The Toronto Maple Leafs

	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS
1.Buff*	82	53	22	7	113
2.NJ*	82	49	24	9	107
3.Atl*	82	43	28	11	97
4.Ott	82	48	25	9	105
5.Pitts	82	47	24	11	105
6.NYR	82	42	30	10	94
7.TB	82	44	33	5	93
8. NYI	82	40	30	12	92
9. Tor	82	40	31	11	91
10.Mon	82	42	34	6	90
11.Car	82	40	34	8	88
12.Flor	82	35	31	16	86
13.Bos	82	35	41	6	76
14.Wash	82	28	40	14	70
15.Phi	82	22	48	12	56

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What are the Leafs chances of making the playoffs after the trade deadline?

We're in for sure

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• Smile for the Camera Eddie
• Where to begin….
• Game 79 - Leafs 2 Rangers 7
• Game 77 - Leafs 2 Thrashers 3 (OT)
• He is funny…
• Another Must Win
• Game 74 - Leafs 4 Sabres 5
• Kaberle to Return Tonight
• Belak Seeks Revenge
• Game 73 - Leafs 2 Devils 1
• Kaberle Returning?
• Game 72 - Leafs 2 Canadiens 3 (SO)
• Game 71 - Leafs 1 Capitals 5
• And the All-Time Maple Leaf Wins Leader Could Be….
• Game 70 - Leafs 3 Lightning 2

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• December 2006
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Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Kaberle Making Progress

Over the last couple of weeks the Leafs have been making progress on getting a complete healthy lineup, but as one returns, another seems to go down. Darcy Tucker and Kyle Wellwood have returned recently. The next Leaf that should be returning to the lineup is Tomas Kaberle. Yesterday Kaberle was symptom free after riding the stationary bike. Kaberle suffered a concussion on March 2nd, and should be given clearance to resume skating shortly.

Yanic Perreault was scratched from the lineup on Saturday with an 'upper body injury'. It's speculated that it's related to the abdominal surgery he had last summer. An undisclosed Leaf player is also injured, so it may depend on which one is in better shape to play tonight.

There have been no new developments on the Michael Peca front. Peca had been targeting to get into a couple games before the playoffs, but that still remains to be seen.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Game 69 - Leafs 4 Senators 3 (OT)

1st Period Summary
Ottawa Goal - Daniel Alfredsson (24), from Wade Redden and Jason Spezza at 14:06.

2nd Period Summary
Ottawa Power-Play Goal - Mike Fisher (18), from Daniel Alfredsson and Wade Redden at 8:01.
Toronto Power-Play Goal - Darcy Tucker (21), from Mats Sundin and Bryan McCabe at 16:32.
Ottawa Short-Handed Goal - Dany Heatley (42), from Jason Spezza at 19:05.


Penalties
3:39 Ottawa Joe Corvo - 2 minutes for delay of game
7:00 Toronto Alexei Ponikarovsky - 2 minutes for hooking
12:15 Ottawa Antoine Vermette - 2 minutes for holding
14:58 Ottawa Mike Comrie - 2 minutes for tripping
15:06 Ottawa Christoph Schubert - 2 minutes for holding
17:13 Ottawa Wade Redden - 2 minutes for hooking

3rd Period Summary
Toronto Goal - Boyd Devereaux (4), from Matt Stajan and Carlo Colaiacovo at 9:09.
Toronto Goal - Nik Antropov (13), from Mats Sundin and Alexei Ponikarovsky at 15:58.

Penalties
0:41 Toronto Bryan McCabe - 2 minutes for boarding
11:22 Toronto John Pohl - 2 minutes for cross-checking

Overtime Summary
Toronto Goal - Darcy Tucker 2 (22), from Pavel Kubina and Matt Stajan at 3:11.

Shots on Goal 1 2 3 OT Total
Ottawa 11 6 4 1 22
Toronto 14 16 11 4 45

Team Power Play
Ottawa 1 of 3
Toronto 1 of 5

Ottawa Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Ray Emery 45 4 41 .911 63:11

Toronto Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Andrew Raycroft 22 3 19 .864 63:02

Friday, March 09, 2007

Someone forgot to tell the team they are in the playoff race

From all reports I've read and heard this morning, it sounds like it was a good thing that I was unable to watch the Leafs game last. A terrible first period for the Leafs, they allowed 23 shots on net, with 22 of them coming in the first 11 1/2 minutes. With the Leafs fighting for a playoff spot (dropped to 11th), how do you come out so slow? Where is the sense of urgency?

Speaking of wondering where things are, has anyone located the Leafs power play unit? They've been M.I.A. for over a month. Their 0-8 performance last night brought their 0-fer streak to 19. Is it a coincidence that the 0-fer streak consists of the last 3 games that Kaberle has been out of the lineup? Since January 27th, the Leafs power play has been terrible, going 7-80. So much for Darcy Tucker's return to the lineup to spark this dismal unit.

If there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the Leafs, it may come Saturday night, as Kyle Wellwood is set to return to the lineup. He will hopefully provide the spark that the power play needs. Wellwood has missed the last 33 games.

Game 68 - Leafs 1 Senators 5

1st Period Summary
Ottawa Power-Play Goal - Mike Fisher (16), from Peter Schaefer and Daniel Alfredsson at 5:13.
Ottawas Power-Play Goal - Mike Fisher 2 (17), from Daniel Alfredsson and Joe Corvo at 12:36.

Penalties
3:19 Toronto Bench - 2 minutes served by Antropov (too many men
10:49 Toronto Mats Sundin - 2 minutes for cross-checking
17:25 Ottawa Jason Spezza - 4 minutes for high-sticking

2nd Period Summary
Ottawa Short-Handed Goal - Dean McAmmond (9), from Anton Volchenkov and Daniel Alfredsson at 3:51.
Toronto Goal - Alex Steen (14), from Ian White at 10:57.
Ottawa Power-Play Goal - Tom Preissing (6), from Jason Spezza and Wade Redden at 16:48.

Penalties
2:38 Ottawa Andrej Meszaros - 2 minutes for closing hand on puck
6:12 Toronto Nik Antropov - 2 minutes for interference
7:08 Ottawa Wade Redden - 2 minutes for interference
16:27 Toronto Hal Gill - 2 minutes for tripping
17:00 Ottawa Wade Redden - 2 minutes for holding the stick

3rd Period Summary
Ottawa Goal - Dean McAmmond 2 (10), from Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley at 3:04.

Penalties
3:19 Ottawa Dany Heatley - 2 minutes for tripping
7:06 Toronto Nik Antropov - 2 minutes for tripping
8:50 Toronto Hal Gill - 2 minutes for delay of game
15:49 Ottawa Andrej Meszaros - 2 minutes for tripping
18:22 Ottawa Mike Comrie - 2 minutes for interference

Shots on Goal 1 2 3 Total
Toronto 7 13 9 29
Ottawa 23 6 11 40

Team Power Play
Toronto 0 of 8
Ottawa 3 of 6

Toronto Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Andrew Raycroft 40 5 35 .875 59:55

Ottawa Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Ray Emery 29 1 28 .966 59:50

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Quick Hits

The National Post is reporting that Tomas Kaberle will be gone for the rest of the season. Kaberle's agent hasn't heard anything about this, or so he says. If they were to lose Kaberle for the rest of the season, it would be a serious blow to their playoff aspirations. But one thing this team has showed this season (as well as in the past) is that they have been able to overcome injuries to key players and still win. They are currently sitting in 8th place in the east.

Pavel Kubina returned to the Leafs blueline last night after missing 5 games with a broken finger.

Kyle Wellwood skated with the team yesterday and is targeting next Tuesday as his first game since December 19th. The skilled forward has missed the last 32 games.

I was pretty surprised to find out yesterday that the Leafs have the most 'man games lost' this season. Heading into last nights games, the Leafs have lost 285 man games so far, followed by Carolina at 219, and Buffalo at 193. One of the reasons I'm guessing the Leaf number is high is due to the 60 or so games that 6th/7th dman Andy Wozniewski has missed. If all defenseman were healthy, I doubt Wozniewski would be playing, therefore skewing the high number. Suglabov at one point was injured, even though he was a healthy scratch. The 3 goalie, Tellqvist situation were he was hurt but sent down for weeks on conditioning would also affect the number. The way I see it, the number should be considered a lot lower as players that were injured, wouldn't make the starting lineup. I'm not taking away from the length of time the Leaf main stay players have been out (Peca, Wellwood, Kubina, now Kaberle, etc.) but it should be viewed as closer to the rest of the pack.

Once again Andrew Raycroft frustrated this Fantasy Hockey G.M. Tired of seeing one of his goaltenders getting pulled from games with an inflated GAA, he was left on the bench, even against the lowly Capitals. Now I do have 2 other 'Top Notch' goalies, and contemplated taking one of them out for Raycroft but decided against it. Yeah that backfired, Raycroft pitched a shutout and Marty Brodeur and Tomas Vokoun both lost. I just acquired Brodeur in a deal that involved Budaj of Colorado, Budaj also pitched a shutout last night.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Game 67 - Leafs 3 Capitals 0

1st Period Summary
No Scoring

Penalties
4:01 Washington Steve Eminger - 2 minutes for tripping
20:00 Washington Kris Beech - 2 minutes for hooking

2nd Period Summary
Toronto Goal - Darcy Tucker (20), from John Pohl and Hal Gill at 3:08.
Toronto Goal - Yanic Perreault (20), from Chad Kilger and Bryan McCabe at 14:39.

Penalties
0:41 Washington Shaone Morrisonn - 2 minutes for holding
4:41 Toronto Jeff O`Neill - 2 minutes for tripping
9:41 Toronto Jeff O`Neill - 2 minutes for tripping

3rd Period Summary
Toronto Goal - Alexei Ponikarovsky (18), from Nik Antropov and Pavel Kubina at 2:47.

Penalties
0:13 Toronto Nik Antropov - 2 minutes for hooking
10:57 Washington Brian Sutherby - 2 minutes for holding
13:07 Toronto Travis Green - 2 minutes for hooking
15:46 Toronto Andy Wozniewski - 2 minutes for interference
16:58 Washington Brian Pothier - 2 minutes for tripping

Shots on Goal 1 2 3 Total
Washington 8 9 7 24
Toronto 10 12 9 31

Team Power Play
Washington 0 of 5
Toronto 0 of 5

Washington Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Frederic Cassivi 31 3 28 .903 59:57

Toronto Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Andrew Raycroft 24 0 24 1.000 60:00

Monday, March 05, 2007

Kaberle Out with Concussion

Cam Janssen's cheap shot hit on Tomas Kaberle on Friday night has put the Leaf rear guard out for about 10 days with a concussion. As everybody knows, with concussions there is no definite time line. The lingering effects can stay with someone for longer than expected and it's not an injury where you want to rush someone back. Janssen got a 3 game suspension for the late hit; no penalty was called on the play as the refs did not see it.

Ian White will be stepping up in Kaberle's absence. Saturday White seen his ice time increase by over 8 minutes. He has been promoted to the number 1 power play unit, not bad for a player who was on the bubble of making the team coming into training camp this year.

Game 66 - Leafs 1 Sabres 3

1st Period Summary
No Scoring

Penalties
6:12 Toronto Nik Antropov - 2 minutes for hooking
8:24 Toronto Travis Green - 2 minutes for slashing
13:48 Buffalo Teppo Numminen - 2 minutes for delay of game
17:51 Toronto Mats Sundin - 2 minutes for interference

2nd Period Summary
Buffalo Goal - Toni Lydman (2), from Henrik Tallinder and Mark Mancari at 4:52.
Buffalo Power-Play Goal - Drew Stafford (6), from Brian Campbell and Jochen Hecht at 17:53.

Penalties
6:46 Buffalo Toni Lydman - 2 minutes for interference
17:44 Toronto Carlo Colaiacovo - 2 minutes for closing hand on puck
19:47 Buffalo Daniel Briere - 2 minutes for interference

3rd Period Summary
Buffalo Goal - Nathan Paetsch (1), from Daniel Briere and Jason Pominville at 16:18.
Toronto Goal - Nik Antropov (12), from Mats Sundin and Alexei Ponikarovsky at 16:50.

Penalties
5:23 Buffalo Toni Lydman - 2 minutes for interference
7:40 Toronto Matt Stajan - 2 minutes for hooking
10:59 Buffalo Dainius Zubrus - 2 minutes for holding
18:47 Buffalo Thomas Vanek - 4 minutes for high sticking
19:48 Toronto Bryan McCabe - 2 minutes for slashing

Shots on Goal 1 2 3 Total
Buffalo 5 15 9 29
Toronto 6 11 10 27

Team Power Play
Buffalo 1 of 5
Toronto 0 of 6

Buffalo Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Ryan Miller 27 1 26 .963 60:00

Toronto Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Jean-Sebastien Aubin 29 3 26 .897 58:59

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Groundhog Day

For the 12th time in his career, Yanic Perreault is back in a Leaf uniform. As everyone has probably already heard, the Leafs acquired Yanic Perreault (3rd time) and a 5th round pick from Phoenix for a 2nd round pick and Brendon Bell. Did the Leafs overpay for the soon to be unrestricted free agent? Sure, but it's the trade deadline, everyone overpays. I don't really mind the fact that they picked up Perreault, but it's frustrating that they could have signed him in October for nothing. He was interested in coming back to Toronto, they weren't interested in him. He signed a one year deal for $700,000 with Phoenix.

A second round pick is not a big deal, with the Leafs trade record of drafting and developing, it probably wouldn't turn out to be much. Brendon Bell was not going to get a chance to be a full time player for the Leafs. The Leafs have 4 veterans on the current roster, McCabe, Kaberle, Kubina and Gil that are going to be around for at least 2 more years. White, Colaiacovo, and Woznewski were ahead of Bell in the young prospect category. Staffan Kronwall is in the minors and he may be ahead of Bell on the prospect chart as well.

JFJ is ticked off at the Florida Panthers. The Leafs made a strong push for Gary Roberts, supposedly offering a 2nd and 4th round pick, and either Brendon Bell or Staffan Kronwall. Roberts was dealt to Pittsburgh for Noah Welsh. Fergie felt like the Leafs offer was much better.

No point of commenting on last nights beating at the hands of the Sabres.

Leafs - Sabres Highlights

Not sure if any Leaf fan wants to watch these highlights, but here they are:

Game 64 - Leafs 1 Sabres 6

1st Period Summary
Buffalo Goal - Jason Pominville (26), from Clarke MacArthur and Derek Roy at 14:02.

Penalties
1:34 Buffalo Brian Campbell - 2 minutes for hooking
3:35 Buffalo Thomas Vanek - 2 minutes for tripping
6:26 Buffalo Andrew Peters - 2 minutes for roughing
6:26 Toronto Hal Gill - 2 minutes for roughing
7:42 Toronto Carlo Colaiacovo - 2 minutes for holding
9:35 Buffalo Drew Stafford - 2 minutes for interference
16:02 Toronto Alexei Ponikarovsky - 2 minutes for hooking

2nd Period Summary
Buffalo Goal - Drew Stafford (4), from Thomas Vanek and Jochen Hecht at 4:55.
Buffalo Goal - Derek Roy (12), from Dmitri Kalinin and Thomas Vanek at 11:59.
Toronto Goal - Alexei Ponikarovsky (17), from John Pohl and Ian White at 15:48.
Buffalo Goal - Jochen Hecht (15), from Toni Lydman and Clarke MacArthur at 18:28.

No Penalties

3rd Period Summary
Buffalo Power-Play Goal - Jochen Hecht 2 (16), from Nathan Paetsch at 5:21.
Buffalo Goal - Clarke MacArthur (2), from Adam Mair and Patrick Kaleta at 13:49.

Penalties
4:34 Toronto Ian White - 2 minutes for tripping
14:32 Buffalo Toni Lydman - 2 minutes for elbowing
16:45 Toronto Jeff O`Neill - 2 minutes for elbowing
17:03 Toronto Travis Green - 2 minutes for tripping

Shots on Goal 1 2 3 Total
Buffalo 6 5 17 28
Toronto 8 16 4 28

Team Power Play
Buffalo 1 of 5
Toronto 0 of 4

Buffalo Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Ryan Miller 28 1 27 .964 59:58

Toronto Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Jean-Sebastien Aubin 17 2 15 .882 20:00
Andrew Raycroft 11 4 7 .636 40:00

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

No Movement by the Leafs yet

With the trade deadline only a few hours away, the Leafs have yet to make a deal. They are rumored to be interested in Jamal Mayers of St. Louis. They were also talking to the Blues about Bill Guerin, but he was dealt to the San Jose Sharks. The Leafs were also in play for Gary Roberts and reportedly offered a 2nd round pick, a 4th round pick and either Brandon Bell or Staffan Kronwall.

Darcy Tucker signed a 4 year deal for $12 million. A $3 million a year average is pretty good from the Leafs standpoint. Tucker on the other hand could have made more on the open market, but decided to give the Leafs a nice hometown discount. I was worried that they would overpay him (ala Bryan McCabe), but I'm happy with this deal.

Leaf - Canadiens Highlights

The Leafs got knocked around for most of the game. The Canadiens built a 5-2 lead before Andrew Raycroft was pulled for J.S. Aubin. What a rocket Sheldon Souray has, Raycroft was lucky that shot didn't take his head off.

Game 63 - Leafs 4 Canadiens 5

1st Period Summary
Toronto Goal - Bates Battaglia (11), from John Pohl and Hal Gill at 4:10.
Montreal Goal - Tomas Plekanec (14), from Alexei Kovalev at 5:48.
Montreal Power-Play Goal - Michael Ryder (21), from Saku Koivu and Andrei Markov at 14:12.
Montreal Goal - Mike Johnson (10), from Radek Bonk at 19:10.

Penalties
7:41 Montreal Garth Murray - 2 minutes for tripping
13:58 Toronto Andy Wozniewski - 2 minutes for hooking
20:00 Montreal Steve Begin - 2 minutes for interference

2nd Period Summary
Toronto Power-Play Goal - Bryan McCabe (11), from Mats Sundin and Tomas Kaberle at 1:32.
Montreal Power-Play Goal - Saku Koivu (18), from Chris Higgins and Michael Ryder at 10:02.
Montreal Power-Play Goal - Sheldon Souray (22), unassisted at 12:24. NOTE: Jean-Sebastien Aubin is now in goal for Toronto at the 12:24 mark.

Penalties
9:03 Toronto Jeff O`Neill - 2 minutes for roughing
12:21 Toronto Hal Gill - 2 minutes for cross-checking
15:05 Montreal Alexander Perezhogin - 2 minutes for interference

3rd Period Summary
Toronto Goal - Jeremy Williams (1), from Bates Battaglia and Mats Sundin at 1:02.
Toronto Goal - Alexander Steen (13), from Bryan McCabe at 4:40.

Penalties
9:48 Montreal Michael Komisarek - 2 minutes for interference
11:48 Toronto Alexei Ponikarovsky - 2 minutes for goaltender interference

Shots on Goal 1 2 3 Total
Toronto 6 16 14 36
Montreal 11 8 5 24

Team Power Play
Toronto 1 of 4
Montreal 3 of 4

Toronto Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
Jean-Sebastien Aubin 8 0 8 1.000 25:57
Andrew Raycroft 16 5 11 .688 32:24

Montreal Goaltending
Player SA GA Saves SV% TOI
David Aebischer 36 4 32 .889 60:00

Monday, February 26, 2007

Tucker Resigns

According to the Toronto Star, Darcy Tucker will officially be resigned by the Toronto Maple Leafs either today or tomorrow. The Leafs and Tucker's agent have been talking for weeks trying to hammer out a new contract before the trade deadline day tomorrow. Tucker would have been an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season if they were not able to agree on a deal. Tucker has said all along that he wanted to resign with the team. The deal is reportedly for around $3 million a season, for 3 or 4 years. It is not known for sure if there is a no-trade clause in the contract.