Carry That Weight

Seven Players That Can Lift The Leafs Into The Playoffs

Dion Phaneuf: The player who scored the last Leaf goal in dramatic fashion at the end of last season will be the first player to wear the C on a Maple Leafs uniform since Mats Sundin. Are you as excited as I am about our best six defenceman being led on to the ice by Captain Dion Bone-Crusher Phaneuf? The team finally has a leader who will assume personal responsibility for winning and losing while encouraging confidence and success, and that can only lead to a better team performance.

It took Phaneuf a surprising 25 games to score his first goal as a Maple Leaf. He scored his second goal the very next game, the game winner in overtime, as the Leafs closed the curtain that night on their season. It only took him 6 minutes and 51 seconds to get into his first fight as a Maple Leaf, in the first period of his first game.

After the Great January 31st Overhaul, the Leafs record with Dion in the line-up was 13-10-3. That's not setting the world on fire, but it was the Leafs most consistent stretch of the season, 29 points in 26 games. If they'd have done that for 82 games, the Leafs would have had 91 points and been tied for 6th with Boston.

Tomas Kaberle: Will Frantisek Sr. still be welcome to watch Leafs practices alongside Howard Berger? Toronto's longest serving player will be coming back to the team under an incredible media-microscope and it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure. With calm dignity and grace, I suspect, if Kabby stays in his usual character.

With no Olympic schedule this year, and with Mike Komisarek returning to the line-up,and Phaneuf taking command, Kabby's workload should be less demanding this season, and more in tune with what Burke and Wilson had originally crafted when they brought in Komi and Beauchemin last summer. As part of this fearsome foursome, Kabby will hopefully be able to do what he does best when the Leafs need it most, giving this dangerous group a deadly playmaking dynamic.

Approaching Maple Leaf milestones for Kaberle this season include surpassing Ron Stewart (9th all-time) and Darryl Sittler (8th) for games played; Iafrate, McCabe, and Hap Day could all be caught for goals-scored by a defenceman; will likely pass George Armstrong for 5th in all-time assists; and could possibly catch Rick Vaive for tenth spot all-time in Leafs scoring.

Phil Kessel: Kessel leads the attack, and Maple Leaf fortunes are directly tied to his contribution. No player will make a bigger difference towards winning and losing on a nightly basis. In the last 26 games of the season last year, the Leafs managed just two wins on nights when Kessel didn't factor into the scoring. The good news is, Kessel gets on the scoresheet a lot, and when he does, the Leafs chances for success improve drastically, and I mean, drastically: From the last 26 games, when Kessel is held off the scoresheet, the Leafs are 2-8-2, but then are 11-2-1 when Kessel records a goal or an assist.

I don't think we need to worry about Kessel's consistency or his ability to score when it counts, the question is can the rest of the team find a way to battle through for the win when Kessel is held in check. A potent weapon, even shut down, should still have the effect of weakening the other side's overall defence.
Mikhail Grabovski: Best hair on the team. At this time last summer, Grabovski was Toronto's fastest rising star, second in popularity to only Luke Schenn. The additions of Kessel and Phaneuf, and the departures of virtually every player who'd come before and many more since, have opened up Grabovski to more critical eyes within Leafs Nation. He still has a number of very loyal supporters, but the novelty has worn off for others who want to see less dipsy and more doodle, and for Grabbo to bring the crazy at appropriate times, when it's constructive and useful.

Wilson seems to have him figured out and hopefully can encourage Grabbo to the next level this season. I pointed this out at the end of last season, but I'll bring it up again; in the 59 games that Grabovski appeared in, the Leafs were a point per game team. 24-24-11. Some people might call that .500. I'm reluctant to. But it's a marked improvement from where we actually think we are. It's competitive. It means that every game we have an equal chance of coming away with a point in the standings. For Leaf fans, this is a huge difference on it's own.

Nikolai Kulemin: The player that I would now rank as Toronto's fastest rising star is Kulemin. Not sure where he ranks in popularity, but he's on the list. Big things will be expected of Kool-Aid this season but it may be that we've found a real diamond in the rough. As the season progressed last year, Kulemin's play and confidence seemed to improve at an accelerating rate, as if gaining its own momentum. The word "blossom" barely does justice to Super-Kule's increasing maturation. In Ron Wilson's words:

"It's simple. He was crawling, then walking, now he's running... He's probably our most complete player now. He's everything you want in a hockey player."
Jonas Gustavsson: What are we going to get from the Monster? It's unfathomable that the Leafs might suffer yet a third goaltending catastrophe. The painful journey that was the Raycroskala boat of death should thankfully be at an end. It's time for other teams to fear our goaltending and our goalie has the best nickname in the league for that. Let this be the beginning of some sort of Felix-Cujo reincarnation, with Giguere in the role of Fuhr-Puppa-Healey-Eddie, and playoff possibilities will look at lot clearer.

After a difficult enough start to his career to earn a Masterton nomination, Gustavsson's numbers were very good down the stretch. 7-2-1 in his last 10 games of the season beginning from the Olympic break. A 2.62 GAA in that run, and a .915 SV%. Finding that form early on and not having any setbacks will be key to the Leafs post-season aspirations.

Mike Komisarek: The Wild Card. I have a feeling if Komisarek can give us 75 games or more this season, no one will be questioning his signing. Let us pray that we don't have another Colaiacovo-Van Ryn situation here because one of the biggest setbacks to the Leafs success last season, and Burke's architecture, was the prolonged absence of Komisarek on the blueline. Mike suited up for just 34 games, picking up 4 assists and 40 penalty minutes. The absence of his physical, punishing style had an impact that can't be measured until we see an entire season of Komisarek getting comfortable and making things comfortable for the rest of our defenders too.

With Phaneuf named Captain while Komisarek rehabbed, the pressure should be off just enough for Komi to be an intense weapon without being a liability. He slots in very nicely into the top four with the now settled and steady Beauchemin, the all-star Kaberle, and the Captain Phaneuf. And with the dynamic young duo of Schenn and Gunnarrson following their lead in spots 5 and 6, this is the most promising defensive line-up for the Leafs that I can ever recall. To break this group up before they'd even played a game together as a unit would have been a tragedy. Komisarek's poise, his experience, his toughness, and his health are going to be needed and will be key to seeing them reach their exciting potential.

This year, the Playoffs!!!1.

Believe it.

Nikolai "Difference Maker" Kulemin

A couple of mornings ago I awoke to discover more then 200 new comments scattered throughout my blog, all of them from a Chinese porn robot. So, while doing some house cleaning and deleting them all one by one, I stumbled upon a post I'd written a year and a half ago which I thought was worth revisiting.

Time will tell, I guess, but if he continues to hit the back of the net with regularity during the shoot-out, or actually during the "game" part of the game, then he might be making a huge difference after all - the difference between winning and losing. As a Leaf fan, that's all the difference in the world.

Hey, wow! Look at that, I've got a theme going. Maybe I'll make it a series. Did you know that Kulemin was my favourite NHL player after just his 3rd NHL game? Ya, me neither, but that's what I wrote. There's also a funny joke in that post about how I thought Jari Kurri was my father. Some day I'll do a post about that. But today's post is about Nikolai Kulemin, my new favourite NHL player again, not counting Kaberle.

"He's probably our most complete player now. He's everything you want in a hockey player."

Wilson's assessment mirrors my own in this situation, a rare occurrence lately. One of the few real reasons for joy this season has been the pleasure of watching Kulemin's game blossom and bloom. While, at the time, I really wondered about the coach's decision to sit Kulemin as a healthy scratch through 4 of the first 8 games, it's clear now that one of Wilson's few significant achievements this season is the management and development of Kulemin's skills, from a raw sophomore talent, to the potent, confident, first line player he is today.

"He was crawling, then walking, now he's running."

Pretty soon he'll want to borrow the car.

Well, since the loss in our last game against Florida was kind of a downer and it's much more fun feeling hopeful and optimistic, let's all enjoy a video tribute of a Maple Leaf that I hope will be with the team for many years to come.

First up; Nikolai Kulemin's first NHL goal. The first player to score a goal while making his NHL debut in a season-opener against the defending Stanley Cup champs since Eric Lindros in 1992. For whatever that's worth.
Next; his 2nd-ever NHL goal, a beauty back-hander against St. Louis.
Here's a great goal from earlier this season, January 12, during a 4-2 loss against Carolina, a second period goal assisted by Bozak and Kessel.
The very next game, January 14th, another 2nd period goal, again assisted by Kessel. The Leafs take this game 4-0, and it's at about this time perhaps that a Maple Leafs puzzle begins to take shape without a Stajan, or a Hagman, a Poni, or Stempniak.
Another goal against the Flyers in January, this one 8 days earlier on the 6th, a 3rd period goal during a 6-2 defeat that began a 4-game losing streak that would end the next time the Leafs played Philadelphia. Check out how much Kulemin resembles Kessel on this play:
In this month alone, Kuelmin has scored 3 times in the shoot-out; March 6th, a 2-1 win against Ottawa, on the 18th, a 2-1 win over New Jersey, and the next game, March the 20th, a 3-2 win over Montreal. Here's a sample, from last season, of what Kulemin can do as an extra-point sniper:
He's also scored an overtime goal this month, Toronto's long-awaited first overtime goal of the year, giving the Leafs a 4-3 victory over Boston on the 9th. This was followed up the very next game, March 11th, with Phil Kessel scoring in OT to give the Leafs a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay for their second consecutive overtime win. In all, that's 2 overtimes and 3 shoot outs - 5 extra points, 5 wins and not losses, that Kulemin and his linemates have captured for the Leafs, just this month.
So cheers to Nikolai Kulemin, who's making a huge difference to my enjoyment of the second half of this Titanic-like season. The last video, despite misspelling "diffrence" is actually pretty good with the music. They should make another updated version with all of his shoot-out and overtime and highlight reel goals with the same music. Or somebody else should. Or maybe I should learn how to do it and do it myself.

BoOBbB 2009-2010: Episode VI

Super Kule is Super Hot.

That would have been the title for this post except that the Leafs are playing Ottawa again, so instead we're back with another episode of the Battle of Ontario Blow-by-Blow. Hard to believe, but this is the last time these two teams will meet this season. The Leafs have won 3 in a row against the Sens, and look to make it 4 straight tonight. Toronto leads the season series, 3-2 (6 points to 5), including the overtime victory from their last meeting just 10 days ago. In those 5 games, the Leafs have given up only 8 goals to Ottawa, while scoring 13.

Before the game starts though, let's talk about Nikolai Kulemin for a second. I'd say he's probably my favourite Leaf forward right now, with Bozak as a close second. Currently, Kulemin has a 5-game point streak going, with 4 goals and 3 assists in that span. He's also a +3 for March after 8 games, averaging nearly 3 shots (2.875) per game since the Olympic break. He has 2 game-winning goals to his credit, plus a shorthanded goal. Right now I think he looks terrific on the top line with Bozak and Kessel as those 3 have combined for 17 points over the last 4 games.

A couple more thoughts before the game...

Gunnarsson is an incredible +11 after just 30 games played. He has 4 points in his last 5 games, bringing his season total up to 11 (2G, 9A), and is a +8 in 8 games since the break. His numbers, averaged out over an 82-game schedule would look like: 5.4 goals, 24.6 assists, for 30 points, and a plus 30. Wow. Only 9 NHL players have a plus/minus above 25, and all of them play for either Washington or Vancouver. Last season, only 8 players finished the year with a plus/minus at 30 or above.

I'm still very interested to see how the Leafs scoring race will shake down over the remaining 12 games. Kessel, with 6 points in his last 4 games, has taken over the team lead in scoring, 1 point ahead of Tomas Kaberle who appears to be struggling since returning from the Olympics. My instinct tells me that Kaberle is not going to end his season (and possibly his career as a Leaf) mired in a lengthy slump, so I expect him to bounce back and to make a run at reclaiming the team scoring title. Time will tell, I guess. 13 games to go.

Let's get this one started...

First Period

20:00 Gustavsson in goal. Awesome. He's got 3 wins in a row, lookin' for his 4th. Kessel, Bozak, Kulemin up front. Phaneuf and Beauchemin on the blueline.

19:35 Bozak bumped off the puck behind the Senators net.

18:05 Caputi cruises through the crease but can't hit the empty goal.

16:58 Penalty. Winchester. Didn't really see it. Called for elbowing.

15:55 Minute gone in the powerplay, nothing really happening.

15:25 Monster gives the puck away and the Leafs are hemmed in their own zone for 10 seconds by the shorthanded Senators.

14:55 Grabbo just misses with a backhand as the penalty expires.

14:09 Penalties. Phaneuf and Foligno for yapping, I guess. They call it roughing. 4-on-4.

13:20 Mitchell digs the puck out behind the Sens goal, sets up Beauchemin. Save Elliott. Good chance.

11:40 Kaberle with a nice defensive play to clear the zone. Yes, really.

11:30 Sens back in, Gustavsson with a good stop, rebound bounces off traffic and trickles past the post.

11:00 Huge kick save by the Monster.

9:10 Sens controlling the play for several consecutive shifts but no real scoring chances.

8:40 GOAL!!! Kessel! Awesome wrist shot eludes Elliott. Great pass by Kulemin. Bozak with the 2nd assist on the 3-on-2, sent away by XLB. 1-0 Leafs. Six game point streak for Kulemin.

6:20 Leafs control the play in the Sens zone for a long stretch without a solid chance.

5:55 Primeau tries to shovel a loose puck into the net.

5:40 Fight! Carkner looks like he's challenging Orr, but they both look like they're too tired to go, when suddenly we have XLB and Neil squaring off at centre ice. Stupid linesman won't get out of the way and what could have been a good scrap becomes a farce.

5:15 Save by Gustavsson, dangerous rebound cleared away.

4;50 Kessel gives the puck away right in front of the Leafs goal and the Sens get a chance out of the confusion. Alfie sets up Spezza who misses wide.

3:30 Gustavsson good kick save, rebound bounces over Spezza's stick.

2:45 Gustavsson with another good save, no rebound, after Gunnarsson gives the puck away.

2:20 Kaberle throws a hit and knocks down his man. Yes, really. Might have been accidental.

2:00 Carkner is flattened into the boards by Schenn deep in the Leafs zone. Scrum ensues.

:38 Penalty. Just as Stalberg is breaking towards the goal, Grabbo gets called for tripping a defender.

:00 Senators didn't really have enough time to threaten on the PP and the period ends. 1-0, Leafs.

Second Period

20:00 Sens still on the powerplay for a minute, 22 seconds.

19:15 Alfie with a hard shot from the point, stopped by Gustavsson. No rebound.

18:25 Chance for Ottawa, Gustavsson makes the save with his shoulder.

17:54 Penalty. Stalberg lazy hooking penalty in the Sens zone.

17:35 Beauchemin stands up Spezza just inside the blue line.

16:40 Another hard shot by Alfredsson from the point, big rebound bounces harmlessly away as the Leafs all have their men tied up.

16:00 Kulemin rubs out Neil behind the Leafs net.

15:27 GOAL!!! Terrific goal by Mitchell. Nicely dodges a hit and then sends the puck top shelf. Bang. What a goal.

15:08 GOAL!!! Grabbo scores! 3-0! Stalberg and Caputi retrieve the dump-in and find Grabovski in front who slides it in. Suddenly the game is blown wide open. Sens call a time-out.

14:35 Dangerous rebound cleared away by Kaberle. I'm serious.

13:24 Penalty. XLB. Interference. That's like the 4th penalty tonight that I didn't really see. Either they're happening behind the play or the refs are being finicky.

12:40 Mitchell rags the puck shorthanded, killing a good extra ten seconds.

11:35 Spezza at the point (?), hard shot, dangerous rebound but the Leafs tie up their men. Doing a good job of that tonight.

10:56 Penalty. Ottawa. Volchenkov breaks up a chance in front by breaking Bozak's stick. Two minutes for slashing.

10:20 Shorthanded chance for the Sens, shot from the slot, another good save by Gustavsson, no rebound.

9:20 Puck goes over the glass and the refs are showing some amazing collective indecision. No penalty but they don't look entirely sure about it.

9:00 Penalty. Another one against the Sens. Sutton highsticking Beauchemin in front of the Sens net.

8:00 Good puck control by the Leafs. Shot by Kessel stopped by Elliott.

7:05 Monster stop on a breakaway for the Sens!

6:20 Nice play by Hanson to chip the puck out of the Leafs zone. Little things...

5:40 Neil with a chance alone in front, stopped by Gustavsson with a butterfly kick save.

5;00 Phaneuf loses the puck to create another chance for the Sens but then recovers nicely and ties up his man, and Monster is able to slap the puck into the corner.

2:50 Dangerous centering pass by Spezza knocked away by Schenn.

2:05 Kessel, set up by Kulemin, nearly scores again with another hard wrist shot.

1:34 Goal. Sutton scores after Cullen steals the puck from Kaberle. 3-1.

1:15 Sutton again with a hard wrist shot off Gustavsson's shoulder.

:00 Second period ends without much action after the Sens goal.

Third Period

20:00 Kessel, Bozak, Kulemin up front.

18:00 Not much happening first two minutes of the third. Chippy.

17:45 Kulemin skates in off the wing for a shot on goal.

16:55 Shot on goal by Lundmark from a bad angle and then Kaberle's point shot is deflected by Mitchell out of play.

16:10 Phaneuf hit from behind by Neil into Winchester. Dangerous hit, no call.

15;35 Kessel dishes to Kaberle, weak shot on goal, Kulemin looking for the rebound.

14:30 Alfie centres to Cullen with a nifty behind the back pass from behind the net. Cullen's shot deflected out of play.

14:20 Good chance for Kelly. Phaneuf saves a goal deflecting the puck over the net.

13:35 Caputi backhand just misses.

12:55 Stalberg breakaway... saved by Elliott

12:35 Kessel nearly sets up Bozak for a tip-in.

12:13 Nice. Schenn knocks Neil to the ice, starting a big scrum. XLB, Schenn, Neil, and Ruutu go to the box.

11:22 Oh, Jesus. Terrible hit from behind by Alfredsson on Beauchemin. Another scrum. Totally uncalled for. Should be 5 minutes. Just a minor. Not happy.

10:50 Hard shot by Phaneuf, set up by Kaberle, hits Elliott's mask, shaking him up.

11:00 Down at the other end, a great sprawling save by the Monster.

10:45 Nice glove save by Elliott. At the stop in play, Elliott goes to the bench and switches to an all-black mask.

10;30 Elliott makes a save on Stalberg, set up by Grabbo, and then goes to the bench again and switches to an all-white mask.

9:55 Gustavsson bobbles a glove save then needs to scramble for another save.

9:29 Penalty. Sutton hits Gunnarsson with an elbow.

8:20 Leafs struggle to get out of their zone on the powerplay.

7:20 Penalty ends without any good opportunities for Toronto.

6:50 Mitchell with a shot on goal, stopped by Elliott.

5:20 Sens pressing the Leafs for a minute but they're being held to the perimeter.

4:50 Schenn takes a hit into the glass but keeps on truckin'.

4:20 Wallin gets away with one, shooting the puck into the crowd, but the refs decide not to call it.

3:05 Kulemin with a nice play to knock down a nuetral zone pass and then knock a Senator into the boards before dumping the puck back in deep.

2:30 Caputi, Grabbo, Stalberg, 3-on-1. Caputi takes it all the way but doesn't really get a good shot away.

1:50 Good work by Grabbo and Caputi deep in the Ottawa zone. Clock ticking.

1:20 Elliott goes to the bench.

:55 Great kick save by Gustavsson.

:50 GOAL!!! Wallin hits the empty net from centre ice. Assists to Lundmark and Beauchemin.

:30 Ruutu bumps Schenn into the boards.

:10 One more good save by Gustavsson.

:00 Game ends. Great complete game for the Leafs. A bit sloppy in the 2nd period, but totally outworked the Senators for the win.

The First Star - Phil Kessel. Big goal set the tone and looked dangerous all night.

The Second Star - Jonas Gustavsson. Monster with 30 saves and his 4th win in a row.

The Third Star - Nikolai Kulemin. Solid 2-way effort continues to impress.

Honourable mention to John Mitchell who probably played his best game of the year.

And that's the end of the BoOBbB, at least for this season, possibly forever. Who knows. Leafs win the season series 4 games to 2. Super Kule, super hot. See ya all next time!

BoOBbB 2009-2010: Episode V

And then there was one.

With the departure of our dear Poni, there remains just one Maple Leaf that's worn the uniform since before Wilson's arrival. Hard to believe, but less then two seasons later, Kaberle alone remembers playing under the Maurice/Ferguson regime - nevermind Pat Quinn, or making the playoffs. The expression usually goes "it's easier to get rid of the coach then it is to get rid of 22 players", but in this case, Fletcher and Burke have teamed up to turn over an entire line-up, including the goaltenders, but for one. And his days may be numbered. For now, consider Kaberle the winner of Survivor: Leafs Nation Edition, and if these are his final days in Toronto, let's enjoy them. 801 games played. 400 assists.

Incidentally, if Kaberle does get traded in the off-season, seniority within the team falls to John Mitchell, who's been with the organization for 6 seasons, playing his first 4 with the Marlies. Last season was his NHL debut. However, the player with the most games in a Leafs uniform would actually be Nikolai Kulemin (132) who's played 2 more games then Luke Schenn (130). (By the way, I've become convinced that John Mitchell is really terrible and useless.)

So the BoOBbB goes on with Tomas Kaberle and a bunch of guys I kinda like but barley know, though I'm sure that our guys still hate their guys all the same, and this terrific cross-provincial rivalry will be a classic nail-biter with lots of drama and bad blood, surprising everyone.

Just kidding.

Monster in goal for Toronto, his first start since February 5th. Good to see Gustavsson again.

First Period

20:00 Kulemin-Bozak-Kessel on the ice to start up front.

19:25 Great chance. Good pressure early by the Leafs. Kulemin at the side of the goal come very close to opening the scoring.

19:00 Stalberg finds Caputi in front but he doesn't get solid wood.

18:28 Penalty. Kaberle for hooking as Kovalev cut through the slot. Not a good start for Tomas.

16:40 Hard hit by Phaneuf behind the goal on Kelly. Borderline. No call.

16:28 Penalty expires. Even-strength.

13:10 Karlsson shot from the slot stopped by Gustavsson. Not a lot of chances so far and no real hitting. And I feel like I don't know who any of these players are.

12:35 "Go Leafs Go!" chant from the Ottawa faithful.

12:10 Kulemin throws a hit in the offensive zone.

10:45 Lundmark, Sjostrom, Wallin is a weird line. Not sure I like it. Skate around really fast and meanwhile the clock ticks away.

8:35 Long stretch of not much happening. Leafs are actually checking very well with their sticks.

7:45 Orr with a backhand in the slot for a shot on goal.

6:20 Good skate work by Stalberg to keep control of the puck then he nearly gets smoked coming over the line.

5:55 Rumble! Mitchell down. Knocked down by Neil. Didn't look that bad to me. Maybe got him with the shoulder on the head.

5:52 4-on-4. Penalties to Stalberg and Winchester. Stalberg scored the Leafs first 4-on-4 goal of the season just last game.

4:34 Penalty. Sutton pushing Lundmark and Phaneuf after the whistle. Lundmark had the original penalty for holding and gets two more with Sutton for roughing. Sens powerplay. 4-on-3.

3:52 First pair of double minors end. Now 5-on-4.

3:20 Decent chance by Michlek in the slot but doesn't get a good shot away.

2:57 Goal. Ottawa scores. Point shot bounces off of Gustavsson. Neil bangs in the rebound.

1:55 Another rumble. Late hit after an icing leads to a long scrum. Orr vs. Carkner while Schenn scraps Donovan. Orr takes down Carkner. Extra penalty goes to Toronto. Sens powerplay.

1:45 Scoreboard says, "Scream if you're a Sens fan!" Absolute silence in the building.

1:15 More pushing and shoving in front of the Leafs net.

:00 Period ends without much drama.

Second Period

19:00 Kovalev chance, side of the goal, stopped by Gustavsson.

18:45 Fisher hits the post.

18:10 Stalberg throws it in front through traffic, knocked away by Leclaire.

17:45 Gustavsson makes a great save on Cullen off a 3-on-1

17:35 Kessel at the other end by Leclaire.

17:10 Kessel with nifty moves and a pass to Bozak who misses wide.

14:40 Sjostrom goes down awkwardly, looks hurt, goes to the bench in pain.

13:10 GOAL!!! Kessel. Pure goal scorer's goal. Kessel comes over the line, uses traffic in front as a distraction, Sens defence backs up too far, and Kessel's wrist shot goes past Leclaire. Tie game, 1-1.

11:20 Neil and Orr having words.

9:55 Winchester has a great chance at the side of the Leafs goal but hit the side of the net.

9:05 Donovan scrapes Gunnarson along the glass, and then Gunnarsson goes after him?

8:44 Penalty. Ottawa. Spezza. Haha, he's so stupid. Seriously; both teams are trying to show how tough they are, lots of good bumping on that last shift, and then Orr hits Spezza and Spezza goes and slashes him in the ankle. Leafs powerplay.

7:45 Great pass, Kaberle to Kulemin, good chance, can't finish.

7:15 Now Lundmark is hurt and everyone is wrestling. Lundmark smoked by Sutton. Late hit. No call.

6:55 Penalty. Good chance for Caputi in front, puck knocked away by Leclaire, deflected over the glass by Ruutu. Delay of game. 5-on-3 for 5 seconds.

6:10 Powerplay doing nothing so far.

5:45 Kaberle shot from the point.

5:05 Weird play. Beauchemin's point shot is sky high, ping-pongs off a couple players, a glove, Kulemin's high stick, Sutton's helmet, and then drops behind Leclaire where Kessel bangs it in. NO GOAL. Waved off on account of Kulemin's highstick. I thought the puck bouncing off Sutton's helmet should've nullified the highstick.

4:55 Penalty expires.

2:30 Kaberle wrist shot from the point deflected just wide.

2:05 Good save by Gustavsson on Donavon off a 3-on-2.

1:30 Lundmark, back on the ice, has a shot on goal.

:40 Another chance for Kulemin in front. Set up by Kessel. Leclaire makes the save.

:00 Period ends. Mitchell and Sjostrom gone for the night.

Third Period

20:00 Kessel line starts up front again.

18:20 Kaberle backhands a shot on goal from the Leafs side of centre. That kind of start to the period.

17:20 Ruutu and Kessel bump and shove and fall over fighting for the puck.

16:46 Penalty. A chance in front by Winchester is stopped by Gustavsson, but a penalty is being called on Ruutu for holding Finger. Heh.

16:05 Bozak's hard shot misses just wide, Kessel with some nice moves, glove save Lecalire.

15:20 Great chance in front, set up by Bozak, Caputi stopped by Leclaire. Really good save.

15:00 Beauchemin shot from the point gets through a screen, save by Leclaire.

13:44 Penalty. Beauchemin helps the refs make another delay of game call. Leafs powerplay.

12:20 Not much happening on the PP. Leafs can't set up.

11:45 Stalberg nearly gets clipped at the Sens line. Close call.

10:50 Hanson throws a big ht at the Leafs line.

9;45 Wallin with a great offensive zone steal and a backhand for a good chance and a shot on goal.

8:35 Leafs are keeping their shifts short, 30 seconds, finishing their checks. Playing like they have a 2-goal lead.

8:24 Penalty. Primeau gets caught taking a dumb penalty just when the Leafs were outhitting and outskating the Sens. Slashing.

7:45 Gustavsson stops a one-timer from the point, controls and covers the rebound.

7:25 Kulmin short-handed, good chance, shot on goal leads to a penalty by Karlsson. Sens powerplay over. Now the dreaded 4-on-4.

5:49 Penalty. Bozak flying into the Sens zone, nice moves, falls and loses the puck without getting a shot away but draws a penalty. 5-on-3 Wilson calls a timeout.

5:24 Now 5-on-4.

5:10 Kessel's shot stopped.

4:20 Leafs set up on the powerplay but then Kessel gives the puck away.

3:49 Penalty ends. Even strength. Still tied.

3:00 Wallin with a shot right on, Primeau in front of the goal, Lecalire hangs on.

1:30 Gustavsson save on a Spezza shot.

:00 Third period ends, each team gets a point. The final two minutes was really sloppy. Some good bangin' by the Leafs but no chances by either team.

Overtime

5:00 Kessel and Bozak up front.

3:30 Leafs control the play for the first minute and a half of OT but no good chances.

2:40 Good play by Schenn on Fisher coming late on a 3-on2.

2:20 Gunnarsson shot misses just wide.

1:30 Nice play by Schenn on Kovalev.

1:10 Long shot by Phillips, huge rebound off Gustavsson's glove.

:00 Overtime ends without much drama.

The Shoot Out

Kovalev hits the post.

Kessel slides it in 5-hole.

Spezza stopped by Gustavsson, glove save.

Kulemin scores.

Leafs win. Awesome. Just their second OT victory of the season.

January Jobbers

This is a follow-up, sort of, to a post I wrote at the beginning of this month. The Leafs played their best hockey of the season in the first half of December but then things came apart for the team in the second half of the month as all of Toronto's forwards fell into a deep funk. As I noted in that earlier post, the Leafs most consistent forwards for the month of December were Jason Blake and Lee Stempniak, not exactly an auspicious scenario. As I also noted recently somewhere else, usually by the time I notice a statistical trend, it starts to go the other way.

Troubles Remain In Top-Six Town

Well, "completely the other way" is a good way to describe Jason Blake's play this month. One goal and one assist thus far. After having an excelent December, Blake has simply not shown up for January. As an example, his pathetic penalty-killing effort on Thursday directly led to Tampa Bay's first goal of the game. (Check the tape - 2:15) After losing his stick and failing to throw the puck out of the zone, Blake then stands absolutely still and watches as Lecavalier sets up Stamkos for an easy one-timer. Two points in 12 games for January. So watch for Blake to start feeling the heat from Wilson and then suddenly start running goaltenders and producing again.

Stempniak continues his curious and enigmatic play. He's currently on a 4-game pointless streak, his longest slump in 7 weeks. He has 3 goals and 3 assists, 6 points in 12 games for January, but he's also a minus 3 for the month so far, the lowest plus/minus of any of the Leafs current "top-six" forwards. Stempniak's work ethic and production this season has been fairly dependable and consistent, and his value to any team, while low, is easily measured. For that reason alone, I'd be very surprised if Lee isn't dealt before the trade deadline.

Hagman was a rock through the first half of the season but seems to have lost his game now. Just 2 goals and 3 assists so far for January, however 4 of those 5 points have come in the last 3 games previous to tonight's game in Florida. Hagman has just 7 points in his last 21 games, and prior to the victory against Nashville, January 18th, had just 3 points in a 17-game stretch. The absence of production from Hagman, now coupled with Grabovski's injury, puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the rest of the team's forwards, especially Stajan, Poni, and Kessel.

Ponikarovsky is not doing much better. He has 6 points for January so far. 5 of those points are goals, the most of any Leafs forward this month, but he also has just one assist in his last 13 games. Recently, he took two penalties late in the game Thursday against Tampa, and while they may have been questionable calls, they also proved quite costly. I'm at the point now where I'm disappointed with Poni's production. I expected him to be leading the Leafs in at least one offensive category (currently he's tied with Hagman for the team lead in goals; 18), but he hasn't blossomed any further then he did at the end of last season, and I now think he's the most likely candidate to not be with the team come the second week of March.

Phil Kessel is finding ways to contribute again, even if his teammates aren't able to set him up with good scoring opportunities, and even as the opposition focuses their defence squarely on him. After being held off the scoresheet for the first four games of the month, Kessel was riding a 7-game point streak heading into Florida and has 8 points for January, second most among Leafs forwards. While he has just one goal this month, he has 7 assists, a few of which were beautifully slick passes that led to wide-open, easy tap-in goals for his teammates.

As he nearly did in November (10 points, 1 less then Kessel), and December (tied with Poni, 12 points each), Matt Stajan leads all Leafs forwards in points thus far for the month of January. With 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points, Stajan is also a +1 in the New Year, and from my perspective, has been giving the Leafs exceptionally honest efforts. He had an awful slump in the last 2 weeks of December, but it's interesting to note that ALL the Leafs forwards, except Stempniak and Kulemin, struggled with poor play at that time. Otherwise, Stajan has been a consistent producer this season, and currently has had his name appear on the scoresheet 8 times in the last 12 games. He's second on the team in scoring, behind only Kaberle.
Kulemin, not really considered a "top-six" forward for most of this season, has been the Leafs best player in 2010, in my humble estimation. Beyond consistent, Kulemin seems to be improving greatly from one month to the next, and right now appears to be the Leafs most complete hockey player. Kulemin's skills have come together very nicely to produce a forward who forechecks tenaciously, backchecks relentlessly, throws body checks in all 3 zones on the ice, and has a keen sense for creating or finishing offensive chances. For January, Kulemin has 3 goals, 4 assists, for 7 points (equal to Kaberle's production, 1 less then Kessel, and more then either Poni, Hagman, Stempniak, or Blake), while he is also a surprising plus seven over the last 12 games.

After tonight's 2-0 shutout to the lowly Panthers, it seems the offensive woes of the Leafs forwards will continue. While Bozak tallied 5 points in his first 5 NHL games, he too is getting a taste at the fountain of futility now with his third consecutive game without a point. Take it easy on the kid though, eh, he's doin' fine. I wouldn't put any more weight on his shoulders then there already is, anymore then I'd expect Wallin to step up and contribute when Grabovski gets injured, or Mitchell to lift his game when Hagman struggles, or anyone to do anything if Stajan has an off-night 'cause he gets hit in the face with the puck on his first shift. Expectations have to be realistic and achievable in order for them to be helpful, y'know?

A Long Dreary Post About Playoff Dreams And Statistical Improbability With A Little Bit Of Optimism At The End

Some statistics to throw out there. Just a reality check, I guess - 'see where we're at. It doesn't seem like the Leafs have been playing that great lately, but it does feel like they're playing better. They have won 2 in a row, and 3 out of 4, and are now 4-3-1 for the month so far. Going back as far as Feb. 19th, exactly a month ago, the Leafs are 8-3-3 in their last 14. That's a winning percentage of .678 over four weeks. Most frustrating, their only regulation losses over that stretch are against Ottawa, Tampa Bay, and Edmonton - teams they should be able beat. If they continue the pace they're on over their remaining 11 games they might pick up another 15 points and finish with 86 points. 90 points is considered the minimum for reaching the playoffs.

Meanwhile, last night, the Carolina Hurricanes picked up a victory, beating up the emotionally drained New Jersey Devils the night after Brodeur's record-setting win. For Carolina, it's a huge win that ties them with Montreal for 7th in the East with 81 points, 3 ahead of the Florida Panthers - the Leafs' opponent for tonight's game. With 2 games in hand however, and 12 more to go on the schedule, the Panthers are still very much in the battle for the last playoff spot.

For the Leafs, the playoff drive, which never really began - in November when it could have mattered - is already done. Newsflash: The Leafs are not going to make the playoffs. You could have said that in December, or even September, and you probably did several times very directly, but a few of us die-hards held out hope and dared to dream of revisiting the post-season. Boundless optimism in the face mediocrity only goes so far, however. "Anything is possible" doesn't sound so good when it's followed up with "though statistically, it's highly improbable".

The Playoff(s!!!1) Dream is over. All that is left is to make it a formality. Toronto's tragic number now sits at 12. That is to say: any combination of points earned by the 8th place team, currently Carolina, and points squandered by the Leafs equalling 12 will mean that the Leafs have been officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. To put it simply; 3 Carolina wins (6 points) and 3 Toronto losses (6 points missed) will eliminate the Leafs. That's all. If Carolina wins just 3 of their remaining 10 and Toronto loses only 3 of their remaining 11, both teams will have 87 points and Carolina would advance on most wins. It's reasonable to assume that the Hurricanes are easily going to win at least 3, and just as reasonable to assume the Leafs will lose at least 3, if not 6 or 7. Without a mighty, mighty miracle, it's simply a matter of time.

There are still reasons for optimism however, as I eluded to in my title. Thus, I will present them to you, with bold headings, in a list going down, with numbers going up.

1. OLAS, Grabbo, and Super-Kule. The Leafs have 3 rookies in Schenn, Grabovski, and Kulemin, that have not only survived an NHL season, they've also shown that they can flourish and develop. It'll be interesting to see how each of them matures in their sophomore season, but so far they've all managed to take a big step forwards without hardly any sliding back. Congratulations to all of them for earning their ice-time and deserving the sweater.

2. Kaberle, Kubina, Schenn, White, Finger, Van Ryn, Frogren. I really like this 7-pack of defencemen. I'm happy having every single one of these guys on my team, and as long as this unit can stay healthy (yes, Van Ryn, we're all lookin' at you) for a consistent stretch, I think they're as solid as any group of defenceman from top to bottom. I'm not completely sold on Finger, and Ian White may be the weakest link in the chain here, but I'm hesitant to underestimate either of them anymore. Soft coverage or making bonehead mistakes can be overlooked when you play really, really well most of the time. For this year it's a write-off, but for next year, I'm excited to see what this group can do if they play together over an entire season.

3. The Draft and Brian Burke. I just know he's gonna do something good here. It doesn't matter where we finish in the standings, 'cause Burke'll do whatever it takes to get us the player(s) that he wants. What I'm really hoping for, is that the Leafs somehow acquire a 2nd pick in the top 10, allowing them to draft the younger Schenn, Brayden, and another prospect as well. That is the plan, at least, my plan. Make it happen, Burke old boy. We're counting on you.

And since we're speaking directly, Brian, and as long as you're taking requests; please bring back Belak, okay? That one's vital.

Do The Leafs Have Three Solid Forward Lines?

As the Leafs' continue to slump and suck, we head into the dark days of a meaningless All-Star break with nothing to celebrate except our relative proximity to 29th place. Somehow though, I feel I've maybe inherited a small duty to try to find and express any positives for loyal Leaf fans, and to serve them up as a distraction until things actually are getting better. Well, with that in mind...

... don't look now, but the Leafs might actually have three solid scoring lines. With the return of Nikolai Kulemin to the line-up, Coach Wilson is now able to roll out three distinct units that should provide a consistent and balanced attack. If they can avoid injuries, these units should stay together from now until the trade deadline. While the results have been disappointing lately, the Leafs haven't really been able put out their best line-up, having to mix and match linemates with little success. Hopefully now, with their top 9 forwards healthy and focused, and comfortable and familiar with their roles and their linemates, the Leafs can build on the natural chemistry that already seems to be there within this group. At the very least, they should challenge and motivate one another to see who can be the Leafs' most dangerous forward line.

Ponikarovsky-Stajan-Antropov

This is the line that should be the Leafs' top scoring line but lately they've been struggling. Since returning to the line-up from his infamous soccer-ball-to-the-eye injury, Stajan initially picked up a goal and an assist in his first 2 games back but has now been held pointless in his last five. Antropov has been contributing with assists, 5 over his last 10 games to lead the team, but he's also riding a streak of 15 games without a goal. The last goal for the Lanky Kazakh was over a month ago, on December 20th, the seventh Leaf goal in a 7-3 win over Pittsburgh. Ponikarovsky, meanwhile, shares the team lead in goals at 14 with the surging Jason Blake. However, because of - or is it leading to? - Antropov's inability to put the puck in the net, the Poni-Express has not registered an assist in ten games.

This line has the talent to be the team's top unit, but confidence is a key issue here. Before the San Jose game on December 2nd, this line had been in a groove. Since then, they've fallen into a funk with the rest of the team, and Stajan's injury and recovery have seemingly dragged that out. Look for this line to feel the heat from Wilson if they don't get back on track soon after the All-Star break. There's a lot at stake for the Leafs between now and the trade deadline and a lot of it depends on the performance of these three.

Hagman-Grabovski-Kulemin

It was nice to see the Man-Grabs-Lemon line reunited against Boston. Although they didn't contribute on the scoresheet, they did seem to add some zip, while their positioning is so sound that the play just seems to flow towards them. I like the way Kulemin finishes his checks and hustles on the back check, and I like the way Grabovski makes every rush look dangerous. Hagman's steady poise and composure is the perfect fit for balancing the skills of these two young players. On most nights, even when they're not scoring, this line is exciting to watch, making them a popular trio. Time and patience is all they need, but it will be worth the wait when they blossom.

Blake-Moore-Stempniak

With Kulemin and Stajan back with their usual linemates, Stempniak has found himself bumped down (up?) to the hottest line the Leafs have at the moment. Jason Blake and Dominic Moore seem to have found some chemistry with one another and have been the Leafs' most dangerous duo for some time now. Over the last 10 games, those two spirited 3rd-liners have combined for a total of 8 goals and 8 assists, and have contributed either a goal or an assist on 13 of the Leafs last 21 goals. They're leading the way offensively at the moment, and Blake is remarkably earning his place as the highest paid forward on the team.

Adding Stempniak to this pair had an immediate success on Wednesday night against the Bruins. All 3 players picked up 2 points a piece and were all plus 1 against the best team in the Eastern Conference. The line produced the first 2 Toronto goals, the second one on the powerplay, and they looked dangerous all night until the Leafs got bogged down into penalty trouble in the 3rd. Blake and Stempniak both continued to impress when they each scored in the shootout. Stempniak's skills, and his style of play, seems to fit well here with Moore and Blake, and I hope Wilson keeps them together for a while and gives them the ice-time they deserve. By no means should this line be carrying the team, but if the top 2 lines can get on a roll, this trio's contribution becomes much more valuable, giving the Leafs a balanced, steady, and dynamic attack.

So, who does that leave us with? What spare parts and plugs are left on the bench to make up the 4th line and grab 4 to 9 minutes of ice time?

They are: Mitchell, Williams, Mayers, Tlusty, Hollweg, May, and Deveaux.

You can mix and match wingers with Mitchell for all sorts of different combinations, but the most obvious to me seems to be the 3M line of Mitchell, Mayers, and May. We saw this group together against Boston, and they also had a strong game for 2 periods, with May scoring the Leafs' 3rd goal of the game, his first of the year. Mayers doesn't add much but I liked the way he took on Kostopoulos, so I'd leave him in there for now. Williams seems like a good plug if there's an injury or the line-up needs a shakeup, but I'm not totally sold on him as an everyday player. Tlusty has already been sent down again, despite picking up 4 assists in 2 games, his first points as a Leaf this year. Now that we have May, I really don't see much point in having Hollweg in the line-up, and as long as we're healthy I don't see any reason to have Andre Deveaux helpin' out anymore either. Deveaux seemed like a good guy who did help us by giving us a little extra punch when we needed it. There's maybe not much more he can offer us now, but we'll always appreciate his 75 minutes of pugilism.

The Leafs top 3 lines look like they should be solid enough for Wilson to roll with them from now until the trade deadline. After that, this might be a very different team, but until them, as long as they can avoid injuries, I like the way this line up looks. I think it actually has some skill and character and is only really lacking in confidence. The third line is hot right now, but we've seen Man-Grabs-Lemon look terrific at times, and we've seen Stajan-Antro-Poni tearing it up earlier in the season as well. There's some good pieces here right now - they just have to put it all together at the same time and get on a roll.

With any luck, games will be more exciting, trade values will go up, and Vesa's crappy play will continue to keep us on pace for 29th place.

***UPDATE***

I've just learned that Kulemin has been reassingned yet again to the Marlies. I'm pretty disappointed with this move, and I don't really get it. Ah well, ...screw this post!

***ANOTHER UPDATE***

Okay, maybe "screw this post" was a little harsh. After some reflection and consideration, I think this move is simply meant to keep Kulemin in the game while the rest of the team and the coaching staff enjoy a mini-vacation during the All-Star break. Nikolai has only just returned from injury so it's a good idea to keep him skating. The Marlies play in Syracuse tonight and then return home for a game in Toronto on Saturday. Expect to see Kulemin return to the big club by Tuesday when the Leafs return to action against Minnesota. Glove tap to the ever-wise Archimedies for the updates and the Four-One-One.

Third Line Charm = Freedom 55

Leafs 5, Oilers 2. A solid effort all around and the Leafs are rewarded with an excellent result. Early on in the evening there was a familiar sound:

"Breaking in down the wing, Jason Blake fires... right on... and Deslauries will... hang on to the puck." /throw to commercial break

Yes, it was Freedom 55, back on the ice, fermenting and pissing his way to two important assists in the 3rd period. Good for him (and good for Ron Wilson), as that's exactly the contribution Blake needs to make on a regular basis. Hopefully this will help Blake realize his role as an effective 3rd line player, inspiring him to play his best in every situation, not just his favorites. Perhaps because of the Blake benching, I've been thinking about Cliff Fletcher's words this summer, which bkblades also made a point about in the GameThread. Remember when the Silver Fox said:

"If you look at our club, we really have only one player you can consider a top-six forward, and that’s Antropov... We have a couple others that are on the fringe of the top-six, but no one else".

Well, the Leafs do in fact have 6 top-six forwards, but Jason Blake ain't one of 'em, anymore then Ian White is.

The top two lines look set and pretty solid. I've been tracking the Leafs statistics the last 6 games, ever since the thrilling Rangers comeback, and a clear pattern of succesful point production has emerged. The victory against the Rangers belonged to the third line, who were in on almost every goal, with John Mitchell as the key motivator. It was the last game Jason Blake made any kind of meaningful contribution. Since then, including tonight's victory over Edmonton, the Leafs have scored a remarkable 24 goals in 6 games, almost all of them coming from the top two lines.

Grabovski has been on fire the past two weeks and is leading the way with 10 points in his last 6 games. His linemates - Hagman and Kulemin - have added 6 points each. This line has found some chemistry, and is clearly capable of carrying the Leaf offence on any night. However, what I like best about this line is that while Kulemin's game still needs a lot of improvement, the potential is there that as he improves, so will the line, and hopefully SuperKule will grow into a top line superstar.

"I don't know how much more you can say about Matt Stajan."

-Jim Ralph

Totally. It's not like Ralphie to be at a loss for words. Matt Stajan has come alive. He's completely convinced me that he's a first or second line player who belongs with Antropov and Ponikarovsky. Amazing, but whatever, it's working.  Stajan had another big night with 3 assists, and now has 9 points in his last 6 games. Ya, 9. I know - wow. He's really come along way since the begining of the season. Sure looks like a top-six player to me this week.

Stajan's linemates, Antropov and Ponikarovsky round out the Leafs top-six. The Lanky Kazakh, with another goal tonight, has kept a point-a-game pace for six games, with 3 goals and 3 assists. Poni, meanwhile, hasn't let a newborn in the house slow him down too much, chipping in with 3 points over the last six games.

I like this top-six, and I think Ron Wilson does too. At this point, the only player I could see replacing Stajan on the Antro-Poni line would be the Captain himself. Hopefully Jason Blake can see the talent and the chemistry on these two lines and will realize that the only way to get top-six ice time is to be the best 3rd or 4th line player on the ice, night after night.

Tonight was definitely a step in the right direction. Now, if they could get their 3rd and 4th lines rolling with the same attitude and regular success, Wilson might soon have this team looking like a serious playoff contender, or even, like a dangerous playoff darkhorse. Jason Blake may be the key in that regard. If he can come to work and accept the role that Wilson gives him with enthusiasm and determination (i.e. Ian White, 5 points in 6 games), the confidence and the expectations of the entire team might be raised.

415!

Finally, I'd like to finish this post with a special congratulations to Tomas Kaberle. Tomas has struggled a bit this season in his own zone, but lately seems to be finding the offensive side of his game again. After last night's game in which Kaberle had a 3-point night,with a goal and 2 assists, he now has 8 points in his last 6 games, and, of more historical importance, equalled and passed Ian Turnbull for 3rd in all-time career points by a Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman, with his 414th and 415th points. Salming, the all-time leader (768) is still a long way off, but Tim Horton (458) could definitely be reached this season. Nicely done, Tomas. Keep 'er goin'.

Maple Leafs' Halloween

So, I heard that Ron Wilson was going to let the players have a night off for some Halloween fun. Don't be surprised if a few of the Leafs come trick-or-treating at your door tonight. To help you figure out who's who underneath those scary costumes, here's a sneak preview of what some of your favorite Leafs might be wearing...

Jeff Finger

...as a big walking hand! I know, too easy.

Nik Antropov

...as Frankenstein! "Buuugrrrzz Kang!"

Alexei Ponikarovsky

...as the Bride of Frankenstein! Scary.

Ryan Hollweg

...as a Gorilla. That's about right.

Jiri Tlusty

...as the Pizza Boy! Yikes. Delivers, extra cheesy.

Matt Stajan
...as the Invisible Man. A throw back to the first 2 games of the season.

Jamal Mayers
...as the Hot Cop! Arresting and enforcing.

Nikolai Kulemin
...as the Kool-Aid Guy! Oh-Yeah!

Carlo Colaiacovo
...as the Mummy! He must have spare bandages around he can use.

Jonas Frogen

...as the Techno Viking! Except, in this case, he really is.

Trick or treat, everybody. Have a safe and happy Halloween!

(Vincent Price voice) Oooohwaahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.......!

Looking For Plus Signs

Another sorry Sunday comes and goes. The box of crayons on the floor is still unused and unopened. The unfinished tin-foil Stanley Cup I started building last Saturday morning looks more like a tin-foil Ground Zero. Since beating the Detroit Red Wings in the season opener, the Leafs have now gone 4 games without a win, and only scored one goal in 2 games on the weekend. Pretty crappy. Don't get too down, though. There's always a bright side to look on, right?
For instance, last year when we sucked there were no positives, only excuses and betrayal. Having to listen to Paul Maurice discuss theoretical quantum mechanics while explaining the Second Act of King Lear after every loss would be unbearable. This year at least we're getting solid quotes from Wilson, not to mention a lot of straightforward, easy-to-understand, honesty:

"A lot of times, he's just standing there in our zone."

That's Wilson talking about a player who may or may not be my new favorite Leaf. So there's one positive already; Wilson's wisdom. Let's look for some more plus signs and see how many we can find...

Hustle. The Leafs' energy and speed is much better so far then at any point last season. Aggressive forechecking and smart positioning is giving the Leafs the ability to control the tempo of the play for long stretches at a time.

Accountability. Wilson sat out Stajan for a game in an attempt to light a fire under him. Seemed to work, sort of. Then he threw him into the fire when he put him in the shoot-out. Meanwhile, Ponikarovsky, who began the third period Friday with a needless hooking penalty, saw very little ice-time after that and was demoted to the 4th line for Saturday's game. As for Hollweg, I suspect that the things that were said publicly were not the same as the things said behind closed doors. I think Hollweg must be on his last chance and a very short leash.

Toskala earned his first shutout. It wasn't a win, but it still counts as a shutout, and it's a good sign that Vesa has found his top form. I wonder what the record for most shutout losses in a season is? Something for Toskala to shoot far, I guess.

Kaberle and Schenn look like a good pair. Schenn doesn't yet have the big shot that Kaberle needs to dish to, but together, their positioning is so sound that they seem to have the ice covered defensively and both can move the puck up the ice safely. Also seems like Kaberle is playing a little bit tougher then he did last year.

Antropov scores his first goal. I was a bit worried about Antro because he hadn't scored a goal in the pre-season, so it was good to see him break the ice Saturday night in Pittsburgh. Antropov is a streaky scorer who can go long stretches without a goal if his confidence goes down, but he aslo scores by the bunch when he gets hot, so hopefully this helps the Lanky Kazakh get on a roll.

Carlo's still playing. He hasn't been injured yet. On Friday, he was a healthy scratch. Healthy! Back in the lineup Saturday, Carlo played hard, bangin' and crashin' on the blue-line. He might want to do up his chinstrap a little tighter though. Twice in the same period Saturday, Colaiacovo had his helmet pop off on a colision. The last thing he needs is a head injury, but it's good to see his fearlessness and courage.

The Grabovski-Hagman-Kulemin line looks very sharp. Excellent puck control, they just need to find a little finish. Collectively, the line reminds me of three John Cullens - lots of flash and dash and dipsy doodle but not a lot of goals so far. They look like they should make a good second line, would probably make a great third or fourth line, but unfortunately, they seem to be the Leafs' best line. Hopefully they start to find the back of the net with some consistency, and find a way to turn "dangerous-looking" into "potent".

Frogren looks great. This guy is a monster. He can hit, he can take hits, he isn't afraid to sacrifice his body, throws himself in front of point-blank slap shots, and everytime he gets back up and back into the play quickly. We're still just at the beginning of the season, but already Frogren is giving the Leafs the kind of selfless extra-effort that is usually reserved for the playoffs. I think Jonas is doing an awesome job so far as a defensive specialist, and I think his strong play is making the entire blue line better.
So let's count'em up and see how many positives we found: 1, 2, 3, ...Toskala, ...Antropov, ...the Hagman line is 8, and Frogren is 9. Nine positives in only 5 games. If we count actually winning a game as a positive, that makes 10! That's 2 positives per game. That's quite a pace. If they can keep that up, they'll finish the season with over 150 positive things that could be said about them! Can you imagine? And I was hardly looking, really. Success is worth waiting for, I guess, especially if we can keep things positive and have a laugh or two along the way.

Super Kule

I have a new favorite player in the NHL. Exept for a brief period in the 1980's when I thought Jari Kurri was my father, that usually means I have a new favorite Leaf. His name is Nikolai Kulemin. He wears number 41. He is the Leafs second round pick, 44th overall, from 2006, and he's already shown the kind of flash and finish that gets me excited enough to say, "This guy is Super Kule!"

Nikolai Kulemin demonstrates some nifty puck-handling.

I don't want to put too much pressure on the young kid's shoulders. After all, it's only been 3 games. That's a long way off from establishing an NHL career. But I can tell you this: he's better then Brandon Convery. He's better then Sergei Berezin. And he's going to be better then Kyle Wellwood.

Okay, maybe that's not saying a whole lot. Still, I don't think I'm going out on too much of a limb if I say, "this kid has it, and he's going to be the real deal". In just three games, he has already scored his first 2 NHL goals. Not only that, he is the first Leaf to score 2 goals. Other skill-players on the Leafs, like Tlusty and Grabovski, have yet to register a point. Both Kulemin's goals showed poise and grace without a hint of nervousness or insecurity. Born in July, 1986, Kulemin has just turned 22 this summer, yet already looks very mature, while still being full of youthful energy and zip.

Here's an interesting note about Kulemin's first goal:

Became first player to make his NHL debut in a season-opener against the defending Stanley Cup champion and score a goal in that game since Eric Lindros did so for the Flyers against the Penguins on October 6, 1992

If you missed that odd bit of history, here it is:

Sweet and swanky! Also turned out be the game winner.

His second goal is equally as impressive. After Kulemin and Antro team up to steal the puck from the Blues inside their line, Kulemin glides backwards towards the goal and makes no mistake with a very slick backhand:

Kulemin's second goal of the year put the Leafs ahead by 2. Unfortunately, 2-goal leads in Toronto don't mean much and after 3 periods the game went to a shoot out. Step forward Nikolai and show us what you can do:

Nice. I truly hate shoot-outs. I really do. I don't even watch them. I listen for the outcome of each shot, but I usually find something else to distract myself with 'cause I find them so boring and painful to watch. Every time I see the Leafs in a shoot-out, a small part of me that once loved the NHL is sliced away forever. But if Nikolai Kulemin can keep on doin' it the way he just did against the Blues, every single time, and become a shoot-out specialist that we can depend on, well, I might change my feelings about it... a little. Only if the Leafs were to win every shoot-out that they were in this year could I accept this skills-competition-sideshow as a legitimate part of the game. And even then, deep down, I'd know I was lying.

This last video is kinda funny. After they mispell the word "difference" it gets better. I guess the real question, after watching that, is: How much of a difference will Kulemin make? Time will tell, I guess, but if he continues to hit the back of the net with regularity during the shoot-out, or actually during the "game" part of the game, then he might be making a huge difference after all - the difference between winning and losing. As a Leaf fan, that's all the difference in the world.