Goals for: 14 Goals for Per Game: 2.00 Goals against: 32 Goals against per game: 4.57
VS
Vancouver Fuckinsucks
Games played: 9 Record: 4-5-0 Points: 8
Standings: 12th in Western Conference
Goals for: 26 Goals for Per Game: 2.89 Goals against: 27 Goals against per game: 3.00
The much anticipated only visit to Vancouver by the Leafs this season, goes down tonight. Both teams have struggled out of the gate, with the Leafs having the advantage in the struggling department. A number of circumstances have come together to meet at this game to likely make it worth watching, and they are: 1) The Leafs trying to get their first win of the season to break a 7 game losing streak 2) the Leafs haven't played for 7 days, so the withdrawls are getting bad 3) the love triangle of Brian Burke-Ron Wilson-Mike Gillis which culminated in tampering allegations and a Vagina full of sand for Gillis 4) when Toronto comes to town Vancouver gets excited because it means people outside of BC will actually give a shit about what happens 5) we can see how fat the Anthropomorphic gelatinous blob know as kyle Wellwood has become.
This game is especially important for the Leafs, who - as mentioned before - are win less this season and are hoping the week long break will allow them to "reset" and "start fresh". To facilitate the pressing of the reset button, Ron Wilson has tried to make the team forget their trials and tribulations by having fun. This week the Leafs had a Halloween party and a 3 on 3 tournament in hopes of forging brotherly bonds. This game (more so then the last 5) signifies a potential turning point for the Leafs, as it marks the beginning of a 5 game road trip. Should they come out tonight and play a strong game while getting a win, the stage could be set for a successful road trip which could catapult them back into playoff contention. However, if they pull a Wellwood and literally choke, it could be a lonnng road trip.
Vancouver started out their season rather rocky by losing the first three games. When Montreal came to town, it was the battle of the most pathetic fans in hockey, which Vancouver won 7-1, thus getting the season rolling and then winning 3 of the next 5. A question mark so far this season for the laughably named Canucks has been Roberto Luongo. After signing a 12 year extension in the off season, Luongo started off the season poorly until he was pelted with granola and "Save the baby Seals" keychains by Canuck fans. Since then Luongo has returned too his usual form and hopes to continue to remain strong tonight.
Former Leaf Kyle Wellwood has also had a suspect start to his season. With 1 assist zero goals in 9 games, it's clear he's still as useless today as he was in Toronto. Wellwood was actually in Toronto recently when he thought he smelled Bacon. Alas, it was just Jason Blake being pan fried.
Tune in after the game, where I will post my notes that I will take as the Leafs play.
I have not had time to write any posts this week, but will write one tonight, and then tomorrow (friday) i will write a preview for the Leafs-Canucks game and then i will do a live summary as the game is going on.
for now, here are some Leaf jokes that were in the Toronto Star today, as well as some others I came across.
JOKES:
-Why doesn't Hamilton have an NHL team? Because then Toronto would want one
-What do the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Argonauts and the Toronto Blue Jays all have in common besides being based in Toronto ? None of them can play hockey.
-The Leafs have decided to play all of their games underwater in future. Apparently there are 20,000 leagues under the sea and they hope they can find one they can win in.
-Two guys are camping out in the Muskokas, sitting around a fire at night and relaxing. Suddenly one of them sits bolt upright and shouts "DAMMIT! The Leafs lost!" His friend, impressed with his friends psychic ability asked "How do you know?" His friend replied, "It's after 10:00pm."
- Whats the difference between a Triangle and the Toronto Maple Leafs? a Triangle has 3 points.
-Why did Vesa Toskala interrupt two people having sex? He wanted to know what it felt like to stop someone from scoring.
-What does the Leafs and the Titanic have in common? They both look great until they hit the ice!
-What did the Leaf fan do after the Leafs won the Stanley Cup? He turned off his PlayStation.
-What do the Leafs and Tampons have in common? they are only good for one period.
-What does Mike Komisarek and Timmins, Ontario have in common? They are both Minus 25 come Christmas.
- Why did Brian Burke insulate his house? Because he didnt like the Draft
-Two friends die in a car accident during a terrible snow storm. They arrive in Hell and the Devil begins their punishment by turning up the heat very high. But the two friends are not in any pain, in fact they appear happy. The Devil asks why are they happy and they respond that they are from Canada and it's nice to be around warm weather. The Devil turns the heat even higher, still nothing. He then decides to lower the temperature in Hell as much as possible, thinking that the two friends could not bear such coldness. Instead he finds them happier than ever and jumping for joy. "It's freezing here!", says the Devil "Why are you two so happy??" One of the friends replies, "Hell just froze over! The Leafs won the Stanley Cup!"
-Hockey Night in Canada is concidering dropping the Leafs from its national broadcast and showing the Leafs in Ontario only. actually thats not a joke, it was reported today in the Toronto Sun.
End of Jokes also, I wanted to point out that I am an avid Leafs fan, which is why I write a Leaf Blog but I wanted to brighten up the mood a bit concidering the start to the season. However we have to remember that the plight of the Leafs is not amusing after what's happened with Vesa Toskala this morning. I appreciate we are all down on the team but when a player becomes suicidal from their performance (and the media's response to it) then we should all rally together behind him. As most of you know, Toskala tried to commit suicide last night, by standing on the train tracks just south of Dupont. Thankfully, the train went through his legs.
I would like to apologize for the lack of updates this week. With midterms around the corner and personal commitments plus the small amount of leaf related news has resulted in not having the time nor the inclination to write anything
starting tomorrow or the day after, i will try and get back to a 1post/day schedule, and we can get back to complaining about the leafs.
if there is anyone out their who would like to write for TrucuLeafs, either on a part time or full time basis, please let me know.
Goals for: 13 Goals for Per Game: 2.16 Goals against: 28 Goals against per game: 4.67
VS
New York Lamers
Games played: 7 Record: 6-1-0 Points: 12 Standings: 1st in Eastern Conference Goals for: 28 Goals for Per Game: 4 Goals against: 14 Goals against per game: 2
Tonight, the Leafs hope to end a 6 game losing streak, and leave those losers the New York Islanders in the dust, as the only team who has yet to win a game this season. Since the Panic Button had to be sent in for repairs due to constant pressing, Brian Burke and Ron Wilson decided to press the Reset Button instead. Coach Wilson felt the team was no longer having fun and was afraid to make mistakes, so he organized a "Fun practice" of Dodgeball and Finger painting. Then at 6:00 pm, Their mommies came and picked them up. Jason Blake was excited because he was going to visit his cousin.
It is likely Matt Stajan and Nik Hagman will be back in the lineup after being healthy scratches in a 4-1 loss to Colorado. With Vesa Toskala and Jonas Gustavsson still injured, Andy McDonald and James Reimer will be the Starter and Backup respectively. Jonas Gustavvson is expected to be back the following game, which is next Saturday vs Vancouver.
While on paper, this years defense far surpasses last years, expectations have been dashed by poor defensive zone coverage and mental errors. A solid effort tonight could be a big step toward rejuvenating the fans and getting the defensive play to the level where it should be. Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komisarek and Luke Schenn would benefit the most from a strong game at the ACC.
A win tonight would allow the Leafs to set out on a positive note on their upcoming 5 game road trip. It would also allow them to not be justifiably booed out of their own building for the third home game in a row. The upcoming road trip could end up being very important if the Leafs are still in the playoff hunt when game #82 rolls around. with 11 of a possible 12 points already gone this year, the upcoming 10 points - 4 of which are against division rivals - could make or break the season. The final game of the road trip is clearly a practical joke from NHL head office, as it takes place Halloween night Vs Leprechauns.
The Rangers are basically then Anti-Leafs right now as they are on a 6 game winning streak and first in the league with 12 points and a 6-1-0 record. With Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal red hot with 10 points each, and rookie Defensemen Michael Del Zotto with 7 Pts, Toronto will undoubtedly be tested to its limits. And if a 6 game losing streak wasnt enough adversity for the Maple Leafs they will have their hands full trying not to score in their own net.
If the Leafs lose tonight the question will be "how many loses will it take before Burke starts mortgaging the future to prevent a top 5 draft pick?"
Hopefully the Leafs will win and get the ball rolling so we don't have to ask that question.
I have a feeling that since Oct 1st the number of Toronto Maple Leaf related suicides has increased dramatically. But what went wrong?
Before training camp I was not the only one who had high expectations for this team, and after the preseason, those expectations were heightened. Brian Burke and Ron Wilson did not do anything to dampen our collective hopes, or prepare us for what was to come, as other Leaf administrations have in the past. When you have a fan base that hasn't seen a playoff game in 5 years, making them think there is a legitimate chance their team will make the playoffs and then pulling that rug out from under them is a sure fire way to get your ass booed.
Brian Burke had Leaf Nation in the palm of his hand, all dreamy eyed and drinking the kool-aid. There was no pressure to perform this season, everyone had accepted this would be a year of rebuilding and bringing up the young guys. But then Burke had to go and trade away two first round picks for Kessel. While I am not exactly against the deal itself, and I am even on record defending it, what I am against is the timing and circumstances of the trade. In trading the 2010 first round pick, there is immense pressure for the Leafs to finish in the playoffs so that the pick they traded isn't very high. Unfortunately the Leafs are dead last in the NHL meaning if the draft was today, that pick would be first overall and that is expected to by Taylor Hall. Burke now has to worry about losing a high draft pick, possibly Taylor Hall and the hit his reputation could take. My fear right now is Burke will make some ill advised trades circa the last 10 years in order to boost the Leafs spot in the standings, which will hurt them in the long run. Secondly, a lot of people are now looking to Phil Kessel to come back from his injury and deliver us to salvation. Unfortunately, from what I have been listening to, it seems to the consensus among the radio talk show hosts that Kessel does not have the skill to score 30 goals in Toronto with its current personnel. And it is unfair to place that kind of expectations on a 22 year old kid. I really have a feeling Burke is starting to have some buyers remorse. I hope he kept the receipt.
Next we have the issue of Burke's prized defense. Komisarek and Beauchemin don't seem to be performing the way Burke had in mind when he gave them the big bucks. I don't expect them to play the way they currently are for much longer, but they haven't really done much to inspire confidence in them. Both players were lauded by Burke as tough as nails, stay at home defensemen, who would improve the back end dramatically and help on the penalty kill. So far, Komisarek mostly has taken dumb penalty after dumb penalty and made rookie mistakes. Beauchemin has been caught out of position several times, and made some glaring giveaways, he has managed however to tally 3 points in 6 games. I was excited when we got these guys, and I really want to like them, but so far they haven't done anything to deserve my affection. They better soon, or else we will be stuck with them for a pretty long time.
Schenn is also struggling. He is having trouble with the same stuff he did last year, like not using his size, giveaways, inability to clear the puck, and defensive zone coverage, but he is no longer a rookie so he wont get a free pass anymore. There has been rumblings that he should not have been in the NHL last year, and it might have stunted his development. It is possible he will become the 5th 6th or 7th defensemen or even be sent to the Marlie's. I hope he can get it together,because I like him, but remember, he is only 19!
In net, it hasnt been much of a suprise. I was crossing my fingers thats Toskala would be better this year after the surgery, but deep down, I didnt believe anything would change, and I was right. So far, he is averaging over 5 goals per game, and has a save percentage of about .800. The best thing he had done this year is get hurt, and the best thing Jason Blake has done is hurt him.
The Monster, Jonas Gustavsson really hasn't got a chance to shine yet. hes only played about 1.5 games in total, and has been adequate but has been injured twice, with a Heart problem that needed minor surgery, and then a groin problem that still has him on Injured Reserve.
On the offensive side of things, Stalberg impressed before he got injured, and personally I think Grabovski has been the best forward so far. Blake, Ponikarovsky, Stempniak, and Mayers have been pretty invisible. Hagman, has been alright, Kulemin has been pretty good in the couple of games he has played, and Stajan has scored three goals but other then that hasn't really done anything. The best line has been Kulemin-Grabovski-Hagman, They have been creating lots of scoring chances and consistently been deadly. In fact, the offense as a whole has hit the post and come very close to scoring more times then they have actually scored. The teams they have played have all had stellar goaltending compared to what the Leafs have been getting.
So to sum up, the first 6 games have been quite disappointing. With the defense and goaltending leading the way down. I really want to like Burke and his trades, but everything he has done seems to be blowing up in his face. I want to like Komisarek, Beauchemin and Schenn but they have to step it up. Toskala has got to go, and so does Blake and Mayers. We might be able to work with everyone else. I also wish Burke didnt put so much pressure on the team to perform this year via the Kessel deal, because they could have cruised through this year and developed Schenn, Bozak, Kadri, Stalberg, Hanson, and the 2010 Draft picks. Then picked up a goalscorer or two through a less rushed trade or free agency. We would have been set for next year to make the playoffs.
But we have to remember it's only been 6 games. while this doesn't excuse the poor start, at least it hasn't been 20 games. However, we are still going to be without a possible 11 points that would have really helped make the playoffs, especially because they were 13 points short of 8th in the East last year.
Here it a video I came across today. Its not hockey related but who cares
-there is a pretty fast pace to this game, no whistle yet 5 minutes in.
-McDonald already made more saves in 5 minutes then toskala has this whole year.
-Leafs aggressively forechecking like Wilson wanted.
- Orr just beat the snot out of Koci who is a lot bigger then him.
-Leafs TV is giving me a headache with all the camera changes... its was a 3 on 2 for Colorado and just as the guy passes it they change angles and zoom in and i completely missed the play. just use one camera, and zoom the fuck out!
-Leafs Penalty. Good job Blake. Hes lucky they got the wrong person and gave it to Mayers .Not sure why Hagman was benched after Blakes game last night.
- We should get rid of Toskala and put White in net after that save.
-Leafs are incapable of clearing the puck on the penalty kill.
-WOW another god damn penalty. Good one Ponikarovsky, what a stupid penalty. It will 1-0 Colorado in about 1 minute
-Tucker kicked ass
-1-0 Colorado. Told ya so. Someone please tell every commentator for the Leafs that they don't need to make an excuse for every single goal scored on the Leafs.
-Powerplay for the Leafs. Bozak doing a good job going to the net.
-No goal on the Powerplay. A couple of good chances, especially by Grabovski, he was doing it all on the powerplay. He should keep playing like that.
-plenty of chances, but no goals. Just like every game thus far.
-Rosehill can really hit and he forechecks hard. Mayers on the other hand, is clearly retarded.
-2-0 Colorado. a weak goal.
-The booing begins. it should be louder, let em hear how pissed you are
End of Period One
- McDonald didn't have that many shots, he made a couple of saves, but let in two weak goals. He basically looked the same as Toskala.
-The forwards were much better then previous games, but cant score
-The defense was pretty much the exact same as last nights game.
-Whole team has to work on clearing the puck and has to stop taking stupid penalties.
Start of Period Two
-Leafs with good pressure in Colorado's zone. But Mayers doesn't understand the concept of using your stick to put the puck in the net.
-Powerplay for the Leafs after the Av's almost make it 3-0
- 2-1 Colorado as Leafers score on PP. Beauchemin slapshot from the point and Stalberg tipped it in I think.
-Honestly. Komisarek is stupid. He takes a penalty less then 30 seconds after the Leafs score. Bench him.
- 3-1. Avalanche score on the PP. Tucker scores after Beauchemin gets deked. GJ Komisarek.
- The avalanche goalie just beat the crap out of Rosehill and no call. wow. What a joke
-Leafs have no momentum now.
- 4-1 Fucking pathetic. Im stopping this summary as i just dont give a fuck anymore. I hope the fans boo the Leafs off the ice. Mayers, Blake, And Komisarek suck balls. I hope I dont hit anybody on the way down.
Tonight, I will write a summary of each period at the end of that Period.
First Period 2-1 Leafs.
-So Far Toskala is playing much better then in previous games. He has come up with some big saves and the first goal was definately not his fault. However, he would like a Mulligan on the second goal.
- Grabovski and Hagman started on a line with Mayers. Blake and Stajan started on a line with Rosehill. Im not sure I really like what Wilson is doing here and I think the last two games have proved it isnt working. Mayers especially has proven he has no discernable skill other then punching people in the face, and I dont know why he has a stick, because he doesnt use it. Rosehill at least has some skill when it comes to scoring and passing. By the end of the period, Wilson had Grabovski, Hagman and Kulemin playing together, and they were really creating scoring chances.
-The Leafs are really having trouble getting the puck out of their own end. After the Penguins game, Wilson said he might have to practise clearing the puck for the first time. Personally I think the Leafs have struggled mightily with clearing the puck all of last year and this year, so im not sure why he is practising it for the first time now.
-Komisarek takes his second Highsticking penalty. He is once again overexuberant while battling infront of the net, and ends up putting the Leafs down 2 men, leading to a goal.
- Blake and Mayers continue with the constant giveaways.
-Stempniak, Grabovski, Kulemin were the best forewards.
-Beauchemin was the best defensemen, except for sortof just lying their on the first goal, but overall his last two games are much improved.
End of First Period. 2-1 NY
-
Start of Second Period
- 3-1 Rangers. HORRIBLE goal. Toskala reacted so slowly that he looked blind and stoned at the same time. Announcers again making excuses for Toskala just like nearly every goal ever scored on him.
-Another penalty to the Leafs 1 minute after going down two goals again. White for tripping, because he was out of position.
-Leafs kill Penalty.
- 5 minutes later announcers still making excuses for the goal Toskala sucked on.
-Rosehill is really hitting hard tonight.
-Leafs getting chances but miss the net alot or there is a great save. Seems to be the case this year.
-I dont understand why TSN zooms the camera in so much so we can see the person skating with the puck and nothing else. CBC does it the most.
-Orr still playing with Blake and Stajan. He just realized which net was New York's
-Two huge chances by Grabovski and Stempniak. Lundquist plays like Toskala if Toskala actually played the way he is paid too.
-Leafs have three lines which can score, with Blake-Stajan-Rosehill, then Grabovski-Kulemin-Hagman then Mitchell-Ponikarovski-Stempniak, and finally the fourth line of Orr-Wallin-Mayers. This may explain the playing of the tough guys up front. but Wilson is changing it up constantly.
-Gaborik is friggin shifty.
-Damn nice play by Grabovski, then Kulemin hits the post, then Hagman takes a Penalty "Exactly 198 feet away from the Leafs net".
-I wish Wilson would actually bench people for stupid penalties.
-Leafs kill off another penalty.
-Leafs Powerplay.
-If leafs lose this game it will be the first time losing 5 games in straight to start the season.
-Jason blake appears to be benched for sucking.
-Another leafs powerplay when Beauchemin gets his stick broken. He is lucky a penalty was called against NY because he was complaining to the ref while the game was on and the puck goes right by him and it would have been a 3 on 1.
-Blake Scores. 3-2 NY. Bad angle shot on PP. should be from White and Grabovski.
-Announcers think Blake purposely shot in that tiny little hole on purpose. Concidering he had the worst Shooting Percentage of anyone on the leafs with more then 2 goals last year, I repectfully disagaree.
-Leafs have to try and prevent a goal being scored right after getting it close again. the Last 3 goals the leafs scored going back to the Pittsburg game were followed by a goal against within 2 minutes.
-Leafs powerplay with 40secs left in period.
-Beauchemin makes a fucking retarded pinch, Leading to a 2-1 shorthanded rush. No goal but Toskala is hurt. Blake is getting a stupid ass penalty after being being benched untill 3 minutes ago. Beauchemin continues with the inoportune pinches. Can you tell 1) im pissed off 2) I dont like blake?
-Again, Grabovski and Stempniak were the best forwards, both getting tons of great chances but Lundquist was making even better saves.
- No Defensemen really stood out, they all made mistakes, expect for mabye Kaberle, he also had some real nice long passes.
-Toskala's second period was not as good as his first but better then the last 3 games he played.
-The second period as a whole, was much better for the Leafs then the first. It is hard to shake this feeling that if the Leafs were getting the same goaltending as the teams they would be above .500
End of Second period. 3-2 NY
-In the intermission the announcers are still making excuses for Toskala's weak goal.
Start of Third Period
- period starts 4 on 4
- Finger does a nice job stopping Higgins 1 on 1
- I am pretty sure i can smell Madison Square Gardens from here.
- Rangers score. Toskala sucks big ones. Schenn with a giveaway, but the announcers manage to blame it on Grabovski. Toskala should have had the goal but of couse its not his fault.
-4-2 NY
-5-2 NY, Toskala really fucking sucks. he was way out of position. Mitchell the centreman was way far away from where he should have been.
-Mayers with a nice giveaway
-Schenn is a big strong man but refuses to use his strength to take the puck from avery
- instead of watching the play, Sportsnet decides it would be more interesting to watch Schenn step onto the bench and sit down.
- Toskala makes a save. Mark your Calender, ill go pick up a cake.
- it would be 6-2 but this goal was kicked in.
- I am so tired of the announcers making excuses for every single mistake.
- Kulemin and Grabovski really click together, and Hagman is a nice compliment to the way they play.
- I think Finger just killed brian Boyle with a really LOUD hit. Either that or Kyle Wellwoods belt finally burst.
- Jamal Mayers just used his stick for the first time in his career for something other then spearing someone.
- 6-2 NY. Toskala is really pathetic. He is just so inconsistent, he makes some nice saves, but then stinks it up. coming into this game, he was 4.98 GAA, now its above 5.
- Another 2 on 1, it would have been a goal because Toskala was actually inside of his net, but the Ranger player fanned on the one timer.
- Another great chance for the Grabovski-Kulemin line but L undquist is too good. Blake takes another retarded penalty.
- 6-2 NY. A weak ass shot leads to a massive rebound by Toskala right to Avery. You know a goalie sucks when Sean Avery scores two weak goals in one game.
- NY almost scores from the middle of the Ice.
End of Third Period. 7-2 NY
Notes:
- Toskala started strong, ended pathetically. 7 Goals allowed tonight, and a 5.3 GAA this year.
- You can bet you balls that Joey McDonald will play tomorrow Vs Colorado.
- Best line was Grabovski-Kulemin-Hagman.
- Blake and Mayers were the worst Leafs.
- The defense did not make as many obvious mistakes like giveaways as other games, but had plenty of breakdowns. Toskala couldnt help them though.
- Schenn and Beauchemin are playing better then at the beginning of the year.
- the argument that it is still early in the season doesnt hold any water. 1 of a possible 10 points is not justifiable.
- Stupid Penalties + worst penalty killing + Toskala = zero wins in 5 games.
- Nick Kypreos is a asshole.
- Stalberg will be back tomorrow.
- Bill Waters agree Blake sucks and plays like he is brain damaged. He says Bale should be with the Marlies. "Mabye if we are lucky Blake will be claimed from waivers"
- Soon Burke/Wilson will make sure heads will roll.
- If being tough is so important why do the Leafs lead the NHL for fights but are last in points?
- The Leafs just cant get any luck when it comes to scoring goals. they are hitting posts, having shots blocked and playing against good goalies.
- After the game Wilson said Toskala didnt think he could have saved any of those goals. I'm pretty sure he wasn't joking.
Sorry about the mostly negative comments tonight, but it was pretty much unavoidable. I was trying to cover what I saw and that was mostly negative.
Come back tonight, where I will do this again for the Leafs Vs Colorado game where the Leafs will get their first win of the season because McDonald will be in net.
Ontario Judge makes unprecedented ruling... Another case of truth being stranger than fiction.
TORONTO , ONTARIO (CP) -
A seven-year-old Toronto , Ontario boy was at the center of a Toronto city courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him.
The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents & the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law & regulations requiring that family unity be maintained to the degree possible. The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents & he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy alleged they had also beat him.After considering the remainder of the immediate family & learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him. After two recesses to check legal references & confer with child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Toronto Maple Leafs, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.
Games played: 3 Record: 0-2-1 Points: 1 Standings: 15th (last) in Eastern Conference Goals for: 8 Goals for Per Game: 2.667 Goals against: 12 Goals against per game: 4.0
So the greatest team in the frigging Universe is playing host to the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. This game is very important to the Leafs, and probably more so then it is to Pittsburgh. Starting the season with 3 loses in a row means there is pressure from above and from the fans to perform. After Tuesday nights pillow fight Vs Ottawa, this pressure has been intensified. After that game, Coach Ron Wilson was not happy, and when Ron Wilson isn't happy, someone is cooked. Literally. After making all the players who didn't have third degree burns do a "Bag Skate" He expect more effort in tonight's game. Another question mark going into tonight's game is the status of Viktor Stalberg and Jonas Gustavsson. Stalberg was the victim of a vicious but legal open ice hit Tuesday. He left the game immediately and did not return. There has been no official word from the Leafs on whether it is a Concussion or not, but he has not returned to practice and it is hoped he will be okay for Monday nights game Vs the Rangers. Jonas Gustavsson aggravated his groin during his first NHL start on Tuesday. He is expected to be out for at least a week and has been placed on the Injured Reserve List. Due to this, Joey McDonald has been recalled from the AHL and will play backup.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Games played: 4 Record: 3-1 Points: 6 Standings: 1st in Eastern Conference Goals for: 12 Goals for Per Game: 3.0 Goals against: 12 Goals against per game: 3.0
The Pittsburgh Penguins are leading the Eastern Conference with 3 wins 1 loss and 6 points in 4 games. After winning the Stanley Cup last season, anything less then a return of the Cup to Pittsburg would be considered a failure. With young stars who should be even better then last year, like: Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Jordan Staal, They definitely have the skill for a repeat performance. Taking this into account, Tonight's game should be a battle for a ages. Will Pittsburgh's overwhelming skill and speed subdue Toronto? Or will Toronto Karate Chop it's ways to victory? Only time will tell, but expect Toronto to fight like a cornered animal, because they really don't want to be 4-0 to start the season with their next game Vs the Rangers.
Predictions:
- Toskala plays adequately. Lets in 3 goals but makes some spectacular saves - Blake demoted to third line - Rosehill is back - Truculence makes a comeback - Fleury is not very good in goal for Pittsburgh - Komisarek, Beauchemin and Schenn all play much better, Wilson agrees in post game. - I will be at the game and will win the thing where they pick someone to move to platinum seat. - Brian Burke doesn't Smile when the Leafs win in overtime/shootout. - 4-3 Leafs - This
Three games into the 2009-2010 Season, The expectations for a infinitely more Truculent team then previous years has been deflated some what. The hard hitting, fast skating, forechecking, Fighting and Boisterous team some in Toronto came to expect on opening day has yet to arrive. In the games the Leafs have played in so far, They have been out hit and out forechecked. The defense was supposed to be the most improved aspect but has yet to live up to the hype. However, instead of being last in goals against like last year, they are only third last, behind Montreal and Vancouver. They do however have the distinction of being the only team currently sitting on a 3 game losing streak and since they are playing Pittsburgh on Saturday, it could become 4 in a row.
So whats the Dillio?
Why are they no longer playing like they did in the preseason, where they went 6-3 and played some very exciting, fast paced and hard hitting hockey.
Well it seems to me like they are playing very tentatively. Apparently during the preseason Ron Wilson had not yet got into the specifics on the new system he wanted his team to employ. Since he unrolled his grand new plans the defense has looked flat, especially Beauchemin and Schenn. Beauchemin is now getting used to playing on a team where he is counted on as a top defensemen and a mentor. In Anaheim, Pronger and Niedermayer had that job. Beauchemins linemate Luke Schenn is adapting to playing on the right side now. It seemed he was having trouble adapting at first but apart from a few bad giveaways he had his best game of the preseason Vs Ottawa on Tuesday.
Another big difference from preseason is that the goal scoring has slowed down. While it is still at sufficient levels, it would be nice if Blake could start doing something. Plus, with Stalberg hurt indefinitely, the offense could be in for some more trials and tribulations.
I have heard repeated many times now that "Its only 3 games" and this is very true. Detroit and Vancouver were off to horrible starts and most people agree they are locks for the playoffs. It is important to remember though, that for a number of years in a row the Leafs missed the playoffs by only a couple of points. If that happens again this year, will we look back on this streak of games and say what if?
Also, the bad start could be directly attributed to Vesa Toskala. When I go to Leaf games I sit at the very top, so I never noticed anything odd about Toskala until I saw this picture. Could this be why he is so shitty?
It wasnt very long ago that the Leafs had higher expectations for their seasons then just making the playoffs. Players like Gilmour, Clark, Potvin, Sundin, Mogilny, Tucker, and CuJo all had one goal; to win the Stanley Cup. Anything less then winning Hockey's ultimate prize was considered failure. While we never "Succeded" in that regard, there was many a good memories and plenty of good players.
Here is some of the players from the Leafs recent history. The way I remember them.
back in the 1990's there was two things you could count on if you were going to a leaf game. The floor of Maple Leaf Gardens would be covered in some unknown sticky substance, and Wendel would make sure atleast one of the other teams players would finish the game with less teeth then they started with.
Recently i was wondering just how Wendel managed to beat the shit out of players night after night, for so long. Then I remembered that he had chainsaw hands.
Next up we have Darcy Tucker. Tucker went through varying levels of popularity while in Toronto. He was instrumental during the annual beatdown of Ottawa in the playoffs, when he would hit anything that moved. But he was bought out because he could not live upto his massive contract. The only thing that stayed the same about Tucker from when he arrived untill when he left was how deranged he was.
That is it for today. I will post the other 6 Tomorrow. Mabye Sergei Berezin or Gary Valk will stop by for a visit.
I think i forgot to post a video yesterday, but here is todays, its Brian Burke on Off The Record with Michael Landsberg
Jonas Gustavvson made his much anticipated first NHL start tonight in a 2-1 Loss to Ottawa. Tonight we are going to try something new. Since i was at the game last night with my new camera I will just post a couple of pictures of the most important parts.Make sure you click the pictures to enlarge them.
We will start with Jonas "The Monster" Gustavvson's first NHL start. He clearly lived up to his namesake.
Next we have Luke Schenn using The Force and his trusty Lightsaber to come back and prevent Milan Michalek from scoring on a breakaway. Michalek would later need dental surgery and 3 months in a Cryo-Healing Chamber.
Next, we have a picture of Anton Volchenkov nailing Viktor Stalberg with an open ice hit as Stalberg came across the blue line with his head down. Clearly you can see Viktor never saw him coming. This was the last picture taken of Stalberg before he went to Heaven.
Finally, We have a picture I took during the Post Game media scrum. Ron Wilson was furious at his teams performance and he made sure to let anyone within earshot know. Oddly enough, Kyle Wellwood showed up out of nowhere because he thought he could smell Bacon. Alas, it was just Wilson in his usual post game mood.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will endeavor tonight to get their first win of the season and improve their record to 1-1-1. There is a number of questions that remain unanswered for the leafs, mainly who will start in net and how their defense will perform. The Leafs lead the league for goals against with 10. However, they have managed to silence the critics so far, who said the Leafs were lacking in offensive fire power, as they have scored 7 goals which puts them third in the Eastern Conference, behind Washington and Boston.
The key for the Leafs tonight will be how they play in their own zone. The vast majority of the criticism lobbed by fans and pundits far has been aimed at Vesa Toskala, however, first year Leafs Francois Beauchemin and Mike Komisarek along with Sophomore Luke Schenn have underwhelmed considerably. If the Leafs are to win tonights game and eventually reach their goal for this season of making the playoffs, these three defensemen will really have to step up. Specifically when it comes to their defensive coverage, pinching at the proper times and clearing their own end. Considering the big changes the defense has undergone in the last few months, It is understandable that it will take a while for new Leafs to acclimatize, but the fans will not be patient for long. If you thought they are pissed off at Toskala now, watch what happens if he plays tonight and performs poorly.
Ottawa will saunter into Toronto on Tuesday hoping to break a streak of three losses in a row at the ACC. After a disappointing first game of the season, the Senators hope Newcomers Alexei Kovalev, Johnathan Cheechoo and goaltender Pascal Leclair will be able to bounce back from what most most people who watched the 5-2 loss to the Rangers agree was a mediocre debut for all three players. Many Senator fans are pinning their hopes on recent arrival Pascal Leclair to help them forget Ray Emery, or as he was called here in Toronto, "Bobble head". Leclair arrived before the trade deadline last year in a trade with Columbus that saw the 27 year old come to Ottawa in exchange for Antoine Vermette and a Second round pick, and he will be instrumental in Ottawa making the playoffs should they get that far.
The Keys to tonights game and to making the playoffs this year rest in the hands of: Kovalev, Michalek, Spezza, Alfreddson, Cheechoo and Leclair and well as youngsters such as Regin. If the Sens get the goaltending they are hoping for from Leclair, and Spezza and Kovalev get going, they may be able to beat the Leafs in their own barn.
Predictions:
-Gustavvson will play -Stalberg will score -Mayers wont play. if he does, it will be the last we see of him for a while. -Kovalev does nothing -Beauchemin and Komisarek are much improved -Orr beats the crap out of someone and we get flashbacks of Wendel -Leafs Penalty kill impresses -Gustavvson impresses even more
The Conga line of Anti-Toskala Propaganda Officially started on September 27th 2009 at 9:49 PM. This was when the Leafs capped off a 6-3 preseason with a 7-6 loss to Buffalo. This got the radio shows buzzing with people calling for Gustavvson to start the first game of the season Vs Montreal. There was never really any belief that Ron Wilson would start anyone other then Toskala, because as Wilson stated before, the Starting position is his (Toskala's) to lose. Well now we are two games into the regular season, and especially after the 6-4 loss to Ovechkin and and his entourage (the Caps) the Anti-Toskala rhetoric has hit brand new highs. I have even heard several people call into Leafs Lunch and say that Toskala should be waived down to the minors and we should have Gustavvson as starter with McDonald as backup.
In Saturdays loss to Washington, there was a few notable things that took place. The first was Toskala letting in 3 goals on 8 shots, including the first shot of the game, for a .625 SV%. The second notable thing was Jonas "The Monster" Gustavvson making his regular season debut when Toskala was pulled after the first period. Starting your first regular season game in the second period and down 3-0 is anything but ideal. However, Gustavvson made a number of nice saves but eventually allowed 3 goals in the second period. He didn't let in any goals in the third, while making some key saves to give his teammates a chance to get back in the game. Gustavvson allowed 3 goals on 18 shots.
Now the question of who do you start next must be posed. The next game is Tuesday Vs Ottawa. Do you start the struggling Veteran, or the yet to be properly tested rookie?
I am of the opinion that it would be in the best interests of the Leafs to start Gustavvson Vs Ottawa. There was much talk in the media during the off season about how we could expect an improved Toskala this year because of the pressure on him to perform with Gustavvson gunning for his job, with this being the final year of his contract, and because his groin is now healthy. Clearly, for whatever reason, this has yet to happen. He has been unable to make key saves, he has looked slow and out of position, and he seems shaken and without confidence.
Putting Gustavvson in would have a number of positives. 1) It would relate to Toskala how dire the threat of him losing his job due to poor performance is. He would get to come into the ACC on Tuesday knowing he was not starting that day but still have to dress up and sit on the bench to watch Gustavvson and his team play without him. This should have a big effect on Toskala, and if he doesn't like that feeling you can guarantee he would practice and play his heart out the next couple of days/weeks. 2) Starting Gustavvson would allow us to properly assess what kind of skills he has. He would get his chance to prove that he is the one who should be the starting goalie-not Toskala-and even if he doesn't kick ass (which he will) it will be a good experience for him and Toskala.
I think there is a very strong possibility Gustavvson will start Vs Ottawa, because for the first time since the Buffalo 7-6 loss, when Ron Wilson was asked if Toskala would start next game, instead of saying yes right away he said "We will review the tapes and make our decision" this does not exude confidence in Toskala, and if he already had his mind made up that Gustavvson was starting I don't think he would have said so at that time.
So Gustavvson starting has my Vote, however, regardless of how good or bad Gustavvson plays, I would put Toskala in next game to see how he reacts and to not make it look like we have no faith in him at all.
Sorry for the abbreviated / lazy post, have been really busy but I will start posting daily again tomorrow, and they will be of much better quality.
what do you guys think? Toskala or Gustavvson on Tuesday?
here is todays video, i call it, the essence of truculence.
The Suck Files is going to be a short segment done occasionally when I think a Leaf has played poorly enough to warrant his own Suck File in The Filing Cabinet of Suck.
Well, the much anticipated first game of the season was tonight, and it was a doozy. The Leafs lost 4-3 with 12.4 second left in overtime as I am sure most of you know. If you didn't you've come to the wrong place because this isn't a recap, its.... THE SUCK FILES. *cue music*.
Brian Burke further excited Toronto on July 1st when he brought in free agent Francois Beauchemin from his old haunt, The Anaheim Ducks. In Anaheim Beauchemin was perpetually in the shadows of stalwarts Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger. By all accounts Beauchemin preformed superbly in his time with the Ducks, including during the Stanley Cup winning 2004 playoff run. When the 29 year old arrived in Toronto, he was greeted by Legions of fans and a cool $3.9 million dollars per year. Much was made of the opportunity Toronto afforded Beauchemin to finally emerge from the relative obscurity of playing behind two of the premier defensemen in the game. It should also be said though, that I read in several different publications that the Toronto fan base should be wary of overstating the skill Beauchemin brings to the table.
Throughout the preseason, Beauchemin played quite well, he was solid defensively and had a booming Slap shot from the point thus making him a deadly asset on the Power Play. The first inkling I got of a possible crack in Beauchemin's armor was in the final game of the preseason, when he was caught out of the play on several occasions often leading to an odd man rush. Considering the poor play of the majority of the Maple Leafs in that game, I didn't think to much of it. But in tonight's loss to the hated Habs, the defensive miscues began to rear their ugly head once more. in the second period Beauchemin once again showed his penchant for taking the body even if it means taking himself completely out of the play. On one occasion, this lead directly to Montreal scoring to make it 2-1 Canadians. Throughout the game, Beauchemin made glaring give aways, failed to get the puck out of the zone or was found to be pinching at inopportune times. As Mike Elmer said: "Francois Beauchemin pinches like a drunken Shriner" and again this lead to scoring chances for the wrong team.
By most narratives, anything but rock steady dependability is Unbeauchemin-Esqe. He has an uncanny ability to stay calm under fire, and make smart plays at the most important of times. I am inclined to believe that what we have witnessed in the last two games is not typical of Beauchemins play in Anaheim, otherwise, he would not has been part of the second defensive paring on a team loaded with defensive talent, and built "From the net out".
Clearly Burke has faith that Beauchemin can make the transition from playing second fiddle in Anaheim to being counted on in the most important of instances in Toronto. This includes playing 27 minutes per game as he did tonight, As well as being on the top Powerplay unit.
We will have to wait and see if he will take path 1 - rising to the challenge and performing as a first rate defensemen does. Or path 2 - being unable to meet the expectations held for him and proceeding to fall in the depth chart. It is my hope he choose path 1 and clearly there is important hockey figures who think he has the ability to rise to the challenge, because he was given a tryout for Canada's Olympic Hockey team. We may just have to wait and see if he becomes acclimatised to his new role, in a much bigger Hockey market then Anaheim, and when that day comes, I will formally remove his name from... THE SUCK FILES *cue music*
Today's fab video is: Beauchemin giving the BEAT DOWN to Tomas Kopecky.
we were at TrucuLeafs are constantly looking for ways to improve the site, if you have any ideas, from, post topics, complaints, to changes to the colour scheme, drop me a line in the comment box.
Winning has been in short supply in these here parts lately, so when the Leafs go 6-3 in the preseason it is understandable that people start to get a little excited. In just about every Hockey blog and newspaper we have been reminded that winning in the preseason isn't really indicative of greener pastures. We are reminded of Chad Kilgers team leading 6 points in the 07-08 preseason, as proof that giving credence to the preseason is fool hardy. but are they right?.
As we saw in the recently concluded 09-10 preseason, Coaches usually take advantage of the preseason to experiment with new line combinations and testing out youngsters. The result is a team that is heavily populated by rookies, perennial farm teamers, fighters, backup goalies, professional tryouts, and other players that are concidered "on the bubble". Naturally, when two teams that are constructed in this way play each other in a preseason game, the result could ostensibly be very different then if the teams were playing each other during the regular season, with their regular lineups.
lets look at some examples:
On Sept 18th 2009, The Leafs played the Pittsburgh Penguins for the third game of their preseason.
Some of the players who didnt play for the leafs are as follows : Schenn, Komisarek, Hagman, Stempniak, Grabovski, Orr, Kaberle, Ponikarovski, Beauchemin, Van Ryn, Kulemin, Toskala, Gustavvson. That is most of the leafs top two lines, as well as they top two goalies. Both Crosby and Malkin didn't play for the Penguins, plus some players who we dont care about. Had both teams been playing their best players the result could have been alot different then the 4-3 Leaf win. This is a great example of the irrelevancy of the preseason statistics when we try to infer what will happen in the regular season.
With Viktor Stahlberg's sudden arrival on the scene, it is important to remember that individual preseason points can be just as deceiving as the outcome of a preseason game. For example, in last years preseason (08-09), Lee Stempniak was second in the league with 13 points (5G 7A) in 5 games, and well, I think you know how the regular season went when Stempniak arrived in Toronto.
in the 07-08 preseason, John Pohl and Chad Kilger were tied for first on the leafs with 6 points in 6 games. Neither went on to be prolific point getters that year, or ever. Infact i would be surprised if Chad Kilger had 6 points in his entire career.
now the concept of the Preseason really not mattering in the grand scheme of things probably isnt new to most of you, but I though it was important to give a idea of why expectations should be tempered until the regular season is underway (Thats tonight! YAY!) and we truly have an idea of how the year will go.
on the other hand, this preseason was the first time since the year the leafs last made the playoffs that they had a positive preseason record, so perhaps it is foreshadowing great things to come?
It has been five years since the Leafs last played a playoff game. That’s before the Lockout. I am sure many Leaf fans still remember that fateful last playoff game, when Jeremy Roenick scored for the Flyers in Overtime to eliminate the Leafs from the 2004 playoffs. I don’t think anyone who was watching that game knew how long it would be before the Blue and White played a best of seven series again.
Years of bad management, quick fixes, and trading picks for washed up old guys was resulted in 5 straight losing seasons with more Golf games then Hockey games being played by the Leaf players. When all this is taken into account, it is easy to understand the impatience one can have when the Leafs announce they are Re-building, and when Burke got to T.O last year, I think it is safe to say I was not the only one who had written off the upcoming season as a one in which the playoffs would elude us once more as Leaf Land was rebuilt.
If history has taught us anything about Brian Burke, it is that he is not very patient. With the last 3 teams he has been GM of he has made a big deal within his first 12 months of touchdown, And Toronto is no exception. Burke arrived in Toronto about 8 or so months ago and the team that greeted him was much different than the team that he is General Manager of today. It is well known that Burke likes to build his teams “From the back out” meaning starting with the Defense and then the Offense and this is exactly what he has done here. Of the top 6 Defensemen likely to start on Oct 1st vs. Montreal, 3 of them – that’s 50% for all you math whizzes— were brought in by Burke. One half of the Goaltending tandem is a new Burke recruit. On offense there have not been as many changes but they have still had an impact. With the addition of Kessel, Bozak, Hanson, Orr, and Primeau, the Leafs offense has gotten more skilled and nastier. There is no doubt Burke is building this team after his own image, but at what cost?
By far Burkes biggest Acquisition was trading two first round picks and one Second round pick for Restricted Free Agent Phil Kessel. Understandably, with the Leafs Aforementioned history of trading first round picks and young prospects for old players such as Brian Leetch, and Owen Nolan, The Kessel trade ruffled more than a couple feathers as fans got flashbacks of trading picks that were eventually used to draft the likes of Roberto Luongo and Scott Neidermayer. This has caused people to question if Burke’s method of fast tracking the rebuilding process instead of growing the team the traditional way of Draft picks and Prospects is ill conceived.
I have liked just about every transaction the Burkemiester has made thus far. He has addressed the areas that needed attention (everywhere) and he has brought in a mixture of young and old, prospects and vets, skills and brute force, and I really don’t think there is informed hockey fan this side of the Ontario-Quebec border that would dispute the fact that the leafs are better now than they were at the end of last season. One trade that initially gave me pause was the Kessel deal. Initially I thought 1 first rounder was too much to pay so when I heard two first and a second I soiled myself, but the trade later grew on me, and I have learned to like it to an extent, for reasons I will not go into now as I have already written a three part saga on the Kessel trade and why I like it ( you can find it in the archives on the right).
But the real question is, if Burke had been more patient, could he have gotten someone comparable to Kessel, or even Kessel himself for less? Would we be a better team down the road if we waited one more draft to stock up on some more top notch prospects a la Nazem Kadri before we traded our first round picks away?
I think it is important to remember that with this new team, we are very unlikely to draft where we did the last two years, and thus the two first round draft picks we sent to Boston are going to be much more likely to be a Colaiacovo (drafted 17th) then a Schenn (drafted 5th).
It is my belief that Burke intends to recoup at least 1 first round pick or a couple of second round picks, for the simple reason that he has completely changed the scouting staff and the Leafs now boast one of the largest number of scouts of any NHL team as well as some of the most experienced. If Burke did not have plans to be drafting with meaningful draft picks, why bother retooling the scouts?
What I expect will happen is this:
Burke has now fast tracked the teams development to the point where they are likely to take a good run at making the playoffs, because of this, his bosses are happy and the fans are happy. He has also acquired all sorts of important pieces to the Stanley Cup puzzle (Kessel, Beauchemin, Komisarek, Gustavvson, etc) without losing any key personnel. He now has a glut of players both on offense and defense, and a deficiency of Draft picks for his new scouting staff. This gives him the opportunity to trade some players he sees as not necessary to the future of this franchise, I expect it will be people like Blake, Ponikarovski or Toskala, although I am not saying I want any of these players traded. I expect at the trade deadline we will see a flurry of moves which will get rid of some of the excess players, thus opening up the way for the current crop of promising youngsters i.e. Kadri, Bozak, Stahlberg, Blacker, ETC. In return we will get back some of the draft picks we lost, and hopefully we will be drafting higher than if we had just kept our own draft picks.
So in the end I believe he will still build the team through the draft, which is the proper way, but there will be and already has been be additions via different routes aswell, and this will allow us to start winning sooner, and to dust off those little Leaf flags that we put in our car windows during the playoffs.
What do you think? drop me a comment and net me know.
He is todays video, it is the winning goal of leafs vs senators game 1 in overtime of the 2001 playoffs. Make sure to notice all the leaf fans in ottawa.
The Centre of the Hockey Universe has been without a permanate Captain since Mats Sundin last played with the Leafs in the 07-08 season. Last season several players on the team rotated the duty, but there was no official captain. Since Sundin left, the internet Hockey forums and Blogs have been alight with chatter on who should be captain, and the recent addition of Veteran Captain candidates Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin has resulted in two new frontrunners in the Captaincy sweepstakes.
Do the Leafs need a captain? and if so who should it be?
It is my belief that it is beneficial to all Hockey teams to have a permanant Captain. Having a Captain allows the team to have an Offical leader, someone who can guide the teams through the good times and the bad, someone who can montor the young players and revitalize the team after a bad loss.
A Captain should be experienced. He should be a natural leader, who has a commanding presence and is vocal in the dressing room. He should be well respected and liked by the team members, and the Coaches.
I see three people who could be potential captain : Tomas Kaberle, Francois Beauchemin and Mike Komisarek.
Kaberle is the longest serving current leaf, and is definately experienced enough to be captain. By all accounts he is well liked by all his team mates. My only issue with making Kaberle captain is his leadership qualities . What i mean is he does not seem to be a very vocal person, both Inside and outside of the dressing room, and personally I dont think this is very conducive to being the captain of a Hockey team.
This brings us to Beauchemin and Komisarek. Both are experienced veterans and both have been assistant captains on their previous teams. All indications are that they are well liked by their team mates, and appear to have good leadership qualities, but I am still hesitant to formally give my endorsement to either of them due to their recent arrival in Toronto.
I think it would be ill conceived and unfair to the other Leaf players to give someone the "C" who has yet to even play a Regular season game with the team. We have yet to see how either acts in the dressing room during the stressful Regular season, nor have we been able to see their leadership qualities during a lowpoint such a multi-game losing streak. Do they become vocal in the dressing room and offer constructive criticism or praise? or do they become reticent and ignore their teammates?.
If I was Ron Wilson at the beginning of the season I would make the three aformentioned players Assistant Captains and observe how they take up this role and utilize this new found position to energize and encourage the team. After 10 or 20 games if one player in particular stood out and excelled above the rest I would then make him Captain. But like Brain Burke said they should only be made captain if they can live up to and compare favorably to the great Leaf captains of yester-year. People like Sundin, Keon, Sittler and Hap Day, and if they cant live up to the task, Leaf Nation will be leaderless one again.
The oldest, most intense and most famous rivalry in the history of the NHL is the Toronto Maple Leafs Vs. The Montreal Canadians (do you smell something?). This rivalry has always been about more then just one city versus another, it was about the Center of English Canada against the center of French Canada. The teams represented two Nations which had been at war on and off for 600 years, and this combined to create a bitter rivalry which exists to this day and is unsurpassed by any rivalry in Hockey history. Except for one.
Canada Vs. The Soviet Union. The greatest rivalry bar none to ever take to the ice's surface. The bitterness and hate these two teams had for each other both on and off the ice stemmed from the fact that Canada and the Soviet Union were complete opposites when it came to Hockey, Politics, Economics, Social Issues, and just about everything else. This extension of the Cold War lead to the most famous series ever played by a Canadian hockey team. It was thethe pinnacle of the rivalry; the 1972 Summit Series.
When the Soviet Union first competed in Olympic Hockey in 1956 Canada won the Gold medal every year from 1920 to 1952 except for 1936 when they won Silver. That year(1956) the Soviet Union won the gold and won every other gold from then on until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 except for on two occasions when they won a Silver and a Bronze. Canada never won a Olympic Gold in any Olympic Hockey tournament that the Soviet Union competed in, in fact in 2002 they won their first gold since in 1952. One last statistic: In all international meetings between the Soviet Union and Canada, from 1954-1991, there were a total of 139 games played. The Soviet Union won 95 games to Canada's 32 games, and 12 games ended in a tie.
After the end of the Cold War and the Dissolution of the Soviet Union, the great Rivalry between two Hockey Super Powers, between two styles of play, and metaphorically between Communism and Capitalism, Thawed. This rivalry has carried over to a certain extent to the Canada Vs. Russia games, but they are not the same. The teams are no longer polar opposites, the Russians still have their own unique style of play but it is al ot more similar to Canada's then in the days of the Soviet Union. Also, There is no longer the Ideological backdrop of the Cold War to take the games to the next level.
A contributing factor to the decay of this historic rivalry is the general decrease in the overall strength of the Russian teams compared to the Soviet years. No longer can it be said that Canada and the Soviet Union are the two great Hockey Superpowers. In two of the four Olympics Russia has competed in, they have failed to win a medal in hockey twice. in the 9 Olympics the Soviet Union competed in Hockey they won 7 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze.
What is the reason for this decrease? What has caused the most winning nation in hockey history (Russia is considered a continuation of the Soviet Union by the IIHF)to not win a gold medal at the Olympics since 1988?.
Tomorrow we will delve into part two of Hockey, The Soviet Union, and Capitalism
And now i leave you with our daily clip, today it is of ballet on ice:
The last three games of the pre-season are certain to cause at least some people to question whether Vesa Toskala is really a starting goaltender and if he should start the first game of the regular season Oct 1st vs Montreal.
Lets look at some stats:
Sept 25th 2009 Leafs @ Red wings. Leafs win 5-4
Jonas Gustavvson
Played : 20:00 min Saved : 7 of 7 Goals Allowed :0 Save % :1.0
Vesa Toskala Played : 45:00 (Overtime) Saved : 29/33 Goals Allowed : 4 Save % : .878
Sept 26th 2009. Red Wings @ Leafs. Leafs win 2-1
Jonas Gustavvson
Played : 40:00 Saved : 15 of 15 Goals Allowed : 0 Save % : 1.0
Vesa Toskala
Played : 20:00 min Saved : 6 of 7 Goals Allowed : 1 Save % : .857 Sept 27th 2009 Sabres @ Leafs. Sabres win 7 - 6
Jonas Gustavvson
Did Not Play
Vesa Toskala
Played : 60 min Saved : 17 of 24 Goals Allowed : 7 Save % : .708
Totals:
Jonas Gustavvson
Played : 60:00 min Saved : 22 of 22 Goals Allowed : 0 Save % : 1.0 Goals Against Average: 0
Vesa Toskala
Played : 125:00 min Saved : 52 of 64 Goals Allowed : 12 Save % : .812 Goals Against Average: 4.0
Now that we have seen the numbers for the final three games of the Pre-Season, it is clear that Gustavvson's are much better. Over those three games Toskala had a Save Percentage of .812 and a GAA of 4.0 These are much better then last year, and if Toskala plays 60 or so games this year and puts up numbers such as these, we can kiss the playoffs goodbye. So Gustavvson should be our starting goalie. After seeing these numbers it seems like an obvious decision right?.
While listening to AM640 after the 7-6 loss tonight, most of the callers would have agreed with this statement, however, Gustavvson has played a total of 3 period vs NHL opponents facing 15 shots and even those teams were not full strength as they were trying out youngsters just like the leafs.
15 shots during the pre-season is not nearly enough to anoint a rookie goalie as starter, nor is two full Pre-Season games enough to lose Toskala the number 1 position. Toskala has had a rough 12 months, and by all accounts has worked extremely hard over the summer getting back into shape and rehabbing his injured groin, and Wilson owes him at least 1 or 2 games to show whether he has what it takes. If he doesnt, there is a 24 year old rookie Swede who would love to take his job.
So basically, We owe Toskala the benefit of the doubt that Pre-Season and Regular Season are two different ballgames, but he has to remember that the chances are limited and if he slips there will be no one there to catch him. I for one cant wait to see Gustavvson play some Regular Season games versus some real NHLers and hopefully we will have two NHL caliber goalies. We just have to give this goalie situation a few games to play itself out, and by November 1st at the latest we will know if we have 1, 2 or zero Bonafide Number 1 goalies.
What do you think? can Toskala redeem himself? is Gustavvson going to be another Pogge? let me know what you think in the comment box below.
and here is our daily video. Today we get to watch Stu Grimson go insane vs the Leafs :
The story of this years training camp has been the Rookies. Kadri, Stalberg, Bozak and after tonight 2-1 win over Detroit at the ACC, Jonas Gustavvson. Through 8 games of the 9 game preseason schedule, Stalberg leads the leafs with 5 goals 2 assists and 7 points in 7 games, Kadri is second with 3 goals 2 assists and 5 points in 6 games, and Bozak is third with 1 goal 4 assists and 5 points in 6 games.
So now the question remains of which of the 30+ players who haven't been cut will fill the 23 man roster when the regular season starts on Oct 1st? Ron Wilson has stated he would like to carry 8 defensemen and 2 goalies. From this it can be deduced that 13 forwards will be chosen as well. Here are my picks:
Komisarek-Kaberle Beauchemin-Schenn Exelby-Finger Van Ryn-White
This might be a surprise some people and it might not, but I have chosen to keep Stalberg and Rosehill. Both have had a great training camp, Stalberg is leading the leafs in scoring and has dominated. Jay Rosehill on the other hand has come from practical obscurity and has showcased his 4th liner potential as a bruiser/fighter but can still play the game. He is strong defensively and has the ability to chip in a point once in a while which has lead to him really impressing Ron Wilson. Choosing the Aformentioned Rosehill and Stalberg leads to Stempniak going down to the Marlies thanks to his underwhelming play.Should Rosehill not preform satisfactorily he could be bumped aside when Mayers comes back from his injury. Also, Kessel is hurt and when he comes back in November someone will have to have his place taken.
On defense and in goal I went with a more conventional lineup. Finger and Van Ryn however are injured but are expected to be back before October 1st, should one need to be replaced come gameday, Gunnarsson has been exceptional thus far and would be a good replacement.
I, like other Leaf fans would like to see players like Bozak and Kadri get a chance with the big club but there is just to much of a logjam up front and just to fit in Rosehill and Stalberg, Players like Stempniak who has a 1 way contract will have to be sent down to the Marlies.
What do you think of this lineup? Do you Agree or Disagree? Post in the Comment box below and let me know.
and now I leave you with a video of the 10 best hockey goals:
P.S how nice was that save tonight by Gustavvson on the 2 man breakaway?
For the first time in half a decade, The upcoming Maple Leaf season has fans excited. Toronto is buzzing with energy as its inhabitants get ready for what they hope is the beginning of a new era in Leaf Land. The Brian Burke era.
All facets of last years Leafs were lacking. In goal, Toskala was Public Enemy #1 for most of the season, until he handed the reigns over to Martin Gerber when he was shutdown to undergo year ending surgery. The forwards had more success as they were ranked 10th in the League for scoring, but were inconsistent at times. They were led by the likes of Blake, Ponikarovski and Grabovski, all of which had big seasons, and along with some of the younger guys like Kessel, Kulemin, Mitchell, and Tlusty will be counted on again this year. The defense was a real cause for concern last year. the 5th Overall pick in the 2008 Draft; Luke Schenn, was thrown into the Big Leagues head first, and by most accounts preformed admirably. Along with Schenn and Kubina, Kaberle headlined a defense corps that resulted in a League worst 293 goals against.
With all these shortcomings being taken into account when Brian Burke arrived in Toronto, most people-- including myself-- figured that the 09-10 season would be a write-off as he attempted to rebuild this team from the ground up. Burke did not share these feelings. He quickly got to work and now on the the eve of the first regular season game of the year, the team is barely recognizable. With a rebuilt defense that includes the new acquisitions of Beauchemin, Komisarek, and Exelby and a healthy Toskala and Rookie Gustavvson in net, Burke hopes The Leafs will be able to shave off one goal per game against from 3.57 to 2.57 . on offense Burke has turned to youngsters instead of veterans like he did for his defense. Phil Kessel was acquired from Boston for two first round picks and a second rounder and is viewed as the potential lynch-pin for Toronto's offense for years to come. The 2oo9 5th overall pick Nazem Kadri was added, along with free agents Tyler Bozak and Christian Hanson. They may not see much action this year, but along with Kessel, Grabovski, Kulemin, Tlusty and Mitchell are seen as the future core of Toronto's offense.
Some of the keys for The Leafs to be successful in reaching their goal of making the playoffs are as follows:
-Toskala must be better then last year. Now that he is healthy he has to prove he is capable of being a number 1 goalie in the NHL
-Gustavvson will probably play at least 20 games this year. This will let Toskala take a breather and if the two goaltenders don't make an effective tandem, it could be a long year.
-Beachemin, Komisarek, Schenn and Kaberle need to play a clean and physical defensive game while occasionally chipping in some points. defense and goaltending will be the keys that unlocks the door to the Playoffs.
-Schenn needs to show he deserves to be in the top 4 on a strong defensive team. Last year it was a given with the weak defense but this year there has been talk of sending him to the Marlies if he cant stay in the top 4. He needs to work on the give-aways and defensive zone coverage, but we must be patient with him as he is only 19, and looks like he will develop into the backbone of Toronto's future defense (and maybe be captain?)
- Grabovski, Ponikarovski, Hagman, and Blake need to once again put up solid numbers and all are expected to pot 20 goals at least as they lead the team offensively.
- Kulemin, Mitchel, and Tlusty need to continue their development if the growth of this team is to continue into the future. Kulemin and Mitchell should both improve on their 30 point rookie seasons while Tlusty hopes to prove he belongs in the NHL.
-Physical play is to be expected from ALL players, not just Orr, Exelby, Mayers, Komisarek ETC, if Burke is to achieve the team toughness he desires. They need to prove as a team they will not be pushed around or allow the goalies to be roughed up.
-Reduce the 293 goals against to 235 at least this would have had them around 15th in the League last year . getting down to Burke's goal of 211 undoubtedly put them in the playoffs if they manage to score at close to last years rate.
-When Kessel comes back from his injury he needs to show why Burke gave up two first round picks for him. 30 goals in 65 games would be commendable.
What do you think are keys to success for the Leafs this year? post in the comment box.
I am sure by now you have all heard the news that The Fuhrer himself has stepped down as Coach of the Hamilton Coyotes... I mean Phoenix. All day on the hockey talk radio circuit there was talk about how much Wayne had done for Phoenix and Hockey in general. They said he was the best player in the history of Hockey(im not saying he isn't) and because of that he is infallible just like The Pope. Heck, Glen Healey even left the NHLPA because someone was badmouthing Gretzky. Is Canada's infatuation with The Great One justified? Should he be free from criticism because of his distinguished Hockey career? Well lets take a look.
CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE
Clearly, these are staggering numbers. 215 Pts in one season. 92 Goals, 2,857 pts in 1,487 games, and over 50 NHL records. that's unbelievable, and likely will never be equaled. But because of these statistics, should Gretzky be free from criticism? should we look the other way when he is implicated in a gambling ring, or when he is paid 8 million dollars per year in his first coaching job and never manages to get fired because he is the Great One? what about after 4 years of being under .500 and not making the playoffs?. He was the Coach and Head of Hockey Operations of a team that last year lost approximately $30 million Dollars. $8 Million of it -- almost one third -- was Gretzky's salary. Is that Justifiable? if he really had the best interests of Hockey, the NHL, the Phoenix Coyotes and the City of Glendale wouldn't he have stepped down? Would the Phoenix Coyotes still be in the middle of a Bankruptcy battle if Gretzky had been Fired or stepped down and then a new coach came in who led the Coyotes to the playoffs?.
It has frequently been cited that Wayne Gretzky did not benefit from his tenure with Phoenix, that he was there strictly for his love of the game, and his desire to see it grow in new markets. In fact, had a vested monetary interest in the Coyotes, because not only has he been payed $32 million over the last 4 years for coaching a team into the ground, but in may 2000 he became a minority owner when he bought a 10% stake in the team. He also convinced his former agent Michael Barnett to become the General Manager and he got his brother Keith a job as the Director of Amateur Scouting. That doesnt sound like someone who was in it strictly because he loved Hockey. That doesn't sound like someone who had nothing to gain. That doesnt sound like The Great One I grew up hearing about.
Now I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to pass judgment on Wayne but I do however want to create and encourage critical thinking. I am also not trying to belittle his achievements because most people with half a brain would list Gretzky as one of the top 3 best players of all time, including me, but I think his playing career should be view separately from his Coaching/Management career. Post your opinions in the comment box below and let me know what you think.
Thanks to HockeyDB.com for the stats, and now I leave you with a video of how The Great One earned his name.
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