Bleacher Report - Articles by Mark Makuch

No Matter How Boring, Toronto's Not Backtracking About Building Forward Depth

Mark Makuch — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:00:45 -0400

Brian Burke seems to be done making changes to the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason. He's upgraded the defense substantially, added a big time enforcer, and brought in a back up goalie that might give Toskala the push he needs to perform well—and if not, steal the No. 1 goalie spot.

But what about the forward situation? Despite the Leafs' ability to put the puck in the net last year, many fans are decrying Burke's reluctance—or inability—to parlay Kaberle into Kessel, or sign a Zherdev. What gives?

Its about building depth in the forward ranks. It's boring, but it's necessary. And it's all about making a more serious run next year and the year after. Because, realistically, even if the Leafs sign or trade for a top six forward, they are not going to compete for the cup in any meaningful way—although they would most likely make the playoffs.

But more importantly, that top six forward would take time from a kid trying to develop; one who could make a huge difference in how the following years play out.

In today's NHL, having one or two young kids develop to the point where they are solid contributors while earning modest salary is a huge benefit to the team. It adds depth at a reasonable price, and enables a team to land a top six forward with a more established supporting cast in place.

Because of that business reality, this year the most important story for the Leafs will be that at least one of Bozak, Tlusty, Hanson or Stalberg step up and shows he can consistently compete at the NHL level. My guess is that Tlusty and Bozak have the inside shot. They will need patience and ice time; loads of ice time. Time an established top sixer would take away.

But if one of them does find their game in the NHL, suddenly next year and the year after are looking a whole helluvalot lot better. There's still the ability to add a top six forward, but you've got real depth.

The kind of depth that can make a real run.

Beefed-Up Leafs Will Help the Kids Play

But its not just about ice time. Burke has also created a situation where the kids will be protected instead of being intimidated. You've really got to hand it to Grabovski, who managed a very good rookie year with only Luke Schenn willing to challenge the oppositions heavyweights.

With bodyguards like Komisarek, Exelby, Orr, Schenn, and Primeau (instead of, um, Schenn, Mayers and Finger) this kid should develop into a 30-goal scorer. At the same time, Tlusty and Bozak can learn the NHL game without having to "pick their teeth out of the glass" on a regular basis.

Building depth at forward takes time, and it will unfortunately take away from the fans' summer-time trade fun. It will also mean a few more in the loss column next year. But it's essential if we want to really, and I mean really, compete for the Stanley Cup in the years to come.

In Praise of Alexei Ponikarovsky

Mark Makuch — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:40:50 -0400

I have to admit that I used to bash Alexei Ponikarovsky. "Doesn't use his size!" "Misses too many chances!" "Never able to elevate his game!" If there was anyone the Leafs should trade, if you asked me, it was him.

Until this year.

Let's face it: Ponikarovsky will never be a star scoring machine. He's basically a 20-plus goal scorer and has proven that the last four years, along with a consistent 12 percent shooting accuracy. He did come through with career numbers, driven by a big increase in assists (up to 38 from his next highest of 24 in 06-07).

But what was most impressive to me was how he emerged after the departure of Nik Antropov. Instead of wilting and fading, as many suspected he would, he rose to the occasion. In the remaining 18 games after the trade deadline, he had 22 points, with two four-point games. He ended the year as a six-plus player, the only Leaf forward to be a plus-player (call-ups notwithstanding) this season. He also provided critical leadership to his Russian line mates Grabovski and Kulemin, who became much better defensive players by the end of the year.

What emerged for me was a very smart two-way player, who was also capable of putting up some unexpectedly decent numbers, and who could be a leader, too.

As the Leafs turn the corner on their rebuilding phase, the Kulemin-Grabovski-Ponikarovsky line looks to be very much a keeper. He's fast, smart, defensively capable, and has enough skill to hurt you. They are a bona fide NHL second line, and together cost less than Jason Blake's salary. For a team that had no real top six forwards at the start of the year, that is huge progress. And much of the credit for that progress should be Ponikarovski's.

Wilson and Burke still have their work cut out for them. Only a monster draft move by Burke or some crafty free-agent signings will get the Leafs a true top line. But the signs are there that this team is moving in the right direction, with Ponikarovski as a key driver. Once a classic underachiever, he is now a much more valuable player.

Burke's Plan, Or, for the First Time Damien Cox Is Onto Something

Mark Makuch — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:09:08 -0400

According to Damien Cox, the hyperbolic, sour grapes Leafs writer for the Toronto Star, Brian Burke has a plan.

In a recent article in the Star, Cox muses that there is reason behind Brian Burke's apparent madness in which he publicly made known his desire for future No. 1 pick John Tavares.

The scenario goes something roughly like this:

Step 1: Burke uses his deep pockets and cap space to "help" Tampa out of a stifling contract. Apparently, the money situation is so bad, they just laid off their team mascot.

Cox suggests Grabovski and the No. 7 pick for No. 2 and Malone and his troublesome contract.

OK; that's a good start. How do you then get Garth Snow to give up No. 1?

That's where it gets interesting, and where Cox may actually be on to something.

By going public with his desire for Tavares, suddenly, the kid could make life miserable for Snow. Knowing how much Burke wants him, he could easily refuse to show up for the Islanders, a la Eric Lindros. Suddenly, Snow has a huge PR nightmare on his hands.

Would Snow opt to flip picks with Burke, or even draft Hedman first, knowing Tavares might be a no-show?

Suddenly, Burke's overtly public musings look to be very craftily made after all. Knowing Burke's history, he'll give it, or something like it, a shot.

Even if he ends up with No.2, he'll show he still has the draft magic he used to draft Pronger and the Sedin twins.

Questions remain: How desperate is Tampa? How much does Tavares dislike the idea of playing for the Islanders?

Oh yeah, and that Damien Cox guy? Maybe a better journalist than I've given him credit for.

Why 2008-09 Has Been a Success for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Mark Makuch — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:43:54 -0400

As the 2008-09 season winds down for the Leafs, it's time to take stock of this past year. Despite Burke's angst about missing the playoffs, and how that makes the season a failure, the truth of the matter is that this season has been a huge success for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

From almost the top down, the Leafs are doing the things they need to turn the ship around and become a perennial contender.

The GM

The Leafs have finally figured out how to run a hockey organization. They hired one of the best GM's in the business and are letting him run it without ownership getting in the way. While, to date, Burke has not made many major moves, you can be sure that they will be his moves, and not Richard Peddie's moves.

Burke moved his two movable assets at the trade deadline for draft picks, and found a way to get another pick from Florida in a complex deal that showed his shrewdness. He then went out and signed two of the top US college prospects to entry level contracts.

Not only is Burke fully in charge—he is doing some exceptional work building up the young prospects of this team that had so few just a year ago. The Leafs also have a solid position with regard to the cap—something that will be needed as the cap fluctuates over the next few years.

The Coach

Love him or hate him, Ron Wilson is showing what a good coach can do. He is a coach who is unafraid of benching $5 million players, a coach who is committed to playing young players—the proof of which you can see in the development of the likes of Grabovski, Kulemin, and Mitchell. More proof was given in the signings of Hanson and Bozak. These kids could have gone anywhere.

In Toronto they found the two things they needed: playing time and a great coach.

The Team

Even with a great coach, the players need to do the work and actually play the games. Despite the goal-tending issues, the Leafs forged the beginnings of an identity: a fast, fore-checking, aggressive team.

They dominated the best in the league at times. Burke said it right: in those 10-15 minute spurts when the Leafs could be so dominant—there lies the future. Burke and Wilson need to get the team to be more consistent by continuing to develop its current players, as well as by adding more size and grit—to be able to respond when the opposition pushes back.

The Players

Hockey is a team game, no question, but who can't be extraordinarily pleased with the development of Grabovski, Kulemin, Mitchell, Schenn, and in the minors, Tlusty? Grabovski, in particular, is a great story—a player who was given tons of ice time to become better defensively and at sharing the puck with his line mates.

Oreskovic and Sifers also look like they have potential. Blake rebounded in a huge way this year under Wilson, took his lumps, and played extremely well after getting benched early in the season. It's too early to think about what Hanson and Bozak can do, but I think it's safe to say at least one of them will emerge as a top six forward.

The only ugly spot for the Leafs this year was in net. Toskala played poorly due to a chronic injury and it showed. Gerber, Pogge, and Cujo were not nearly enough to make up for it.

I agree with Burke that goal-tending cost them a real shot at the playoffs. Look for a better backup next year, a better Toskala, and more time in the minors for Pogge.

Overall

It was billed as a year where the Leafs would take a step back, and some thought they would be so far back as to challenge for the Tavares sweepstakes. Instead, they've ended up pretty much a .500 club, and to me this is much higher than expected.

If Burke can add some finish and size, if the rookies from this year can make some more strides, and if the goal-tending can return to form, this team will make the playoffs next season, and be very well positioned for the years ahead.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Best Paid Players Lack Essential Character

Mark Makuch — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:28:23 -0500

We all knew this was going to be a tough season, but not for this reason.

Little did we know that the Leafs would actually be able to put the puck in the net.

Little did we know that the team could dominate games with terrific team speed.

Little did we know that players like Stajan and Moore could have career seasons, and that Grabovski and Schenn would emerge better than advertised.

Little did we know that it would be character that is the missing ingredient to the Leafs success.

Character, that intangible thing that enables players to motivate each other to play at just a slightly higher level than their opponents.

We've seen it—when the Leafs are motivated in the right way, they win races to the puck, win the battles on the boards, cause turnovers, generate tremendous numbers of scoring chances, and believe it or not, win games.

And for some reason, these Leafs don't have what it takes to get motivated to play this way every night.

The problem facing Coach Wilson is that the players that should have this kind of character—the ones who have tasted some kind of success—simply don't have it.

Kubina, winner of a Stanley Cup; Kaberle, regular All-Star; Blake, former 40-goal man—they simply don't have it in their nature to inspire their teammates.

The rest are too young and inexperienced (Grabovski, Schenn) or have too long played for a losing team (Poni, Antropov, Stajan) to have it in them either.

This team has no Gary Roberts who can stand up in the dressing room and say what is needed to be said, and then lead by example. Blake, while showing signs of life in his own play, is not the answer.

Burke has brought in Brad May to start to rectify this situation—but as he himself admits, its a baby step. its the top-dollar players that need to bring more than skill to a team, and Burke's next order of business will be to engineer trades for Kaberle, Kubina and Blake—the three best-paid players on the team.

Fortunately, there is no panic. Burke can wait for the right offer. And you know there will be some juicy offers for Kaberle as the trade deadline nears.

Another piece of good news is that the Leafs have some excellent building blocks in Schenn, Grabovski, Hagman, and Stajan. Antropov and Ponikarovski are proving their worth. Moore is a keeper. Finger, Van Ryn, Frogren, and White are solid.

And finally, its important to remember that character is the hardest ingredient to find. It is completely intangible. Sometimes it has more to do with how a certain group of players respond to one another.

Sometimes it emerges as part of a player's maturation process. You've got to think that its there in Schenn just waiting to bust out as he gains experience.

Burke and Wilson seem to understand this. Wilson has deftly pushed the right buttons with players to see what kind of character he's got on his team.

And really, with half the season done, the results are in.

Kaberle, Kubina, and Blake, while skilled, do not bring the extra dimension that their paychecks demand.

Toronto Maple Leafs Castoffs Prove Cliff Fletcher Right (Mostly)

Mark Makuch — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:45:04 -0500

Over the summer, Cliff Fletcher did all he could to remove players from the Toronto Maple Leafs that had instilled a country-club atmosphere in the team.

After a season where hard work was a joke and talent unable to make up for it, several Leafs hit the road.

Looking at those players this year shows that Fletcher chose the right players to cut loose.

Darcy Tucker

Tucker was never a defensive force, nor was he ever close to being a speedster. He usually made up for those shortcomings by playing a hard-nosed and feisty game.

Last season, it seemed that age had caught up with him, and he could no longer contribute in that way.

This season, in Colorado, Tucker has lost 11 games to a knee injury, showing his fragility, and has only produced four goals and four assists, with a minus-five rating over the 25 games he has played.

Good move? You bet, even if it costs a million bucks a year.

Bryan McCabe

Toronto's favourite whipping boy has new digs in Florida, closer to his wife's mommy and daddy, and out of the spotlight in Toronto.

Florida is only one point up on the Leafs right now, and while he's a respectable plus-eight with six goals and nine assists in 26 games, it's nowhere near his contract—and you have to think the Leafs are better off with Van Ryn, who, despite injuries, has nine points in 17 games.

While Toronto's defense has been absolutely porous at times this season, I'm sure Bryan is happy he's not in Toronto still—he knows everyone would be blaming him for all 133 goals against this season.

Kyle Wellwood

Kyle's departure was hotly contested by some Maple Leaf fans. Many thought his talent overcame his lackadaisical approach to conditioning and work ethic. To make matters worse, he started off with a bang in Vancouver, scoring seven goals in 12 games.

Unfortunately for Wellie, that's come down to six in his past 21 games, and his almost point-per game clip is now down to about half that. Hmm—could that old conditioning thing be catching up with him?

And really, isn't Grabovski a much better replacement?

Andrew Raycroft

Looking at Colorado's stats, you see the biggest surprise. Andrew Raycroft, second-favourite whipping boy in Toronto to Bryan McCabe, is 6-1-0 with a goals against average that's actually under 3.00.

I'm sure there is not one single Leafs fan that wants the Rayzor back—a couple more wins by our back-up would have pushed the Leafs over .500.

Mats Sundin

While Mats is not really a castoff, it's clear the Leafs were not in the mix for him. The more I see the Leafs turn into a really hard-working group, the more I realize that Sundin is not the leader we all thought he was.

Sure he was a great example, but how come that example didn't rub off on others? That's where leadership comes in, or doesn't.

As far as his "passion for playing" returning? Who cares. I want passion for winning.

I'm sure he'll do well in Vancouver, but I can't say I'm going to miss him.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Is Anyone Untouchable?

Mark Makuch — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:37:13 -0500

Brian Burke hasn't done it yet, but he still could pull out a hand grenade and demolish this team as it stands. Fletcher has done a good job in putting together an almost respectable squad, with more tradeable assets than last year. But having watched them for a few weeks, Burke probably wants to get bigger and meaner.

And let's face it, our big guys don't play so mean. Antopov, Ponikarovski and Stajan hardly strike fear into the opposition. With a third of the season done, he probably has a clear sense of who's got high trade value, who's a keeper, and who the dead-wood is.

In my mind, there is a core worth keeping, and if Burke is going to blow up the Leafs, these are the ones I would keep (Blake, Kaberle, Kubina contract nonsesne notwithstanding):

Hagman
Grabovski
Schenn
Van Ryn
Finger
Frogren
Deveaux
Williams
Moore
Kulemin
White
Sifers

That's half the team, and only 2 players are from last year.

Thougths?

Could the Toronto Maple Leafs Be Turning the Corner?

Mark Makuch — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:05:17 -0500

With 32 games played in the '08-09 season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are sitting in 11th place in the conference, with a mediocre .500 record.

Even with that middle-of-the-road record, it's fair to say that they have surpassed expectations this season, which had many predicting, or perhaps hoping, for a last-place finish.

They are clearly not the 700-series BMWs of the Sharks or Red Wings, but neither are they the Pintos that the Islanders and Lightning seem to be.

At this point, the Leafs are only four points removed from the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference, and nine up on last-place Tampa. And here, Burke must choose to go in one of two directions—further dismantling and rebuilding, or working with the existing roster.

If Burke is going to further dismantle and rebuild, he may attempt to move the likes of Antropov, Kaberle, Blake (if possible, given contractual issues), and Toskala—if Pogge shows promise—for picks.

After them, there is not much else to trade, really. Such moves would certainly pull the Leafs down in the standings, and with not that far to fall, could get them in the hunt for John Tavares.

At the same time, there are indications that the Leafs may be about to turn the corner. They won three in a row for the first time this season leading up to the recent Boston loss, and on Saturday night, essentially dominated high-flyers Crosby, Malkin, and the rest of the Penguins.

Their past six wins have included victories over teams above them in the standings—Buffalo, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.

After a dismal 4-6-3 November, the Buds have managed a 5-4 record in December with five more to play. With four of those games against sub .500 teams, the Leafs have a serious opportunity to generate some momentum and move up a place or two in the standings.

How the Leafs fare over the rest of 2008 will likely determine the direction Burke goes in. A string of victories will show that this team is learning how to win consistently. For that they could be rewarded by staying intact a while longer.

If they can't notch at least three wins, Burke will know that this team is still far from realizing its potential, and may start dealing sooner than later.

The truth is the Leafs are still a very young team that is learning how to play at a consistently high level. The wonder of this season is that they have shown that they can play at that high level at all, let alone several times already.

Not many thought that would be possible, given the offseason roster overhaul. Their job now is to do it repeatedly, night in, night out.

The Leafs haven't turned the corner yet, but the next five games will tell whether they are in need of ongoing tune-ups or more serious, immediate body work.

Alex Steen Had to Leave the Toronto Maple Leafs

Mark Makuch — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:18:55 -0500

A fan favourite, Alex Steen, is gone from the Leafs.

Many people are bemoaning this trade, suggesting that the Leafs did not show enough patience with this former first-round pick.

I would have loved to see Steen play better and stick around. Unfortunately, he had to go.

Here's why:

1. Not a 20-goal scorer

Not even close. Steen has netted 18, 15, and 15 goals in each of his full seasons with the Leafs. Over that time, his shooting percentage is 8.8 percent. He is not a sniper by any means.

I doubt he will reach the 20-goal threshold in his career. He has also never cracked 30 assists in a season. These are not special playmaking stats, if you ask me.

2. Unwilling to use his size

Steen is not a little guy. He's listed at 6'1" and 205 lbs. That's solid. Despite this, Steen plays smaller than he is, rarely winning battles along the boards.

If you're on the third line, your job is to get dirty and play gritty. Steen doesn't seem to have that capacity. Ron Wilson must hate to see a guy with this size play like such a lightweight.

3. Not fast enough

Compared to the thoroughbreds—Hagman, Grabovski, Kulemin, that Moore—Fletcher has racing around the ice these days, Steen is just slow. Sure, he was one of the faster Leafs last year—but that's not saying much.

Steen sure seems like a great guy, with great hockey genes, but I can't help but agree that the Leafs had to part ways with the underachieving Steen to make a move for a faster, more-talented player.

Unexpected Goals for Leafs

Mark Makuch — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:33:47 -0500

During the preseason, the Leafs were expected to be a low scoring team, but also, a team that would be tough to score against. With Ron Wilson's defense-first coaching, a plethora of pretty solid defensemen, a top-notch goalie, a lack of a proven top line, heck top two lines, and you can see why those predictions made sense. But, here we are 15 games into the campaign, and the Leafs are tied with the New York Rangers for the most goals for in the East, with 47, and second only to the Thrashers in goals against, with a hefty 54.

What gives?

The Leafs started out the season as expected. Over the first 9 games they scored at a paltry 2.22 goals per game clip and gave up a petty stingy 2.55 a game to emerge with 3 wins, 2 losses and 3 over-time losses. They competed in almost every game and gave their die-hard fans something to cheer about. Here was a fast, hard-working team, and win or lose, they didn't give up.

Over the past 6 games, however, the goals have come in buckets, both for and against. Their goals for over those games shot up to an astounding 4.5 per. Over that span the Leafs are a respectable 3-2-1, against some tough customers, including the Devils, Rangers, and Canadiens.

Since that 6-5 win against New Jersey, the Leafs have have played with increased offensive confidence. They have outshot their opponents consistently in that time period and the goals are starting to come, especially for what appear to be the leafs top two lines: Hagman - Grabovski - Kulemin, and Antropov - Stajan - Ponikarovski. Grabovski has emerged as a bonafide scorer with 6 goals and 8 points in his last 4 games, while Hagman has 7 of his 12 points in that time frame. Antropov and Ponikarovski have continue to show some solid play, while Stajan has shown some real spark with 2 goals and 6 assists since the Jersey game as well.

While the offensive production has been fun to watch, the Leafs also started giving up way more goals against. From 2.55 in the first 9 games to an unimpressive 4.33 over the last six. As well, they began a disturbing trend of falling behind early and having to play catch up for the remainder of the game. At times it has worked out, for example, they roared back against the Rangers with 5 goals in just over 5 minutes, however, they reversed that showing by allowing Carolina to score 4 in 4 minutes their next game out. Their defensive stats over the last six games are not something a Ron Wilson team should be proud of.

Despite the bloated goals against, the Leafs are proving to be a fun team to watch. They are fast, aggressive, and they never seem to give up. They've beaten some exceptional teams. They usually outwork their opponents 5 on 5, and thankfully don't take a lot of penalties, given that their penalty kill is dead last in the league at 72%. You have to think that an improvement on the PK would push more games into the win column for the team, now that the scorers are scoring.

The next goal is something no one should really even be talking about yet. Yes, it is the dreaded "P " word. I'm not even going to write it. The Leafs will have to keep playing well for another few months and shore up defensively before that word should even enter our vocabulary. If we can realistically start discussing that topic - say in February or March - well, that will be the most unexpected goal of all.

Leafs-Lightning Preview: Leafs Will Have Tough Time

Mark Makuch — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:49:20 -0400

As far as I can see it, the Leafs are due for a little humbling. There is no better team to deliver that than the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The recipe for what I predict to be a loss for the Leafs has 3 main ingredients: 1) the Lightning are getting fantastic goaltending; 2) the Lightning have some phenomenal offensive talent that has yet to, but is more than ready to, explode; and 3) the Leafs have just had a nice heaping of praise from their coach and the media.

We all know that the Leafs are having trouble scoring. In fact, only the Lightning has fewer goals in the East. However, it's for certain that at the end of the year, Tampa will have more goals than the Leafs.

Stamkos, Lecavalier, and St. Louis...they are slow to start this year, but they will put up big numbers. It won't last much longer either, maybe only a couple of hours.

Despite their offensive struggles, the Lightning have been experiencing excellent goaltending. Even with a losing record, Mike Smith is operating at a sizzling .941 save percentage and 2.13 goals against.

The San Jose Sharks—a much more offensively talented team than the Leafs—had to pepper Smith with 45 shots to net three goals. If Smith is on his game, expect the Leafs to struggle to put one or two in the net, tops.

To cap it all off, everyone, from the coach to the media has been praising the Leafs lately: the work ethic; five of six points in the last three games; and Luke Schenn.

Have you noticed that every time the Leafs get a nice pat on the back, they pretty much stop trying the next game out? The big win over Detroit was followed by a stinker against the Canadiens. I would love to be proven wrong, but to me it doesn't bode well.

Leafs resting on their very thin laurels, plus a Lightning team with serious superstars ready to bust out of a scoring funk, and solid goaltending could make for an ugly, ugly night.

Leafs-Senators: Hard Work Nets Toronto Solid Win over Ottawa

Mark Makuch — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 17:51:32 -0400

Back in grade school, we played hockey for gym class in the winter. We made up teams each session, and one day, by the luck of the draw, the team I was on somehow ended up with all the talented players.

The other side looked destined for a big loss. We thought the win was inevitable and were congratulating ourselves before the puck was even dropped. Then, while my team mailed it in, the other team worked their tails off, and ended up kicking our butts.

Tonight the Leafs showed again that hard work can win games.

Facing the ever-talented Sens, who, despite their slow start, can be explosive any given night, the Leafs came out and simply out-worked and out-hustled their opponent to come away with a hard-earned 3-2 victory.

Perhaps due to playing the second of back-to-back games, the Sens failed to look interested in this game, save for a few stretches in the first two periods, and then in the final frame, when they had an undeserved chance to tie up the contest.

The Leafs started strong, forcing the play and skating hard. Minutes into the contest Luke Schenn took issue with Chris Neil's knee-on-knee hit on Matt Stajan and took on a tough customer in his first NHL bout.

The fight was pretty much a draw, except that it was the Leafs who were the ones that came away energized. They forced the Sens into three penalties and ended up with 21 shots in the first period alone.

That they came away with only a one-goal lead shows how this team lacks finish. They seem, however, to refuse to let that fact get them down.

In the second period it was more of the same, with the Leafs winning battles along the boards with regularity, winning races to the puck, winning face-offs, and taking the body. Some great work behind the net from Hagman and a slick pass to Grabovski out front resulted in the Belarusian's first goal of the year for a 2-0 lead.

It was a beautiful wrist shot into the top corner and finally got the monkey off his back, although his back luck seemed destined to continue after hitting the cross bar on a breakaway in the first. The Leafs will need more production from this talented player if they are to win with any regularity.

In the third the Sens started to look interested, but Ponikarovski netted the winner on a pass from Antropov, who continued to play a strong game for the Leafs.

With time winding down and the Leafs on the power play, Dean McAmmond was able to score on a drive when his centering pass luckily caromed in off the Leaf defender's skate. With seconds to play and up by one, Toskala stood strong and the Leafs were able to put the Sens on ice.

For the Leafs, this game is similar to the win over Boston, and shows that an identity is forming for this young club. Playing the Western Conference style of coach Ron Wilson, the Leafs are proving to be a very difficult team to play against.

They are fast, feisty and, despite not possessing exceptional scoring talent, have not been out of many games this year. They may have only three wins, but they also have only two losses in regulation time.

For the Sens, one gets the sense that they expect things to be way easier than they are in today's NHL. Alfredsson in particular was almost invisible, and one wonders how the team can continue to struggle with the talent they have.

Judging by the results tonight, hard work will beat skill if the skilled team isn't working for it. Just like in grade school gym class.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Ten Reasons Why They're Back On Track

Mark Makuch — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:58:07 -0400

10. Deadwood cleared: Vets Bell and Devereaux were sent the minors while the big club kept the likes of John Mitchell. This would not have happened last year. Mitchell has looked strong and deserving of a solid shot at the bigs.

9. Grabovki's defense: The leading scorer in the pre-season has yet to get a point, but he's not in the doghouse because he's skating hard, going to the net, getting chances, and saving some goals with excellent back checking. Defense was not on the list of his attributes - time for an update.

8. Kulemin: So far, Kulemin is showing that he's not overrated as some feared. Given time he will get even better.

7. Mike Van Ryn: Quietly has put up 4 points in 6 games and is a +4. Could be a nice surprise this year.

6. Wilson's no nonsense: When was the last time a Leaf player was demoted to the fourth line or the press box for not going hard to the net or playing well defensively? What a breath of fresh air. Nothing (Blake's $5M contract included) is sacred.

5. Nik Hagman: Does this guy look like a steal or what? He has great speed, great skill, and is a fierce competitor.

4. Toskala: He needs to improve in the shootout but otherwise our best act between the pipes since Belfour.

3. Nik Antropov: So far he is looking like he's picking up where he left off last year. Great to see.

2. Team speed: This team is simply way faster than last years group. Even Antropov looks fast out there. Speed wins in today's NHL and you can't teach it.

1. Luke Schenn: Schenn has been absolutely awesome. I really don't think you need to send this kid down to junior. With expectations set so low for this team, no one's putting the pressure on him to carry the team, not that he won't in a year or two.

Toronto Maple Leafs Game Stats: A Few Good Things in Ugly Loss to St. Louis

Mark Makuch — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:16:44 -0400

The Good

One good line—Hagman plus-two, Mitchell plus-two, Grabovski plus-one (surprising to see positive plus-minus in a 7-3 loss).

One good goalie: The Pogge stopped 13 out of 14 shots

One very-improved stat—faceoffs. Steen 62 percent, Stajan 83 percent, Grabovksi 53 percent (this is progress).

One power-play goal allowed on eight chances—including 1:11 down two men.

The Ugly

No goals on six power-play chances, including 1:41 with a two-man advantage—hello?

Frogren and Mayers both minus-three on the night. Eight hits by the two of them don't make up for that.

Six blocked shots? That's it?

Cujo's save percentage of 50 percent. That's a lotta rust!

10 players without a single hits. That's not team toughness.

Robbie Earl spent 3:33 on the ice—enough to get to a minus-two on the night. Hello, Marlies!

Seven penalties for Ryan Hollweg, including two boarding calls. Is this guy going to be more trouble than he's worth?

Maples Leafs-Blues Stats: Individual Efforts Saved The Day

Mark Makuch — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:00:43 -0400

Three Cheers for Schenn!

Three hits (game high).

Plus-three on the night (also a game high).

Three head fakes before potting the winner.

The Good

Two goals for Hagman on four shots.

Six shots by Kaberle—a good sign, even if none went in (a record, I am sure).

Two blocked shots by Grabovski. Good to see him stepping up on the defensive end.

No power-play goals against.

Five shots by Antropov, plus four blocked. Good to see him active in front of the net.

The Not So Good

Four fewer shots blocked than St. Louis (19-15).

13 takeaways by the Blues. Way too many.

Five fewer hits (13-8).

31 shots against. Too many!

No power-play goals for.

17:52—the amount of ice time Ponikarovsky needed to register no shots, no hits, and one giveaway. (The assist was a fluke.)

36-percent faceoffs won by Alex Steen

23-percent faceoffs won by Grabovski (is there such thing as a face-off coach???)

Six attempted shots blocked on Kubina. None got through.

Maple Leafs-Penguins Stats: Not Nearly Enough Grit from Toronto in Pittsburgh

Mark Makuch — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:44:16 -0400

The Weak

Five blocked shots—not nearly enough.

One shorthanded goal against. Ouch.

Five players with two or more hits, versus nine for the Pens.

33-percent success rate on face offs for Grabovski, which needs to improve.

Two periods missing in action.

The Gritty

One great goal from Grabovski, going strong to the net in the dying seconds. As Borat would say: "Vary nayce!"

Five hits by Frogren.

Four hits by Blake.

17 third-period shots.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Game Stats Mostly Positive in 7-4 Win over Buffalo

Mark Makuch — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:37:16 -0400

Positives:

23 blocked shots (11 for Buffalo).

Four blocked shots by Jeff Finger (that's what he's here for, people!).

One giveaway not by a goalie.

Five hits by Ryan Hollweg.

Three hits by Jason Blake, who was also a plus-three on the night—this guy needs to be feisty to be effective.

No goals allowed on 15 shots in the second by Justin Pogge.

One short-handed goal by Dominic Moore, who also won 73 percent on face offs.

Five even-strength goals.

Negatives:

Kulemin was a minus-one and took no shots

Stajan only won 38 percent of his faceoffs.

Only three for seven on the PK.

Brian McCabe Traded: Christmas Comes Early to Toronto

Mark Makuch — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:39:50 -0400

A few months ago, I thought McCabe would never go. There were reports of a brewing standoff between management and the once almost-star defender. Would he be asked to not show up for camp? Would he be a healthy scratch? Would the players union file a grievance?

It seemed that high drama was destined for Leaf land. Instead, Fletcher is playing Santa to many disgruntled Leaf fans. His gift? Addition by subtraction. A clean slate.

It has now been confirmed that Fletcher has pulled off a deal I once thought near-impossible. McCabe and a fourth rounder for Van Ryn. An old vet on the down-slide for a younger vet who knows how to play, but with yet un-realized potential. Oh, and almost 3 million cheaper with a year less on his contract. Two years at 2.9 million, if his injuries woes are over, is a good price for a decent defender that still has some upside. The fourth rounder? I can live with that.

This move is the final emphatic sweep of the broom to most of JFJ's core group. It signifies the end of the players once thought of so highly by Leaf brass and the worst bunch of underachievers that money and no trade clauses could buy.

The nay-sayers will complain that these moves will come back to haunt the Leafs. I'm sure they are cringing at the thought of Bryan McCabe putting a blast past Toskala from the point on the PP (I think its more likely that the shot gets blocked and we see Stajan or Hagman race down on a short handed breakaway. But I digress...). And I've read a lot of Wellwood becoming the next Steve Sullivan. That may happen, however, it certainly wasn't going to happen in Toronto.

And more-so, the same group that floundered so badly last year could not be expected to suddenly turn the Leafs into contenders. If they find success elsewhere, that's great for them. They obviously have talent and perhaps nothing shows more emphatically that hockey is more than just individual ability when players can revive careers with new teams and new coaches.

Thankfully, it is other teams that are picking up Leaf scraps rather than the other way around. While Colorado, Vancouver, and Florida are taking risks on players who recently have performed quite miserably, Fletcher has picked up players on the upswing—Hagman had a career year, Finger improved hugely over the course of last season, and Grabovski is eager to make his mark. These players are also much younger than the group they replaced.

Van Ryn could be tagged as damaged goods; however, the trade off in contracts is worth that risk for a team well stocked on defense. Sure, Fletcher's moves may not pan out, but they don't put the Leafs in a horrible cap situation. And if they falter badly, that only increases the Leafs' chances for a great catch on draft day.

Fletcher had to get rid of the over-aged, over-paid, and the under-performing. He has managed that beautifully, but until the news emerged in August of the trade with Florida, I never thought he'd be able to move McCabe.

With this last trade he has finally righted a ship that was sinking fast under the weight of bloated contracts. It is still in troubled waters, and is without a captain, and now, a bunch of young kids will have to learn quickly how to pull together to get it moving in the right direction. After all, Santa can't do everything. Onward ho!

Mats Sundin's Soliloquy

Mark Makuch — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:11:12 -0400

To skate or not to skate—that is the question:
Whether tis nobler in the rink to suffer
The checks and slashes of outrageous goons
Or play golf and swing away my troubles
And by retiring end them. To retire, to quit
No more—and by hanging up the skates we end
The aches, and the thousand clutches and grabs
That flesh is heir to. Tis an ending
Superstars can wish. To retire, to quit—
To quit, perchance to fish: ay, there's the rub,
For in that fishing boat what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off that frozen pond,
Must give us pause. There's the missing cup
That makes un-beautiful this long career.
For who would bear the days of training and practice,
The bad calls, the other stars who've won it,
The missed opportunities, the failed playoffs,
The inept front office, and the slugs
This patient star unworthily played with,
When I myself might my chances take and with
A contender sign? Who would blame me,
For having grunted and sweat for such a weary team,
But that the thought of golf and fishing,
Those pastimes from whose bourn
No retiree returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather pick up the stick
And play for others that we have not before?
But conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the blue blanc et rouge of my resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale blue and white of Toronto
And enterprise of holding the cup - that career moment -
With this regard their currents turn awry
And lose the name of action. Soft you now,
The aged Fletcher! Sage, for thy contract
Be all my remaining games played.
Where do I sign?

Youthful Top Lines Welcome in Toronto

Mark Makuch — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:28:20 -0400

The latest interview with Cliff Fletcher in the Toronto media indicates that Maple Leaf fans will be treated to some young legs on the top two lines come October. With the non-return of Sundin almost certain coupled with the departure of Tucker, the top two lines of the Toronto Maple leafs will be a very interesting experiment to watch.

Not a winning experiment, but interesting for true fans of the blue and white. Given the deep defense corp. that Fletcher has put together, with Kubina, Kaberle, Frogren, Finger, Colaiaccovo, Stralman, White, and potentially Van Ryn, the forwards will have an opportunity to make mistakes.

Which is exactly what young forwards with lots of talent but not much experience will do. However, they will learn. That is the only way to get better. Unfortunately, since the lockout, the Leafs have stocked the forward lines with older veterans - Sundin, Tucker, Jeff O'Neill, Blake (who at least as speed), and remember the failed Lindros, Allison, and Owen Nolan experiments?

The results were disastrous - the leafs went form poor playoff runs to missing the playoffs entirely due in part to a dearth of young, emerging talent. Talent they threw away because they were too impatient to let it develop. Finally, the Leafs are going to let the kids play.

With very low expectations from management in terms of winning, and the only forwards born before 1980 being Jason Blake (who at least has good speed) and the rugged Jamal Mayers, the top lines will be laden with youngsters.

Kulemin, Tlusty, Grabovsky, along with the still young Steen, Stajan, Antropov, Ponikarovsky, and Hagman will likely battle for time on the top two lines. Mark Bell may even be in that mix, as may Robby Earle. This group is nowhere near the talent that playoff teams have in their top lines - at least not this year. But given time to grow and mature, and the ice time they need to learn by their mistakes, we may be pleasantly surprised at the talent that emerges from this group in the years to come.

The best case scenario for 2008-2009 is something like this: a team that makes a lot of mistakes early on, but clearly get better as the year progresses - to the point that fans have something to look forward to the following season. A record that is absolutely horrible in the first half, and then dramatically improves in the second half, but only to the point where they can still grab one of the top two picks.

The following season, the new GM will have 1) a defensive system solidly in place with a deep defense corp. 2) a franchise goalie 3) a slew of good young forwards with a year of extended playing time under their belts 4) a good sense of which of those youngsters are worth keeping 5) a great cap situation for free agents 6) a potential franchise player from the draft.
What could be a better setup for a serious run at the cup?

As painful as this season may be from a wins and losses perspective, the real story is going to be in the play of the young forwards, and how they develop over the course of the year. Fletcher has clearly indicated that they will be given the ice time they need, and will have the patience of management. Amen.

Depth at Agitator Position

Mark Makuch — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:10:09 -0400

Man are the fans up in arms about Hollweg for a fifth round pick next year.

I've got to admit—Fletcher is tossing around picks a wee bit more than I'd like, but you can see a team identity forming here before it even hits the preseason ice.

Tough to play against.

I was hoping last year's Leafs were going to embody this type of team identity, but man was I sorely mistaken. Not only were they out-hustled, they were out-hit and out-checked most of the time as well.

Only Belak fought, and he only played in 37 games. Tucker was a ghost of his former feisty self. After that, the toughness of the Leafs sunk like a stone. There was no jam. Only milk-toast.

This offseason, we can see that Fletcher is making a lot of moves to alter that sad reality. Hagman, Mayers, and now Hollweg have replaced Tucker and Belak at the agitator position.

I like these moves because the new group is younger and faster. There is some depth now, especially with backups Newbury and Ondrus in the minors for spot duty (sorry to say, that's all they are good for).

To this are the defensive additions of a physical Frogren, Finger and possibly Schenn, and suddenly, the Leafs aren't looking so weak. Knowing that Bell and Blake can play a tough style helps too.

A Mayers—Moore—Hollweg line could be a great grinding combination. If Wilson can get Steen and Stajan to get a bit more physical, I'm looking forward to seeing some bodies flying around the ACC, the kind not dressed in the blue and white.

The Leafs will struggle to score, that much is clear, unless Blake has a rebirth and one of Tlusty, Kulemin or Grabovski suddenly takes it to an unexpected level. But they won't be a team that will be shoved around anymore. We've got some depth at the unheralded agitator position, and that's a good thing.

Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher Rolls Dice with Retooled Roster

Mark Makuch — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:46:33 -0400

Aside from whether Sundin makes the call to return to the Leafs, and barring a trade involving Kubina or McCabe, it looks like the die is both cast, as well as being, in an unusual case of metaphorical homonyms, rolled, as well.

Heading into the dog days of summer Fletcher has revamped the Leafs' roster into a team with better potential: on paper they are more defensive, grittier, faster, and younger than last year.

On the defensive and gritty side of the page we have the much-maligned Finger signing, along with Frogren, Mayers, and Hagman. Schenn fits in on this list too, although he may not be with the Leafs come October.

On the speed front, Hagman and Grabovsky are known for their fast legs. Add to that a commitment by Fletcher to play Kulemin and Tlusty, and the forward group is pretty speedy indeed. Even Jason Blake is a quick guy, despite his age.

All the signings are under 30, except for Mayers, which has made the Leafs a much younger team as a whole. Despite the positive aspects of those changes, with that youth comes a whole lot of inexperience: the Leafs are more defensive, grittier, faster, younger, yes. And a whole lot greener, too.

So what should we expect from this group? While Fletcher has addressed some weak areas, there should not be any expectations that this group will compete in the playoffs this coming season.

Anything is possible, but that would require two or three young forwards to step up and score at unexpected levels right away.

The reality will likely be an uneven, up-and-down season, where different players make strides and have setbacks at different times. Hopefully we will see progress, both in individual players, and as a team. That progress may well be maddeningly slow.

The worst case is that the Leafs flounder so miserably that they need to be completely retooled again next year. In any event, it will likely be a season only a true Leafs fan will be able to enjoy.

The reality is that this group has a ton of potential, but no one knows if it will all materialize as hoped, or as quickly as hoped. It's all just well-calculated risk at this point. One or two of these signings may well be a bust, because you just can't expect Fletcher to bat 1.000 here.

On the flip side, one or two could work out way better than imagined.

But only time will tell. Luckily, it looks like Fletcher has the best coach for the job—Wilson has solid experience leading young teams and getting young players to be successful NHLers. Fletcher has rolled the dice, but they won't settle for at least another season.

It's up to Wilson to make sure they don't come up snake eyes in year one.

Cliff Fletcher Impressive at the Reins of the Toronto Maple Leafs

Mark Makuch — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:36:00 -0400

I was a little skeptical earlier in the year upon first learning that Fletcher had been hired as the interim GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. His age, his not so great results in Phoenix, and his old "Draft Shmaft" comment all made me wonder if this was the right man. His best deals, for Gilmour and Sundin, were years ago.

But Cliff Fletcher has been downright impressive.

Here is a man who knows what he wants and then actually goes out and gets it.

He zeroed in on Ron Wilson and Luke Schenn and left nothing to chance. He's quickly cut loose the under-performing elements in the Leafs dressing room. He's given Sundin a time line for resigning and won't wait around and miss out on FA signing opportunities.

If the Leafs were a wheel stuck in the mud, he has methodically and forcefully cleared a path to solid ground.

The only nut he hasn't yet cracked is Brian McCabe, but even there you need to think he can somehow manage to get his way and find a trade.

So next week, it will be on to signing some free agents and building a nucleus of solid young players. I could tell you who I like, but right now, I think it's more fun to just wait and see what Fletcher can come up with.

You see, I trust him!

And I can't remember the last time I felt like the guy charting the course for the Leafs was remotely worthy of that.

Cliff Fletcher's handling of the reins has been exceptional so far and I'm looking forward to the next part of the journey. He's got the wheels turning on this old, creaky Leafs wagon. The load is lighter, the prospects brighter.

Well done Cliff.

Darcy Tucker Leaves Toronto?: Maple Leafs Will Have Better Shot without Him

Mark Makuch — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:20:59 -0400

Boy was it fun watching Henrik Zetterberg play in the finals. It's amazing to see a player who's so complete at both ends of the ice—saving goals with perfectly timed stick checks in the crease, breaking up passing plays in the neutral zone.

You know what I'm getting at, right?

Now it's very very unfair to compare Darcy Tucker to Zetterberg, really, there is no comparison. But the point I'm trying to make is that Tucker is a one dimensional player whose time has come in a game where defensively gifted forwards can dominate the game.

Looking back over his career stats, Tucker is a -70 lifetime NHLer. Minus 70. Wow. That includes an uncharacteristic +24 in 2002.

Never mind Zetterberg, even Matt Stajan who plays a checking role for the Leafs and is often put out against the opponent's top scorer, is a plus five over three seasons.

Really, if anything, the Stanley Cup playoffs this year showed us that offensive teams still need to be able to play stunning defense to win.

Pittsburgh stormed their way into the finals playing exceptional team defense as well. With the arrival of Ron Wilson as coach, it appears that the Leafs will soon become stronger defensively in 2008-2009.

This all means that Tucker can no longer remain a Leaf. Sure he's gritty and can shoot the puck pretty well, but really, his lack of speed and lack of defensive skill make him way too much of a liability on the ice, not to mention a poor example for younger players.

Howard Berger wrote that Tucker would not accept a trade which almost certainly means that a buyout is on the horizon. The $1M a year is not horrendous to absorb, although six years of it is a definite drag over the long term.

As I write this, the Wilson press conference has occurred, and, as expected, he stated his commitment to putting a much stronger defensive system in place.

So long Tucks. A lot of fans will be disappointed, but the Leafs will have a better shot without him in the line-up.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Why Fans Should Rejoice (Hint: it's Not Ron Wilson)

Mark Makuch — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:55:50 -0400

The most exciting thing about the signing of Ron Wilson isn't about Ron Wilson.

Now don't get me wrong, I think it's a great move and he'll be a great coach for the Leafs. But really, the biggest and most exciting news has nothing to do with the talented new coach.

Why Leaf fans everywhere should rejoice is because of the following quote from the Toronto Sun: "he [Fletcher] did not require any approval from the board of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., for the hiring."

Can this be true? If so, this hiring marks the real start of the turnaround of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Why? Because this is the first major decision to not require the board's input in years.

You can say that Fletcher has been operating autonomously since he started, but I had a funny feeling that the strings were not completely severed between hockey operations and the board.

Trading Hal Gill and letting John Pohl go without approval proved nothing. Now we have clear evidence that the maddening, undermining, sickening, tinkering ways of the board might really be over.

This event can only bode well for the entire franchise. Finally hockey people are making hockey decisions.

Fletcher, bless his geriatric bones, is fully standing by his decision and it's refreshing to hear that he knew what he wanted and went out and got it. No other coaches interviewed. No other candidates considered. Ron Wilson. You're the man. Go.

This kind of clear, decisive decision making by someone in the Leafs' organization is simply astounding. It's no wonder that many Leaf fans are trying to poke holes in the move by decrying the fact that the GM is not in place yet and how that is a major mistake. They simply can't imagine the Leafs without some kind of backroom blunder behind the press room curtains.

Whether or not Burke will come on as the GM this year or next, Fletcher went out and got the best coach available when the opportunity presented itself. If he had waited, all the fans would be groaning about how the Leafs waited too long and how all the good coaches already got hired.

I ask, is it better to saddle a GM with one of the best coaches in the game or with the prospect of having no decent coach available to hire?

Will the Leafs be respectable next year?

Probably not, but at least they will be in good hands with a coach that has been in this situation before.

I don't think the Leafs will be laughable for long, not only due to Wilson, but more-so, because the board is back in the boardroom where they belong and not in the GM's office closet, listening at the door and whispering ill-conceived instructions.

Let's not kid ourselves: the future isn't here yet, but at least the biggest and most pernicious obstacle to its arrival seems to have gone.

Pavel Kubina Strong as Leafs Continue to Roll

Mark Makuch — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 04:43:01 -0400

With Kubina playing strong on defense, the Leaf's racked up another win, downing the struggling Senators 5-4 in Otttawa. Kubina was key to the win, with two assists and a game-saving move in the final seconds when he removed Senator forward Mike Fischer from the side of the goal as a puck came dangerously close to finding its way over the goal line. Kubina certainly has found his groove at long last, having netted two game winners in the past week.

Kubina looked good in getting point shots to the net on the power play, and especially mobile in his rush up the ice at the end of the second period. With the Leafs down 4-2 after three quick Ottawa goals, he went end to end and got off a great shot on Gerber in the Ottawa net. The save was made, but the juicy rebound went straight to Tucker who made no mistake rifling the puck into the open side. That goal turned the tide in the game as the Leafs came out and jumped on two bad Ottawa give-aways in the first minutes of the third period to retake the lead for good.

The Leafs have saved their best hockey of the season for the home stretch. Their power play continued its resurgence going 2 for 3. They were hit by the Ottawa storm in the second period but remained unfazed and undaunted. Meanwhile the Senators, who looked in the second period like the unstoppable version that dominated the early season, fell apart with poor transitional play and poor defensive recovery in the third. The Leafs then looked good holding the lead until the final minute and a half mad scramble.

Without their top two scorers the Leafs capitalized on their chances, especially in the third when Tlustly looked like a real goal scorer with a patient move on Gerber and Stajan and Blake connected on a perfectly executed give and go. While the chances are that the Leafs will end up a point or so out of the playoff race, they at least look like they have some decent building blocks, or decent trade-able assets, whichever way you look at it. The Senators, meanwhile, look to be unsure of themselves and defensively mistake prone. Not good signs for the former team to beat in the east.

Maple Leafs: "One Game at a Time" Mentality Arrives Too Late

Mark Makuch — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:11:21 -0500

It may be too simple a concept, but taking one game at a time and not focusing on anything else—such as making the playoffs or winning a Stanley Cup—is what enables a team to play its best.

With every win, the Leafs pull off down the stretch, one reads how the players are just trying to focus on the next game and not look at the numbers. Indeed, the numbers might scare the bejeezus out of them. The Leafs need to overtake a total of four teams and make up six points in order to make the playoffs with only 13 games left.

In the pressure cooker of Toronto, the media does a fine job of distracting players all season long with expectations about the playoffs and winning the Cup. It's no wonder that this team has been unable to focus on the game at hand. Instead, they were running around thinking about whether or not they would get in the playoffs all season.

While they were doing that, they played like a bunch of complete underachievers, making bad plays left and right. Now, with their minds on the game, they seem to be believing in themselves, and actually playing up to their potential.

To me, this is where Maurice fails as a coach. Reading in the Toronto papers lately about his obsession checking scores and stats shows that he is not leading by example.

He is the one that needs to keep the players motivated the right way. He is the one that needs to make sure players block out everything else and just focus on the game at hand.

He could take a page from Sam Mitchell's playbook. There is a man who is 100 percent committed to the idea of playing one game at a time and focusing only on that one game, that one night, that one play. Everything else will take care of itself. A focus on maintaining this mentality needed to be here all season long.

We are now witnessing a Toronto team that has no choice but to not look at the standings and think about that dismal moment in the future when yet another season of missing the playoffs is confirmed. The overwhelming odds are that it's too little too late.

That being said, all four teams immediately ahead of them in the race have hardly risen to the challenge. They have all played .500 hockey or worse over the past ten games. Only the Leafs appear to be on something of a roll. The home stretch is still a horse race, and the Leafs are the darkest of the bunch.

Maple Leafs News: Mats Sundin To Go Down with the Ship

Mark Makuch — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 03:01:18 -0500

Mats Sundin has officially declared that he will not waive his no-trade clause to help Cliff Fletcher clean up the JFJ disaster.

His words leave some fans howling in disbelief and calling him a traitor because he is being overly loyal; that if he really wanted what's best for the Leafs he would accept a trade and then come back next year if he's so committed to the blue and white.

But it may just be that Sundin may not be back at all anyway. While releasing a statement that he would not waive his no-trade clause, he also indicated that he would not be signing a contract extension. Retirement this summer, it appears, is a large possibility for the big Swede.

This scenario may leave fans grumbling, but if they look at the future, this will now play out in one of two not-unpalatable ways.

1. Sundin could retire. $5M comes off the books. Sure there aren’t any prospects or picks, but still, that's some breathing space for the GM.

2. Sundin could come back. Like this year, it’s likely to be at a rate that is less than he would fetch on the open market.

Either of these scenarios is absolutely fine by me. In scenario one, he leaves on his own terms and gives the GM some nice financial breathing room. In scenario two, we're looking at getting huge value for the dollar in terms of scoring and leadership.

It's rare that an athlete these days will not opt to be a hired gun, given the chance. Sundin's commitment to Toronto is a deep and personal one. That is now undeniable.

You can't fault Sundin for not waiving his no-trade clause. If anything it's a good thing it was there, or else you can be sure we'd see yet another great Leaf captain treated like garbage.

I, for one, hope that he's back next year.

Unlike the Leafs, Fletcher Can't Lose

Mark Makuch — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:33:56 -0500

It's time to buy the flowers. Don't forget the R.I.P. banner. Soon they will disconnect the life support systems, and the Leafs as we know them will be no more.

The team, as it stands, is so bad, or so slow, or so unlucky, depending on how you look at it, that Fletcher can have the words "Fire Sale Manager" stenciled on his door.

Either that, or Funeral Home Director. Both suit the situation just fine.

The good news here is that Fletcher really can do no wrong over the next 10 days. Having indicated that his activity at the trade deadline would not be geared toward making the playoffs, we can be sure that he is going to move whomever he can.

Loaded with expensive, slow veterans, the worst he can do is transform the team from and old, slow and bad with no cap space, to younger, faster, and still bad with much more cap space. That would be mission accomplished.

Really. It simply doesn't matter if the youngsters he gets in return don't pan out. The Toronto media usually notches up the pressure so much on these guys that the majority won't make it anyway.

The real job for Fletcher is simply to clear out dead weight. The slow of foot. The uninspired. The vets that have lost that step that kills you in today's NHL.

He's got to make room, create a canvas that will enable the real GM to make a plan and execute. The pieces that that next GM inherits don't have to be anything stupendous. If anything, they just need to be movable and expendable in their own right.

The only wrinkle for Fletcher are the silly no-trade clauses given to some undeserving folk. But even then, buyouts will help get rid of the bodies with a manageable burden on the books for a few years to come.

There will be nothing like the Jalen Rose contract Wayne Embry was brought in to exterminate for the NBA Raptors.

All the Leafs seem capable of doing this year is losing. For Fletcher, getting nothing for something in the next 10 days would be just fine. As a GM, that's pretty much a 'can't lose' proposition.

Maple Leafs' Shameful Efforts Make Case for Total Overhaul

Mark Makuch — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:57:33 -0500

October 9th: 7-1 loss to Carolina

October 29th: 7-1 loss to Washington

November 6th: 5-1 loss to Ottawa

November 24th: 5-1 loss to Phoenix

December 29th: 6-1 loss to the Rangers

January 9th: 5-0 loss to Anaheim

February 5th: 8-0 loss to Florida

These are the worst blowouts against the Leafs this year, and indeed the list is long and painful.

For Cliff Fletcher, this string of defeats is indicative of flaws requiring far more than a tweak or two. The Leafs’ problems run deep.

These continual blowouts, one after the other, demonstrate the weak mental make-up of the team. These players lack the competitive drive to be NHL winners.

One wonders how many times a team needs to hear that they must bring their best efforts every night? Obviously, these players have incredibly short memories, or perhaps they just have very little pride.

When Fletcher looks at rebuilding this team, the long list of blowouts should tell him that the team not only needs the tangibles—speed, skill, and defense—but those hidden qualities, too, the ones denoting real champions’ hearts—pride, intensity, deep competitive drive, and true (not token) grit.

Indeed, this must be a total rebuild. Too much is broken, inside and out.