Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Echevarria

Interview with Nashville Predators' Top Prospect Ryan Ellis

Andrew Echevarria — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:59:29 -0400

Ryan Ellis, drafted by the Nashville Predators at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, had great success at the OHL level with the Windsor Spitfires. Is he ready for the next level? Let's find out!

Andrew Echevarria: Hey, Ryan. Once again, thanks a lot for agreeing to do the interview. I really appreciate it.

Ryan Ellis: Yeah, it’s no problem at all.

AE: Let’s get started by getting to know you a little better. Tell us about yourself growing up and how you started playing hockey.

RE: I grew up in a small town outside of London, Ontario called Belmont [and] played single B hockey for a while. And once I moved back to Hamilton, which is where I’m originally from, I started playing more competitive hockey: single A, triple A, stuff like that. Finally, I was drafted into the OHL and began playing in Windsor, and now I was just drafted into the NHL.

AE: Did you have a favourite team growing up?

RE: I was always a Leafs fan, I think. My parents and all my grandparents were Leaf fans, so I think it just kinda grew on me, and I watched them every Saturday night...It’s kind of in my blood, I guess

AE: That’s cool. Tell me, Ryan, how did it feel playing alongside other top prospects for the '09 draft at the World Juniors? And is there anything you’ll take from this experience and use later in your career?

RE: I think it was just pretty awesome, not just [playing with] the other prospects like Tavares and guys like that, but other people who have already been through the draft like Thomas Hickey. It was really surreal at one point knowing I played with these guys that were drafted before I was, and it was an amazing experience that won’t be forgotten.

AE: Yeah, it must’ve been great.

RE: Yeah, it was pretty awesome.

AE: This question is a little out of date, but you and the Spitfires were amazing last season. What or who would you credit for an amazing regular and postseason?

RE: I think it had a lot to do with the character in our room. We lost a big part of our team last year, and I think we became close, and definitely one of the closest if not the closest team in the CHL as far as team values is going. I think that our coaching staff engraved in our head that team comes first and team mentality is how we play the game. But I think we had the best coach in the CHL for the last two years, [so] that’s been a big part of our success, and I think the players as well;. The players who get drafted are brought in and have been a big part growing as players on and off the ice

AE: Yeah, and it’s definitely shown with you guys winning the Memorial Cup and all. You were also a big part of the team, and without you, they probably wouldn’t have done as well as they did. A lot of people judge you by your height, but do you think you would’ve been a better player and perhaps gotten more points if you were higher? Do you think height makes a big impact on the game?

RE: I don’t think so at all. There’s a lot of players that haven’t put up the numbers I have that are 6'2", 6'3", whatever you want to say. I don’t think it’s ever held me back, and don’t think it ever will as far as playing at the next level goes, and I think you've got to with [a] what God’s sort of given you thing. I’ve grown up the same way I have the past 18 years, so I can’t change how tall I’m going to be or how strong I’m going to be or anything like that. I don’t think it’s ever been a problem, I don’t think it’s ever going to be a problem, and I’m just looking forward to the future.

AE: Moving along, I’m sure you were very anxious on draft day to know who was going to draft you. Were you surprised that Nashville picked you to be part of the team?

RE: I think yeah, a little bit. I talked to them and had a good interview at the combine, but I think there were a few other teams on my radar that I thought I was going to go to. Once they took me, I couldn’t be happier, though. I think a lot of weight came off my shoulder, and I finally knew what NHL team I was going to be a part of and hope to be a part of one day, and I think all my family and friend were pretty excited when my name was called.

AE: OK, this is a question just out of curiosity. Did the Toronto Maple Leafs contact you at any time?

RE: Yeah, I had an interview with them at the combine, and that was about all the interviewing I did with them. I think they were keen on getting a forward in there, and I think they found a gem with Kadri.

AE: Interesting thought, Ryan. What do you think you can bring to a team like Nashville that hasn’t been very successful in the recent years?

RE: I think they got a lot of talent. Their defence is one of the tops in the league—they have guys like Suter and Shea Weber and Dan Hamhuis, so I think the defense is a pretty solid part. I think they want a more offensive style game and a more up-tempo game, and I think that’s where I come in and that’s where I can fit in with the team. Wether I’m contributing offensively or defensively, I think Nashville’s going to be a heck of a team in the future, even in the next year. They’ve got some great players coming in, and I think there’s a real future for me there

AE: Yeah, there’s definitely a big future for you there, hopefully things go well. Along the lines of yourself as a player, do you think you’re ready to play in the NHL start next season?

RE: I’d like to think so. I’ve done a lot of work in the weight room, and even on the track and what not, so a lot of off ice work this season. I haven’t have had a lot of time, but I think I’d like to think I am ready to play in the NHL next year, but that could be a stretch. We’ll have to see how NHL’s training camp goes, and I think that’s really when I’ll be able to pace myself and see how long or if I am ready or whatnot, and if I’m back in Windsor, I think we have another great team and a great chance of winning something again.

AE: Yeah, definitely. Ryan, you’ve been compared to players like Bobby Orr and Brian Rafalski, how exactly do you see yourself in these comparisons?

RE: I think being compared to Bobby Orr is definitely a stretc., He’s one of the best, if not the best, player ever to play, so I think that’s a bit of a stretch. I think Brian Rafalski’s an unbelievable player [with] great talent. He’s been a big part of the team with Detroit and even in New Jersey, [and] he’s won many cups and he’s done a great job in the NHL and he’s a great player. And he’s making a lot of money, so I think to be compared with someone like that to myself would be a great compliment.

AE: Are there any organizations you hope to be involved with sometime down your career? Also, are there any players you’d like to play alongside in the future?

Ryan: I don’t think there are too many certain teams—I think that playing in the NHL is good enough for me. It doesn’t matter what team I’m playing on or whatnot, but players, for sure. There are guys you can learn from and guys you want to meet. You hear stories about how good of a captain or leader they are, and I think to play with someone like Mark Messier if he was still playing would be an unbelievable experience. But I think playing with guys like Sydney Crosby and people like that, that would be a dream come true too, knowing how good they are and the talent they have and the people they are on and off the ice would be something special.

AE: Have any thoughts of what you’ll do when you’re done playing hockey crossed your mind? Whether it’s from coaching to management?

RE: Not too much. I think I’m just focused on playing the game, and I’m only 18, so hopefully I’ll have a long career and not have to think about that too much, especially right now where I’m focused on making the jump and not what’s going to happen afterwards.

AE: Well Ryan, you’ve clearly learned a lot from when you started playing hockey to where you are now. Do you have any advice for young hockey players out there?

RE: I think just kind of stick with it. I think a lot of people have doubted me and other people over the course of my and their careers, so just kind of stick with it and don’t give up and listen to what other people say. Just kind of believe in your heart, and I think that’s what matters the most, and that’s what you've got to believe, and you can never go wrong with that.

You can find out more about Ryan Ellis on Alan Bass' article Ryan Ellis: NHL Draft Prospect You Won't Want To Miss

Toronto Maple Leafs: One Down, How Many More?

Andrew Echevarria — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:18:10 -0400

TSN reported on July 27 at approximately 7 PM EST that the Toronto Maple Leafs had dealt Swedish defenseman, Anton Stralman, in a deal that brought Wayne Primeau to Toronto.

Stralman, who was taken in the seventh round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, by the Leafs, had shown potential in the 88 NHL games he managed to play.

His goals and assists adding up to 22 points, he showed potential as a skilled defenseman, and many considered him the "next" Tomas Kaberle.

Perhaps the words of a CBC announcer during a Leafs-Canadiens game on March 29, 2009 gave it away, "[Anton Stralman] has got a whole load of talent, he just has to get stronger defensively and his body play has to get stronger as well."

Stralman wasn't the grittiest and most physical player out there, but he did show potential with his skill.

Brian Burke made it obvious that grit and physical play was what he wanted in his defensemen, when he acquired Beauchemin, Exelby, and Komisarek. This left us wondering; where does Anton Stralman fit into his plans?

Is Stralman physical?

No, but he's got a lot of talent and potential. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to keep Burke's sticky hands away.

Perhaps Burke could've made an exception for a player with such potential as Stralman.

So who's next? Who doesn't quite fit in and doesn't have a big contract with a no trade clause in it?

Matt Stajan.

From the start, Burke has made it clear he wants two skilled lines, and two clean-up lines. This is where Stajan doesn't quite fit in.

The Mississauga native has played six seasons with the Maple Leafs, which should be enough for Burke to evaluate his potential.

Is Stajan a skilled player that can fit into the first or second line?

Not exactly. He can, however, set up plays, feed the puck to wingers, and score a goal every once in a while...but is it enough?

Is Stajan a physical player that can play on the third or fourth line?

Not really. He can be aggressive on certain parts of his game, but no one can really see him as a "clean-up" line player.

However, Stajan does bring certain things to the bench that other players didn't. Leadership was one of the things Stajan was known for. He was a leader in the dressing room and on the bench, which was great when Sundin left, but with Burke bringing in guys like May, he won't be needed as much.

Consistency was something Stajan had last season, that perhaps made him most valuable. While other players had their streaks and then went cold for a while, Stajan was consistent and could always be relied on. You could place him on the power play, or penalty kill and he could help get the job done.

We must also realize Stajan is still young and can still develop into a better player. We've seen potential not just on ice, but again, is it enough?

Is what Matt Stajan brings to the Leafs off and on the ice, as well as the potential he has to improve, enough for Burke to make an exception?

Burke proved something on July 27, 2009; he doesn't like making exceptions.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Don't Get Too Excited

Andrew Echevarria — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:32:40 -0400

A couple of weeks ago, Brian Burke announced that he was going to try to move up in the draft and go for Tavares.

Before I go on, let me make it clear that the word "try" is present. "Try" means he will attempt, but there is no guarantee it will happen. It seems that everyone's already saying "Burke said he's going to go for Tavares! Tavares is coming to Toronto!"

Unfortunately, Brian Burke is not God (apologies to those who think otherwise). He cannot make a trade happen out of thin air. Sure he can propose a great deal, but if the team doesn't accept, it doesn't happen.

There was actually a rumour flying around that the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to make a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning which would include sending Kaberle, Schenn, and their first rounder for Ryan Malone and a first rounder. However, Burke doesn't seem ready to give up Schenn just yet, and he still wants to look at other possibilities.

A while back, it seemed like Brian Burke was basically saying he was willing to package Luke Schenn in a deal to get the Isles' or the Lightning's first round pick this year. However, all he has said was the Luke Schenn was the closest player to being untouchable.

What does untouchable mean?

It means that he will not be traded no matter what. If a player is untouchable, it means he is a great asset to the team and the team seems to rotate around him. He is worth too much to the team to be traded.

Brian Burke doesn't seem to think of Luke Schenn that way.

But just because a player isn't untouchable doesn't mean he's up for grabs. Burke definatly values Schenn and sees him as a great player to build around which probably means he will try his best to keep him in Toronto.

So, who exactly is available other than Schenn? Well, a couple of months ago Cliff Fletcher said Nik Antropov was the only top six forward on the team, but he's gone now. So is a team of third and fourth liners all we have? Of coure not, there are guys like Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin that still have bright futures ahead. Even Ponikarovsky has stepped up and shown what he can do.

If Burke wants to make a good deal, he'll have to throw in Luke Schenn because we all honestly know that Burke does not want to start giving away draft picks, and there is no way that a team is going to accept a trade just involving current Leafs. Of course, we have our first round pick this year that Burke seems to not mind giving up, but once again, he'll only give it up if it means Tavares.

Right now everyone's thinking Burke is going to pull off something big, but he probably won't. Remember the trade deadline? Everyone thought that he was going to end up bringing in prospects and draft picks, when all he really brought in was acouple of second rounders. Of course, not all of us thought he would be very active at the trade deadline, but the majority did (you know who you are).

So in my opinion, the draft is going to be a big disappointment for those thinking that Burke is going to land Tavares. Maybe if the Leafs still had Mats Sundin, they could pull something off without having to give up Schenn, but for now, Burke is probably going to play it safe, and keep Schenn.

Stay tuned for an interview with Ryan Ellis.

Andrew Echevarria is a writer for tosports.ca and bleacherreport.com You can contact him through his profile or email him at toronto_4ever_toronto@hotmail.com. You can check out more of his writing in his archives.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Theory Busters Part One

Andrew Echevarria — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:39:07 -0400

Since October 9, 2009, people have been saying lots of things regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs. Some of these statements have been just so horribly incorrect that it's almost impossible to explain my frustration.

Of course, the thing about Toronto fans is that when they hear a fellow fan say something, they just go along with it without taking the time to reason with the theory being given.

Therefore, I will take it upon myself to debunk the lies.

First up is a theory that I've heard way too often and am sure is not true. Before I even identify it, I want you to look at these stats;

GP G A P +/- PIM

72 2 12 14 -12 71

Not very impressive, eh? I'm going to have to ask readers to not immediatly begin Google-searching these numbers.

Instead, let's pretend you're the Leafs' general manager, and there's a 27-year-old defenseman on the team that has gotten the same stats as listed above for consecutive years now. Would you re-sign him?

Since I have not told you who this player is, or if he is even a Leaf at the moment, the first thing you're thinking is probably that he's a defenseman of the Belak-type (due to his shocking shooting stats). You're probably also assuming that he isn't the Jeff Finger-type that doesn't gather up that many points, but that he's very affective on the ice.

Well, what if I told you the mystery man's plus/minus was -12?

Despite the tough season Tomas Kaberle had, I'd pick him over this unknown, because from his stats, the shadowy figure does not at all look like he's been up to much. I'd probably also feel safer with Pavel Kubina or Ian White on the ice instead of this question mark.

So if you need to know, this mystery player is Luke Schenn.

Now, before I get on everyone's bad side for bad-mouthing Schenn, hear me out. My argument isn't that he's the worst player on the Leafs roster. No, I'm simply stating that Luke is not the best defenseman that plays for the Leafs.

Leaf fans tend to get excited over how well Luke Schenn is doing in his rookie season, saying he's playing better than the rest. But honestly, he is not.

Schenn is the most promising Leaf right now, but he is not a top player as of this moment. Like in the example I gave above, if Luke was 27 years old, with those stats, he wouldn't get very far.

I'm not saying that Luke Schenn is a bad player this season; more that he will get better with time. He is a good player, but he is just not the top defenseman on the team right now.

He's the most promising, and maybe he'll be the best in a couple of years, but for now he is not.

So, in conclusion: Andrew concludes that the theory that Luke Schenn is the best defenseman the Leafs have is false.

Look for more articles from me disproving common misconceptions about the Maple Leafs.

Interview With NHL Prospect Taylor Hall ft. Melissa Hashemian

Andrew Echevarria — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:51:49 -0400

Not too long ago everyone was getting very excited over Steve Stamkos. He was a young prospect that had displayed great promise and was set to be drafted first overall. However, despite all the talk about Stamkos, there was a small whisper being heard.

John Tavares wasn't eligible to be drafted that year, but his name could still be heard among the lips of some hockey analysts.

Around the same time today, we have that player on our minds, John Tavares. Just like for Steve Stamkos, there's a lot of excitement built around him, and he's also set up to be drafted first overall in the upcoming draft.

Sorry to disappoint you, but this article isn't about how good Tavares is or how overrated he is.

This is about the Tavares of last year, Taylor Hall.

Just like Stamkos and Tavares, Taylor Hall is set to be drafted first overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Taylor Hall finished the 2008-2009 season ranked 6th in points in the OHL with a total of 90 points in 63 games, two points behind high-ranked prospect Cody Hodsgon. If you're hoping to hear more about Hall, I'm sorry to disappoint you once again

As heard on Leafs This Week...

Mel: Hey everyone, I'm here with my co-host Andrew, how are you today Andrew?

Andrew: I'm great, how about you?

Mel: I'm good. We're being joined by Taylor Hall. He's set to be drafted first overall int he 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and he currently plays for the Windsor Spitfires. Taylor, how are you?

Taylor Hall: Pretty good, you?

Mel: I'm not bad. So just as an ice breaker, you know, you're seventeen, you're a good looking kid I have to admit, you've been getting a lot of attention lately, so I was curious; how's your love life been?

Taylor Hall: Good I guess. I had a girlfriend for a while, but nothing really serious.

Mel: Okay, that was just my ice breaker little question. I believe Andrew has his first question for you.

Andrew: Yup. Let's get to know you a little better; tell us about where you grew up and a little about your early life.

Taylor Hall: I grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and I moved to Kingston when I was thirteen and lived there ever since. Whenever I go back to Kingston it means a lot to me because that's where all my friends are.

Mel: Okay, so everyone has role models growing up; who was your favourite team or even player?

Taylor Hall: Well, growing up it was the flames; I always loved watching them play. Right now it's probably Sydney Crosby, because he's one of the best players in the NHL and he's a good role model.

Mel: Do you still follow Calgary games?

Taylor Hall: Not really, it's pretty hard. I have a very busy schedule, I just watch hockey whenever I can, I don't really follow the flames anymore, they were my childhood favourite team.

Mel: Okay, that's good. My favourite team is Toronto because I live in Toronto i guess.

Taylor Hall: Yeah, I don't really have a favourite team anymore. Everyone here cheers for Detroit, so that's who I cheer for now.

Andrew: You definitely have a bright future ahead. What inspired you to start playing hockey?

Taylor Hall: I'm not sure. My mom put me on skates when I was three and I've played ever since, now it's just an everyday thing, I don't even think about it, I'm lucky to play the game everyday and come to the rink with a smile on my face. It's not a job for me at all, it's just something I love doing.

Andrew: Okay, that's cool.

Mel: Taylor, there's been a lot of attention headed your way. Don Cherry was praising you on Coach's corner, and you've been receiving a lot of recognition from a lot of outside observer, and actually I read that last year in 2008 they actually profiled you on Sports Illustrated on page features on young athletes to keep an eye one. So my question is; you're only seventeen, how are you taking it in, or have you taken it in? Is it still becoming a reality for you?

Taylor Hall: It's just attention, I don't take it too seriously, and if I want to be a good player as I want to be, there's going to be attention along the way and it's something I'm going to have to deal with. it's an everyday thing right now and I'm just trying to be level-headed.

Mel: Well, that's good. A lot of different people tend to take it very differently and get cocky. You seem to have a very good head on your shoulder. It's not good to get wrapped up in the media sense of it, just like if you were an actor in Hollywood, but you're pretty young, so you should be gaining some kind of confidence from it.

Taylor Hall: Yeah, I get confidence but it's not really in my head, it's mostly for my family and friends to see how I'm doing, but I don't take it too seriously.

Mel: Yeah, your family must be pretty proud of you.

Taylor Hall: Yeah, for sure. They keep all the clippings and stuff like that. I think my family enjoys it more than I do.

Andrew: Taylor, I'm sure any NHL team would love to have a player of your calibre on their roster; which team would you be most interested into getting drafted onto?

Taylor Hall: It depends on where I'm ranked when draft week comes along I guess. Probably a team like Ottawa or Toronto, they're close to home and they seem like a team that's rebuilding and stuff like that. I don't really have any preferences, any team would be great to play for, and just playing in the NHL is fantastic. Ottawa and Toronto are close to home and they seem to be a good fit for me.

Mel: It's actually funny how you named Toronto. I'm pretty proud of you right now, not many people want to come play for Toronto.

Taylor Hall: I'd go and play in Toronto for sure.

Mel: It's been a dream probably. So, I saw a quote said by one of your Windsor Spitfires teammates, Ryan Ellis, and he said, and I'm sure you've heard this, "the 2010 draft can't come fast enough for him. He's just unbelievable, he's got skill, talent, he's got it all. The whole package." So, how does it feel to be so highly respected by your peers and especially a guy like that who has already done so much at the junior level?

Taylor Hall: Well, Ryan's one of my good friends. I see him everyday and I hang out with him a lot and it's really nice of him to say stuff like that. I can't really comment on how I play my game, but I'm fast and I'm pretty big.

Mel: I've seen the way you play, you're six feet right?

Taylor Hall: Yeah, six feet, six foot one, whatever.

Mel: Well, do you agree with him or how do you see yourself as a player?

Taylor Hall: I'm pretty big and I'm pretty fast and an offensive player that loves to score goals and get the play in the offensive going and trying creating turn overs and stuff like that, so I love playing offense, but at the same time I feel like I'm pretty reliable on defense.

Andrew: Do you have any goals or achievements you hope to accomplish throughout your career?

Taylor Hall: I can't really say because I don't know how my career's going to turn out, but eventually down the road this year I want to win a Memorial Cup or something like that, but later in my career I'd love to win the Stanley Cup. That'd be an unbelievable experience and it's probably every kid's dream as soon as they start playing hockey to win the cup, and if I could do that, that'd be great.

Mel: Well, I've actually seen some of your goals and I can't help but notice the type of reaction you kinda have when you score. You seem very excited, very flamboyant, and from what I've seen you look pretty intense on the ice. Do you see yourself as that in-your-face type of player, like do you try to get under the oposition's skin?

Taylor Hall: Not at all. I don't do that stuff on the ice, but like I said, I love to score goals. I don't think there's anything wrong with celebrating, you see Ovechkin and how he reacted and that just shows the passion.

Mel: It's funny that you mentioned Ovechkin. Not everyone is an Ovechkin admirer, and it's funny how when I saw your videos and goals it kinda reminded me of Ovechkin, but in Wcase you didn't like him, I didn't want to offend you in any particular way.

Taylor Hall: Nah, how can you not like Ovechkin? He's the best player in the league right now. Don Cherry's getting on him for celebrating, but when you score you should be happy and that's all that matters.

Mel: Exactly. So, your stats from first year to your second year kinda changed a little, you went from scoring seven more goals than you had assists in your first year to getting 13 more assists than goals in your second. So have you changed anything about your game since joining the team?

Taylor Hall: Not really, I can't really control my stats or stuff like that.

Mel: Well, I can see you have a great future ahead of you. You've been progressing so far, so all the best of luck to you.

Taylor Hall: Yup, thank you.

Andrew: This is my last question for tonight. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for all young hockey players out there?

Taylor Hall: I think I've already said this before, but just have fun with the game. I've witnessed it myself, guys that don't enjoy it, guys that don't have fun, they're just not as good, and they don't get as far in their careers. Just enjoy the game and keep your love for the game. So just love the game, and play for fun.

Andrew: Thanks Taylor, it was an honour having you on the show.

Mel: It was really great, thanks so much Taylor.

Taylor Hall: Yup, no problem.

Andrew: We wish you the best for your career and hopefully you'll turn out great.

Taylor Hall: Thanks guys.

Breaking News: Viktor Stalberg Signed By The Toronto Maple Leafs

Andrew Echevarria — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:35:02 -0400

Brian Burke announced earlier today that the club has signed prospect Viktor Stalberg to a two-year Entry Level Contract.

Viktor Stalberg was playing in the NCAA for the University of Vermont and showed great improvement this season. He was even one of the top 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

Viktor will be joining the Toronto Marlies for the rest of their playoffs. His performance with the Marlies may very well determine his future with the Leafs.

I apologize for not being able to give much information, but you can find all the information you require on both links below.

You can see an exclusive Interview with Viktor conducted by myself here

You can read the full story from mapleleafs.com here

Interview With Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Viktor Stalberg, Ft. Tyler Hill

Andrew Echevarria — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:15:53 -0400

As heard on "Leafs This Week"...

Andrew: Hey everyone, I'm here with my co-host Tyler Hill. How are you today, Tyler?

Tyler: I'm good, Andy. How are you doing?

Andrew: I'm great, thanks. Today, we're being joined by Viktor Stalberg, who was drafted by the Leafs in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and currently plays for the University of Vermont in the NCAA. How are you today, Viktor?

Viktor Stalberg: I'm doing pretty fine, how are you doing?

Andrew: I'm good. So, let's get this interview underway. Let's get to know you a little better. Tell us a little about yourself and where you grew up.

Viktor Stalberg: Well, I grew up in Guthenberg, Sweden, and I started playing hockey when I was pretty young. Fortunately for me it worked out pretty well, and I got a tremendous opportunity getting drafted by Toronto a couple of years ago.

Andrew: Great. Tyler?

Tyler: When you were drafted by the Leafs, what was your initial reaction?

Viktor Stalberg: Well, you know, I was obviously very excited. I followed the draft online at my computer at my house and I was sitting there kinda by myself, but it was obviously a great feeling being drafted by such a tremendous team with a lot of history and hopefully a bright future sometime in the near future.

Tyler: I hope you can help us out with the bright future.

Viktor Stalberg: Yeah, I hope so. They're rebuilding next year and that expands the possibilities.

Andrew: You're definatly a great skater with a scoring touch. What do you think you can bring to a team like the Leafs?

Viktor Stalberg: I think I could play a couple of different roles, I'm just a big player and pretty good offensively. I think I can play a checking role, or maybe a top forward role as well. I think this year I've shown that I have been able to score some goals and put points on the board, and hopefully I'll get a chance to play that role, but in time I'll have to get acquainted with those roles to make my NHL career happen.

Tyler: You're known mostly as a scorer. Do you think there's any part of your game that you need to improve?

Viktor Stalberg: Well, I think there are lots of things that I can improve in my game. I got stronger this year, and I think I need to get stronger and more physical, so there are always things I can improve on, but it depends on my skill level. Some things, like skating and stuff, are already at the level and they don't need to be made better.

Andrew: Do you have any goals you wish to accomplish or achieve between now and the rest of your career?

Viktor Stalberg: Well, I have the same goal any other guy playing hockey has, and that's obviously winning the Stanley Cup, and hopefully that's something I can be a part of it up in Toronto. They definitely deserve that, and hopefully I can be part of the team that brings the Stanley Cup back to Toronto.

Tyler: What do you credit the most for your rise in the Leafs' prospect rankings over the last few months?

Viktor Stalberg: I guess my overall game has improved a lot. I guess I got a lot stronger than I was last year. My coaches have shown a lot of confidence in me this year, and I think you go with that. I think I'm playing better and being more confident out there.

Andrew: How big of a difference do you think it was playing in North America after having played so much hockey in Sweden?

Viktor Stalberg: Well, there are some big differences in the game, obviously. Back in Europe, you play more of a puck-possession game, I guess, and over here you just don't have the same time. You have to get bigger and stronger. For me, it was great coming here, and I didn't have that much of a hard time adjusting here as some of the guys that come from Europe have, so that was beneficial.

Tyler: If you were to win the Hobey Baker Award, what would that mean to you?

Viktor Stalberg: That would be a great personal achievement, obviously, but there aren't that many personal awards out there to look into. You value the piece, so hopefully I'll be one of those guys up there [in the award conversation], but at the same time, we're focusing on getting ahead here and maybe run for the National Championship.

Andrew: This is my last question: How long do you think it'll be until we see you playing in the NHL playing for the Leafs?

Viktor Stalberg: I don't know, that's something I'm going to have to see with my coaches year after year, see where we have each other and see where I fall, but this year my focus is finishing this year here and hopefully [making a] run for the National Championship. So, it's still up in the air I guess, but hopefully the chance will be there for me.

Tyler: If you had the chance to play with any player in the NHL, who would it be and why?

Viktor Stalberg: Well, I think the NHL is where the best players, are and two of the best players are Zetterberg and Datsyuk. I think it would be tremendous to play with those guys.

Tyler: Thank you very much!

Viktor Stalberg: No problem.

Andrew: Thanks Viktor, those [questions] are it. Thanks for being with us today.

Viktor Stalberg: Thanks for having me.

BREAKING NEWS:

VIKTOR STALBERG WAS SIGNED BY THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS TO A 2 YEAR ENTRY CONTRACT ON TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2009.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Don't Expect a Pie to Bake in the Fridge

Andrew Echevarria — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:23:31 -0500

Leafs goaltending has been a major factor and everyone’s saying “trade for him,”, “call him up,” “trade him," or my favourite “kill him!"

You can say whatever you want about our goalies, but we have to admit that our goalies suck. Plain and simple, our goalies don’t play at a high level and Justin “Future” Pogge doesn’t seem very solid.

But did we not learn anything from John Ferguson, Jr. about replacing players? We do not look for quick fixes for our forwards and defensemen, why should we do that for our goalies? We keep looking elsewhere for a goalie that’s going to be great when maybe we can develop our young goalies.

Now, I probably have you guys saying, “Okay, we’ll trade for a young goalie and develop him." But this is where the article title comes in: Don’t expect a pie to bake in the fridge.

What does this exactly mean? It means that you cannot expect something good to come out of a bad environment.

In other words, you cannot expect a goaltender to develop for the Leafs if you’re weak on the defensive side. This may be a factor in why Justin Pogge is not playing well.

My best recommendation is to simply do nothing about the goaltending issue at the moment. If the Leafs do bring in a guy like Jonathan Quick (they obviously won’t), they are jeopardizing his potential.

Toronto fans are not patient with goalies. We can kill a prospect in no time.

Right now, there are not that many great goaltenders that the Leafs can build around, so let's do what Cliff Fletcher did about coaching. Instead of throwing the job at the first guy that we see, let's wait two years and see who becomes available. Yes, it’s a long time, but by getting a goaltender soon, you’re pretty much saying “I want the Leafs to start winning!”

If the Leafs do start winning, will they make the playoffs? No. We have time;we have three to five years to rebuild and become a competitive team. Let’s clean up the other players first and then see what we can do about goaltending. Once we have decent forwards and defensemen,then we can search for a goaltender in year three.

Then we can use the remaining year or two (if it were to last 5 years) to put the icing on the cake and build on our offensive rush and defensive force.

Guys, let’s not buy a microwave pie and let it bake in the fridge because then we will just end up making the pie colder. Let’s wait until a microwave comes into our price range, then we can bake up a delicious pie.

Toronto Maple Leafs Talk: Bob McKenzie Interview Featuring Tyler Hill

Andrew Echevarria — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:19:38 -0500

Tyler Hill: We're here with Bob McKenzie, TSN hockey analyst. How you doing Bob?

Bob McKenzie: Excellent, how are you guys doing today?

Tyler Hill: We're good.

Andrew Echevarria: I'm fine

Tyler Hill: So let's get questions underway. Andrew, I believe you wanted to do the first one?

Andrew Echevarria: This is a recent one, Jason Blake. He scored a hat trick not too long ago, do you think he's improving or is just on a temporary streak?

Bob McKenzie: Well, I think Jason Blake has the capability to do more than a temporary improvement. He's a good National Hockey League player who hasn't played so good for Toronto, for some reason, but Ron Wilson seems to be getting to him, he seems to be understanding what Ron Wilson wants, and he's been more confident.

Can he get five points like he did in Carolina? No. Can he be a lot better that he's shown in Toronto thus far? Absolutely yes. At the end of the day, though, the thing that works against Jason Blake is that he's tied to a $4 million a year contract for the next 3 years after this season and he's getting paid more money than most people think he's worth at this time, but that's not his fault, but that's just the way it is.

Andrew Echevarria: Okay, thanks Bob. Now, I believe Tyler has a question too.

Tyler Hill: Yeah, this is a question about team chemistry and superstar players. What do you think is more important for a team. Is it more important that they have guys that have chemistry and know where each other is going to be at certain times in a game and they can trust players on their line, or do you think it'd be more beneficial to have a superstar player that u can rely on at all times during the game?

Bob McKenzie: Well, I think you need both. You gotta try to find both and get both, and that's what good teams have. Look at Detroit, they've got superstars like Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Lidstrom, but they've also got incredible team chemistry.

So there's no reason why you can't have both, and that's what you gotta strive for, but in a short term, in the absence of talent, for a team like the Leafs that are rebuilding, you're doing what Ron Wilson is doing and that is trying to create an atmosphere/ environment where you increase the expectation level based on more accountability and try to foster team play and team spirit so that when you start to play, you've got that foundation in place.

Tyler Hill: Alright, thanks for the answer Bob. Andrew, next question?

Andrew Echevarria: This is kinda of a general one too, who do you think is the Leafs' MVP right now, with the current roster they have?

Bob McKenzie: Boy, that's a good question. I'm not sure I know the answer to that question. Probably Ponikarovsky or one of their high, but you almost stumpted me there I think. In some ways Luke Schenn can be one of their best defensemen even though he’s been hurt for a while, he’s only 18 years old.

Dominic Moore’s been very consistent for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but I’m not even sure what the answer to that question would even be. I think for a team that’s really waiting in many respects for somebody big to step up and be that go to guy, but by the same token when you look at the talent level on the team, Ron Wilson’s addressed this on numerous occasions, they don’t really have somebody that jumps out ahead of the club.

Andrew Echevarria: Thanks for the answer Bob. Now, Tyler has another question I believe.

Tyler Hill: Yeah, it’s about the Leafs’ trade for Lee Stempniak a while ago. Since coming to Toronto, Stempniak’s only managed 9 points, but Alex Steen, who they traded in a package deal with Carlo Colaiacovo, has put up 12 since he left Toronto. Do you think that Toronto made a bad move doing this or is the only reason Steen is producing right now is because he needed the change of scene.

Bob McKenzie: Well, I think Stempniak can play much better than he’s shown, and the fact that he hasn’t played well has him disappointed. I know he can score goals, he’s done that in his career, but either Toronto doesn’t have the right play-making centers to get a scoring winger the puck or he’s just coming up short.

Steen’s numbers aren’t terrific either in St. Louis and Colaiacovo’s been okay. I think that at the end of the day, for St. Louis to profit from the trade more than Toronto is probably a little bit greater, but I wouldn’t give up on Stempniak just yet.

Andrew Echevarria: This is my last question Bob. What exactly should the Leafs do with Toskala? Should they trade him? Should they keep him? What exactly should they do?

Bob McKenzie: Well, it really depends what the market is like for goaltenders at the trade deadline and how he’s playing. If he continues to be inconsistent and not play well, nobody’s going to want him, there’s not going to be a market, and there’s not much he can do with that.

If he’s playing extremely well and there is a team that needs a goaltender, then it probably makes sense for the Leafs to go ahead and trade him and probably get some younger aspects in place because the Leafs are in a long term rebuilding stage, it’s going to take 3 or 4 or 5 years, and by the time they get really competitive, Toskala’s probably not going to be a factor for them, so I think if they can, they should go get some young players and prospects and draft picks, but it depends on how he plays between now and the deadline.

Andrew Echevarria: Thanks Bob. Now, I think Tyler also has a final question.

Tyler Hill: Yeah, one last question here. Not as serious as the other ones we’ve asked. In the “Hockey News’s” top 100 people of power and influence, you are ranked at number 79 and Tiger Woods is ranked at 58 because of his comment that nobody really cares about hockey. What are your thoughts on that?

Bob McKenzie: I used to be the editor for the “Hockey News” and I used to put that list together, but when Tiger Woods talks hockey, lots more people listen to him talk it, than they listen to me talk it. He can have the spot, no problem.

Andrew Echevarria: Alright Bob, we really appreciate having you here tonight.

Tyler Hill: Yeah, it’s been an honour having you.

Bob McKenzie: Good luck with the program, thanks guys.

Pierre McGuire's Thoughts on the Maple Leafs

Andrew Echevarria — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:47:32 -0500

As heard on Leafs This Week...

Andrew: Today, I have Pierre McGuire from TSN and NBC joining us. Welcome Pierre, it's an honour to have you here.

Pierre McGuire: Thanks for being with you Andrew.

Andrew: Let's get this interview started. Tell us a little about yourself and how you got to where you are now.

Pierre McGuire: Well, that's a pretty loaded question. I was very fortunate to have parents who supported me in terms of all my goals and dreams and never really crushed my desire to be involved in sports; especially hockey. I left home at a very early age. I left home at 15 and moved to a lot of different places. I played football, hockey, and baseball in university down in the United States. I played professional hockey in Europe. I was signed by the New Jersey Devils and went to training camp with them. In fact, in the early 80's, I didn't make the team, and instead of going to the American Hockey League, at the time when things were a little different, I had a coaching opportunity in college in the states and I took that and started coaching. I coached six years in the United States in three different universities and then was found by Scotty Bowman and the late Bob Johnson in Pittsburgh and went to work with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was fortunate enough to be part of two Stanley Cup winning teams in '91 and '92 with Pittsburgh. Then I went to Hartsford, and from Hartsford I went to Ottawa, and from Ottawa I went to coach one of St. Louis' farm teams, and then I got a call about broadcasting from the Montreal Canadiens; they asked me to come home. They were making significant changes in their radio broadcasts and I did that. From there, TSN Gord Miller, and Dave Hodge gave me an opportunity at TSN and the rest is history.

Andrew: It looks like you lived a really interesting life. Now I'd like to hear your opinion on some current events surrounding the Leafs. First off, what do you think about the Leafs goaltending. Should they keep or trade Toskala? Call up Justin Pogge? What do you think the Leafs should do to fix their goaltending problem?

Pierre McGuire: Well, first off I think Brian Burke's going to be really aggressive in terms of goaltending. He found out how important a goalie is when he had J.S Giguere in Anaheim and that helped him win a Stanley Cup. I think the one thing you have to do if you're Toronto is because you're not or potentially not going to make the playoffs is get Justin Pogge playing. The big thing is to find out whether he can be a guy that can help you win gold or if you're going to have to go outside the organization and make some moves to make your goaltending situation better. Vesa Toskala is an interesting dynamic because he hasn't played at the same level this year as he did a year ago, so that's clearly something that's going to have to be evaluated by Brian Burke and the entire hockey department of the Leafs. [Brian Burke]'s very aggressive and [Brian Burke]'s not going to sit back, and I expect he's going to do a real good job with Toronto, but it's going to be imperative to get Justin Pogge playing, that's really important.

Andrew: How long do you think it's going to take for the Leafs to become Stanley Cup contenders?

Pierre McGuire: I think it's going to take three to five years, there's no quick fix in the NHL. The last quick fix belonged to the Philadelphia Flyers and the only reason they were able to have a quick fix is because a lot of teams made mistakes on Mike Richards and Jeff Carter in terms of where they were drafted. So Philadelphia is the last great quick fix and you're not going to have that anymore, all that stuff took place at a time when it was different, when the NHL wasn't facing the same amount of economical problems as it is now, not just in hockey, but in the rest of society. The salary cap has become a major issue in terms of how fast you can rebuild, so there's a lot of stuff that has to happen there, but with Brian Burke there I think you're looking at probably three to five years and probably somewhere in the middle, so four years to have this team up and running to where the levels of Brian will find acceptable.

Andrew: Interesting thoughts. This one's about the draft, if the Leafs were to end up with the number one pick in the '09 draft, who would you say they would benefit the most from; John Tavares or Victor Hedman.

Pierre McGuire: Most teams have a hard time looking past the 6' 6'' defenseman who can skate like the wind and handle the puck, but in this case because [John Tavares] is a local guy and because Toronto doesn't have Mats Sundin anymore, because they weren't able to get Steven Stamkos last year, because they drafted Luke Schenn, I think the direction you ought to go is John Tavares, which is a good choice. John is a really good player, he's got a tremendous upside, he's got all kinds of focus, he's maturing day by day...in a good way...which is normal, and skating isn't much of an issue, so I think the big thing for John is, if in fact they draft him, bring in some veteran guys to support him and insulate him, and I'm sure Brian Burke will do that, but if Tavares isn't there and they have let's say the second pick, I'd say take Victor Hedman.

Andrew: If the Leafs were to get the third pick, who do you think would fit best in the roll of playing in Toronto; of course excluding John Tavares and Victor Hedman.

Pierre McGuire: There's so many players out there, Jared Cowen's out there, Evander Kane's out there. It's pretty obvious who the first two guys are, and after that it comes down to what your scouts think. It's just like last year's draft, the '09 draft's stacked up and ready to go. It's a tremendously deep draft. You know, probably the most unsung guy in terms of drafting is Ryan Ellis, people are a little afraid because of his size, but he plays for the Windsor Spitfires and he's just an unbelievable offensive force, and he's one of those puck movers and pace pushers you gotta have in the NHL today, but it's probably a little too early for him. A team like the Detroit Red Wings have a chance to deal and add a player like Ryan Ellis. Let's say Detroit can trade up and get the third pick overall, can you imagine how great he'd be on a team like the Detroit Red Wings? So I think that's something you're going to have to look at when you're out there and trying to make deals, and I think out of all the players that are out there, the most unappreciated is Ryan Ellis.

Andrew: Thanks, this question is about the captain issue. As you know, the Leafs currently have no captain. Sinca Mats Sundin's departure, they only have three assisting captains. From the current roster, who would you say is more eligible to be the next captain?

Pierre McGuire: That's a hard one for me to answer, only because I'm not in their room everyday, and I don't travel with their team. I'm not a local broadcaster, I work on the national station, so I don't have a chance to interact with these players and see what they're like everyday, see what they're behavior is like when during practices, in the lockerroom, charter flights, and check ins at hotels. I don't think I'm the right person to ask that question just because I don't have enough knowledge to understand what would go into making a good captain in Toronto, I just don't know the players well enough in terms of interacting with each other.

Andrew: Whenever you watch a Leafs game, is there a player that you think stands out? A player who's different that the rest...in a good way?

Pierre McGuire: Dominic Moore's had a tremendous year, he's really stood out, I think he's been outstanding for the Toronto Maple Leafs, I think he's done so many things so well, in terms of penalty killing, forechecking, generating five on five offense, playing a depth role, being able to play with the elite players, he's been fantastic.

Andrew: Interesting thoughts. As you know, Luke Schenn is an untouchable. Do you think there are any other untouchables on the Leafs roster that are certainly going to contribute to the rebuilding?

Pierre McGuire: Nah, I don't think there are any untouchables on the Leafs roster. In fact, I think every single player is in play, the one guy that is untouchable is Schenn. Schenn's only untouchable because his future's so bright it's amazing. But I think since you're in a major overhaul of a rebuild, every player's available. Why would you want to cut short your teams' ability to make it better when you could trade, let' just say for the sake of the argument, Matt Stajan. We've already seen Brian Burke going out and adding Brad May, that was an important component for him because he wants to address the leadership issue and toughness issue, so look for more trades like that bringing in tough guys that will help keep Toronto respectable while they are in this rebuild and a guy like Brad May will support and protect the younger players which I think is important.

Andrew: With the trade deadline coming up, do you think Tomas Kaberle and/or Pavel Kubina are going to wave their no trade clauses before the trade deadline?

Pierre McGuire: I think both of them will because they're so close as friends. I think Kaberle's already said he doesn't want to stand in the way of the organization and I think Kubina would probably be on the same boat. I think they're realists too, they understand that this is a rebuild, and they're not getting any younger. I think Kaberle would love to win a Stanley Cup, Kubina's already done that with Tampa Bay, but I'd guess he'd like to win another one too. I'd be shocked if one of them didn't wave their no trade clause, I think both of them will.

Andrew: Final question of the night, have you heard any trade rumors regarding the Leafs from a reliable source or a pretty reliable source?

Pierre McGuire: haha, no I haven't. I've emailed and talked with Brian Burke since he's become the manager of the Leafs, but Brian doesn't share a lot of information and I don't expect him to. My friends that are General Managers around the league, a lot of them haven't done any business with Brian, just because it's still a couple of weeks away from the trade deadline, so I think as we get closer to the middle of February you'll start to see things peculate, but until that point, I don't think you're going to see or hear much.

Andrew: Thanks for your thoughts, it was an honour to have you here.

Pierre McGuire: Thanks Andrew, good luck to you and your Leafs.

Why We Can't Call Ourselves True Hockey Fans

Andrew Echevarria — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:02:33 -0500

Person 1: Hey, I'm a true hockey fan

Person 2: Prove it

Person 1: OK *names most players on every team in the NHL*

Just knowing the players doesn't mean you're a true hockey fan, it just means you're a smart one. It takes a true hockey fan to watch hockey outside of their comfort spot.

Over the last couple of months, I have been living in Santiago, Chile. However, I'm currently writing this article from Lima, Peru. It's no mystery that soccer is huge here, one in every five people is wearing a soccer jersey in certain parts of Chile.

I think it's very safe to say that people down here are true soccer fans, but compared to the hockey fans up north, they're nothing.

I just recently met up with some old friends, and I talked about soccer with them. I was surprised, they talked to me about leagues I have never even heard of. They knew everything, it was really impressive. They could name players from small leagues in Europe, it was all very impressive.

How many of you can name one team from the Elite League?

Like I said before, it doesn't matter if you can name the teams or the players that makes you a true sports fan. What is it then? It's the willingness to get out of your comfort zone.

Some excuses may arise such as "I can't understand the language they speak in," but not all leagues are in a foreign language. There are other english-speaking leagues such as the AHL, OHL, WHL, and even the college leagues. And even if you can't understand the language from some league in Sweden; you have eyes, you can see for yourself what's happening, you don't need someone to tell you what's happening.

I think that in order to have good perspective of what hockey really is, you have to acknowledge that the NHL isn't the only hockey league there is. NHL hockey isn't the only type of hockey there is.

I think too many people get caught up in who is going to win that they forget it's hockey. Here in South America, people sometimes just watch games over and over to look at the players' moves and admire their skill.

I'm just saying that you have to go outside your comfort zone (comfort zone means watching HNIC on your plasma TV) to maybe a not so comfortable zone (not so comfortable means watching a laggy hockey game on your computer in another language).

I don't care how well you know the NHL, if you don't know about hockey that's outside the NHL or North America, you can't call yourself a true hockey fan.

P.S. I'll write a better version of this when I get back to Chile.

Jason Blake: Let's Not Make the Same Mistake

Andrew Echevarria — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:29:29 -0500

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been noticing this lately, but has Jason Blake been getting better?

He was scoring some pretty nice goals, getting his own rebounds, and crashing the net (or goalie) in order to score. It all seemed great and looked like he was on a temporary fluke.

Then, last night, Blake scored a hat trick.

That's all the proof I need right now, a hat trick. Honestly, when was the last time a Leaf scored a hat trick?

About five weeks ago, during a "Leafs This Week" show, Tyler Hill named Blake one of his "three stars of the week." I was shocked and we began to argue about Blake.

I was mostly saying that you can't say a player is improving unless the improvement "phase" lasts more than a week. Well, now it has.

Last night, a little bird told me that Ron Wilson had said Blake was well on his way to becoming a 20+ scorer. Some of you might be saying "20+...wow, he's so great (sarcastically)," but if you take a look at his career last season, he only had 15 goals in 82 regular season games. This season, out of 40, he has 13.

If he in fact scores two goals in the next game, he will have tied his goals scored from last season, in only half the time.

His average goals scored per season was 20-30 (excluding his 40-goal season). If you do the math correctly you will see that even considering his 40-goal season his average amount of goals per season is only 24 (rounded).

I did another calculation and found out that Blake should score 26.65 goals by the end of the season. I know it'd be a lot easier to wait until the next game and then just multiply by two, but I'm not predicting how many goals he will have at the end of the season. I know, it sounds like I am, but I'm just giving you those numbers to show you something.

During Blake's second season with the Islanders, he posted an embarrassing eight goals. However, during his third, he piled up 25 goals (similar to the 26 he is predicted to get this season). I don't think we should take his first season with the Isles into account because he only played 30 games with them.

From then on, Blake improved and then arrived at his 40-goal season.

However, I don't think he is like the Jason Blake from NHL '09. He isn't programmed a certain way; he can improve.

If he started the season sloppy, and then improves, it would be wrong to predict his goals, including his sloppy play. That is why I will now calculate how many goals he will have at the end of the season if he continues his great play.

I think he began playing well against the Devils in the Dec. 16 game. That Saturday we began talking about Blake and how he showed improvement that week.

Wait a minute! Wasn't that Devils game the same game in which Blake did his spinarama in the shoot out? Yes, it was.

I could begin talking about that, but I'll get to it another time.

Anyway, he has scored eight goals in 15 games since Dec. 16. If he plays a whole season like that, he'd get 43 goals. How about if he begins playing like that now? 42 games left, so he'd end up getting another 22 goals. With the ones he has right now, they'd add up to 35 goals at the end of the season.

However, I think Blake has actually improved on his "scoring" since the game on Saturday Jan. 3 against the Ottawa Senators. During that game, he picked up his own rebound and scored on a wrap around. Since then, he has scored five goals. That's five goals in six games. With a season like that, he could end up with 68 goals.

If he continues playing like that, he'd end up getting 35 goals from now until the end of the season. That's 48 goals at the end of the season.

I doubt he will get 48 goals by the end of the season, but I expect this five-goals-in-six games habit to happen every now and then throughout the season. His play has improved and he is scoring more frequently.

Perhaps Blake needs a little more time. He started off slow with the Islanders too. We didn't give Andrew Raycroft enough time and look at him now.

Guys, we have a possible 40+ scorer. It's no rumor. He's done it before, so we know he has that 40+ season in him. We shouldn't trade him now and then watch him shine in the future. Even though he's 35, there are teams out there that need a veteran who can score.

His contract is a pretty heavy, but let's give him more time to improve so he can have a great season, and then trade him. Pierre McGuire said it'll take the Leafs three to five years before they can become actual contenders. Blake will only need one to two years. By then, he will get better and will get us something better in return than he would now if we were to trade him.

We have two years to spare. Let's take a risk for once. If he doesn't improve, oh well, his contract will expire anyways. We aren't going to get much for him anyways. Let's keep good ol' Blake...for the time being.

Why Bryan McCabe Is More of a Leaf Than Mats Sundin

Andrew Echevarria — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:40:58 -0500

The title pretty much says it all.

Was Bryan McCabe really more of a Toronto Maple Leaf than Mats Sundin? The answer is yes. I’m not going to start by telling you why, because then most of you won’t bother to read the rest of this article to find out how I arrived at this conclusion.

Let’s start off by taking a look at our controversial character here: Bryan McCabe.

The gritty defenseman started his career with the New York Islanders, only two years after being drafted. Years went by and so did his name. He just couldn’t seem to find a home, and the fact that he only managed to get 20-29 points per season didn’t help. He had grit, but that still didn’t make up for it.

Just like a stray dog looking for a new home, Bryan McCabe arrived in Toronto. There was no way Bryan knew Toronto was going to be his home for the years to come, so he had to show them what he could do.

In his first season in Toronto, he achieved the same number of points he made in his second season in the league; not very impressive with all those years he should’ve improved on, but yet, it he had tied his career high in a new place.

For some players, the higher their PIM is, the better they are, but this didn’t apply for McCabe. Bryan McCabe was more of a skilled defenseman than a gritty one. He slowly began to take less penalty minutes and that might’ve been one of the explanations for his improvement.

Getting back to the story, on his second season in Toronto, he achieved a career high of 43 points. During the Leafs’ playoff runs that 2002 year, he also got 10 points in 20 games. Bryan McCabe was red hot, but was that as hot as he could get?

His following season seemed to prove some analysts right. Although he only started in 75 games, he finished the season with 24 points.

His penalty minutes increased that season by six, despite having played more games the prior season. There might be a link between penalty minutes and how well he plays eh?

This shouldn’t have taken long for McCabe to figure out, during his next season, he only summed up a total of 86 PIM. His stats were pretty impressible that year; he dug up 53 points out of nowhere. In the playoffs that season, he contributed with eight points in 13 games, better than he had done in previous seasons.

The following season was even more incredible, he piled up 68 points in only 73 games. If Bryan McCabe had that season all over again this season, there’s no doubt he would end the season as the No. 1 defensemen in the NHL; points-wise.

You can see that until that point Bryan McCabe was a descent player. Everyone thought McCabe would stay in Toronto until he retires, and everyone would live happily ever after.

The End...Or is it?

Nearing the trade deadline of the '07-'08 season, Bryan McCabe was asked to waive his no trade clause, but he refused.

Bryan McCabe was traded to the Florida Panthers in the summer of 2008. In return, the Leafs acquired defenseman Mike Van Ryn and a draft pick.

Not a very good way to treat McCabe, but it seemed to be over.

Mats Sundin’s career is probably more well known that McCabe’s, so I won’t spend much time on it.

Mats Sundin was drafted by the Nordiques in the 1989 NHl Entry draft.

You know how the rest goes, he was later on traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He served the Leafs for thirteen seasons, and played great in each one. He later went on to become the captain of the Leafs and lead them to the conference finals in 2002.

In the '07-'08 season, Mats Sundin had to be traded. The Leafs were beginning to rebuild and they could’ve acquired a nice package that included a draft pick, a prospect, and a roster player heading to Toronto.

This would’ve been easy to do, but the only problem was that Mats Sundin had a no-trade clause.

Mats was asked to waive it, but he refused. He said he didn’t believe in rental players.

The Leafs failed to make the playoffs that season, and Mats Sundin went into questioning his active status in the NHL. Finally, he decided he wanted to return and play hockey, however, all Torontonians lost hope.

December came and Mats Sundin signed with the Vancouver Canucks.

So here we are. We have our two candidates, perhaps my summaries of their hockey careers were rather poor, but everyone knows who they are.

I could just make everyone vote, and then everyone would be happy with the final answer, but no.

Why? Steve Dangle seemed to explain it pretty well “Curtis Joseph leaves Toronto, he’s a villain. Mats Sundin doesn’t want to leave Toronto, he’s a villain.”

Who’s the villain in this case? The grand Leaf captain or the guy who scores on his own net.

In this case, both players left Toronto, but it’s how their departure influenced the team that counts.

Bryan McCabe didn’t leave the team for more money like Curtis Joseph. At the trade deadline, he didn’t want to leave, some people might’ve been mad with McCabe at the moment. During September he finally waived it, and yet some people were mad.

It’s between to choices, staying or going.

Bryan McCabe stays, everyone hates him.

Bryan McCabe goes, everyone still hates him.

Make up your mind people!

Maybe some people still don’t hate him, there was a picture of Bryan McCabe put up in the ACC in the game against Florida and people actually cheered. But let’s not forget that every time Bryan McCabe touched the puck, the booing started. Not a very nice way to treat a guy who left the team he loved so that he could help give them a future.

Now, let’s look at Mats Sundin.

I’m just going to start of by saying Mats Sundin was a rental player with the Leafs. Yes, all those 13 years he played with the Leafs, he was a rental player.

How so? When rental players are done being rented, they go off and sign with another team. Mats had to finish what he started. If he wanted to leave, he could’ve set up a trade with Cliff Fletcher at the moment.

He could’ve been traded to another team, and once the season ended there, he could sign with Vancouver or whoever he wanted and not be seen as a traitor.

Mats Sundin had lots of value in him, and the least he could’ve done was give us something to remember him with. It’s like a long war; at the end of the war, when your nation wins, you remember all the soldiers that gave up their lives for the best of the nation.

If Mats Sundin isn’t a soldier, then what is he?

Perhaps Mats thought he was going to retire at the end of the season, and didn’t expect to come back. In that case, when he did come back, Toronto obviously wouldn’t have been the right place for him. If Mats Sundin wasn’t expecting to come back, then why didn’t he waive his no-trade clause and get traded?!

Sundin could play until he was 50, or retire the next year, whatever he chose to do, the Leafs would be thankful for him waiving his no-trade clause. When the Leafs would’ve won the Stanley Cup, we’d all think “Mats was a big part of this.”

Feb. 21. That’s the day we’ll see what Toronto thinks. Will Mats be booed or cheered? We’ll have to wait to find out.

Ben Winnett's Thought on the Toronto Maple Leafs

Andrew Echevarria — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:23:10 -0500

Well, it's official. I'm bored. I'm tired of working on the new Leafs This Week website. I'm tired of facebook. I'm tired of Halo 3, call of duty, rainbow six Vegas two, World of Warcraft, and Runescape.

I was looking through a couple of my past articles and found my interview with Ben Winnett. I said something about Ben's views and thoughts, but you had to tune in to hear them. I'll admit it, the quality wasn't too great, so if you did tune in, or you didn't, here it is.

Andrew: Hey Ben, what are your views or thoughts about Luke Schenn staying in the NHL instead of going back to the minors. Or just any other player going to the NHL right after being drafted. Do you think it could stunt their development or anything like that?

Ben: Well, a player like Luke is obviously a very talented player and he's proved that he's NHL ready, but I don't think it's stunting his development at all going from the Western Hockey League, to the NHL where he can play 20 plus minutes. As far as it goes for other players that are only playing six or seven minutes, I don't think it'd hurt them to spend another year in juniors and maybe a one year season in the American League.

Someone like Luke, minus injuries added, has played very well so far, so I think he's talented enough to make that jump at the age of eighteen and step right into the NHL.

Andrew: Interesting thoughts Ben. This next topic is a rather interesting one. As you know, Mats Sundin signed with the Vancouver Canucks prior to the deadline. Last season, he was against players joining a team midway though the season. What's your opinion on Mats Sundin joining a team midway despite what he said, or just any player joining a team mid-season?

Ben: Well, obviously it's a controversial issue, you know, the top biggest players being rental players, and being traded just before the deadline to teams that are contenders. Someone like Mats is obviously in a different situation; not playing the first half of the year. He was kinda deciding whether or not to come back to the NHL and where he was going to sign.

Being from Vancouver, there's a lot of excitement going around. They're very happy to have a player of Sundin's calibre to be joining a team who's already a contender. So I'm happy for Vancouver, I'm happy for Mats to be back in the game and playing somewhere he likes. We'll just have to see how he does now, and hopefully help Vancouver become a real contender.

Andrew: Myself being from the west coast too, I can tell there's a lot of excitement in Vancouver at the moment. Final topic of the day Ben, We see the Leafs going from a team with veteran players to a team full of young players and no captain, what's your perspective on this?

Ben: Well, obviously for a younger guy like me it's very exciting news, that most of the Toronto players are young, and they're looking to develop their prospects through their system. The last couple of years; the Leafs have been an older team, relying on experience.

With Brian Burke coming in now and the management changing, I think they really want to give the young guys a shot to develop a potential contender in the next few years, instead of going for a quick fix, and getting veteran leveled players to lead the team.

They're rebuilding from the core, using their own guys, like the ones playing for the Marlies, and I think that's an excellent idea, and hopefully it works out for the best.

Andrew: Thanks for being with us Ben, we wish you the best in your career.

Ben: Thank you, thank you for having me.

Setting Up the Dinner Table: Tomas "Krusty Kabby" Kaberle

Andrew Echevarria — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:14:18 -0500

Since people liked my last article and my comparison of Justin Pogge to a Christmas ham, I've decided to start the series called "Setting Up the Dinner Table."

In this series, I will talk about an individual player and compare him to a type of food. If you have any suggestions or requests, leave me a message on my bulletin board and I'll see what I can do.

I haven't really thought of who to do this week, I was thinking of comparing Ian White to a tickle-me-elmo doll, but then I remembered it had to be a type of food.

This week, I will compare Tomas Kaberle to an empanada.

What is an empanada? It's a type of stuffed pastry. It's really similar to a pizza pop, but the filling is more "traditional," I guess you could say. Usually ground beef with some egg and other things. You can find more info here

I'll start off with a little story.

When I first moved to Chile, I tasted an empanada on the first day. I thought to myself "hey, this is pretty good." For the next couple of months I ended up eating one everyday. Empanadas were like girls to me, there were so many different types and all of them were great, well, except those greasy ones you bought on the streets.

After a while of empanadas, I just got sick and tired of them. Right now, I can't even eat an empanada, I just think "yuck" when I think of one. I don't know how this came to be, maybe this is what happens when you eat too many. Hopefully it doesn't work the same way with girls.

Anyways, time to get to the point of the article. I think we've all admired Kaberle throughout the years. He was a consistent D-man who could always get the job done. You can trust him on the power play, penalty kill, and even when the team is at even strength. Last season during a game against Ottawa, you could even trust him in net!

Hmmm...maybe Pogge isn't the answer to our problems.

There's about one minute to go in the game, your team's up 5-0. You don't really have to try, but look at Kaberle. He goes on net, and doesn't let the puck in.

In game six of the 2002 conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Pat Quinn pulled Curtis Joseph, and put up his best players up. You can bet Kaberle was there. The series was 3-2 for Carolina. There was less than a minute to go, and the Hurricanes had a 1-0 lead. Mats Sundin ended up scoring the goal, but as you can see, we had so much faith in Kaberle to save us at times.

Back to the empanada. I really think I can relate Kaberle to an empanada.

When you take the first bite out of an empanada, you probably just end up with a mouthful of crust, and not much flavour. Similar to Kaberle, when you see him play, you don't really see him deke the whole team and score a goal, or set up a huge play to give the team the lead. What you do see him do however, are the little things, like getting passes through, creating opportunities etc.

Lots of people out there merely like players because of their scoring ability, so if you take your first "bite" out of Kaberle, you won't really like it. Just like an empanada. it's like biting bread, it's plain. Well, an empanada's "crust" is kinda crunchy, but let's not get into that.

Anyway, so you've taken a bite out of the empanada, or maybe a couple depending on how big your mouth is, and now you see can see the good stuff inside. It really depends on what type of empanada you're eating, some have ground beef, some have melted cheese and meat (pretty much a pizza pop).

I'd say Tomas Kaberle's stuffing is ground beef with bacon. Ground beef is okay. Who wouldn't mind eating it? Well, vegetarians. The bacon just adds a kick to it. Who doesn't love bacon? Well, vegetarians and Jews.

I think by the time we finish the empanada, we end up with a pretty good taste in our mouths. Just like Kaberle at the end of the season, he played well, has assisted the leafs throughout the season, and left us all with a smile.

This season however seemed a little different. We've taken a bite past the crust of the empanada, and now we realize that it isn't that much better inside the empanada. The ground beef is cold, and not very tasty.

Tomas Kaberle currently has only two goals, but makes up for it with his 23 assists. Plus he's third in the league in assists by a defenseman. Who cares about stats, it's the little things that matter, right? Wrong.

Like I said before, Kaberle is "special in his own little way." He might not score goals or set up plays for assists, but he sure can help the team. That's been changing lately.

I'm not sure if anyone's noticed this as well, but Tomas Kaberle seems to be watching the opposing play rather than doing something about it. Tomas Kaberle turns 31 on March 2 (It's actually one day off mine).

Could age finally be catching up with him? I wouldn't say so. 31 isn't really old. As a matter of fact, he should be reaching the peak of his career right now, but why isn't he? Did his long time girlfriend dump him? Did the team turn against him when he made those comments in the pre-season?

It's very similar when you think about the empanada. If it doesn't have the taste you expect it to have, you think to yourself "What went wrong? Was the ground beef too dry? Did it cook for too long?"

Well, that's for you to decide.

My conclusion is...Tomas Kaberle is like an empanada!

Sean Avery's Top Five Moments of 2009

Andrew Echevarria — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:13:58 -0500

Hold your keyboards, editors!

I’m not going to be reviewing the top five Sean Avery moments of the 2008 year.

I’m going to be predicting the top five Sean Avery moments of 2009.

Everyone gets to “predict” 2009, and what will happen.

Will the Leafs make the playoffs?

Will Gary Bettman be assassinated?

Will Leafs This Week air this Saturday?

Yes it will. From now on, it airs every Saturday at 12:30 EST (noon-ish). Today it will air at 3:00pm EST—sorry for the inconvenience.

Just a quick note: I don’t want any comments like “But the Stars won’t play the Capitals this season,” or “Isn’t Avery like not gonna play a game anymore?”

People, we all have a great power. The power of imagination, so use it!

Now, to begin:

5. Friendly Giant Goes Jackie Chan

Let’s face it, Marty’s had a pretty tough season.

He missed most of the season due to injury, and by the time he gets back, he’ll have the task of getting the Devils into the playoffs at hand. The Devils are in a pretty nice place right now, but things could change with the snap of a finger.

Sometime in 2009

Sean Avery: Hey Marty, remember me?

Martin Brodeur: Sean, please just get out of the way.

Sean Avery: Slap Ma Fro!

Martin Brodeur: English please?

Sean Avery: Slap my afro!

Martin Brodeur: But you don’t have an afro…

Sean Avery: We’ll see about that! [cross checks Brodeur into the net, walks away laughing]

Martin Brodeur: Okay, buddy, enough’s enough. [goes up behind Avery]

Sean Avery: Whaa? [gets knocked down to the ice]

Martin Brodeur: [punches Avery continuously]

We all saw this coming. Let’s face it, guys—Brodeur’s going to lose it sooner or later. After being out for a while and coming back, he doesn’t need Avery to roll out the red carpet—but in this case, it seems Sean is the carpet.

There have been various incidents between Avery and Brodeur. Marty has to lose it sooner or later. Just like all those NHL commercials say—is this the year?

4. Cross-Checkers-From-Behind Anonymous didn’t work

This one’s going to be a rather interesting one. We all saw Ryan Hollweg at the beginning of the season with his spine-breaking massacre. Could he do it again?

They were former teammates, both pests—will they go at it with each other? Knowing Avery, he takes no exceptions.

I can just see it. It’ll be during two back-to-back games. In the first game, the tension will begin to build up between Sean and Ryan. It’ll start with Avery doing a hit on Blake or Williams, then Hollweg deciding it’s time to take out the trash.

By the end of the game, there’s tension between both teams, and there are clearly some emotions being exchanged between Avery and Hollweg. The Leafs were defeated 8-0 by whichever team decided to take in Sean Avery after the Brodeur incident. Yup, the Leafs are pissed.

Surprisingly, Sean Avery makes no controversial comments in a post-game interview with a Leafs This Week reporter.

Things are red hot in the second game. Ryan Hollweg’s pissed, and Avery’s happy about the win. You know what they say—opposites attract!

During the first period, some words are exchanged:

Sean Avery: Ey, cold leg, how’s your leg doing?

Ryan Hollweg: Is that the best you got?

Sean Avery: You wanna find out?

Ryan Hollweg: Bring it!

Sean Avery: No thanks, I’m straight.

[Avery gets off the ice.]

The first period is pretty tight, both teams have a pair of goals each, and the tension is really beginning to build up. Avery’s being [insert rude noun here] and Ryan Hollweg still doesn’t get the “cold leg” joke.

Oh yeah, Hollweg’s pissed too. Enough waiting around, here comes the action!

Ryan Hollweg: [hits Avery.]

Sean Avery: Keep your hands to yourself, I have a girlfriend.

Ryan Hollweg: Didn’t Phaneuf steal her?

Sean Avery: It’s okay Ryan, you’ll get a chance with Dion sooner or later. [walks away laughing]

Ryan Hollweg: [cross checks Sean Avery from behind.]

Sean Avery: [flies head first into the boards.]

You all pretty much know how it goes from there. It used to be one of Ryan Hollweg’s “naughty habits,” and I don’t even think he was mad when he used to do them. But now—sure sucks to be Avery eh?

3. Never Mess With the Bull

Who’s one guy in the NHL that doesn’t necessarily have to be mad to beat the living ham out of someone? Well, other than Avery—he’s the victim in this one.

Keep thinking—who might be “The Bull”? Well, in order to make this interesting, let’s make it the best player in the NHL. Don’t get excited, Crosby fans—I said "Bull," not 'Momma’s Boy."

Yup, I’m talking about Ovechkin:

Sean Avery: [hits Ovechkin.]

Alexander Ovechkin: [hits Avery.]

Five minutes later...

Leafs This Week announcer: Ovechkin shoots, scores!!

Alexander Ovechkin: [celebrates by climbing the glass.]

One period later...

Leafs This Week announcer: Sean Avery on a breakaway…SCORES!

Sean Avery: I can be Russian too! [begins rubbing himself against the glass.]

The Ovechkin celebration is something we all love to see, is it not? Alex Ovechkin plays with so much passion and heart, he enjoys scoring and just enjoys the sport for what it is.

Can you imagine Sean Avery making a mockery of one of his celebrations?

There’s no rule against it, but if Avery is in an Avery mood, and a little mad at Ovechkin for his hit in the first period—even though he started it!—I can really see this happening.

I’ll finish up the story…

Alexander Ovechkin: [goes Tod Bertuzzi on Sean Avery.]

Sean Avery: [unconscious.]

Not a very good ending—but let’s face it, if he did do this in real life, he deserves it. You just do not mock a respected player like Ovechkin and with the way he mocked him. He should’ve seen it coming.

2. Sean Avery Vs. Mats Sundin

Don’t worry, Sean Avery fans (Mr. and Mrs. Avery)—Sean doesn’t get hurt in this one. You see, being the guy he is, he doesn’t learn from his mistakes.

In this little story, Sean Avery comes face to face with the Big Swede. He doesn’t provoke this directly, but he’s pretty much asking for it.

Sean Avery: [smashes Kyle Wellwood.]

Well, that smash causes a crowd to gather around. Alex Burrows goes right after Avery, but ends up getting a two-minute minor for roughing. The hit on Wellwood was clean though, so Vancouver has to penalty kill.

Yup, that means Mats Sundin comes in. The two forward penalty killers are Mats Sundin and Kyle Wellwood—former Toronto linemates, and now Vancouver linemates. 40 seconds into the penalty, Avery hits Wellwood—dirty this time—but there’s no ref to see it. Mats Sundin goes right after Avery.

Mats Sundin does go after players that have pushed around his teammates. He might not fight them, but he will go after them.

Mats Sundin: [pushes Avery.]

Sean Avery: Wow, now I’m scared. What are you gonna do? Sell me breakfast for a dollar?

Following that statement by Avery, Mats Sundin grabs Avery by his jersey, and winds up with the other. Is he going to punch?

Avery isn’t very big compared to Mats Sundin. As a matter of fact, I’m taller, if not the same height as Sean Avery!

Mats has Sean right where he wants him. Avery can’t even reach to hit Sundin while Sundin holds him.

A couple of seconds, and Mats Sundin is thinking: Will I get a minor for this? A major? A suspension? Everyone hates Avery, maybe I won’t get anything.

Sundin finally decides he’s going to punch. But he starts thinking again. What time of punch? Various small punches to teach him his lesson? One big one to knock him down?

While Mats is trying to find the best punch to teach Avery a lesson, Sean decides to do something. He throws himself at Mats, and gives Mats a big one in the chest. Mats slips and falls.

The bigger you are, the bigger the fall. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Sean Avery falls on top.

Mats Sundin is out for the season with a spinal injury

Mike Gillis is fired as General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks.

1. World of Avery

Not a good year for many people. You’ll all be happy to know that this one does not actually injure anyone or get anyone fired. Even though it was Mike Gillis’ own fault for acquiring Sundin, but let’s not get into that.

Sean Avery does mischief in—the World of Warcraft!

Before I loose all my readers, hear me out on this. Sean Avery is home, probably in a wheelchair. With his luck, he’s on the top floor. So he’s stuck on the top floor of his house, and he can’t get down, and his only source of entertainment is the computer.

I know there are lots of things people can do on a computer other than play an MMORPG, but Avery’s computer is probably on the FBI’s watch list by now.

Anyways, in this incident, Sean Avery is up to no good, once again. Even though it’s on an online world, watch how it comes to life to the real world.

PS slopchops12 is Sean Avery:

Dragonslayer82: Yo Slops, want to come with me and get the siege of Ogrimmar? It’ll increase our hitpoints by a 3.6 percent and allow you to wield the holy avenger which allows you to do D4 damage.

Slopchops12: Go away nerd!

Dragonslayer82: Wow, you are suck a…such a… Sean Avery. I’m so happy he’s gone. He made my job so stressful.

Slopchops12: Being a geek isn’t a job pal

Dragonslayer82: I’ll have you know that I am the NHL commissioner, I just play this game to get away from life

Slopchops12: As if you have life

Dragonslayer82: I don’t like your attitude

Slopchops12: I don’t like you hair…oh wait, you don’t have any!

Dragonslayer82: I will report you to a moderator.

Slopchops12: Slap ma fro!

If you’re still reading this, I thank you.

Anyways, Sean and Gary have a long discussion. Bettman tries to say something and Sean interrupts with a witty comment. Finally, Bettman finds out that slopchops12 is Sean...

What happens from there? We’ll have to wait and see!

Checking The Laundry Special Edition: Bloopers

Andrew Echevarria — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:37:04 -0500

Here is the long awaited "CTL Special Edition." It's not that "special," but it's part of the "CTL: Bloopers" series we'll publish maybe once every couple of months.

In this edition, Tyler and I take a look at players that, I guess you could say, made a couple of "mistakes." We'll discuss whether these particular misfortunes were the result of the player's wrongdoing or if it was merely an event that could have happened to anyone. Enjoy!

The Great Debate

Tyler: I guess people Can Make mistakes, sometimes you can understand why, but this? He got the puck at the blue line and was all alone...no Oiler tried to stop him, they just said forget it, it’s over. He had all the time he needed and didn’t even need all of it. Stefan could have shot it from the top of the circle and put it in.

I know it might not seem as bad without Hemsky scoring for the Oliers right after that mess up. However the fact is, there was a reason he missed the net six cm in front of him, the puck jumped over his stick, but he didn’t need to walk in all that way just to make the Oliers look like idiots for turning over the puck. You know what they say, What goes around, comes around and in the wise words of Don Cherry “good on ya!”

Andy: First off, you really have to stop quoting Don Cherry, it became a little creepy when you began to quote me on your articles, imagine how Don Cherry feels!

Back to my point, I agree with you that Stefan shouldn’t have been so “cocky,” but remember that this could happen to anyone. Like you said Tyler, the puck bounced. However, there’s a small detail that makes this an accident that could happen to anyone, or just karma. Stefan is left handed. Yes, and from the angle he was coming in on, he would have to backhand it into the net. As you know Tyler, your hand eye coordination isn’t as great on a backhander as on your forehand. I don’t even think Stefan has good hand eye coordination on his forehand.

Tyler: Andy, I’m left handed! I have no problem shooting from the right or left side of the ice. You would know that, if you played hockey. It’s not that hard to turn your stick and body around, especially from the distance he had. As for this, ” As you know Tyler, your hand eye coordination isn’t as great on a backhander as on your forehand.” Yes, mine is, you have no idea what my backhander is like so don’t say “your” as in referring to me, just say “the average.”

Tyler: I remember this, funny as heck. I still to this day am not sure what happened. I mean, how did....I’m not even sure how to explain this, it’s just so weird. What exactly was he trying to pull off? Well, I’m not sure, but I don’t think it worked out. He ended up on his butt in the corner.

All Wideman did was make himself look like an idiot. He tried to pull something off he knew he couldn’t to show off and it backfired. That’s just too damn bad.

Andy: I can see what Dennis Wideman was attempting to do. He did the classic fake, deek, and shoot. However, I think he wanted to add a little touch to it. On the shoot part, I’m not sure if his attempt was to put the puck between his legs and into the net while he faced the other way, or if it was an attempt to push it into the net while he was in the air.

If you look closely though, you’ll notice that he might’ve just slipped. He wasn’t necessarily attempting to do a move, maybe the normal “go around and shoot,” but slipped. The reason some people might think he was trying to pull something off is because he continues to have the puck. If you look closely, by the time he dekes, his back is facing the net, so he might’ve been desperate to turn and shoot, but he can’t go backwards because it’s a shootout. In his attempt to do so, he had to do a turn, but in doing so he put his weight on his back, and as you all know, this can result in a fall. You all know how the humpty dumpy thing goes.

Tyler: Humpty Dumpty? I don't even care what you're balbering on about now. Wideman is a D-man. Why would he not just shoot from somewhere around the hash marks? I'm sure when his coach put him in he wasn't expecting some sort of goal of the year or anything. That's what he tried to do and that is why he failed.

The next time he goes into the shootout, I'll bet you anything he just takes a little wrist shot. It would probably be the smart thing to do. As long as he doesn't go for a big slapper from the point (on the SO), then he won't look like a complete idiot.

Andy: I never understood how this could’ve been an “accident” because he clearly slams the puck into his own net. It isn’t like it tipped off his skate or stick. He literally shoots it into the net.

After the game McCabe claims he was trying to “clear it,” but he shot the puck in the opposite side of the rink, so I never really thought McCabe had a proper excuse for this one.

When I looked over the video, I noticed something I didn’t before. A thought came to me, maybe Brian McCabe was trying to hit the puck into the corner so that it would go up the boards and another Leaf could take it from there. When he turned, notice how he looked into the corner. Also, he hit the post. He didn’t stop the puck and then shoot or clear it, he just one timed it. We all know the problem with one timers, they aren’t very accurate. Also, let’s not forget the pressure on McCabe, it’s OT and the puck’s coming towards you, you’re in front of the net, and there’s a Saber right beside you, who knows how many are coming behind you, you just want to get the puck out of there.

Tyler: He shot the puck into his own friggen net! I can see he was under pressure with it being OT. With my own experience on defense, with three seconds left in overtime, I would think he would have just fallen over on the puck, although it would end up in a possible penalty shot, but who cares. It’s going into a shootout and statistically goalies have the edge on Penalty Shots. At least no one would say he scored on his own net, honestly, being the guy that caused the winning goal because he fell on it in the crease, and it resulted in a penalty shot, is much better than the dumb@$$ who put it in his own net...in overtime!

Andy:You see Tyler, Brian McCabe doesn't even know he's going to score it on his own net. His attempt is to get the puck out of there. Like you said, three seconds left, if he puts it in the corner, by the time the Sabers get it, it's going to a shootout.

Andy: Also check this out!

Andy: I can’t believe he got knocked down by one hit…from Downey. Perhaps it was a hard hit that he wasn’t expecting, it seemed to just knock him “down,” didn’t really knock him “out.”

I’ll admit it, not every hockey player is a fighter. There are some guys that we’ve never seen fight, but there are also those who fight every single game. Maybe if Boulerice was the shy type this might be acceptable. Is he? Notice how he’s the one who’s trying to make Downey flinch with those first two fakes and how he’s the one who took the first big punch. Boulerice is just stupid, he started something he couldn’t even finish. Just like Dennis Wideman did something he couldn’t do, Boulerice should know better.

Tyler: Ahahahahaha, oh my god that was funny. Why did bowl-of-rice take a swing so far away? Did he really think he was gonna hit him, from that distance? All I can say is Downey made Bowl-of-rice look like an idiot and he was. Every movement made him look like a 12-year-old in his first fight, the two little fist pushes and the complete miss when he took a swing.

Andy: Bowl-of-rice? hahaha, I thought of that first! Don't argue with me Tyler, I'm the one who picked out the video, hence I thought of it first before you even knew he existed. Looks like Downey just happened to be carrying chopsticks with him.

______________________________________________________________________

Andy: I hope you guys enjoyed our special...wasn't that special, but oh well. Maybe we might get voted for as most comical article? Or me as most comical writer? Whatever happens, Happy Holidays to all! (I know Christmas is over, but New Year's isn't! Party at Tyler's house!)

On a side note, The Leafs This Week schedule got moved, Leafs This Week is going to be playing today at 12:30pm EST (noon-ish, not midnight-ish). Hopefully you guys can tune in. It's a holiday special, and we'll have an interview with Ben Winnett on the show, along with his thoughts on some current evens surrounding the Leafs. Also, we have changed youcastr broadcast pages.

Broadcast page:

http://www.youcastr.com/shows/maple-leafs-this-week

Website:

http://leafsthisweek.co.nr/

Toronto Maple Leafs: My Interview With Ben Winnett

Andrew Echevarria — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 02:32:34 -0500

Yesterday, I was given the opportunity to talk to Leaf Prospect Ben Winnett. Ben was drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and is currently playing in the NCAA. He is a fast skater and an even better shooter. Hopefully this is the first of many interviews to come my way.

Andrew: Welcome Ben, it's an honour to have you here

Ben: Thank you, I'm honoured to be here as well

Andrew: Well, let's start things off by getting to know you better. Ben tell us a little bit about yourself and your past

Ben: I'm 19 years old, I'm from New Westminster, British Columbia. I grew up playing minor hockey in Burnaby, and went on to play two years in Salmon Arm in the British Columbia Hockey League, and now I'm in my sophomore season at the University of Michigan.

Andrew: Growing up, what was your favourite team?

Ben: Growing up my favourite team was actually the Toronto Maple Leafs, I was really fortunate to be drafted by them. I took a lot of flack for being a Toronto fan from the west coast, especially from my parents being from Montreal, they liked the Canadiens, my brothers liked the Canucks, but I was always a Leafs fan

Andrew: Okay, this ones's about the draft. What went through your mind or what were you thinking when you were drafted?

Ben: I wasn't really surprised with Toronto, I knew they were a team that was interested in me, but obviously it was a fantastic feeling to go to my favourite team growing up. I'm very fortunate in that sense, but it's also a relief, it was a pressure packed year; playing, and with all those scouts, but I couldn't have been happier with the way it ended up.

Andrew: Tell us Ben, was there ever a point in your life when you knew you would make the NHL, perhaps something someone said to you or an event that occurred?

Ben: Well, I can't really remember any specific comment from a coach or a player or anything that said "you know, I think you'll play in the NHL." I don't think anything can guarantee whether you're a first round pick, second round pick, or just a free agent. I think you have to continue working hard and develop in your game and just see how far that'll take you.

Andrew: Ben, what is the one thing you're looking most forward to when you come to the NHL?

Ben: I'd say the NHL has the best hockey players in the world and I think every athlete wants to reach their potential and play at the top of their sport, and for hockey that would mean playing in the NHL for me.

Andrew: Is there a player or a team you would like to work with sometime in your career?

Ben: I would say that's the Toronto Maple Leafs. I want to be in that system for many years to come. I'm a big sports fan, so after hockey's over, however long my career may be, I'd still like to be involved in the game whether it be through management, scouting, or coaching. I'm not quite sure, but definitely Toronto is where my mind is right now and that's where I want to be playing in a few years.

Andrew: What goes through your mind when you think of yourself in the NHL?

Ben: It's hard to think about, I've never even put on my draft jersey from Toronto because I just feel that I haven't played a game for them, so I shouldn't put that jersey on just yet, but I'm just trying to take it one step at a time. I'm having lots of fun here in Michigan, playing with some good teams, good players, and good coaches. I haven't really thought that far ahead of what it would actually be like to play in the National Hockey League.

Andrew: What do you think inspired you to start playing hockey?

Ben: I'd have to say my brothers. From a family off three brothers, and I'm the youngest, so growing up I always saw them with a stick in their hands, and I think it's just automatic that I want to be just like them. I think they just inspired me to play, and my parents have just kinda supported me throughout my whole career unconditionally, so they've also inspired me and been my role models throughout the whole process.

Andrew: Final question of the night Ben, Is there any word of advice you'd like to give to all young hockey players out there?

Ben: I think I'd just like to say have fun, I feel like hockey is just getting so serious at such a young age that they're playing 12 months a year, and they're just grounding their horizon as far as other sports, hobbies, or extra curricular activities. I feel like there's so much pressure on young kids nowadays from their parents and their coaches. I think everyone needs to remember it's just a game and we all just need to have fun and respect each other out there.

Andrew: Thank you Ben.

Afterwards, Andrew and Ben discussed topics surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs (Schenn, Sundin, and more!) If you want to hear what Ben had to say or the whole interview, tune into Leafs This Week!(tomorrow at noon EST, not today) It'll also be a holiday special, so that's very exciting.

Note that the broadcast link has been changed, just follow the link through our site tomorrow when you want to listen in, and the new one will be there waiting for you!

http://leafsthisweek.co.nr/

Toronto Maple Leafs: Setting Up the Christmas Dinner

Andrew Echevarria — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:31:53 -0500

Jeremy Williams is red-hot right out of the oven, while Justin Pogge is leading us into a merry Christmas, but have we reached our “Ho Ho Ho” yet?

This has been a good year for prospects, well, for Leaf prospects; I don’t want to get started on the whole Stamkos issue. Despite showing a good start last season, Jeremy Williams went cold and was sent back to the Marlies.

However, he’s been great this season. He's found chemistry and has been able to put pucks in the net. I’ll admit, it’s probably just a fluke, I doubt he’s going to score a goal in every single game in his career (or every second game and whatnot), but the kid’s got talent and it’s time to have him in the big leagues.

He got a goal and an assist last night in Atlanta, which makes up for his zero points in one game the other night. He’s also found chemistry with Moore, and that’s important, because it can lead to his consistency throughout the season.

Justin Pogge. “WOW,” no, I’m not talking about World of Warcraft, I’m talking about the adjective “WOW” (in caps). There’s no other way to describe Justin Pogge’s performance last night. You could say you were speechless, but that’s the problem with being speechless, no sound comes out so you can’t really describe it.

Although he let in two goals, which is okay for a goaltender, it was his first regular season NHL game and it was against the likes of Kovalchuk. They say Justin Pogge is the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and so far, the future looks bright.

We have our Christmas dinner set up. Nice warm cookies right out of the oven (Williams), a little eggnog to spice up the night (Hollweg), and who could forget the good ol’ Christmas ham. Yup, that’s right, Justin Pogge’s the ham.

Don’t get me wrong on this, I’m not saying anything bad about the ham, personally, I prefer the ham than the cookie and/or eggnog, but remember that the ham is something special that not everyone necessarily has.

We’re forgetting something aren’t we? The turkey!

All the other foods rotate around the big nice juice Christmas turkey. Last year, I could’ve said Mats Sundin was the turkey, but this year, it won’t be a person, it’s going to be a thing. Something the Leafs haven’t had in a while, a playoff spot.

The thing is, we don’t need a turkey. We can have Christmas without a turkey. We can just have the ham and save money on the turkey so we can have a lobster dinner sometime next year (Tavares).

I’m really not happy where the Leafs are right now; they’re right in the middle between the playoffs and the bottom 10. If you aren’t even within the top 10 for a draft, you can’t really say you tanked the season because you tanked a season that you might’ve done well in, and you didn’t get a good outcome in the end.

Santa Claus only comes once a year (the NHL Entry Draft) and you have to be on the good list to get a good gift. The Leafs gave a second round pick to the New York Islanders in order to switch spots.

This ended up being a great choice—we’ve all seen the outcome of Luke Schenn—now, how about if we could get it again! But this time, not give up a second-round pick. Imagine two Luke Schenns! We’d make a killer team!

I personally think the Leafs should go for the draft pick, they’ve shown that they can be a strong team lately, but it’s just going to hurt them in the long run if they go for the playoffs.

That seems to be it for my Leafs’ analysis Christmas special, be sure to check out leafsthisweek and be sure to become members on our site! Also don’t forget about Leafs This Week on Saturday at noon EST.

It’s a holiday special with Andy and Tyler this week so stay tuned. We also have a special edition of Checking the Laundry; it'll rock your socks!

Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to everyone!

Leafs This Week: Debuts This Saturday

Andrew Echevarria — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:12:07 -0500

It's that time of the year! No, not Christmas, it's the first episode of "Leafs This Week" with Andy and Tyler!

If you loved the "Checking the Laundry" series, then you'll love this brand new show. Tyler and Andy will discuss a wide variety of topics occurring in Leafland—from injuries to trades, from draft picks to veterans.

The show's first episode is set to air Saturday, Dec. 20, at noon EST. From then on, the show will air every Saturday at the same time of the day. Since it is the debut episode, we will not have any special guests on the show. However, stay tuned for the Dec. 27 episode when we'll have Leaf Prospect Ben Winnett to discuss his journey to the NHL draft and other topics related to the Leafs and the NHL. You may submit your own questions if you have any to tml.this.week@gmail.com

Be sure to check out our website. You can find articles by our two skilled writers, Lukas and Melissa H, who will contribute by writing about current events in Leafland, with their thoughts and opinions. You can also find simple games to keep your hands moving while you're listening to the show, and of course, we have a guestbook for you to sign.

The "Checking the Laundry" series will always be posted on the site one day before it gets published on Bleacher Report, and the front page will be updated with information about guests for following episodes. As time progresses there will be more things added to the site by site designer Andrew Echevarria, so be sure to stay tuned! Also, to access the broadcast page, click here or on the link on the site's front page.

On a side note, there are some bugs when using Internet Explorer, so Mozilla Firefox is recommended for best performance.

Mats Sundin: Time Shortens and So Do His Choices

Andrew Echevarria — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:32:00 -0500

Yesterday, at around 8 EST, two reliable sources from CBC sports informed that Mats Sundin has narrowed down his list of teams to two.

Toronto Maple Leafs and Rangers?

Toronto Maple Leafs and Canucks? Nope, in fact, the Leafs didin't even make the "playoffs" for the big Swede!

The two final teams are the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks.

Stanley Cup

Every team wants to win one, it doesn't matter whether your first or last in the league, you want it, and you'll do whatever you can to get it!

Mats Sundin is no different. Even though he's just one individual, he's been around long enough to crave it with all his heart.

What have the Leafs given him in return for all the effort he's put in every night? well, we've given him lots—support, fame, and money.

However, we haven't given him what he truly desires—a Stanley Cup.

It doesn't matter how many times he writes to Santa Claus, it's something he'll have to earn with a good team. The Leafs aren't a good team yet, and with Mats soon to retire, he'll have to look elsewhere.

The New York Rangers started off pretty well this season, and are now lying second in the Eastern Conference, despite having played the most games in the league. I don't think there's anyone at the moment that questions the Rangers' ability of making the playoffs—they're a good team and it's shown this season.

As if they weren't good enough, imagine adding Mats Sundin to the roster. Now we're talking Stanley Cup contenders.

In Toronto, Mats managed to average a point per game despite not having such a great team. With the Rangers, he'll probably have a chance to show how effective he can be on the ice, and what he can achieve with a great team around him.

The Leafs will have two back-to-back games against the Rangers on February 22 and 25, so that might be something to look forward to.

Along the lines of scheduling, the Leafs will play the Vancouver Canucks on February 21, right before the Leafs play back-to-back games against the Rangers. Looks like Mats will be back in Toronto sooner or later.

It's been said sometime in the summer that Mats Sundin preferred to play for a Canadian team. It seems that the Canadiens and the Canucks would be the only teams interested. With the Habs out of the way, Vancouver's the only Canadian destination (that has a chance at the Cup) for him to go to now.

The Vancouver Canucks have had a pretty descent season so far. They lie third in the the Western Conference, but could get knocked down to seventh with a loss or two. With Mats on their roster, their productivity would increase, just like the Rangers.

The Vancouver Canucks are probably going to make the playoffs with the astounding goaltending from Roberto Luongo. So they've a checked off goals against—with Mats on the ice, they can check off goals for as well.

Let's face it, whether he goes to New York or Vancouver, he'll increase their chances of becoming Stanley Cup winners. I personally hope he signs with Vancouver, just so I can get to see him play one last time when I return to Canada.

Money

The world revolves around money nowadays, doesn't it? Mats Sundin is no different that the average Joe—he likes money.

The Rangers can probably offer Mats a descent wage, but they'll have to clear up some cap space. The Vancouver Canucks, on the other hand, have offered Mats Sundin an impressive 10 million dollars.

Not very much I can say, but if Mats prefers money to the Cup (which I doubt) then he'll go to Vancouver.

Andy's Closing Thoughts

Wouldn't it be great if New York was in Canada and they were offering him the same amount of money as the Canucks? Well it would be, but now Mats has to choose between two teams that have about the same to offer.

I personally hope Mats Sundin chooses the Rangers so that he can experience the joy of winning a Cup—he's worked hard and deserves it more than anyone. The city or the team doesn't matter, the fans in Toronto loved him, and I for one, will always be one of his fans.

If he plays in New York, Vancouver, or Sweden, I'll still follow him throughout everything, and one day tell my kids "You see that guy? He played for us once!"

Of course, I'd be showing them the video through YouTube or whatever's popular at the time, because Mats would obviously be too old at that time.

Mats Sundin: Decision Narrowed Down To Two Teams

Andrew Echevarria — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:24:20 -0500

It seems that Mats Sundin's decision is finally going to happen. CBC Sports (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/12/15/nhl-sundin.html) reported today that two reliable sources close to the Sundin situation, report that Mats has narrowed it down to two teams: The New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks.

What does this mean?

Toronto can finally stop believing in the slight chance of Sundin coming back, and they don't have to save all the cap space for him. It's time for the Leafs to go shopping!

In my opinion, Mats is deciding between two things: the money and the chance to win the Stanley Cup.

With the Canucks, he'll get paid pretty well, and he'll have the chance to "lead" them to the playoffs and maybe even the Cup.

The Rangers, on the other hand, are a different story.

With the Rangers, he's already guaranteed a playoff spot. The Rangers are good enough this season. If they add the big Swede to their roster, they'll be a pretty hard team to play against.

I don't blame Mats for deciding to leave Toronto, it's not like they were going to grant him the Cup anytime soon. It's like when two people have been seeing each other for a very long time and there is no future. It's time to break up, and Mats decided to be the dumper, instead of the dumpee.

Who can blame the guy?

Sundin has given his heart and soul to this team, and what have the Leafs given back?

Sure, the fans have given him support, but have we been able to make him happy? Did we help him get a Stanley Cup? No.

Mats' decision was expected by mid-December, and look at what the date is! Expect Mats to make a decision by the end of the week. Be sure to stay tuned for more details and an in-depth analysis tomorrow!

Once again, thanks to CBC Sports for the information.

Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cups Champions: Is It Really Worth It?

Andrew Echevarria — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:56:26 -0500

The Stanley Cup.

Don't you just drool when you look at it? Imagine kissing it and holding it up high. Imagine the cheering and the joy all around you.

Now, imagine all that in the ACC. That'd be great, eh? But is it worth it?

I don't mean to say that the Stanley Cup is a priceless chunk of metal and the ring you get is the equivalent to those candy rings you can get at the store, but just how much is it worth?

Let's jump back a step or two. Before you can even start dreaming about winning the cup, you have to be able to make the playoffs, something the Leafs haven't been able to do for a while now.

How do you make the playoffs?

You work hard and give it all you got. How do you do that? You do it with a good team.

I'll admit, the Leafs' roster isn't very impressive this year in some aspects. There are no more all-stars like Mats Sundin, or fan favourites like Darcy Tucker, but the Leafs aren't really doing worse than they were last season.

So think about it, we have an OKAY team, with OKAY players.

Well, some are OKAY and we have a couple that might end up becoming even great players, but for now, we have an average roster.

However, an average roster does not get you into the playoffs, folks. An average roster always leaves you in the worst place in the standings, not dire enough for a good draft pick, and not good enough for the playoffs.

I'll admit that the Leafs play great some nights and could win playoff games with that amount of confidence and motive.

Is there a chance to make the playoffs?

Yes, but we have to work hard and play like there's no tomorrow if we really want to make the playoffs. Before we get carried away though, let me just say the point of this article so there isn't any confusion later on. I didn't write this to get everyone saying "Yay we're so cool we're going to make the playoffs."

So imagine this now, after a long hard second half of the season, the Leafs clinch a playoff spot. Celebrations in Toronto begin, everyone's happy, and things couldn't be better.

Then comes the first round, hard fought, and the ACC is packed with people that just won't shut up. The Leafs feel like immortal kings. Fortunately, the Leafs advance to round two and so on, to the Stanley Cup finals.

It's now game seven. It's overtime (how dramatic), and the Leafs are on the attack; a shot fires off from the stick of Schenn, and he scores!

I don't think I have to explain what happens next. The Stanley Cup is right there, waiting for a Leaf to go pick it up, but who will go?

Matt Stajan? Luke Scheen? Justin Pogge? (Yes, he comes in and takes the Leafs to the cup). Interesting scenario, eh? These would be your 2008-2009 Toronto Maple Leafs Champions, the long awaited saviors.

Personally, I would never let that happen! I know we haven't won the Cup in over 40 years, but would it be worth getting all cocky about?

Leaf Fan: "Burn! we won the cup!"

Cap Fan: "So? we have Ovechkin! Who do you have? Dominic Moore?"

Leaf Fan: "..."

Wouldn't you feel better if it was more of a...

Leaf Fan: "Burn! We won the cup!"

Cap Fan: "So? We have Ovechkin! Who do you have? Dominic Moore?"

Leaf fan: "No! We have [insert name here] and [insert name here], and of course our captain [insert name here]."

Cap Fan: "..."

Leaf Fan: "Yeah! That's what I thought!"

I don't think we'd receive the same reaction as we would if the Leafs won the Cup this season compared to if they win it a couple of seasons down the road with a great team that has developed over time.

I know there's the "rebuilding" stage going on, but there have been lots of people that are saying "we can make the playoffs and win the cup!" I agree with them, we can make the playoffs, and we can win the cup. But is it all worth it? That's for you to decide.

Checking the Laundry: Inconclusive Goals

Andrew Echevarria — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:23:26 -0500

This week on CTL, Tyler and Andy take a look at goals that were waived off because they were inconclusive. NHL, IIHF, all you could want, right here folks!

Tyler: Andy Andy!

Andy: What?

Tyler: No HNIC tonight!!!

Andy: Oh no!

Tyler: What am I going to do during those three hours?!?!

Andy: You should...

Tyler: CHECK THE LAUNDRY!!

___________________________________________________________________

The Great Debate:

Andy: Well, I can’t blame the ref, it was hard to see the puck because the goalie was blocking his view, and it was a really close call. However, it did go in and should’ve been a goal.

A Ranger whacked the puck into the side of the net, just between the post and the netting. Thus, even if it did not cross the line at first, it did eventually do so. Since no Ranger got all excited and began jumping up and down, it was understandable that the ref thought it had just been thrown out while it was still on the goal line. Either way, it’s a goal, no doubt about it.

Tyler: Okay, I can’t say the puck didn’t go in because it clearly did. All I can say is that after the puck went in the net, the play continued for quite awhile. I always thought that if the play continued after something like that, then the goal could no longer count, even if it did go in the net.

Moreover, later in the play Rozsaval hits Wellwood from behind and the play is stopped to call a penalty. How can it be possible that the Rangers were scored on, then the play went on, then they got a penalty, and then the goal is still reviewed!?! The Refs made the right call here, no goal.

Andy: It was clearly a goal Tyler, I’m sorry, but it was. We’ve seen this a lot in the NHL, the ref says no goal, but the cameras tell a whole different story.

Andy: On the last camera angle, you can clearly see it’s in. At first it’s a little questionable, but then you just know it’s in! I don’t even think you can argue this one, you can see white ice surrounding the puck, and it’s clearly in.

I don’t know why Biron actually thought he saved that one, but then again, he wasn’t exactly too concentrated on seeing where the puck was going. He missed on his first attempt to catch it, and made a final stretch to get it.

I have no idea what the refs were thinking, but well, that’s what you get for mixing one too many drinks. Like I said before, I don’t know how you can argue this one unless you hack into the NHL’s database and delete the last angle (don’t try it Ty, I already saved a copy into a secret USB drive hidden somewhere in Chile!) this was clearly a goal.

Tyler: I can see how one would make the mistake of thinking this was a goal. In the replay, there were many different angles shown, none of them clearly show the puck over the line; Andy you must realize if there is no conclusive angle showing the puck over the line then the Referee has to call it inconclusive and therefore the call on the ice stands (in most inconclusive cases that call is “no goal”), since it was called on the ice to be “no goal” the final call was the same.

You say that there is no doubt in your mind the puck was over the line and say it is “surrounded by white,” I honestly do not know how you can think that and would love for you to tell me.

Andy: Tyler! On the last angle that is shown, the puck clearly goes in and there is ice between it and the red line. Therefore, it is a goal. Let me draw it out for you

>|< << that is Biron.

_/\______ <<<that is the goal line.

· <<< that is the puck.

As you can see, it is in the net. =)

Tyler: This may just be me being a biased Canadian hockey fan, but that puck was in!!! No doubt, even at the time everyone there thought it was in except Martin Gerber. This goal was waived off saying it was inconclusive. The reason was because it was in his glove and we couldn’t see the puck, all I have to say to that is (exactly what The Hockey News said about a week later), Really? I mean...really!?

Gerber's entire glove was over the line. No way that his glove was that far (all the way) over the line and the puck-that was inside of it-was not.

Andy: Ty, don’t make me e-slap you. You cannot make a full conclusion that the puck was in. Even I can’t say that it wasn’t in. It’s inconclusive because Gerber caught it with his glove; he was at the right place at the right time, and he deserves that save.

There isn’t much I can say because it was inconclusive, but Gerber deserved that save, and since you cant tell that it’s in our out, let’s just let it count.

Tyler: I can’t believe you can say that! Not only would this goal have tied the game and possibly lead more goals in the game for Canada, but it could have changed the rest of the Olympics. How, can anyone, including the refs, look at this shot and where the puck was (in Gerber’s glove inside the net) and say no goal?

Andy: Okay Avery, you scored, good for you. I honestly don’t understand why he had did those push ups, it wasn’t that great of a goal, he should’ve just saved it for another time when the crowd would’ve loved him. Knowing Sean, he probably stole the move from Ovechkin and did it before Ovie had a chance to do it, hahaha.

Tyler: Come on, when you score a goal you celebrate. That’s what Avery did there was nothing wrong with it. The puck may have bounced off Vokoun and went in, but if Avery hadn’t shot it towards the net it would have never gone in.

The celebration may have been a little over the top, but why not? There’s no rule that you can’t do that (unlike the NFL-No Fun League).

Andy: Tyler, it’s Avery, that’s all I have to say.

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Do you think Checking the Laundry is getting duller every week? Well, do something about it! If you have something you want Andy and Tyler to debate on Checking the Laundry, please leave your suggestion in the guestbook, on our Leafs This Week site, or e-mail us at tml.this.week@gmail.com.

All topics are welcome; we will put the ideas to a vote on next week’s edition of Checking the Laundry. The topic with the most votes will be the feature topic on the next edition of CTL, and, of course, the name of the person that suggested the winning topic will have their name linked at the top of the article.

Sean Avery: The Next Maple Leafs Hero

Andrew Echevarria — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:59:49 -0500

It's gone far enough. Sean Avery is also hated by his teammates now. Like many bad things in the NHL, everything can be used to an advantage, yes, even this. How you ask? Well, we can use Sean Avery to save our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs

Before I get a bunch of rude comments on my bulletin board, let me explain. One of the problems with the Leafs (and still is) are players that just won't leave. With Sean Avery, we won't even have to ask them to leave!

Players like Jason Blake will definitely have a problem with Sean Avery being on the roster and the only way to get away from him would be to be traded away. If we had thought of this sooner, we could've saved the Darcy Tucker buy out and traded him for a draft pick in return. We all saw the rivalry between Darcy and Sean, and all the management had to do was give Avery the No. 16, and Tucker would be dying to leave Toronto.

Not much dead weight left in Toronto anymore, but there are still some guys that probably aren't going anywhere any time soon. When it comes to Avery however, that could all change. Not only driving our dead weight out, he can also give Toronto the grit we so desperately desire.

What do we do when we're done using up Avery, and our "good" players are beginning to hate him? Well, by then there will be other teams with similar problems as the Leafs have, leading them to wanting Avery. He'll definitely be an easy trade for a draft pick of some sort to finish up our rebuilding.

In conclusion, for all of you that think Sean Avery can't be traded from place to place, just to use him up, look at Hossa, if it works for him, it can work for Avery.

Checking the Laundry: Taking a Dive

Andrew Echevarria — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:16:14 -0500

On this week’s issue of Checking the Laundry, we’re going to analyze some possible dives and discuss them. At first, we were unsure of what we wanted to write about, but we quickly found 'dives' a topic that interested us both.

Tyler: Andy, what should our topic be for this week?

Andy: Goalies!

Tyler: Dives!

Andy: Goalie Dives!

Tyler: Screw you Andy, we’re doing dives.

Andy: Fine, be that way!

* * *

Andy: Hey Tyler, do you know what time it is?

Tyler: No Andy, I don’t, what time is it?

Andy: Time to check the laundry!

Tyler: Yay!

The Great Debate

Tyler: If you ask me (and since you’re reading this I will assume you are), Ovechkin’s fall looked a little delayed, not to mention the little act at the end! Down on all fours “oh, I’m so hurt owie, owie.” This Alex Ovechkin, I mean come on. Umberger barely touched him, and then he spins around on his skate like a figure skater.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Ovie is a great player, but this was clearly a dive. If he was really hurt on the play, to the extent where he had to go down on all fours to recover, I highly doubt he would be back out for the PP. Replay the video and watch what happenes right before he falls. It looks a little like he induced the fall.

There was a little extra momentum going into Ovie’s fall.

Andy: First off, learn how to spell Ovechkin Tyler, you misspelled his name five times, and on each occasion you spelled it differently. You have a problem spelling last names don’t you? Back to the video, that was a trip no doubt.

First you see the trip by Umberger, and then Ovechkin attempts to stay up on one foot. As a matter of fact, it looks a lot like he knew he was going to fall and attempted a quick pass before he fell.

However, he missed the puck by a bit, lost his balance, and fell. Once he was on the ice, he flipped from his back to his chest. Nothing more. He didn’t keep rolling, like people do in soccer when they take dives.

At the end, he stayed on his knees with his elbows on the ice, to simply catch his breath; he wasn’t pounding the ice like some players do.

I’m sure the guys who are reading this can relate…when you’re riding a horse and your horse does a jump...some of your body parts that might’ve been hit in the 'landing' are okay after a couple of minutes right?

Tyler: I see where you’re going with that. No, he wasn’t rolling around like some kind of idiot, and sure, maybe he got knocked off balance a little. However, to insinuate that a professional hockey player was on all fours to catch his breath is ridiculous.

Would it have been so hard to get up, go to the bench, and rest to catch your breath? Ovie was clearly trying to draw a penalty, when he easily could have kept going with the puck.

Tyler: Not a dive. It was a hit from behind and Malone wasn’t expecting it, who would be? He was simply carrying the puck around the net, and his momentum kept him moving forward. When he took the hit he lost his balance and stumbled into the boards. It’s as simple as that.

Moreover, if you think about it, what player would purposely dive into the boards? Falling against the boards like that can cause a serious injury. No player would willingly do that. Not Ryan Malone, or any other player with any common sense.

Andy: This was very similar to the Sean Avery video we showed on our last edition of “Checking the Laundry," Tyler. On the second replay you see Malone get pushed, which results in a small glide. However, after the small glide, Malone throws himself into the boards.

He didn’t dive head first into the boards, no one would do that. He simply dove on an angle, so that while he was still in the air, he could do a quick turn. When he hits the boards, he is on his side.

Andy: There’s always been a debate about this, and they always end up with no solution. I’m going to make two statements:

Sidney Crosby is a great hockey player.
Sidney Crosby is a cry baby.

I probably lost most of you on the second one, but it's true folks. Cindy Cr…I mean Sidney Crosby made contact with the other player, or at least that’s what it looked like. No doubt that the aftermath of the contact might’ve been a small back glide by Crosby, or it could actually have been the fall.

I personally think it was the fall. So everything was clean to that point. First off, the fall looked a little exaggerated. Who falls having one hand to their heart and throwing his head back? Crosby, this isn’t a World War Two movie, and you didn’t just get shot right in the chest.

Afterwards, Crosby fell down and stayed down on his knees and elbows, covering his head. He was probably covering his head so no one would see that smile he was putting on, or even if his face was normal. Either way, his little fake was pretty well done. Also, he seemed to throw his stick aside when he was down on the ice, what's up with that?

Tyler: Okay, well all I have to say is, it hurts getting a stick to the stomach. He may have induced it a little bit and might not have had to lie on the ground like that. I know this from experience, as I have played centre for years now.

It is true that everyone holds their stick like that at the face-off, but rarely does something like that happen. By that, I mean a stick coming around so , that it jabs into somebody’s gut and knocks them on the ground.

Lapierre deserved the penalty without a doubt. He was trying to butt end Crosby and hurt him. The Canadiens team hates him, and they try to injure him because they know he's capable of scoring on them. It’s ridiculous how we play the game that way.

Andy: Who’s pina colada have you been drinking Tyler? (Possibly mine because I left it on the table and now it’s gone, but joke’s on you, I have the flu). Crosby is a cry baby and you know it. He’s earned that rep, and when we see things like this, the first thing that comes to mind is a dive.

Even if it wasn’t a dive, Crosby has earned a cry baby reputation within the NHL, and until he rubs it off himself (which he’s beginning to) we’ll question the times he gets tripped.

Andy: You all loved our Sean Avery video last time, so we decided to make the “Sean Avery Moment of the Week!”

Tyler: Yay!

Andy: Okay, back to the video. Avery didn’t just dive, he was clearly tripped. It’s a little trick called the “can opener.” Its name says it all, you hook, pull, and twist. Now Tyler, I’m not sure if you learned this in your fifth grade science class, but you know your arm movements work together with your leg movements.

That’s why in sprinting, the faster you move your arms, the faster your legs will go. When Avery was “can opened,” his legs were spread wide by the trip, and as a result, his arms spread wide as well.

He did not have enough time to react and close his arms up, and I don’t believe he faked it because not many people like diving chest first into the ice, or at least not with their arms and legs in the air.

This was Sean Avery getting owned by another player…again, and like I said before, who doesn’t want to kill Sean Avery?

Tyler- I don’t know what your rambling on about now Andy, but I think that this fall may have had something to do with the Jagr hit we saw in last week’s edition. Avery took a huge dive! And that is all there is too it. Your little science lesson is correct, but I’m pretty sure I can move my legs without having my arms move as well, so that argument is dead.

Avery is more of a baby than Crosby; he’s all talk and no walk. Have you ever seen what happens when someone challenges him? He backs down faster than your mom slides into my bed at night (jokes).

He won’t tango and he knows he can’t fight a heavyweight! I mean, even Crosby took on Andrew Ference.

Andy: Okay, here’s an interactive activity for everyone! Try running without moving your arms, and see how that works out. Too easy? Try running without moving your legs (You can move your arms if you want). Tried it, Tyler?

Yeah, what do you think now? Remember, this all happened rapidly, he was tripped and hit the ice within three seconds; he has no time to recover when his arms spread wide. I also liked how you admitted that Crosby was a cry baby.

Andy: Also, I leave you with this funny little video…

Pretend it says “Soccer is for girls, Try Hockey” at the end. It’s supposed to be a rugby commercial, but oh well, let’s pretend.

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Coming soon: “The Leafs This Week,” The youcastr radio show that will be hosted by Andrew Echevarria and Tyler Hill. If you like the "Checking The Laundry" series, you will like the show.The show premieres Dec. 20, 2008. Check out our site!

"True" Maple Leafs a Dying Breed in Toronto

Andrew Echevarria — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:48:31 -0500

What's the first thing that comes to mind when I say "Toronto Maple Leafs?"

Perhaps, Mats Sundin? Darryl Sittler? Wendel Clark? Doug Gilmour? Or maybe just one of the current Leafs like: Nik Antropov, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Matt Stajan, and Tomas Kaberle.

To be honest, these are the only true "Maple Leafs" left on the roster, but at the rate we're going, the only thing we are headed for is extinction.

So what is a "true Maple Leaf?"

In my perspective, it is a player who has played for the Leafs for a descent amount of seasons, (at least three to four full seasons) and have stuck with them through thick and thin.

They don't necessarily have to be drafted by the Leafs to be considered a true Leaf though. Mats Sundin wasn't drafted by the Leafs, yet he's become one of the Leafs' greatest heroes.

In the latest trade, we lost two true Leafs, Alex Steen, and Carlo Colaiacovo. To me, Alex Steen was one of those guys who was meant to be a Leaf for a while and just seemed unmovable, Unfortunately, I ended up being wrong.

Carlo on the other hand, was the kind of guy that kept getting injured. However, we never seemed to give up on him, at least not until a couple of days ago. Two down, four to go.

Getting back to Antropov, Ponikarovsky, Stajan, and Kaberle now. What does the future hold for them? There's no doubt they possess some worth in the NHL market, but are they really worth trading?

Nik Antropov:

This guy has been here for a while now. He was drafted by the Leafs in 1998, and has participated in eight seasons (he's on his ninth right now). He played on the top line with Mats last season, and still continues to play on the top line this year as well. He is a great player and a true Leaf. He was with the Leafs in the golden age, (2002 playoffs) and has stuck with them through to the rebuilding era (now).

We can always expect a lot from Nik, and our expectations are usually met. So, is he really worth trading?

Alexei Ponikarovsky:

Just like Nik Antropov, Ponikarovsky was drafted in the 1998 entry draft, and has been playing on the top line for a while now.

He gets better every game folks, and he has a lot more seasons ahead of him. He's pretty durable, and doesn't get injured as easily as some of the other players.

Alexei is always there for his team, and hopefully will be for a while. He received a career high in points in the '06-'07 season (41). We're still waiting to see what he's capable of doing after having played a full 82 games.

Matt Stajan:

Matt Stajan hasn't been around for as long as Poni or Antropov, but he's showing his true colours more than ever now. He did pretty well his first season, but stayed at that level for a while. This season, he's showing he can get the job done, and scores a couple of goals while he's at it.

Matt Stajan, we salute you, and hope you will stay with the Leafs for many years to come.

Tomas Kaberle:

His name says it all, he's probably the most consistent Leaf in the dressing room right now. Tomas went to the All-Star Game last season to represent the Leafs, and will most likely do the same this year. Tomas Kaberle was drafted eighth round, yet plays like he was a first or second rounder.

Following some comments he made earlier this season, it seems that he might be leaving the Leafs, but who knows? If he can see the Leafs as having a bright future ahead of them, he might just stay.

There's much more to these guys than I have said, MUCH more. But those are our only true Leafs left, and we have to value every second we watch them play.

Darcy Tucker was my favourite player, and I took him for granted. In fact, my top three favourite players were Darcy Tucker, Mats Sundin, and Kyle Wellwood. Now that they're all gone, I feel like I took all of them for granted. I thought they'd always be there for us, but once again, I was wrong.

Matt Stajan is probably going to stay with the Leafs for a while, but Kaberle, Antropov, and Poni have some nice value right now, and could possibly be traded for something nice in return.

Friends, peers, Leaf Nation citizens, our true Leafs are getting extinct. It's true that there is nothing we can do about it, but we can appreciate every moment we still have with them. We can cheer them on like we never have before, and most importantly B-leaf.

Some Leafs who may become "true Leafs"

Jason Blake

Mikhail Grabovski

Nikolai Kulemin

John Mitchell

Dominic Moore

Pavel Kubina

Luke Schenn

Anton Stralman

Ian White

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Coming soon: “The Leafs This Week,” The youcastr radio show that will be hosted by Andrew Echevarria and Tyler Hill. If you like the "Checking The Laundry" series, you will enjoy the show. Stay tuned for more details coming soon in our Checking the Laundry series.

Breaking News: Ian White Traded

Andrew Echevarria — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:37:28 -0500

Based on reports from very reliable sources, Ian White of the Toronto Maple Leafs has been traded to the Florida Panthers. The 24 year old defensemen/forward was traded two hours ago, in return the Leafs will receive a bag of pucks. We are still waiting for a likely confirmation.

Toronto's Ian White played 10 games this season, scoring a total of seven points (three goals and four assists). Drafted sixth round, and seen as a bust earlier this season, this young player has stepped up and shown that he can do more than we thought. Since switching positions to a forward, he's been more affective on ice.

In return for this prospect with a descent future ahead of him, the Leafs have received a bag of pucks. The bag contains a dozen brand new pucks, all of the same size and quality.

Looking at this in an optimistic way, our beloved GM was thinking long term. With 12 more pucks being added to the ice at practices, the Leafs' offense can be more affective. There are four lines of three forwards (12 forwards), and there are also 12 pucks coming into Toronto, coincidence? I think not! Perhaps the rebuilding of the defense is now done and it is now time to work on the offense.

These pucks can provide more shooting and passing time at practices instead of "chasing after pucks" time, and can also help strengthen the forwards. Little, but affective. These pucks are also more durable than Ian White or any Leaf in that matter. Hit your toughest guy with a stick and throw him into the net, he's dead. The pucks will also last, Ian White would probably retire in his early 30's, but these pucks can last for generations to come, and Cliff Fletcher has thought long term once again, let the rebuilding continue!

What can we expect as an outcome of this trade? We can surely expect to see more goals being scored at games because of the more prepared forwards. Instead of those shoot out losses we saw at the beginning of the season, one goal wins. This can help other youngsters like Jiri Tlusty, that haven't been as good as we thought, gain more confidence and just simply play better hockey. You know what they say, Practice makes perfect!

There are rumors that the Leafs also got an additional hot dog stand in the trade, but no confirmation from a reliable source yet. Stay tuned for more details!

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Coming soon: “The Leafs This Week,” The youcastr radio show that will be hosted by Andrew Echevarria and Tyler Hill. If you like the "Checking The Laundry" series, you will like the show. Stay tuned for more details coming soon in our Checking the Laundry series.

You Know You're a Leafs Fan When...

Andrew Echevarria — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:54:28 -0500

I found the original article "You Know You're a Hockey Fan When..." by Daniel Arouchian quite interesting and decided to make one too myself, but with the Andrew Echevarria touch.

On a side note, this is not plagiarism as I have taken the liberty to ask Daniel Arouchian for permission to use his idea for this article. So let's get this started!

You can spell Alexei Ponikarovsky and Carlo Colaiacovo backwards
13 is your lucky number and the No. 7 (1967) makes you cringe
Your favourite T.V. channel is Leafs TV
You end up on a horse ranch because you thought it was a Ponikarovski fan club
You can't remember the year Canada became a country, but you can remember the year the St. Pats became the Maple Leafs
You pick up chicks at Don Cherry's Sports Bar and Grill
Your best pickup line is "Hey babe, I hope you're a Raycroft because I can see myself scoring on you from every angle on every shot"
You learn small talk from Darcy Tucker
You only write about the Leafs on Bleacher Report
You "Hab Punch" your friends
You refuse to learn to speak French because you don't want to be mistaken for a Habs fan
You buy your back to school stuff from "Legends" (1304 Harmony Road N in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. 905 723 8993. Mention "Tyler sent me" for a 10% discount)
You know who Poni, CuJo, The Eagle, and Nik The Stick are
You state you prefer to get paid in Leaf tickets than cash on your job resumes
The only Stanley Cup footage you have to watch is in black and white
You vote for Andrew in the NHL Monthly Awards: November—Subliminal Message

Also check out Daniel's "You Know You're a Montreal Canadiens Fan When..."

Toronto Maple Leafs: Taking a Look at What We Once Were

Andrew Echevarria — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:58:26 -0500

With all the confusion and frustration surrounding the Leafs organization, I thought it would be nice to get some positive thoughts into our minds. For starters, I thought I'd share this quick video with you guys. Please watch it before reading the rest of the article (Sound is recommended).

Take a minute to think about that video. There's no doubt in my mind that we were once great, but did something happen to us? Where did we go wrong?

Instead of tossing names around and finding people to blame, let's just think back to those times, the times when we were actually proud to be Leafs fans. (We still are, well, some of us anyway.) We could go simply anywhere wearing a Leafs jersey, and still be able to lift our heads up with pride.

The first time I saw this video, I was speechless. It was hard to believe those were our Leafs.

Some of us may still remember those days. I sure do, and I was only eight. I remember wearing my jersey every night the Leafs played.

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine the Air Canada Centre. Think about all the former Leafs. Those were the Leafs that played with such passion and were just fun to watch. And those were the Leafs that took us to the 2002 Conference Finals.

Now, erase that thought and start imagining again, only this time with the present Leafs. That'll be us soon enough, skating our way into the playoffs, and giving it our very best. We have no Sundin, no Tucker, no Kilger, no Belak, and on top of that, we have no one left from that 2002 team.

However, it's a new beginning now. Instead, new guys will now be there, like Nik Hagman, Mikhail Grabovski, Jason Blake, Nik Kulemin, and Vesa Toskala.

We were once great, and can be great again. Even if we don't win the Stanley Cup in the next decade or so, the Leafs will always be great.

"Man's greatness lies in his power of thought."—Blaise Pascal