Mayday!

It is a new low point as a Leafs fan. Last night, I was mocked at Phillips Arena by the fans of the lowly Thrashers. Yes folks, forget about the Habs, Sens, or any O6 teams, we are being laughed even out of the dirty south. Suffice to say, it was a long walk of shame home on a frigid night in Atlanta, one that couldn't even be warmed by standing alongside those in Domi, Mogilny, Potvin, and even good ol' Gary Valk jerseys.

Things started out well. 3-0 after the first, although only on 9 shots and with some nice bounces to boot. But the pace and quality of the game mirrored that of two of the NHL's worst teams. Even my girlfriend, who has never been to a live hockey game before asked me "Is hockey always this slow? I thought it'd be hard to keep up with." She clearly hasn't watched enough Leafs games lately. Unfortunately, I have and was not too optimistic, even with the 3 goal lead. Over the next 2 periods and overtime, the Leafs managed a whopping 8 shots on net against the powerhouse Thrasher defence. Pathetic. I've seen more scoring opportunities at a Weight Watchers convention.

When the pesky Thrashers sent the game to overtime (on an absolutley terrible move by Toskala), it was painfully obvious that this game wasn't going to a shootout and it wasn't going to be the Leafs who ended it. I considered leaving early to avoid the humiliation but at this point, we are all going down with the ship and playing the "We want Tavares" card anyways. Still, those Thrasher fans didn't have to barade me with "Leafs Suck" chants all the way out. We know guys, we know.

One additional piece of commentary from the girlfriend. We watched the skatearound before the game and the only player she remembered later was Brad May. She quipped, "That guy is ancient. He's probably been on this team forever!" Um, nope, we just traded a draft pick for him a few weeks ago. It's not like we're rebuilding or anything. Doh! However, he prolly was one of the best Leafs players out there last night, which is sad in itself. Mayday!

The Art of Tanking

So, I finally decided to look up the Leafs record, since after watching the Juniors, I am totally obsessed with the idea that JT NEEDS TO BE A LEAF. He is destined to be the Leaf messiah, and only Gary Bettman's hatred of Canada prevents that. Anyway, Richie pointed out that the Leafs are actually kind of close to a playoff spot, so their tanking wouldn't be as potent. BUT, I looked it up today, and the Leafs only have 6 more wins than the Lightening. Admittedly, i don't know much about hockey standings, but 6 games doesn't seem like that big of a lead. I think if Burke gets it together and starts shipping everyone out of town en masse, Tavares is still a possibility. Think positive thoughts, and hope against hope that JT will lead our lowly Leafs out from the wilderness (btw, anyone who watched the Juniors, and isn't convinced that the Leafs should do everything they can to throw enough games to get the chosen one, just isn't a true Leafs fan).

I have also read a several Raptors fan posts that our beloved Dinos should really start to give up on the season. Now, I am all for getting high draft picks, but unfortunately the Raptors are just too "good" (I use this term lightly) to get the top spot in the draft*. Oklahoma is historically bad, I mean, they are on pace to be the WORST TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA. Seriously, they have won 4 games this ENTIRE season. The Raptors would actually have to shut everyone on their roster down to reach the same levels of incompetence as the Thunder, and we are talking about a team that employs Will Soloman as their backup PG. On top of that, this year's draft class looks like it might be one of the worst classes in the history of basketball. Did you know that Blake Griffen is widely considered to be the #1 pick in the draft. Did you also know that Blake Griffen is Kris Humphries with a slightly better J? Seriously, watching NCAA basketball this year makes me want to claw my eyes out. This isn't just going to be a weak draft, its going to be historically shitty. So I am definitely off the tank the season for a high pick bandwagon when it comes to the Raptors.

Now a much more realistic scenario is to trade JO for a guy like Matrix, so that they can free up their cap space one year sonner than 2010. What would getting a cap injection of $32 million (Matrix + AP + Garbo + Joey) mean for the Raptors? It would mean that we would own this summer's free agent market (especially now that Memphis seems determined to stick up Portland's ass and play Darius Miles in 10 games, you go Chris Wallace!). Getting rid of JO also let's the Raptors embrace a potential 2nd unit where Hump is the C, Joey is the 4, and Roko is the point guard! Scary? Definitely, but personally I would LOVE to watch it.

Either way, its clear that neither the Raptors nor the Leafs are going to do anything this year, but I think the paths back towards to prominence for each are DRASTICALLY different.

*as an interesting aside, when the Raptors have hit rock bottom in the past, they have had exceptional luck in winning or getting close to the top of the lottery. The Raptors have won the lottery twice (once was the Camby year when David Stern proved once again that he hates us, and took away the pick, and of course the Barney year, ugh), and have had two top 5 picks turn into superstars (VC and Bosh). In 12 years of existence the Raptors have drafted in the top 4, 4 times, and drafted in the top 7 twice. Ironically, the other 6 drafts that the Raptors have had, they were playoff teams. Clearly, the Raptors know that when you suck, it pays to suck huge!

...annnnd we're back, with a few musings on hockey.

Happy New Year!

As a result of the holiday season, its been a few weeks since we've posted here at TPTFUA. Our sincerest apologies, but we trust your lives went on without too much disturbance.

I won't bother recapping all that's occurred over the past few weeks, including the usual up-and-down performance of this year's Leafs squad, and the same results from the Raps. But
I do want to start out by sending a very hearty congratulations to all of the kids (and staff) on Team Canada for their 5th consecutive gold medal at the World Junior Championships. This is a tourney I have always enjoyed watching, as it has produced some incredible play - and players. Plus, its always a sign of the holiday season - and is a winning team that us Toronto fans can actually be a part of.

As an aside, I actually got to watch big chunks of this year's tourney from the US thanks to the creation of the NHL Network (and thanks to DirectTV which actually airs the NHL Network). The NHL Network carried TSN's feed (and some of their own content) of the games, so it felt like I was back "home."

Now, to all those people who thought that the Leafs' potential strategy of tanking this season in order to get John Tavares was a bad idea, I hope you watched even a little of the tourney. He ended up as the second highest point scorer in the tourney and as the MVP. He played a key role in a bunch of games, including the game vs. USA where he scored this goal (watch the first 55 seconds for the goal and the replay):



All I could think the entire time is that he would look awesome in a Leafs jersey, especially given that he's from Oakville, and how shitty its going to feel if he pulls on an Islanders, Atlanta or, worse, Ottawa jersey next year. Here's to hoping Burkie can work some of that alleged magic.

Finally, two staples of the TML defense over the past few years are back at the ACC tonight. For the squad in blue and white, Luke Schenn is coming back from injury to patrol the blue line while, on the other side of the puck, Bryan McCabe makes his first return as a visitor with his new squad, the Panthers. How will you treat him tonight? Oh, and Sundin is getting set to debut with the Canucks soon, maybe even this week.

There's a lot to get caught up on in the coming weeks, and while posting may be sporadic as we adjust to a new year and all the challenges it brings, we hope you'll stay with us in 2009.

The 'Stache Strikes Again

"Men always talk about the most important things to perfect strangers. In the perfect stranger we perceive man himself; the image of a God is not disguised by resemblances to an uncle or doubts of wisdom of a mustache."

--Gilbert K. Chesterton

It may not have been strong, and it certainly wasn't pretty, but it went in. Ian White's not-so-twisted wrister got thrown on the Buffalo net with about 8 mins left in the game and somehow, miraculously, found its way to the back of the twine. Yes, the PK unit did a hell of a job with the game on the line. Yes, Vesa came up big, despite our constant harping on him. Yes, Jeremy Williams continued his strong play since being called up by scoring the game's opener. And yes, Van Ryn came back and played a solid 19+ minutes, with 4 SOG and a stable +1. However, what I'll remember about this relatively nondescript game was that it signaled the continued resurgence of the man with the best looking mustache since Wendel Clarke donned the Blue and White. A good win for the Leafs against not a great team, but a potentially dangerous one, and one that is currently in a playoff spot.

I'm driving up to LA for the weekend to brave the mid-50 degree weather. Hope you all get outside and enjoy a rare weekend without the Leafs on HNIC. Even those of you with exams. I'll check back in next week. Go Leafs Go.

Kaberle's Future

The Internets are abuzz today with talk of the Leafs dismal performance against the Sharks and Coyotes, but also, more dramatically, Wilson's benching of Kaberle for the whole first period last night.

Our good buddy Eyebleaf is pissed off by the move, and even went so far as to say that he's "off" Wilson because of it. While our not-so-good buddy Cox took it so far as to say that "...the gauntlet has been laid down. And Kaberle, it's clear, is in his final weeks as a Maple Leaf."

Woah, easy on the brakes, Champ!

Thankfully, though, DGB brings some much needed levelheadedness to this issue by telling us all to calm down, and assuring us that Kaberle's trade value isn't necessarily in a freefall because of recent events.

I want to take that line of thinking even further though, and contend that its premature to say that just because Kaberle got stapled to the bench last night automatically means he's gone. As has been mentioned, Wilson really only has a few tools at his disposal to deal with players. He either skates them at practice, calls them out in the media, benches them during a game or sends them to the press box. That's really about it, and Wilson has used 3/4 of those against Kabs - with the 4th still at his disposal. I couldn't agree more that he's not playing well right now, that he probably could use a trip to the press box, and of course that he screwed the team over by refusing to be traded to Philly last year. However, all of that doesn't mean a) he's going to waive his NTC now and/or b) that Burke is even going to ask him to waive it, so that he can package him up and ship him out ASAP. Remember, Wilson and Patrick Marleau didn't get along swimmingly in SJ, yet Marleau is still employed in that town... and Wilson isn't. Kaberle is merely the latest vet to be on the receiving end of Wilson's tough-as-nails approach. And I guarantee he won't be the last.

Kabs is in a funk, but he's still a highly talented player with a skillset that is valuable to this club... and many others. Ask yourself: would you rather see Finger running the PP? If the goal is to tank this season and make a run at a top pick - then maybe he's on his way out. Or, of course, if the goal is to move him for a younger, up-and-comer (or picks), then he's on his way out. But I don't think this team will - or should - trade him just for the sake of it. Or that Kabs is any closer to letting them trade him.

Deciphering the Burkian Code

Tex and I have worked long and hard to put together this thorough state of the roster address as it relates to the early remarks of Brian Burke. Then Damien Cox comes along and engages in a similar project and steals our thunder on his blog. Life's a bitch eh? Nonetheless, we will proceed with the second part of our article analyzing the upcoming future of the Leafs - hopefully with more style and substance than the "Cox Block" specialist that the Barilkosphere is well aware of. I'm not even going to post a link to it I'm so disheartened.

Since Burke is a ‘shoot from the hip’ type of GM, we believe you can learn more from his remarks than a PR wizard like Brian Colangelo who soothes us with comforting yet bland statements, or a jackass like JP Ricciardi who tries to keep our hopes and dreams in the cellar by bombarding us with pessimism.

So when Toronto’s Burkian Revolution evolves into a proper ‘reign of terror’ come January, who will be the first to meet the guillotine? Based on a few of his quotes, we think we have come up with a basic criteria to help us make well-educated guesses on who stays and goes. It is our modest attempt to decipher the Burkian code. Actually wait, fuck modest, our code-cracking speculation is so sophisticated it makes Dan Brown and his Da Vinci Code look like Marty York. Let’s begin…

SECTION I - FORWARDS

Burke said on the weekend, “The bottom six forwards are expected to fill and perform hard-hat functions, the plumber's function. The other guys (ie the top six forwards), maybe they're the guys sitting on top of the float in the parade. These are the guys that keep the engine running.”

It seems his vision is to construct the forward unit with a symmetrical vision of six muckers to go with six snipers. This theoretically create a cohesive whole amongst the forwards without any confusion about roles. The “Plumbers / Muckers” put in the blue collar work required to wear down opponents and provide the safety and open ice necessary for the “Guys on the Float in the Parade / Snipers” to score goals.

But as we know, not everyone who wants to sit on the float in the parade can have a spot. Who are the most likely to keep their jobs as “Top 6” or “Bottom 6” players in either of Burke’s categories? Time to separate the wheat from the chaff…

Fancy Boys on the Float in the Parade (Vying for the Top 6)

Revving the engine: Nik Antropov, Niklas Hagman, Mikhail Grabovski and possibly Nikolai Kulemin.

Frosted tips and a popped collar: Matt Stajan, Lee Stempniak, Jason Blake and Alexei Ponikarovsky.

As we see it, those “Revving the Engine” of the parade float have a decent shot to stick around under Burke based on their inherent talents. Meanwhile their wannabe “Frosted Tips and a Popped Collar” teammates have a super chance to be traded at any moment – maybe even this week. Stempniak is the one exception in the latter category because of the fact he only just arrived. We also have a sneaking suspicion that Antropov may be on his way out as well, but not because he lacks in talent. That possibility will be dealt with further down.

The Plumbers (Scrapping for the Bottom 6)

Can lay pipe: Dominic Moore and John Mitchell

Not likely to unclog my toilet: Jamal Mayers and Ryan Hollweg

Currently in college trying to get certified plumber status: Andre Devaux

Moore and Mitchell have both been very solid players for the Leafs this year and are the kind of teammates you want on your side when going into battle. Hollweg is a giant douchebag liability and needs to be disposed of. Meanwhile, Devaux is an unknown commodity at this point in time.

I expect that after seeing the Leafs get physically abused by the Sharks that Burke will be looking to bring in some new reinforcement Plumbers as soon as possible to try to turn around the team toughness and culture.

SECTION II – DEFENSEMEN

Likewise for the defense, Burke requires complimentary skillsets. Those designated for fighting duty will not likely be manning the point on the powerplay. Pretty basic, simple enough. In addition to this, all we need is to look to the past to see the aggressive manoeuvres he has made to acquire the likes of all-world defensemen Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer to lead his teams on both ends of the ice. It does not appear any present Leafs will ever fit into that category. Will Burke be able to acquire one?

What do we have in the cupboard presently?

Luke Richardson on ‘roids: Luke Schenn

The Spirit of Salming: Tomas Kaberle

Oh so tradable – if only: Pavel Kubina

The Aki Berg Club: Ian White, Jeff Finger, Mike Van Ryn, Anton Stralman, Jonas Frogren.

The defenseman are a bit harder to decipher who plays what role. We know Shenn is a keeper and the foundation for the future, but any of the rest could have a one way ticket to somewhere other than Toronto pretty soon. There is an argument to be made for trading Kaberle and/or Kubina if you could get them to agree to waive their no-trade clause and grab a top draft pick. As much as we all love Kaberle, his skillset is in serious demand and he could be worth a lot on the market. Kubina as well – only to a lesser extent.

Ian White should be retained based solely on his mustache and the recent Finger signing implies he will stay a while longer. As for the rest… they could easily find themselves getting a similar phonecall to the one Carlo Colaiacovo received a couple weeks back.

SECTION III – GOALTENDING

Possibly the most difficult move to evaluate is the goalkeeper. To trade or not to trade Vesa Toskala? That is the question Burke must answer. When posing such a quandary to the Barilkosphere heavyweights the Pension Plan Puppets on Tuesday morning it seems the jury is hung. If he can maintain his recent hot streak his trade value will soar – which would be a great time to trade him says the “sell high” mentality. If he stinks it up, the Leafs should logically keep him for next year as there is no backup ready to take his place. You gotta love it. If he’e good, unload him – if he sucks, keep him! Yet it does make perfect sense in Leafsnation. Not all is as it seems when cracking the Burkian code.

So if Burke does sell high, then the question becomes who takes Toskala’s place? Cujo is lucky if his knees can hold up for one game a week. Pogge is surely not ready for the crucible of the Toronto hockey media. I implore the Leafs not to toss him in the cauldron like Allan Bester had to suffer through. The “catch 22” of the Toskala quandary provides no easy answer.

But let’s come up with one anyhow. Sometimes you just have to put your balls on the table, so here we go... Trade Toskala. Problem solved. That was cathartic.

SECTION IV – THE “SIGNATURE MOVE”

This is what gets the fans riled up. The BIG TRADE. Does Burke have a mega-deal in the works as we speak? Something of the Leeman for Gilmour, plus half of each roster, style trade? This is where you separate the men from the boys because to be successful it requires trading top-end talent for elite talent. Pat Gillick’s master stroke of McGriff and Fernandez for Carter and Alomar is another fine example.

The rumours out there in Leafland are swirling around players like Boumeester and Nash. Let’s be serious, you don’t get these sorts of players by trading Jason Blake. It took Wendel to get Mats – as painful as that was. As Tex mentioned the other day, the Leafs do not currently have a leader on the ice in the wake of Sundin’s departure. How can the Leafs fill the void? Who is the commodity that could be swapped? I got my money on Antropov.

Conclusion:

We submit this to the Barilkosphere. Comments, questions, critiques, death threats and wisecracks are encouraged. Has this state of the roster address in any way helped to decipher the GM codes that Burke spoke in? Have we resolved the dialectical forces of Leafland and thus ended history? Or should our crystal ball be smashed and defecated on? Have our heavy handed gropes in the dark led to awkward moments and a general lack of satisfaction? Worst of all, has Damien Cox made us his bitch?

Leafs 3, Kings 1 - In Words

So by now you know that I attended last night's game in LA. This was my first chance to see our new-look Leafs up close and in person. I've seen them on TV and watched the highlights on the net all season long, but of course seeing the team live and in person is a whole new experience.

Apologies to those who've followed them that way all season long, but I've got some thoughts on the game and the team more generally:

1. The game was BOR-ing for the first two periods. Not a lot of back and forth. Not a ton of hitting. 1 goal. And generally sloppy play. Shows the effects of an east coast team going west.

2. I love Grabs. His flowing mane, his speed, his flowing mane. From the Department of Redundancy Department: I think he was a steal. Burke mentioned him by name in one of his interviews on Saturday and I can see why. On a team that is lacking in a lot of areas, he could definitely be one of those "top 6" forwards that Burke wants so badly. Plus, he impressed by picking up a power play game winner. Atta boy.

3. Nothing the Kings did really impressed me. They have a few bright young stars, but for a team that's been "developing" for several years now, they just didn't do it for me. The Leafs came out and played lifelessly for the first 2 periods, and yet the Kings still couldn't capitalize (with the exception of course being their score on their first shot of the game). I sure as hell hope that the Leafs build-from-scratch effort looks more like the Penguins than the Kings 2-3 years from now.

4. Ian White. During a 4-on-3 PK (I think) that could have broken the Leafs' back, Wilson threw White and Schenn out there together. I've seen him have that kind of confidence in these youngsters before, but man its different seeing it in person. While I love Schenn, White was the key guy on that shift, singlehandedly saving a goal from going in. His stat line was a simple: 0 goals, 0 assists, even +/-, 1 SOG, and yet he was the first star of the game, in the enemy's arena. He threw hits and generally appeared to be all over the ice. I do not believe he is a front line, long term solution for this team, but benching him during the first part of the season obviously lit a fire that is still burning in him.

Ahh, who the hell am I kidding?!? Its all because of his 'stache!

5. This team lacks a go-to guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe you already knew that. But when you see this team in person, it becomes glaringly obvious. Back in the day (if his mood was right that night), you could count on Mats to start taking over a game (in the way that he used to do it, not the way a guy like Ovechkin does it). While our guys did come back and win, the reality is that there was no one who inspired the kind of confidence that Mats used to. Maybe I've been denial about it all season, and seeing the team without him for the first time was like seeing an ex-girlfriend who you never quite got over, but man I missed Mats last night. Maybe Brophy was just speculating, but we need a big time player like Nash. Badly. In fact, we need one so badly that we'll delve into some trade thoughts in another post.

6. Vesa. It was a tense final 10 minutes as the Leafs clung to a 1 goal lead, with the Kings pressuring, throwing a ton of shots his way and crashing the net. The thousands of Leafs fans in attendance were chanting "Go Leafs Go" and Vesa stood in there. Hats off to the guy. Yesterday I predicted an ass-whooping up in tonight's game vs. SJ. However, if Vesa can play like that against his old club, our guys stand a chance. Its too early to say if he's found "it," but play like that makes you confident for the long term prospects of him in the Leafs net.

So there you have it - my thoughts on last night. And yes, to those who've asked, that was my wife and I on Leafs TV last night waving to the camera (her in a pink jersey). Thanks for all the texts, calls and facebooks messages about it!

Calling All West Coast Leafs Fans

First off, my sincerest apologies to the reader(s) of this blog. Due to some recent demands on the job front, this blog has been pretty Raptor-heavy lately, to the detriment of our Leafs content and status in the Barilkosphere. However, The Passion is coming back strong over the next few weeks. I promise.

And man alive, what a way to come back. A new player. A surly new GM. A West Coast road trip. And rampant, unsubstantiated trade rumors! Are there any other kind worth reading? Let me go way out on a limb here and say, for the record, that I would support the acquisition of either Nash or Boumeester. Ground breaking blogging going on here, I know.

Anyways, I'm attending tonight's game against the Kings and tomorrow morning I'll be bringing you a full recap of the contest, complete with a full photo essay. I went to the Leafs-Kings game last year and Leafs jerseys outnumbered Kings by 2:1 (while Kings goals outnumbered Leaf goals by 3:1. Ugh).

In fact, I even added Grabs to my fantasy hockey team for tonight - just to give me a little something extra to cheer for. I'll also be wearing my Sundin jersey (as opposed to my Owen Nolan jersey - another stellar jersey choice by yours truly) while my wife wears her pink Leafs jersey (not pictured to the right). No I didn't buy it for her. Yes I make fun of her for wearing it.

Oh, and for the heck of it, a few predictions about this week's west coast extravaganza:

vs. LA: 4-3 win
vs. SJ - 5-1 loss
vs. PHX - 3-2 win

Anyone else attending tonight's festivities should feel free to e-mail me, we can meet up and you can buy me a beer. I'm in Section 108, Row 7.

Go Leafs Go.

Time to Plan the Parade!

Ok, ok, ok, I know there are few "jokes" that bother us in the Barilkosphere more than those stupid "plan the parade" ones, but I had to get you to click on the link to this article somehow.

The truth is, today actually does mark an important date. If the NHL season ended today (only 17 games in!) your Toronto Maple Leafs would make the playoffs with the #8 seed, which is a testament to how Ron Wilson has this young club playing - and which is far more than we can say about the Leafs teams of the past few years.

A lot has already been written about last night's win against the Oilers, and I don't want to be overly repetitive except to say that it was a big win - on the road, in the Oilers' barn, and coming after a loss in Calgary. This team is making some very impressive strides. Stajan continues to improve and impress (Archimedes points out that he's actually 25th in the league in scoring), Ian White is rocking Wendel Clarke's old 'stache and even Jason Blake showed up last night looking like he might actually still want to play hockey at the NHL level.

Of course, the Burke speculation is going to continue until he signs on the dotted line in TO and holds his first press conference... at which point the speculation will switch to "what's he going to do now?" It is an important question though because despite the graphic above, I continue to believe that this team needs to stay focused on the long haul and not be swayed by the lure of making a late season acquisition for the sole purpose of making a run this year. If you can get a guy who fits into the long term building plan - obviously do it. But no more abusing cap space and trading picks for short term rentals. I hope you're reading this, Mr. Burke.

As noted, I am impressed with this team, but I also think we're still a long way away from going into a seven game series as the 8 seed vs. PIT or MTL and being able to win it. Even still, its increasingly looking like Burke is walking into a pretty good situation. Fletecher has done most of the grocery shopping and Ron is helping to set the table. Its time for Burke to come home with the final ingredients and put this baby together over the next few years.

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UPDATE: Let's all wish Smokey a very Happy Birthday!

Crank up the Rumor Mill...

and let the frantic speculation begin!

Brian Burke is out as GM of the Anaheim Ducks and Bob Murray, who has been with the Ducks in an executive capacity since '99, will replace him.

Does this mean he's headed to the Leafs? No, not necessarily. In fact some have even linked him to the Bruins. However, despite everyone's constant denials that a deal was on the table for Burke in TO, the fact is that this whole thing is all playing out according to the script many predicted a long time ago. And I, for one, would welcome Burke as my new hockey overlord.

Is Age (Young or Old) Really That Important Anymore? And other ruminations on the Leafs...

Cliff Fletcher is 78 years old and working his blackberry like crazy while doing a job designed for men much younger, with much less need for rest. Luke Schenn is 19 years old - and at an age when most of his peers are playing beer league hockey or just plain drinking beers in college, Luke is competing every night for one of the most storied franchises in professional sports.

First, my apologies to Cliff Fletcher. We have, admittedly, referred to him as "Grandpa Cliffy" around these parts in a derogatory manner based on our summertime belief that he was not what this club needed in the post-lockout era. However, seeing as how I write on this blog anonymously, and that my wife doesn't read it, I can admit to being wrong on occasion. In fact, given the club that Cliff has assembled so far, and how he and Ronnie have these guys playing over the first few weeks, I may just continue to use that term, but in an affectionate way.

We also all know about the ascension of Our Luke and Savior to the ranks of the top 4 dmen on the club. So with that said I ask the question: does age really matter anymore?

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During the summer, I was firmly on board with the "tanking" strategy. In fact, I thought the current squad was largely devoid of legit NHL'ers and that this team - with a few exceptions - would struggle to compete against even the bottom dwellers of the big leagues. With Ron Wilson's patience and preaching, this team is proving me - and c'mon admit it, a lot of you - wrong. Plus, as the Celtics proved with their tank job during the Oden/Durant sweepstakes, tanking a season doesn't always land you the #1 pick. Plus, as Mike Brophy alludes to, the distinct lack of depth in this draft after the first and second spots (some combo of Tavares and Victor Hedman) makes tanking a risky strategy this year if you do happen to miss out on those top two guys.

Now, I point you to Cliff's recent comments in a Sportsnet interview that "we are not about to go and get any short-term help to get us into the playoffs," and ask the question: Why not? Would you rather finish the season with the current group and have the #13 or 14 pick in the draft - or would you rather make a playoff appearance for the first time in years and have a slightly lower pick in an admittedly weak draft class?

Naturally, I'm sure most of you readers are out there yelling: "I agree with Cliff! Of course we shouldn't leverage the good thing we've got going just for a short term rental! Those days are dead!" However, let's consider a scenario that most of us couldn't imagine 5 minutes before the puck dropped in Detroit on opening night: what if this team is juuuuuuust good enough to sneak into that #8 playoff spot? Are we going to be able to keep that level-headed calmness during a spring time playoff push and continue to argue that Gramps (there I go again) stay put and do what's in the best interest of the long term future of the club? Even with the perceived dearth of talent in this year's draft class AND with all that cap space we've got?

I continue to vote for the long term build, but have a feeling I'll be reading plenty of "Trade for Gabby!" and "Trade for Kovy!" postings in the Barilkosphere come trade deadline time.

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In that same interview, Fletcher says there isn't much action on the trade front right now. That shouldn't come as a surprise to those who've been reading the blog entries by former NY Rangers GM Neil Smith, who is doing some guest blogging duties over at the very good Torontosportsmedia blog. Smith says that at this point in time, GMs of all teams - rebuilding or contending - are going through the process of evaluating the players on their own rosters to determine who they believe is going to contribute this year and in the years ahead. When Gramps does make the inevitable move - whether it be White, Carlo or whoever else - it'll show us what the club thinks of those guys.

The Leafs and Obama: Work To Do

By now you all know the big story of the night... the Leafs lost 5-4 to the 'Canes in OT, after attempting, again, to be the comeback kids.

Kidding, obviously. The big story was, of course, the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. To those who think politics has no place on a Toronto-based sports blog: get over yourselves. Elections alone are big news that happen only once every 4 years, and this one in particular was a monumental event. Plus, the reality is that no matter where you live, you are affected in some way or another by the USA. So deal with it.

Now, in keeping with my metaphor, much like President-Elect Barrack Obama's upcoming challenges, the Leafs have got a lot of work to do. While the offense has been clicking, there are a few areas of the club that need some attention:

1) Defence
With a strong goalie in Vesa Toskala, a stable of young and capable d-men and Ron Wilson's system, defense was supposed to be the hallmark of this Leafs team. Unfortunately though, they have given up 18 goals in the past 4 games. Yikes. That's an ugly stat. As pointed out by Cox today, the Leafs "started out the year in the top half of the league defensively but is now tied with Atlanta for the most goals given up (46) by any team in the Eastern Conference." They can't expect to be keep that up and continue to be competitive in games. The offense will, inevitably, go through stretches of drought and the defence will have to carry them. Captain Ron and his crew need to hit the film room and practice ice with a new determination over the coming weeks to tighten up the leaks.

2) Keep Developing the Youngsters
The play of Borat has been borderline spectacular over the early part of this season, and the addition of Hagman has been a revelation. However, the focus can't come off the youngsters. While Stajan and Poni have had their moments, Schenn continues to be steady and Grabovski currently leads the team in goals, we can't forget that Steen continues to disappoint, Kulemin has a long way to go before being able to perform to his full abilities night after night, and Tlutsy was assigned to the AHL. All these guys need to keep seeing the ice night after night and Ron & Co. need to keep working their magic during practice, as well as keeping the kids focused for the long haul. (Note: I still think a vet like Shanny would be a good add if we could get him on a 1 year deal at a decent price. Jason Blake sucks ass and is obviously not providing the kind of on-ice leadership this team needs.)

3) Make a Trade
As noted above, we've got a log jam on the blue line. We can't continue sitting guys like Ian White and Carlo in the press box night after night. While the prospect of being benched is a nice carrot/stick motivator for Wilson, its a waste of resources to sit all those guys on a nightly basis and certainly not helping their development. Grandpa Cliffy has got to swing a deal for a forward who can be a part of this club for the long haul. Obviously Kovalchuk would be an incredible add - but I have no faith in that happening with the parts we have to deal. Next move is yours, Gramps.

4) Forget about Sundin
He's in SoCal right now looking at the Ducks, 'Nucks and even Kings. I can't blame him entirely for wanting to live in a nice climate with no focus on hockey. He gave us his best years and the decision is his to make. Let's all just move on.

---


DISCLAIMER: The following is a rant about U.S. politics and journalism. Turn away now - or rip me in the comments - if you think it has no place on this site.

How about this piece of crap from the Wall St. Journal (a paper I admittedly subscribe to for business news), which goes on to spew about the "disgraceful" treatment current President Bush has received over the past few years. The author's main contention seems to be that simply saying that you're going to be bipartisan, and acknowledging that you'll need the support of all Americans, means you somehow were bipartisan and should somehow be immune from that criticism?!? I think that an illegal and unjustified war, keeping prisoners locked away in Gitmo with no due process rights, torturing other prisoners, conducting warrant-less wire-tapping of your own citizens, politicizing the Justice Dept, overseeing an economic collapse of monumental proportions, etc. etc. etc. might make you deserving of most, if not all, of said treatment. What's been disgraceful is his two terms as President. End of rant.

An Open Letter to Leafs Fans

[In conjunction with the good people from the blogs listed below, we bring you the following. Read ahead]

Dear Most Valuable Losers:

Yesterday, continuing a long-standing trend, another Toronto reporter took a cheap shot at Leaf fans. This time it was Howard Berger who called us "losers" but we've seem the same cookie-cutter article from virtually everyone who covers the team.

Quite frankly, we've had enough.

As fans, we believe that those most deserving of our praise and our scorn are directly involved in the game, whether it's on the ice, in the press box or in the executive corridors. Fans don't pencil in the starting five, make bad trades, or write the headlines of the day and shouldn't be blamed (or praised) for the totals in the wins and loss column.

Hockey may be just a game but it's also a passion. If you're looking for passionate hockey coverage that offers insight and humour and you're sick of being blamed for supporting a team you're passionate about, you have a better option.

It's time to leave the media superstars behind. There's compelling, timely, wide-ranging content waiting just for you online in the Barilkosphere.

Many have found this better way of following the Leafs, but not every Leafs fan has been so lucky. Please send this message to your fellow Leaf fans via e-mail or postings on message boards and let them know that they do have a choice.

We hope you'll join us here in the Barilkosphere and become regular readers.

• Pension Plan Puppets
• Battle of Ontario
• Big Smoke Sports
• Bitter Leaf Fan
• Cox Bloc
• Die Hard Blue and White
• Down Goes Brown
• He Score, He Shoot!
• Just Your Usual General Borschevsky
• Leafs at Hockey Analysis
• Maple Leafs Hot Stove
• Old Guys in Blue and White
• The Passion That Frustrates Us All
• Repressed Optimism
• Sports and the City
• Toronto Sports Media
• Wonderful World of Loser Domi

How to Fix the Toronto Maple Leafs: Add a Second Team to TO (and Game 6 Recap)

"Of all human powers operating on the affairs of mankind, none is greater than that of competition."

-Henry Clay

Lots of talk yesterday about this article from Dave Shoalts in the Globe and Mail about an expansion NHL team in Toronto. [Update: interesting to see the Toronto Star trying to grab some of the publicity away from Shoalts by immediately putting out its own report that pours cold water all over what The Globe had to say.]

For those who missed it, Shoaltsy throws around a lot of interesting ideas. The basic premise is that "NHL governors are talking informally about placing a second hockey team in Toronto alongside the Maple Leafs." It mentions that the franchise could go to RIM founder Jim Balsillie, and the NHL could charge him a franchise fee of $700M (spitting up my drink as I laugh at that last part). The article also suggests that the idea of a team in Hamilton is DOA for two simple reasons: 1) that it would kill the Buffalo Sabres since Canadians wouldn't have to line up to cross the border for a hockey game; and 2) that a team from Hamilton wouldn't be a draw in U.S. arenas.

We all know this city could support another hockey team, and we can debate the likelihood of whether this really will happen all we want, but as I write this from my mother's basement the reality is that I have no inside info and can't bring you anything other than my uninformed opinion on that issue. BUT, what I can tell you however, is that if this did ultimately happen, the biggest winners in the whole thing would be us: the Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Talk about a novel idea.

A second team in Toronto, even if they were the worst in the league, would create instant competition with the Leafs. Plenty of long-suffering fans tired of their current hockey overlords would immediately jump ship, if for no other reason than to be contrarian (I'm guessing a few of the contributors to this blog would be among them). For too long the Leafs have had hockey fans by the balls. A new club (hopefully owned by an aggressive, potentially Cuban-like individual such as Balsillie) would give fans the ability to choose which team to root for, which team to go and see, which team's garb to buy and wear around town - and ultimately would give incredible leverage to the average fan. [NOTE: Take a moment to vote in the poll at the top of the sidebar to the right --->]

Going further, as the new club improved over time, advertisers and corporate sponsors would be drawn to the better product, whichever club that might be. The sell outs and huge corporate profits would no longer be simply guaranteed to MLSE. As competition began to increase, and profits began to disappear, it would force the suits to innovate. How, you ask? Well, for starters, they could hire a competent and capable GM (like Yzerman! Burke! Rutherford! the list goes on), could invest in scouting, and could put the club on a fast paced rebuilding project, similar to what was done in Philly. Ultimately, through increased competition, the fans would be rewarded with a better product on the ice. Imagine the embarrassment if that expansion club won the Cup before the Leafs? I think that kind of threat posed by a second team in Toronto would be enough incentive for MLSE to fix what we all know to be wrong, and to do so on an expedited basis.

Of course, that kind of competition is exactly why MLSE will fight tooth and nail to make sure this never happens, despite Peddie's assertion that MLSE wouldn't "automatically reject the idea...."

----

Game 6: Ducks 3, Leafs 2 (shootout)

As for last night's shootout loss at the hands of Gordon Bombay and the Ducks, what do you want me to say?

Our guys were in this thing right to the bitter end. In fact, it was more than that, they actually had a shot to win this thing by completely shutting down the Ducks in the 3rd and allowing NO shots on goal. None in 20+ minutes of play! Defense is supposed to be the hallmark of the team this year, and they showed up last night - lead by almost 30 minutes of ice time from Kaberle. Throw in Borat's 2 goals, including 1 with less than a minute left in the third to tie it, and Leafs faithful had reason to be hopeful. However, once again the shootout - the Achilles heal of the club last year - is proving to be more like a malignant tumor, as they've now already lost 3 of their 6 games in shootouts this year.

The worst part? Just when I start thinking the Leafs are going to give themselves a chance in the shootout by NOT sending stiffs like Kubina out there (Kulemin and Kaberle took the shots) - they instead outsmart themselves by yanking Vesa, pulling a stone cold old man Joseph off the bench (thereby interrupting his nap) and sending him out there to face Selanne and Perry. Uhhhhh, Ron? Suffice it to say, that was not your smartest coaching move ever. I know he was "playing the percentages," but let's try to put those percentages in context next time: a 40 year old goalie who's been sitting on the bench for 60+ minutes OR your starting goalie who hadn't given up a goal since the halfway mark of the 1st period. I think its now officially time to end EVERY SINGLE practice from here on out with a shootout. In fact, I think Gordon Bombay and Charlie Conway could show our guys how its done...



The bottom line is that we haven't won since the opener, and you better get used to it. This is a young team that's still learning how to play Wilson's system, let alone learning how to win close games. Losing in this manner is going to be a common theme this season, but on the bright side, just consider it putting us one step closer to winning the John Tavares lottery.

It Could Be Worse...

As you likely already know, the Chicago Blackhawks pulled a spin-o-rama last week and fired Denis Savard as their head coach. Apparently this upstart team has such a new outlook on life since the death of Bill Wirtz that they felt compelled to pull the trigger on Savard just 4 games into the 2008-2009 season. Another classic example of how NHL teams plow through coaches like fat chicks on a bag of chewy Chips Ahoy. Don't feel too bad for ol Denis though, as things could be worse. In fact, his tenure still lasted longer than...

Ryan Hollweg's career as a member of the Maple Leafs (fingers crossed!).

Stephane Dion's reign as Prime Minister of Canada.

Pacman Jones's ability to stay sober and out of trouble. Nice to see another one of Jerry's gambles paying off.

or Larry Johnson's time between run ins with the law for that matter.

Kyle Wellwood's new healthy diet and exercise regime. How glad are you that the Canucks claimed this guy from the Leafs in the offseason?!? Just part of karma's payback for fleecing the Panthers in the Luongo deal.

The number of days that Peter King can stay mad at his BFF, Brett Favre, for selling out the Packers. Did you know that Favre just loves to play football? Did you know that various family members have battled cancer and/or passed away during seasons past? Did you know that he's just a regular guy, who loves to smile and play the game of football? Did you? The guy just loves to play! Personally, I think he's a media-whorring douche, and if this little nugget proves to be true, it only further cements that status in the lofty annals of my mind. [OCTOBER 22ND UPDATE: See, I told you PK couldn't be mad at Bretty for very long!]

I'm sure its only a matter of time until some other idiotic group airs a bigoted, inaccurate, fear-mongering TV ad in favor of California's Proposition 8 (scroll down for the Oct 19 entry). I am shocked at how succinctly this set of Mormans can make the case for gay marriage.

Darius Miles's career as a Boston Celtic. Do the Raps have the roster space/patience to take a chance on this guy?

The countdown to me getting fired. Condolences to any third year law students out there. Have fun job hunting in this market!

Apologies to any of you who expected actual analysis from me today. Say hi to your mutha for me...

Home Is Where The Heart Isn't.

It's no secret that as hockey buildings go, the Air Canada Centre is a piss poor arena.

The venue itself is in great shape. It's clean, well maintained, has lots of bathroom's, and has well placed signage making it easy to locate your seat. It's still pretty new, so all of this is to be expected. My only gripe with the venue itself is the lack of ATM's. I want to drink, so please let me get my money quickly.

The problem with the Air Canada Centre isn't with the building itself, it's with the fans who can afford to attend the games. Now, this whole post is a little "hypocriticalist" of me as I have benefited from company owned tix on a few occasions myself, but I don't care. I have sat in those seats time and time again and cheered my ass off,
only to be given dirty looks by douche bag suits who are more interested in wooing some client than cheering on our beloved Leafs.

I've heard the argument that those people are paying to put the team on the ice, but the reality is that MLSE has been putting crap on the ice season after season. In recent history, the goal of this team has been more focused on turning a profit, and less on winning the Cup. For fans who actually care about the team, this is a sad fact. For a large portion of the fans who frequently attend games and sit in the lower bowl of the ACC, it really makes no difference how the team does on the ice.

For many years now, attending a Toronto Maple Leafs game has been as much about status as it is about hockey. There are thousands of Leafs fans who have never missed a game on TV, but can't afford to attend one in person because of the high ticket prices. This is a shame. Not just because it's unfortunate, but also because it hurts the team on the ice. When "fans" are chatting and not watching the game, that means they aren't cheering. Any professional athlete will tell you that the crowd can play a role in the outcome of the game, for better or for worse.

This is not simply a Leafs problem either. The historic football club Manchester United has been suffering from the same problem for years. Then Captain Roy Keane once famously remarked that United's home supporters didn't understand the game, and were too busy eating prawn sandwiches to be concerned with what was happening on the pitch. Replace the prawn sandwiches with salmon rolls, and you've got the ACC.

The good news is, there's an upside. As anyone who has had any recent contact with a Toronto media outlet will tell you, the Leafs are currently rebuilding. True Leafs fans everywhere have been preparing themselves for the tough season that we have just begun. As the win over Detroit proved, we can expect to have some bright spots throughout the season, although no one is under any misconceptions on the quality of this team.

We all know that there are 70 odd tough games left. Let's hope that the suits lose interest during the rebuilding phase and the true fan base can re-establish itself and get the ACC rocking (for at least a few seasons). The Raptors fans have proven that the building has the potential to be very loud (or incredibly quiet if you were Josh Boone two seasons ago in the playoffs).

If not, maybe the ACC will stop serving salmon rolls.

Bloody Groundhog Day

What exactly is going on with the hirings in Toronto sports these days?

It all began less than a year ago with Grandpa Cliffy coming back to the Leafs. Is he older than John McCain? I'm serious, is he?

Then came the rescue of Cito Gaston from a mental institution for the severely clinically depressed.

Then the Argos dug up Don Matthews just in time for a playoff run. Or not.

Now since Cito, version 2008, proved to be the best manager the Jays have had since...Cito in the 1990s, the Jays have stuck with the formula and brought back Paul Beeston to replace the sleezy looking pedofile Godfrey character.

I suppose there is noone else in the world who knows anything about sports and is applying for these jobs. Oh wait, that's unfuckinlikely.

Are we doomed to contnue re-living the past and diggin up these fossilized characters to continue leading our home teams? If the answer is yes - which I believe it is - then here is my wishlist for resurrections:

TFC: Craig Forrest - As coach of Team Canada he got them nowhere. Still though, that was Team Canada. They've only qualified for the World Cup once in their history and during this brief cameo they scored 0 goals. I mean, who could succeed as coach of that team? They've already been eliminated from World Cup qualifying for 2010 after only 5 games of Concacaf fun. Bring Forrest to the TFC sidelines.


Raptors: Butch Carter - If it weren't for his feud/lawsuit with Marcus Camby and that whole issue with long distance telephone calls then he would be worshipped as the best Raps coach ever. He first took them to the playoffs, he developed Vince and TMac and he's a good tactician/motivater combo. I heart Butch.

Argos: Does anyone actually support the Argos? Anyone? Anyone? How about Paul Masotti? Has anyone seeen him around Hamilton lately? He might be up for redirecting the Boatmen.

Leafs: Pat Burns - Bring back the cop from Hull, Quebec to laydown the law. Most of the Leafs greatest accomplishments of the last 30 years (read: not many) came with him as coach. I know he was sick a few years ago but rumour has it that he is feeling better now and wants to get back into coaching. When Ron Wilson's wacky humour begins to wear thin, what the hell have the Leafs got to lose?


Blue Jays: Kelly Gruber - last time I saw the Golden Mullet he was returning to Toronto as a member of the Angels and said something like "Opinions are like asses - some stink, some don't." I'm not sure if he borrowed that poetic quote from Edgar Allen Poe or Maya Angelou, but either way it was sheer brilliance. He is apparently working as a motivational speaker now. If a quote like that won't get Vernon Wells to play through a tweaked hammy then I don't know what will. C'mon Cito, give the guy a job as third base coach. After all, his autobiography was titled Home on Third. Send him home Cito. Is he too good for his home?

Debunking Jeff Blair's Rumor of an MLSE-Rogers Merger

As noted by Eyebleaf in the comments to my post yesterday, and by Torontosportsmedia, Jeff Blair wrote a blog piece about the hiring of Paul Beeston as the Jays "interim" President. More specifically, he threw out a pretty wild theory that Beeston's hiring could, eventually, lead to a merger (or acquisition) between MLSE and Rogers. Interesting theory, so let's slice into it a little further...

Problem 1: As recently reported by Forbes, the value of the Jays is $350M (all figures US $), with revenues of $160M and EBITDA of -$1.2M. I don't have to tell you that the Jays ain't exactly the New York Yankees. We here in Leafland often bemoan the fact that the owners of the Leafs are the dreaded suits over at MLSE (including significant ownership by the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan - "OTPP"), and part of the problem of having a corporate owned franchise (as opposed to a solo ego-driven owner like Mark Cuban), is that the corporation looks at possible deals from a strictly financial standpoint. Remember, OTPP are the caretakers of our province's teachers in this particularly crappy financial market. The Jays would likely be a drag on MLSE's balance sheet each year - and I seriously question whether OTPP would let Peddie go through with such an acquisition.

Problem 1a: The Jays hold certain intangible benefits to Rogers - namely the ability to cross promote the team on Rogers' cable/cell phone networks and TV stations - which gives Rogers a certain leeway to operate the Jays at a loss. Take it from a friend at Sportsnet who is "in the know," it goes a long way towards opening the wallets of current and prospective Rogers advertisers to be able to invite them onto the corporate jet and shuttle them off to a warm weather destination to hob knob with Jays players and Sportsnet personalities. MLSE wouldn't have that built-in advantage, and I just don't see how OTPP would let them do it. Hang on though, there's more...

Here's where it gets crazy... because Blair doesn't just suggest a merger of MLSE and the Jays. He suggests a merger of MLSE and Rogers Communications, Inc. (TSE:RCI)! He calls it a "seismic shift in the Toronto sports landscape." Folks, I have no particular beef with Blair, but this deal wouldn't just be felt in the Toronto sports world - it would instead be felt across the Canadian business community! Stay with me here...

Problem 2: Blair suggests that since Ted Rogers is getting old, they will need a new leader and that a Rogers-MLSE merger will help them find that leader. Well, I hate to burst the bubble here but Rogers, as alluded to above, is a publicly-traded communications company with a market cap of approx. $17.2 BILLION. How in the world is MLSE going to afford the purchase of Rogers? This would be a massive transaction, would costs BILLIONS, would require an army of lawyers, accountants and i-bankers, not to mention the fact that it would require MLSE to become a reporting company to the Ontario Securities Commission (and maybe the SEC). Furthermore, even if Peddie & The Leaf Fan Heartbreakers had the gall and savy to pull off a deal like this... how the heck would they finance it in these capital markets? Among the litany of problems with this concept, I just can't see how they could raise the cash to do a deal like that.

Problem 3: Once again, Rogers is a publicly traded communications business. On the other hand, MLSE is a sports empire, with holdings that include the Leafs, Raptors and TFC. Even if Rogers wanted to buy MLSE, I cannot imagine how Rogers could justify the purchase of these teams to its shareholders. I know I mentioned the benefits of Rogers' ownership of the Jays above, but this is a communications company - not a sports company. Owning a single team with certain synergies is one thing - but owning ALL of Toronto's sports teams??? Business have a strong predilection to failure when they diversify outside of their core competencies, and this would be a major leap for Rogers to take (example: The Chicago Trib's need to sell the Cubs). Furthermore, I seriously question whether Peddie and the OTPP would be willing to sell. MLSE is a cash cow with no expiration date in site. This is a group that can raise ticket prices at the same time they reduce the quality of their product. The premium that Rogers would have to pay would likely make any such deal too prohibitive.

Its an interesting theory that Blair floated out there - but I simply cannot see it happening for the reasons above, in additon to the many that I'm sure you readers can come up with. Oh, and if you've got a stronger financial background than me (not hard to do!) and can see holes in my theories, please fire away in the comments and let me know where I'm wrong in my assessment.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: What We've Missed

The staff here at TPTFUA have been on vacation for the long weekend due to a wedding out in Palm Springs (Congrats, Wooly!). We're back now though, nursing hangovers and easing into the workweek. Here's a run down of what's happening and what we missed...

The good: Leafs shock the world by playing some inspired hockey and winning their opener vs. Detroit.
The bad: Leafs go up 3-0 early on St. Louis during yesterday's matinee, but ultimately blow it and lose 5-4 in a shootout. Why the heck was Kubina taking one of the crucial shots during the skills competition?
The even worse: Ryan Hollweg is a thug (and not even a very good one) who arguably cost the Leafs a victory yesterday, but certainly killed the momentum from a good first period. Lots of indignation out there in the blogosphere. I say the NHL should suspend him and Leafs should put him on waivers - then send him down. If he cleans up his act after serviving the suspension and doing some time in the minors, then give him one final shot.

The good: Sundin is back in Toronto and word is that he's picked up the intensity of his work-outs.
The bad: I continue to believe that Sundin is unlikely to return to the Leafs lineup ever again, unless he simply wants a paycheck and a tee time in April.... in which case I don't really want him. Don't get too worked up over this report - he has a home in Toronto and is likely back here to get in close proximity to teams in the northeast, and to get mentally and physically ready for a December return to the NHL. My guess is still NYR or Philly.

The good: The Jays found a "new" President for the club!
The bad: What's old is new again! Like the Leafs' hiring of Cliff Fletcher, the Jays put no original thought into the hire and simply hired someone from the past on an "interim" basis (Hint: it rhymes with Easton!). Even worse, both Toronto clubs ultimately chose to go this throwback route during a very important time at which both clubs seem to be at a cross-roads. Vision and leadership are needed - yet we're getting guys who haven't led a club in a decade or more. Sad, really.

The good: 40 year old Canadian "slugger" (and former Blue Jay) Matt Stairs hit the game winning homer for the Phillies last night to put his team up 3-1 in the series.
The bad: Fox must be crapping themselves over the fear of a possible Tampa Bay vs. Philly World Series. Ratings in the U.S. are going to be terrible for this one - especially when L.A.-Boston was an alternative.
The upside: More time to watch hockey!

The good: Tex's fantasy football trade of Kellen "Grapefruit Balls" Winslow-Wes Welker and Felix Jones to Billy Bee in exchange for Reggie Bush-Roddy White and Zack Miller. Super Bowl, here I come.
The really ugly: R.I.P. Alexei Cherepanov. The 19-year old kid died yesterday in Russia after his heart stopped on the bench during a KHL game. Reports continue to trickle in, but word is that it took an ambulance 15+ minutes to get to the rink, and that the defibrillator ran out of batteries and couldn't be used to save his life. I wonder how many NHL'ers are going to look at this disturbing video before heading over there to sign a contract next off season.

Its election day in Canada - don't forget to get out and vote!

NHL Picks and Things to Watch For This Season

Each of us here at TPTFUA have made our picks for the upcoming 08-09 NHL season, and have included a few of the trends that we'll be watching for this year - a feature we intend to duplicate for all the major sports seasons in Toronto. So take our words for what they're worth (spoiler alert: nothing!) and be sure to check back in April to see how we fared...



#1) Tex's picks...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic - Philly
Northeast - Montreal
Southeast - Washington

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central - Detroit
Northwest - Calgary
Pacific - Dallas

Eastern Conference Finals: Montreal over Pittsburgh
Western Conference Finals: Detroit over Calgary
Stanley Cup Finals: Detroit over Montreal

Things to Watch for This Season: I'm making these picks, and following the 08-09 season, from the most gorgeous city in North America: San Diego (discovered by the Germans in 1904). I'm here after spending the past 5 years in LA and, suffice it to say, I am an island of NHL fandom. The subject has been beaten to death: Americans don't like hockey and don't pay attention to you. But after 5 years of trying to convince American friends and co-workers otherwise, I've just come to this conclusion: I don't care. You guys can keep your wresting, MMA and arena league football - and I'll keep one of the most storied leagues on the planet. Its a game played by humble and tough young men (see Smokey's comments below) who don't have champagne bukkake parties with each other after simply winning a wild card series. Its a sport filled with intense tradition and reverence for those traditions. So if ESPN wants to shun it - then I'll tune out the 4-letter. I'll sacrifice my hard earned $ for the CentreIcePack, will get my highlights on the web and don't need a man with a mullet to tell me who to look out for when there are a slew of talented writers only a mouse click away. In short, let the ratings drop and the Americans tune out. Let Balsillie move the Preds to Hamilton, let the Panthers move to Winnipeg, let the rest of the warm weather teams fold and let Bettman's head roll. The game will be stronger for it - and the true fans (of which there are many) will be waiting there on the other side. In the meantime, I'm heading to the beach.

Oh, and Tampa Bay is going to suck. Melrose won't get fired, but its only because the new owners are young guys who don't want to look stupid. Mark my words, this club may not even make the playoffs - but PHX will!


#2) Billy Bee's picks...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic - Pittsburgh (Why: is it wise to pick against Crosby and Malkin? Sure Malkin might bolt to Russia for a few extra million and a couple of Anna Kournikova clones, but for now, I like the young Pens. Of course, Steve "the missile" Donwie might be able to cheap shot both guys, so Philly is always a contender)

Northeast - Montreal (Why: I have no idea, the rest of this division is radioactive, head lined by our beloved/loothed Maple Leafs. I feel like I just picked the one eyed king in the land of the blind)

Southeast - Washington (Why? Cause Ovchekin is awesome beyond words. You think Crosby cried hard after he lost his Canadian Junior's jersey, wait until he gets his lunch eaten by Ovie in the playoffs)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Caveat - I didn't even know that the Western Conference plays regular season games. I just assumed Detroit just shows up in the Cup Finals every year.

Central - Detroit (Why? Hockeytown USA, they draft guys in Rd 6 who turn out to be amazing, and they are so good they can let a senior citizen play defense for them, and still be Cup winners)

Northwest - Colorado (Why? I dispise anything that comes from Calgary

Pacific - Vancouver (Why? Because they are the first team I could think of in the division because I never stay awake long enough to see any of these guys play)

Things to Watch for This Season: When will the Leafs officially start to tank their season, so they can have a realistic shot at winning the "Jonathan Tavares" lottery? My best guess NEVER because doing so would make way too much sense, and it might enable the Leafs a realistic shot at winning a cup in a few years. Why do I think this? Because I think it is the manifest destiny of the Leaf's to exceed the 100 year drought precedent that the Cubs have set. There are 60 more years of suffering to go, woohoo. Also, will Ovchekin decapitate someone with a hit in the playoffs this year?

#3) Richie's picks...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic - Pittsburgh
Northeast - Leafs
Southeast - Washington

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central - Detroit
Northwest - Edmonton
Pacific - San Jose

Eastern Conference Finals: Toronto over Montreal
Western Conference Finals: Nashville over Phoenix
Stanley Cup Finals: Toronto over Nashville

Things to Watch for This Season: I like the Leafs sleeper potential. Ron Wilson's quote about "It doesn't matter how many games we win this year" has got the opponents right where we want 'em. Talk quietly and carry a big stick. While the Cubs may lose for another 100 years, the Leafs are winners in my heart. Quick cut to a shot of Doug Gilmour faking right, then left, then slipping the wrap-around behind Cujo for dramatic effect.


#4) Smokey's picks...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic - Pittsburgh

Northeast - Montreal
Southeast - Washington

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central - Detroit
Northwest - Calgary

Pacific - San Jose

Eastern Conference Finals: Pittsburgh over Montreal
Western Conference Finals: San Jose over Detroit
Stanley Cup Finals: San Jose over Pittsburgh

Things to Watch for This Season: It's a great time to be a hockey fan, isn't it? The depth of the younger generation of the NHL is absolutely amazing, and it just seems to get better. Players like Jarome Iginla, Vincent Lecavelier, and Dany Heatley have become the elder statesmen of a league that was in total disarray in only too recent history. The NHL is in great shape in terms of talent. Sid The Kid and Alexander The Great are the obvious focal points of the league, but the Young NHL has talent that we have never seen. Kane, Toews, Spezza, Nash to name just a few. Phanuef is a monster who has been laying out hits that resemble Scott Stevens. Evgeni Malkin also came into his own last year, and is a treat to watch. This league rules.


#5) Jimmy's picks...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic - Pittsburgh
Northeast - Montreal
Southeast - Carolina

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central - Detroit
Northwest - Minnesota
Pacific - Anaheim

Other East Playoff Teams - New York Rangers, Philly, Tampa Bay, Washington, Toronto
Other West Playoff Teams - Chicago, San Jose, Dallas, Phoenix, Edmonton

East Finals - Pittsburgh over Washington
West Finals - Dallas over San Jose
Stanley Cup - Pittsburgh over Dallas


#6) Nickey Finn’s Picks:

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic: Pittsburgh
Northeast: Montreal
Southeast: Tampa Bay

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central: Nashville
Northwest: Calgary
Pacific: San Jose

East Final: Habs over Pittsburgh
West Final: Dallas over San Jose
CUP: Montreal over Dallas