Monday Morning Musings With Me, The Big E, Maple Leafs Camp And More

The Toronto Maple Leafs are about to head into their first pre-season game Tuesday against provincial rivals the Ottawa Senators.

Leafs Nation is in a constant state of confidence about the teams potential going into this season and the team itself is hoping to reciprocate that faith by getting off to a strong start.

Phil Kessel is reportedly in the best shape he has ever been in, much maligned center Mikhail Grabovski is already showing signs that a break out season may finally be on the horizon and Tyler Bozak appears as though he is primed for a great year.

All of this of course must be kept in perspective, we have only seen a couple of pre-season scrimmages so far, but as the old adage goes,"attitude is everything" and this young team led by newly anointed Captain Dion Phanuef is full of it.

Training camp has already had it's share of entertainment with Jay Rosehill and newly acquired Mike Liambis after Rosehill hit one of the newcomers team mates from behind.

When Liambis was asked after ward if the fight would make things uncomfortable in the dressing room he simply said, "What happens on the ice stay's on the ice."

It seems as though almost every shirt on the ice whether it be a blue on or a white one, is eager for the season to start.

The possible dynamic duo Nazem Kadri and Jerry D'Amigo are among a host of others that are also looking very good.

Coach Ron Wilson had a little fun with the media over the weekend when asked about Versteeg and his scoring two goals.

"Well, let’s see, two goals today,” he said. “That means 164 goals in a season. Anything less than that and I will be very disappointed.”

There is an aura surrounding this team that hasn't been here for quite a long time. It kind of smell like winning.

Former Leaf coach Pat Burns is still alive though not well, and from all reports may not be with us much longer. On this past Friday morning reports started to circulate that Burns had indeed passed at his home in Quebec.

Thankfully, as the day wore on it became evident that the reports of his demise had been greatly exaggerated.

Says Leaf great Doug Gilmour,

“I was driving back here and radio stations were calling. I wasn’t going to comment. I was speaking with a friend back home who was speaking with Burnsie the night before where he was at the hospital and he was getting some medication.  He (Burns) snuck out of there and went for sushi.”

Burns has found a way to beat cancer twice already, here's hoping he finds a way to make it three in a row.