Toronto Maple Leafs: My Leafs Soapbox

Welcome to my first monthly edition called “My Leafs Soapbox” where I will give my humble opinion what happened to our beloved Leafs for the past month. So, let’s begin for October:

Pick a Leafs soapbox, any Leafs soapbox!  Step right up and wage your opinion about the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite the fact that we all continue to A) Watch, B) Stay interested, and C) Discuss it.  When I look at any Leafs Forums now-a-days, so many threads take a position of complaint or praise.  Well here is my soapbox regarding our beloved Leafs!

Before the 2010-2011 season started Ron Wilson made his final cuts to the roster and we saw the Leafs home opener starting line up:

Leafs Roster for 2010-2011

Versteeg - Bozak - Kessel
Kulemin - Grabovski - Macarthur
Sjostrom - Brent - Armstrong
Brown - Zigomanis/Mitchell – Orr

Phaneuf - Kaberle

Komisarek - Beauchemin

Gunnarsson - Schenn

Lebda - *Finger

Giguere

Gustavsson

Cap Space around $4.85 - Average Age 27 - *Finger being demoted to the AHL

The Leafs went on a four games winning streak and as Leafs fans we rejoiced. The feeling of believing again was in the air. Louise Pisano wrote a great article “20 Reason to be excited about watching Toronto Maple Leafs” and that got our hearts bumping with blue and white blood throughout our veins. Then, reality hit us with a 3 games losing streak. Feeling down, the Leafs got us back up with a win and then back down with a lost to Boston. As they said in Boston, Thank You Kessel! Not blaming Kessel for the lost just thought it was funny.

Another thing! Is it me or what? Why is it every time a player had their best game, first goal, first win, broke a recorder or set a recorder, it happens to be against the Leafs? Can someone please tell me why? Thank You Seguin! Mark Ritter explains it nicely in his article “Tyler Seguin shines in Bruins victory over Maple Leafs”

Now my question to you, the Leafs fan, do you see this team pushing for a playoff spot this year?

My answer is Nope! Why? Well, some of the questionable free agents that Double B. signed and players making the cut. For example, John Mitchell and Mike Zigomanis??? Eric Warren wrote a great article regarding “The John Mitchell Experiment”.

Give any of the articles mentioned above a read, if you haven’t already.

Another thing that’s grinding my gears! Why Double B. signed Armstrong to a 3 million dollar contract and then Wilson playing him on the third line? Double B. made a big sink of not wanting to sign Kulemin for the same amount of money for a player that played on the first line by default and now Kulemin is playing on the first line by default? Armstrong should be playing on the first line. Did he not pop in 20 goals last season? I don’t see that happening again playing on the third line on this team.

And then we have Lebda. Lebda is an older second coming of Ian White. Height and skating wise that is. Should the Leafs have signed him? Plain and simple.... Nope!

John Mitchell and Mike Zigomanis, Really! I am not going to bother. Really!

The only bright spot is Clarke Macarthur. Please for Leafs-sake keep scoring and do not turn out to be another Lee Stempniak when he was playing for the Leafs.

Kris Versteeg vs. Viktor Stalberg trade tracker: Versteeg: GP: 8 - G: 1- A: 1- PTS: 2 vs. Stalberg: GP: 11 - G: 3 - A: 1 - PTS: 4.

Thought it will be interest to point out, but Cale Loney has beaten me to the punch with his Article “Viktor Stalberg Outplaying Kris Versteeg Following Blackhawks-Maple Leafs Deal”. One thing I have to add, this deal was a three for one trade due to Double B. letting Bill Sweat walk for nothing in return. Vancouver owes Double B. one.

Thus far a similar team, with different names. The Leafs allocated $5.65 million on experience NHL players for this year, is it money worth spent? Don’t know yet.

There are some prospects right now that can jump into the Leafs roster. Here is my Leafs future roster could look like:

My Leafs Roster for 2010-2011

Armstrong - Bozak - Kessel
Versteeg - Grabovski - Macarthur
Sjostrom - Hanson - Kulemin

Jay Rosehill - Brown - Orr

Phaneuf - Kaberle

Komisarek - Beauchemin

Gunnarsson - Schenn

Gysbers

Giguere

Gustavsson

Gone for the roster are: Mitchell - Lebda - Zigomanis - Finger.

Cap Space around $7.35 million - Average Age 27

I really don’t think the present Leafs roster will drastically do far better than my roster.

I say give the kids the chance to grow as a team and with the available Cap Space sign one or two top six forwards to put us over the hump. Just like what Chicago did with Hossa, but not at a ridiculous cost.

One last thing I will suggest to Double B. (like he is going to listen), please try to pull a trade with Dallas and get Brad Richards. This is a veteran player in his prime that the Leafs desperately needs. Richards will be like Giguere is to Gustavsson for the Leafs young centers. Bozak and Grabovski could use some helpful advice right now.    

Now on the flipside 

I was watching an episode of Leafs Today were Wilson and Burke was mentioning how they wanted to develop the young talent first in the AHL before making the jump to the NHL, for instance Nazem Kadri and Jerry D'Amigo. If this is the case then I am all for it.

But there is a few ways Double B. and Wilson could have accomplished this approach a long time ago: 

First, Double B. could have signed one or two years contract to certain players. For example, Torres produced the same stats as Armstrong last season and can provide that needed veteran present in the dressing room for a one year contract at $1 million.

Secondly, Get the kids playing in the AHL level at the age of 19 and when they reach the age of 22yrs give them a chance to show their stuff in the NHL. That’s four years to develop, learn the systems, and time to know how to play with men. If they can’t cut it in the NHL then send them down to the ECHL.

Finally, Double B. should not worry where the Leafs finishes this year. Look, Boston has Rask, Seguin and next year’s 1st pick. Double B. can’t change it no matter what! Time to get over it and find creative ways to improve the Leafs, which presently Double B. continues to do.

Hope you enjoy my random thoughts and the first instalment of “My Leafs Soapbox”

Until next month, keep the faith with our beloved Leafs and Leafs fans remember:

“Champions aren’t made in the gyms; Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – A Desire, A Dream, A Vision”

By Muhammad Ali