Bleacher Report - Articles by Dildeep Singh

Toronto Revision: Next Years' Maple Leafs

Dildeep Singh — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:46:33 -0400

Realistically, the Maple Leafs can’t do much. They must change the shape of this team and the core group in order to be more successful next season. Expect Cliff Fletcher to do just that after having his hands tied behind his back at the trade deadline.

Here’s a list of players who shouldn’t be extended at the end of this season:

Mats Sundin - a great Leaf but we’ve seen the team manage to do so much without him. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this may be a case of the Ewing Theory. In 2001-2002, the Leafs lost Sundin to a broken left wrist in a series against the New York Islanders. They managed to win game 5 and 7 at home without Sundin to advance. They advanced to face Ottawa in the second round. Led by Gary Roberts, the Leafs beat the Sens by taking game 6 and 7.

In the next round, the Leafs met up with the Carolina Hurricanes. I know, you were thinking “how the hell did those guys get there?" The Leafs had lost 9 regulars by this time, after 2 grueling seven game series. They did get Sundin back, but he couldn’t help them beat the Canes as they lost in 6.

Now this season, even though Sundin played some of the best hockey of his life, the Leafs played best without him. Only now when he is back they get eliminated from playoff contention. We’ve also seen the best from Steen and Stajan...I think it’s time to let go.

Kyle Wellwood - The-guy-who-never-would-condition. When he first came into the league, everyone said he was too small. The same was said about Daniel Briere. Kyle could have lasted in the league and with the Leafs, had he stayed in shape and conditioned. His lack of this has resulted in his horrible sports hernia. He couldn’t score regular season goals if could save his free-falling career.

John Pohl - He’s old, pointless, and hasn’t accomplished much with this franchise.

Andy Wozniewski - please learn how to skate.

Jason Blake - he’s made this season look fairly respectable. However, with that money tied up we could do much more things.

Andrew Raycroft - He needs to start his career off again somewhere where he will be used. He will not be used in Toronto or even slightly cared for.

Carlo Colaiacovo - Great defencemen, but we haven’t ever seen him play up to his full potential because of injuries. It’s time to let go and hope he can excel somewhere else.

Pavel Kubina - Only performed at the end of the season because he had the most to lose. Get rid of him while we can get something for him.

Mark Bell - Waive him not just because he’s going to jail but because he’s done nothing productive all season.

According to my calculations at this point we’ll have used $28.9 million used up on our cap. The cap is expected to increase about $3 million to $53.6 million.

Here’s a list of players I think Toronto should re-sign:

Steen - already done and added into the calculations.

Stajan - should be signed and receive a deal in the same area as Steen. $1.7 million for 3 years.

Moore - great role player for the team but doesn’t deserve a raise: $700,000 for 2 years.

Clemmensen - should get a deal similar to the one he received last season: $500,000 for a year.

These re-signings put the Leafs to $31.8 million with 11 forwards, 5 defencemen, and 3 goalies. We will need to add in about 7 forwards (1 centre, 3 left wings, 3 right wings), 3 defencemen, and 1 goalie for which we go to the free agent list.

Daymond Langkow should be our ideal centre for our first line. He should receive a $3.7 million deal for 2 years.

Vaclav Prospal is just a guy who puts up points and scores and he’s fairly consistent with his scoring. He should get a $2.5 for a year with a chance to deal him at the deadline and get valuable assets.

Paul Gaustad is a decent point producer and he is a great role player. He should get a $900,000 deal for 2 years.

Kristian Huselius is another consistent scorer and he’s not a defensive liability for a winger. He should get a $2.85 for 2 years.

John Michael Liles is a great defencemen and he plays hard when it counts but he will get a raise. He should get $2.25 for 2 or 3 years.

With this, the Leafs are up to $44 million on the cap for next season. The rest of the roster must be filled through the draft and the Marlies.

Should Kulemin come to the NHL next season, he hits the Leafs for about $1.4 million for a total of $45.4 million. With only about 5 more spots to fill with either entry level or minimal dollar contracts, the Leafs should be looking at $47.5 million against the cap and $6 million of space.

Here’s what I think the Leafs should do in the draft:

As of right now, the Leafs are in 7th last place. They should be getting between a 3rd to 9th pick. I’ll go with them having the 7th pick. (These draft positions are rough estimates.)

1st round 7th overall - Cody Hodgson should selected with this pick. He’s a smart and skilled player with a mind for the net and accountable defensively.

2nd round pick 37th overall - gone to Phoenix for Yanic Perreault.

2nd round 26th overall - from Pittsburgh, get a defensive minded forward

3rd round 67th overall - get a European defencemen hope for great scouting

Here’s a brief picture of what our depth charts would look like:

Forwards:

Huselius - Langkow - Antropov

Prospal - Steen (A) - Tucker

Tlusty - Stajan (C) - Ponikarovsky

Moore - Devereaux - Gaustad

Defense

Liles - Kaberle (A)

White - McCabe

Stralman - Kronwall

Goaltenders

Toskala - Pogge and Clemmensen switching it up as back-ups.

Come on, tell me you don’t feel that??

Check out my blog at http://dildeepsingh.wordpress.com

From Todd Bertuzzi to Patrick Roy, Horrible Times for Hockey

Dildeep Singh — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:47:20 -0400

Todd Bertuzzi is a horrible person, flat out horrible. You screwed up and got yourself in a heap of trouble. Man up and be accountable for it. You can’t blame it on your coach and say “he made me do it." Be a man and take responsibility for what you’ve done. You ruined your career and another person's career, Marc Crawford did not.

Big Bert tried to start a fight with Steve Moore. Moore had already had one earlier with Matt Cooke. Bertuzzi grabbed his jersey and punched him in the side of the head. He pushed him to the ground and took him for a bull ride.

Steve Moore’s lawsuit is a little shady in my eyes. He’s suing for $15 million for loss of income. He would have never made $15 million in his career. He had 12 points in 69 career games. His game is no different than Dominic Moore (his brother) and all he’s getting is $700,000 a year. To get $15 million he would have to play just over 21 season in the NHL. I don’t think he would have lasted 21 years in the NHL.

The rest of his damage claims are pretty reasonable. His parents are suing for negligent infliction of nervous shock and mental distress and hope to receive $1.5 million. The problem is they filed their lawsuits just a day before the statute of limitations ran out, two years after the incident. They may have been disturbed by the event, but they should have filed this lawsuit much earlier.

Bettman tried to arrange for an out-of-court settlement. Bertuzzi offered $350,000 to settle a $19.5 million lawsuit. That is ridiculous. Then today Bert is suing Crawford because Bertuzzi is contractually obliged to follow Crawford's instructions?

Bertuzzi is not accepting how horrible of a thing he did that night. He ruined a man’s career, he offered him change compared to what he should actually play, and now he’s blaming it on his coach. MAN UP!!!! PLEASE!!!

Now we have another issue at bay. Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Quebec Minister of Education, Sports, and Leisure are planning to work together to make rules to remove on-ice fighting. This is all after the Roy duo had done their damage in the QMJHL.

I just don’t understand how you can completely remove fighting from a hockey game. Not only have people made their careers out of fighting, it is used strategically. Players fight to build up the momentum and drive to win in their teammates.

Now the QMJHL and Quebec government is trying to remove people from developing an education of how to fight the right way before they make it in to the NHL. They are destroying careers and a great game.

Shame on you! If you really want to set an example, punish players and coaches much heavier in these kinds of situations.

The government needs to stay out of hockey in my opinion. Criminal charges against Bertuzzi and Quebec government making up laws to destroy fighting is completely absurd. These kinds of incidents are bound to happen in hockey.

Other incidents happen in many other sports. NBA had the Pistons and Pacers brawl that included fans. MLB has its steroid problems which Congress should stay out of also. Governments: get out and keep out, you're ruining the sport for everyone.

Check out my blog at http://dildeepsingh.wordpress.com.

Failures of the Toronto Maple Leafs

Dildeep Singh — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:32:39 -0400

This season, I lost all the frustration I had for the failures of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I always knew what was wrong with this team but I always thought that they could do better. Towards the end of last season, I realized, they really can’t.

There are many reason for the last 40 years of a cup dry city of Toronto but by far the biggest reasons for all these years of disappointment has been the ownership of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In 1971, Harold Ballard became sole owner of the Maple Leafs after one co-owner sold shares to Ballard and Stafford Smythe. Smythe died six weeks later and he bought out Smythe’s shares. He made himself President and Chairman of the Board.

He was very involved in the team and often got himself involved in the players. He drove Dave Keon out of town and ruined his career by not releasing rights to him. Dave Keon didn’t forgive Ballard of the Leafs organization and never attended the closing of Maple Leafs Gardens. He only reconciled with the team when the organization honoured the 1967 team that won the Stanley Cup. He used his assistance to Hockey Canada during the Summit Series to build public relations to help him out during his tax evasion trials.

Ballard hated European players. The Leafs were only able Borje Salming while Harold Ballard was serving jail time. He later ruined his relationship with Darryl Sittler, when Punch Imlach was brought back in. Imlach destroyed a team that had potential and Sittler was only saved (kept prisoner) by a no-trade clause. Then he back-stabbed his buddy Imlach after Imlach had a heart-attack by never giving him his job back even though he was never fired.

The Leafs were still a financially successful team and Ballard never spent money to improve the team.When they put last names on jerseys, Ballard didn’t want to and when forced put the names on wiht the same colour as the jersey so they were unnoticeable. Ballard died and the organization was pretty much inherited by Steve Stavro.

Stavro led the group which now owns team and sold his shares away. Current owners are Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, CTV, TD Bank and Kilmer Sports (Larry Tanenbaum). Ownership assigned Richard Peddie as President and CEO. They currently own the Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, Marlies, ACC, Leafs TV, Raps TV, and Maple Leafs Square which will complete in 2009. They are currently making a profit of 13 cents of every dollar. They are the most profitable hockey team in the NHL.

What are the similarities between Ballard and MLSE? The similarities are very disguised. But this is what I think. I think that both ownerships make so much money with the team, they never cared about the success of the team. This was very evident in Ballards days and have been very visible in the MLSE.

How can the Leafs be saved? There are two ways in my opinion. The first way is by hiring a Colangelo type GM who will not allow anyone on top of him to stop him from doing something. The chances of this? Maybe in a couple of years. The second way is for the fans to boycott this organization and refuse to attend any games as long as they own this organization. Force them out. Chances of this? Impossible because of retarded fans.

Check out my blog at http://dildeepsingh.wordpress.com

Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man: Didier Drogba

Dildeep Singh — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:57:31 -0400

Didier Drogba has been subject of much criticism since coming back from the African Cup of Nations, even among Chelsea faithful.

I won’t lie, this even came from me.

I was sort of upset that he was unable to produce during the Carling Cup Final against Tottenham. I knew though, that much of this was because of the support he received from the wings, Nicolas Anelka.

I also don’t blame Anelka because playing on the wing is not his natural position. That is a managerial problem.

Drogba also had a poor starting performance on Sunday against Arsenal.

He had bad touches, he looked hurt, and he couldn’t get much of anything going. It looked like just another one of those whiny matches from Drogba.

Arsenal had scored their goal from Sagna and many people had just thought the game was in the books and Chelsea’s 76 match unbeaten streak at Stamford Bridge was set to be broken by the team that last won at Stamford Bridge in 2004.

Grant, then, made some questionable substitutions—like most of his have been lately.

He subbed Makelele and Ballack for Anelka and Belletti. Maka had done much of what he always does, breaking apart plays. Ballack had done a fairly decent job distributing the ball and also had a close free-kick.

I thought Lampard should have come off, as he was having a poor game.

Maybe Grant showed some compassion as Capello was watching in the stands. Terry had a monster of a game in centre back shutting out Adebayor and anyone else in the air.

Then, the man-of-the-match stepped up, demanding balls his way. He pumped his team up and received many quality chances from Joe Cole. From then, he took over, just ask Arsenal’s stingy defense.

There was no stopping him.

Three defenders would attempt to get in the way of his shots and another one all over his body. He still managed to put two behind the net and should have gotten a third.

At that point, he silenced all critics.

James Sherman, from Footy Show on the Score, before the game called Drogba the most overrated player in Europe.

I dare him to call him that after that game.

His best friend Fernando Torres can score all the goals he wants against Middlesbrough and Derby County, but Drogba does it when it matters. He got clutch goals on Liverpool, Arsenal, and Barcelona, not relegation squads.

I know he will be leaving the Bridge at the end of the season. I’ve come to accept it. I just really wish there was some way to change his mind. He will always be loved just like Mourinho in Stamford Bridge and among Chelsea faithful.

Check out my blog at http://dildeepsingh.wordpress.com

Jose Calderon: A True Team Player

Dildeep Singh — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:47:44 -0400

Calderon has been the Raptors shining star in the somewhat disappointing season that they’ve had. T.J. Ford went down and Calderon stepped up to the minutes, stats, and great play that the Raps needed from him. But today Calderon made the ultimate sacrifice (for a player). He suggested to Coach Sam Mitchell that TJ should lead the starting line-up and Jose should control the rotation. Mitchell agreed and this will be implemented tonight against the Pistons. How selfless is this guy? He rarely shoots (when he does, he hits them), he’s averaging 8.4 assists/game this season, and he gave up the starting role that he’s earned.

This is obviously not because of bad play or that Mitchell is blaming Calderon for not leading the team. This is simply because the Raps need both to be successful on the court in order to win games. Ford is much more successful when he is distributing the ball, which he is forced to do with the starting line-up instead of tossing up so many shots. Calderon is good with anyone. We’ve seen him play with the starters and be successful. When the second rotation comes in, we’ve seen him have success with them also.

One person we will see struggle as a result of this is Jason Kapono. Kapono’s play of late has been great. He thrives off Ford because of Ford’s ability to maneuver his way through defenders and dish the ball out to Kapono. We have not seen Calderon have much success doing this with Kapono.

Another move that was made for tonight’s game is Nesterovic making the starting line-up again and Bargnani going to the bench. This is simply because Nesterovic is playing amazing of late. I haven’t seen him play this well in ages. Bargnani has been hot in the first quarter but we haven’t seen him do much of anything after that. It’s great if you get 15 points, but you should get some in the remaining quarters. All this talk about Bargnani leaving is gibberish. This guy has sublime talent. He will take time to develop and people need to understand that. He is also playing on one of the deepest rosters in the league. If he doesn’t step up and perform, someone else will. This will help him for the better eventually but right now it will take him time. I will wait to see Il Mago earn his name again. People need to be more patient. Everyone knew this guy wouldn’t be a Dirk right from the start. Even Dirk took about 4 or 5 seasons to be the Dirk he is now. I don’t think Bargnani will take that long, but we still must be patient with him. In the mean time, be thankful for the team player we have in Calderon.

Check out my blog at http://dildeepsingh.wordpress.com