Bleacher Report - Articles by Matthew Di Nicolantonio

NHL: Maple Leafs Singing The Blues

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 19:09:04 -0500

Saturday night's contest between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals was almost the perfect game for Leafs' fans. Confused? Stay with me.

At the beginning of the season Maple Leafs' faithfuls were told by many pundits that their team would finish at the basement of the Eastern Conference. Many fans bit on this prediction and were eagerly anticipating the 2009 Entry Draft in Montreal where they would be able to select a franchise-type player like Victor Hedman or John Tavares. Slogans such as "T for T" (Tank for Tavares) became popular among sects of Leafs Nation.

But when the boys in Blue & White triumphed over the Detroit Red Wings in the season opener, all of that went out the window.

"We can compete with the best teams in the league!" they shouted. "We're gonna make the playoffs for sure!"

Two days later, the real Maple Leafs showed up while being trounced 6-1 on home ice by Montreal.

Throughout the first two months the Leafs have been, if nothing else, consistently inconsistent. The offence has been better than expected, while the defence has been horrendous, much worse than expected.

It was believed the Leafs would lose many games 2-1 and 3-2. The defence, lead by stellar goaltending from Vesa Toskala, would hold them in it, while the offence struggled to produce. This didn't come to fruition early in the season, as the club played to 5-4 wins and 6-4 losses.

But Saturday night against Washington at home (much like the previous Thursday in Ottawa) the club showed it's true colours.

An offence that is capable of producing, but struggles to do so consistently, was bailed out by a stingy defensive core and an impressive goaltending performance.

For Leafs fans, nothing should appear more beautiful.

The fact of the matter remains that this club is not talented enough to make the playoffs, even with a completely healthy lineup. More games will follow like those against Washington and Ottawa. The team will play a close and competitive game, but ultimately come up short in terms of results.

This is why Brian Burke was brought in as general manager. He likes his team to play an entertaining style, even if they lose.

Since the Leafs won't be making the playoffs, they need to be entertaining, but continue to lose. The worst thing for the club at this stage of its development is to get close to a playoff position, but far from a Top 10 draft position.

Fans need to come to the realization that they can cheer for their team as much as they wish (I certainly will be), but at the end of the day, the losses need to be embraced as part of a "grand scheme of things" mindset.

Losses are lessons learned, and points gained towards another franchise player, like Luke Schenn.

Logic tells me the Leafs won't be bad enough to fall into the top two and get a chance at Tavares or Hedman. They will be in the fourth to eighth category, where several good players are available. Among those is Brayden Schenn, younger brother of Luke, and reigning WHL Rookie of the Year.

Count me in the group that hopes the Leafs finish in a position to draft Brayden. He's a smart, two-way forward who can become a dependable second-line centre. Playing with his older brother will probably inspire him to be the best he can be, and that will reciprocate on Luke.

Don't forget that Burke has a thing for brothers (see: Sedins, and Niedermayers) so this isn't completely out of the question.

With Schenn and Niklas Hagman falling to injury tonight, the Leafs are presented with a great opportunity, an excuse to lose. The team will be far from full strength for the next couple of weeks, and will be able to dig themselves a deep enough hole that come February and March (when they decide to kick it up a notch), it won't matter.

The damage will hopefully have been done, and the Leafs will be able to select another player that will help the development of this young team.

So Leafs fans, cheer all you wish, the world expects no less of you. However, when your brave soldiers bow out to more worthy adversaries, keep in mind that it is all for the cause, and you will one day understand and reap the rewards of the long-time suffering.

Top 10 Mats Sundin Maple Leafs Moments

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:20:55 -0400

With Mats Sundin returning to the news this week—not that he's really left it at all over the last two months—I've decided to publish a piece that has been complete for quite some time now.

In late February when there existed a strong possibility that the Maple Leafs' captain would be traded, I compiled a list of my favourite moments from the big Swede.

When a trade never materialized, I decided I would refrain from making my notes public until the summer when Sundin re-signed.

But alas, that scenario hasn't panned out.

Then there was word that Sundin would sign with a rival club, or even retire. I decided that there would never be a better time to show off such a list than Sundin's end of term with the Maple Leafs.

But the big man hasn't made up his mind on that yet, either.

So I sit here in my house in Ottawa with a slow start to the school year, and have finally come to the decision that the time is now.

Sundin is in Toronto this week for a charity game and has re-iterated his stance that he will not be making a decision any time in the near future.

Hopefully, this means the media will finally get off his back.

By definition, news is something that fulfills three criteria: any occurrence that is significant, interesting and new.

The Sundin Saga is no longer any of the above.

However, since I am not reporting the news, and this will likely —and hopefully—be Sundin's last appearance in the limelight until a decision has been reached, the opportunity is being taken to get this in while the Maple Leafs point leader is still relevant.

So without further ado, here are my Mats Sundin Top Ten Maple Leafs moments:

10. January 23, 2008: Washington Capitals @ Toronto Maple Leafs

Sundin scores the winning goal with less than two minutes to play. It is the 544th goal of his career and moves him into a tie with the great Maurice Richard for 23rd on the all-time scoring list.

9. March 10, 2003: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Edmonton Oilers

On another game-winning goal, Sundin records his 1000th career point—joining an elite club of European players to reach the milestone.

8. November 29, 2007: Montreal Canadiens @ Toronto Maple Leafs

With 17 seconds to play in regulation, Sundin sends the ACC crowd into pandemonium by forcing overtime with his 400th goal as a member of the Maple Leafs. He is the first player in franchise history to reach the milestone.

7. May 4, 2004: Philadelphia Flyers @ Toronto Maple Leafs

Game Six of the Eastern Conference semifinals—the Maple Leafs trail the series 3-2 and are down 2-0 in the third period. Sundin scores one goal and sets up another to force overtime.

6. October 11, 2007: New York Islanders @ Toronto Maple Leafs

On what is surely one of the ugliest goals of Sundin's career, he becomes the franchise leader in goals and points and is awarded all three stars of the game.

5. April 12, 2004: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators

Game Three of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals—Sundin fights off a check the length of the ice and scores a jaw-dropping goal on Patrick Lalime, putting the Leafs ahead 2-0 in the game and two games to one in the series.

4. April 13, 2001: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators

Game One of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals—a wicked slapshot off the crossbar from the blue line, Sundin's goal in overtime gives the Leafs a crucial series lead on the road.

3. May 28, 2002: Carolina Hurricanes @ Toronto Maple Leafs

Game Six of the Eastern Conference finals. With 22 seconds to play in regulation, Sundin's goal nearly lifts the roof right off the Air Canada Centre as the Leafs force overtime. (Toronto would lose the game and have not made it back to the Conference finals since.)

2. March 2006: Florida Panthers @ Toronto Maple Leafs

With the Leafs in the thick of a playoff race, the captain shows up in a big way, scoring four goals and adding two assists—including one on Tomas Kaberle's overtime winner—as the Leafs down the Panthers, 6-5.

1. October 14, 2006: Calgary Flames @ Toronto Maple Leafs

It doesn't get more dramatic than this. In typical fashion, Sundin completes the hat trick by scoring his 500th career goal short-handed in overtime of a 6-5 Leafs' win.

These are my favourites, feel free to disagree and share your own. Take care.

Toronto Blue Jays: Put the Pedal to the Metal

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:40:53 -0400

The Toronto Blue Jays open the most crucial homestand of the season tonight against the New York Yankees.

While many baseball insiders and experts have already written them off, the team is certainly in control of its fate, based on the number of games remaining against those ahead of them.

For the Blue Jays, it is vital for them to keep the good times rollin'. Too many times in the past decade the team has put together a string of wins in late July and early August to put themselves back in contention, only to follow it with some of the most abysmal play of the season.

The Jays went 5-1 (and easily could have been 6-0) on their recent trip through Detroit and Boston, but now must carry that into the series against the Bronx Bombers, a team decimated by injuries this season. A sweep of the series will vault the Jays into third place in the American League East.

Tonight is a chance for A.J. Burnett to prove that he is a real-deal, pressure-situation type pitcher. Allowing his club to be beaten by unknown Darrell Rasner will not do much for his potential free agent stock. On the other hand, if he can come out and pitch the Jays to a victory--his 16th of the season--he will add another chapter to what has been a relatively brilliant season by the fire-balling righty.

Burnett is an interesting character and player who has always baffled yet impressed. His record (15-9) is very impressive for someone who has been known as a .500 pitcher for his entire career.

Additionally, a few of those losses could have been avoided this season. There was the relief appearance against Texas in the 14th inning of a game in mid-April, and at least two games where he pitched exceptionally well, only to be let down by the offense. Burnett could very easily be 17-6 at this point of the season.

Unfortunately for Jays' fans, that means he likely won't be around come Spring Training '09.

I've never really believed in players stepping up their performance during "contract years"--the final year of a current deal in which a player is essentially trying out for a new, more lucrative deal.

But that was before Burnett's 2008 campaign.

With all the talk of trade potential and him opting out of the final two years of his deal, Burnett has won nine of his last 11 starts to send his stock through the roof.

To A.J.'s credit, he has said he does not want to think about changing teams at this point, and his resurgence, like that of many other Blue Jays, co-incided with the hiring of manager Cito Gaston.

Gaston seems like the type of man who demands the best of his players and makes sure he gets it from Burnett every five days.

Time will tell where Burnett will be come February.

As for his teammates, they must also focus on the present, which means winning as many games as possible between now and the end of September.

They have dug themselves a hole by throwing games away during the first four and a half months of the season, but they can certainly take advantage of some good momentum and banged up opponents to give themselves a serious shot at playoff contention.

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Summer Notes:

Good for the Tampa Bay Rays for proving to the sporting world that it is possible to contend in the AL East against moneyhouses New York and Boston. Even if they fade down the stretch, they've given all cellar-dwelling teams proof that patience and good drafting can heal all ...

August is an interesting month for sports, with the MLB beginning to separate contenders and pretenders, NFL training camps kicking off, and NHL fans eagerly await training camps of their own. The Beijing Olympics are an added bonus for 2008 ...

Food for thought: how bad would it look for everyone if Brett Favre got injured in the first game of the season and ended his iron-man streak? It would be a bit ironic after the mess we were forced to endure this summer, wouldn't it? I still don't think he's going to have a great season, the whole situation has bad karma written all over it ...

Mats Sundin may officially be the biggest drama queen in all of sports. He had almost three months from the end of the regular season to the beginning of free agency to decide if he wanted to play or not. I know we all want to avoid another Favre-like situation, but reading in the news every five days that there is still not update on his status just seems like a waste of time. Why not just leave the man alone until he announces his plans? It shouldn't have taken this long, but maybe the media pressure is part of the problem.

Mats Sundin to Return to Toronto?

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:15:06 -0400

After weeks of speculation that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be losing their Captain and best player, there are whisperings (very faint) that he may want to return to Toronto after all.

Sundin issued a statement today thanking all teams for making such generous offers, but stating that he needed more time to think about his future because he was not even sure if he wanted to return to the NHL.

While many Leafs fans have been bracing for official news of his departure for weeks, and even encouraging it, I want you to listen to a possible scenario for the coming season.

To me, the statement issued by Sundin says something deeper than the words actually spoken. Anybody who reads Eklund on hockeybuzz.com will have seen something similar to this already, but it was something that I thought of as well when I heard the Sundin news early this afternoon.

Sundin has had weeks to think about his future and received some spectacular offers to play elsewhere this season. However, his heart still lies with the Toronto Maple Leafs fans who have treated him with so much respect and honour for the last 13 years.

Also, he still believes there is truth in the words he echoed all season long when people asked him to waive his no trade clause: "I want to retire a Toronto Maple Leaf."

Sundin did admit that he was open to the idea of playing with other teams during the Stanley Cup Final this year. Still, that may have been because he was facing free agency for the first time and knew he'd have an attractive market following him.

But, at the end of the day, he could not see himself pulling on another uniform.

Montreal? Come on. The guy has been through over a decade of one of the most intense rivalries in sports and you really think he is just going to switch sides just like that? I didn't believe that Sundin would end up in Montreal and if he really wanted to, he would have signed there already.

How about Vancouver? While humbled by their generosity, Mats has never really been about the money, and I suppose he doesn't see Vancouver as a more attractive destination than Toronto.

The Canucks missed the playoffs last year too, and haven't done a whole lot in terms of improving that club. If it's going to be another struggle year, why not return to Toronto?

Sundin's desire to play for another season still burns inside him, and he can't envision himself wearing colours other than the Maple Leafs' blue and white.

His statement today was just a cover for saying these are his true intentions. It would look pretty bad if he had led teams on for a month only to take less money from Toronto than was offered elsewhere.

Finally, the Leafs will be the only ones with room for him when he does make up his mind. Montreal, Vancouver, and the Rangers will all be going to their respective Plan B's, and when the great Swede decides he wants to return to the NHL, there will be no roster room, no cap room, and no room in the Inn anywhere except Toronto.

He'll take his place as Captain and first line centre, while allowing other members of the team to mature and grow underneath him so that he can be replaced in a year or two. The team may still be bad with him, but it could be a classic overachiever as well.

But enough from me. Am I possibly onto something, or have I just pulled on my blue and white jersey of disillusionment—the one with the No. 13 on the back and the big "C" on the front?

Cliff Fletcher Lights the Toronto Maple Leafs' Match

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:56:03 -0400

The match has been struck by Cliff Fletcher as he makes his first moves in blowing up the current state of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The club said goodbye to forwards Darcy Tucker and Kyle Wellwood, as well as incumbent goaltender Andrew Raycroft. It's doubtful the Silver Fox is done there.

Also potential candidates to be wearing different sweaters in October, as I have indicated earlier, are Jason Blake, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Pavel Kubina, and maybe even Ian White.

In the spirit of the youth movement, I believe—and somewhat hope—that Fletcher will re-sign centre Dominic Moore, even if he lets him get to July 1 and become unrestricted free agent.

Moore did all the little things right on a team that seemed intent on ignoring such minuscule details. Mark Bell should also be given another shot in blue and white, simply due to the fact that his first season was shortened by injury and suspension.

Pavel Kubina is an interesting conversation topic. On one hand, he is a potential captain. On the other hand, Kubina may end up being the odd man out.

With Tomas Kaberle and Bryan McCabe locked into no-trade clauses and unwilling to waive them, Fletcher's hand may be forced to deal the veteran defenseman for a high draft pick or a young forward, simply because he won't have any other options.

I am of the opinion that Kubina should be kept, because he played tremendously down the stretch when given top-two minutes and increased power-play time.

Also, it has been noted by media insiders that the club deeply respects his leadership qualities and intense passion to win. If Kubina and McCabe were on the same contractual terms, Kubina would remain a Leaf and McCabe would be shipped out in a heartbeat. But that is not the case and we will have to wait until later into the summer to see how Fletcher decides to sort out this mess.

The Leafs will be minor players in the free agency market this summer, with about $16 million to spend on approximately five roster spots, depending on what other moves are made.

They may opt to go with some young Marlie talent that will cost them under a million dollars per player and increase the amount they can spend on middle-aged (under 30) free agents.

Here are some suggestions on who the Leafs can and should try to target when the clock strikes noon on Canada Day:

Sean Avery, RW

Most observers may not like the suggestion, due to Avery's public disdain for the Canadian hockey media. I was once of the mind that Avery wouldn't even want to play here, and that may still be true.

However, the facts are simple. The guy can score, fight, hit, and give his team an edge every night. There is no player in the league that other players hate to play against more than Avery (see Marty Brodeur).

The Rangers' record with him in the lineup over the past two seasons is significantly better than the record without him. He is an intense competitor who will give the Leafs a little bit of sandpaper that they have sorely lacked over the last few seasons.

Ryan Malone, RW

He's going to be 29 next season, and based on his performance in the playoffs, the guy has incredible heart and determination. He scored almost 30 goals this season—granted he was playing with Evgeni Malkin—but he goes to the net hard and knows how to find scoring situations.

Malone is another guy who plays physical every shift, and isn't afraid to drop the gloves. He appears to be a younger version of Gary Roberts.

Gary Roberts, LW

I know I said under-30 talent—but the Leafs are going to be without a captain and true leader next season, and I think Roberts will fill that role admirably if signed.

There are rumours that he would take about $1 million per year for one to two seasons (he won't last longer than that anyway) to come back to Toronto. While only playing on the third or fourth lines, he will be a veteran presence in the dressing room who would be able to train a future captain, such as Matt Stajan or Alex Steen.

Roberts also showed that he can still score goals, while playing on Pittsburgh's fourth line with Georges Laraque.

Those are my suggestions, but I'm turning it over to you. Who do you think the Leafs should keep? Who should they rid themselves of (please try to remain realistic).

Finally, Leafs fans need to accept the fact that this team is going to be flat-out no good next season. Unless Fletcher is able to make at least two miraculous trades, they are going to miss the playoffs for the fourth season in a row.

They can thank the Muskoka Five for that, by deciding to stick around and not allow the team to get better. Now the likes of Sundin and Tucker are walking away with more money in their pockets and the Leafs are stuck in the cold with nothing in the cupboard.

Leafs fans should not be afraid to express extreme disappointment with both the players for lack of effort and desire in previous years, and in management for being so lackadaisical and allowing a country club environment.

Change is coming in Toronto, but it will be a while yet before the results will bear success. Your thoughts and comments are, as always, encouraged.

How to fix the Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:17:27 -0400

Well, I'm back. After a layoff of 82 days from writing about the Toronto Maple Leafs, I have returned to offer my insight on what the club must do to re-establish themselves as a player in the Eastern Conference.

It all starts with clearing the decks.

General Manager Cliff Fletcher has stated that there will be at least five to six new faces in the Leafs' line-up come October, and that is music to the ears of Leafs Nation. The new faces must be brought in to replace a group of veterans that are no longer of service to this hockey club.

First on the list—Bryan McCabe. The overpaid defenceman has a no-trade clause but will almost certainly accept a move to Long Island, where his wife is from and where the family presently resides awaiting the birth of their second child.

McCabe clearly has no problem with his kids being born as Americans, so let him stay there and establish his family.

A swap of McCabe and the seventh-overall pick to the Islanders for the fifth-overall selection seems to be a fair exchange. That leaves the Leafs free to take a player who might not be available at No. 7, while also unloading a large contract and a defensive burden.

Second, amicable winger Darcy Tucker must go. While it will break the hearts of Leafs fans everywhere, it is a change of scenary this is necessary for both club and player.

Tucker, coming off one of his worst seasons in recent memory, could use a switch to get a fresh start and rejuvenate his career. In return, while the Leafs would lose valuable leadership and grit, a player of Tucker's ilk is available in cheaper and younger versions through the draft and free agency.

Since Tucker has a NTC, he will have to be bought out, but at a price of $1 million per season for six seasons, that won't be much of a worry.

Third, veteran captain Mats Sundin cannot be brought back—at least not for the price he will likely be demanding. There is absolutely no reason that Sundin deserves to be paid $8 million a season. He has once totalled over 100 points in his career, and that was in 1992-93, his last season with the Quebec Nordiques.

Sidney Crosby is set to earn $8.7 million per season. Does Sundin really deserve close to that type of money when his most notable statistical accomplishment came 15 years ago, in a jersey other than Toronto's? I think not. It will be a sad day for Leafs fans, but it must be done for the better of the rebuilding of the team.

Also, Sundin stated at the trade deadline last year that he would retire a Leaf. Now he turns around and throws this at the club? In a sense they deserve it for putting him through the trouble of asking him to leave the club in midseason, but there is no feasable way for Sundin to return to the club for anything over $6 million. Maximum. Enter Evgeni Malkin.

I can hear all the cries of astonishment and disbelief from the readers. I originally thought it crazy myself, but the idea was put forth by a critic of mine and I have to say it makes sense. Malkin will not enjoy playing second fiddle in Pittsburgh forever, and the Penguins may not have the space to sign him anyway, especially if Hossa gets locked up this year and Jordan Staal and Marc-Andre Fleury follow.

Fletcher should throw the Pens everything including the kitchen sink, its plumbing, and the marble vanity around it. This guy is worth it.

The Leafs should offer up two first round picks, Nik Antropov, Alex Steen, and Staffan Kronwall. I know it sounds like an enormous price (who will he play with, you ask), but a player of Malkin's type is extremely rare and no price is too high.

Malkin would be an elite leader, which the Leafs haven't had since Doug Gilmour, or perhaps Darryl Sittler. He's a 100+ point man, and thrives in the spotlight. There is none brighter than the one that shines on the offensive star of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

While the Penguins may be hesitant to complete the deal, the fact remains that they likely won't be able to afford Malkin at the end of next season, and his stock is extremely high right now. It's an inevitable win-win.

Bottom line, no player on this team is untouchable. I believe Pavel Kubina and Tomas Kaberle will return next season. Jason Blake, Andrew Raycroft, Alex Ponikarovsky, and Kyle Wellwood are among those likely to be in a different uniform by the start of the 2008-2009 NHL season.

So here is my mock draft in anticipation of the real deal tomorrow at 7:00 in Ottawa. (Provided no trades occur.)

1. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

No explanation necessary.

2. Zach Bogosian, Los Angeles Kings

With rumblings of the Kings taking Filatov, the club realizes they are short on defenceman and already have a Doughty-type player in Thomas Hickey. They select Bogosian, a stronger version of Doughty. He's a Rob Blake type, and the Kings need an heir on defence.

3. Drew Doughty, Atlanta Thrashers

The offensive defenceman they need. His selection becomes automatic after he's not taken by the Kings.

4. Luke Schenn, St. Louis Blues

Adding Schenn to a defence corps that already includes Eric Brewer and Eric Johnson means penetrating the zone may become difficult for Blues' opponents in the near future.

5. Alex Pietrangelo, New York Islanders

Also in need of a defenceman, the Isles gladly accept the stud that lands in their lap at No. 5.

6. Tyler Myers, Columbus Blue Jackets

After the Blues raise some eyebrows by taking Schenn, Columbus takes the next best defensive option, monster Myers, in the first shocker pick of the '08 draft. While offence is an issue too, that must be solved through trades/free agency first.

7. Nikita Filatov, Toronto Maple Leafs

To replace the scoring lost when Mats Sundin leaves for Detroit, the Leafs bring in Nikita Filatov to join another Russian prospect, Nikolai Kulemin, and the three Niks (Antropov the third) form the top unit on the rebuilding '08-09 roster. If Filatov is gone, Colin Wilson, Cody Hodgson, and Mikkel Boedker are all acceptable.

8. Colin Wilson, Phoenix Coyotes

Being compared to Ron Francis, Wilson will fit perfectly into the system Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky employs.

9. Mikkel Boedker, Nashville Predators

The scoring winger adds punch to a pretty potent young offence in Tennessee ,and will be setting up Alex Radulov for years to come.

10. Cody Hodgson, Vancouver Canucks

The 'Nucks end their search for a solid scoring centre. Hodgson is a smart two-way player who can not only score goals, but set them up too. He can also win key faceoffs.

In the coming weeks, if/when Mats Sundin ends his tenure with Toronto, I will be writing an article highlighting the best moments in his Maple Leaf career, as well as weighing in on who will replace him as captain of the storied franchise.

Red Wings-Penguins: Stanley Cup Finals Prediction

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:41:32 -0400

Back after a two round hiatus, I have returned to make my predictions for the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.

After going an impressive 6-2 in round one, my results slipped a little. I went 2-2 in round two, and 1-1 in the Conference Finals. That brings my 2008 playoff record to a mediocre 9-5.

If you recall, I originally had the Anaheim Ducks defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final. I guess I can take solace in the fact that I accurately predicted one half of the equation.

I had the Wings bowing out to the Ducks in the West Final, but I admit I may have been analyzing the playoffs through orange-tinted glasses.

I allowed my fanship for the Ducks to control my predictions, something an objective, respectable hockey journalist should never do.

In my defense, many hockey pundits were fooled to believe the Ducks could do well in these playoffs, and not many thought they would be defeated so handily in the first round by Dallas.

Alas, after admitting my flaw, I will focus on this series, which as I'm sure you know by now is being regarded as one of the most supreme matchups in recent Cup Final memory.

The matchups have been analyzed a hundred times over by experts across the continent.

We've all heard about the potent firepower on both sides (Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Holmstrom vs. Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, Hossa); the superior goaltending of Osgood and Fleury.

Most agree that in those two categories the matchup is pretty much even.

The edge has been given to the Wings on defense because they possess speed, strength, and puckhandling ability that the Penguins have yet to face so far this postseason.

I'd like to focus on one matchup that hasn't been explored in any coverage I've seen—the coaching.

It cannot be ignored that Mike Babcock is one of the premier coaches in the NHL. He took an overachieving Ducks team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2003 and took the Wings to at least the West Final in back-to-back seasons.

That means in the past five seasons, he's been into the third round three times, a pretty impressive feat. He is a respected coach around the league and has shown that he can get the most out of his talented roster.

On the flip side, the Penguins are led by Michael "Bulldog" Therien, who has garnered a reputation as being a tough-love kind of coach who likes to push his youngsters to allow them to perform to the best of their abilities.

And boy do these kids have abilities.

Neither team has faced much controversy at all during the postseason. The Wings have come closest when they switched their starting goaltender in the first round against Nashville.

After blowing a 2-0 series lead, they went to Osgood who responded by winning nine straight games. His playoff record is 10-2.

The Penguins have virtually breezed through the playoffs by sweeping Ottawa, then going up 3-0 on both New York and Philadelphia. They took a one-game layoff in both rounds before finishing them in five.

Some people believe that the Penguins have purposely been blowing game four, so that they don't have to face a longer layoff. At this point, I don't disagree with the Penguins if they do that.

Remember, taking it easy in the final game of the season and finishing in second place has worked out pretty well for them so far.

Back to the coaching matchup, I think the coach that makes the best adjustments over the course of the series will be victorious.

Both teams have won games one and two in all three rounds. One of these teams is going to lose game one for the first time, and how they react to trailing the series will be key.

Hopefully for all hockey fans, it will be a back and forth series in terms of wins. With so many series going to 3-0, it will certainly drain the energy from the fans that the week-long hype has created.

If either team wins both of the first two games, the series could be done quicker than we'd like.

In the end, I think the Wings’ superior defense will be the deciding factor in what promises to be an excellent championship round. Red Wings in seven.

**Note** I will be back later in the week to examine some of the offseason happenings so far with regards to the two teams I regularly write for, the Leafs and the Ducks.

Ducks-Stars: NHL Playoff Preview

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:28:09 -0400

The Anaheim Ducks will host the Dallas Stars tonight in Game 1 of the 4 vs. 5 Western Conference quarterfinal.

The two teams enter the playoffs from either end of the success spectrum. The Ducks were the hottest team in the West over their final ten games, going 8-2-0; while the Stars struggled and sputtered to a 3-5-2 clip. However, one key element of the post-season that must be taken into consideration is that once the puck drops on the first game, the regular season means next to nothing. It immediately becomes a battle between two teams for who can win four of the seven games.

This is why the Stars 5-3 advantage in the season series boils down to very little at this point. Several of those games were at the beginning of the season while Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer were still deciding whether or not they wanted to play. The Ducks are a drastically different club when they've got all of their weapons at their disposal.

Speaking of weapons, the Ducks will however have to start without leading goal scorer Corey Perry. The young winger will miss the opening portion of the first round with his torn quad, but is targeting a return for later in the series, perhaps as early as Game 4. The Ducks will certainly welcome his goal scoring touch to a powr play that struggled throughout the regular season.

If there is one area that the Stars can exploit the Ducks, it is on special teams. The Ducks' power play ranked 20th overall during the season, succeeding only 16.6% of the time. That is a scary statistic for Ducks fans, since the Stars had the NHL's second best penalty kill, killing 85.5% of short-handed attempts. Also, the Ducks finished in top spot in terms of times short handed at 408, almost fifty times more than the closest competitor.

So the key to the series may be the power plays. If the Ducks can't stay out of the box, they may find themselves behind early, and leads are always more difficult to overcome in the playoffs.

Another key element to the series is going to be the Dallas offence against the Anaheim defence. The Ducks have far and away the strongest defence core of any team in the playoffs, spear-headed by Scott Niedermayer and Francois Beauchemin, followed by Chris Pronger and Sean O'Donnell. If the Stars somehow find a way to get past that thick wall, they still have to crack goaltender J-S Giguere, who has a career playoff record of 31-13. Giguere has made it to Conference Final three times, twice advancing to the Stanley Cup Final where he earned the Conn Smythe Trophy in a losing cause against New Jersey.

The Ducks "D" will have their hands full, however, as the Stars have several offensive weapons. Mike Modano, Mike Ribeiro and Brad Richards lead the attack for the Stars, who had the 9th highest goal total in the NHL this season. The Ducks finished 28th in the same category, and much of that has to do with the stuggles of Doug Weight.

Weight may be a healthy scratch when the series begins, but his playoff experience may be enough to force coach Randy Carlyle to insert him into the lineup. Weight was instrumental in the Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup success in 2006, and needs to step up and play the role he was brought in to play when acquired from St. Louis for Andy MacDonald. MacDonald was a key member of the Ducks' success from last season and if his efforts can't be replaced, the Ducks may find themselves heading home earlier than expected.

Todd Bertuzzi also needs to bring his 'A' game in the first round. Big Burt has been hit and miss in the playoffs ever since his glory days ended following the Steve Moore incident, and it is important for him to start strong to avoid losing his confidence. Even if Bertuzzi isn't contributing on the scoreboard, he needs to make sure that he plays the tough, physical play he is capable of as grittiness is part of Anaheim's attack.

The Ducks need to play a team game and rely on their experience and tenacity to carry them to victory. If they struggle early in the series they need to stick to the game plan, and not try to change the way they play, since the playoffs are not the time of year you start tinkering with strategy. That isn't to say that they shouldn't make small adjustments to address their weaknesses, but the team needs to remember that it was this type of play that got them the Cup last season. Playoff games are rarely high-scoring, so the fact that they finished so low in goals for should not be a cause for great concern.

If both teams stick to their guns and use the type of attack that made them so dangerous during the regular season, this should be one dandy of a series to watch.

Prediction: Ducks in 6.

Eastern Promises: 2008 NHL Playoff Predictions

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:16:43 -0400

Sticking with the corny movie title references, I present to you my predictions (not promises) for the Eastern Conference in the first round and beyond.

#1. Montreal Canadiens vs. #8. Boston Bruins

Season Series: Montreal: 8-0-0 (1 game decided in SO)

Goaltending: Carey Price (24-12-3) vs. Tim Thomas (28-19-6)

You've heard it a thousand times before, but it will take a mircale for the Boston Bruins to upset Montreal in the first round. They haven't been able to solve this team for a year and a half, and there are no indications that they will be able to reverse the fortunes in this series. Tim Thomas is too shaky to instill confidence in me as a netminder capable of stealing a series. Carey Price is calm, collected, and looks like he's been doing this for ages. The prospect of getting Patrice Bergeron and Marc Savard back at some point in the series may incentive enouh for the B's to steal a game, maybe two, but it will be a moot point by that time.

Prediction: Canadiens in 5.

#2. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #7. Ottawa Senators

Season Series: Ottawa: 3-0-1 (1 Ottawa win decided in OT)

Goaltending: Marc-André Fleury (19-10-2) vs. Martin Gerber (30-18-4)

The Sens won only three of its final 10 games and backed into the playoffs on the strength of loses by other teams in the final three days of the season. Even with Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly (all expected to miss the entire first round), it would have been a difficult task for the Senators. Missing three of their top forwards will make this nearly impossible. Martin Gerber was inconsistent in the regular season and the last time he was given a chance in the playoffs, he choked with Carolina--which I suppose makes him a perfect fit for a Senators team that has mastered the art of the choke. How can you argue against the Penguins in this series? Sid Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are going to be FIRED UP and looking for revenge from last year as well as their first playoff series win. Fleury won nine games in a row down the stretch and his backup Ty Conklin had the best save percentage during the season. Too many weapons for Pittsburgh, not enough heart for Ottawa, end of story.

Prediction: Penguins in 6.

#3. Washington Capitals vs. #6. Philadelphia Flyers

Season Series: Split 2-2-0.

Goaltending: Critsobal Huet (32-14-6) vs. Martin Biron (30-20-9)

Possibly the two hottest teams in the Eastern Conference right now, but only one of them got any attention down the stretch. The Capitals made all the headlines by jumping over Carolina on the final Saturday of the season to complete the miraculous comeback from worst to first in the Southeast division. The Flyers recorded points in eight of their final nine games, going 7-1-1 to jump into sixth when at one point it looked like they may not make it at all. The Flyers certainly have the young fire power to stack up against the Capitals, but Martin Biron hasn't displayed the consistency needed from playoff goalies. The Capitals will ride their wave of momentum, and Alex Ovechkin into the second round, but likely no further.

Prediction: Capitals in 6.

#4. New Jersey Devils vs. #5. New York Rangers

Season Series: NY Rangers: 7-0-1 (3 NYR wins decided in OT/SO).

Goaltending: Martin Brodeur (44-27-6) vs. Henrik Lundqvist (37-24-10)

This may be the year that the torch gets passed from the Devils to, well anyone else in the Atlantic Division. The Devils have a strong team, and probably the best goaltender in the game, but the Rangers are hungry to succeed, and did just that against the Devils in the regular season. This will be Brent Sutter's first playoff series beind the Devils' bench, and it remains to be seen how the team will respond to his demanding methods, which wil surely increase exponentially as the pressure rises. Series might be a toss-up and should be entertaining to watch--provided the Devils don't lead games for too long and clog up the ice, in that case, we'll be falling asleep on our couches.

Prediction: Rangers in 6.

As I did with the Western Conference yesterday I will attempt to predict the entire bracket for the first three rounds, but, of course, anything can happen, which is the beauty of professional sports. So here goes.

Round 2:

#1. Montreal Canadiens vs. #5. New York Rangers

This will probably be a very exciting series to watch. The Rangers will no doubt want redemption after blowing a 5-0 lead to the Habs in late February. In the end, I think the Canadiens #1 ranked power play is going to carry them very far in the post-season, and there just seems to be this thing with rookie goalies coming in performing magic in the playoffs. If nothing else, it will be entertaining for viewers.

Canadiens in 7.

#2. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #3. Washington Capitals

Gary Bettman will have to pinch himself to make sure he's not dreaming. His two poster teams, lead by the poster boys, Crosby and Ovechkin, this could end up being the most exciting series of the entire playoffs. Both teams have plenty of firepower, physical defence and hot goalies. These two squared off in a Sunday afternoon tilt in early March and watching it I couldn't help but think that a seven game series would be the best thing to happen to the league all year. The Penguins may have a bit too much depth for the Capitals young defence to handle. This could shape up into a rivalry of epic proportions for years to come, and fans can look forward to that.

Penguins in 7.

Round 3...

#1. Montreal Canadiens vs. #2. Pittsburgh Penguins

Flipping a coin may be the easier way to determine the outcome of this series. Montreal has struggled mightily against French-Canadian goalies this season, and that could prove to be their downfall. Both teams have two lines who can score (when Koivu returns, which will be far before this series begins) and goalies who can steal multiple games in a row. Once again, it just appears that the Penguins, with the addition of Marian Hossa, have that extra punch to take out whoever gets in their way--but this one surely will not be easy.

Penguins in 7.

Combined with yesterday's predictions, this means the Stanley Cup Final this year will begin in Pittsburgh between the Penguins and the Anaheim Ducks. I see a six to seven game series easily, and the winner is very difficult to call. I have liked the Ducks all season, especially getting key pieces back. In the end, those intangibles may be the difference between champions and runners-up. Ducks in Six.

NHL Playoffs: Can the Anaheim Ducks Repeat?

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:19:37 -0400

Reaching the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years is quite an accomplishment for a franchise that is less than 15 years old. But the Anaheim Ducks will have much higher expectations when the postseason begins in April.

The Ducks will be looking to be the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions since the Detroit Red Wings accomplished the feat in 1997 and 1998, and many experts believe they have the team to do it.

Of course nothing in professional sports is ever guaranteed, and in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, there isn't even a guarantee that the Ducks will be able to get out of the first round.

When the Ducks face off at the Honda Centre later tonight against Pacific division-leading San Jose, they will be in search of their 12th consecutive home win. In fact, the last time they dropped a contest on home ice was way back on February 15 against the Dallas Stars, and that was the first game back after a grueling 8-game road trip. A trip on which they incidentally went 5-3-1, picking up 11 of a possible 16 points.

Having the best home record in the NHL has certainly helped their cause, but it hasn't been enough to get them into the top three. The Ducks will certainly be looking for revenge tonight. One week ago today, the Ducks fell 2-1 to the Sharks but were unable to register a shot on goal in the third period, which, for a playoff team, is downright embarrassing.

Something will have to give tonight, as the Sharks have not lost a regulation game in their last 17, and the Ducks have won 11 straight on home ice, as previously stated.

The Ducks will look to ride the hot hand of Teemu Selanne. The Finnish Flash has 19 points (10-9) in his 22 games this season, and Ducks fans have to be wondering where they could be right now if Selanne had been in the lineup all year.

Like any other team, the Ducks have battled through injuries this season. The team is currently without leading goal scorer Corey Perry, for at least another three weeks; Ryan Getzlaf, the team leader in points (who is expected back in the lineup tonight); and goaltender J-S Giguere.

The Ducks' perseverance is certainly an admirable quality, and one that will give the team a huge advantage come playoff time, since NHL playoff hockey is all about battling through adversity.

I wrote a column earlier this year that said the Ducks should look into acquiring a veteran back-up goalie for Giguere. On deadline day, GM Brian Burke traded for J-S Aubin, who was sent to the AHL and is thus clearly not in the immediate plans.

Rookie Jonas Hiller has done an admirable job if filling in for Giguere in his recent absence due to back problems. In fact, the rookie has posted outstanding numbers all year. Hiller is 9-6-1 with a .928 save percentage and a 2.02 GAA, both of which are better stats than Giguere. That doesn't mean Hiller will be replacing Giguere any time soon, but it will be comforting for fans to know that the organization knew what they were doing when they put Ilya Bryzgalov, who won playoff starts in each of the past two seasons, on waivers.

The Ducks also lost captain Chris Pronger to an eight-game suspension last week after he stomped on the leg of Vancouver's Ryan Kessler. In typical Ducks fashion, they have responded well to the hole on the blueline. The team is 4-1-0 in his absence, and the suspension can actually be a blessing in disguise.

Sitting out for eight games will allow Pronger's injured jaw to heal completely, and also provide him with rest for the playoff drive. When Pronger returns for the final regular season game against Phoenix, he will be the most rested player on the roster. Also, one of the younger defenceman to get increased minutes over the final games of the season, which will help their development and confidence.

Speaking of the playoffs, there are a number of teams that the Ducks may matched up against for the first round, since the Conference is wide open. It is unlikely the Ducks will make up the six points to pass the Sharks for first in the division and second in the Conference. It is also unlikely that the Dallas Stars will make up the six points to pass the Ducks for fourth. So the Ducks have fourth spot pretty much sewn up and will just have to sit back and watch the rest of the Conference duke it out for the remaining positions.

Any of Dallas, Calgary, Colorado, Vancouver and even Minnesota (currently 3rd) can end up with the 5th position, and the Ducks will certainly have teams they would prefer to face more than others. Here is how the Ducks stack up against their five potential playoff opponents:

3. Minnesota (91 points): 1-3-0

5. Dallas (90 points): 2-5-0

6. Calgary (90 points): 3-1-0

7. Colorado (88 points): 3-1-0

8. Vancouver (86 points): 1-3-0

Now these stats can often be misleading, as it is more important to note how teams are playing at this point in the season. For example, the Stars have the advantage over the Ducks in the season series, but three of the five wins were the first three games of the series. The Stars are struggling mightily right now, making them an attractive first round dance partner.

Similarly, while the Ducks have beaten the Avalanche three times in four tries this season, the Avalanche look like they can be a scary team if they get everyone healthy.

The Canucks got bad news yesterday when they found out centre Brendan Morrison will be lost for 4-6 months and goaltender Roberto Luongo has left the team to be with his wife following the birth of their child. This puts the Canucks playoff chances in jeopardy, let alone their chances of moving up the ladder.

Minnesota is a strong defensive team who seem to be built for playoff hockey, and will give even the most explosive offences nightmares in the first round.

Calgary has battled consistency all season long but there is no question that they have the goaltending and the leadership to make a run deep into the postseason.

So for Ducks fans, the most attractive first round opponents are probably Dallas and Vancouver, although any team in the western Conference is a force to be reckoned with for various reasons.

To conclude, the Ducks to have a legitimate shot at repeating as Stanley Cup champions. The additions of Mathieu Schneider and Todd Bertuzzi, brought in to replace players who have since rejoined the team, will provide invaluable experience. If Giguere can stay healthy, and the Ducks can stay in it long enough to get Perry back, the sky is the limit.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Third Time Not the Charm

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:53:58 -0400

As most of the sports world is well aware of by now, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be on the outside looking in for the NHL playoffs for the third consecutive year.

This is the first time in more than 80 years that this has occurred, way back when the franchise was still the St. Pats for the first of the three losing seasons.

For Toronto fans, the late-season push, while impressive, should not have been looked upon with great enthusiasm.

There were too many nights earlier in the season where the team threw away points that could have been used to make the margin for error in the final 12 games a little easier.

Just to name a few of the horror stories for the '07-'08 Toronto Maple Leafs:

Oct. 15 @ Buffalo: The Leafs blow two third-period leads of two goals, and Bryan McCabe ends it in overtime by putting the puck in his own goal.

Oct. 20 vs. Chicago: The Leafs again blow a two-goal lead as they go from leading 3-1 at the start of the third period, to losing 6-4 at home on Hockey Night in Canada.

Dec. 18 @ Carolina: Leading 2-0, the Leafs allow two goals in the final 1:31 after Alexei Ponikarovsky has the puck stolen at the Hurricane blueline with nothing but a gaping open net in front of him.

The Hurricanes tie the game and then win in overtime. Two nights later in Tampa Bay, a Pavel Kubina broken stick allows the Lightning to streak down the ice and Vinny Lecavalier to beat Vesa Toskala with less than a minute to play as the Leafs gain only one out of a possible four points, when three of four had seemed very much attainable.

Jan. 10 @ Los Angeles: Having been shut out 5-0 by the Anaheim Ducks the night before, the Maple Leafs played arguably their worst game of the season as they were embarassed by the worst team in the NHL 5-2, while Jason LaBarbara stopped over 40 shots and looked like George Vezina.

Jan. 12 @ San Jose: Leading 2-0 after two periods, a number of questionable calls result in San Jose powerplays, and by result, powerplay goals, as the low point of the Leafs' season ends with a 3-2 loss in Silicon Valley.

This is just a sample of what was wrong with the Maple Leafs this season. Other lowlights included losses by five or more goals on home ice at least four times.

Moving forward, Leaf fans need to pray that the GM who is hired over the summer will implement the proper strategy to turn this team around.

It remains to be seen whether the likes of Jason Blake, Darcy Tucker, and Kyle Wellwood will be given another shot to prove themselves or if they will be bought out or shipped out.

Defenseman Kubina can be traded during a month-and-a-half window this summer since the Leafs missed the playoffs, and that may be the route taken if the club can't convince McCabe to waive his no-trade clause.

Given the play down the stretch, Kubina responded to his increased minutes and responsibilities and finally started to play like the man John Ferguson signed in summer 2006.

But there is only room for one $5-million man on this blueline, and Kubina may be the better option.

Either way, the new Leafs' management needs to explore any and all possibilities of re-moulding the hockey club into something that resembles what this once-proud hockey franchise looked like so many years ago.

Toronto Maple Leafs Show True Colours

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:04:45 -0400

While the Toronto Maple Leafs' playoff hopes have become miraculously rejuvenated after gutsy wins on back-to-back nights in Buffalo and Ottawa, there is still much cause for concern with the club that currently sits 12th in the Eastern Conference.

For much of the season, several key members of the squad have pledged allegiance to the Maple Leaf because of the fact that they "bleed blue and white". What was noticeable over the weekend was, should the Leafs make the playoffs, they will bleed the same colour as everyone else--red. And they'll bleed often.

Gone are the years when the Leafs possessed grit and toughness to push around other teams in the league. The Leafs have been widely regarded as one of the softest teams in the league this season, and that lack of sandpaper was on display again this weekend.

Both the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators attempted to exploit this weakness. They hit the Leafs hard and often, and it appeared from the outset of each game that the Leafs could be run over physically, and eventually on the scoreboard as well.

However, the Leafs somehow managed to pull out both games based on hard work and determination. But how much longer will that last?

In previous seasons, especially the ones in which the club qualified for the playoffs, it was the Leafs who were able to run the Senators into the ground. Ottawa's more skilled players gave way to the tenacity of the Leafs' checking and that was the primary reason for Ottawa's demise at the hands of Toronto for four years.

Fastforward to March 22, 2008 and there was a complete role reversal. Yet Toronto somehow managed to escape Scotiabank Place with two massive points.

It can be argued, with much credit, that Ottawa beat themselves on Saturday night. How could a team who was at one point running away with the Eastern Conference, manage to blow a two goal lead late in the second period to their biggest rival? And this in the first meeting between the two teams since Toronto embarassed Ottawa on home ice just three weeks prior.

Clearly there is still a psychological mind-block facing the Ottawa team: an inability to defeat those pests in blue and white when it matters the most.

However, Ottawa's ineptitudes should not hide the fact that this Leaf club may not be built for the post-season. The toughness that wins playoff rounds is not showing itself on the Leafs' roster. Darcy Tucker, arguably the peskiest Maple Leaf of all, cannot perform his usual role due to several nagging injuries. The only other sources of grit come from Mark Bell, Kris Newbury and occasionally Jason Blake. The blueline, with the loss of Hal Gill, does not strike fear into the hearts of many opponents, especially with Carlo Colaiacovo gone for the season. Mr. Glass was the only defenceman who played with reckless abandon, and that is likely why he's spent so much of his career on the injured list.

Moreover, the Leafs may wear themselves down in the final two weeks of the season. When every night feels like a playoff game, getting into the post-season may be too much for this fragile club, who will continue to get pushed around over their final six games.

Also, Vesa Toskala is already approaching forty consecutive starts, and any post-season miracle run will need to see Toskala at his absolute best. The workload may be getting to him as, although he is still sharp, he can get sloppy at times throughout the course of a game, as was evident on at least two of Ottawa's four goals Saturday night.

For now, Leafs fans should embrace this magical wave of optimism. Even if it doesn't land them in the playoffs, its been one hell of a ride. But they should proceed with caution. The deck is stacked against Toronto, and making it in is only the beginning.

Maple Leafs-Sabres: A Shame for Toronto

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 05:12:23 -0400

With a chance to prove what this team was truly made of, the Toronto Maple Leafs fell flat on their faces with an embarrassing loss at home to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

Missing captain Mats Sundin, out with an injured groin, it was time for the rest of the team to prove they could still succeed. Instead of coming out with inspired play that would show the hockey world that they still belonged in the playoff hunt, the Leafs looked sloppy and lifeless.

Their defensive zone play was poor, to put it lightly. Blown assignments and missed coverages popped up everywhere, the passing was not crisp, and the power play was ineffective. After the seven-game treat in which the Leafs' power play connected frequently, fans were once again forced to watch as the team struggled to penetrate the zone. Frankly, they looked like a bad junior team.

By the end of the game, it was difficult to watch. How could a team with so much on the line, in the most important game of the season, display such little desire to steal two points?

The Leaf team that showed up at the Air Canada Centre last night resembled the squad that went through the motions during extended losing streaks in December and January.

It has been widely recorded that the Leafs need what is being termed a "change of culture." Many would argue that coach Paul Maurice has not been getting the most out of his players, and others believe it is the effects of incompetent former-GM John Ferguson Jr. The bottom line remains that the Leafs need a shock to the system.

The new GM will be given full control of the team without the restrictions that apparently hampered JFJ. This will be the best thing that can happen to the team, who need to clear some of the trash that currently infects the roster.

The Leafs will come back younger next year. This is not a guarantee that they will make the playoffs, or even contend for them. It is just simply a matter of putting a group of players together who truly want to win all year long—not just in March when a dramatic and miraculous push is needed.

Until then, the younger players need to be given more ice time. Jeremy Williams, Jiri Tlusty and Anton Stralman, for starters, should all see their minutes increase. Even though the Leafs are not eliminated mathematically, they are for all intents and purposes done, and they should not continue to co-opt their fans into believing so.

Andrew Raycroft should also be given a few starts down the stretch, firstly so he can regain some confidence and game shape going into next year, and secondly so as not to injure Vesa Toskala for the coming season.

While "tanking" a season is never something a team wants to do, there is no reason why the Leafs can't begin experimenting with new parts, and auditioning for who will stay and who will go.

The drive for Stamkos isn't dead yet.

Bittersweet Wins: Toronto Maple Leafs Make Another Late-Season Push

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:59:52 -0400

Toronto Maple Leafs fans undoubtedly jumped and screamed last night as if they'd secured a Stanley Cup after their club pulled off an improbable 4-3 come-from-behind win.

Now they must be asking themselves, where has this effort been all season long?

Starting, more or less, with their 5-0 thumping of the Senators in Ottawa on Monday, February 25th, the Leafs have been playing inspired hockey of late.

But many critics have made an interesting observation. This is the third consecutive season in which the Leafs have put together a charge late in the year, once all reasonable playoff hopes seemed to have vanished.

For the most part, this point is not debatable.

The Leafs did not look like a hockey club interested in making the playoffs during the early portion of the schedule and it cost them, especially in late December and early January.

However, it is also important to note that this year's version of the squad is slightly different than those of the two previous seasons.

Much of the credit for the resurgence has to go to the blue line. With Bryan McCabe missing serious time with a hand injury and Carlo Colaiacovo missing over half the season with knee injuries, the defense corps never got a chance to gel properly.

The removal of Hal Gill has allowed Anton Stralman to develop, perhaps a bit prematurely. But this is indicative of the direction in which the Leafs are looking to proceed—with youth.

If these six defensemen had been together all season long, the Leafs may not be on the outside looking in right now.

Most importantly, fans would never have had to witness the play of the lummox wearing No. 56.

In goal, Vesa Toskala has been playing like a man possessed. While receiving the same workload that Andrew Raycroft did last season, Toskala has been able to win games by himself—something Raycroft never seemed to be able to do.

Heading into the season, Leafs fans were excited about having two top-quality goaltenders to go to in troubled times to win games. However, Raycroft has been one of the biggest flops of the season.

To his credit, he got his only legitimate chance to steal the reigns in the December/January funk, when the entire team seemed to forget how to play and he seemed to shoulder all the blame. The club lost confidence in him, and coach Paul Maurice has had no reason to insert him again.

Raycroft will likely be bought out or traded at season's end and will be able to get a fresh start in a less intense hockey market where he can regain his form.

Up front, the Leafs have plenty of options going forward.

Jeremy Williams is proving he belongs in the NHL and will be joined next year by the likes of Kris Newbury and Robbie Earl, at the least. Russian prospect Nik Kulemin is also scheduled to cross the Atlantic and get a crack at the roster, which will finally include young players from beginning to end.

In order for this to happen though, the Leafs need to part ways with some of the junk.

Jason Blake, while playing better of late, may be more valuable as trade bait than as a member of the hockey club.

Alexei Ponikarovsky is showing that he may only be able to succeed with Mats Sundin at his side. Now, only two people can play with Sundin at a time, and one of them will be Nik Antropov.

That means either Ponikarovsky or Alex Steen may be shown the door during the offseason.

The Leafs' brass will also need to determine whether or not to give Kyle Wellwood a mulligan. His season has been a write-off for some time now, and if Wellwood can't prove he has the desire to get better, he may be wearing another uniform come October.

All in all, Leafs fans should be pleased with the effort their club has shown lately, with last night being the pinnacle. While it may be too late to make the playoffs, it gives fans hope for next season.

If the team finally admits that youth is the way to go, the ranks will be full of young players who want to win night in and night out. And that will certainly bode well for the future of the franchise.

NHL Trade Deadline: The Wrap-Up

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:52:17 -0500

Another glorious NHL Trade deadline has come and passed, so now it is time to make sense of everything that went down on Tuesday. Several big names were moved, others stayed put (see: Toronto Maple Leafs).

Starting with Toronto. Many Leafs' fans will likely feel a tremendous amount of disappointment that Cliff Fletcher was not able to deal away some big names and their big salaries, especially the likes of Mats Sundin, Bryan McCabe and Pavel Kubina, who would have netted large returns.

Fans may be quick to criticize these players, especially Mats, for deciding to not waive their no-trade clauses and remain members of a mediocre team. However, fans must understand that this is a contractual right-whether it is a deserved one or not. The indiviudal who should take the least scrutiny is Sundin.

How can fans be so mad at the man who has carried this team for the last thirteen years? Sundin is officially the most loyal Maple Leaf in team history, and it is not Sundin's job to clean up the mess created by John Ferguson Jr.

If the team misses the playoffs this year, there is a window of opporunity where Kubina's NTC is void, and after the almost-trade saga he was involved with yesterday, it is very difficult to envision #31 wearing blue and white come October. There is a suitor out there, even with his $5 million/year salary.

With approximately $3 million freed up after the trades of Gill and Kilger yesterday, and the salary cap set to go up, the new GM will have some wiggle room to make additions to this club, one that Fletcher promised will look significantly different next season.

But enough of the Maple Leafs for now, there were more significant transactions yesterday.

Dallas/Tampa Bay: Brad Richards and Johan Holqvist to Dallas for Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern and Jussi Jokinen

This deal works well for both sides. Tampa desperately needed to free up cap space after signing Dan Boyle to a monster contract. They also needed to solve a long-running goalie situation.

Smith is regarded as one of the best backups in the league and will now get a chance to prove himself as an everyday player. Dallas got the star power they needed to complete their top 6 up front, while the Lightning got the secondary scoring they needed so badly. You can call it a draw since both teams got what they wanted and needed.

Atlanta/Pittsburgh: Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis to Pittsburgh for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a first round draft choice in 2008

Atlanta needed to get rid of the potential UFA and make up for a bad trade for Keith Tkachuk last year. One has to wonder, if this is the kind of return Hossa got, what could the Leafs have gotten for Mats Sundin.

Pittsburgh severely overpaid, giving up two key members of their forward corps and a top prospect for what will essentially be a rental player. The Penguins have too many other pieces that need to be re-signed before Hossa.

Atlanta appears to be the winner here, but if the Penguins can win the Cup, they will look like geniuses.

Buffalo/San Jose: Brian Campbell to San Jose for Steve Bernier and a first round choice in 2008

Just like in Atlanta, the Sabres needed to get something for a player that might not re-sign in the summer when Brian becomes an unrestricted free agent. The Sabres could not suffer the same fate as a year ago when Chris Drury and Daniel Briere walked away leaving Buffalo with nothing but disappointment.

Campbell is a strong defenceman, but the Sharks may have give up a little too much. However, with pressure on both the coach and GM to win now, the Sharks needed to throw the dice and see where they can go.

Just like Pittsburgh, if they can get deep into the playoffs, this will look like a smart move, while the Sabres get a good offensive forward and another first round choice in a deep draft.

Colorado

The acquisitions of Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg may be enough to push the Avalance over the top and return them to their glory days. Adding Forsberg to the offensive firepower of Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny should be exciting to watch, while Foote brings veteran leadership and ruggedness to the blue line.

The only question appears to be in goal where Jose Theodore and Peter Budaj are still competing for the number one job, and neither appear poised to put the team on his back and carry them to the Cup.

These are my thoughts and the biggest moves of the day. Let me know if you agree or disagree. There may be a second article tomorrow addressing some of the other deals of the day.

Mats Sundin: The Final Game?

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:26:39 -0500

It's crunch time.

With exactly one week remaining before the NHL Trade Deadline, things are heating up around the league, but especially for Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher.

We know that the Silver Fox has been receiving trade offers for his top stars for some time now; it's simply a matter of him convincing them to waive their no-trade clauses, which is certainly easier said than done.

As was suggested by one radio host in Toronto last week, it is getting to the point where every Leaf game has the possibility of being the last for Toronto captain Mats Sundin. The next installment of this saga will be tonight when the Leafs host the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Air Canada Centre. It is virtually guaranteed that Mats will suit up tonight, and highly likely he will be in the lineup on Thursday when Buffalo travels up the QEW.

Here's why:

In order for Sundin to be traded, he needs to be presented with a deal he cannot let the Leafs turn down. There are rumors flying everywhere that packages are being put together in order to make this happen. Whether that is true or not, Mats still has the final say.

Given that, it likely will not be a simple one-day process and a yes or no answer. Sundin will want time to mull things over and take all things into consideration. This process will most likely take two to three days. Since Fletcher has not received any offer of significance yet, and it is already Tuesday, there is very little chance of Sundin being in another uniform before this weekend.

Moreover, trades are not usually made at these GM meetings in Florida this week anyway. Fltecher will take the best deals presented to him down south and bring them back to Toronto with him to discuss with Sundin; and ultimately, his bosses at MLSE who are likely going to want to approve, or at least offer their opinion, on any such deal.

The whole Mats Sundin trade fiasco will likely not come to an end until one week from today, when an absolute final decision needs to be made on the part of Sundin.

Therefore, while each time he takes to the ice could be the last for captain Mats, my money is on Monday at Ottawa being the last time he suits up in blue and white this season. After that, it could be the red and white of Detroit, or the black and orange of Anaheim, but really, your guess is as good as mine.

**FINAL NOTE**

Congratulations to Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray for pulling a deal that most likely upset the chemistry of his dressing room and prompted a three-game losing streak that has seen the Sens lose sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. Who knew that Patrick Eaves and Joe Corvo were such vital parts to that hockey club? More from the Sens is sure to follow given their recent failures.

Do or Die: Maple Leafs Need Wins Now

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:19:11 -0500

January is a rare time for hockey teams to be talking about must-win games.

But if the Toronto Maple Leafs want to salvage this season, they need to take all four points from the Washington Capitals.

This task may be easier said than done; the Capitals have been one of the hotter teams in the NHL lately and have an impressive 16-7-4 since making a coaching change. They have some of the best, young talent in the game with the likes of Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin and defensive scoring leader Mike Green.

Oh, and perhaps you've heard of him, they also have this guy named Alex Ovechkin.

The Leafs are looking to capture some of the success that the Capitals, like the Atlanta Thrashers, have had since making changes to its coaching or managerial staff. While neither team is in a playoff position at this point in the season, both have played much better hockey since shaking things up.

The Leafs need to come out with that type of energy if they have any hope at getting back into a contending position before the February trade deadline. A pair of wins in the next two days could propel the team as high as 11th place, and well within reach of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

In his introductory press conference yesterday, new interim general manager Cliff Fletcher stated that within the next two weeks, he and the rest of the staff will have some idea of where the team stands and what position they will take into the trade deadline.

Stringing together a few wins (for example, three of the next four, or four of the next six) may put them in the "buyer" category at the deadline, allowing them to pick up an asset or two to give them a push.

Keep in mind that the return of top defenseman Bryan McCabe from a broken hand in roughly two weeks will likely give the team a boost. By the same token, if the Leafs continue to struggle as they have in January, its three-game winning streak excluded, they will be one of the top sellers at the deadline.

With so many teams still in contention, being one of the few teams looking to unload veteran talent may bode well for the Leafs. The increased number of contending teams will likely be trying to outbid each other for the one or two players, which could give them an edge in the playoffs. This will increase the value of a Leafs player whom might be traded, and allow Toronto to pick up some valuable prospects, draft picks or young roster players that can help the team in seasons to come.

Cliff Fletcher is the right man for this job. He has been known to make trades when necessary, and big ones at that. No Leafs fan can forget the 10-player swap that brought Doug Gilmour to town, or the blockbuster for current captain Mats Sundin.

Fletcher has proven to be a shrewd negotiator, and that will certainly help an organization in need of someone to help 're-stock the cupboard'. While fans may be sad to see them go, not many would be able to complain if Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker, Pavel Kubina, Andrew Raycroft and Jason Blake were traded away to acquire the young firepower needed to excel in today's NHL.

So it all comes back to the upcoming, consecutive games against the Washington Capitals. They are a beatable opponent, and the Leafs need to come out strong, ready to prove that they took notice of the discontent from the people up top, and that losing hockey games will not be tolerated.

If they can string some wins together, they can save the season, and their reputations. If they continue to free-fall, they won't be playing together for much longer.

NHL All-Star Game: Mats Sundin the Man to Replace Dany Heatley

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:38:25 -0500

The Ottawa Senators announced today that forward Dany Heatley will miss the next six weeks with a shoulder injury sustained during Saturday night's victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

As a result, he will also miss the NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta at the end of this month.

Until the NHL names his replacement for the Eastern Conference, the subject is open to debate over who should get the call.

To me, the obvious choice should be Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin.

The 37-year-old Swede is currently 15th in the league in scoring with 49 points (20-29). The fact that Sundin has been able to put up these numbers on an inconsistent Maple Leafs team speaks volumes to his ability as one of the game’s top offensive stars.

Add this to being one of the elder statesmen in the NHL and Sundin appears to be a shoo-in.

However, he will likely be overlooked because the Leafs currently sit in the bottom five in the league.

Evgeni Malkin, Marc Savard, and Vaclav Prospal are three other names that come to mind. But Sundin’s combination of points, consistency, and age should ultimately give him the upper hand.

While we are on the subject of Sundin, here’s to hoping the Leafs do the right thing this February and ask Mats to waive his no-trade clause.

As much as Mats wants to win in Toronto, it is evident that will not happen this season or next.

Mats deserves to go to a Cup contender and win his silverware. The Leafs will get prospects and draft picks back for their captain and will, hopefully, use them to make the team better for the future.

Then Mats can return at season’s end and reap the benefits of the assets he was traded for.

Toronto Maple Leafs: One Is the Loneliest Number

Matthew Di Nicolantonio — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:47:59 -0500

One.

The number one is significant in describing the current state of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

One point separates the Leafs from being in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Currently, the Tampa Bay Lightning are in last place, but if the Leafs can't end their current five-game losing streak, they will surely be there next week.

One is also the number of people that can fix this troubled organization.

Word came out last night that Scotty Bowman was ready to accept the post of President and General Manager before the season began, but MLSE President & CEO Richard Peddie stepped in at the last minute to prevent the deal from taking place.

The Leafs should now go back to the man they were willing to trust this summer. Bowman is a smart hockey man who will be able to orchestrate the necessary trades and transactions to improve the team—including trading veterans such as Mats Sundin, Pavel Kubina and Darcy Tucker.

Bowman is also a superb candidate for the position and will likely be able to have the team back to a respectable level of play by next season or the season after.

Also, should Bowman deem it necessary, he will be able to step behind the bench for the rest of the season if current head coach Paul Maurice continues to struggle. Following this season, Bowman will be able to conduct a proper search for a replacement head coach.

One is the number on the back of goaltender Andrew Raycroft’s Maple Leafs jersey.

But one is also the number on the back of Justin Pogge’s Toronto Marlies jersey, the most likely replacement for Raycroft.

Count yours truly among those who wish to see Raycroft in another uniform by the end of the season.

He is a decent goalie but right now he has the misfortune of being on a team with a less than mediocre defense core. The team clearly has no confidence in itself when Raycroft is between the pipes on any given night.

It would be best for the Leafs to try to trade him, but if nobody bites, put him on waivers and allow him to be picked up by another team.

Placing Raycroft on waivers serves two purposes—it allows him to go to a team that needs him and it can accelerate the development of Pogge.

The smart move would be to bring in fellow Marlies goaltender Scott Clemmensen and to let Pogge make the bulk of the starts with the Marlies in the AHL. Following this season, Pogge should be ready to step up with the big club and make an impact as a reliable backup netminder.

And finally, one is the number of wins that it will take to bring all Leaf fans back on the bandwagon. Such is the nature of a Leafs Nation diehard. Take care.