tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

26Feb/120

Fire Ron Wilson!!!

I was not going to post today as I am heading out of town but last night's disgusting performance by the Toronto Maple Leafs has inspired me to post this morning. Many have called for the firing of Ron Wilson. I have refrained from jumping onto that bandwagon but I believe that the time has come: Fire Ron Wilson.

A 1-8-1 slide has gone from bad to worse and it appears to me that this team has quit on its coach. Yes, goaltending is a problem. But poor defensive play, a lack of desire to go to the net and work the boards, a power play that is now 1-19 and the inability to change a style of play that has not been successful is a function of the coach. Before the start of the season Tim Hunter and Keith Acton were replaced and this was going to solve everything. That has not been the case. Now is the time to change the head coach.

As late as early this week, I didn't believe that a coaching change was the answer but if in fact the Leafs are going to be a seller then changing the coach needs to happen to get ready for next season. My call for firing Ron Wilson has little to do with trying to make the playoffs this year but more to do with changing the philosophy of play and getting ready for next season. One thing is clear to me: Ron Wilson's act is getting old and it appears that this young team needs a new voice to listen to.

There are plenty of candidates. Within the organization the obvious choice is Dallas Eakins. Eakins has done a great job with the Toronto Marlies. He is a teacher and does stress the importance of playing a defensive style of hockey. He would deserve a promotion. He would be my number one choice. The other name mentioned as a likely replacement for Wilson is Randy Carlyle. Carlyle has a relationship with Leafs GM Brian Burke as he coached Burke's Anaheim Ducks. Carlyle is a no-nonsense guy who also stresses the need to be defensively responsible.

The contract extension that Ron Wilson received at Christmas should not be an impediment for his dismissal. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has plenty of money to eat the additional year that Wilson was given. While were at it, Francois Allaire should also be shown the door. It is apparent that Allaire's coaching philosophy does not mesh with the talents of Jonas Gustavsson and has not helped James Reimer in his second year of play.

If this team is going to get better then they need to get a new head coach. The time is now: Fire Ron Wilson.

25Feb/120

Tuesday’s Thoughts (Saturday Edition)

While wondering if I will hear "Fire Wilson" chants tonight at the ACC, here's what is on my mind this morning:

* Toronto media is in overdrive condemning Brian Burke and Ron Wilson. Burke is getting it for not having a veteran goalie and not going after Jeff Carter. It's a fair criticism as it relates to the goaltending situation. They could have kept J.S. Giguere. With respect to Carter, he has a terrible contract and he is not a playmaking big center that the Leafs need. In fact many GM's believe that Columbus made out in the deal. With respect to Wilson, if the Leafs don't make the playoffs then he should be fired.

* Rumor has it that Matt Frattin will be called up to the Leafs and Colby Armstrong will be in the lineup. Jay Rosehill and Darryl Boyce have been placed on waivers and it is my understanding that Boyce was claimed by Columbus while Rosehill is back with the Marlies.

* The Leafs problems stem from the fact that they are not smart defensively and they need some muscle. The first part I lay blame on Wilson. His run and gun philosophy is killing them right now and if they make the playoffs it will get them nowhere. With respect to muscle, Brian Burke needs to address this in a hurry.

* Unlike many others I am happy that Ryan Braun has won his appeal. Major League Baseball screwed up and the fact that Braun's name was leaked when the test results are supposed to be confidential once again calls into question the whole process. This is not the first time a name has been leaked. People can say what they want but as far as I'm concerned Ryan Braun is clean.

* I'm glad to hear that Mark Teixiera finally realizes that he needs to consider going the other way when he bats left handed. He's even talking about bunting. Let's hope that Tex can get that average back up in the 290's.

* In a couple of weeks the NCAA Basketball Conference Tournaments will begin and it truly is an exciting time of the year. The TV coverage last year was fantastic and I'm really looking forward to it.

* And finally, I will be out of the area for the next week and my next post will be Sunday March 4th. I will be on twitter following the trade deadline on Monday.

24Feb/120

Next Week On Blog

Next week I will be out of the area and not able to post on the blog. Tomorrow I will do a Tuesday's Thoughts and will be back on the blog Sunday March 4th. Look for Tuesday's Thoughts tomorrow

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24Feb/120

Downward Spiral Continues As Leafs Fall Out Of 8th

The Toronto Maple Leafs march out of playoff contention continued last night as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the San Jose Sharks at Air Canada Centre. No one can blame the goaltender on this one as James Reimer was solid in goal. But once again it took two periods for this team to play with any sense of urgency and again it was too little too late. The loss dropped the Leafs out of the final playoff spot as they are now one point behind Florida. Interestingly enough, they are 7 points out of 7th and 7 points away from last place.

A season that started out with much promise has turned sour with a terrible 1-6-1 tailspin that rivals last season's horrendous mid-October to November swoon. Being 4-4 over this eight game period would have the Leafs solidly in 8th place with 71 points and they would only be 3 points out of 4th place. With games against Washington and Florida coming up, the season can very well be determined by the end of February.

One has to wonder if a trade will make a difference for the Leafs in trying to make the playoffs and whether or not the deadline should be used to clear cap space, get more draft picks and create opportunities for kids from the Marlies to come up to the big team. It would be great if the Leafs could unload Mike Komisarek, Colby Armstrong, and Tim Connolly but its probably wishful thinking on my part.

At this point I am at a loss as to what this team needs to do. I do believe that whatever move they make before the deadline should not only be for this season. Trading young players or future assets to acquire a player that is going to help get the Leafs into the playoffs is a mistake. It's a path that this franchise has gone down before with limited success. Of course, if success is defined by winning a Stanley Cup then this strategy has been a failure. The Leafs' management team has some big decisions to make between now and 3pm February 27th. I guess that's why they get the big bucks.

23Feb/120

Will Leafs Be Different After Deadline??

Monday is the NHL trade deadline and the big question for Leaf Nation is: Will the Leafs roster be different next Tuesday when they face off against the Florida Panthers?? As each day passes I begin to think that if the Maple Leafs make any trades they will not be blockbusters. Yesterday in an interview on TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto, Leafs President & General Manager Brian Burke indicated that he did not have any offer on the table to acquire Rick Nash. Based upon what the Blue Jackets are looking for in return for Nash, that does not surprise me. However, Burkie did say that the Leafs will have to look at the goaltending market.

Burke has defended his goaltending tandem of Jonas Gustavsson and James Reimer throughout the season. In fact, he reiterated what he has said recently that Gustavsson had saved the Leafs season with his play in January. But the Leafs head honcho was very clear that the goaltending performance on Tuesday was not acceptable, noting that the game winner was a shot that was going wide. Burke indicated that they would be looking at a goalie who could help the team now not in the future.

Burke is taking heat for not having an experienced goaltender on the roster and that is fair criticism. But what I like about Burkie is he is not afraid to correct his mistakes. He did it with Kris Versteeg and Francois Beauchemin. With the season hanging in the balance, it would not surprise me if the Leafs acquire a veteran goalie. The candidates could be Evgeni Nabakov, Nikolai Khabibulin, Josh Harding, Andres Lindback and J.S. Giguere. I can't see the Leafs getting Nabakov or Khabibulin. But the other 3 could be possibilities. Harding would seem to fit the bill even though he has never been a starter backing up Niklas Backstrom. Harding has played well when pressed into service and is an unrestricted free agent next year so the Leafs could use the remaining games as an audition with no committment for next season. The Wild may consider the move since it would appear that Harding will look to go somewhere that gives him a shot to be a starter and as a result the price for Harding should not be that high. Harding is 27 years old.

Lindback is an interesting player. He is only 23 years old and is a restricted free agent. He played well when Pekka Rinne was out for a bit but it would appear that the Leafs might not want to bring in another 23 year old goalie. Giguere certainly has experience with the Maple Leafs. However, the 34 year old is under contract for next season at a salary cap hit of $1.25 million. If Burke wasn't willing to bring Giguere back in the summer would he be willing to bring him back now and be obligated to him next season??

Of the three, Harding would seem to make the most sense and don't forget that the Wild's general manager happens to be Cliff Fletcher's son. Giguere could be the fall back if the Leafs are comfortable bringing Giguere back next season. But while Burke is looking for goalies, the team still has other needs particularly some size up front. The other issue that bears watching involves Mikhail Grabovski. The popular center, who also happens to be the Leafs best center man, is an unrestricted free agent next season. Burke had to cringe when he saw that the Carolina Hurricanes signed Tuumo Ruutu to a four year extension worth $4.75 million per year. If Ruutu is worth $4.75 million a year, what's Grabovski worth?? On top of that, the Leafs are paying Tim Connolly $4.75 million per year and I think most would agree that Grabovski is worth more than Connolly.

It seems that the Leafs are balking against paying Grabovski $5.5 million a year. Unless the Leafs are able to clear cap space elsewhere, like moving a Mike Komisarek or a Colby Armstrong, they may look to move Grabovski. The problem with doing that now is that it would damage their already fragile playoff chances. I would hate to see Grabovski go but its obvious that if the Leafs are not going to re-sign him, they would try to get some assets for him.

Brian Burke has plenty of work to do before Monday and I can't think of a better guy to meet the challenge.

22Feb/120

Leafs Fall To Devils 4-3 In OT

The Toronto Maple Leafs fought back several times to be in a position to get a valuable two points last night against the New Jersey Devils. Yet, each time they drew even, suspect goaltending dropped them behind. The worst being the game winner by Mark Fayne 1:18 into overtime as the Devils defeated the Leafs 4-3. Toronto did get one point and remained tied with Winnipeg for the 8th and final playoff spot.

After Phil Kessel's goal tied the game with 43 seconds left in the third period, the crowd gave the team a standing ovation as regulation time ended and there was a feeling that the Leafs were going to pull this one out. Just before Fayne's goal, Jake Gardiner rattled one off the post behind Marty Brodeur and it seemed like it was a matter of time before they got the winner. However, seconds later Fayne put one past Jonas Gustavsson on a shot that looked like it was going wide of the net.

Think about how we all would be feeling today if the Leafs would have won the game. We would be talking about the fact that they never quit. That they received scoring from 3 lines. That Gustavsson, despite letting in two weak goals early, made some key saves to keep the Leafs in the game. Instead, a team that needed a win badly suffered a miserable defeat. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some times you need a big hit or a big goal. Kessel's goal could have been that goal. But as I also said sometimes your goalie needs to make a big save. In this case, we are not talking about a big save. We're talking about something routine.

It's anybodies guess as to who Coach Ron Wilson will start on Thursday night. Unless another goalie is brought in, I think that Wilson needs to pick a goalie and ride him. A goaltender needs to develop a groove and gain confidence. The yo-yo situation in net is not helping either goalie. It will also be interesting to see how this team reacts after losing a game that they could have won and needed to win. The Leafs control their own destiny but unless the goaltending situation gets straightened out, this team will not make the playoffs.

Let me close by asking you a question that was posed by Toronto Sun reporter Steve Simmons on twitter: If the Leafs need to win the final game of the season to make the playoffs who should Ron Wilson start in goal, James Reimer or Jonas Gustavsson???

21Feb/120

Tuesday’s Thoughts

While wondering what life will be as a Yankee fan without Mariano Rivera, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Mariano Rivera had the Pinstripe World in an uproar yesterday when he reported to camp and told the media that he has made up his mind as far as when he will be retiring. The Greatest Closer Ever told the media that he will tell them his decision at some point. Most Yankee observers believe that this will be Rivera's last year. Boy oh boy I can't imagine who will attempt to take over the closer's role for the Yankees but as fans we need to really enjoy his performance this year.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/possible_exit_sandman_makes_it_season_RqEU8SAcPdSVUAe0fT7YGK

* The Yankees have signed Raul Ibanez to be their lefty DH and play occasionally in the outfield. Now it remains to be seen whether they sign Eric Chavez.

* Brian Cashman admitted on The Mike Francesa Show that the six man rotation probably disrupted CC Sabathia more than Sabathia's weight gain in the second half of the season. I felt that this was a problem last year when Joe "The Binder" Girardi went to the six man. Athletes and particularly major league pitchers like repitition. A classic example is Mike Mussina. Let's hope The Binder learns from his mistake. However, Sabathia does need to keep his weight under control.

* Read an interesting article in the Boston Herald about Jon Lester and Josh Beckett. Lester was very gracious and apologetic in speaking about what happened in Spetember last season. He held himself responsible and understood why fans are upset and apologized. On the other hand, Beckett was as defiant as his idol, Roger Clemens. He was not apologizing for anything and was passing blame on unidentified Red Sox personnel. What a great role model for younger players!!!! Must be something about being from Texas that means you can't admit you were wrong and have to maintain that macho image. What B.S.!!!!!!!!!

* The Oakland A's announced yesterday that they signed Manny Ramirez to a contract worth $500,000. Ramirez would miss the first 50 games due to a suspension as a result of his usage of PED's. So this must be Money Ball circa 2012: sign Bartolo "Little Andre" Colon and Ramirez. Billy Beane is a joke and the fans of this once proud franchise should be sick about it.

* There was a rumor emanating from the Cleveland Fox-affiliate that the Cleveland Browns had worked out a contract to retain running back Peyton Hillis. I tried to see if there was any confirmation of this rumor and there was none to be found. If this indeed happens, the Browns will have made a wise decision.

* There are plenty of rumors about where Peyton Manning is going to end up. The latest has Seattle extremely interested. Something to keep an eye on is that the team that gets Manning (if he leaves the Colts) may also be able to get Reggie Wayne. The 32 year old wide receiver is a free agent and would be a great addition for any team that gets Manning.

* Tonight the Maple Leafs begin a critical four game home stand as the New Jersey Devils come to the ACC. The Devils are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games while the Leafs have lost five out of their last six. The Leafs need to do something that they haven't done on home ice in a long time: score the first goal. As we know the Devils love to clamp things down once they get a lead and they also have the resurgent Marty Brodeur. The Leafs received some help last night as Carolina whipped the Washington Capitals 5-0 leaving the Caps tied with Toronto for the 8th and final playoff spot.

* All of Toronto was a flutter yesterday when it was reported that Brian Burke met in NYC with Columbus GM Scott Howsam. Burke has downplayed the meeting and quite frankly I don't see the Leafs getting Rick Nash. The asking price is way too high. As Leaf fans we want them to make the playoffs but they shouldn't mortgage their future to do it. If they can get a big forward such as a Ryan Malone type or a lock down defenseman such as Ryan Suter they may be much better off than getting Nash or Jeff Carter. One thing to keep in mind, the Leafs would be better off trying to acquire Zach Parise on July 1 as opposed to trading away a Jake Gardiner to get Rick Nash. The overall goal should not be just to make the playoffs but to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. For the first time in a number of years the farm system is stocked with talent and to trade it away to make the playoffs this year only to get knocked out in the first round makes no sense.

* And finally, I watched a good chunk of the Knicks-Nets game last night. Deron Williams was on fire for the Nets last night as the Knicks had no answer for him. As I have stated before, it wouldn't take much for me to get back into the Knicks again but I just have to wonder if the Knicks would be better off without Carmelo Anthony.

20Feb/120

Yankees Begin Hunt For 28th Championship

The New York Yankees opened up spring training yesterday as pitchers and catchers reported to Tampa to begin the quest for their 28th World Championship. On paper, their starting rotation is much better than it was a year ago when Sergio Mitre, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon were battling for a starting spot. However as we know, what's on paper means nothing when the games count just ask the 2011 Phillies and Red Sox.

When looking at the Yankee rotation, if CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda can pitch like they have in the past, then the Yanks will have a pretty solid 1-2 punch. Of course, it will be interesting to see how Kuroda makes the transition from the National League to the American League. Last season, Sabathia's knee gave him trouble in the second half and in the playoffs and the Yankees have discussed with him the need to keep his weight under control. Sabathia also indicated that he would have to figure out a way to deal with a six-man rotation if it happens again this year. An interesting comment from CC and one that indicates to me that Joe Girardi's playing around with the rotation late last year didn't help his ace.

The rest of the rotation will be filled out by Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda, Phil Hughes or Freddy Garcia. In the first 3, the Yankees have young arms that if they progress the way their potential would indicate, the Bombers rotation could be set for years to come. With young pitchers you never know what to expect but all three of these guys have the talent to succeed. For Phil Hughes, this year is a critical one. After making the AL All-Star team in 2010, Hughes faltered in the second half of 2010 and had a terrible 2011. It is believed that he was out of shape in 2011 and could be the reason for the decline in his fast ball. Reportedly he is in camp in great shape and time will tell if his fast ball can consistently crack 93-95 mph. If it can, the Yanks rotation will be solid.

With AJ Burnett traded to Pittsburgh, the Yankees are now setting their sites on a DH preferrably someone to face right-handed pitchers. There has been plenty of reports indicating that they are focused on Raul Ibanez. Not sure I'm all that crazy about Ibanez. Many have talked about bringing Johnny Damon back but I think Damon would be looking at getting more ABs than the Yankees would be looking to give him. Hideki Matsui is another possibility but GM Brian Cashman has said that they want someone who can play some outfield if necessary and Matsui's knees limit his ability to do that. As a result, the Yankees might not have many other options besides Ibanez.

There is also reports that the Yanks are interested in bring Eric Chavez back and Chavez wants to come back. I think that bringing Chavez back would be a good move as the guy can hit and fill in at third when giving ARod a rest. In addition, Chavez can also play a little first base if necessary. Speaking of ARod, I believe that he will play around 110-120 games at third base. The Yankees need his power and ability to drive in runs. If he can't drive off his legs then his power numbers will go down as was evidenced last season. Giving him more DH opportunities should take some stress off his hip and knees.

As we all know, championships are not won on paper but on the field. A lot of things can happen over the course of a 162 game schedule particularly with an aging starting lineup. But the key to the season will be those three young arms. If Pineda, Nova and Hughes can consistently give the Yankees quality starts, any issues with an aging starting lineup will be covered and give the Yankees a good shot of capturing Number 28.

19Feb/120

Leafs Head Home With Season On The Line

The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their Western Canadian road trip in miserable fashion by being dominated by the Vancouver Canucks in a 6-2 loss at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver. There is no sense in going over last night's debacle because whether or not the Leafs make the playoffs could be determined in the next four games, all at the Air Canada Centre. The Leafs play New Jersey on Tuesday, San Jose on Thursday and Washington on Saturday. The home stand closes out on Tuesday February 28th against the Florida Panthers. In my opinion, the Leafs must win the three games against the Eastern Conference teams if they are to get into the playoffs.

The HNIC cameramen picked out two great shots of Leafs General Manager Brian Burke last night. The second one showed a visibly steamed Burke who's face was beet red. After the 5-0 defeat of Ottawa there was plenty of talk that the Leafs might not make a trade because the team seemed to be on track. I for one did not feel that way as I felt that the Leafs needed to add muscle up front. Well, after seeing Burke last night I would be shocked if a couple of trades aren't made before the February 27th trade deadline.

I'm not sure what it is about Saturday night HNIC games but the Maple Leafs are 7-10 in Saturday contests. Making matters worse, four of those wins came in October. If the Leafs were 9-8 they would be tied with Ottawa at 68 points and have two games in hand. They would be only two points behind the New Jersey Devils.

Other than Jake Gardiner, Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel, every other player should be available in a trade. There has been plenty of talk that the Leafs may need to get a goaltender. I'm not sure who they could get at this point that will be much better than James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson unless you could get someone like Jaroslav Halak. What might be the better course is going with Gustavsson on this home stand. While it is apparent that Leaf management wants Reimer to be the team's number one, Gustavsson saved the season in Janaury and deserves the chance to take the role as number one goaltender.

But goaltending is only part of the issue. The Leafs terrible defensive zone coverage is killing them and I believe that it is also tied to their inability to do the gritty things that you need to score goals. Going to the net, cycling down low have been missing for the most part over the last 6 games and that translates into their own end where forwards should be back to assist the defense in getting the puck out of their own zone.

Something needs to happen soon otherwise this season that started out so hopeful will once again result in no playoffs for Leaf Nation.

18Feb/120

Leaf Trade Rumors: Gardiner & Grabovski On The Move??

As we get closer to the February 27th NHL trade deadline, trade rumors involving the Toronto Maple Leafs change hourly and there is plenty of debate as to what this team needs. My opinion is that they need one (if they could two) big forward who can clear space for their talented smaller forwards. Think Ryan Malone or someone like a Brian Boyle (I am not saying that Brian Boyle is available).

There are two big stories floating around Toronto one involving Rick Nash and the other involving Mikhail Grabovski. Nash is the big Columbus Blue Jacket forward who is on the trading block. Nash has given the Blue Jackets five teams that he would agree to go to. One of those teams are the Toronto Maple Leafs. There has been plenty of speculation that Blue Jacket GM Scott Howsam would only consider a deal with the Leafs if rookie defenseman Jake Gardiner was involved. Quite frankly I say no thank you if I'm the Leafs. I've always liked Rick Nash as a player and would love to see him in a Leaf uniform, however the soon to be 28 year old comes with a $7.8 million price tag that runs through 2018. In addition, in order to get Nash it will take more than Gardiner including possibly Mikhail Grabovski and some experts are saying that Phil Kessel might have to be involved.

Moving either Grabovski or Kessel to get Nash makes no sense. If bringing Nash in is to provide more scoring it makes no sense to give up one of your top points producers to get him. Could you imagine Nash on a line with Grabovski?? Moving Grabovski basically means you have traded away your best center man. (more on this below) As far as Kessel goes, you would be trading away a 24 year old All-Star who appears to continue to improve his game and one has to wonder how much higher this kid can go if he had a big center to play with and this is not meant as any slight to Tyler Bozak. Who would you rather have centering Joffrey Lupul and Kessel: Bozak or someone like Ryan Getzlaf??

As far as moving Gardiner, I think that would be a huge mistake. As I have stated many times on this blog, Gardiner is the best young defenseman that this organization has had since Borje Salming. His skating ability is excellent and he leads all rookie defensemen in scoring. Many NHL scouts are saying that this kid can be something special. At the age of 21, Gardiner is already one of the Leafs top 4 defenseman and to move him would be a huge mistake. Having a young defenseman who can skate and has offensive ability to make plays are not easy to find. Gardiner could anchor this defense corp for 10-12 years. Getting Rick Nash would be great, but will the overall cost increase or decrease the team's chances to make the playoffs.

Yesterday Darren Dreger reported that the Leafs had an offer on the table for Mikhail Grabovski that included a second round pick and a top prospect. There was a belief that the Leafs could possibly hold out and get a first rounder and a top prospect. In twitter world it was speculated that the St.Louis Blues were the team involved but that has not been confirmed. Dreger went on to say that this could be an attempt by Brian Burke to put heat on the Grabovski camp to lower its contract demand to stay in Toronto as it has been reported that Mikhail loves living in Toronto.

If Brian Burke makes the deal as reported by Dreger and no other deal is made then it basically tells me that Burke does not believe that this team can make the playoffs and if they do make it they will be an easy mark for a Rangers or Bruins team. It is inconceivable to me that Burkie would move his best center man for a draft pick and propsect unless that draft pick is a top first round pick. Grabovski is the Leafs best center right now and moving him without getting anyone to replace him means that Tim Connolly becomes your 2nd line center. Somehow that doesn't inspire me.

Brian Burke's history with the Maple Leafs has been to make a deal that no one was expecting. It would seem that with the glut of defensemen that the team has that one of them would be included in a trade. I would think that Gardiner, Dion Phaneuf and John-Michael Liles would not be involved in a deal. But one thing is clear: I would be shocked if Burke does not make a trade. A big forward would be what I think the team needs and if it was a center man that would even be better. Only time will tell, so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, the Leafs have a tough one tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. Its a big game for the Leafs as the Washington Capitals pulled within one point of Toronto and Winnipeg is now only 4 points behind. This game will be a tough one and hopefully the Leafs will play with desperation tonight. James Reimer gets the start on Hockey Night In Canada. The puck drop is at 7:05pm.