had before he set up Jamal Mayers' first goal in the blue and white in last night's third period. The guy just works so hard. Like Jerry Seinfeld's mom used to say, "how can anyone not like him?"

Moore went to Harvard. He's a smart cat. He's also a local boy, hailing from Thornhill. Dommy Moore is living the dream.

Joining Tlusty?

I'm not usually right, but I was on point with regards to Jiri Tlusty being sent down to the AHL last week. Perhaps Nikolai Kulemin should join him. He looks uninterested out there. I wouldn't mind seeing Robbie Earl, or even Jeremy Williams, on the wing. Those fellas can skate.

A Good Month

The Leafs say goodbye to October with a 4-3-3 record. Considering the competition and the expectations, the better than .500 record is a significant accomplishment. Of course, it is not surprising in the least to me because, well, you know, playoffs! Bring on November.

The Bizarro Maple Leafs

A Toronto Maple Leafs team that out-works, out-skates, out-shoots, and, in the last couple of games, out-scores its opponent. 

Damn. Imagine that.

They did it again last night, a 3-2 triumph over those sad sisters from Ottawa.

Props out to my man crush Alex Ponikarovsky for bagging last night's game winning goal. Hate him all you want, it doesn't matter. He's a rudey, and the smart hockey folks (i.e. me) know it. 

Over the week that was, the Leafs took five out of a possible six points against Anaheim, Boston and Ottawa, and they did it by outworking all three of them. Toronto didn't rely on superb goaltending, or perfect special teams, and they didn't get lucky. Over the three games, the boys battled back from two two-goal deficits, and even held on to two (2!) third period leads. They simply worked harder than their opposition.

On most nights, Ron Wilson's squad will be the second-most talented team on the ice. But, eight games into the season, one thing is becoming clear: this team will not be defeated for lack of effort. Wilson's boys will not go down without a fight.

Bizarro, indeed. Are you scared? A little? Yeah, me too. But in Wilson I trust.

Alive

Wow. What a hockey game. The Toronto Maple Leafs, down 3-0 in the third period with 15 minutes left to play, refused to roll over and die. With a courageous 4-3 overtime win, the Leafs live to see another day.

That's one game, more specifically one third period, I won't soon forget. It was textbook Toronto Maple Leafs hockey: outplay and out-shoot your opponent badly, find yourself down 3-0 in the biggest and most important game of the season with the clock running out, and then roar back with a vengeance.

The table was set for the dream of sneaking into the playoffs as the eighth seed to finally and mercifully be put to rest, or so it seemed. But the Captain still had some fight in him. Sundin finally broke through the wall known as Martin Biron - what's up with these French goalies named Martin coming to Toronto and stoning the Leafs? - and got the Leafs on the board.

Then Pavel Kubina found the twine, after Sundin won an offensive zone faceoff; 3-2 Philly. This is when I started to curse. The Leafs. You know, when I figured out what the hell was going on - they were coming back. They were teasing and torturing me yet again. They would not go quietly into the night. They would not let the dream die.

Then an unlikely hero: Jeremy Williams. The sniper, summoned from the fourth line for a rare shift with Dominic Moore and Alex Steen (great hunch by Maurice), roofed one over the shoulder of Biron to tie the game at three's, with less than four minutes to play. Props out to Steen for his forechecking on the play. He was huge. Cue some serious elationage.

Then a penalty to the Flyers with exactly two minutes left to play, with the season hanging in the balance. The Leafs needed two points, and had to make sure the Flyers left with nothing but a regulation time loss.

Then Maurice pulls Toskala from the net with a minute to go, 6-on-4 man advantage Toronto. What the!?!? Cue more cursing and some serious stomach churnage.

Did you agree with Maurice's call to pull Toskala? I certainly didn't. I actually couldn't believe he did it, especially with the game tied. Tied, you know, as in not losing. Sure, Philly holds the eighth seed, but who cares about them? The Leafs need to reach 92 points, regardless of what Philly does. The Buds had a point secured and for Maurice to put it, and the season, on the line was a straight riverboat gamble. I was shocked by Maurice's move. Yes, I wondered whether he might do it but when he did, I was speechless. I was without speech. Had Philadelphia scored into the empty net - and because they were killing a penalty they were able to ice the puck, freely - the Leafs would have been toast, and I would have never been able to forgive Maurice.

A ballsy move by the coach. A really, really ballsy move. I give him mad respect on the call because it could have seriously backfired on him. I sure as hell wouldn't have been able to do it. It's clear Maurice truly believes in the motto of "no risk, no reward." But I still disagree with the decision.

It did, however, almost pay off. Hell, it probably should have. Alex Ponikarovsky had a glorious, and I mean really glorious, chance with Toskala on the bench that would have given the Leafs a 4-3 regulation win. He was all alone in front of the net, with Biron down and out, after a tremendous no-look pass by Nik Antropov. Poni had all the time in the world, but he didn't know that. Had he moved the puck to his backhand and tucked it in, the roof would have came down in the building. But he didn't, and Biron made one hell of a save on Poni's attempt, a game-saver if there ever was one.

Poor Poni. He simply cannot finish, and he rang one off the post - again! - in the first period. I know he probably didn't get a lot of sleep last night. He shouldn't have. You're still my boy, Poni, but, fuck, that was brutal.

Kubina made sure the Leafs got the two points in the end, banking the fourth and winning goal off a Flyers defenseman and behind Biron. The comeback was complete, and what a comeback it was. Say what you want about the Leafs and their difficult season, but they were full marks on the win last night. They were the better team and threw everything and the kitchen sink at Biron, who played a hell of a game for Philadelphia. They had no business escaping with their solitary point and have only their tender to thank.

Some people will say that the Leafs can't do anything right, and that losing would have been the best thing to happen last night. Not me. I don't feel anything but proud about the way the boys rallied and refused to quit, even with a 3-0 margin on the scoreboard. It says a lot about the Leafs, and especially Sundin. It's no surprise he scored the first goal of the night, and assisted on the second, to get the Leafs back into the contest. He's a gamer, pure and simple. A leader of men.

So the Leafs pick up one point in the standings on Philadelphia, and now trail the Flyers by seven points with 11 games left on the calendar. The situation is still pretty damn bleak, but the point is the Leafs are still in their bleak situation. As a fan, and a dreamer, that's all I really can ask for. If the Leafs don't make the playoffs, and it's still a mighty long shot, I'll take with me the memories of last night's game, and cherish them. It was a beauty. As exciting a third period as I've ever seen.

Of course, some people saw Toronto's comeback as another opportunity to throw salt on the Leafs' wounds. I'm looking right at you David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail. His column, "Too Little, Too Late" rips the Leafs for showing up only when it's too late, and that by giving Philadelphia a point it's all but over anyways. Hey, Shoaltsy, tell me something I don't freakin' know. He calls the Leafs' shot total "deceptive" and remarks that their comeback goals "came from a distance." Really, who gives a flying fuck "where" the goals come from?!?!? I love Shoaltsy and his work at The Globe, but that was low. It doesn't matter where the puck comes from when it goes into the net, all that matters is that it crosses the goal line. Unreal.

Throw me a bone here, Shoalts, jeezus. I watched that entire contest last night and the Leafs were all over the Flyers from the drop of the puck. Sure, it may not mean much if, and likely when, the Leafs miss the playoffs, but for one night would it have been so difficult for Shoalts to give the boys in blue and white some God damn credit for coming back when all seemed lost? I'm sure Damien Cox will be all over the Leafs this morning as well. Maybe even Dave Feschuk! Come one, come all, lets all lambaste the Leafs for showing some moxie and beating a Philadelphia team that had a 25-1-1 record when carrying a lead into the third period.

Eleven games to go. Seven points out. The goal is not to catch the Philadelphia Flyers. The goal is to reach 92 points. With 72 points to their name, and 22 points still up for grabs, the Leafs need to win 10 of 11 to close out their schedule. If they can do that, catching Philadelphia will take care of itself. And if they can do that, it will also prove, undeniably, the existence of God. So, umm, God, if you're reading, show yourself. Please. In the form of a 10 game win streak. Would appreciate it. That'd be pretty sweet. Thanks in advance, Big Guy.

Another date with the Flyers tonight. The back end of a home and home. Bring it on.

Paul Maurice said it best: "We're alive."

So is my dream...

Happy Birthday Mats!

Dear Mats Sundin,

Happy 37th birthday, big fella! Old? Hardly! You've still got the goods, my man.

I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all the best on this very special day. Hopefully after you blow out the candles, you can take to the ice and blow out the Buffalo Sabres. And let me take this opportunity to pass along my sympathies to you for having to spend your birthday in Buffalo. That is just awful.

It's tough not to wax nostalgic on a day like today, especially when your future in Toronto remains so cloudy. Will you stay? Will you go? If you go, will you come back? Tough questions. In a couple of weeks we'll have the answers, but I just want you to know that no matter what decision you make, I, and most other appreciative Maple Leafs fans out there, will support you. We owe you that much.

You came to Toronto a boy and I have watched you age gracefully into a man. It has been a pleasure. You've been my favourite player since I was 13 years old. Thirteen - the day of your birth, the number on your back, and the day of my birth, in September, and the number I've worn, as well. Coincidence? I think not.

You are like a fine wine - you get better with age. And now, today, when I look at you, I still see one hell of a hockey player, with a lot of gas left in the tank. More importantly, I see a leader of men. You inspire your teammates and your fans. You want to complete the "journey" and go through the trenches with your comrades in order to win a Stanley Cup. You don't want to win it as a rental player, on a team new in a new city, because it's just not the same. That's what makes you so special, Mats.

Your birthday present on this special day? With the return of Alex Ponikarovsky, you're getting a healthy Maple Leafs team. Well, Mark Bell is still on the injured list, but let's be honest, other than getting beat up he wasn't doing much when he was in the lineup.

Cheers, Mats. Here's to you. And another 37 years. You're my man, for life.

Your homeboy,

eyebleaf

The Going Gets Even Tougher

The NHL All-Star game is, mercifully, behind us. The unofficial second half of the season and the mission to sneak into the playoffs begins in earnest for the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. The injuries, however, continue to mount.

It is with great sadness that I tell you that The Poni Express will not be reaching its destination - 27 goals - this season. Alex Ponikarovsky, my boy, is out six weeks with a seperated shoulder thanks to a douche bag named Steve Eminger, who popped him from behind into the boards last week. Eminger got a two minute minor on the play (justice!)

The injury is another tough loss for the Leafs. Poni, with 13 goals on the season, was going to need a miracle to reach 27, but he will most certainly be missed. His 13 goals were third-best on the team, after all. I've still got crazy man-love for Poni - The Poni Express reached its destination two years in a row prior to this season - and wish him a speedy recovery.

The shoulder separation is the injury du jour for the MLSE Injury Plague these days. One night after Poni went down, both Alex Steen and call up Darryl Boyce, playing in his first NHL game, suffered separated shoulders. Steen, who was playing his best hockey since being put on the top line with Mats Sundin, will be out a minimum of two weeks, while Boyce is out indefinitely. The plague strikes again. It shows no mercy.

The good news going into tonight's matchup with the St. Louis Blues? Defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo returns to the lineup, which means Andy Wozniewski will go to the press box (hurrah!). The bad news? It's only a matter of time - and a short one at that - until Colaiacovo is injured once more. He is cursed. I'll put the over/under at seven games. What do you think?

I'm also hoping that the all the injuries up front (Boyce, Steen, Poni, Bell) means Wade Belak will get back in the lineup. I kid you not. I actually want Belak in the lineup. In the two games before the all-star break, the Leafs were thrown around by the Capitals. Poni, Nik Antropov, and Ian White were all hit from behind by the Capitals, and Jason Blake was speared in the groin, and the Leafs did nothing about it. It was a sad display. Penalties were called on the hits from behind, but Toronto's pathetic power play was unable to respond.

This Leafs squad certainly lacks identity. Teams of years gone by were a lot closer knit, and the cohesiveness doesn't seem to be there this year. Guys are not sticking up for one another. Belak's the only one who won't watch idly when someone takes liberties with his teammates. You tell me, what makes more sense? Having Jiri Tlusty play five minutes on the fourth line, or having Wade Belak play those minutes, and scare the bejesus out of the opposition? Belak is the sherriff. He keeps people in check. I have a strong feeling he'll be in the lineup tonight, as Tlusty has been promoted to the top line.

The injury woes should also get Kyle Wellwood back in the Leafs lineup. He watched from the press box, again, last week, while John Pohl got some game action. Wellwood's demise has been difficult to swallow. I was bitching and moaning to a friend last week about where it all went so wrong with Kyle. Wellwood put up similar numbers in both the OHL and the AHL as Jason freakin' Spezza. They were even traded for each other in junior. Spezza is now a superstar, and Welly is in the press box? I blame the Leafs. Not just for Wellwood. For many things.

I've also got a bone to pick with one Damien Cox. He wrote a blog post last week shitting all over Darcy Tucker and the contract he signed last year.

Here's Cox: "Instead, Tucker has become almost a total non-factor, has six goals in 43 games and seems most intent on making sure people blame all these injuries he's supposed to have rather than him."

I don't know about you, but I have not once heard Tucker blame his struggles on any injury, so how is he "making sure" people blame his injuries on his lack of production? Tucker has rarely spoken to the media this season, and it has been just about everyone else saying that Tucker is playing with a bunch of injuries, including a busted knee.

It's not surprising. Cox loves to kick dirt on a player when he's down, and if said player is a Maple Leaf, even better. Cox is sick.

I leave you with a couple of videos. If you haven't seen puppetmaster Peddie mouthing Cliff Fletcher's intoduction speech at the presser last week, well, enjoy yourself. It's a doozy. Tune in at 4:55 of the clip and watch Peddie's lips as Fletcher speaks. Peddie is ridiculous. A douche bag, and an idiot.

The last video is courtesy of a friend who is spending a year teaching science to grade seven, eight, and nine students at Doha Academy in Qatar, out in the middle East. Check it out:

We can rest assured knowing they're not breeding terrorists out there at Doha Academy in Qatar. Instead, my buddy Dean is breeding Toronto Maple Leafs fans.

Pick your poison...

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...

Maple Leaf Musings

Three games in and it looks like the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending controversy is over. Wait a second, I thought it just began? I guess that's the shelf life of a goaltending controversy when Andrew Raycroft, the human sieve, is involved.

The Leafs finished week one with a 1-1-1 record, and considering they started the season with back-to-back dates with the hated Ottawa Senators, I'll take it. Three points out of six ain't bad, especially when you play the defending Eastern Conference champs twice.

Much to everyones surprise, Raycroft got the start over Vesa Toskola Tuesday night. When I heard the news, I was at first quite upset. What was the point of getting Toskola if Raycroft was going to start? I mean, doesn't anyone remember game 82 last year? The biggest game of the season, when Raycroft was sent to an early shower?

After I settled down, I realized it was the smart move. Leafs Nation was already on edge after Toskola's rough pre-season. There was no need to drop him in the pressure cooker known as opening night, especially when the opposition was the high-octane Senators. Let Raycroft deal with it. He's used to the fans hating him and showering him with boo's. Toskola would then get the start on Wednesday night in Ottawa, where he wouldn't have to worry about the crowd. It was a tough decision that Paul Maurice and the Leafs knew would be sharply criticized, but it was the right move nonetheless.

Toronto dropped the opener 4-3 in overtime. Andrew Raycroft was, well, Andrew Raycroft - four goals against, a number of decent saves, but not the "big one" the Leafs needed. Looking back, Raycroft could have really made life difficult for Maple Leaf management. He could have gone out opening night and stoned the Ottawa Senators. Had he got a shutout, it would have been tough to take him out of the lineup. But, alas, he was the Raycroft of old, the Raycroft who let in the standard soft goal and who wasn't able to hold on to a lead late in the third period.

Let's just be clear right here that I'm not blaming Raycroft for Ottawa's tying goal late in the third period that forced overtime - he had no chance on that goal. The Leafs broke down in alarming fashion in front of him, and there wasn't anything he could have done on the tying goal. I'm only blaming him for goal's one and two. They were stoppable. I know it, those who watched the game know it, and Raycroft himself knows it. His body language on the second goal (by Daniel Alfredsson) said it all. You don't look up to the heaven's in disgust the moment the puck goes past you because you've been beaten by a great shot - you do that because you know that's one you want to have another crack at.

All in all, a point against the Senators on opening night, I'll take it. Such is the life of a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

Thursday night in Ottawa Vesa Toskola got the call and he played a great game. The Leafs fought back from a two goal deficit but in the end it wasn't enough, thanks to their own stupidity. Their love affair with taking the most bonehead penalties continued and Ottawa had three power plays in the last nine minutes of the 2-2 contest. The Leafs were able to kill off the first two, but not the third. Alfredsson buried one off the crossbar - no chance for Toskola - and the Senators bagged two straight wins over Toronto.

What can you say? The Leafs simply haven't learned that they cannot take one hand off their stick and place it on their opponent - guys, that's a freaking penalty. If I was Paul Maurice, I would have seriously contemplated benching both Chad Kilger and Nik Antropov for their utter lack of discipline. If having these guys watch a game or two from the press box is the only way they'll get it, so be it.

All in all, although the Leafs did lose both games to Ottawa, the positive was that they didn't get blown out of the water. Some of the Toronto-Ottawa games are over about five minutes into the first period. The Leafs were able to skate with Ottawa and play with them. It could be argued that Toronto was the better team, in both games. The effort was there, the results weren't.

The headline in the Toronto Sun after the Leafs' 3-2 loss on Thursday night?

"Wait 'Til Next Year."

And I wonder why nobody reads the Sun. What a joke.

Saturday night brought the Montreal Canadiens to town. They were looking for revenge for last season, when the Leafs came from behind from a 5-3 deficit to eliminate them from the playoffs in the last game of the season. The atmosphere was electric. There was a palpable tension in the air. It was only game three of the season, but the Leafs needed a win. If only to quell those idiot writer's over at the Toronto Sun.

So much for revenge for those suckers from Montreal. They blew another lead, this time a 3-1 margin, and the Leafs won 4-3 in overtime thanks to a Tomas Kaberle power play goal. The penalty that put Toronto on the power play was a complete joke, but such is life in the "new NHL." I remember back in the day, a power play in overtime was a very rare occurrence. You had to practically kill a guy in order to get a penalty. Now the referee's call the slightest hooks and holds. It's a joke. There's way too many power plays in hockey today. But I digress.

Vesa Toskola only made 25 saves against Montreal, but he was phenomenal.

"The fact of the matter is our goaltender gave us a chance to win." - Paul Maurice

That's the difference, right there, between Toskola and Raycroft. It didn't matter that Toskola had been beaten three times before the third period. What mattered was that he shut the door from there on out, and made some phenomenal saves to keep the Leafs in the game. He gave the team a chance to win and the Leafs just did that. He made the type of saves Raycroft just wasn't able to make last year.

Toskola looked confident out there, and his teammates fed off it. On at least two occasions I saw a Leafs player go up to Toskola and give him a love tap on his helmet after he made a save, to show his appreciation. I can't remember the last time I saw someone do that to Raycroft. Confidence in one's goaltender can go a long, long way, and if a team isn't confident in their goaltender well, straight up, they haven't got a prayer. I said it months ago, it's not going to take superb goaltending to instill more confidence in Vesa Toskola from his teammates. Raycroft was so average last year that even decent goaltending will give the Leafs more of a fighting chance in the tough Eastern Conference. Toskola earned the confidence of his teammates, and the fans, in games two and three of the new season. He was aggressive in net and challenged the shooters. It's clear that he's all about cutting the angles and he's also solid going post-to-post. He just seems quicker in the net than Raycroft. He's got some unorthodox tendencies to his game as well and Toronto Star columnist Damien Cox put it best - he's got some Cujo in his game.

For those of you whom I haven't told, a few years ago in Buffalo, a friend and I started the "Edd-ie, Edd-ie" chant in honour of former Maple Leaf goaltender Ed Belfour. Belfour's tenure in Toronto got off to a rough start but after he stole the aforementioned game for Toronto in Buffalo, the fans fell in love with him. The next night in Toronto, the "Edd-ie" chant was out in full force. No word of a lie, we really started the chant, and I've got witnesses to back up my claims.

Anyways, my point is that I know it won't be long before Maple Leafs fans at the Air Canada Centre will be chanting "Ve-sa! Ve-sa!" I'm thinking about attending a game just so I can get it started.

Here are some random thoughts on the first three games:

- Mats Sundin's six points: A solid start to what I hope is going to be a monster season.

- Alexei Ponikarovsky's two goals: Props out to Paul Maurice for putting Poni on Sundin's line after Montreal went up 3-1 late in the second period on Saturday night. The reunited Sky Line (Sundin, Antropov, Ponikarovsky) responded with two goals. This is how it works in Toronto. The Leafs sign a 40-goal scorer in Jason Blake and he fails to light the lamp in two and a half games with Mats Sundin. In an attempt to wake up his troops, coach Maurice inserts Poni on the wing and it results in two quick goals. That's Toronto for you. Got to love it. I can't be mad though. I need Poni to light it up. At this rate, he's on pace to score 55!

- Andy Wozniewski: I'm still not sold on the Wizard of Woz. He took some really stupid penalties against Montreal. I'm looking forward to the return of Carlo Colaiacovo.

- Pavel Kubina: Kubina, listen, when you break your stick while killing a four-on-three penalty and the puck is in your zone, don't go to the bench for a new piece of wood. I'm not sure what the hell Kubina was thinking in overtime on Saturday, but he owes Toskola a steak dinner at Mendy's. Toskola absolutely robbed Montreal's Mark Streit after Kubina left the Leafs' zone to get a new stick. Turned out to be the save of the game, as the Leafs bagged the winner a couple of minutes later.

- The absence of Darcy Tucker: Anyone seen him? I don't usually agree with Don Cherry (who I think is on some serious drugs - really, how else can you explain those suits?) but Paul Maurice can't possibly keep Tucker on the third line. Cherry was incensed that Tucker's only playing 12/13 minutes a game, and I must agree. Tucker was invisible in the first three games. This guy is supposed to be a key cog in the engine here. He simply has to play more. When Kyle Wellwood returns I wouldn't mind seeing the top two lines as such:
Tucker Sundin Blake
Poni Wellwood Antropov

- A confident Matt Stajan: Two goals in the first three games - not too shabby. That's 20% of his total from last year. In light of Wellwood's absence, the Leafs need Stajan to step up, and he has so far. He and Steen seem to be playing with a lot more confidence, and that will go a long way in the Leafs' chase for a playoff spot.

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...

Deep Thoughts

For my loyal readers - yes, all two of you - I'm pleased to report that The Poni Express has officially arrived. I got paid. $100 cool, crisp, easily-earned dollars. Well, I wouldn't say too easily. It came down to the wire. Thanks to my boy 40, for being a man of his word, and thanks to my main man Alexei Ponikarovsky for coming through with 21 goals. I believe in the Poni. He's gonna pot 30 this year.

Anyways, much has been going on in the sporting world recently - it's almost been overwhelming. It's time for SportsAndTheCity to weigh in with his two cents on the happenings in the sporting world.

I think Michael Vick is one of the dumbest men on the planet. The dog fighting scandal, which could potentially take away his freedom, will, if it hasn't already, become his legacy. Vick got himself into this situation, and is therefore an idiot. He deserves whatever the justice system throws at him, including jail time and a prolonged suspension from the NFL, if he is found guilty. I am by no means a fan of dogs, or pets for that matter, but even I wouldn't do what he supposedly did to the dogs mentioned his indictment. Idiot...

I think the Toronto Blue Jays season is officially over. The Jays won five in a row before embarking on a six-game road trip to the south side of Chicago and sunny Florida. Six games against the lowly White Sox and the ever-pathetic Devil Rays. This was prime time for the Jays to make their run. I'm talking Deion Sanders "Primetime" - you know, hopping into the end zone. But the Jays went two-and-four on the trip. Losing two of three to the White Sox I can understand, but dropping two of three to the Devil Rays is absolutely unacceptable, especially at this time of the season. The Jays scored eight runs in three games against Tampa Bay, whose pitchers own the worst E.R.A. in all of baseball. Pathetic. Bring out the salami and cheese Chuck Swirsky, this baseball season is over mama...

I think Josh Towers is the ultimate tool. This guy's got some nerve calling out his teammates and the coaching staff, which he did in Chicago last week. I don't care how competitive Towers is, a man that owns a 5-8 win-loss record and a horrific 5.17 E.R.A. has absolutely no right calling out anybody. Not even Royce freakin' Clayton. Take a look in the God damn mirror, Towers. I wish I could take a vaudevillian hook and just yank Towers off the Blue Jays' roster. If you don't know what a vaudevillian hook is, Google it...

I think, uh oh, the Boston Celtics are going to be mighty good this coming season. Celtic pride? Yeah, I'd say so. I'm not ready, however, to hand them the Atlantic Division title. Like Jerry told George when George wanted to be his Latex Salesman - "I don't think so." Not after my Toronto Raptors worked their asses off to claim the title last year. Regardless of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce (say it with the Boston accent with me - Powl Pieeeeaace) in Beantown, this is still the Raptors' division to lose. Allen and Pierce are historically injury prone, so one of them is bound to go down. And I don't know what everyone else is thinking, but there's only one ball to go around for those three all-stars. That could pose a problem. The Raptors have the deepest bench in the Eastern Conference and that is their strength. The Celtics, meanwhile, have no bench. They traded everyone away to land The Big Ticket - Kevin Garnett. Great nickname, by the way. Anyhow, the Raps' bench will step up and deliver Toronto its second-straight division title. You heard it here first, my friends...

I think I hate Barry Bonds. Actually check that, I know I hate him. It hasn't set in that Bonds - the "big-headed one" as Pete McGentegart of Sports Illustrated's the 10 Spot calls him - is only one home run away from Hark Aarons hallowed 755. Bonds has been a jerk to the media and the fans his entire career, is a full-fledged cheater, was already destined to go to the Hall of Fame before he started juicing, and is just a miserable individual to be around. He doesn't appreciate that he is a man playing a boy's game. He's ungrateful, and that's the worst trait a professional athlete can possess, in my humble opinion. I know it's terrible, but here's hoping Barry Bonds meets with an unfortunate accident before he hits number 756...

I think I don't understand what the rest of Toronto sees in Matt Stajan. There was an article in The Star saying that if Mike Peca stays with the Leafs, then Matt Stajan goes. Now that headline made me put on my dancing shoes, like R. Kelly. Everyday I log onto The Star's website hoping to learn that Stajan has finally been traded. It seems, however, that I'm in the minority when it comes to this dream. A recent poll in the Toronto Star showed that 69% of Torontonians would choose Matt Stajan over Mike Peca. The results of the poll are mind-boggling to me. All I can ask is - like Jerry Seinfeld asked the girl whom he was seeing when he found out she had gone out with Newman, with an exasperated look on his face - "why!?" And I don't want to hear "because he's younger." Stajan's age - he'll be 24 this December, while Peca is 33 - doesn't make him skate any faster, give him a harder slapshot, or make him a better hockey player. Someone please tell me what Stajan has to offer to next season's Leafs squad? Peca is a better all-around player who I have no doubt can score as many goals as Stajan did last year - 10. Peca is also a better face-off man, a better defensive player, a grittier player, and a better penalty killer. Forget about their respective ages, and there's no way anyone can tell me that Matt Stajan offers more to the Leafs than Mike Peca. 2079 people would rather have Stajan, compared to only 929 who want Peca, in The Star poll. Basically, 69% of Leafs fans are out of their minds. I hate Stajan...

I think it would be an absolute travesty if David Beckham doesn't play in this weekends match in Toronto, with the L.A. Galaxy in town to visit Toronto FC. Scalpers are selling tickets to the game for billions, and it just wouldn't be right for people to shell out so much coin and not see Beckham spend a minute on the pitch. I understand that he's injured, but without playing a single regular season game he is already the face of the league, and has a responsibility to his team, the league and it's fans. Eight out of the sixteen sellouts in Major League Soccer this year are courtesy of Toronto FC fans. I had a chance to visit BMO Field for Toronto's friendly with English club Aston Villa, and I must say the atmosphere is great. The sight lines in the stadium are all good, and it's clear to me why soccer is already a hit in this city. The MLS All-Star game is coming to Toronto next year, and rightfully so. Come one Beckham, make like a hockey player, suck it up, and get your ass in the lineup...

I think I love fantasy sports. We held our draft tonight for the keeper hockey league I'm in, and it was a blast. My brother is the commissioner of the fantasy league we all devote so much time to, and he's done a fabulous job, I must say. A lot of work goes into a keeper league, but it's great fun, and an even better time-waster. I finished second last year, and traded away most my draft picks for this coming season in the process. I gave up the farm, as they say. My newly drafted team stinks, but the rebuilding process won't be long, I hope. I'm blessed to have the wonder-boy Sidney Crosby, so hopefully my stay at the bottom of the league won't last long. It's unbelievable that fantasy sports are a $1 billion dollar industry today. Although it certainly isn't surprising. It's the closest I'll ever get to managing my own hockey team...

I think the Boston Red Sox are the team to beat in the American League. Their bullpen is off the heezy, with Hideki Okajima, the newly acquired Canadian Eric Gagne, and Jonathan Papelbon. Their staff E.R.A. is the best in the game, and now innings seven, eight and nine will be lights out 95% of the time. A great trade to land Gagne, I must say. The Red Sox and Yankees know no limits. Boston is the team to beat. I'm jealous. Sigh... I think it's extremely interesting that no one Jose Canseco accused of taking steriods/performance-enhancing drugs in his book last year has even tried to sue him. Cough! - I'm lookin at you Barry Bonds - Cough! Usually, when someone says an author or person has lied, they sue him or her for libel. Yet Canseco has no subpoena's to deal with, and is getting ready to publish his second book. I think that's bait... I think I'm tired, and it's time for bed...

Goodnight, Toronto.

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...