Ritter's Rant: A Peak at Maple Leafs' Probable Captain and Promising Prospect

Written By: Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter

There is a very dedicated group out of Winnipeg called “Make it 8.” You can check out their website at http://www.makeiteighteh.com. The site features a tremendous amount of information on the Phoenix Coyotes debacle—a must read for anyone following this saga.

Jonas “The Monster” Gustavsson had minor heart surgery on Tuesday. Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Ron Wilson said Gustavsson was "the most powerful guy we had" in some of the fitness tests before the problem arose Saturday.

The procedure seemingly was minor, but one can’t help to think about former Leafs defenseman Karel Pilar and the complications that arose from a viral infection that attacked his heart and eventually cost him his NHL career. They are two very different things, but a heart ailment, no matter how “insignificant,” is something to worry about.

The departure of long-time Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu meant there would be a changing of the guard in the captaincy department. Rumors were rampant on Tuesday that all-star defenseman Andrei Markov had been offered the “C” and politely declined.

Just one question here—exactly how was Andrei Markov, who struggles with English, going to be able to deal with the ultra-tough French media in Montreal? The rumor was laughable but, if true, it certainly was not well thought out.

Speaking of captains, the Montreal Canadiens are not the only team in need of a new one. The San Jose Sharks stripped Patrick Marleau of his “C” in the offseason and need to appoint a new captain soon. Top candidates? Rob Blake, Joe Thornton, and Dan Boyle are the leaders.

Best bet? Dan Boyle. Thornton has enough to deal with without having the “C.” Blake, while very capable of being a leader, will likely retire next season, so the Sharks would be encouraging a revolving door if they selected him.

Personally, I like Dan Boyle; he’s ready to step up, his accomplishments speak for themselves, and he’s young enough that he could lead the team for years to come.

Ron Wilson has stated publicly that his top-four defensemen this season will be Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek, Luke Schenn, and Francois Beauchemin. Jeff Finger will likely be a “lock” to make the team, as will offseason acquisition Garnet Exelby.

It’s a good bet that the Leafs will start the season with seven defensmen, which means Mike Van Ryn, Ian White, and 22-year-old, 6’4", 217-pound prospect Phil Oreskovic will have to fight it out for the seventh and final roster spot.

Ian White, who—in a pinch—can also play the wing, would seem to have the inside track on the seventh spot; but if you watched Oreskovic play with the Marlies last season, you would know that his style of game is exactly what the Leafs could use.

Best bet, Van Ryn is traded for pucks and tape, White and Oreskovic will be the final cuts. Me? I’d put a check-mark beside Oreskovic’s name; he’s gonna be a beauty.

Keep hearing a lot of noise out of Leafs training camp about Tyler Bozak. It remains to be seen if he can crack the lineup, but the Leafs are encouraged by his strong play, compete level, and “hockey sense.”

Now that the preseason is starting, I expect to hear a lot of noise about Leafs prospect Jiri Tlusty. Tlusty, who was the Leafs’ first-round draft choice in the 2006 (13th overall), scored 25 goals and 41 assists with the Leafs' AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, in 2008-09.

This is Tlusty’s time to shine; otherwise, he will join a long list of Leaf prospects that have lots of questions about their future with the team, or lack-thereof.

Until next time,

Peace!