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

My Plan For The 2012-13 Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leaf organization enters into one of the most important off seasons during the Brian Burke era with considerable pressure mounting as a result of the team missing the playoffs for the 7th straight year. There are moves that the Leafs can make which I think will help this team move forward and get to the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup. Let me be clear, I'm not predicting that the Leafs are going to win the Stanley Cup next year. Nor am I saying that this team is definitely going to make the playoffs next year. What I'm saying is that with the right moves this team will not go into the nearly two month funk that cost them a playoff spot. A big reason for that is the style of play that Coach Randy Carlyle will demand next year.

From where I'm sitting the Maple Leafs need to acquire a goaltender, a number one center/big body forwards and a shutdown defensman. In my opinion, the number one priority is getting a goaltender. Yesterday at his press conference, Brian Burke indicated that he would not part with his first round pick (which is 5th overall) to acquire a Jonathan Bernier or a Anders Lindback. I agree with that because neither of them has a proven body of work. The Leafs need a proven goalie to push James Reimer and possibly carry the load. I agree with Burke that Reimer can be a number one goalie. It is apparent that the injury the young netminder suffered in Montreal on October 22 impacted his play for the rest of the season. The Leafs cannot roll the dice with Reimer and another young goalie, whether that's Bernier, Lindback or Ben Scrivens. Based on what Burke said, it is possible that the Leafs could make a trade with a team that has two capable NHL goalies. St. Louis is a possibility as it would seem that the Blues could acquire some help by moving either Brian Elliott or Jaroslav Halak. Chicago could be another possible trade partner as the Black Hawks just signed Ray Emery and might be willing to move Corey Crawford. Another possibility could be someone like Dan Ellis of Anaheim who Randy Carlyle would know something about and I would imagine would not cost the Leafs that much in a trade. While Burke dismissed free agency, one has to wonder if it wouldn't make sense to sign a Tomas Vokoun to a one year deal or someone like a Marty Biron.

The issue of getting a number one center is not easy nor do I think that it is a top priority. The Leafs have to commit to Joe Colborne. Colborne is big and needs in the off season to bulk up a little more. I would start him in training camp with Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. It is more important to get some big bodies up front. Someone like a Brandon Prust or even Jarret Stoll who had 165 hits. Would Dallas be willing to part with an Eric Nystrom?? The Leafs need to get a couple of players like that to give the team more grit and still have the ability to contribute offensively. Stoll is an interesting possibility since his history shows that he can score between 15-20 goals. This past season was his worst as a pro but maybe a change in scenery will help. The other thing with Stoll is that he is making $3.6 million a year. This would be a perfect opportunity to swap a big contract, like a Matthew Lombardi, and get a player who is more physical. The only Leaf forward to have more hits than Stoll was David Steckel.

On defense, the Leafs need to make some decisions about Cody Franson and Mike Komisarek. These two were moved in and out of the press box all season. In my opinion, Komisarek needs to go. He has a modified no trade clause, which means that he can supply the Leafs with a list of teams he would be willing to go to in a trade. The Leafs would have to take salary back but it would be worth it to them to move him. I have tried to give Komisarek the benefit of the doubt but it is apparent to me that he needs a change of scenery. The play that sticks in my mind was the last game in Buffalo where he lost his head going after Markus Foligno that resulted in a Sabres goal. For a veteran that's inexcusable.

Franson is an RFA and has some trade value. But if anyone could get Franson to play with more of a physical edge it would be Carlyle and Assistant Coach Dave Farrish. Another guy who can benefit from their instruction is Luke Schenn. Carlyle's disclosure yesterday about how Francois Beauchemin's confidence was completely shot when he came back to the Anaheim Ducks in the Jake Gardiner trade was compelling and may explain how Schenn's game has plumetted since his rookie year. The Leafs need to decide whether Schenn can be made into a solid stay at home defenseman. I really believe that Ron Wilson wanted Schenn to be something he is not: a defenseman who is going to join the rush and create scoring chances. That's not Schenn's game and in his rookie season he wasn't expected to do that.

The Leafs also need to determine who from the Toronto Marlies will be able to contribute next season. Darren Dreger has said that he believes that Korbian Holzer is ready to make the jump to the NHL. If that is the case, the Leafs could move a Komisarek or Franson to try to get bigger upfront. Matt Frattin needs to be with the Leafs all season next year. He's physical and he has offensive ability. In my opinion, the Leafs number one trade asset is Nazem Kadri. As I mentioned in yeaterday's Tuesdays Thoughts, I don't see Kadri fitting in with Coach Carlyle's style of play. He doesn't excel in a defensive style of play and he doesn't believe that its necessary based upon an article in the Toronto Star earlier this week. Maybe Kadri is the type of chip that would be necessary to get a top goalie along with a young goalie like Ben Scrivens. If the Leafs keep Kadri then they need to play him.

If its possible Burke needs to try to move Komisarek, Lombardi, and Colby Armstrong. It would be great if he could also get rid of Tim Connolly but that might be wishful thinking. The Leafs may have to take back salary unless they're dealing with a team that needs to get up to the salary cap floor. But taking back salary would not be a bad thing if you can get someone in return who is going to provide veteran leadership and a physical presence because the players that I have listed have not been able to supply the Leafs with neither.

None of what I'm suggesting will be easy but it is apparent that Leaf management team knows that it is crunch time. They need to score big this off season. Despite the naysayers, I believe with acquiring a proven NHL goalie and getting bigger up front, the Leafs could be a playoff team next year with Carlyle behind the bench. We will have several months to see how this all plays out.
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Disappointing Season Ends With 4-1 Loss

A season that started out so promising mercifully came to an end Saturday night for the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. With the loss, the Leafs will end up with an 8.1% chance of getting the 1st pick overall as a result of finishing 26th overall. I'm sure that all of the Tankers out there must be happy.

You knew that the Canadiens were going to win this one when they scored a shorthanded goal while being two men short. Dion Phaneuf made the score 2-1 early in the third period as the Leafs seemed to be poised to tie the game. However, Erik Cole ended all of that with a goal moments after Tim Connolly had a chance to tie the game up. For the Leafs it was a fitting ending for a season that saw them in 6th place in the Eastern Conference on February 6th only to fall to a lottery pick opportunity.

This week I will tell you what I think the Leafs need to do to right the ship. Look for it on Wednesday morning and here's hoping we can move up in the draft lottery.

Rock Bottom: Leafs Lose 3-0

For the 10th straight time on home ice, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost a hockey game this time to the Carolina Hurricanes by the score of 3-0. While losses to the Rangers and Flyers in a shoot out at least showed some determination and desire on the part of the team in Blue & White, last night's display was a total disgrace. This was a team that paid no attention to Coach Randy Carlyle's message earlier in the day when he stated that the Leafs needed to be better at home.

This season cannot end fast enough as the current edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs have mailed it in. The situation in goal has gone beyond critical and should be considered fatal. Without any question, Jonas Gustavsson should not be a Toronto Maple Leaf next year. But for his stretch of games this past January, his career with the Leafs has been mediocre at best. Of bigger concern is the status of James Reimer. Reimer was scratched from last night's game with an upper body injury. What has been reported is that the 24 year old netminder took a puck to the head during practice on Monday and was not feeling well. Reimer has not been the same since the hit by Brian Gionta on October 22. No matter what the Leafs want to say, he probably had a concussion and now with these recent developments one has to wonder if this kid will ever be the same.

As a result of all of this, I think that the off-season needs to address two areas: goaltending and defense. I know that they need a number one center and another big forward who has some offensive capability. But under the Carlyle system, the Leafs could win a lot of games 2-1 or 3-2. Before the bottom fell out in February, this team was scoring goals. The problem has been keeping the other team from scoring.

Brian Burke will need to acquire a goalie via trade. There also needs to be some critical review of the work of Francois Allaire. Burke's defense of Allaire rings hollow. As many of you know, I believe that Burke can turn this around. But I think Allaire is not part of the solution. Bringing in an established NHL goalie should not be hampered by a goalie coach who demands a certain style of play. A coach should try to accentuate a player's strengths. Somehow I don't see Allaire doing that.

Along with getting an established goalie, I think the Leafs should make a run at Ryan Suter. I would open up the check book big time. The Leafs would have a true shut down defenseman who is big and not afraid to throw his body around. Adding Suter to a defense corp of Dion Phaneuf, Jake Gardiner and Carl Gunnarsson would provide the Leafs with a legitimate top 4. Decisions would have to be made on Luke Schenn, Cody Franson, John-Michael Liles and Mike Komisarek.

Thursday night the Flyers are at the ACC and it could get real ugly. There were empty seats last night and one has to wonder how many more will be empty when Philadelphia rolls into town. One thing is clear, Leaf Nation is getting restless and there are some players who need to be out of here come next September.

Another Saturday Night, Another Loss For The Leafs

Since I was a kid, there was nothing worse from October through April than a Leaf loss on Saturday night. I'm literally miserable Sunday morning and this year it has been extremely rough. Last night, a 4-3 shootout loss to the Eastern Division leading New York Rangers, continued the trend as the Leafs record is 9-10 on Saturday nights with four of those wins coming in October. Oh and by the way they haven't won at home since February 6th when they defeated the Edmonton Oilers. Seems like a hundred years ago.

These remaining games are really difficult to watch as you know they are playing out the string. I try to see if there are any positives in the remaining games and hope that they can be built on for next season. Nazem Kadri certainly has skills and hopefully he can blossom into a legitimate offensive threat for the Leafs next season. Ryan Hamilton is a nice story but I'm not sure if he is going to help this squad. The emergence of the Steckel line has been nice to see and certainly could be a dangerous third line. I hope that the Leafs play Cody Franson the rest of the season. They really need to see this kid in action under Randy Carlyle's system.

What makes the end of this season more aggravating is that this team on February 6 was only several points behind the 4th place Philadelphia Flyers. It is hard to imagine how and why the bottom fell out. One thing is certain, the roster will need to be changed in order to play the game that Carlyle is looking for. That game is going to be defense oriented with offense generated by cycling down low in the opponents zone. As evidence by the fact that the Steckel line scored 2 of the 3 Leaf goals last night, you don't need to be an Art Ross candidate to contribute in this system.

By the way, has any one happened to notice that Phil Kessel has 36 goals and 41 assists for a total of 77 points. That makes him 5th in the league in scoring behind Malkin, Stamkos, Giroux and Spezza. Any trade that will include Kessel better be able to make up for the loss of that offensive production. What is more amazing is that most of his points have come at even strength. I wonder how many points the four ahead of him have when their team is on the power play.

Leafs play again Tuesday at the ACC against Carolina.

Leafs Win, Why Am I Not Happy

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in a shoot out last night and for some reason I wasn't all that happy about it. I want to be clear, I'm not a registered member of Tank Nation. But the victory last night was not a solid one and it illustrated the problems this team has had over the past 20-something games. The Leafs led by two goals twice last night and blew them twice. One as a result of Mike Komisarek misreading the play which left a New Jersey forward open in front of Leaf netminder James Reimer and the other as a result of Jake Gardiner not being able to tie Zach Parise up at the side of the net.

There will be endless yammering about how the Leafs should have brought Nazem Kadri up sooner. How this kid has special talent and that the Leafs have totally mishandled him. Every time that Kadri has been brought up from the Marlies he has started off with a bang only to fizzle out. What is interesting is that the same media scribes who will be pounding away at Burke & Company for not bringing up Kadri as opposed to either Carter Ashton or Matt Frattin are the same ones who are saying that Phil Kessel is not a Randy Carlyle type of player. So Nazem Kadri is a Randy Carlyle type of player?? Really???

Kadri does have offensive talent but in recent call-ups he has been out-muscled and deficient defensively. Hardly the type of player that Carlyle is supposedly looking for. As with Kessel, the hope would be that Carlyle can teach the youngster from London, Ontario how to be more defensively responsible.

I was happy to see how James Reimer played last night. He made 43 saves, some very big ones that kept the Leafs in the game. For all the angst about the Leaf goaltending situation, James Reimer is 24 years old and under contract for the next few years. Do the Leafs need to get an experienced goalie. Yes they do. But Reimer for now is their future and the best thing that can happen is if this kid can get his confidence restored.

It will be interesting to see how this team plays tonight at home against the Eastern Conference leading New York Rangers. The Leafs have not won at the ACC since February 6th against Edmonton. I'm sure will hear from Mr. Cherry how he has been right all along about Kadri and how Burke screwed this Ontario boy up. More grist for the mill. In the end, the Leafs will be in tough against the Rangers. Another Saturday night. Can't wait until this season is over.

Why Firing Burke Makes No Sense

Last night a faint chant of "Fire Burke" was heard at the Air Canada Centre during Toronto's 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders. Throughout the day, whether on twitter, talk radio or in newspapers, many were calliing for the dismissal of Brian Burke. Frustration and anger has gripped Leafs Nation big time. Being a Leaf fan for over 40 years, I have experienced plenty of both so I get it. I am just as frustrated about what has happened this season as the next Leaf fan. How many of you wear a Leafs lanyard to work in the middle of Buffalo Sabres country?? I've been taking plenty of heat and ridicule for the last 16 games because of it.

So I understand the outrage over missing the playoffs once again but firing Brian Burke makes absolutely no sense. Has Brian Burke made mistakes?? You bet he has. The goaltending situation rests at the feet of Burke. In his defense, one has to wonder what the season would be like if Brian Gionta had not nailed James Reimer in the head. In case you forgot, Reimer was 4-0-1 before being knocked out for over a month. With respect to Jonas Gustavsson, the same critics who are slamming Burke were praising the acquisition of the "best goalie not in the NHL." Be that as it may, the Leafs would have been better off if they had a veteran available, particularly after Reimer got hurt.

Burke's free agent acquisitions have been terrible. Tim Connolly, Colby Armstrong, Mike Komisarek, and Brett Lebda have not helped this club. Of the four, Komisarek has played better as of late but he has not delivered as was hoped. In his defense, the free agent market has not been good since the lockout. Players like Rick Nash and Steven Stamkos decided to re-sign with their current clubs before hitting the open market. Brad Richards, who was the prize free agent last year, had his heart set on the Rangers from day one. If Nash or Stamkos were available there is no doubt in my mind that Burke would have gone after them. Do you remember how Ron Wilson got in trouble for saying that the team was looking at the Sedin twins?? In fact, the Canucks were very concerned and it has been reported that Burke was ready to spring into action if the twins hit the open market. Of course, that didn't happen.

Where Burke has done very well has been in the trade market. He has been able to move free agents that have not worked out well (Francois Beauchemin, Kris Versteeg and Brett Lebda) and acquire players that have been productive along with future assets (Jake Gardiner, Joffrey Lupul, Cody Franson, Matthew Lombardi and a first round draft pick). Through trades, he has built up a farm system that has been a laughingstock for 40 years. The same people who are ripping Burke are the same people who have ripped the Leafs over the years because the farm system was barren and that they had no young prospects worth a damn. When was the last time that the Leafs AHL affiliate has led a division this late in the season?

Many will say so what. Big deal that the Marlies are in first place and headed to the AHL playoffs. The bottom line is that the Maple Leafs have not made the playoffs once again. But let me ask this question: how many so-called hockey experts predicted at the beginning of the season that the Leafs would make the playoffs?? Most experts had the Leafs somewhere in the neighborhood of 8th and 13th place. Does this justify the collapse? No it does not but what it does tell us is that this team is not there yet and most knew that at the beginning of the season.

There is no question that this off season will be a critical one for the Maple Leaf organization. There is no question that Burke will need to acquire a goaltender. Depending upon where they finish they are going to get a top 7 pick in the NHL Entry Draft. They will need to acquire a big forward, preferably a center. It may also be essential to pick up a big defenseman. I wouldn't have a problem if they made a run at Ryan Suter. In addition, certain players must be moved out. Colby Armstrong's stint in Toronto has been terrible and there may be a market for him. Matthew Lombardi is occupying a roster spot that could be opened for a trade acquisition or a youngster from the Marlies. A decision must be made about Cody Franson. You are either going to play the kid or you need to move him. One thing is clear, the Leafs need to get bigger and stronger in order to compete with the Eastern Conference heavyweights like Philadelphia, Boston and the Rangers.

Firing Brian Burke now will be a huge mistake. He is an accomplished general manager who has built a Stanley Cup team in Anaheim and set the foundation for the team that you see in Vancouver. Whether you want to believe it or not, this team is in much better shape than where it was five years ago. We have waited 45 years for a Stanley Cup. I think I can wait a couple more years to be a legitimate contender using youth as the foundation.

Carlyle Hockey: Leafs Win 3-1

Last night the Toronto Maple Leafs exhibited the quality that Brian Burke talks about: trucculence. They didn't take any of the Ottawa Senators guff, were aggressive on the forecheck, killed penalties, blocked shots, played solid defense and received good goaltending. All of that resulted in a 3-1 win over their hated provincial rivals.

While their are some in the media who will pound the Leafs for once again screwing up the chance to get a top five draft pick, what happens during the course of these last 10 games will say a lot about what this team needs to do in the off season. There are no Sidney Crosbys, Steven Stamkos or John Tavares to draft. Point being that anyone selected in that top five are not going to have an immediate impact on this team. If they are able to get a high pick fine. But, it's more important to find out who on this current roster is going to play the way Randy Carlyle wants them to play.

There has been some who have called into question the new contract that was given to Mikhail Grabovski. Well. last night should put to bed any criticism as we may have seen the emergence of a leader when the small center man stood up for rookie Carter Ashton and took on Chris Neil. I have seen Grabovski use his body against much bigger opponents. One specifically I recall was his checking of Evgeni Malkin. It is apparent to me that Grabovski can play for Carlyle and he has the offensive ability that this team needs.

Since Damien Cox's article about trading Phil Kessel, there has been plenty of banter about whether or not Kessel should remain with the team. Last night, Kessel drew a penalty and on the subsequent power play scored what would be the winning goal on a beautiful shot that beat Senator goalie Ben Bishop. Kessel will never be a physical presence but what I did notice last night was that in the third period with his team leading 3-1, Kessel was inclined to gain the red line and dump the puck into the Senators zone. It will remain to be seen what happens this summer, but I think that Phil Kessel can play for Randy Carlyle. We also should remember this: Kessel has 35 goals and 40 assists. Not easily replaced.

Mike Komisarek has been a continual whipping boy since arriving here in Toronto and justifiably so. However, since Carlyle's appearance behind the bench, Komisarek has been playing the way he was when he was with the Canadiens. Last night I thought was one of his best games as a Maple Leaf. He was a physical presence and he got under the skin of Daniel Alfredsson which resulted in a 5 on 3 power play for the Leafs which resulted in Dion Phaneuf's goal.

It will be interesting to see how the Leafs play in Boston on Monday night. The Bruins have owned the Leafs and are obviously a much bigger and physical team. This will be a good test and Coach Carlyle will certainly use it as part of his evaluation process.