Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering if Ron Paul has approached Tim Thomas to be his running mate, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* The Maple Leafs begin a critical back-to-back series with the Penguins in Pittsburgh. The Leafs need to split these two games and win on Saturday against provincial rival Ottawa in order to start the remaining 33 games on the right track. After sweeping the Islanders before the All-Star break, the Leafs need to keep the momentum going as they are in a 3-way tie for the 7th and 8th spot in the Eastern Conference.
* Trade rumors are swirling throughout the NHL and nowhere do they swirl more than in the centre of the hockey universe: Toronto. Former Leaf GM Bill Watters reported a rumor that had the Leafs and Blue Jackets involved which had Rick Nash & Kristian Huselius going to Toronto for Mikhail Grabovski, Nazem Kadri, Luke Schenn and Mike Kommisarek. Not sure the Leafs make out in this trade. I like Nash a lot but they lose a center and that is a position they need to strengthen unless they were prepared to bring up Joe Colborne. Another rumor had the Leafs trading Luke Schenn, Clarke MacArthur and the Leafs 2012 first round pick for Eric Staal. This deal would seem to make more sense for the Leafs. One thing is for sure: I believe Brian Burke will make a trade before the February 27th deadline.
* Plenty of controversy over Alex Ovechkin sitting out the NHL All-Star Game. Ovechkin said it wasn't right for him to play while he was on suspension. Maybe the real reason was that he was afraid that he would have been picked last in the All-Star Fantasy Draft.
* Last Tuesday New York Yankee catcher Jorge Posada announced his retirement. Posada was a part of a Yankee dynasty built around home-grown players such as Bernie Williams, Andy Petitte, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Posada is another in a line of great Yankee catchers. With his retirement, only Jeter and Rivera are left from the dynasty core. Sad.
* Prince Fielder's signing with the Detroit Tigers made it even more imperative that the Yankees beef up their pitching. To represent the American League in the World Series will not be an easy task. It should make for an exciting summer.
* Last week, former Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Greg Cook passed away at the age of 65. Some of you may not know anything about Cook. He was the fifth pick overall in the 1969 NFL Draft by Paul Brown nad his Bengals. Cook's rookie season started out with impressive wins against the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. Cook suffered an injury to his shoulder in his third game but continued to play the rest of the season. He was named AFL Rookie of the Year. The shoulder injury ended up being a torn rotator cuff which was misdiagnosed. After 3 surgeries, his career was over. I had the opportunity to see Cook play at the old War Memorial Stadium against the Buffalo Bills. Bill Walsh, legendary Hall of Fame Coach of the 49ers, was an assistant coach for the Bengals at the time and said that if Cook wasn't injured he might have been the greatest quarterback of all time.
* As I had on a post a few days ago, the Cleveland Plain Dealer removed long-time Browns beat reporter, Tony Grossi from this assignment. Apparently, the Browns were not happy with a tweet that Grossi sent out inadvertently. Check out the article from Pro Football Talk
http://bleacherreport.com/tb/bdFW7?utm_source=&utm_medium=newsletter
* The Yankees have some interest in Bill Hall. Hall as a platoon player is not a bad move. I don't understand though why they would sign Manny Delcarmen. Really???? There has to be someone better than that.
* And finally, what are the odds that Darcy Reiger and Lindy Ruff are with the Sabres at the beginning of next season??? Indications from Sabres President, Ted Black, would lead one to believe that the misery will continue for awhile down at the FN Center.
It’s time to end all All-Star Games
Yesterday the sports world was treated to the NHL All-Star Game and the NFL's Pro Bowl. What a yawn!!! The NHL game ended up 12-9 with Team Chara defeating Team Alfredsson. The score was indicative of many hockey all-star games in the past. It kind of reminded me of games we used to play on the street many years ago. And by the way, whatever happened to the Eastern Conference vs the Western Conference. Team Chara vs Team Alfredsson?? Please!!!
While the Pro Bowl identifies each team by its conference name, the game itself is a joke. How many NFL games this year came close to scoring 100 points?? Again this is typical of the Pro Bowl, where there are restrictions on what the defense can do and the players enjoy soaking up the bright Hawaiian sun. Usually a lot of points is entertaining but not when it is apparent that some players are going through the motions. And please, don't talk up playing for conference pride because that ended years ago.
Unfortunately, all-star games have become a joke. What is suppose to be an exhibition of the best talent turns into a contrived facsimile of how the respective games are actually played. Case in point: Steven Stamkos was awarded a penalty shot during yesterday's game. He made a goofy spin move that was easily stopped. Maybe Steven thought he was still in the Skills Competition's breakaway contest because I find it hard to believe that he would have pulled that in a regular season game. But hey, this is the all-star game and its about having fun.
In my opinion, all-star games should be eliminated. Just think, with respect to Major League Baseball, the NHL and the NBA, the regular season could end a week sooner and answer the critics who say that they are too long. That's not to say that there can't be all-star teams but they should be announced at the end of the regular season with no game to be played.
Baseball always had the best all-star game. It has been called, "The Midsummer Classic." But it too has lost its pizazz. What made it a classic was that you were going to see players from the two leagues face each other that you might not see happen unless their respective teams made the World Series. Hank Aaron facing Jim Palmer. Now, with interleague play, that matchup could take place in a mid-week game in May.
I'm probably in the minority but I could do without all-star games. They have become a joke and the respective leagues go through all kinds of trouble to try to make them relevant and interesting. For a die-hard fan like me, their efforts are pointless. There will be some who will say to me that if I dislike them so much I just shouldn't watch them. Well, I haven't watched an all-star game in its entirety in over 10 years and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Browns Organization Continues To Be A Joke
As many of you know I have been a Browns fan for my entire life going back to the early 60's. I remember their last NFL Championship in 1964. Since then there have been plenty of disappointments. The 1965, 1968 and 1969 losses in the NFL Championship games. Red-Right 88 in the 1981 playoff game loss against the Oakland Raiders. The Drive. The Fumble. Another 1989 AFC Championship loss. And then the team moving to Baltimore after the 1995 season.
In 1999, the Browns were back and it has been a series of missteps. When the Browns hired Mike Holmgren to be President of the team it was believed that for the first time Randy Lerner had someone who had a football background to lead the team, Carmen Policy notwithstanding. However, Holmgren's regime has provided enough fodder to make one wonder if this organization will ever get out of its own way and continue to be nothing more than a joke. Let's look at the record.
When Holmgren came in he elected to keep Eric Mangini on as head coach, even though we knew that Holmgren and Mangini were not on the same page philosophically. Then, he hires Pat Shurmur who has had no head coaching experience but we are told that he has an offensive mind. Really!!! Not sure we saw much difference between Shurmur's offense and Brian Daboll's, even though one can make the argument that Colt McCoy played better under Daboll.
Of course, under Daboll, McCoy had a running game led by Peyton Hillis. The same Peyton Hillis who the Browns have in essence run out of town and by doing so have created another hole that needs to be filled. So a team devoid of playmakers loses another one. Speaking of McCoy, the whole mishandling of the concussion he received in Pittsburgh was a huge black eye. Holmgren's ridiculous and totally unbelieveable explanation that no one saw the viciousness of the hit was a joke. The fact that this kid was allowed back on the field was a disgrace. And if my memory serves me correctly, Holmgren went after Browns fans basically saying you are either with us or against us.
This season's end of the year press conference with Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert was also disturbing. Holmgren told us that we need to have faith in him and his management team. He further said that Pat Shurmur was going to be a head coach here for a long time. Shurmur's performance this year was borderline sophomoric. To assist the offense, the Browns yesterday announced the hiring of Brad Childress as Offensive Coordinator. The same Childress whose offense was questioned consistently while he was head coach in Minnesota, even though he had Adrian Peterson and for a brief time Brett Farve.
In keeping with this "your either with us or against us" attitude, it was announced that long-time Cleveland Plain Dealer Browns beat reporter Tony Grossi was being relieved of his duties covering the team because of a message that he inadvertently posted on twitter. Grossi posted the following: "He's a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world." Grossi apologized but it wasn't enough. It has been reported that the Browns contacted the Plain Dealer to voice their disapproval. So much for a free press. The fact of the matter is that the only constant for the Browns is Randy Lerner and as a result Tony Grossi is right.
Grossi is an excellent reporter. He is objective. He calls it the way he sees it. I don't always agree with him but I respect his opinion. What I also respect is his willigness to call the Browns out when necessary. He's more than a cheerleader. But obviously he did not demonstrate that he was "with them" so he must be "against them."
I have questioned many times over the last few years if I would have been better off if the Browns never came back. The more I see what continues to go on with this franchise under the leadership of Randy Lerner, I think I know the answer.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering if along with reportedly being the father of Khloe Kardashian if OJ Simpson could be the father of Lindsay Lohan, here's what is on my mind this morning:
*The Toronto Maple Leafs played a strong game defensively and came away with a 3-0 win over the New York Islanders last night at the Air Canada Centre. Jonas Gustavsson posted the shut out for the Leafs and had to be solid in goal in the third period as the Leafs seemed to be back on its heels before Phil Kessel scored the Leafs second goal. Kessel's goal happened because he drove toward the net and was able to tip in the rebound off of a shot by Joffrey Lupul. It appears that Ron Wilson's message sunk in. Hopefully, the Leafs don't have amnesia tonight at the venerable Nassau Veterans Coliseum.
* Matthew Lombardi scored the other two Leaf goals last night and the Leaf forward seems to be rounding his game back into shape after missing almost all of last season due to a concussion. The acquisition of Lombardi and Cody Franson for Brett Lebda and Robert Slaney may be the steal of the century. This coupled with the acquisition of Lupul and Jake Gardiner from the Ducks should silence those members of Leaf Nation who want to criticize Brian Burke. I'll be the first to get on the Leaf GM when it is warranted but the bottom line is that Burke has done an excellent job in acquiring talent and building up the farm system.
* Nikolai Kulemin did not get an assist on Lombardi's second goal but his hit on John Tavares in the Leaf zone is what started the Leafs offensive rush. The hit had Tavares doubled over as he headed to the Islander bench.
* Not sure I can remember two better NFL conference championship games than the ones that we saw this past Sunday. The Patriots were very fortunate as the Ravens had the opportunity to win the game when Lee Evans had a catch stripped from him by Pats defensive back Sterling Moore. Then, Billy Cundiff missed a chip shot field goal that would have sent the game to overtime. Meanwhile, in San Francisco we witnessed an old fashion defensive battle as it seemed that both defenses got better as the game went on. The Patriots-Giants Super Bowl should be a good one and I think the Giants are the more complete team right now.
* Jim Harbaugh's boorish behavior at the end of the game with Tom Coughlin was disrespectful at best. You could tell that the older more experienced Coughlin wanted to say something to the young coach as they approached to shake hands but Harbaugh immediately turned away. It was classless to say the least.
* I don't want to hear anyone question Eli Manning's ability or toughness again. Manning took a pounding Sunday and it was incredible watching him complete passes while getting buried. The kid is a gamer and he is an elite quarterback.
* The idiots who have made death threats against 49er wide receiver and kick returner Kyle Williams should get a life. I have suffered many a miserable defeat (Think Earnest Byner's fumble in 1988 AFC Championship Game) but would never wish death on anybody. It's a sad commentary on today's society and explains why fans get beaten to a pulp at games because they have the temerity to root for the visiting team. I give Williams credit for being a stand up guy by not ducking any questions from reporters after the game. He showed more class than his head coach who refused to be interviewed by Fox after the game.
* There was a great article in yesterday's NY Post by Steve Serby pertaining to Ray Lewis. During the CBS pregame show, Shannon Sharpe interviewed Ray Lewis. After the interview, it was proclaimed that Lewis has been the face of the NFL for years. Really??? Serby points out that not once in the interview was the still-unsolved double homicide brought up that Lewis was found guilty of obstruction of justice and where he paid a settlement to the 2 victims families. Here is the article:
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/playing_innocent_7Ix2Jn8pLN1YlGgoQtSApL
* Isn't interesting how the talking heads like to throw subtle shots at Tim Tebow for his outward demonstrations pertaining to his religious beliefs yet they glorify Ray Lewis. Let me ask you this question, who would you want your daughter going out with: Ray Lewis or Tim Tebow.
* Joe Paterno passed away Sunday morning. It is really unfortunate that a man who dedicated his life to Penn State University and to helping young people had his legacy tarnished by the horrible child sex abuse scandal. As Joe Paterno said himself, he wished he would have done more. But I for one am not going to condemn Joe Pa. It seems like there is misplaced anger being directed toward Paterno when it was Sandusky who was abusing young boys. The testimony from his former players and even from former PSU students indicate that this man had a positive impact in a lot of people's lives. Penn State will never be the same. See the article below wriiten by Pat Forde.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=pf-forde_paterno_passing_conflicted_complicated_012212
* The Yankees are supposedly shopping around to acquire another bat to fill the DH role at the very least on a part-time basis. Yankee GM Brian Cashman has indicated that he could sign a free agent but wants to see if can utilize the excess pitching the Yankees have to acquire a hitter. Supposedly, AJ Burnett is on the block but I can't see anyone biting. The more appealing trade chip is Phil Hughes. I think the Yanks should start the season with a DH platoon that would feature Eduardo Nunez, ARod and Derek Jeter. You can never have enough pitching. However, if they can find a sucker to take Burnett I would do it in a heartbeat.
* Well, I have Friday circled on my calendar as the great sports radio giant WGR 550 will hold an Animal Draft. Really???? These guys are a total joke. There is so much to talk about in the world of sports with the Super Bowl on the horizon, of course the Sabres and college basketball. What might be novel for the blowhards at WGR 550 is if they took the time to begin a major league baseball pre season show. They could even look at it from a fantasy baseball perspective. But these guys want to be entertainers. I would rather listen to polka musice than to listen to Schopp & The Bulldog justify why they picked a Tiger over a Lion.
* And finally, I could careless what Tim Thomas' political beliefs are and in fact I'll be honest and tell you that I think he's nuts. But my political beliefs mean nothing as do his. I am sick of multimillion dollar athletes thinking that they have to make a political statement, particularly when it involves what has become a tradition of championship teams going to the White House to meet the President. I really don't care who the President is, it's about the office of the President. I remember when Bush was President that players elected not to go for various reasons. It's all crap. Maybe they should end this whole tradition and maybe these multimillion dollar athletes should do something to encourage people to vote.
Leafs Need To Make A Big Move
Yesterday I was thinking about the day the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Doug Gilmour. I was in Toronto that day shopping with my family when I heard the trade over the radio in one of the stores at the Eaton Centre. As we know that acquisition turned the franchise around and gave Leaf Nation some exciting moments in the early 90's. As I was thinking about that day I began to wonder, is it possible for Brian Burke to make a Gilmour type acquisition this season??
The salary cap probably makes a blockbuster trade difficult but not impossible. Think Flyers moving Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. Everyone thought the Flyers would take a step back but that has not been the case. Looking at the Maple Leafs, it is becoming apparent to me that it will be a struggle to make the playoffs this year. There is an inconsistency with this team that is reflective in the current scoring drought. Coach Ron Wilson indicated that his team needs to be willing to pay the price in order to get scoring chances. The forwards are not driving the net and seem content to stay on the edges and try to make a pretty pass or make a fancy deke. So the question becomes: are the players on the current roster willing to pay the price??
I'm not so sure. When you look at the Leaf forwards there are not many big guys. The talented forwards are on the small side and can easily be banged around as evidenced by the Rangers and Senators games last week. Maybe Mike Brown needs to be placed on one of the top 3 lines. When Colby Armstrong comes back maybe he needs to be on one of the top lines. What's clear is that the Leafs need some muscle up front. It's rather ironic that seven years after the lockout, a lockout that was suppose to bring back more emphasis on skill not brawn, that the Maple Leafs are in need of some physical presence.
What would you give to have a Gary Roberts type player on this team?? Think back to those late 90's early 2000's teams. The Bay Street Bullies: Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Shayne Corson and Tie Domi. All four of these guys were physical and gritty and they all had the skill to be an offensive contributor. These are the type of players the Leafs need now. On the current roster, the closest that they have to this type of player is Colby Armstrong and possibly Mike Brown. However, both have been plagued by injuries particularly Armstrong.
These types of players aren't easy to acquire. Currently, think Scott Hartnell and Milan Lucic. I'm not saying that the Leafs can get either one of these guys but these are the type of players they need. In essence a power forward and they currently do not have one. Ryan Malone would certainly fit the bill but its unclear whether Malone would approve a trade to Toronto.
I have extreme confidence in Brian Burke. He has turned this team around from a talent standpoint. The Leaf farm system is the best its been in the 44 years that I have followed this team. The trades that he has made with Calgary, Anaheim, Nashville and Boston have made this team an exciting one to watch and certainly has provided some hope as a result of the young players brought in. It would be shocking if Burke doesn't make a trade before the trade deadline. What will be telling is who he targets because it will give us an indication of where the Leaf General Manager sees his team at this point. If he goes after an established forward who would be considered a Gilmour-type acquisition (think Ryan Getzlaf or Bobby Ryan) then it would tell us that Burke believes that this team is only a couple of players away from securing a playoff spot and doing some damage in the post season. In order to make that type of acquisition, he will have to give up some top young prospects (think Nazem Kadri and/or Joe Colborne) and someone else from the roster (think Mikhail Grabovski).
If Burke sees this season as another step in the building process, with youngsters such as Colborne, Kadri, Frattin and Blacker being a season away from really breaking out, then he may be willing to part with some older players (think Clarke MacArthur, Colby Armstrong & Mike Kommisarek) to get some younger bigger players who could grow with Phil Kessel, Colborne, Kadri, etc. Either route I'm ok with as long as Burke is able to get some big bodies who can play. I agree with Burke when he says that just making the playoffs isn't enough. Remember the John Brophy quote when asked about his team making the playoffs because of the divisional playoff format back in the 80's (similar to what was being proposed with the realignment), "if we needed 50 points will get 50 points". This isn't about squeaking into 8th place. This is about building a team that is a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup.
Disappointing Leaf Loss & NFL Picks
What makes last night's 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens hard to take is the lack of intensity or better put a lack of desperation on the part of the Toronto Maple Leafs that has many of us in Leaf Nation wondering if this team will make the playoffs. This was a game that was set up for the Leafs and they blew it big time. With 8 of the 9 home games in January having been played, the Leafs are now 5-3. If you look at those three losses, only the loss against the Rangers was a game that the Leafs were totally outclassed. The loss to Ottawa and Montreal were eerily similar: the games were tied going into the third period and the Sens & Habs were playing the second of back-to-back games and in both games the Leafs failed to take hold of the game and grab it.
While the Leafs out shot the Canadiens, it was the Canadiens who had the better scoring chances and if it were not for Jonas Gustavsson the game would not have been tied going into the third period. The Leafs played like this was a game in early April and they were sitting comfortably within the top eight of the Eastern Conference. They showed no determination to do what was needed to win this game, particularly in the third period and you knew that as the game continued tied that this game could slip away and it did. While the games against the Bruins and the 3-0 loss against the Rangers were tough to take, last night's loss may be the worst yet. Even worse than blowing a big lead against the Carolina Hurricanes because last night the Leafs didn't exhibit a desire to do whatever it takes to win.
Brian Burke has said he just doesn't want to squeak into the playoffs but he wanted to be in the playoffs and be competitive. As he put it (and I'm paraphrasing), take a series or two or at least bloody someone's nose. Well, if last night is any indication, this team would be nothing more than cannon fodder for the Rangers or Bruins. It is evident that this team needs a couple of big bodies and it would be good if at least one of them had some playoff experience. I read in the Toronto Star where a Leaf player indicated that in the second intermission they talked about creating traffic in front of Carey Price. Yet, it was to no avail as the Leafs did nothing of the kind in the third period.
As I have said before, the Leafs are simply not good enough to coast and win. They need to utilize their speed and they need to realize that they must do the dirty things like going to the net. Shots from the top of the circle are not worth anything if no one is in front of the net. As this team is currrently constructed, there are very few players who are willing to pay that price. What would be great is if you had a big body with some skill to be paired with Phil Kessel. When Kessel makes a move to the net the defensemen have to move toward him which opens up ice for another Leaf driving to the net. Joffrey Lupul and Tyler Bozak have scored goals like that but in recent games I haven't seen much of it.
With John-Michael Liles, Colby Armstrong and Darryl Boyce due back, it would appear that a move will need to be made. Liles has been missed particularly on the power play and his return will mean that the Leafs will have 8 defensemen. If no trade is made I would suggest that Keith Aulie be sent down and probably Mike Kommisarek goes to the press box. Jake Gardiner must play and Cody Franson deserves to be in the lineup. With respect to the forwards, I believe that Boyce needs to be in the lineup. I think that Colby Armstrong should be put on a line with Kessel and Bozak to hopefully provide some muscle to that line and free some space up. I believe that when Armstrong was in Pittsburgh he was teamed up with Sidney Crosby. I would probably send Joey Crabb back down to the Marlies and I'm not sure who I would sit.
With these players coming back, I believe that a trade is imminent. Burke has to see that this season is slipping away and something needs to change. The Leafs next 2 games before the All-Star break are back-to-back against the NY Islanders. The Islanders have won three in a row and are playing better. These games will not be easy and the way the Leafs have been playing should give Leaf Nation cause for concern. In my mind, they need to win both games and that won't be easy. I guess will find out how desperate this team is to make the playoffs come Monday when the Isles roll into the ACC.
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Last week I was 1-1 bringing my overall record to 34-21. Over the last 14 weeks my picks are 30-13 and in the playoffs I'm 4-1. Of the two conference championship games today, I'm not picking the AFC contest. I think the Patriots will win but I'm concerned about the point spread. So here is my pick for today:
NY Giants (+2 1/2) over San Francisco: The Giants are on a roll and might be the most complete team left in the playoffs. They are facing a 49er team who's defense is one of the best in the league. That being said, Drew Brees torched them last week and Eli Manning has the ability and the weapons to put up some points. The difference will be the Niner offense against the Giant defense. The Saints blitzed big time last week and Alex Smith was able to capitalize on that. The Giants will not need to blitz to put pressure on Smith leaving plenty of guys back in coverage. As a result, the Giants are headed back to the Super Bowl. New York 23 San Francisco 17.
Hockey Night In Canada: Leafs-Canadiens
For the last 44 years on Saturday nights, unless I have something to do that I can't get out of, I'm usually in front of my television set watching the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night In Canada. As a child, I can remember being extremely upset when on the rare occasion the Leafs were not playing on Saturday night or were on the road and the Montreal Canadiens were on Hockey Night instead. As a Leaf fan in the late 60's and 70's it was tough having to deal with Montreal Canadien fans. The Canadiens always seemed to win. They won multiple championships during that time period, while the closest the Leafs came was reaching the semi-finals in th 1977-78 season only to lose to the Canadiens. Then of course, Punch Imlach came onto the scene and the rest was history.
While for me, HNIC on Saturday night is always a must, when the Leafs play the Canadiens it is always extra special. I'll never forget a game back during the 1967-68 season when the Leafs were at the Forum and playing against a much talented Montreal team. The Leafs played hard and were about to walk away with a well deserved one point as a result of a tie. (this was before a five minute overtime and the ridiculous shoot out). There were 3 seconds remaining and there was a faceoff deep inside the Toronto zone. I was quite pleased at that point. But my happiness soon changed to sadness as the Montreal center won the draw and the puck went back to the point where Canadiens defenseman Jacques Laperierre fired a slap shot that beat Leaf netminder Bruce Gamble and the Canadiens would come away with a 3-2 win. I was devastated. To this day when I hear Jacques Laperierre's name I bristle with anger.
Tonight these two ancient rivals meet again at the Air Canada Centre. The Canadiens are coming off last night's heartbreaking 5-4 shoot out loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins after blowing a 4-2 lead going into the third period. The Leafs last game was Thursday night's 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. This is a huge game for the Leafs as they are one point behind the Florida Panthers for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East and only 3 points behind the New Jersey Devils for 7th. On the flip side they are only 2 points ahead of 10th place Winnipeg, who hosts the aforementioned Panthers Saturday night. Because of the rivalry you know this will be a tough one. The Canadiens have saved Carey Price for tonight's game. The Leafs will be going once again with Jonas Gustavsson. Records mean nothing when the Leafs and Canadiens meet but this is a game that the Leafs should win. They are the better team. Just like the Canadiens were in that game during the 67-68 season when Jacques Laperierre scored with less than three seconds left.
The puck drops at the ACC at 7:05.
Leafs Stop The Bleeding With 4-1 Win
The Toronto Maple Leafs were in danger of losing their fourth game in a row heading into Thursday's game against the Minnesota Wild. The Wild had been struggling badly on the road and the Leafs took advantage of that last night by posting a 4-1 win at the Air Canada Centre. Jonas Gustavsson played a solid game in net for Toronto and it would seem that he would be in goal for the remaining two games of the homestand.
Coach Ron Wilson mixed the lines up by splitting Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul and Lupul ended up with 3 assists, the first one 50 seconds into the game on a nice pass to Nazem Kadri. The Leafs led 2-0 and the game was still in doubt until Phil Kessel's power play goal late in the second period put the game away. The Leafs once again were very disciplined only having to kill off one penalty which they did effectively. While the power play only scored one goal on five chances, there was plenty of puck movement and the Wild did a good job of blocking shots.
Joey Crabb scored the Leafs second goal on a beautiful rush toward the net beating the Wild defenseman. Crabb showed a good burst of speed and has really been a nice contributor for the Leafs. Mikhail Grabovski scored the Leafs fourth goal and his line was its usual dangerous self throughout the game. Wilson mixed up the defensive pairings and it seemed to work as I thought the Luke Schenn-Dion Phaneuf pairing provided a physical presence and Schenn seemed to be finishing off checks with authority. It was once again apparent to me that Jake Gardiner is going to be very special player. His skating and passing ability certainly provides an added dimension to the Maple Leafs. He also makes a difference on the second power play unit. Once John-Michael Liles comes back, which could be as early as Tuesday or just after the All-Star break, the Leafs will have eight NHL ready defenseman. I just find it hard to believe that a trade won't happen with the Leafs sending a defenseman as part of the deal. The acquisition of Lupul and Gardiner may be the trade that Leaf fans look back on as being the piece which put the Leafs back into the playoffs.
At the beginning of this month, I stated that the Leafs needed to win at least 6 out of the 9 home games that they had in the month of January if they were to have a good shot to make the playoffs. They are currently 5-2 at the ACC for the month with two games remaining at home: Montreal on Saturday and the Islanders on Monday which is the first of a back-to-back against the Islanders. Tuesday's game vs the Isles will be their last game before the All-Star break. All three games are winnable as both teams are below the Leafs in the standings. However, there are no gimme games for the Leafs. They need to continue to take care of business at home. Arguably they should be 6-1 right now at home for January in that they blew a two-goal lead on Tuesday against Ottawa. Saturday night they face the Canadiens who are playing tonight against the Penguins. The Leafs need to jump on Montreal early. It won't be easy as its Saturday Hockey Night In Canada against their ancient rivals. But if this team is to make the playoffs this is a game they have to win.
The puck drop is 7:05. Leafs-Canadiens on Hockey Night. Can't beat it.
Trade On The Horizon For Leafs??
Last night the Toronto Maple Leafs blew a 2 goal lead and lost to the Ottawa Senators 3-2. What has become painfully evident over the last 2 games is that the Leafs are being outmuscled by teams who happen to be ahead of them in the Eastern Conference. Brian Burke has said that he just doesn't want to make the playoffs, he wants to be a factor in those playoffs. If the Leafs make the playoffs they will not be a factor the way this team's roster currently sits. Along with the lack of muscle, there has been a lack of scoring. Over the last four games, the Leafs have managed to score 6 goals while giving up 9. Their lone win over those four games was as a result of a 2-0 shutout. Now what??
Brian Burke is known for making trades well before the late February trade deadline. He sees what all of us see: a team with skilled forwards who are being banged around. The strategy against Phil Kessel is to make sure you have a big body on him. The Bruins do it and the Rangers did it and unless others step up offensively, you get 6 goals over four games. I honestly believe that we may see two trades made, one for a big scoring forward, hopefully a center and then a bruising forward who has some offensive ability. Think Bobby Ryan and Ryan Malone. The acquisition of 2 such players would immediately make the Leafs a tougher team to play.
Their recent play has put the Leafs in ninth place, behind Pittsburgh and Washington. A prolonged scoring slump could end whatever legitimate chance they have to make the playoffs. The lack of scoring is related to the Leafs being banged around and outmuscled. Something has to be done to save what has been a most promising season. Burke has done it before and I have faith that he will do something again, this time to save a season.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering who was the genius at CBS Sports who thought it was a good idea to have Ndamukong Suh on the NFL Today, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* The Maple Leafs begin a critical four game stretch at home tonight against the surging Ottawa Senators. The Leafs find themselves this morning in ninth place, one point behind both the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Senators are in fifth place, seven points ahead of the Leafs but the Leafs do have three games in hand on their provincial rivals. Tonight marks the return of James Reimer in goal for the Leafs. This is a tremendous opportunity for Reimer to re-establish himself as the team's number one goalie.
* The Leafs will also have Tyler Bozak and Jake Gardiner back in the lineup. Bozak will center Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul and it is hoped that he will be able to get the high scoring pair back on track. I was happy to see that Gardiner is back in the lineup. Coach Ron Wilson has acknowledged that they need Gardiner's speed and ability to move the puck out of their own end to get their speed game going offensively. Gardiner will also be a much needed boost to a power play that stumbled over the weekend and hopefully will put an end to Tim Connolly or Clarke MacArthur being on the point with Dion Phaneuf.
* Bucky Gleason had a nice article Sunday about Brian Burke's rebuilding of the Maple Leafs. I have believed from the beginning that Burke was the right man for the job. He had received plenty of criticism from the Toronto media when he traded for Phil Kessel. But Burke had a plan and is not afraid of acknowledging a mistake (Beauchemin, Versteeg & Lebda and turned them into Gardiner, Lupul, Franson, Lombardi & a first round pick). I fully expect that Burkie will be making another move well before the February 27th deadline.
* Speaking of moves, the New York Yankees certainly had a busy Friday the 13th with the acquistion of Micahel Pineda and the signing of Hiroki Kuroda. Now there is plenty of discussion about who will be the DH. A point to consider is that ARod is probably going to DH at least 2 games a week depending upon his wonky hip and knee. The Yanks will also try to give Derek Jeter an occasional day as the DH. While it has been reported that the Yankees have contacted Hidecki Matsui and Johnny Damon, they could very well alternate Eduardo Nunez, Jeter and AROD between DH, third base and shortstop. Remember it was Nunez, not Jesus Montero, who Brian Cashman refused to part with in 2010 in order to get Cliff Lee from Seattle. The Yankees want to get Nunez more at bats and this would seem to be a way to do it.
* This year's Super Bowl has the makings for some interesting story lines regardless of which two teams get in. If San Francisco gets in and faces Baltimore, you will have the Harbaugh brothers coaching against each other in the Big Game. If San Francisco meets New England, you will have the Niners tough defense going up against the Patriots high-powered offense. If New York gets in, you will have a rematch of two recent Super Bowls: the Giants loss at the hands of the Ravens or the Giants upset win against the then undefeated Patriots. It's the first time since that Giant-Patriot Super Bowl that I'm actually going to look forward to the Big Game.
* I watched the last quarter of the Knicks-Magic game yesterday and it was a terrible performance by the Knicks down the stretch. Carmelo Anthony had a chance to draw the Knicks close and fired up an air ball. Can't see how New York can be considered a legitimate contender for the NBA title.
* Since the boring BCS Championship Game, there has been plenty of talk about the need for a playoff system. Apparently, the NCAA high muckity-mucks and the major conference presidents are going to be discussing the possibilities. The TV ratings indicate that this was the lowest rated BCS Game in history and this year's Orange Bowl was the lowest rated one in history. The sporting public has had it with this charade known as the BCS. If there was a semi-final featuring LSU vs Stanford and Alabama vs Oklahoma State, the ratings would have been through the roof. This can be done using the existing bowls. Let's see what happens but I'm not going to hold my breath.
* Kudos to Jerry Sullivan on his column yesterday taking the Sabres to task and specifically team owner Terry Pegula. Pegula's claim that injuries are the problem for the team's recent troubles contributes to the lack of accountability. Sullivan hit the nail on the head that the core of this team is under performing and that Darcy Reiger and Lindy Ruff are unable to turn things around.
* Interesting how WGR550's Jeremy White is raising the white flag on the 2011-12 season. He just tweeted that enough about this season and all moves should be made for next year. Really??? Last week, I got into with White on twitter after Paul "Gasbag" Hamilton tweeted that the Sabres could acquire Getzlaf and that he could be in the lineup for last Tuesday's game vs Toronto. The funny thing was that when I went out to get my Buffalo News, there was an article where Pegula said there was not going to be any major shake-up and that injuries were the problem. When I pointed out that Pegula said that there would be no trades, White went at me saying not to twist things. I went back at him reminding him that Hamilton said that a Getzlaf deal was imminent and that he could be in the lineup vs the Leafs. White is a joke. He is such a homer it's not even funny anymore.
* Once again yesterday morning, Sullivan had White all in a tizzy to the point where you could hear White whining to Howard Simon.
* I wonder if Ryan Miller wishes he was left behind in Detroit.
* Finally, can someone please check to see if Jeremy White is on the Pegula payroll???
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