Maple Leafs Notes: Sundin Not Ready To Play Against Bruins

Sundin Not Ready To Play

Both Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov skated by themselves today for about 15 minutes, however, neither are expected to play tomorrow night when the Leafs open a home-and-home with the Bruins in Toronto. 

Sundin skated hard on Saturday morning and looked close to a return, but today was a different story as the Leafs' captain took a very light skate. 

Paul Maurice said after practice that there is no pressure on Sundin or Antropov and that when they are ready they'll tell him, and he will them put them back into the lineup.

Injured forwards John Pohl and Boyd Devereaux both skated today, and Devereaux appears to be poised to return for the opening game of the back-to-back tomorrow night.

Pohl is still a some time away from a return. 

The American-born center still is suffering from the effects of the ankle injury he suffered when he took an awful fall in a game against Carolina. 

It has also been a tough time for Pohl, whose younger brother underwent emergency brain surgery after being checked head-first into the boards during a U.S. college game.

He is in good shape now, though and is expected to recover fully.

Is This It?

It has been said many times throughout the course of this trying Maple Leafs' season, but can we truly, finally believe that this week is the Maple Leafs season? 

Are we finally set to get (one way or another) some clarity on whether this team is post season bound? 

After a good week, which featured a couple of gutsy wins in Buffalo and Ottawa, Toronto is just four points back of the eighth and final playoff spot, which is currently being held by the Boston Bruins.  But the plot thickens.

The Leafs and Bruins play each other this week, twice, in a home-and-home series that begins Tuesday in Toronto and ends in Boston Thursday night.

So, if the Maple Leafs sweep this back-to-back with the Bruins, they will be tied for the eighth spot (of course barring what the other teams ahead of them do, as well).  

They also will be tied in wins with 37 if Toronto can take both games.  In such a scenario, the NHL uses goals in the tie-break.  Going into tomorrow's game, Boston has 193 goals for, while Toronto has 217.

There is a chance that the Leafs could get away with earning three of a possible four points, but, for all intensive purposes, the Leafs need all four points this week, which will bring them into a share of the eighth spot going into Saturday's tilt with Montreal.

Toskala Named Second Star

Toronto goalie Vesa Toskala has been named the NHL's Second Star of the week.  The Finnish netminder went 3-0-0 with a GAA of 2.00, and a save percentage of .940.

Despite letting in possibly the longest goal in NHL history, that actually was shot on-net, while it was being tended to by a goalie. Toskala rebounded from the blunder nicely and helped Toronto to win big over New York, Buffalo, and Ottawa.

Toronto Maple Leafs Community Leader

I just quickly wanted to let everyone know that I have been named the Toronto Maple Leafs community leader here on Bleacher Report.  

I look forward to the job and will take it seriously.  I know there are plenty of talented writers here on the site, specifically in the Maple Leafs section, and I look forward to working with all of you to build this section of the site.

I will be in touch with all of you, and you can feel free to contact me via my bulletin board.