Quel Surprise!

The Toronto Maple Leafs blew a 3-1 lead in the third period last night.

Florida scored on their only power play of the game, with 53 seconds left on the clock, to send the contest to extras.

Former Leaf Bryan McCabe, whom Leafs fans ridiculously jeer every time he touches the puck, scored the game-winning goal in overtime on a shot Vesa "I'm a goaltending slut" Toskala should easily have stopped.

Yeah. That's about right.

Oh, and remember, I told you not to boo McCabe. I've got to admit, I'm happy for him.

Save Your Boos

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

Let's prove him wrong.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Save your boos for Raycroft.

Who's Next?

Now that most of the dust has settled, it's time to focus on who's next for the Toronto Maple Leafs. With over $8.5 million left in salary cap space, the roster is yet to be finalized.

The big fish, and my dearest, Mats Sundin, is still on the market. We learned a lot about good old Mats in the last three days. We learned that it isn't, and never was, about the money.

It looks like Sundin didn't even flinch over Vancouver's two-year, $20 million offer, which would have made him the highest paid player in the league. That says a lot. That says, at least to me, that he's coming back to Toronto.

Now that Marian Hossa is a Red Wing, Detroit's out of the picture. Markus Naslund is the newest New York Ranger, so the Rangers aren't in contention for Sundin either. If we're to believe that only four teams made actual contract offers for Mats' services, that leaves Vancouver and Toronto.

Here's how to persuade Mats to make the right decision and come back home: sign Jaromir Jagr.

I mean it. Now that Naslund is heading to New York, Jagr's checking out. Just imagine #68 in the blue and white. How sweet would that be? I know, he's on the downside and had one of the worst statistical seasons of his career last year. But that only proves that he's a perfect fit for the Toronto Maple Leafs (see: Lindros, Eric).

Jagr can be brought in to provide veteran leadership. Check that, he's not much of a leader. Sulks a bit too much. He can be brought in to play sound defensive hockey. OK, he's not much of a back checker. I'll be honest, I just want the 35-year-old Jagr in Toronto to play on a line with Mats Sundin, score a boat load of goals, and make what should be one brutal season a little more interesting and exciting.

In my fantasy, we bring both of them into the mix on one-year deals at $6 million each.

Of course, my Jagr fantasy cannot become reality unless the Maple Leafs trade Bryan McCabe and his $5.75 million per year salary. Umm, good luck with that, Fletch.

Fletch also still needs to sign restricted free agents Matt Stajan and the newly acquired Mikhail Grabovski, making it even more unlikely that Jagr will be joining the Maple Leafs.

Jeez, I really should have thought this through a bit more, eh? What can I say, I'm excitable.

So, uh, how about that Brendan Morrison guy? I think he'd look good as the second-line centre behind Mats...

Cheers, Darcy Tucker

I think it's safe to say that Cliff Fletcher wasn't fucking around when he vowed to change the face of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club going into next season.

Darcy Tucker is Fletcher's latest victim, bought out of the remaining three years of his contract, his career in the blue and white over, just like that.

While I knew it was definitely within the realm of possibilities that Tucker could be bought out, the news that it was actually going down still floored me.

Darcy Tucker. Darcy fuckin' Tucker. My boy. The man I've adored ever since the Leafs acquired him years ago for the lousy Mike Johnson. What a steal. And what a player. It's hard to believe I'll never see #16 lace 'em up again in Toronto colours. It's a sad day. I will truly miss him.

For Darcy, it all came down to his contract. Of all the guys with no-trade clauses in their contracts going forward (Tucker, McCabe, Kubina, and Kaberle), Tucker's was the most buyout-able. With three years and $9 million left on his deal, the Leafs are now on the hook for two-thirds of it, $6 million, and are able to spread it out, $1 million a year over the next six years, against the NHL's salary cap.

In other words, the Leafs are paying Darcy Tucker $6 million to leave.

A lot of the reaction I've already read and heard has to do with Jason Blake. If Tucker is being shown the door, why is Blake still a part of the club's plans? Again, it all comes down to Blake's contract. With $16 million and four years still left on his deal, buying out his contract would cost the Leafs over $10 million against the salary cap, and Fletcher has decided that he can't go down that route.

Ditto for Bryan McCabe. He's too expensive to be given the boot.

It hasn't sunk in that Tucker is done in Toronto. It won't until training camp opens in September and he's not around. At the same time, I can understand why he was targeted. His production dipped badly last season and his defensive shortcomings were glaring. In the past three years, in which the Leafs failed to qualify for the playoffs (just in case you forgot), Tucker was a -31. He'd become a power play specialist and, last year, a predictable one at that. He's also been slowed by injuries.

Still, in my heart, Tucker was the embodiment of a Toronto Maple Leaf. He played with so much pride and passion that it was impossible not to love and appreciate him. Who can possibly forget the time he jumped right into the Ottawa Senators bench, ready to take them all on.

Darcy wore the Maple Leafs sweater with so much pride. At times, even when it was probably beneficial for him to rest his battered little frame and get healthy, he'd still go out there, because all he wanted to do was contribute and help his fellow Maple Leafs. Nothing gave the small town Alberta boy more joy than being a Toronto Maple Leaf. I truly believe he wanted nothing more than to succeed in Toronto and help deliver a long overdue Stanley Cup to this championship-starved city. That's what makes his premature departure so difficult. He didn't take off the Maple Leafs jersey he wore with such immense pride. He had it removed from his shoulders.

While I know that Tucker's injuries have taken his game down a level or two - he's "worn out," to use Coach Wilson's words - I still believed he had a role on the Leafs. His sideshow act from years gone by aside, I thought he had a lot to teach the young players who will lead the Maple Leafs into the future.

Shoaltsy at The Globe is reporting that, of course, Tucker took the news like "a real professional...who's looking forward to getting his career back on track somewhere else." I hope he lands on his feet, and I'm sure he will. Tucker has something left to give, and I hope the next city he plays hockey in appreciates him as much as those of us in Toronto did. That guy lives for the playoffs. I hope he gets back there as soon as possible, and gets his name on the Cup for all eternity.

Stay classy, Darcy. Your grit, heart, passion and determination will be sorely missed. Even though you were drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and will put on the sweater of another NHL team in the coming days, you'll always be a Toronto Maple Leaf to me...

To read Greener's tribute to Darcy Tucker over at He Score, He Shoot! click here. Sean over at Down Goes Brown thinks Tucker might be back. One day. Check out his post on #16 here.

Showing Tucker towards the exit wasn't the only order of business for Grandfather Cliff yesterday. Much to my dismay, Kyle Wellwood was placed on waivers, along with the human sieve Andrew Raycroft. Welly will likely become a free agent, while Raycroft will be bought out of his contract, because no GM, not even one drunk out of his mind, will touch that contract with a thousand-gajillion foot pole.

I'd like to take this opportunity to once again thank John Ferguson Jr. for completely butchering the Leafs for years to come thanks to the completely boneheaded contracts he handed out and ridiculous personnel decisions he made. So, umm, thanks, fucker. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

I'm honestly a little shocked the Leafs are throwing in the towel on Wellwood. Clearly we're embarking on this whole rebuild thing, yet Wellwood isn't welcome back. Why? Is it because of his injuries? His work ethic? He's only 25! Who's he going to keep a roster spot from? Boyd Devereaux? Dominic Moore? Nothing against those two, they were great waiver wire additions, but this one just doesn't make sense to me. It wouldn't have cost much to bring Wellwood back, I'm thinking $1.2 or $1.5 million, but I guess that's too rich for the Leafs. They gave Carlo Colaiacovo a raise after a season in which he was injured again and played only 48 games, but Wellwood's got to go. Right.

In a sick and twisted supportive stance of Wellwood, I hope this one comes back and bites the Leafs in the ass. History has proven that some of the smallish players, who clearly do have some skill, take a little longer to develop. Remember Steve Sullivan (props to Sean at Down Goes Brown for the reminder)? The Leafs released him for nothing, and he went on to have a pretty decent career.

Daniel Briere was put on waivers back in 2001. Every NHL team had a chance to pick him up. For nothing. None of them did. Ditto for Martin St. Louis. He was put on waivers by the Calgary Flames, went unclaimed, released, and then signed as a free agent by Tampa Bay. The rest is history.

I'm not saying Wellwood is going to become the next Briere, who was a first round draft pick and came with much higher expectations. I'm not saying he's going to be the next St. Louis, a seriously late-bloomer who slipped through everyones cracks. What I am saying, however, is that Wellwood is way better than Matt fucking Stajan!

In all honesty, I do think that Wellwood does have the potential to have a decent career in this league, much like Steve Sullivan has. I find the notion that his NHL career might be over to be a ridiculous one. Someone is going to take a chance on little Welly.

Here's hoping Kyle and Darcy both gives the Leafs a little something to regret in the coming years.

As for Raycrap, he's dead to me. Buy him out. It doesn't matter what it costs, it's worth it. Raycroft is a disease. We must be cleansed of him. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

And I must say, Cliff Fletcher is serious about success.

The Messiah

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Luke Schenn. The Toronto Maple Leafs traded up - by dealing draft picks, what else? - in order to select the big defenceman with the 5th overall selection in yesterday's NHL entry draft.

Originally slated to pick 7th, Cliff Fletcher swapped first round picks with the New York Islanders, sending a second and third round pick their way to move two spots up. I was hoping Bryan McCabe might be involved in the deal somehow but, alas, no such luck.

I've got to give Clifford some props. It was a bold move. While it was a deep draft, most of the hype was around the first six picks, and the four solid defencemen available. A sturdy, physical defenceman is exactly what the Leafs needed moving forward, and Fletch came through. He's made it his mission to turn this franchise around, and he's doing just that. Fletch went hard after the guy he wanted and by all accounts, Schenn is the real deal.

And by "all accounts" I mean Pierre McGuire, because in Pierre McGuire I trust.

Here is every one's favourite colour commentator's analysis on Schenn:

"Toronto wins huge here. This is the start of the re-build and there's no better place to start than on the shoulders of Luke Schenn. He is the Human Eraser on defence. A one man search and destroy defender. This is a franchise player."

A human eraser, a one man search and destroy defender, and a franchise player. All in one. Wow. A tear just rolled down my cheek. Anyone else thinking Dion Phaneuf?

Welcome to the jungle, Luke. No pressure.

Damn It

I'll be honest, the news that defenceman Aaron Ward re-signed with the Boston Bruins yesterday had me feeling a little down. I was hoping he might become a Toronto Maple Leaf come July.

I know, he's not that great. But I've always kind of, you know, had a thing for Ward. And I figured he'd be a solid, veteran addition to the Leafs defence corps, provided they find a suitor for the one and only Bryan McCabe.

Ward's 35 years old - a couple of years older than I thought, I must admit - but he's the reliable, stay-at-home type of defenceman Toronto lacks since they traded (the now Stanley Cup finalist) Hal Gill. Ward's also got three Stanley Cup rings, so he's been a useful cat over the years.

He was the only free agent defenceman I really had my eyes on. With the big strides Anton Stralman took in the recent World Championships I figured if the Leafs could trade McCabe the defence, with the addition of Ward, would look like this:

Kaberle & Kubina
Stralman & Colaiacovo
White & Ward

Well, writing all of that is completely useless now because Ward is staying in Boston. He probably wouldn't have landed in Toronto anyway because, seriously, who the hell is going to trade for Bryan McCabe!?!?

Not all hope is lost though. Stralman could be the real deal and, after getting called out by Don Cherry on Coach's Corner, perhaps Jay Harrison, playing great hockey for the Toronto Marlies, is finally ready to make the leap to the NHL. At the end of the day, the Leafs are going to suck expectations are not going to be high next year . It's probably better we don't sign an aging free agent defenceman and look to promote from within.

There, I feel better now.

Speaking of the Marlies, they're now down 3-0 in their semifinal series to Chicago, and on life support. They've been outscored 13-to-2 in three games. Check that, they're in a freaking coma. It hasn't been pretty. Perhaps now the idiots will turn to the franchise's future between the pipes, Justin Pogge, because, really, what else do we have to lose?

And just imagine if Pogge comes into the lineup and leads the Marlies to a stunning and most improbable (read: fucking impossible) come-from-behind series victory in seven games? He'd be a legend. A Toronto Maple Leafs prospect who might actually become a great hockey player.

Imagine the freedom...

A Long, Long, Long Off-Season

The season is finally, mercifully, over. For the first time since the 1997/1998 campaign the Toronto Maple Leafs finished with fewer than 90 points. We're in for one long off-season my friends, and I've got a ton of questions that need to be answered.

It hasn't actually set in that the season is over. It feels a little bit surreal, even. Like I'm trapped in this three year nightmare, with a playoff game nowhere in sight. I guess it'll hit home once the second season begins and I'm cheering for the Washington Capitals instead of my Leafs.

These are difficult times, indeed. The franchise is in dire straits. It's impossible to know whether the Leafs can pull a Montreal or Philadelphia and be competitive one year after missing the playoffs. There are simply too many questions to be answered.

In honour of that beautiful segue way, lets do this: 20 Questions, Toronto Maple Leafs excruciatingly long off-season edition.

1. Will the Leafs target Brian Burke as their new general manager? The search for a new president and GM, in typical Leafs fashion, doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Perhaps the Leafs are waiting for the playoffs to end so they can approach Burke with an offer he simply can't refuse. Or perhaps not. Who the hell knows.

2. Like those "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelets, the questions surrounding Mats Sundin's future will loom large over the franchise until the Captain makes his decision. So, what will Mats do? It's a question that has caused many restless, sleepless nights. Will he retire a Maple Leaf, even though he enjoyed a tremendous personal season? Will he sign another one-year contract with Toronto? Will it include a no-trade clause? If the Leafs stink, will we go through the entire process again next year? Will he sign as a free agent with another team, after refusing to be traded at the trade deadline and costing the Leafs valuable draft picks? Oh dear, pass me the TUMS. I'm going to have severe indigestion for the next four freaking months.

3. When will Paul Maurice be fired? It's no longer if, but when. The Leafs finished the season with one of the worst home records in the league, and the NHL's worst penalty killing rate - 78%. The players will be held accountable, but so should the coaches. Maurice is finished, and should be canned sooner rather than later. Which means he'll be fired in August, a couple of weeks before training camp; you know how we do!

4. Who will the Leafs select in the entry draft with their top-10 pick? Unfortunately, it certainly won't be Steve Stamkos or Drew Doughty. With Vesa Toskala signed through 2010 and Justin Pogge already dubbed the future in net, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the Leafs drafted a goalie.

5. Andrew Raycroft has one year and $2 million left on his current contract. No general manager, unless drunk out of their mind (and even that's a stretch), is going to trade for him. Will the Leafs take the hit and buy out his contract? Will he be banished to the minors next season? One thing is for certain, if Raycrap is still a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs come September, I'm going to have rethink this whole Leafs fan thing.

6. Will Bryan McCabe accept a trade to the New York Islanders? More importantly, will the New York Islanders actually trade for him? One of Pavel Kubina or McCabe's salary must come off the books, and most will agree McCabe should be the one to go. Even I've given up on him. The Islanders are our best hope as McCabe's wife still calls Long Island home. At this point, I'm willing to take back a single prospect, or even a second-round pick, for #24.

7. If McCabe refuses to leave town, or no team is willing trade for him, will the Leafs bite the bullet and buy him out?

8. Sundin can probably fetch $6.5 to $7 million on the market. If he stays with Toronto, will he give the Leafs a discount? If he wants the team to be the least bit competitive, we straight up cannot afford to pay him in the $6-to-$7 million range. I'm thinking more like $4.5 million, and I don't think that would go over too well with Sundin. Excuse me, I said pass the TUMS!

9. Can we throw in Jason Blake if we trade McCabe to the Islanders? Perhaps they would like to have him back. After all, Owen freakin' Nolan scored more goals than Blake this year.

10. I know it was a great body check - probably the best of the year - but is Mark Bell really worth $2.5 million next season? Like McCabe, no one's going to trade for the guy, so will his contract be bought out?

11. Will the next general manager of the Leafs entertain any thoughts of bringing back Pat Burns behind the bench? That would be a whole lot of fucking awesome.

12. If the Leafs do find a suitor for McCabe, how about bringing back Danny Markov? Markov spent the past year in Russia and will be 32 in July. I doubt he'd cost much ($1.5 or $2 million), I think he's still got some hockey left in him and, boy, was he ever a beauty during his first stint in Toronto. What do you think about a defence of: Kaberle/Kubina, Markov/Colaiacovo, Stralman/White?

13. Will Matt Stajan and Kyle Wellwood still be in the blue and white come September? Both are restricted free agents. I think it's a sure bet that Stajan will be back. I hope the case is the same for Wellwood, but I'm not too sure. After another surgery on his groin, who knows what his conditioning will be like. I'm still of the opinion, however, that he's too young and too skilled to simply be given up on.

14. What about John Pohl, Scott Clemmensen, and Dominic Moore? Other than Sundin, they are the only unrestricted free agents of note on the club (Andy Wozniewski is unrestricted as well and here's hoping he, well, goes straight to hell). I think Pohl is done with Toronto, while Clemmensen might be re-signed for another go with the Marlies. And I think Moore has played well enough as a waiver pick up to merit another contract with the Leafs. Dude works hard and should be rewarded.

15. What to do with Darcy Tucker? He finished the season with 18 goals but barely existed for the first four months of the season. He also looked slow out there all year. He was never the fastest skater to begin with, but it seemed like he lost a step. While he does have a no-trade clause, I think Tucker's got too much pride to stick around if he's no longer wanted. And I definitely believe there is a market out there for him. It would be extremely painful to see him go, but it may be time for the Leafs to turn the page.

16. Where have all the twenty goal scorers gone? Other than Sundin who always does it, only one other Maple Leaf scored more than 20 goals this season. It was Nik Antropov, probably the last guy you thought would do it. Sure, the Leafs did have seven players with 15 goals or more, but they need better finish in and around the net. They need a sniper who can get the job done. Blake was brought in to score goals and, while he did put up a respectable 52 points, I was expecting at least 25 to 30 goals from him.

17. Will our new general manager be shopping on July 1st when the free agent markets opens? The crop isn't the greatest, although I definitely wouldn't mind seeing Daymond Langkow in a Leafs uniform as the team's second centre behind Sundin. Other big offensive names on the list are: Kristian Huselius, Markus Naslund, Ladislav Nagy, Brendan Morrison, Sean Avery (imagine him in a Leafs uni?), and Brendan Shanahan. None are guys you can build around, but the Leafs need some proven goal scorers.

18. Who's ready for a full-time promotion from the farm? Are guys like Jeremy Williams, Robbie Earl, Staffan Kronwall and Kris Newbury ready to contribute to the big club all year long? Kronwall hasn't looked all that great and it doesn't seem like Newbury will be much more than a fourth line guy who plays only a few minutes per game. While Williams and Earl looked alright, I'm not sure they are ready for prime time.

19. Are Jiri Tlusty and Nikolai Kulemin sure fire prospects? Tlusty had a decent rookie season all things considered. From his nudey glamour shots to limited fourth line duty, his 10 goals were a pleasant surprise. Will he find himself a fixture on the top two lines come next season? And will Nikolai Kulemin, the best prospect the Leafs have, be ready to play in the NHL in September? Will he be the sniper the Leafs so desperately need, or will he join the long list of Maple Leaf entry draft busts?

20. Will Wade Belak return to the Leafs? Belak's rental experiment didn't work out too well in Florida as he couldn't lead them to the playoffs, and he's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Without Wade on the roster, no one on the Leafs can fight. God knows I could go without seeing Bell and McCabe ever drop the gloves again.

I wasn't lying folks. We're in for one hell of a long, and definitely most interesting, off-season. I say bring it on. After a season like this one, we can only go up from here. At least I hope so.

The Leafs Suck At Everything

As much I hate Andrew Raycroft - and those of you who read this corner regularly know I really, really don’t like the guy – I hate the Buffalo Sabres even more. With a chance to kill Buffalo’s season the Leafs, and Raycroft, did what they always do: fail.

Credit’s due where it’s due, and Raycroft was certainly not Raycrap last night. He was on point in the first two periods for the Leafs, shocking for a guy who hasn’t played in an NHL game since January. While his rebound control was once again atrocious, he just didn’t get burned by it last night.

The Leafs jumped out to a two-nothing lead after twenty minutes. You know, the dreaded “worst lead in hockey.” I would argue that any lead held by the Toronto Maple Leafs is the worst lead in hockey, because you know it’s not going to last.

It didn’t last night. Up 2-1 going into the third, Buffalo tied the game on a phantom goal. The Leafs responded, though, and went up 3-2 thanks to a nifty goal by Alex Steen. Props out to Anton Stralman and The Poni, who both made great passes on the play.

There I was, pissed off about the Blue Jays’ opening night loss, but hoping the Leafs could rescue the night and dash the playoff hopes of those losers down in Buffalo.

Cue the standard bonehead penalty by Bryan McCabe and power play goal that I knew was coming. Tie game, three apiece, and the Sabres are still alive in the hunt for eighth.

In overtime, after Tomas Kaberle rang one off the cross bar, Pavel Kubina was called for the most unbelievable cross-checking penalty I have ever seen in my life. He barely touched the Buffalo player, who didn’t even go down on the play, and the Sabres were given a gift in the form of a man advantage.

They couldn’t capitalize. A shootout ensued, and the Leafs were unable to get ‘er done. Ryan Miller was solid in net for the Sabres in the one-on-one challenge, while Andrew Raycroft continued to show why he is one of the worst goalies in the shootout, ever.

I think Raycroft made two saves, and one of them was by accident. The Sabres either missed the net or rang pucks off the post.

I figured the Sabres, who always get screwed in every sport and on every call, didn’t have destiny on their side. But, in the end, they did have something going for them: Raycroft was in net.

Sure, he played a good game, but in the end, Raycroft was the losing goalie last night, as he always is. It was a fitting end to a game in which the Leafs had two leads in the third period.

The Leafs can’t do anything right. They win when they should lose, and lose when they should win. They’re about as good at playing the spoiler as they are at playing the playoff team.

They better get their act together quickly, though, because they’ve got a chance to drive a stake through the hearts of the Ottawa Senators and their freaking-out fans on Thursday night, in what should be a doozy at the Air Canada Centre.

The Leafs aren’t going to the dance, but if they can do their part and keep the Senators on the sidelines with them, man, that would almost single-handedly salvage this bullshit season.

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...?"

I Ain't Mad At Cha

After refusing to waive his no-trade clause, Mats Sundin remains, for better or for worse, a Toronto Maple Leaf. Amidst intense speculation, the Captain couldn't abandon ship. To quote the late, great Tupac Shakur, "Shit, I'm wit cha, I ain't mad at cha. Got nuttin but love for ya, do your thing boy."

Only a couple of days ago I wrote on this very blog that loyalty in pro sports is a myth, and that it simply does not exist. Mats Sundin proved me wrong. He showed that an athlete, in today's day and age, can be loyal to a franchise, and to his teammates.

There are those who will chastize and rail on Sundin for refusing to leave town at management's request. How these people can do that is beyond me. Mats did nothing wrong. He did what he felt was right in his heart and, man, it just makes me feel all warm inside.

For Sundin, it was a no-win situation. If he accepted a trade out of town, there would have been those who would have been labelled him a quitter and a selfish hockey player. By choosing to stay in Toronto, those same douche bags are calling him selfish and disloyal to the franchise that made him a star. I've heard that if Mats "really" loved the Leafs, he would have left. Yeah. Okay.

In the end, Sundin exercised a negotiated clause in his contract, and had every right to do so. Deal with it. You don't have to support his decision. I can even understand, to an extent, why people are upset with Sundin. But I believe that after his 14 years of service in the blue and white, to a man we should all respect his decision.

I truly believed in my heart Sundin was a goner by today's trade deadline (speaking of the deadline, Ross McKeon over at Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the Dallas Stars have acquired Brad Richards and the Montreal Canadiens have landed Marian "I completely disappear in the playoffs" Hossa). While I felt moving Sundin was in the best interests of the organization, I can't say I'm surprised or disappointed that Sundin chose to remain a Maple Leaf. Hell, it's what he's been saying all along. Mats said from day one that he wanted to remain in Toronto and regardless of how bleak the situation was (and still might get) around these parts, his decision wasn't going to change.

Sundin is, clearly, a man of his word, and a man of principles. He doesn't believe in being a rental player. His heart wasn't set on going to a new team and, potentially, winning hockey's holy grail as a late-season addition in an unfamiliar dressing room. His decision to stay in Toronto and rough it out is extremely honourable and classy.

It would have been easy for Mats to leave. He could have agreed to get as far away as possible from the train-wreck known as the Toronto Maple Leafs, and I would have understood. He could have agreed to go and play for a true contender. He could have agreed to go and join a team where he could have played with the quality of players he has not had the opportunity to play with in recent years in Toronto (read: good players). But Mats Sundin doesn't roll like that, and I'm proud of him. He didn't jump at the opportunity to leave town for greener pastures. Far from it. By all accounts, it was an agonizing decision, and Sundin couldn't get himself to leave.

He's like the captain of the Titanic. Or the dude's playing in the band on board. Pass him the violin. He's going down with the ship.

Sundin is hockey's anti-Vince Carter, and hockey's anti-Jason Kidd. In other words, he isn't an ego-maniac who only cares about himself. Sundin is, of course, looking out for himself by not waiving his no-trade clause. He's earned that right. But for those of us who have had the pleasure of watching him over the years, we know how much he values his teammates. They are his family. He'll never throw them under the bus. One of his main motivations in rejecting a trade out of town was that he couldn't leave his teammates and join another team. That says all you need to know about Mats Sundin right there.

Would Sundin agreeing to a deal have helped out the franchise? Absolutely, although I'm convinced Sundin wasn't going to command as high a price as people were expecting. The market, after last year's craziness involving guys like Forsberg, Tkachuk, and Ryan Smyth, is much more subdued this season. But it isn't Sundin's job to fix the terrible mis-management that has plagued the Maple Leafs for so many years. A friend of mine, Ryan, said it best: the Leafs made their own bed, and now they've got to sleep in it. Sundin is the only player on the team deserving of a no-trade clause, and it is the other no-trade clause contracts handed out to the likes of McCabe, Tucker, Kubina and Kaberle that have handcuffed the Leafs not only this season, but also in the years to come.

Sundin is my boy. He's been my boy for years, and will be my boy until it's all said and done. He is, in my mind, the greatest Maple Leaf ever. A sense of calm has come over me now that I know he will remain in the blue and white, and with the "C" on his chest. Too many Maple Leafs captains before Sundin, many of them great ones, have been shipped out of town without a proper and respectful salute: Dave Keon, Darryl Sittler, Rick Vaive, Wendel Clark, and Doug Gilmour. Mats Sundin has always maintained that he wants to retire a Maple Leaf and we should all respect his one wish. We owe him that much, don't we?

Sundin is, of course, a free agent at seasons end and there has been speculation that the Leafs, to spite the fact that Mats has refused to waive his no-trade clause, will not offer to bring him back for another season. Sundin has also hinted that he may retire. I still think Mats has at least three solid years of hockey left in him, and if the Leafs even entertain the thought of not offering him a contract, well, shame on them. The Maple Leafs are already pretty much a laughing stock and I think they would be stapled to the cross if they pulled a stunt like that. At the same time, I can't put it past the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are the epitome of lunacy.

Mats Sundin, a Toronto Maple Leaf for life. The best ever. At the end of the day, Mats simply couldn't put another jersey over his shoulders, and how can I be mad at him for that? I can't. No way.

LEAFS 5 SENATORS 0

With Sundin-gate finally behind them, and their Captain still driving the bus, how would the Maple Leafs respond on the road against the hated Ottawa Senators last night? By spanking them 5-0, that's how! Yeah, I totally saw that one coming.

Of course, Sundin opened the scoring for Toronto, after a ridiculous feed from Kaberle on the power play. It was fitting that Mats got the Leafs on the board first. Yesterday was the first day of the rest of Sundin's life as member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Sundin's goal set the tone. The Senators, who are looking extremely vulnerable heading down the stretch, were dominated by the Buds, in their own building no less. After all the severe beatings Ottawa has shoved down Toronto's throat the past few seasons, last night was, well, freakin' sweet. I've said it before - no matter how bad things are going or going to get, beating teams like Ottawa and Montreal is still extremely gratifying.

There was something in the air last night, though, that's for sure. The Leafs were buoyed by their Captain's decision to stay on board, even as the ship slowly takes on more and more water. The team played with heart and determination that has been sorely lacking all year. In the first period both Carlo Colaiacovo and Bryan McCabe gave up their bodies to block shots, setting the tone for what was one of Toronto's better efforts all year.

Darcy Tucker chipped in with two goals and an assist and continues to make me wonder where the Leafs would be in the standings had he shown up all season.

Vesa Toskala was his usual brilliant self, although he owes Kaberle a dinner at Mendy's after Kabby saved the day, and the shutout, by robbing Mike Fisher, who had an open net to shoot at, late in the game. Kaberle's goaltending exploits did not go unnoticed and the next time Toskala is injured, Kaberle will be strapping on the pads. After that one save last night it's obvious he's a better goalie than Andrew Raycrap, the forgotten man.

It's also pretty amazing to see what happens when the Leafs actually score on their power plays, and kill off their penalties. Really makes a difference, eh? Who knew?

There is a large group of fans out there who surely weren't too happy with yesterday's results. Why, you ask? Because they want the Leafs to lose. They want the Leafs to finish as low as possible in the standings in order to secure a higher draft pick, and maybe even the top pick overall. Me, I can't do that. I can't cheer for my boys to lose. It's not in me. And knowing the Leafs' track record in the draft, well, if we do manage to get the top pick (Steve Stamkos, please!) we'll manage to screw it up somehow. It's what we do best.

In addition to wanting to see Sundin leave, there are those out there (Cliff Fletcher included) who want the Leafs to trade McCabe, Kubina, Kaberle and Tucker. Well, it ain't happening, because they've all refused to waive their no-trade clauses. Deep down, I'm glad they did. It's kind of sick, but I don't want any of them to leave. Especially McCabe. Say what you want about him, but the Leafs are a much better team when he's in the lineup. Since he returned to action on February 7th, after missing seven weeks with broken bones in his hand, the Leafs have won six of their last nine games. I'm tired of McCabe being the scapegoat.

Basically, I'm willing to give all these guys a mulligan this year. Don't trade em, Cliff. They're all under contract for next year so lets giv'er another shot next season. I know it's not exactly the smartest idea around, but, well, I love these guys, and for some really stupid reason, believe in them.

With Sundin's decision to stay in Toronto, coupled with last night's beautiful win, I'm hoping the Leafs go on a run. For Mats. They've got to make the playoffs for Sundin. To prove to all the douche bags out there that he made the right decision. That his faith in his teammates was justified. Oh, it would be the stuff of legends and lore.

With 18 games remaining on the schedule - that's 36 points for you math whizzes out there (don't worry, I used my calculator) - the Leafs can finish the season with, potentially, 99 points. To do that, they have to win all of their final 18 games. Yes, I am delusional. Realistically, and this is where it all goes to hell, the Leafs need to win at least 15 of their last 18 games. That would give them an additional 30 points and a total of 93, and likely sneak them into the second season. The odds of that last scenario happening? Not bloody likely. But I'm a dreamer, and if Mats Sundin has taught me anything, it's that dreams can come true (no, not the dream of winning the Stanley Cup, but the dream of Mats retiring as a Maple Leaf).

The Leafs, going into trade deadline day today, sit six points, and four teams, out of the final playoff spot. It's going to take a miracle. So put on your rally caps, my friends. Do it for Sundin because after his decision to stay, and the heroics of last night, a miracle is exactly what we are about to witness.

Deep Thoughts Vol. 4

Damon Stoudamire didn't become a Toronto Raptor for the second time in his career this week. Instead, the Raptors got even better news on Monday. T.J. Ford came back. Welcome back, Little Engine. You've been missed.

Watching Ford check into the game Monday night in Miami was something I won't soon forget. He had a huge smile on his face and Jose Calderon gave him a hug, a tap on the head, and some words of encouragement. Calderon seemed genuinely happy and excited about Ford's return, and that is exactly why I dig Jose. He's the ultimate teammate. He's not thinking that the Raptors number one point guard is back in the lineup; he's thinking that his friend T.J. Ford is back in the lineup.

The Raptors were buoyed by Ford's return. They made sure T.J. would get some minutes by absolutely thrashing the Miami Heat 33-12 in the first quarter. The game was over after 12 minutes. It was the perfect scenario for Ford to return to. Ford looked good in almost 17 minutes on the floor. After the brutal fall he took that night in Atlanta almost two months ago, it was great to just see him back doing what he loves and is pretty damn good at. The Dinos are a much, much better team with both Ford and Calderon in the lineup.

Speaking of Jose Calderon, it's a shame he didn't make the all-star team. He certainly deserved to. In Ford's absence, he logged a ton of minutes and his game didn't suffer. It actually got better. Jose's an all-star in my heart and surely in the hearts of many in Toronto.

The Raptors, however, will be well represented at the Association's all-star weekend in a couple of weeks. Chris Bosh made the team as a reserve, and is well-deserving of the honour. After a slow start, CB4 turned it up a notch the last month and a half. His youtube video helped, too. If you haven't seen it, it means you a) don't read Doug Smith's blog (which you should) and b) you live under a rock.

Jason Kapono will be defending his three-point shooting competition title - that'll be the only "defending" he'll be doing all year (zinger!) - and Jamario Moon will be taking part in the dunk competition. I am seriously stoked about Moon being in the dunk-off. It should be a doozy. Dude's got some hops.

Tonight the Raptors take on the visiting Los Angeles Clippers, and it is regular season game number 1,000 in franchise history. That means I'm old. And that time flies. I still remember that first game against the New Jersey Nets on November 3, 1995, at the freakin' SkyDome. If you're trying to wax nostalgic, Alvin Robertson hit a three-ball to open the game. It was the beginning of something special, but the best times are still to come. Here's to a thousand more...

So, how about those Toronto Maple Leafs? They bounced back from their worst beating of the season, a forgetful 8-0 whitewash courtesy of the Florida Panthers, and came out of Montreal with a 4-2 road win. Go figure.

The Leafs actually came up with a pretty solid effort last night. Inconsistency, and the inability to play 60 minutes, has really done a number on this team. But last night's affair was entertaining hockey, and a Toronto/Montreal game at its finest. It was fast-paced, chippy, emotional and intense - the type of game the Leafs have failed to play on too many nights this year. Although the Leafs do stink and need to lose more games in order to set themselves up for a shot at the number one draft pick, there still is a palpable sense of satisfaction that comes with beating teams like the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens.

I've got to admit, though, that the Habs are a pretty sweet team. They're only three points out of first place in the Eastern Conference. They've got great goaltending (Carey Price is only 20 freakin' years old!) and every player on that team, to a man, can skate like the wind. They are fast. Tomas Plekanec is turning into one hell of an offensive player and Alex Kovalev is playing with a sense of purpose. When Kovalev is in the mood, and he's definitely in the mood this season, he's one of the best in the business. Not too many guys can dangle in the opposition's zone the way he can. He is tremendous.

Bryan McCabe made his return to the Leafs lineup and the team played solid defense. I still stand behind McCabe and his $5.75 million-a-year contract. The Leafs record without #24 in the lineup speaks for itself. They were only able to win seven of the 22 games he most recently missed.

In the where-have-you-been department, Darcy Tucker, with two, and Kyle Wellwood tallied markers for the Buds last night. For Tucker, it was his first two goal game all season, and for Wellwood his first goal in 17 games. Both Darcy and Kyle have been huge disappointments this season, but it was good to see them contribute last night. Imagine where the Leafs would have been had these guys shown up all year?

Shout outs to Vesa Toskala, who was great in goal last night, as usual. He's the real deal. And I love him.

And before I bid adieu to the Leafs, how about that Mats Sundin fellow? He came to the defence of his young rookie winger Robbie Earl after Mike Komisarek took him out with a hit. Komisarek followed the hit with a couple of cheap shoves to Earl's head and back while he was on the ice - that's how Komisarek rolls. Sundin got right up in Komisarek's face and the two of them tussled. Sundin, it seems, must do everything. But that's why he wears the "C" on his shoulder. He is a beauty. And Komisarek is a douche. If there's one guy on the Habs I want to kick square in the groin, it's Komisarek.

Back to basketball for a second; Shaq traded to Phoenix? Wtf? I definitely did not see this one coming. I don't think anyone did. First of all, the trade says a lot about Shawn Marion, who would rather go to the absolutely pathetic Miami Heat than play for a title with Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns. Clearly, his motivation isn't what it should be. In my books, that makes Marion a douche.

It's understandable to write this deal off as a bad one for the Suns. Many already have. Adrian Wojnarowski really doesn't like it. The reasons are rather obvious. Shaq is breaking down physically at 36 years old, and he doesn't exactly fit in to the run-and-gun Phoenix offence. I don't, however, think Shaq can be written off completely though. He is a winner, and he wants to win again, and he gives the Suns the big man down the middle that they've lacked. Shaq's presence means Amare can play power forward, which will definitely suit him more. If Shaq can somehow get healthy, and embrace a defense-and-rebound-first type of role, I think he can help Phoenix, and hopefully get Nash a ring...

Guess what? Spring training starts next week! I know, it's hard to believe. Like I said, time flies, and the boys of summer are getting set to get the party started down in Florida. J.P. Ricciardi took care of his final piece of business on Tuesday, getting Alex Rios' autograph on a one-year contract worth just over $4.8 million. Rios is a certifiable rudey and one of the keys to success for the '08 Blue Jays.

It's turned out to be a pretty busy winter for J.P. and the boys. There are a number of new faces joining the squad: Scott Rolen, David Eckstein, Marco Scutaro, and Rod Barajas. Check this out for quick hits on spring training.

I haven't written about the trading of super douche Troy Glaus for Scott Rolen, and that's partly because I've been getting my Blue Jays fix over at Drunk Jays Fans. If you like the Blue Jays, booze, and profanity - not necessarily in that order - I urge you to check out the blog, subscribe to it, bookmark it; do whatever you've got to do, just read it. You'll thank me. Those thullards over at DJF are a comedic and foul-mouthed bunch, but they know their baseball.

A more-detailed Blue Jays post, and some serious Troy Glaus bashing, are to come in the near future...

Still with baseball, the Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee saga continues to play out on Capitol Hill. Clemens and his entourage continue to deny, deny, deny (read: lie, lie, lie) while McNamee is now saying he's got evidence - old syringes with Clemens' DNA - that Clemens did in fact take the juice. I find it fascinating that the U.S. government has nothing better to do than get to the bottom of this, but am looking forward to how Clemens, another super douche if there ever was one, is going to explain this one...

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...

Maurice Must Be Sacrificed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Ferguson, you're next...