Stats Quo - Update

Prospect Stat Check - How we doin?

Phillipe Paradis - Shawiningan Cataractes - QMJHL
Reg - 63GP - 24G - 20A - 44PTS - 104PIM
Post -5GP- 2G - 1A - 3PTS - 0PIM

Mikhail Stephanovich - Quebec Ramparts - QMJHL
Reg- 53GP - 25G - 43A - 68PTS - 24PIM
Post -5GP - 3G - 6A - 9PTS - 0PIM
Dale Mitchell - Windsor Spitfires - OHL
Reg - 32GP - 16G - 27A - 43PTS - 44PIM
Post - 4GP - 2G - 4A - 6PTS - 6PIM

Jesse Blacker - Owen Sound Attack - OHL
Reg- 57GP - 6G - 27A - 33PTS - 74PIM
Post - N/A

Kenny Ryan - Windsor Spitfires - OHL
Reg - 52GP - 14G - 21A - 35PTS - 33PIM
Post -4Gp - 1G - 0A - 1PTS - 4PIM

Nazem Kadri - London Knights - OHL
Reg- 56GP - 35G - 58A - 93PTS - 105PIM
Post - 5GP - 4G - 10 A - 14PTS - 14PIM

Joel Champagne - Victoriaville Tigers - QMJHL
Reg - 65GP - 38G - 41A - 79PTS - 47PIM
Post - 5GP - 3G - 2A - 5PTS - 0 PIM

Jerry D'Amigo - R.P.I - NCAA
Reg - 35GP - 10G -24A - 34PTS - 37PIM
Post - N/A

James Devane -Plymouth Whalers - OHL
Reg - 51GP - 6G - 8A - 14PTS - 84PIM
Post - 5GP - 0G -1A - 1PTS - 7PIM

Jimmy Hayes - Boston College - NCAA
Reg - 38GP - 10G - 20A -30PTS - 22PIM
Post - N/A

Chris DiDominico - Drummondville Voltigeurs - QMJHL
Reg - 12GP - 7G - 15A - 22PIM - 10PIM
Post - 4GP - 2G - 8A - 10PTS - 0PIM

Prospecting

This is more of an experiment in curiosity than a well thought out post, so don't go expecting startling revelations and comedic gold.
Here are the current statistics for Some Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects not playing for the Marlies.

Phillipe Paradis - 11G 14A 25PTS 57PIM -9 47GP
Mikhail Stephanovich - 11G 19A 30PTS 10PIM -2 27GP
Dale Mitchell - 9G 20A 29PTS 18PIM +15 19GP
Jesse Blacker - 3G 18A 21PTS 32PIM -13 35GP
Kenny Ryan - 7G 11A 18PTS 16PIM +7 25GP
Nazem Kadri - 20G 18A 38PTS 62PIM +13 28GP
Joel Champagne - 18G 27A 44PTS 32PIM +6 40GP
Jerry D'Amigo - 5G 9A 14PTS 10PIM +6 18GP
James Devane - 3G 3A 6PTS 23PIM 0 25GP
Jimmy Hayes - 4G 10A 14PTS 6PIM+ 2 17GP
Chris DiDominico - Has Not played

Oooga booga shooby doo

Into The Pages Of History

As most of you probably know, that wonderful man pictured above announced his retirement today. The Mats Sundin era has ended in the NHL.
There really is not much to say about Mats that hasn't been said a million times before, he came on a bad note, and left on a worse one, but no one can deny the years in the middle were magical.
No, he didn't bring a cup, no he wasnt a top the NHL scoring race every year, and no, he wasn't Doug Gilmour or Wendel Clark.
All of that is irrelevant.
Mats Sundin is arguably the greatest Toronto Maple Leaf of all time. End. Point.
Mats Sundin was the hardest Leaf ever for me to accept into my heart. He came to my team at the expense of Wendel Clark, no easy barrier to over come, his style contradicted everything I expected out of a Toronto Maple Leaf, and later, everything I expected out of a Captain.
It pains me to admit that I once too was one of those haters, I drank my Mats Sundin haterade with regularity, and then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, I stopped.
Be it age, or wisdom or dark magic, I finally saw Mats for what he was. An exceptional hockey talent, a quiet, strong and stoic leader.
Captaun Clutch soon was my favourite Leaf, I embraced him, defended him, and cheered him.
Mats was my Captain, Leafs Nation's Captain. It broke my heart to see him called out time and time again for not delivering Stanley's chalice to Toronto, it never seemed fair that Dougie and Wendel didn't (to my memory at least) take similar abuse.
My Captain preformed exceptionally right up until the time that he, for reasons I don't understand and now respect, broke my heart.
The reason it hurt so much was because I knew he would never don the Blue and White again, and he would retire under a different banner.
I realize now that that doesn't matter Mats will always be a Toronto Maple Leaf.
Dougie and Wendel were the Captains of my youth, but I grew up watching Mats, he was my Captain through the hardest years of my life and he never let me down.
I will forever miss Mats, and that big goofy Swedish grin will forever be burned into my brain.
I take no heed to the haters, you out there that would bad mouth my bald headed hero, oh not you Sens and Habs fans, you don't matter. I'm talking about you so called Leaf fans who hate him for "screwing us" get over yourselves. If you don't love Mats, well that is your loss just don't open up your mouth and shit all over a player who deserves nothing but your thanks and praise.

I hold no reserves in saying I will fight you.

Gook luck Mats, we miss you. I cannot wait to see the day you get honored at the ACC and have your number raised to the rafters along side all the other players of your ilk.

Love Actually

This is the first time in a while I can look up and down the Leafs line up and say I like every single player on the roster. I down right love most of these guys, to varying degrees for random and sometimes ridiculous reasons. I thought I might share it with the world in my own little way.

Why I love each Leaf, in 4 words or Less.

Francois Beauchemin - Hits, fights, leads well
Jason Blake - Spinoramas and hamster jokes
Garnet Exelby - Open ice hits rule
Jeff Finger - So Many puns
Jonas Frogren - pop goes the Ruutu
Jonas Gustavsson - MONSTER MONSTER MONSTER MONSTERRRRRR!
Christian Hanson - His dad was cool
Thomas Kaberle - Cross crease pass, unbeleabable
Mike Komiserik - Already hated across Montreal
Nikolai Kuelemin - break out season, watch
Joey Macdonald - Better than Clemenson
Jamal Mayers - fists smell like Oxo
John Mitchell - MOTHER F**K!
Colton Orr - Todd Fedoruk's Face
Alexi Ponikarovski - Antropov Who?
Wayne Premeau - He's not Hoglund
Micheal Grabovski - Minsk Mullet, sliced fruit
Vesa Toskala - so fabulous
Mike VanRyan- Awesome when whole
Rickard Wallin - in red or white
Ian White - Moustachulence
Luke Schenn - impossible to not love
Nazem Kadri - Better than Tavares
Lee Stempniak - Ninjas are awesome
Matt Stajan - rides unicorns
Jiri Tlusty - Not Safe For Work
Tyler Bozak - Great Hockey Name

As Things Sit

One of the things I like to sit and day dream about are line combinations. I find it soothing in a weird way. So how do I see the Leafs stacking up for next year? Well, its probably redundant to do such a thing before the draft, and and the opening of the trade market flood gates that it sometimes starts, but why the hell not. I'm bored and I need a new post.
Here she goes

Poni - Stajan - Blake = not much of a first line, but they will be serviceable for now
Kulemin - Grabbo - Hagman = I loved this lines chemistry, Id love to see it continue
Tlusty - Bozak - Stralberg = speed, size, good skill, if this line can get chemistry, look out
Mayers - J. Mtchell - Hanson = Hanson needs to work on his game a might, he could move up or down to the AHL if needed.

Kaberle - Kubina = good mix of everything
Schenn - VanRyn = Another good mix, Schenn kills things VanRyn stays healthy, one of those will happen
Finger -White = a decent shut down pair with some mustache/offensive flair

7th D-man - Frogren

Goaltending Tandum
Pogge - Toskala platoon = Really, its all we have (currently) why not?

odd men out - Oreskovic, Straleman, Stapleton, Didominico, Williams, and D. Mitchell.

With the exception of Dido, who's Injury very well could take him out for the whole season, any of these players could be substituted into , well pretty much any line short of the top two defensive pairings (baring VanRy's health). I don't take too much stock in these lines, and will update accodringly as things change. What be your suggestions?

He's Just Not That Into You

Brian Burke is serious business.
Brian Burke is cerebral.
Brian Burke will take you out for a nice sea food dinner and never call you back.
Brian Burke takes chances.
Brian Burke wants results.
Brian Burke has no time for free loaders.
Brian Burke likes big butts and he cannot lie
Brian Burke will get the most out of his players, through play or trade.
Brian Burke gives opportunity to those who deserve.
Brian Burke keeps on rocking in the free world.
Brian Burke will trade your ass.
Brian Burke suffers no fools.
Brian Burke will always have a notable quote.
Brian Burke is Spartacus.

Dirty Laundry

I was at the jersey store today, deciding on what Leaf to get put on my first reebok jersey (Schenn ahead of Grabs turns out) and I noticed that there were a couple jerseys from other teams that a part of me actually considered buying. I know, blasphemy right? But I know some of you out there have considered it so don't string me up yet, wait till the end of the post.

Since lists are fun, I decided to make one.
The Top 10 Jerseys from other teams that I wouldn't mind wearing.

1- An Ovie jersey, no explanation needed.
2- A Wayne Gretzky Oilers Jersey. You cannot deny the awesomeness that was 99 on the Oil (wearing void in Western Canada)
3- A Gordie Howe Whalers Jersey. Whalers = Awesome, Gordie = legend. Jersey = the Bomb.
4- A Steve Yzerman, Dude is the best leader in the history of hockey, screw you Messier.
5- A Joe Sakic Nordiques jersey. Supporting our Hab hating unfortunate team loosing brethren and honoring one of the best players of our time.
6- A Timmu Selanne Jets jersey (see a trend yet?). Arguably the best European player ever, and it pays tribute to my Northern friends in the Peg.
7- A Joe Thornton Sharks Jersey, just to rub it in my Bruins friends faces.
8- A Rick 'Motherfuckin' Nash jersey, so I could rip of the BJ's logo and sew on a Maple Leaf.
9- A Shane Doan Yotes Jersey. I have a mild man crush on Mr Doan.
10- An Alexander Daigle Sens Jersey with #1 on it to rub in in their faces. Just kidding I'd rather have a speeding bus for dinner than pull a trojan over my head.

Note: All other Team jerseys must be worn with a Leaf T-shirt underneath and a Leaf hat on, so everyone knows your real affiliation.

Sing Loud, Sing Proud

There really is too much to love about watching an NHL Hockey game in Canada, live or on TV.
There is always a team playing that you an either throw all your love behind (see Maple Leafs, Toronto) or a team that you can try and hate to death the entire game (see Else, Everyone).

One of my favourite parts of the game, has little to do with hockey itself. The anthems. I love them. Except for on the rare occasion some shitty celebrity, or friend of Johnny the zamboni driver is handed the microphone and they manage to butcher our national pride of course.
But when done properly the anthems are an amazing thing, especially when you get both the American and Canadian anthems back to back (Canadian last, of course).

Nothing, but NOTHING, makes me happier and more proud to be a Canadian than hearing the words "God keep our land, Glorious and free" as the crowd swells into cheers and sings loudly along before the clincher of "Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee" is belted out and it sounds like the whole country is either cheering or singing along".

It always gives me the shivers, and then hockey is on and we get to hear Bob Cole say his most ridiculous line of the night in introducing the goaltenders (this evenings masochists of the mesh mortuaries are..).

Good times, good times.