Two Minutes for Instigating Hockey Blog

'Two Minutes for Instigating' is an exclusive blog to Sportscity. I am a Toronto Maple Leaf fan and will have plenty to say about them, but I will also be commenting on NHL news and rumors, stats, hockey trivia, and numerous rants on the NHL in general.

Toronto Maple Leaf Halloween Pictures

Written Mark E on November, 9th 2007 | 0 Comments

I was forwarded these Toronto Maple Leaf halloween pictures in an email yesterday, they are pretty funny...And who says drinking kills brain cells, these guys are pretty creative...Look at all the bottles on the wall...

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Tuesday’s Maple Leafs-Thrashers Shootout Video

Written Mark E on October, 25th 2007 | 0 Comments

What an exciting end to Tuesday's Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Trashers game. The OT was excellent and both teams followed it up with some really nice shootout goals and saves. Kozlov's 6 fake goal and Kovalchuk's move were crazy. I've never seen anyone do what Kovalchuk did.

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Tucker Not Really Photogenic at Times

Written Mark E on October, 19th 2007 | 0 Comments

They look eerily similar don't they?

Here are a collection of Darcy Tucker pics. He seems get caught making weird faces or in precarious positions quite often

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What to do with you Bryan McCabe…..

Written Mark E on October, 16th 2007 | 3 Comments

Oh Bryan McCabe...what to say...What to do with you...You've been hacked/laughed in the media for scoring on your own net last night, are the butt of many jokes, and are constantly being booed...I'm actually starting to feel sorry for you, you can't seem to do anything right. Scoring on your own net, to tripping over the net, to leaving your man alone in the slot.

Since he's pretty much untradeable because of his large salary ($5.75 million cap #) and no a trade clause, the Leafs are stuck with him. He could use a change of scenery, or maybe a change of position?..

Why not try McCabe up on the wing? He's got decent size, a good shot, not afraid to take the body and has average speed...It would also mask mistakes he's prone to making, which would lessen the boo birds, and maybe bring some confidence back. He could drop back to 'D' for power plays. The Leafs have plently of offensive defenseman, and are deep at that position, so moving McCabe up may be worth a shot. Stralman, Colaiacovo, or Kronwall could step in and be the 6th d-man. If they need a tougher team for a game or two, Belak could always drop back to the point. Give it try, it can't get any worse.

Alexei Ponikarovsky could be back in the Maple Leafs lineup by the weekend, and the same goes for Kyle Wellwood. Colaiacovo may return sometime next week. It's too bad all 3 players are offensive minded, the Leafs desperately need some players who know what the word 'Defense' means. Their overall team defense has been terrible, giving up over 90 shots in the last 2 games.

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2007-08 Toronto Maple Leafs Player Salaries

Written Mark E on September, 26th 2007 | 0 Comments

Heading into the start of season, here is a list of potential 2007-08 Toronto Maple Leaf player salaries, along with their salary cap number. It still blows me away at the money they are paying Bryan McCabe, which will make it virtually impossible (without even bringing up his no trade clause) to trade him. You have to feel for Kaberle as he's the third highest paid Maple Leaf defenseman, even though he's their best defenseman. Toskala's $8 million, 2 year extension does not kick in until next year. The Leafs are also still paying Eddie Belfore just under $800,000 as part of his buyout from a couple years ago.

Player	Pos.	Age	Cap Number	07-08 Salary
Bryan McCabe	D	32	$5,750,000	$7,150,000
Mats Sundin	C	36	$5,500,000	$5,500,000
Jason Blake	C	33	$4,000,000	$5,000,000
Pavel Kubina	D	30	$5,000,000	$5,000,000
Tomas Kaberle	D	29	$4,250,000	$4,250,000
Darcy Tucker	L	32	$3,000,000	$3,000,000
Hal Gill	D	32	$2,075,000	$2,075,000
Mark Bell	L	26	$2,167,000	$2,000,000
Andrew Raycroft	G	27	$2,000,000	$2,000,000
Nik Antropov	C	27	$2,050,000	$1,950,000
Alexei Ponikarovsky	L	27	$2,105,000	$1,575,000
Vesa Toskala	G	30	$1,375,000	$1,375,000
Carlo Colaiacovo	D	24	$1,283,000	$1,050,000
Matt Stajan	C	23	$875,000	$950,000
Kyle Wellwood	C	24	$875,000	$950,000
Alexander Steen	C	23	$901,000	$870,000
Chad Kilger	L	30	$900,000	$800,000
Ed Belfour	G	42	$770,000	$770,000
Ian White	D	23	$453,000	$750,000
Justin Pogge	G	21	$683,000	$750,000
Bates Battaglia	L	31	$650,000	$650,000
Wade Belak	D	30	$625,000	$625,000
Boyd Devereaux	C	29	$575,000	$550,000
Andrew Wozniewski	D	27	$500,000	$500,000
Scott Clemmensen	G	29	$500,000	$500,000
John Pohl	C	28	$463,000	$475,000
Simon Gamache	L	26	$488,000	$475,000
Kris Newbury	C	25	$475,000	$475,000
Staffan Kronwall	D	24	$488,000	$475,000
Tony Salmelainen	R	25	TBA	TBA
Jay Harrison	D	24	TBA	TBA
Salary Totals:			$50,776,000	$52,490,000

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