Brian Burke, Carl Gunnarsson Help the Toronto Maple Leafs Shine Down South

What a beautiful day. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, the Toronto Maple Leafs are first in the east, my beautiful wife is modeling for Playboy again, and I have a set of six-pack abs...BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP...what is that annoying noise?

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Oh crap, it's my alarm clock!

Amazingly enough, all it took for Brian Burke to momentarily escape the doghouse in Leafs Land was for his son Brendon to "come out ". Good for him for having the courage to do so, and hats off to Brian for having the love and compassion to be supportive.

Ron Wilson said after practice yesterday that if Carl Gunnarsson continued to play the way he is, he need not worry about being shipped down to the minors when Mike Komisarek returned around Christmas. While he wouldn't go so far as to say who would be a healthy scratch, it will likely be Beauchemin , who has picked up his play as well lately.

Luke Schenn has been playing better as of late too, but it would appear that Wilson wouldn't scratch him even if he weren't.

Coming off an impressive win in Tampa , look for the Leafs to dominate captain Bryan McCabe and the Panthers who currently sit in the 24th spot in the league and are seven points above the Leafs in the overall standings.

The Panthers are a league worst 12.36 percent on the power play and have the second worst PK in league at 74.16 percent.

Gustavsson will likely get the start again tonight, and he hopes to build on a solid performance against a potentially dangerous Tampa Bay squad.

With no weekend games scheduled in Leafs Land this week, look for there to be a mini baby boom in Leaf Land.