The Not-So-Instant Analysis

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

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

But I digress.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defying Logic

The Leafs went into tonight's tilt with the Washington Capitals on the heels of a difficult week. They lost three out of four games, and they were important games - I guess all of them are this time of year. They also lost their best defenceman and, arguably, their best player in Tomas Kaberle.

How would they react in a must-win game against a struggling opponent with no hope of making the playoffs? Would they finally put together a decent home game?

What would you do if you were Paul Maurice? I know what I would do. I'd ride my horses - I'd play the hell out of Sundin, McCabe and Perreault. No Panic Yanic was brought in to score some goals, and I'd give him that chance.

It seems Paul Maurice and I were on a different page tonight. Hell, we weren't even reading the same book.

Sundin played less than five minutes in the first period, and finished with a touch less than 18 minutes of ice time - well below his season average. I would have thrown Sundin out there for at least 10 minutes in the first period, to make sure the Leafs came out strong and controlled the play.

What's even more shocking is the fact that Matt Stajan played 17:39, second among Leaf forwards and second to only the Captain.

Matt freaking Stajan.

Once again, he did nothing tonight. It's amazing how much Stajan's ice time has gone up this year, and his point totals haven't. Stajan defines stagnation. Matt Stagnation Stajan. I like it.

It does seem like he's working hard, but the results just aren't there. I just don't like him. Yes, he's set a career high for points, but I don't think he's hit double digits in goals yet. It's just not there, and I'm afraid I will forever be a Stajan-hater. I don't know what the Leafs see in him.

What's even more shocking than Stajan's ice time - yes, apparently things can be more shocking than that - Yanic Perreault, the Leafs' prized trade deadline acquisition, played six minutes and fifty-one seconds tonight.

6:51.

That's it. And he scored the second goal, and it was a beauty.

I said it the other night in my post - every instinct that would seem to be correct in regards to this Leafs team, is wrong. You would think logic would deem that in order to finally secure a win on home ice, the Leafs would play their best players. But no. Paul Maurice did the opposite, like George Costanza, and it worked. A 3-0 Leafs victory over the hapless Washington Capitals and for now, sole posession of 8th place in the Eastern Conference.

I don't get it. I really don't. But the Leafs picked up the dubya, and that's all that matters at the end of the night.

However, less than seven minutes of ice time for Perreault? For the love of God, play the man. Give him Stajan's 17 minutes. The Leafs won the game, and all credit goes to Maurice and his staff, but when it comes to these two guys the Leafs have it all wrong right now. Perreault's faceoff ability alone should result in him playing more than Stajan, the useless wonder.

Tucker and Perreault both bagged their 20th goals of the season tonight. Tucker's was probably the ugliest goal the Leafs have scored all season, as a rebound from John Pohl's shot went off Darcy's arm and into the net. It was a big goal though, as it came after the Leafs were unable to score on a two-man advantage for more than a minute and a half.

Speaking of the power play, what the hell has happened to it? The Leafs have had a top-five ranked power play the last two seasons but the power play now sits in 15th spot in the league. Tucker and Wellwood have sorely been missed in the last two months, and that's when the PP has plummeted. Now, without Kaberle to bring the puck up ice, and set up inside the zone, the PP is just a struggle. Nobody is moving around out there or going to the front of the net. On the two-man advantage tonight the Leafs didn't even register one quality scoring chance. It was difficult to watch. With Kaberle out of the lineup, McCabe is on his wrong wing and doesn't have Kabby setting him up for the one-timer. Ian White is doing is best out there, and he's got extremely huge - Shaq size huge - shoes to fill.

Personally, I'd have put Kubina out there with Mccabe. But what the hell do I know.

I've got to shout out Kubina. He came back into the lineup tonight and played a solid 17 minutes and picked up an assist. He said publicly that his broken finger is not 100% but that he'll play through the pain because he knows the Leafs need him out there right now. That's how to do it, Pavel. He's putting the team first. This guy is a team player, and he really wants to succeed, both on a team and personal level. He knows he's had a nightmare of a season, but all that can be forgotten if he plays some great hockey down the stretch. Attaboy, Kubina. His return is huge, especially since it looks like Kabby is going to be out for a while.

Kyle Wellwood - remember him? - skated today in practice and said that he'll be back in the lineup next Tuesday when Tampa Bay is in town. That's encouraging news for the Leafs, who could definitely use the diminutive playmaker back in the lineup. God knows the power play needs him.

This is how the Leafs season has gone thus far. One guy comes back, and then another guy gets injured. The Leafs have lost close to 300 man games to injury this year - tops in the NHL. Their penalty kill has been at the bottom of the league for months, and their power play, which was once their strongest aspect, is now just average.

Paul Maurice said at the start of the season that it was going to be a dog fight to get into the playoffs. I figured that would be the case if everything went right for the Leafs. It hasn't been that way. Injuries have ravaged this team. It's hard to believe that with all the Leafs have gone through - the injuries, the goaltending questions, the lacklustre special teams - they are still fighting to make the second season. This team refuses to quit.

The Battle of Ontario resumes Thursday night in Ottawa and Saturday night in Toronto. As hard as the Leafs have battled all year, the Senators can make it all for not and really do some damage to Toronto's playoff dreams.

Ottawa has overcome a lot of adversity this season, and have gotten their house in order. They sit in fifth place in the conference and have been on a tear as of late. Ray Emery has proven to be more than a capable number one goaltender, and fighter/shit-disturber. Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza are two of the most talented forwards in the league, and I've always said that I'd love to see Mike Fisher in a Leafs uniform.

The Sens are a good team and are headed to the post season once again. The Leafs need to be thinking about a split in the home-and-home. They simply can't afford to lose both games.

Ottawa does look like the better team, but the Leafs have the uncanny ability of finding ways to win in order to stay in this playoff race. Wins that defy logic.

Maybe playing the hell out of Stajan is the answer. I don't know, and I HIGHLY doubt it, but it worked tonight. Heck, even Raycroft got a shutout tonight.

Now that, my friends, is defying logic.

Goodnight, Toronto...

Musings

The Leafs were a busy team this weekend. A road victory in the Swamp over the Devils via the dreaded shootout, and another whipping at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres on home ice.

Here are my deep thoughts:

- Cam Janssen is, for lack of a better phrase, a piece of shit. Tomas Kaberle, my heart and soul, was drilled by this pathetic excuse of a hockey player, and it was ugly. Kabby was knocked out cold and was taken off on a stretcher. It was a late hit, and an elbow, and there was no penalty on the play. That was the first thing that pissed me off. On top of that, nobody on the Leafs team said a word to Janssen about it. It was partly a good thing, because the Leafs could ill-afford to take stupid retaliation penalties in a big game, which last night was. But when your best defenseman gets knocked out cold on a dirty hit from a goon, someone's got to step up. It's Kabby after all. He's not exactly a physical presence out there.

It was revealed, however, that Darcy Tucker came out of the Leafs dressing room while Kabby was being attended to, and started jawing at Janssen from the tunnel. That, my friends, is exactly why Darcy Tucker is one of the most popular Maple Leafs. He steps up for his teammates. Stay classy, Darcy.

Janssen didn't play a shift after ravaging Kaberle. He played a total of 2.59 on the game. This guy is in the NHL? And he thinks he's a tough guy? What tough guy goes after Tomas Kaberle and devastates him with a late elbow? There should be none of this in hockey. It's a disgrace. I'm all for fighting in hockey - because when Iginla and Jason Smith go at it in the heat of battle, it's a beautiful thing - but the one-dimensional enforcer has got to go.

- Talk about an extremely improbable win, eh? Down Tomas Kaberle and down 2-0 going into the third period, the Leafs rally for three goals, on Martin Brodeur no less, to take the lead. They then blow the lead when New Jersey pulls Brodeur for the extra man, in typical Maple Leafs fashion. They then squander a 4 on 3 powerplay in overtime, and then score three goals in the shootout to win the game 4-3.

- If you saw the shootout, now you know why he's called "No Panic Yanic" Perreault. A phenomenal shootout goal that left my jaw on the floor. He faked the slapshot which got Brodeur on his knees and going to his right. Perreault dragged the puck across to his forehand, and just when it looked like there wasn't enough space left for him to shoot it past a sprawling Marty Brodeur, he put it top shelf where mommy hides the cookies! Not only was it a fantastic deke, it was clutch. Had he missed it, the game was over. No Panic, indeed. Perreault won the majority of his faceoffs on the night as well. Instant dividends for our dearest John Ferguson Jr.

- Huge two points in the standings against the Devils. But a costly win. A very costly win. Janssen's been suspended three games by the league, but that doesn't do any justice to Toronto, as Kabby's going to miss probably two weeks. He's got a concussion, and that's not surprising considering the way his head slammed into the boards. Damn you Cam Janssen, damn you.

- Another emotionless and uninspiring performance on home ice against the injured Buffalo Sabres. In two games on home ice this week against Buffalo, the Leafs were outscored 9-2 and just thoroughly outworked in every facet of the game. I just can't seem to wrap my head around the reason as to why the Leafs came out so flat tonight. It's unacceptable.

- Two guys who haven't been in the starting lineup for a long time were back in there tonight. Darcy Tucker was surprisingly in the lineup and J.S. Aubin, the forgotten man himself, actually got a start for the first time in two months. I wasn't expecting Tucker back for another couple of weeks, and figured it would give the Leafs a boost since Kabby was gone. But of course not, that would just be too logical. The Leafs are clearly like George Costanza - every instinct this team has which would seem to be correct, is always wrong.

Tucker saw limited duty on the 4th line and on the power play in the first two periods, but in the third, with the Leafs again down 2-0 and looking for a spark, he saw some more ice. He played just under 16 minutes on the night. It's great to have him back, and hopefully Tuesday he'll be on a line with someone other than the offensively challenged Travis Green.

Tucker's a warrior. I'm sure he's playing through some pain, but I'm sure he's been dying to get back onto the ice and help the team make the playoffs. I'm quite pleased that JFJ got his name on a contract for only $3 million per season. Tucker's worth a lot more than that, and I think even he knows it. A true blue Maple Leaf, that's what he is.

- Aubin played a decent game. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't very good either. He was pretty much just like Raycroft. Three goals a game. It's the standard, I guess. And once again, it just wasn't good enough. Raycroft will be back in there Tuesday night against Ovechkin and the Capitals. Another must win game on home ice. Grab some pine, again, J.S.

- In the absence of my main man Kabby, Ian White logged more than 26 minutes of ice time, and was on the number one power play. All I could think of when I saw the box score was HOLY ICE TIME BATMAN! That's way too much for Ian White. The Leafs once again employed the five defenseman strategy, as Waddy Belak was dressed as the sixth d-man, but only saw about five minutes of action. White's been great on the back end, for the most part, this year, but he's not capable of playing those minutes. He was a -2 on the evening, and that speaks volumes.

- I have to shout out Wade Belak, believe it or not. It's tough to do his job, but he does it, night in and night out. He's versatile and the fact that he can play both the wing and defense on any given night is a testament to that. Not many guys can do what he does. He comes in and only plays a few minutes every night, whether its on offence or defence, and he's physical. Yeah, he takes way too many penalties, but it takes a certain mental toughness and a professional attitude to do the job he does. He's supposedly really popular in the dressing room, and even I'm starting to appreciate what he does. He's our resident heavyweight, but he can play, and he's become a useful member of this team. And I like callin him Waddy.

- If the coaching staff doesn't have enough confidence in playing Belak 10-12 minutes a night as the sixth defenceman, which I understand because of his penchant to take the most bonehead penalties - Waddy, they took out the hooking and holding from the game. Yes, really! Like two years ago! - why doesn't management call up someone from the minors? Depth on defence is, as John Ferguson Jr. told the world, the strongest asset of the organization, so why the hell is Ian White playing 26 minutes a night? Call up Staffan Kronwall, or Jay Harrison.

What really pokes my brain is why the Leafs have never called up the captain of the Marlies, Marc Moro. He's been with the organization for a number of years now, and was team captain when they were still in St. Johns. What's the deal? The guy's a veteran and surely is capable of playing 10-12 minutes a night. He's a big fella too and would provide some more sandpaper to the back end, which is never a bad thing.

Don't tell me, Johnny boy, that Brendan Bell is expendable because the organization has got so many other young and able defenseman who are NHL-ready. If that's the case, call one of them up when two out of your top three defencemen - Kabby and Kubby - are injured! The Leafs are absolutely infuriating.

- I am utterly fed up of the booing of Bryan McCabe. I don't give a rats ass if anybody in this city thinks he is overpaid. Who cares? He got what was market value last summer, and without him, the Leafs would be in serious trouble. Yes, he's prone to turnovers and takes some questionable penalties, but he works hard. He's got almost 50 points and is a plus hockey player. When he's on the ice, the Leafs score more than they are scored upon. What else do you want for the guy? If the opinion is that he is overpaid, how about you take into consideration that guys like Tomas Kaberle and Darcy Tucker are underpaid? Let that balance it out. I'm just sick of the treatment this guy is getting, because it's not justified. He is not the god damn problem. In the third period tonight McCabe got clipped with a high stick and was bleeding profusely above his eye. He went to the bench for some quick repairs and was right back on the ice. He was rushing the puck from the Leafs zone with blood pouring down his face. Is that not heart, grit and determination right there? This guy wants to win, and in the process he does make some mistakes, but lets be reasonable here people. He's a great hockey player and I think the Leafs are lucky to have him. Stop booing Bryan McCabe.

- Even after losing three out of four games against Eastern Conference opponents this week, the Leafs still sit only two points behind the Carolina Tropical Storms for 8th place in the standings. Unbelievable. It was an immensely important week of games, and the Leafs did not fare well, yet still the playoffs are within reach. The back end of the Eastern Conference is rather mediocre, and that bodes well for Toronto, who are mediocre on their best nights.

Even Mats Sundin looked sluggish and tired in the games this week. I just don't know if he's got it in him to go on another crazy run like he did last year, and take the team to the playoffs. Astonishingly, the Leafs head into next week only two points out of the final playoff spot, just like they did last weekend. Someone can still step up and grab this team by throat. Mats is the most logical option, but I already got into the relationship between logic and the Leafs.

The road isn't getting easier. Washington is in town on Tuesday, and then a home-and-home with the Ottawa Senators. If Toronto drops the Washington contest, the Senators could potentially put the "nail in the coffin" on the Leafs' season, NBA Jam on Nintendo style.

And I'm sure there's nothing they'd love more.

Goodnight, Toronto...

The End Is Near

The Leafs had a day off today. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that a few of the boys hit up Golf Town, to get an early start on some shopping. Golf season is just about upon us, and once again, the Leafs are going to be the first guys out on the links.

Talk about stinking up the joint in a couple of huge games. It's been an interesting few days, to say the least. Two huge losses to the Habs and Sabres have dealt the Leafs' playoff aspirations a huge blow. Not to mention all the drama from Tuesday's trading deadline.

John Ferguson Jr., in an absolutely shocking move, acquired a former Leaf before the 3 pm deadline. "No Panic" Yanic Perreault is returning to the blue and white, for his third tour of duty. See ya later, Brendan Bell. This guy fell so far off the defensive depth chart, he was playing left wing. When you get jumped on the depth chart by Wozniewski, you've got some problems.

Finally, by dealing for Perreault, the Leafs have seen the light and realized that Matt Stajan is no second line centre. Toronto has nothing that resembles secondary scoring, and this is a good trade, although it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Perreault will help because he's such a great faceoff man, and he's got 19 goals, which puts him third on the Leafs. He's unrestricted at the end of the year, and likely won't be back. I think it's a good trade, but I wonder why Ferguson didn't make it happen two months ago, right after Peca went down with his injury. It's simply too late.

Perreault wasn't in the lineup Tuesday night, and unless he knows how to play goalie, it didn't really matter. I was shocked to see Raycroft back in net Tuesday night, after his pathetic performance in arguably the biggest game of the year on Monday in Montreal. He let in five goals on 15 shots in Montreal, and four goals on 11 shots against Buffalo. Atrocious goaltending.
Paul Maurice has done a great job this season, but he totally dropped the ball in going back to Raycroft Tuesday night. Razor did not deserve to start. You don't put in a performance like he did and just be handed the reigns once again the night after.

What angers me most is that there is just no accountability on this Leafs team. Why wasn't Raycroft held accountable for his performance? Why was he allowed to just go back in there? He clearly doesn't have the intensity or desire that is required to play goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He just doesn't have it. He's not a number one goalie.

The Andrew Raycroft experiment has been a failure. He isn't the right man for the job. It's inconceivable to me why he was in the net on Tuesday night against the Sabres, and it goes back to the start of the season, when he was handed the number one job while not being deserving of it. Raycroft has been the goalie of choice, yet he hasn't had to even work for the job. It's bullshit, and the Leafs season is lost because of Razor's poor play.

The Leafs have their best defense, on paper, in years. Yet Raycroft has given them AHL-calibre goaltending. He let three soft goals against the Habs. Granted, three out of the five were scored on the power play, and one came off the stick of Sheldon Souray. That guy's slapshot can kill you, so I'll give any goalie props for standing in front of it - I'd have been running away screaming like a schoolgirl. But at the end of the night, he just wasn't good enough.

It's sad, because against the Habs, Aebischer was terrible. Yet Raycroft still wasn't as good. He is constantly outgoaltendered, yet it doesn't seem to faze anyone on the Leafs.

I hope once Razor got yanked from the Sabres game, he was watching Ryan Miller and taking notes. Miller is a number one goalie, and a playoff goalie. He kept the Sabres, who were missing eight regulars from their lineup, alive in the first period, making great save after great save, until the Sabres were able to score a softy on Raycroft. There's your difference, right there.

There's no point in bitching about the Leafs anymore. To be a playoff team, you've got to have the stats to back it up. The Leafs are done. Raycroft's save percentage is a mediocre .895. Toronto has let in 72 goals on the power play, second last in the league. Their penalty killing, at 78.8%, is 26th in the league. They have the second-worst home record in the Eastern Conference.

Really, how good can the Leafs be when their last line of defense is Andrew Raycroft. That's not even a "last line", Raycroft is hardly a scribble.

And I'm just so sick and tired of the fans getting on Bryan McCabe. This guy plays upwards of 26 minutes a night, has almost 50 points and is a plus player. Yes, he makes a lot of money, but that's not his fault. I think we all would have signed that contract had it been passed across the table to us. Get over it. He is not the problem. Raycroft is the problem. The thought process that goes into believing Matt Stajan is a second line centre is the problem. Not McCabe. Save your boos. Use them on Raycroft.

And coming up? Friday a date with Brodeur and the Devils and Saturday another visit from the Sabres. That will be four losses in a row, and then the Leafs can officially say goodnight. Hopefully J.S. Aubin will be in goal, and Jeremy Williams in the Leafs lineup.

Another disturbing tidbit: The game with the Sabres ended with Sundin playing on a line with

Bates Battaglia and Boyd Devereaux. Wow. You sure you want to stick around, Mats?

Get those golf clubs ready, boys. As the old saying goes: Golf Leafs Golf!

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How about the trading deadline. I just love trade deadline day. It's intense. I find it amazing that all three major sports networks devote a whole day's worth of programming to the event. That's really what it's become - an event.

It was an eventful day and a lot of names changed teams, but the shocker of all came down at 3 pm, with the announcement that the Oilers had traded Captain Canada Ryan Smyth, to the Islanders, of all teams.

Nobody, especially Ryan Smyth, saw this one coming.

It happened on Mark Messier Day in Edmonton no less, as his jersey was raised to the rafters Tuesday night.

Smyth had a going-away press conference at Edmonton International Airport today. Yeah, pretty strange. He was extremely emotional, to say the least. He was balling like a little baby. News dropped today that the two sides were only $200 thousand dollars a year apart on a deal. Smyth was asking for $5.7 while Edmonton countered at $5.4. Not exactly a huge difference. Not a huge difference when it comes to the face of the Oilers franchice, and their heart and soul. If that really is the case, it's extremely shocking a deal didn't get done.

I think Smyth must have thought Kevin Lowe was bluffing. He did not seem like a guy who truly believed that there was any chance he could be traded. I just can't believe they didn't meet in the middle. A guy like Darcy Tucker, who isn't even from Toronto, gave the Leafs a discount in order to make sure he could stay here. Gotta love Darcy - thank you, Tucks! I'm surprised Alberta boy and cowboy extraordinaire Ryan Smyth didn't just give the Oilers a discount and get the deal done.

Smyth's farewell press conference was weak. He was clearly in way too emotional a state to be addressing the media, but it had to be done. He said something along the lines of "I want to win a Stanley Cup with New York, and then bring it back to Edmonton, because this is where my heart is." Who says that? I found that extremely odd. I mean, what would his new teammates think?

As for the trade, I think the Oilers got a great return for a rental player. Three first round draft picks is a steep price to pay for a rental. I guess the Islanders are desperately seeking credibility and a trip to the post-season, and it's a good deal for them in those regards. Smyth should be a great acquisition and get them into the playoffs. It's just going to be weird seeing him in the ugly Islanders uniform.

As for his future, I can see him going back to Edmonton. I think the chances of him stayin on the Island are slim to none.

I've got to give Kevin Lowe some credit. He doesn't put any player above the franchise. He made a ruthless decision to trade Smyth, and knew the backlash it would cause. But he's a man of principal, and he truly believes in what he's doing. He's got a couple of huge balls to pull a deal like that off.

It's just got to be rough to be an Oilers fan, eh? I thought us Leafs fans had it bad. First, you lose game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Then you watch as the team trades all-world defenseman Chris Pronger. And now Ryan Smyth. Ouch. Must be rough!

But I say screw the Oilers. I don't care about their problems. Ryan Smyth would look great in a Maple Leafs jersey. The Leafs should have a contract printed out for him by now, ready to hand to him at the stroke of midnight on July 1st.

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Big win by the Raptors tonight against T-Mac and the Rockets in Houston. The Raps shot 60% in the first half and dominated the best defensive team in the NBA. The scoring was extremely balanced, and Kris Humphries finished with 16 points, on 7 of 7 shooting, with 6 boards and 2 dimes. The Hump brought it tonight.

Bargnani led the Raptors with 20 points and just keeps getting better and better.
I thank the Lord above each and every night for the Raptors. They make the Leafs struggles easier to swallow.

Like I said, I'm done bitching about the Leafs. I've got the Raptors and Jays to worry about. I'm at peace with the Leafs' season, and the fact that it will come to an end without a trip to the playoffs. The dream is dead, until next September, when I'll go through it all over again.

Goodnight, Toronto...

The All-Snooze Game

I don't know about you, but I was actually looking forward to this year's NHL All-Star game. I guess I bought into the hype - Crosby, Ovechkin, the new jerseys. About 10 minutes into the first period, with the score already 3-1, I realized the All-Star game is the antithesis of what hockey is all about.

I love saying antithesis.

Hockey is a game of passion, emotion and determination. The All-Star game embodies none of that. I just couldn't really get into it, and subsequently, couldn't watch it. I was hoping to see some fireworks after hearing that Ovechkin and Crosby - the boy wonder's and the face of the "New NHL" - would be playing together on the same line. But the NHL All-Star game isn't like the NBA All-Star game, where men's are dropping ridiculous dunks and alley-oops. It's still hockey, and it's still played on ice, so there aren't many opportunities to get the people out of their seats with jaw-dropping moves.

You know what I'm talking about. Everyone loves watching the NBA All-Star festivities. The reactions of players in street clothes watching the dunk contest is worth it alone. I'll never forget Shaq the year Vince Carter - aka The Ungrateful Whore - won the slam dunk contest. His jaw was on the floor and his arms were spread out, and he's got the wingspan of, well, a 7-foot black man. Quite huge.

Wait a second. The Shaq-phone just came to mind. Does anyone remember that phone he had? The one that was built like one of his shoes. It was massive! Got to love Shaq - what a character.

Back to hockey. Now don't get me wrong - there were a number of great plays in tonight's hockey game. Some great passes and goals. But its clear that none of the players are excited and that nobody is taking the game seriously. Goalies are smiling after being scored on, and it's just weird to watch.

The All-Star game also seems to bring out the Tomas Kaberle in everyone - nobody ever wants to shoot. Guys are passing on breakaways and two on zero's. It's ridiculous.

I just can't watch hockey like that. No passion, no emotion, no physical play. Nothing. Now I know my main man Tomas Kaberle isn't exactly the most physical defender out there, but I swear he moved out of the way and just let Joe Thornton pass him on a rush in the first period. He might as well have given him a little push as he went by.

I know - it's only one game, so I shouldn't be bitching about it. It's for the fans. As much as I hate the All-Star game, it definitely has to be done. The NHL is in dire need of publicity and awareness and if the All-Star game helps get the word out about the game down south, it's not just a must, but a priority.

And in fine marketing fashion, the game was on a Wednesday night, in primetime, and none of the major networks in the USA picked up the game.

In the end, it was a 12-9 final in favour of the Western Conference. Briere, the fist-pumping little prick from the Sabres was named MVP with 5 points. Joe Sakic racked up 4 points, and is the All-Star game's all-time leading scorer. Another accomplishment in what has been a phenomenal career.

Twenty-one goals were scored tonight, yet the game didn't interest me a bit.

I've got one question - how long is the phrase "New NHL" going to be used? Is it still going to be the "New NHL" two years from now?

Shoutout to Tomas Kaberle - the lone representative of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the All-Star game. That's my boy!

And another shoutout to Yanic Perreault, the former Maple Leaf. He didn't have a job in October. Nobody wanted him. He had a solid season for Nashville last year and is always at the top of the league when it comes to faceoff percentage, yet no one would offer him a contract. Phoenix came calling and he signed a one-year deal for less than a million bucks. Now he's an all-star for the first time in his career. He would have been a good fit on the Leafs. But this organization would rather go the Matt Stajan route. Good call.

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The All-Snooze game gave me a chance to check out the second half of the Raptors game. The New Orleans/Oklahama City (which one is it, really?) Hornets were in town. The Raptors came out on top in the end, 90-88, but this was a game the Raptors of old would certainly have lost. The Raps trailed all game, and were down by 15, I believe, in the 4th quarter, before they went on a clutch run to steal the game. The Hornets, missing all-world point guard Chris Paul, seemed to be in control the whole night, and were poised to hand the Raps a demoralizing loss on their home court.

But Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon didn't let it happen. No sir, not in our house.

HUGE props out to those two guys. They were outstanding, especially in the final seven minutes of the game.

Like I said, the Raps of old would have lost this game. It would go down as a standard Raps loss, in which they underestimated their opponent and lost a game they most certainly should have won.

But these aren't last year's Raptors - and we should all be thanking the heavens, or Bryan Colangelo, for that. Colangelo's like an Angel. God sent him here to fix the mess left behind by a number of jackasses that have come and gone through the Raptor organization - Isiah Thomas, Vince Carter, Rob Babcock (the biggest jackass of all), Rafael Araujo, Yogi Stewart, Kevin O'Neill, and I could go on and on and on and on.

Games like tonight are the ones that build team character and team greatness. When you can win a ball game on a night when you're not really the best team on the floor, it says a lot about you. The good teams win games they have no business winning. The Raps did that tonight. The Hornets, a young team that isn't very good on the road, simply couldn't close the deal.

No TJ Ford or Andrea Bargnani tonight. Ford's ankle is a problem, and he's been shut down like Bosh was earlier in the season. Bargnani was dealing with flu-like symptoms, so he sat out the contest.

Looks like Ford's going to be out a while. "This Ford is Stalled" - that was the title of an article in The Star the other day. Brought back good old memories of my first car, a 91 Ford Tempo. Good times. May she rest in peace.

Calderon started his second straight game in Ford's absence. And Calderon was solid, once again. He seems like a completely different player this year compared to last. He's very intense and has a lot more confidence in his jump shot. He's a pass first point guard but if the pass isn't there, he's taking the jumper and making it, or driving to the lane. He gave the Raps their first lead tonight, late in the game, on a nice drive to the hoop when nobody expected it. You've just got to like that.

Bosh was his usual self. 35 points, 7 boards and 4 dimes. What can I say? We're lucky to have him. CB4, straight outta locash.

I'm lovin the Raptors. Colangelo, you're a genius! It's time to head out to the ACC and support the boys in red and white. My buddy 40 said the Raps are the most exciting team to be playing out of The Hangar in a few years, and I couldn't agree more.

So lets get out there and support our Raptors, my friends. I know I'm going to. They deserve it.

Goodnight, Toronto...