The start of NHL preseason games are still over month away. While everyone is talking about Mats Sundin, I'll take a break from that to look at the overall potential of a team that is rebuilding.
Darcy Tucker, Kyle Wellwood, and possibly Mats Sundin are all Leaf players that are not going to be with the Leafs next season; however, the leafs have also held on to some key players and singed a few good free agents. So where will this put them in the up coming season?
Nik Hagman, Jeff Finger, and of course Curtis Joseph could be the best acquisitions this offseason for the Leafs. Don't forget that the Leafs also signed Matt Stajan to a two year deal as well as re-signing Dominic Moore and John Mitchell. Moore, who was picked up off waivers last winter, signed a one year contract and Mitchell was signed to a two year deal.
Hagman scored 27 goals last year and had 41 points. Hopefully he will bring some much needed offense to the Leafs. Jeff Finger, a 28-year-old defenseman, will help bring some support to Maple Leaf goalie Vesa Toskala who is one of the best goalies in the NHL. Toskala had a .904 save percentage and three shutouts last season and will be relived to see that a fully capable goalie (not that Raycroft wasn't capable...wink, wink) in Curtis Joseph, the same guy that left Toronto six years ago in search of a Stanley Cup, is back.
Let's not forget that the news is not all good for the Leafs. Darcy Tucker had 18 goals and 34 points last season and he will be missed by Leafs Nation. Tucker was a hard working guy that gave 115% every game. I still can't believe they got rid of Kyle Wellwood. Sure he had a few injuries, but he still has a bright future ahead of him, just ask Vancouver in couple years.
Mats Sundin. Need I say more? Even if I had to no one wants me too.
All-in-all, it surprisingly does not look too bad for the Leafs this season. They play in one of the hardest divisions in the league. Looking at it rationally, the Leafs may be able to sneak into a playoff spot ranked seventh or eighth maybe, but by no means are they Stanley Cup ready.
For those of you who are wondering why I didn't mention Luke Schenn, it's because he will need to spend at least one year with the Marlies in the AHL.
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2 months ago
i think luke schenn will go back to juniors for a half a season then be called up by toronto about feb or march
2 months ago
They aren't in a tough division at all
2 months ago
Tyler,I must say that was a very fine evaluation of our 2008/2009 'Leaf's',.I have said it before,they will open some eyes around the league,with some good defensive hockey,as well as top notch goaltending.
Yes, it is also a fact,.you got to put the puck in the net, to win games,.they have some quick hands in this line-up.
As the season moves on,.trust me,. "Ron Wilson' will have them playing his style of hockey and what it takes to be a winner,the way the game is now played in the N.H.L.
We as "Leaf Scribs",.are not going to convince anyone from "The Red, White and Blue",..that by Xmas, "Wilson",will have "The Leafs" at 500 Hockey,.with or without,..( M.S.) I hope I can read this comment,come Dec,25/2008.
2 months ago
i can appreciate your optimism gentlemen, but im not sure you're actually BEING optimistic. finishing seventh or eighth (or ninth?!!) in the conference would just set us back ANOTHER year. my heart bleeds blue and white, but here's hoping we can legitimately stink it up this year so we get a top-three pick...
2 months ago
I always like their chances before they actually start playing :)
2 months ago
We had a stinking season last year and didn't get a top 3. We had to trade two draft picks( the farm) to get to 5. Toskala didn't come close to stealing games the way Joseph or Belfour did. If it were a BUSINESS LIKE MOST TEAMS Sundin, McCabe and Tucker would have been traded at the deadline or sat if they didn't want to go. That way they get some positive return on the deadline or a higher pick in the 08 draft.There were many young rfa's 28 or less I thought they might go after . But why bother when you are sold out at 100$$$ a ticket every night of the season no matter what the effort or result.
Matts you were a great player but never bled blue the way Doug Gilmour, Darryl Sittler and Davey Keon did. Speaking of which they did not ever get the same respect Mats did from Leaf Management who continue to this day to treat the Players and their fans as their personal toys. Good Luck Captain Kubina.
Brent
from 2 months ago
Excuse me! No team sits their players if they don't want to leave, that's a huge form of BAD BUSINESS.
Mats never bled blue and white?, give your head a shake.
HAHAH and we did not sell (the farm) to get to the no.5 pick. Do you know what selling the farm is?
I should of stopped reading there, unfortunately I did not.
2 months ago
Captain Kubina, is that a joke
2 months ago
Tyler. I'll start with a positive. It was a well written article.
Now the bad news. You are completely off your rocker. Heading into the '08-09 season there is absolutely nothing to be optimistic or positive about with the TML.
They appear to have lost Sundin (and even if he comes back he will contribute his 70+ points and they will still be bad). Tucker is gone, Oh well. A useless, beaten down agitator who wasn't even the best agitator in the league, only in Toronto can a player of his ilk and performance be missed. Wellwood proved only one thing in his few seasons with the Leafs, and that was he was a very good scorer in the OHL. He was lazy, out of shape and refused to play hockey in the "dirty" areas where all the true offensive players learn you must pay the price to succeed.
Toskala is a decent goalie, heck I'll rate him as better than average. There are maybe 3 goalies that could steal the Leafs enough games to "catapult" the Leafs into 11th in the Eastern Conference and unfortunately one is coaching in QMJHL and the other 2 play for the Devils and Canucks.
The potential opening night 1st line will be Antropov, Poni and Blake....this would be a 3rd line on 2/3 of the teams in the league. Hagman is a veteran NHLer that had a breakout season with 27 goals playing on a very good team with very solid linemates....something he will not have in Toronto.....if you recall just one short season ago Blake came here as a 40 goal scorer and came nowhere close to that total last season.
The only good news is TML will get some good odds at the #1 pick in the 2009 draft...but that just means an 18 year old kid will have his career ruined before it starts.
Tyler, you have inspired me to write my own article on the tradegy that is TML.
2 months ago
Glad I could insprire you I'll be Looking for that article. I'm sorry you don't agrre with me, but what can I say besides, The glass is half FULL;)
from about 1 month ago
Hey this is what makes us fans right?
I'm sure when I get to talking about the Flyers my biases show through whether I try to control them or not. I guess at this point I'm just lucky that Holmgren and co. are doing a pretty good job.
In case you're interested and feel like having your blood pressure rise a touch. I did publish the article titled "Hope: A Blue and White Tradition"
keep up the quality writing.
about 1 month ago
Leafs are going to surprise a few people this year, and I can see them making the playoffs in one of the last few spots.
Raycroft, Tucker, Wellwood and Sundin are gone, Kulemin, Hagman, Finger and Joseph are in. Now personally the ones we lost aside from maybe Sundin are not big losses, and if Sundin came back our team would be improved from last season.
Blake will have a better year, not 40 goals but 25-30 with about 30 assists. Guy had cancer and didn't know he was going to be able to live and see his kids come seasons end, he found out he'd be fine at the end of it all. I'd have a bad year as well, and I think anyone in the NHL would that was in a similar situation.
Poni - Antropov - Blake
Kulemin - Steen - Tlusty
Bell - Stajan - Hagman
Mayers - Moore - Devereaux
extras - Newbury, Williams
Kaberle - McCabe
Cola - Kubina
Finger - Stralman
extras - White, Kronwall
Toskala
Joseph
Obviously McCabe won't be there but White or Kronwall or that swedish guy will likely fill a spot and Kubina will play with Kaberle. They actually have a solid 3rd and 4th line now with grit and Wilson will layout some nice stuff for this team. I say the season looks good myself but who knows?
24 days ago
Hey Branden,.any Leaf Loving Fan would think and talk like that,.surpises are in store come Xmas-trust me, this team will be very exciting to watch play.
Wilson will have these guys playing their game,not the way the fan's want it or the way the media like it-but a fire brand game of hockey.
I am with "Joe Bowen" on this team it will be exciting and the guys that should have had a good season last year-will be putting the puck in the net again.
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