Wide Open

I swear to god, if I hear "and McCabe just missed the net with that shot" or any of its derivitives one more time, I am gonna go postal.

Can anyone on the Leafs hit the net? Or rather, not hit the players standing in front of it? I swear they have more shots blocked on them than any other team in the history of the universe.

But maybe I'm just bitter.

I hate you Buffaslug.

If You're Happy And You Know It, Sit On Your Hands

With the trade deadline now in effect and players from all over the NHL now on their way to new clubs, cities and homes, not much has changed in Leaf land.

But something has changed, how significant a thing? Only time shall tell. The Travis Green experiment is over, enter Yanic Perrault in his 3rd tour as a Maple Leaf. Best case scenario, Perrault adds more consistent PK and even strength face off wins and some minor secondary scoring, and some two way play for the 3rd or 4th (in some cases the 2nd) line. Worst case scenario, he does what Travis Green did, nothing worth mention. He was in the All-Star game, so there must be something good about him eh? Eh? Yeah, I don't know if i buy that either.

Lots of other big trades out there today, Bertuzzi to Detroit, Billy G to the Sharks and Roberts (officially) to the Pengus. The one that will be talked about most, and probably the one that worries me the most is Smyth to Long Island. A player that is known to be a game breaker now added to a team that my team is doing battle with for a playoff spot, ga-damnit!

Also, Pitts-boig looks even scarier, I'd hate to face them first round.

Tuck And Roll

So I was right, Tucker stays in Toronto.
I am happy to see Mr Aggitator stay with the blue and white, he brings some fire and energy to the team when ever he steps on the ice, something they could always use.
While a plethera of picks would have been nice, Tuckers (eventual) retourn will add some pop to the power play and some grit everywhere else. He hits, he scores, he fights and he pisses off everyone not wearing a Maple Leaf on their chest, and Lindy Ruff (the devil) hates him. That last one alone is worth loving the guy for.
All I can say is that I hope he's back on the ice soon.

Also tonight, the Leafs take on the Habs in an epic battle for a playoff spot, who will win? Who will loose? Will Montreal fans ever realize they are cheering for the wrong team? All this and more some time soon, same bat time, same bat channel.

Close Yet Far

"drop me a line and tell me how the hell you are..."

With a convincing victory over the Flyers, the Leafs grab a much needed two points out of what can only be called a sloppy, dull game. The 5-2 score reflects only that the Buds had better goaltending and more bounces go their way (which is nice to have happen for once). Raycroft was solid all night, well except for that first goal that can only be described as a floater. Soft goal aside, the Buds pulled off the win...only to go nowhere in the standings, they rest at tenth. With the Thrashers loosing to Carolina and Montreal dropping yet another game, the race for that elusive playoff spot is as tight as ever. It will probably give me an ulcer.

On another note, this whole Sabers / Sens debacle went into another high scoring, fast moving, scrapper of a game. Two fights, decisions going to Neil (god I hate him) and McGratton (he was loosing but that shot to Peters jaw won him the bout). Neither team got anything steady from their goalies. Emery looked like he was too excited and he couldn't find his groove and Biron looked like he wanted nothing to do with the game (him being subsequently pulled after a quick 4 goals is proof enough, he didn't even look upset).
Although the major surprise is this, I am contributing space on my Maple Leaf blog to two teams I hate.

Ugh.

Love Em Or Leaf Em

Not that I feel the need to justify my faithfulness to the Buds, but latly I've been given some guff by non-Leaf fans as to the tune of "likeing the most popular team" or "jumping on the Ontario Leaf Love Bandwagon". So I must clarify. Back when I was a young lad I was more of a hockey fan than a Maple Leaf fan, sure the Leafs were my 'favourite' team, but when your eight, that means about as much as cup hopes to a Philly fan. Then it happened, the 93 Leafs magical playoff charge lead by Dougie 'hey whats your secret' Gilmour and Wendel 'best mustash ever' Clark. I fell in love with the Leafs about half way through the first round series and the deal was sealed, even with their eventual loss due to the Gretzky incident. I still maintain that had a penalty been called, the Leafs would have won and steamrolled the hapless Habs in the finals, but that is neither here nor there.
Through the years, my Leaf fan-dom resolve has strengthened to the point of near (though good humoured) ferocity. The reason? Hatred. If your not a Leafs fan, you hate the Leafs, it's that simple. Ask any Senators fan what they think of the Buds. Hell, ask any Habs fan, any Oilers fan. You'd more than likely get something that would be at best, discribed as snarky. So, being as rediculously stuborn as my Irish blood would allow, I embraced the Leafs, loving them more and more every year.
And like every true Leafs fan, my resolve cannot be weakened, no matter how much logic people try to use on me.

Oh Yeah, and theres a game on tonight....

Go Leafs Go.

Oil And (Frozen) Water

"Mats Tells Carlo How He Really Feels"

Tonight, a chance to move into solo 8th for my beloved Leafs. First, three things must happen. The Islanders must not win (or get that bastard of a 3rd point), the Canadians MUST BE DESTROYED, and the Buds must beat the Oilers.....at home. Buds home record non-withstanding, this comes some good news. Rolli the goalie is winless in 5 (to my hockey pool malcontent, thank Jebus I also have Brodeur) and Raycroft has been solid (well last game anyway). Tee Dot Oh Dot seems to do pretty well when Raycroft outplays the other 'tender, heres to hoping I guess.
Last time the Buds were helped along by the Flyers being gutted from the last minuite loss of Forsberg (like they needed any help at the not winning thing). I have some sort of misplaced hope in that the same will happen to Edmonton with Smyth...maybe on his way to the Blue and White.


Hey shut up, I'm a Leafs fan, all I have is hope.

Flying Low

Tonight the Leafs face the depressingly bad Flyers who have actually shown some signs of life their past couple games (winning two in a row I think, but don't quote me on it). It should be an easy game for the Leafs if all the ifs and buts work themselves out and they are able to shut down Gagne, the sole bright spot for Philly this year, and check Forsberg enough so he gives up halfway through the game.
A win tonight would help the Leafs catch those wacky Habs who are tailspinning themselves out of the tight race for the playoffs. Even if I wasn't a Leafs fan I'd be hoping for this. Nothing is funnier than the Canadiens missing the playoffs..... except for maybe the Sens missing em.

Shot-Out

Thanks to that darn'd Dipietro the Islanders pull the shootout win. It took all of 20 seconds in the second to sink the Leafs, throw in some spectacular tending on the side of the Islanders and a seeming inability for the Leafs to hit the net with 80% of their shots and we have another shootout loss at home.

Bloody hell.

Trading Faces

The Leafs lost to the Pengus but got a point out of it, and thats all I have to say on that.
This post will be more focused on the NHL trade deadline and the blockbusters that may occur. Namely what I think the Leafs should do in said situation.

Darcy Tucker - Much has been talked about Mr. Aggitator, but nothing accomplished. What will the Buds do with him? More than likely nothing, he will come off long term IR, take a few games to get back into the swing and retourn to his post camping, PP scoring, pissing off everyone ways. What should be done with him? Trade him for someone who can add third / fourth line depth and a high draft pick then re-sign him in the off season. Now this is not something I take lightly. Tucker is one of my favourite NHL players, but I'm thinking whats best for the team on this one. Sorry Tucks.

Peter Forsberg - Would be a nice addition but his price will be way too steep.

Sergi Samsanov - I stick to my guns thinking that he would be a wonderful addition to the Leafs and is currently getting a bad rap for his less than stellar play with the Habs. Think Raycroft his second season in Boston. Give Sammy the right linemates and encouragement and he could be a force, but it comes down to what the Buds would have to give up to get him. A salary cut would be in order.

That is all....for now.

Penguins!

Tonight the Leaf's play those Pengu inspired flightless birds, and I will be missing the Buds play for the second consecutive game. The last loss to the Preds because of lack of Leafs Television, and this comming game due to yet another wonderfull graveyard shift at work.

But that is neither here nor there. Can the boys in blue do it?

Yes and no. Yes if they play hard, forcheck, and shell Fleury with shots and Raycroft stays solid. No if they follow last games route and spend a good hunk of it in the sin bin (like the last game VS the Pens for that matter).

Oh well.

Go Leafs Go.

Razor Sharp

5 games in a row, who'da thunk it? 3 weeks ago, probably no one except those super optamists out there.

2-1 Buds over Blues in a game that was for the most part a sloppy affair. Lots of turn overs and nothing really pretty, well unless you count a save by Razor that can only be described as rediculous. There is a downside to this though, with their past couple wins, they are still out of the play off race, if it were to start tomarrow that is, but considering that 9th through 4th goes 60, 61, 62, 63, 63, 64 it is by no means a number set in stone.

Its gonna be one of those playoff races that has heart break potential, but the Leafs are rolling, next up? A surprisingly good Nashville.

Whats In A Name?

A shoot out win apparently. Raycroft remains Razor and Emery will have to find another handle.
A good way to retain the name too, stopping Heatly and Spezza back to back.

Thoughts on the game.
Both Swedish capitano's put up big goals, Sundin to put the Leafs in a good possition to win, and Curly Sue Alfredson to crack Razor's shut-out hopes and spur on the Sens and make it a close game.
Goaltending was spectacular, but Razor came out on top over Emery.
Good defense by both teams and shot blocks like they were giving em away. Lots of action at both ends and very few dull moments.
Ah yes, and Carlo crushing Spezza looking for someone to pass to, does he think he is Pony?

oh yes, and for the Sens fans who think I may be trying to rub in the Razor thing?
Razor Razor Razor!

What Might Have Been..

Yes, It's here too, the latest infection crawling around the hockey blog-o-sphere.

If I Were A Hockey Player

Team: Toronto Maple Leafs Via the London Knights (drafted in the first round, by the Buds)
Uniform Number: 9 (Suglobov will be on the Marlies)
Position: Left wing (right wing on the power play)
Nickname: Something stupid, courtesy of Bob Cole
Dream Linemates: Dougie and Wendel
Rounding out the PP: Thomas Kaberle and Iafratie
Job: Power forward / Agitator
Signature Move: Working in the corners, no look passes on the tape for the one timer
Strengths: Blinding speed, Sakic like wrist shot, Danny Markov like tenacity
Weaknessess: Height, Irish temper, Danny Markov like tenacity lack of anything resembling a slap shot.
Injury Problems? elbows
Equipment: CCM Tacks with neon laces, CCM helmet, Koho Revolution stick (wood and fiber glass baby)
Nemesis: Roberto Luongo, Darius Kasperitus and Alfredsson
Scandal Involvement: Seduced by Belinda Stronic, head butted (consequently concused) by Tie Domi
Who I’d face in the Stanley Cup Finals: Wouldn't matter, Anyone would do to erase that 40 year drought
What I’d do with the Stanley Cup after our victory: Get drunk and forget it at a bar or in the cab.
Would the media love me or hate me? Bob Cole and Harry Neal would love me because its in their contract to love every Leaf PLayer.

That is all