Monday Morning Musings, With "The Big E": Cheering For The Future Maple Leafs!

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a lot of fun to watch these days aren't they? They are young, fast, skilled, and they are almost all fighting for a job. So what happens next?

We are all as fans, arm chair GM's, and we all have our own idea of what Brian Burke is supposed to do next. The fact is, I'm not sure any of us would have been able to do or accomplish what Burke has so far.

Even if Tomas Kaberle does in fact get dealt on draft day this offseason, what the Leafs are left with is a formidable defense corps that will likely be spoken of as one of the best in the league. If Kaberle stays, which he might, there are rumors of contract talks, it will be arguably the best for sure.

With Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek, Dion Phaneuf, Luke Schenn, Carl Gunnarsson, and Francois Beauchemin, I can't remember an entire Leafs defensive corps that could be so potentially dominant.

There have for sure been dominant pairs, but not an entire group that has this kind of potential.

Even if you take Kaberle out of the equation, and insert some more youth, like Aulie, Oreskovic, Mikus, and let's not forget about Jonas Frogren, the Leafs should have no trouble with their defense for a long time.

With that said, goaltending still appears to be an issue. The arrival of J S Giguere was to have had a calming and strengthening effect on the team by providing a solid, dependable presence in net. While he has been anything but great, judging by the play of the team he still seems to be having the desired effect.

It's strange, but true.

Tomas Kaberle wants to stay in Toronto, Brian Burke has said that he is willing to talk contract, but, we all know that at the end of the day Kaberle will be gone simply because Burke needs more forwards.

When I watch a Leafs game now, I don't find myself cheering so much because they win or score. I find myself cheering when one of them makes what is a smart move, or a seeing eye pass, or when Luke Schenn throws a check that leaves an opponent momentarily dazed and confused.

I find myself cheering when I see Tyler Bozak, split a defense like they weren't even there for a scoring chance or when Phil Kessel roofs one from the hash marks.

All in all, I find myself cheering for the future, a future, that not so long ago looked about as bleak a prospect as the past.

Please don't forget! It's that time of year again, or getting there. Every year, my wife and two children and I participate in the MS Walk here in Orillia, Ontario Canada. We walk to raise funds to research a cure and usually manage to raise about $500 dollars a year! Our goal this year is to go way beyond that and raise at least $2000!Please help us make this the best year yet and make a pledge by clicking right here!