Bittersweet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deep Thoughts Vol. 13: Marvelous Mikhail Edition

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

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

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

A Man Crush Is Developing

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fuck you, Tom Kostopoulos

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

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

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

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

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

What The Fuck?

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

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

Best Celebration Ever

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

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

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

Ian White Haters to Aisle 3

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

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

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

Balanced Scoring

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

So, can Mats Sundin play defence?

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

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

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

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

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

Free Carlo!

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

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

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

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

Free Carlo, Cliff Fletcher. His destiny awaits.

Deep Thoughts Vol. 9: I Hate Ryan Hollweg Edition

I'm going to get right down to business: fuck Ryan Hollweg. Seriously, fuck him. It's obvious after Monday afternoon that Hollweg is nothing but a brainless monkey, good for only a few cheap laughs.

Ok, ok, fine. The man can dance. But he sucks at hockey. He can't fight, he can't score, he can't do anything but knock a man face first into the glass. Ryan, I don't know if you missed the memo, man, but you don't hit from behind. Stop it. Before you kill someone. If Hollweg keeps his act up, the league will have to start using those minor hockey league jerseys, you know, with the stop signs on em. Even then, I don't trust him. Hollweg has, in a very short time with the Leafs, proven that he is clearly an idiot.

Points squandered in October are the ones that always come back to bite the Maple Leafs in the ass come April, and Hollweg cost us a point on Monday. The Leafs were sitting pretty up 3-1 before Hollweg hand-delivered the St. Louis Blues an invitation to get back in the game.

It's clear that all Maple Leaf fans think Hollweg's a douche. He is. But I'm surprised many in "Leafs Nation" aren't thanking him. He was largely, if not solely, to blame for Monday's shootout loss, and isn't that what everyone wants around here, more losses for our beloved Leafs? You know, Tank Nation? The Tank for Tavares? To all you pro-tankers out there, go out and buy your Hollweg jerseys because this guy is doing more harm than good for the Maple Leafs.

Damn pro-tankers. They make me so mad. I'm not a pro-tanker, so what, other than an idiot, does that make me? A pro-just barely make the playoffs-er, I guess.

As for Hollweg, when everyone in the Leafs blogosphere is agreeing with Damien Cox, you know something's amiss. But Damien's right (*shudders*), this guy doesn't deserve to wear a Leafs jersey, plain and simple. Get him out of here, Fletchra. Pretty please.

Pour Yourself A Drink

I know it's only been three games, but the numbers don't look good my friends. Going into last night's NHL action the Leafs had allowed the most goals in the league (12) and, much to my chagrin, still can't kill a God damn penalty. 

The penalty kill is "performing" like a 72-year-old man in the bedroom. It needs help. The Leafs have killed off only nine of their opposition's 15 power plays, good for a 60% success rate and, you guessed it, sitting last in the league. Just how God-awful the PK unit has looked out there is what worries me. Guys are skating around like they don't have a clue. Montreal made us look downright silly on Saturday night when they had a man advantage.

This should put things in perspective: the Leafs and Habs have both played three games and Toronto has allowed more power play goals (six) than Montreal has allowed in total (five).

You know what else the Leafs suck at? Faceoffs. For teams that have played two or more games this season, the Leafs are, once again, dead last in the league, winning only 42.3% of their draw's. Sure, the Leafs will miss Mats Sundin's automatic 25-to-30 goals, but it's on the draw where his absence will be felt the most. He spoiled us when it came to faceoffs. He was money, always above 50% and at or near the top of the league every year. Oh, Mats.

Vesa Toskala's numbers aren't that great either: a 4.36 goals against average and a Raycroftian .860 save percentage. I blame the penalty kill for Vesa's poor numbers, but I'm sure he'll be the first to admit that he's got to have more nights like the season opener in Detroit.

Something To Be Thankful For

Yeah, the Leafs lost their Thanksgiving matinee thanks to that imbecile Hollweg, but I did have something to be thankful for: Matt Stajan was a healthy scratch. Ironically, he was replaced by Hollweg, so the whole thing didn't work out so well but, still, Matt Stajan was a healthy scratch. Say it. It feels good. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I think the Leafs finally have a coach who realizes that Stajan simply isn't that good. Pat Quinn loved him. So did Paul Maurice. And I have no idea why.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that if you give me the option between having Hollweg and Stajan in the lineup, I'm picking Stajan eight days of the week. But, that being said, now that Hollweg is suspended, I'm open to seeing Ian White on the wing before Stajan gets back in there. Let Stajan sit up in the press box for a little while. Maybe that'll get him to play with a little more gusto, a little more urgency. God knows he could use it.

Ron Wilson Likes Luke Schenn

Anton Stralman? Not so much. Stralman saw his first action of the season Monday afternoon, but he took a seat come the third period. It was Schenn who benefited, and Luke ended up with over 25 minutes of ice time. I think both of these guys have bright futures in the league and, in all honesty, I would have rather Wilson kept the six-man rotation running.

I thought Schenn looked his age, a mere 18 years old, on Saturday night against Montreal, but he rebounded with a solid performance on Monday. Schenn is fantastic, but Stralman needs to be given every opportunity to shine as well. Anton may very well end up turning into a special player in his own right.

Bottom line: we've got a few young studs on the blue line. If Schenn does end up going back to junior, which I hope is the plan, then a 25-minute game against the Blues is perfect for his development. Stralman? He'll get his ice time. It's only a matter of time before Carlo Colaiacovo goes down.

Oh Finger Where Art Thou?

Is it wrong that I'm excited to see Jeff Finger play? This is what it has come to. The days of Alex Mogilny and Brian Leetch are long, long gone, replaced instead by the likes of Mikhail Grabovski and Jeff Finger. Good times.

Paul Kariya's Fist Pump

Did anyone catch Paul Kariya's fist pump after he scored St. Louis' fourth goal on Monday? He displayed beautiful fist pump etiquette, employing the celebration on a game-tying goal in the third period. Well done, Paul Kariya. I salute you. I only hope Jason Blake was taking notes.

A Two-Horse Race

Democracy is at work here at Sports And The City, and it's clearly a two-horse race when it comes to the fate of the blog's welcome banner. Will Tomas Kaberle maintain his slim lead and replace Sundin? Or will Sundin live on in infamy forever here at Sports And The City? The poll runs through until November 1st. Vote early, vote often.

RIP Alexei Cherepanov

Hockey, in the long run, really doesn't mean much. May the young man rest in peace. 

How'd We Do?

The eye of the storm has passed. The frenzied part of the NHL's free agency period is over. So, do I like what Grandpa Cliff Fletcher and the Toronto Maple Leafs have done? Of course I do.

Instead of writing about the Leafs' moves in an emotional, and inebriated, state on July 1st, I decided to let a couple of days pass. I was actually just really lazy, but, hey, I'm sure you feel me.

Only one player from my free agent wish list is on his way to Toronto. Curtis Joseph, welcome back, my man.

I was a huge, huge Cujo fan back in the day. Until he left for Detroit on his quest to win a Stanley Cup ring. Much to my surprise, a column I wrote entitled "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," back in 2003 for On The Wall Magazine, is still up online.

Basically, I loved Cujo, hated him after he left, wished ill upon him and his family, fell in love with Ed Belfour, and revelled in the fact that Cujo wasn't able to get a ring. Petty and bitter, I know. What can I say, it was an emotional time.

Years have passed. I've grown up. It's all water under the bridge now. It's evident that Cujo's quest for a ring has ended, hence his signing back here in Toronto, but it's going to be fun seeing him back in the crease at the ACC. He had some phenomenal years in Toronto and is the perfect back-up for Vesa Toskala. He knows his role.

Cujo's signing also means that Justin Pogge will be the number one guy and play the majority of games, in both the regular season and - especially - the playoffs, for the Toronto Marlies, and I'm all over that.

It has taken a few days, but I've rationalized the signing of Jeff Finger to a $14 million, 4-year contract. It took a while, and some deep soul searching, but I've done it. Don't get me wrong, it was a struggle.

Just when I thought I was happy about it, I went and read this. It was, needless to say, extremely disheartening. Could the Maple Leafs have actually confused Jeff Finger with Kurt Sauer? Like Kevin Garnett said a few weeks ago, "anything is possible." I mean, we're talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs here. If DeVry's motto is "We're serious about success," then the Toronto Maple Leafs' motto is "We're serious about incompetence." Being a Leafs fan has taught me that I can never, ever, ever, put anything past the clowns that run this franchise. They are capable of worldly acts of idiocy, including mistaking Jeff Finger for Kurt Sauer, and if it's true, Fletcher is every bit as old as he looks.

Anyway, after I learned of the actual terms of Finger's contract (originally I thought the deal was 4-years, $3.75 million total, not per year), saw that he's rated only 68 in NHL 2008 on my XBOX 360, I curled up in the corner of my bedroom and had a good cry. I then sat around trying to justify his presence on the Maple Leafs blue line.

Firstly, let's throw the terms of his contract out the window. It's a fucked up contract. Let's not pull any punches here. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Before Tuesday afternoon, none of us knew who this cat was - OK, except MF37 - and come Tuesday night, none of us could believe the terms of the deal. But such is the beast known as free agency. Everyone overpays. There is nothing free about free agency.

Before I go on, I've got to get something off my chest. It's really bothering me. In all seriousness, how is it possible that Andrew Raycroft was signed by the Colorado Avalanche? How!? Am I dreaming? How could they give him a contract? How could they agree to pay him $800,000? Did they not see him in action last year? Did they not see any videotape? Did they not check out YouTube? Do the Colorado Avalanche have scouts? No, really, does Colorado have scouts? Unbelievable. All I know is that whatever they are smoking down in Colorado, I want a sample. Please. It has got to be some unbelievable, "holy-shit-let's-sign-Andrew-fucking-Raycroft" type shit.

Back to Finger. Like I said, forget about the terms of the deal. Block it out of your mind. Forever. It's easier that way. Finger is a good signing because a defensive defenceman cannot, in any way, shape, or form, hurt the Toronto Maple Leafs. Think about it. A shutdown guy who loves to take the body and block shots. How can that be a bad thing?

The Leafs currently employ two defencemen who are allergic to playing the body, sort of like how seven-foot tall Andrea Bargnani is allergic to rebounding. They could do it. They just don't want to. I'm not going to name names, but playing the body is simply not part of Tomas Kaberle and Anton Stralman's game. Not that there's anything wrong with that. They're great defencemen, and huge parts of the team going forward.

The Leafs also currently employ a defenceman who loves playing the body, but who when he does so, costs himself about half or two-thirds of his season. Again, I'm not going to name names, but if Carlo Colaiacovo injures himself trying to body check an opponent this season, I'm not going to be pleased.

If you're counting, that's two defencemen who don't take the body, and one who injures himself in the process. Three out of six. That's why Jeff Finger cannot hurt being on the Leafs' blue line. Sure, we overpaid, but look at the coin Brook Orpiks got, and he's a shutdown guy who's -29 over his career. I know, he's got more experience, but, well, that -29 isn't exactly a good "shutting down" track record.

And don't tell me about Hal Gill, either. He's gone. I know, he was a shut down defenceman too, and now we're paying Finger more than Gill, but he's gone. We must turn the page. Like I said, I've justified Finger's presence on our blue line, and I'm at peace with my decision.

Niklas Hagman was Grandpa's other signing on July 1st. The money - $12 million over four years - is fair, and he brings speed, decent finish, and solid penalty killing ability to the squad. Welcome to hell, Hagman. Enjoy your stay. We expect nothing less than 27 goals you scored for the Dallas Stars last season.

Grandpa Fletcher also made a trade yesterday with the Montreal Canadiens, sending some dude we just drafted and a second-round pick in 2010 the Habs' way. In return, the Leafs get Mikhail Grabovski, a flashy, 24-year-old centre with tons of potential and who's been successful in the AHL. Grabovski's a free agent and the next order of business will be for Fletcher to get his name on a contract. All signs point to Grabovski being a big part of next year's Leafs squad. He'll get every opportunity to play a big role, and here's calling him pushing Matt Stajan further down the depth chart, where he belongs (Stajan will never be more than a third-line player).

Expect Damiex Cox, among others I'm sure, to be bitching about how the Leafs gave up yet another prospect and draft choice in a trade, but we're not getting a veteran in return here. We're getting a young player who's already had a taste of the NHL and who knows what it's going to take in order to belong. There's a big, big difference between trading a second-round draft choice for an aging Yanic Perreault and trading a second-round draft choice for a guy like Grabovski. Keep that in mind when you read your regular dose of Leafs/Fletcher bashage today, tomorrow, and in the days to come.

Textbook Toronto Development

Folks, it's all over for our favourite minor league hockey team, the Toronto Marlies. They were eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs last night by the Chicago Wolves.

Sure, it was a 19 game playoff run, but it didn't do much for the development of the future Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jiri Tlusty, he of nude photography fame, scored a whopping two goals in 19 post-season games. Yikes. Hell, even Andy Wozniewski managed to score four. Tlusty's playoff disappearing act certainly doesn't bode well for the future, although it's not like he and the Leafs will be playing in playoff games anytime soon.

Speaking of two, that's how many playoff games Justin Pogge, the franchise's anointed goaltender of the future, the goaltending prospect the brains upstairs chose over Tuukka Rask, started out of 19. Yeah, that's really going to help him develop into a top-flight NHL calibre goalie. Well done coach Greg Gilbert, well done.

Alex Foster, who I believe got into a few games with the big club a few months ago, also contributed a measly two goals.

So did Jay Harrison, but he added 10 assists and was one of the few bright spots for the Marlies. Where the fuck was this guy this past season? How is it humanly possible that Andy Wozniewski made the Toronto Maple Leafs - Andy fucking Wozniewski! - out of training camp, and Staffan Kronwall got the call when Carlo Colaiacovo went down with his annual season-ending injury, while Harrison was toiling in the minors? Ridiculous. Straight ridiculous.

If you're wondering, John Mitchell led the Marlies in goal scoring with eight and David Ling led the team with 17 points. For the full scoring breakdown, check out the layout.

A serious lack of discipline devastated the Marlies against Chicago. The Wolves averaged more than eight power plays a game in the five game series and they made Toronto pay, scoring 10 power play goals on 41 opportunities. Last night they were 3-for-9 with the man advantage. In contrast, the Marlies scored two power play markers all series. It's pretty obvious the Marlies are the farm team of the Leafs. Much like the big club the Marlies can't score on the power play or kill penalties, either. Idiots.

In my honest and ever-important opinion, Greg Gilbert should be fired for choosing to play Scott Clemmensen ahead of Pogge. It was an absurd decision and one that could only be allowed to happen under this franchise. Someone - Cliff Fletcher, I'm lookin at you Grandpa - should have bitch-slapped Greg Gilbert stepped in and made sure Pogge was between the pipes. What you have here is another, might I add shining, example of Toronto Maple Leafs player development. Textbook fucking MLSE development. You know how we do.

The optimist in me wants to believe that Pogge won 50% of the games he started, and that Tlusty, who finished fifth on the team in playoff scoring with 10 points, is going to be one fine NHLer. But the realist in me knows that Tlusty went AWOL, that a great opportunity to see what Pogge could have done has been lost, and that this franchise is being run by some serious douchebags who clearly don't know what the hell they are doing.

I need a drink.

Stepping Up

On the road, in the back half of a home-and-home series of another must-win game, and without their captain, leader of men, and best player Mats Sundin, the Maple Leafs stepped up and departed Philadelphia victorious, 3-2.

With their season once again hanging in the balance, the Leafs dug deep, played a gritty and gutsy road game, and even held on to a third period lead (shocking, I know). They continued their chase for a playoff spot which is now only five points away.

What an effort. I'm not going to waste time and emotion wondering where this Leafs team was back in October, November, December and January. It's not worth the pain, or the tears. I'm simply going to live in the present and enjoy this team right here and right now. Let's be honest: in all likelihood, these are my playoffs.

Last night in Philly, Toronto was once again the better team, out-shooting the Flyers 31-20 and winning 34 of 66 faceoffs without Mats Sundin, who only played five minutes before leaving with a groin strain. I wasn't sure how the Leafs would react to losing their captain in such a huge game and while they did seem a bit lost after the fact, they stepped up and grinded out a win. They once again refused to mail it in. They did it for Mats, of that I have no doubt.

I've got a number of shoutouts, starting with some crazy man love for Pavel Kubina. He was instrumental in the Leafs taking three out of four points from Philadelphia to keep their fading playoff pulse alive, scoring the game winning goal the last two nights. Who wants to talk to me about Kubina's contract now? Come on, lets chat. Dude's been worth every penny since the trade deadline and played with a ton of emotion and passion over the past 48 hours. He's really stepped up and although I've said it before, I'll say it again: $5 million a year for Kubina's services is a reasonable price, and I hope he's still in a Leafs uniform next season.

Kubina's partner, and my biggest man crush of all, Tomas Kaberle was also off the charts the last two nights. Kabs logged more than 30 minutes of ice time on Tuesday, and racked up another 26 minutes yesterday. No sweat. Kabby's elevated play of late has been a monumental reason why the power play has finally begun to produce. Straight up though, is there another player in the league who rushes the puck up ice and into the opposition's zone as gracefully and with as much poise as #15 in the blue and white? I freakin' love Kaberle. I want to stand on the highest mountain and profess my undying love for him for all the world to see and hear.

I'm always a bit hard on him but Matt Stajan was huge last night. Matt freaking Stajan. What a game he played. In the absence of Sundin, Stajan saw a bulk of the captain's ice time and played what I'm sure was a season-high 21 and a half minutes. Staj also ended up taking the faceoffs Sundin normally would have. And he dominated. Stajan, who came into the game with a 47% success rate on the draw (something I've always been on his case about), won 17 of 29 faceoffs, an incredible 59%, including six of nine against Daniel Briere, that little twerp. I guess in a way I'm like my father - I'm only on hard on Stajan because I want so badly for him to succeed. But I'm always willing to show love when it's due, and Stajan deserves some serious props for his effort last night. Attaboy.

I questioned the acquisition of Dominic Moore, and even had some not-so-nice things to say about him after his first game in a Leafs uniform (I'm quick to judge), but I take them all back, and offer him my sincerest apologies. Moore played a solid 15 and a half minutes last night and was instrumental on the Leafs' second goal, driving bravely to the net and setting up Alex Postikarovsky. It was a great play as Moore showed off his wheels. Dude's been a gem off the waiver wire. He's a great checker who works hard and chips in every now and then in the offensive zone. He's just like Boyd Devereaux, and you can never have enough of those types of players on your team. I think it's safe to say he's earned a spot on next year's Leafs roster, and good on him.

It's got to be a personal record, and I pray to God I'm not jinxing him here, but after last night Carlo Colaiacovo has played in 21 games in a row. And he's been great. Part of the reason the Leafs haven't felt the absence of big Hal Gill on the blue line is because Colaiacovo has stepped up. Carlo played more than 23 and a half minutes on Tuesday night, and another 19 minutes yesterday, and he laid out R.J. Umberger with a beauty of a body check in the third period last night. I've got to give Colaiacovo props for not changing his ways. After all the injuries the poor guy has suffered, I would have completely understood if he went out there and changed his style by taking some of the physical play out of his game. But he hasn't. Not one bit. He still plays the body and looks for open ice checks. As we were with Antropov, we've got to be patient with Carlo, because he's got a bright, bright future in a Leafs uniform.

Five points out, 10 games to go. You can't lie to me and tell me you're not feeling a renewed sense of hope. You can't tell me you're not proud of the way the Leafs took care of business the last couple of nights. I know you're excited; you can't fool me. And I understand that you're scared. It's ok. I am too. But believe. Put your faith in Mats Sundin and Vesa Toskala (who was also great again last night - you spoil me, Vesa), as I have, for they are on a mission. And they won't rest until it is complete.

Bring on the Sabres.

Be-Deviled

I've got a math question for you: what does snowed in by another freak snowstorm plus a heartbreaking 2-1 Toronto Maple Leafs loss to the New Jersey Devils equal?

The answer, my friends, is alcohol. A little bit of The Famous Grouse (respect Alz) followed by some good old Alexander Keith's. It sucked to be a Torontonian yesterday. On multiple levels.

The Maple Leafs season was on life support heading into last night's matchup with the Devils. Toronto's loss, combined with a Philly Flyers win, means the Leafs are eight points out of the eighth and final playoff spot with only 12 games to go. And the Flyers have a god damn game in hand.

The Leafs are taking their final breath. It's all but over, and only a formality now. I would have loved for the Leafs to prove all the douche bags out there wrong and go on a fairytale-like run, but they've got to pretty much run the table from here on out to really have a shot at making the post-season. The odds of that happening? About as good as me giving up The Famous Grouse - not bloody likely!

I hate Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. When the Leafs used to be a decent hockey club, it was the Devils and Brodeur whom the Leafs could never beat. These days, it's the same old story. The Devils, thanks to the exploits of Brodeur, beat the Leafs twice this week by a combined score of 6-2, and killed my dreams of the Leafs making the playoffs, illegitimate as they may have been.

New Jersey beat Toronto in all four meetings this season (Raycrap was in net for one of them, so they really only beat us three times). Brodeur was en fuego in the two games this week, stopping 83 of 85 shots the Leafs fired at him. What a bastard.

The Devils continue to be, well, the Devils. You would think they'd have taken a hit in the standings these last few years after losing Scott Stevens to retirement, Scott Niedermayer to Anaheim and Brian Rafalski to Detroit. Their defense is nothing like what it used to be, yet there they are in first place in the Eastern Conference, where they always seem to be. Jersey has only allowed an Eastern Conference low, and second-fewest overall, 159 goals against (Detroit's first in the league with 151). To compare, the Leafs have allowed 216 goals on the season, a startling 57 more than New Jersey. Your lesson for the the day? Defense wins championships. You're welcome.

Last night's game was a microcosm of the Leafs season. A hot goaltender, three goal posts, and a late goal in the third period to seal Toronto's fate. I know God has better and more important things to do (like get Barack Obama into the White House - "Yes We Can!") but the Leafs could have used Him tonight. The Leafs outplayed the Devils in the first period and hit three goal posts behind Brodeur, but went into the intermission trailing 1-0. If one of those shots went off the post and in, it would have been a different hockey game.

But such is the life of a Leafs fan: should have, could have, would have. Didn't.

The Leafs tied up the game, as I knew they would, in the third period thanks to Mats Sundin. Who else? Sundin always scores the clutch goals when the team needs one. Since refusing to be traded, Sundin has been on a mission to get the Leafs to the playoffs. He's played inspiring hockey and was last week's NHL Star of the Week, but it just hasn't been enough. He can't do it alone. If only he had some support. *Sigh*

The Leafs and Devils were headed to overtime, or so I thought, until the Leafs fucked up again with just under a minute to play. It's no wonder they won't be going to the playoffs. I can't even remember how many times the Leafs have given games, and points, away in the final few minutes this season. It's appalling. I will, however, share some of the blame tonight with the referees. Zach Parise's second goal, the eventual game winner, shouldn't have counted. Jamie Langenbrunner, whom I loathe, interfered with Vesa Toskala when he jabbed him with his stick and pushed him into the net. Of course no penalty was called on the play, Parise banged in the loose disc with Toskala down and out, and the Leafs suffered another crushing and demoralizing defeat to effectively end their season.

I miss Leafs playoff hockey. Truly, Madly, Deeply. Savage Garden type shit, man. It blows. Hockey's a game of inches, and all the inches this year have added up to one extremely frustrating season, and a whole lot of empty Alexander Keith's bottles.

After the game, Carlo Colaiacovo kept it real.

''It's going to be hard for a lot of us to sleep tonight. We let another one get away," he said.

My thoughts exactly...

It's Time To Re-Sign John Ferguson Jr.

For the past three seasons I have believed that the Toronto Maple Leafs were a playoff team. Clearly, my instincts have been wrong. Ok, horribly wrong. It's time for some George Costanza inspired thinking. It's time to re-sign general manager John Ferguson Jr. to a multi-year contract.

Like Jerry Seinfeld told George, "If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right." My instincts are telling me that John Ferguson Jr. needs to be fired and jettisoned out of this town, and fast. So, with that in mind, lets get his signature on a long-term contract. JFJ got us into this mess, lets give him a chance to get us out of it.

While everyone is enjoying shitting on JFJ (I've done it too, I admit it is rather enjoyable), I think the man is deserving of some serious props. He's trying to do his job in one tremendously fucked up working environment right now, yet he's still been accessible to the media. There he was Tuesday night doing an interview on Sportsnet during the second intermission of the Leafs game saying that, yes, at the end of the day, he was accountable for Toronto's lack of success. The man isn't hiding behind a rock, although he has every reason to be. He's facing the heat, and I've got to show him some love for that. His job is hanging by the thinnest of threads, and it can't be good times in the Ferguson Jr. household.

I can't also forget to mention the douchebag JFJ has to report to - his boss, the ever-popular, Richard Peddie. Peddie's the moron who passed on Scotty Bowman - passed on freakin' Scotty Bowman - and who publicly said that JFJ's hiring was a mistake. It's also common knowledge that Peddie and the Leafs are, and were months ago, looking for a replacement for Mr. Dead Man Walking, JFJ.

The thought has crossed my mind as to why JFJ simply hasn't quit. Why he hasn't gotten up one morning and said, "You know what? Fuck this. I'm gone," is beyond me. I'm sure there are financial reasons involved, but he has chosen not to take the easy way out. I send more props his way.

I mean, you've got Scotty Bowman coming on national television saying he was interviewed by Peddie and co. and Cliff Fletcher-mania all over the media in the last few days. JFJ isn't stupid (although many think he most-certainly is and, based on his track record, it's tough to argue he's not). He sees the media vultures circling his soon-to-be canned carcass, and his team, every day. My question is: how the hell is this man supposed to get any work done in such an environment? He still is, after all, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The same Toronto Maple Leafs that have won two games in a row, baby (and last night's victory was in a shootout, to boot)! But, in all seriousness, how is Ferguson supposed to make a trade when rival general manager's know he's a lame-duck manager and almost certainly on the way out, be it in the coming days or weeks, or in the off-season. I don't think it's possible. Every other general manager should be trying to rip Ferguson off right now and if they're not trying to, they're not doing their job. If JFJ is desperate to make a trade to try and save his behind, he hasn't let it be known, and hasn't made a deal, and I give him credit for that. He's sticking to his guns, even though he's flat out of ammunition.

The reality of the situation is that decisions need to be made in regards to this Leafs squad. Vancouver had a couple of scouts in Toronto to watch the Leafs on Tuesday night and Calgary general manager Darryl Sutter took in last night's game in Boston vs the Bruins. The Leafs have a ridiculously tradeable asset in Mats Sundin, and someone, whether it's Ferguson or his replacement, needs to start working the phones. JFJ needs to know whether he'll be pulling the trigger on any potential trade, doesn't he? Only in Toronto, I swear.

JFJ's treatment by the Leafs is pretty pathetic. Either show him the door, or give him an extension. The fact that they would leave the man's fate hanging in the balance like this is sad, and shows complete and utter disrespect for the position, and for JFJ. After this most-public humiliation of JFJ, who in their right mind would want to come and join the toxic environment that is the Toronto Maple Leafs front office? Ownership should be ashamed of themselves, but they're probably too busy doing laps in their swimming pool's of dollar, dollar bills, y'all.

As for Richard Peddie, I'm sick of hearing the catcalls for his firing. Peddie isn't going anywhere. He should be removed from the hockey department, as he was with the basketball department (hence the Raptors meteoric rise), but the man isn't going to be fired. He's simply made MLSE and the teachers way too much loot. According to his most trustworthy wikipedia entry, since taking over MLSE, Peddie has tripled its value to over $1.5 billion. Peddie, although a douche, ain't going nowhere. Deal with it.

The JFJ tenure in Toronto hasn't gone exactly to plan, although since his arrival in 2003 the Leafs have reached the 40-win and 90-point mark in each of his three seasons. Injuries have screwed JFJ and the Leafs, royally, the past few years. A completely healthy lineup is a luxury this team hasn't been able to have. Sure, every team and every general manager has to deal with injuries, but the Leafs, as I've documented, have been cursed by the MLSE injury plague.

One needn't look further than the recent injuries to Carlo Colaiacovo and Mark Bell. Colaiacovo injured his knee, the same knee he had surgery on a few months ago, while skating innocently to the bench after the referee blew the play dead a couple of weeks ago against Philly. He collided innocently with Flyers forward Jim Dowd and, just like that, it was back to the injured list for Carlo. I can't, in good conscience, even call it a collision - they just bumped into each other. Carlo simply cannot catch a break. Bless his heart, the poor guy.

Mark Bell, on the other hand, is plain old stupid. When he was traded to Toronto over the summer I heard he liked to chuck knuckles. Well, turns out that was just a rumour. He doesn't do much knuckle-chucking, but he sure is on the receiving end of a lot of 'em. The man can't fight, but he keeps on dropping the gloves. I'm not sure if Bell was preparing for his upcoming springtime sojourn to, umm, jail, but it's safe to say he won't be fighting for the next little while. A few weeks ago in Pittsburgh, Penguins forward Ryan Malone broke Bell's face in a fight (if you could call it that). Bell went under the knife recently to repair facial fractures (ouch) and will be gone eight weeks. So much more Bell being the dark horse in the Vesa Toskala trade, eh?

The goaltending has also been unkind - ok, very unkind - to the JFJ years. JFJ, in his second year with the team, and coming off the lockout, re-signed Eddie Belfour and watched as Belfour had his worst season in a Leafs uniform. The Buds ended up missing the playoffs by two points, but JFJ was his own worst enemy. He had only himself to blame, for he should never have re-signed the old and creaky Belfour, especially to a ludicrous two-year contract.

JFJ's solution to the Belfour debacle? Good old Razor Raycroft. I'm not even going to go there. However, as bad as the Belfour and Raycrap moves were, JFJ rectified the situation this time around with Toskala. Vesa is one of the few bright spots this year on a moribund Leafs team.

Let's not, however, get it confused - I'm not making excuses for JFJ, even though it seems like I am. The Leafs haven't made the playoffs two out of the three seasons he's been at the helm, and the playoffs are looking like a pipe dream this year as well. That's really all that matters. And, in the understatement of the year, JFJ has made some seriously fucked up personnel decisions. Raycroft's at the top of the list, that's for sure, but there are a ton of others that simply didn't, and haven't, worked out: Eric Lindros, Jason Allison, Jason Blake, Mark Bell, Marius Czerkawski, Brian Leetch, Tie Domi, Andy Wozniewski, and more. I'm not including in that list guys like Bryan McCabe and Pavel Kubina, but I'm sure others would put them at, or near, the top.

I'm rambling now, but there is a point to all my drivel (isn't there always?). JFJ is man who has learned while on the job, and why not give him a crack at turning this ship around. Sure, we can bring in someone new and change everything up, but there are no guarantees in life. It's why I voted Liberal in last October's provincial election. Did McGuinty and the Liberals do a super job the past four years? Uh, not quite. Were they on the right track? In my opinion, yes. If we keep changing our government every four years, what the hell is going to get done around here? Not much.

Changes, especially the systematic ones that the Toronto Maple Leafs so desperately need, take time, and it's time we learned some patience in this town. So I'm all for rebuilding this Leafs franchise, from the bottom up, and I'm saying lets give JFJ a shot at it. Even George went up to that woman in the coffee shop and told her that he was unemployed and lived with his parents. He did the opposite, and I suggest we do the same with our beloved Maple Leafs. We must follow the lead of George Louis Costanza, one of the most brilliant, and most neurotic, minds of our time...

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...

Should I Be Worried?

It was around 12:30 pm this afternoon when I looked around my cubicle, to see if anyone was blatantly looking at me and could see my computer screen. The coast was clear, so I went ahead and made my daily online trek to TSN.ca. As the website loaded onto my slow Apple (lame excuse of a) computer, the photograph for the top storycame up. It was of Mats Sundin. There was no headline, but immediately I knew something was wrong - because the Leafs weren't playing today. Finally, what seemed like minutes later and was probably about three seconds, the headline came up - "Sundin Out 3-4 Weeks".

I froze up. He'd been injured in practice, or worse, off the ice. Everything seemed to get quiet around me. I didn't know what to do, but I finally read the lead to the story. Sundin has a torn ligament in his elbow, and is expected to miss about a month of action. I felt a sweat break out on my brow. I looked around, to see if anyone noticed the clear discomfort I was now in. I grabbed my water bottle and nourished myself. I had to stay calm.

I thought about the injury, and saw in my mind the exact moment it happened in Monday's game. Sundin was going around the Philadelphia net with his head down and as he rounded the net somebody on the Flyers - I'm not sure who - clocked him pretty hard, and the brunt of the blow was on Sundin's right arm and elbow. I remember Mats almost flinching, and I knew he was in some pain. But he finished the game. There didn't seem to be anything wrong.

But clearly he is the latest Maple Leaf to join the club's walking wounded. The only problem is, he's the best player on the team. The best player on the ice and off it. The emotional leader. The physical leader. The man with the "C". The driver of the bus. As Sundin goes, so do the Leafs.

We've been here before. Sundin was knocked out of the first game of the regular season last year. But we had a little more depth at centre ice last year. It was Eric Lindros who really picked up the slack in Sundin's absence.

Mats has had a remarkably healthy hockey career. Only in the last few years has he spent some significant time on the injured last. At the same time, he's getting older, and so is his body. At 36 years of age, he's getting up there. But he has been great so far this year. Actually, more than great. He's been dominant.

Alright hockey Gods, that's two big injuries you've thrown our way already this year. And I'm not counting the injuries to Bell, Colaiacovo, and Kronwall. Those are minor. Kubina and Sundin, those are the big ones. So now, please, chill out hockey Gods. The way I see it, it's better now than during the stretch or during the playoffs. Lets get the major injuries out of the way.

I'm worried, but at the same time excited. Mainly worried, because the Leafs are not too strong up front. Ironically, the team has scored the third-most goals in the Eastern Conference. So my argument that the team is lacking the firepower it needs is not really true. But losing Mats will certainly hurt this team. He is just too important for it not too.

I'm excited because I want to see who will step up. Wellwood's tailed off nicely since his hot start to the season. He might get a chance to move to centre ice in the wake of Sundin's injury. Maybe Peca will step up. Steen really needs to wake up and start scoring some goals, especially now that Mats is gone. O'Neill needs to continue his decent play. Matty Stajan has been good so far, but now is his chance to make that leap in his career. If Stajan doesn't finish the season with 20 goals, he's not developing properly. He's on his way, I just need him to keep it up. Antropov and Ponikarovsky need to find the net on a regular basis. The goal scoring machine known as Tomas Kaberle can hopefully continue to score the way he is right now.

I don't who will step up. Maybe nobody will, and Ferguson will be forced to address the depth up front, but I like Paul Maurice and the effort he's getting from his players. Luckily, Mats' injury isn't too serious. We just have to stay afloat while he is gone. Pavel Kubina's return will help us defensively, and hopefully Razor can stay hot. Sundin's injury will test the character of this team, and hopefully the boys can come together as a group, show some resolve and leadership, and hold the fort while Captain Mats heals.

For a team looking to find their identity and continue to play consistently, maybe this is a good thing. Mats is injured. There's nothing anyone can do about it. But maybe there is a silver lining. We all know what Sundin is all about. Now I'm hoping to find out what the rest of the team is all about. You know what, maybe I am more excited than worried. I'm lookin forward to it.

Goodnight, Toronto...