Troubles Are All The Same

So, we're at the 3/4 mark for the season, with just 21 games to go, and the Leafs are dead last in the Eastern Conference, 29th in the NHL overall. Seemed like it might be a good time to take a break and hit the "reset" switch. Yet again. And then I found out that the Leafs don't play another game for 3 whole weeks due to something called the "Oplinkits" - according to my 2 and a half year old daughter - which I've never heard of until just now even though every four years it gets more media coverage then Christmas.

Speaking of Oplinkits, you might already know that I think that women that compete are magnificent. So I've had my eye on the Canadian Women's hockey team with some interest. In 3 games now they've outscored their opponents, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Sweden, 41-2. I especially like the line of Wickenheiser, Apps, and Piper, who've totalled 27 points between them so far in the tournament. Piper is from Toronto, and Apps of course is a granddaughter of Maple Leafs Hall of Fame legend, Syl Apps. Wickenheiser is in her 4th Olympics, as is sweet-skating Jennifer Botterill, and ultimate hockey-mom and stay-at-home defenceman (defencewoman?) Becky Kellar. Good luck, ladies!

More Oplinkits! Nice to see Matt Stajan's favourite teammate, Jerome Iginla, with the hat-trick last night. The Canadian defence moved the puck efficiently all game while the forwards looked dangerous and determined. About half-way through the game I realized that if I screwed with the tint-control on the TV I could kinda make their uniforms look sort of a pinky-purplish-blue, and with the Maple Leaf crest on their sweaters, I felt like I was watching a beautiful, psychedelic dream.

I still can't cheer for Danny Heatley. His second goal of the game to make the score 5-0 was just a rocket of a shot, but it didn't make me feel good. I don't admire the guy. I don't think I ever will. I don't care how good he is. Is that wrong, or is it right? Doesn't really matter much, it's just the way it is.

I'm looking forward to seeing Tomas Kaberle and Pavel Kubina re-united tonight when the Czechs take on the Slovaks. Speaking of Kaberle, which apparently I often do, I think it's worth pointing out that on the last Leafs' goal, scored by Kessel on the powerplay in the 2nd period against the San Jose Sharks, Tomas earned his 40th assist of the season, and the 400th assist of his career - all in the Blue and White. Maybe not as glamorous or outstanding as 500 goals, but I think it's still worth recognizing.

The Leafs last game, an uninspiring 4-0 loss to Carlo Colaiacovo, Alex Steen and the rest of the Unstempniak'd Blues, was disturbingly familiar to many, if not most, of this season's performances. Made me feel nostalgic for the good old slightly less crappier days. The temporary glitz and sparkle of the new Leafs sadly faded in that game, revealing a team very much reminiscent of the old Leafs, with similar results but only half the personnel. It occurred to me that since Wilson came to town, Fletcher and Burke have combined to trade Antropov, Moore, Colaiacovo, Steen, White, Hagman, Stajan, Mayers, Blake, Toskala, and two 1st round draft picks, for Phaneuf, Kessel, Giguere, Sjostrom, Stempniak, and two 2nd round picks.

So with nostalgia in mind, and nothing else for me to say, I've decided to end this post with some favourite pictures of familiar faces from the recent past, starting with Alex Steen and his visit to the dentist!

"Yeth, a thorthanded goal. Weally cruffed thier thpiwit."

"A'splode for glory!"

"Hey, look at me! I'm worth a 2nd round pick AGAIN! I can't wait to play for my new team, the Buffalo Sabres Florida Panthers Montreal Canadians. I made Jason Blake's contract seem almost reasonable! I should be a billionaire!"

"Whoo! Antropov is Atlanta Thrashers leading scorer now! Ilya and I are unstoppa... wait, what?"

Dear Vesa; Please wash that blue and white out of your equipment. Signed, Finland.

Jamal Mayers: Motivation leads to success, or in this case, doing stuff."I am the God of Misfortune!"

He's a complicated man, But no one understands him but his woman...IAN WHITE!"Happily married? Well, yes. Why would you ask?""See ya next year, everybody!"

An Un Bee Lee Ba Ba Turn Of Events

Colossal is the only way to describe it.

Let's begin with Saturday night's epic disaster in this tragedy-filled season. This has to be the worst loss ever. I thought losing to Paul Maurice and the Carolina Hurricanes in a game where Ian White had given the Leafs the lead with 30 seconds to go was the most humiliating that it could get. I certainly never imagined - honestly, no one imagined - the Leafs building a 3-0 lead against Vancouver and chasing Luongo from the net, only to blow that lead and give up the game-winning goal with 2:04 to play, followed by an empty-netter, and then have that bastard Raycrap doing victory laps and waving to the fans at the ACC. A new low. Absolute rock-bottom. The only thing worse would be to have John Ferguson Jr. score a goal against the Leafs himself.

Warning: the video below contains graphic scenes of outright horror that are highly disturbing and may not be suitable for some audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

Unforgivable. And so, we don't forgive. We blow the whole thing up and forget instead. The guys that lost to Raycoft and Vancouver are not our guys anymore - those are their guys, Calgary and Anahiem - we got new guys now. Not really, but y'know...

The Shake-Up

Forget that awful game on Saturday, let's get to the reaction of the trades. This is a major shock to the culture of the Maple Leafs dressing room. Six fairly prominent personalities - Stajan, White, Hagman, Mayers, Blake, and Toskala - have been moved out. With the prolonged injury to Komisarek, leadership will weigh even heavier on the shoulders of Kaberle and Beauchemin, and yes, even Luke Schenn. Phaneuf will slide nicely into the top-4 rotation and has a cannon for a shot so he might pair up with Kaberle very well. Hopefully Phaneuf can find chemistry quickly on a blueline that remains surprisingly deep yet was curiously dysfunctional. In Giguere, the Leafs add a Conn Smythe trophy winner to the dressing room and an intelligent mentor for Jonas Gustavsson. Finally, it appears that Bozak is here to stay and that Exelby will likely get his wish for more playing time, though Finger may end up being the next defenceman that gets moved.

Words For The Not-So Dearly Departed

Matt Stajan

I'm gonna miss Matt Stajan. A lot. I know not everybody's gonna agree with this, but I thought he gave a real honest effort most nights and exceeded expectations for a season and a half. At the time of the trade, he was leading all Leaf forwards in points and was actually chasing down Kaberle (just 2 points behind) for the team lead.

Ian White

It hurts to lose Ian White, it really does. Since the beginning of last season, when he sat out the first 11 games and then debuted as a forward, White has been earning admiration and respect. One of the very rare pleasures of this dreadful Maple Leafs season was witnessing the continuous ascension of Ian White's stardom. He was the heart and soul of this mostly passionless team, which isn't saying much I guess, but his contributions and efforts were appreciated and will be remembered. His mustache is immediately an honoured inductee in the Maple Leafs Mustache Hall of Fame.

Niklas Hagman

For the first quarter of the season, Hagman was the Leafs most consistent and complete player. He began to fade after that though and never really got it back. It also seemed that Hagman was reluctant to play a physical game and was in the bottom half of the roster for hits and blocked shots. Already a 20-goal scorer this season, Hagman does have fantastic skills, but wasn't a difference-maker often enough.

Jamal Mayers

How ironic is it that Mayers scores a goal and two assists in his final two games as a Leaf? Was his performance the tipping point for Calgary on this trade? Were they not sure until Mayers ripped one by Loungo with 5 seconds left in the first? Hilarious. If so, thank you Jamal, for finally doing SOMETHING. It's too bad things didn't work out 'cause your eyebrows are astounding, but 5 years from now the only thing I'm going to remember about you is that you were a part of this trade. Congratulations, you're Craig Berube now.

Vesa Toskala

AhhHahahahahahahaha!!! What were they thinking? I can't believe somebody actually took Vesa Toskala off our hands. And I can't believe they actually shut down his season last year for surgery that would make him feel great about being terrible! What kind of groin surgery did they do that fucked up his head like that? The VESA2010 was a total disaster and a disgrace. Stupid bio-engineered piece of junk. On the other hand, I now fully expect Toskala to return one day and shut-out the Leafs with a ridiculous 50-save performance, but this time there won't be any mini-lap celebrations, 'cause I'll be there, and I'll be waiting...

Jason Blake

THANK YOU ALMIGHTY JESUS! THANK YOU MERCIFUL ALLAH! THANK YOU BUDDHA! BLESSED THANKS TO BRAHMA, AND VISHNU, AND SHIVA! THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE INFINITE GODS THAT EXIST IN OUR UNIVERSE FOR THIS MOST UNDESERVING OF MIRACLES. IT IS TRULY A BLESSING AND A SIGN THAT OUR SUFFERING WILL SOON BE AT AN END! PRAISE GOD, WHOSE INFINITE WONDER KNOWS NO BOUNDS!

For years from now, fans of hockey teams anchored under the weight of outrageous contracts and cap-hits will look to this day and say, "If Jason Blake can be traded, anyone can get traded." I do want to recognize Jason Blake for having a terrific bounce-back season last year, and for keeping his chin up during some very difficult times in Toronto. However, I was worried at the beginning of the season that Blake might have little left in the tank, and even less to prove, and eventually that became apparent and it was time for him to move on. Good luck in California, I wish him well, but every time I see Blake in another team's uniform I'll bow my head and give a quiet thanks to Wendel.

So, it's like a whole new season from here on out, hopefully with new results. The past is the past. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Broken sticks and shin-guard tape goes in the basket. We're past the darkest hour now, and heading for the dawn.

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?

How To Get To Tomorrow Before Today Becomes Yesterday

Is it already too late to save the season?

JoeyMac had something interesting to say last night:

"We had a lot of young guys last year just coming into the league, trying to prove themselves every single night," MacDonald said before the game. "So they were working hard. Here, I think we're working, but we're working at times, and not a full 60 minutes."

If I'm reading this right, MacDonald is suggesting that last year's Islanders worked harder then this year's version of the Leafs. The difference, according to the third-string journeyman goaltender, is youth. The young guys. Players that want to "prove themselves, every single night."

One wonders how much Jason Blake feels he has left to prove to anyone. He proved it all 3 years ago when he scored 40 goals. He proved it again last year when he bounced back and had a terrific season. He's at the end of an 11-year career. He knows what he's done and what he can do, 'cause he did it. Four million dollars, please. What's there left to prove?

Dominic Moore was an excellent pick-up who spent the entire season last year trying to prove his worth. He didn't get the big paycheque that he was looking for but he did try to earn it. He set his sights high, above the expectations of others, and he worked hard to prove them wrong. Moore possessed a defiant, competitive desire to succeed that made him, Jason Blake, and the whole Leafs' team, better.

But Blake's not the only Forward whose energy and competitive fire is missing its spark. Mayers, Mitchell, Stajan, and Hagman all seem less interested in (or incapable of) establishing their roles on the team, nevermind dominance on the ice.

(I'm hesitant to include Stempniak in this group. I think he does have something to prove and is playing that way. Success is yet to come, but the effort is there. It could be that he's just not that good, but he is trying to show that he belongs.)

Darcy Tucker, bless his bat-shit crazy soul, is off to a great start this seaon and looks re-energized and ready to compete again. Tucker helped the Avalanche defeat the Leafs last night with a goal and an assist, moving his team to the top of the Western Conference standings. In 6 games, Tucker has 5 points (3G, 2A), 11 penalty minutes, and 12 shots on goal. So why does Tucker look younger, and not older, then he did the last 2 seasons?

"I’ve got two guys (Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly, both 18) who sit beside me on the road all the time and in the dressing room. They have a lot of questions and things I have to answer. That’s helped me out. They play with some good spunk and it’s actually elevated my game a little bit.”

Stalberg has already shown us that he belongs on the team. In fact, he sometimes looks like the Leafs' best player. Now he wants to see how he measures up to the rest of the NHL. You can feel it every time he touches the puck, he's trying to make something happen, testing himself against his opponents, and trying to be better then they are.

Bozak also looks like he's ready to show us what he can do. Hanson and Tlusty, maybe even Gunnarson, and how about one last shot for Frogren? We need to get as many of these fresh faces into the line-up as possible. We need to replace the fear of growing old with optimism and dreams.

The future is now. Every game and every shift should be a demonstration of who wants to be on the ice for the next game, the next shift.

Thanks to MacDonald for his honest appraisal, and best of luck to a rejuvenated Darcy Tucker.

*UPDATE * 10/16 11:00am

Darcy Tucker continues to praise the injection of youth into the lineup. From the Gazette:

“Our young guys not only bring a really good skill level, but an energy about them. We have to pull them off the ice half the time. It’s infectious.”

Who's Your Larry Murphy Now?

This post, like many others, is inspired by a comment on PensionPlanPuppets. From the Good Doctor Steve, who also writes an excellent blog at leafs.hockeyanlysis.com:

Can we give Stajan the Larry Murphy treatment this year? Make it official and such?

I don't really agree with this statement and I'm not sure I agree with the whole idea. But it did get me thinking about who on the Leafs might be a worthy and legitimate target for our collective scorn if the team underwhelms and underperforms. Again, I'm not sure I agree with the whole principle of the concept, but nevertheless, here's my list of candidates:

Jason Blake

Best season: 2006-7; 40G 29A 69P

Last season: 25G 38A 63P

Salary: $4,000,000

Blake rebounded from a horrible first season with the Leafs to put up impressive numbers. He led the team in goals and points and provided a few highlight-reel moments as well. Still, it's hard to shake the perception that Blake carries a "me-first" attitude and there's no denying his sense of entitlement: "Here I am, a 10-year vet ... I just don't know what he's trying to do," he mused to reporters in response to his dust-up with teammate Grabovski during a practice in March. Blake was fortunate to find chemistry last year with Dominic Moore but this season he'll have to find new friends to razzle-dazzle with or his popularity could quickly plummet.

Jamal Mayers

Best season: 2007-8; 12G 15A 27P

Last season: 7G 9A 16P

Salary: $1,333,333

Jamal didn't impress much last season and really struggled to look comfortable, especially early on. He redeemed himself somewhat with the Kostopoulos fight and a decent second half, but overall his numbers were disappointing and his contribution uninspiring. With the recent addition of Primeau (not to mention Orr, Bozak, Wallin, and Hanson), it's hard to see where Mayers will fit into the bottom six this year. If he continues to look uncomfortable again this year and the team struggles early on, I doubt Leaf fans will have much patience for his ice-time when it could be going to a developing asset. Slow and worn-out is a dangerous thing to be on a losing team in Toronto.

Matt Stajan

Best season: 2008-9; 15G 40A 55P

Last season: 15G 40A 55P

Salary: $1,750,000

I don't really understand the hate that gets directed towards Matt Stajan. I suppose if you're from Port Credit and you happen to hate everything that's from Mississauga it makes sense, but otherwise it seems a bit unfair. At the beginning of last season I thought Stajan was a longshot to hit 25 assists. He finished the year with an astonishing 40, despite missing 6 games. I think the greatest knock against Stajan is the perception that he's soft, and certainly getting bounced out of the line-up by a soccer ball doesn't change that view much. Having rookies repeatedly coming to your rescue doesn't look so good either: "Luke’s been there for me... It seems like every time I get hit, he jumps in." It sure makes Schenn a popular guy, but I don't think it's all that flattering for Matty. Here's a serious suggestion for Stajan that'd be guaranteed to turn him from a zero to a hero in Leaf-Nation forever: Simply beat the crap out of Jason Spezza once and for all.

Lee Stempniak

Best season: 2006-7; 27G 25A 52P

Last season: 14G 30A 44P

Salary: $2,500,000

Lee seems to have been a diligent understudy to Matt Stajan's early "Invisible Man" act and is now running away with the lead role. Stempniak (or Suckniak as I call him, also known by others as Stempnisuck) needs to find his comfort level in Toronto and start producing consistently or I fear the patience of the Blue and White faithful will be very short. Maybe some fans just miss Carlo and Steen and find Stempniak's, er, lack of presence to be a haunting reminder of their absence. This year, I think Stempniak will be under a lot of pressure to make things happen right away.

Jeff Finger

Best season: 2008-9; 6G 17A 23P

Last season: 6G 17A 23P

Salary: 3,500,000

Last season's big free-agent splash may be feeling the squeeze on a crowded blueline and will need more then just a really impressive last name to distinguish himself. His enormous salary draws immediate negative attention and doesn't leave much room for sloppy play or indifference. Fortunately for Finger, he's yet to make a glaring error or stand out , but the new-look Leaf defence has added some serious moxy, mojo, and sandpaper, and some people might begin to wonder why we're paying 3.5 million for quiet consistency. One thing is for sure, being the least popular Leaf defender is not a comfortable ride.

Mike Komisarek

Best season: 2006-7; 4G 15A 19P

Last season: 2G 9A 11P

Salary: $4,500,000

Will it be difficult to accept a former rival wearing the Blue and White? Are expectations high for a free-agent defenceman earning 4.5 million? What happens if the Leafs go 3-7-2 in October and Komisarek bangs the puck into his own net to conclude another 3rd period collapse? Just wondering... I think Komisarek is a good signing and that the Leafs defence has improved but that doesn't mean I like him just yet. If he can help us forget Kubina, he should eventually find plenty of fan-support.

Ian White

Best season: 2008-9; 10G 16A 26P

Last season: 10G 16A 26P

Salary: $850,000

Are there still Ian White detractors out there? White had a remarkable season last year but it still might not be enough to guarantee him a spot on the blue line in October. Some of the knocks against White are that he's small, he's not a fantastic playmaker, he's better as a forward, and that he hides his insecurities with facial hair. His effort is always solid but there's only so much a man with a mustache can do. Just talented enough to be a trade-able asset, but not so talented that we shouldn't be able to get something better in return. Funny how that works. My advice to Ian White: keep improving. Leaf fans are not always so subtle when it comes to a player and his diminishing trade value.

Vesa Toskala

Best season: 2006-7; 26-10-1 2.35 .908

Last season: 22-17-11 3.26 .891

Salary: $4,000,000

I think there's going to be a lot of pressure on Toskala right from the first drop of the puck to look sharp and focused. Save percentages around the .880 mark will not be tolerated for long with the Monster ready to step in. Last season was a mess for the Vesa as he struggled right out of the gate and all through December and January, and then just as he seemed to be finding his groove, had his season shut down in favour of a bio-technology upgrade. Will it all be worth it? I think of any Leaf on the team, Toskala has the most to lose or gain from this upcoming season, and I think he'll also be the most influential factor in determining our failure or success.

So there you go. If I've missed a Leaf on the roster that you think deserves to be the target of our organized wrath feel free to let me know in the comments. There's a good chance I'll make this topic my next poll in September. Hopefully we'll have a season with a lot of positive vibes and not too many negatives. It'd be nice to be without a McCabe or a Hollweg or Raycrap, a Wozniewski or Mike Craig, Jason Allison, or Larry Murphy. Just a Leaf team that we all love from top to bottom.

Still, if you had to choose one...?

Our Poni Comes Of Age

Way to go, Alexei. You're doing it.

Eat it, Montreal.

I was really concerned at the Trade Deadline about losing Dominic Moore because I thought it might negatively effect Jason Blake's production. As for trading Antropov, it wasn't concern, I simply accepted that Ponikarovsky's numbers would go down and that he would struggle on his own. Whenever the two were separated, I always assumed it was because Poni wasn't playing well and saw it as a demotion from the top line. What I never imagined happening after the Antropov trade, was Ponikarovsky suddenly emerging from the shadows as the team's best forward.

Since March the 4th, Poni is on a tear. In the last 9 games he has 4 goals, 10 assists for 14 points, has had 3 multiple point games, and has only been held without a point twice. Oddly, both those games were against Tampa Bay. In last night's game against Montreal he was absolutely outstanding. Playing on a line with Grabovski and Kulemin, Poni dominated the game with 2 goals and 2 assists, earning the first star.

To put in perspective what Poni has done since the loss of Antropov and Moore, we'll compare his stats with those of Stajan, Stampniak, and Blake, since the Trade Deadline.

Ponikarovsky: 4G 10A 14P +2 23 Shots

Averaging about 2.5 shots per game and 1.5 points per game.

Stajan: 0G 5A 5P +2 12 Shots

Stajan is nowhere near producing at the level he was before the tragic soccer-ball-in-the-eye-fiasco. Just five points since Antropov and Moore were traded, he's been held pointless 5 times in that span, and without a shot twice. Stajan is hardly stepping it up. In fact, he's now in a deep goal scoring slump and hasn't put the puck in the back of the net for 14 games, going back exactly a month to February 21st when he scored a short-handed goal in the Mats Sundin/Vancouver game.

Stempniak: 3G 3A 6P -3 25 Shots

Held pointless 3 times, but never held without a shot, he's averaged over 2.5 shots per game in his last 9. His numbers are still less then thrilling, though, especially the minus 3.

Blake: 3G 3A 6P Even 37 Shots

Blake's output has suffered a bit with the loss of Moore. Held pointless 4 times in the last 9 games, including the first 3 games immediately after the Trade Deadline, Blake's offensive numbers look similar to Stempniak's. He does have one multiple point game in there though, while Stempniak does not, and he continues to be a shot-firing machine, with never less then at least 2 shots, averaging over 4 per game in this stretch. All those shots, and the fact that his plus/minus is at Even, indicate that Blake is still playing fairly well and continually pressuring the other team's defence. Without Moore's occasionally brilliant instincts however, success just isn't coming as often.

This post isn't meant to slam any of those other players (although Stampniak and Stajan could both sure use a kick in the butt), but simply to point out how well Poni has adapted and grown in the absence of Antropov and Moore. The word blossom comes to mind. As a final comparison, let's look at the stats of the two forwards that were traded and see how well they've done in their new enviornments:

Antropov has played well in New York with 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 8 games, on 19 shots and an even plus/minus. Not bad at all, but imagine what we'd be saying if he had 14 points and two 4-point games already under his belt in the Big Apple?

Moore, meanwhile, has made less of a splash in Buffalo, picking up a goal and 2 assists for just 3 points in his first 8 games with the Sabres. He has 14 shots on goal, and is a plus 2.

Hopefully this is just the start for our Poni-boy on his journey to becoming a Poni-man. If he can finish the season the way he's playing right now, he should be able to come into camp next season with an abundance of confidence and maturity, ready to assume an important leadership position on the team. For years, Ponikarovksy played second-fiddle to Antropov's lead, the tall, lanky Kazakh's long, lanky shadow shielding Alexei from the spotlight, but also from stardom. Finally, the time has come for Poni to emerge and show us what he can do on his own. Indeed, it might be the best thing that could have happened to him.

Keep 'er goin', Poni. You're making us very happy to have two 2nd round draft picks.

From Here To Oblivion

The good news: March 4th, 2009, the NHL trade deadline, is just 44 days away. The bad news: the trade value of Leaf players continues to plummet. Three players whose trade values should be of key interest to Leaf management saw their ice time reduced last night. Frogren was only on for 8:31, Kubina saw limited time in the 3rd and finished at under 15 minutes (14:52) well below Stralman (20:43) and also White, Schenn, and Kaberle, who were all 23+. Antropov also had reduced minutes (13:07) compared to Blake (18:47) and Hagman (16:53). In fact, only May, Mayers, and Tlusty had fewer minutes then Antropov.

Hard to showcase trade value that's playing poorly or not playing at all.

More good news: Toskala has found his niche. It's the first period. Four straight first periods without giving up a goal. Now he just needs to focus on the 2nd and the 3rd. Admittedly, he played a good game last night, but for the 23rd time this year he was the 2nd-best goaltender on the ice.

Is there more good news? I'm trying, I'm trying. Let's see: There's a clear divide in the standings now, with the Leafs 8 points behind Carolina for 10th, but only 4 points separating them from 29th overall. The Islanders, 12 points behind (ahead?) of the Leafs for last place, do not look like they're going to be caught. Thankfully, that's what the draft lottery is for. The Leafs have 3 games left against Tampa and 3 games left against Ottawa, but have used up all of their opportunities against Atlanta to gain (lose?) ground.

This isn't good news at all: Van Ryn, who was hoping to get back with the Leafs as early as last night, didn't play because he failed a baseline test earlier in the day.

"He didn’t pass the test,” disappointed coach Ron Wilson said after the 2-0 loss to the Hurricanes. “He’ll probably keep having to rehab, resting it a bit.”

Baseline tests are compared against the results of similar exercises recorded at the beginning of the season, testing a player's memory and reaction time. Losing Van Ryn like this has hurt the Leafs as much as anything else this season. In the 17 games that he has appeared in, Van Ryn contributed to the Leafs' having a winning percentage of .588. Without MVR, the Leafs' winning percentage is below .350. It really pisses me off that Cliff Fletcher went through all this trouble over the off-season to secure something, anything, in return for the departing McCabe, only to have that bastard Kostopoulos erase it all with his thug-hit on the defenceless defender. That Kostopoulos only got 3 games for such a cruel and vicious hit is disgusting, and it sends a very dangerous message to any team heading into the playoffs - illegal, career-killing, line-up destroying hits from behind are only going to cost a 3-game suspension. Heads up, Andrei Markov. I believe there's some karma coming with your name on it.

The best news of all: It's still just a sport. We may be passionate about it, but it matters to us only as much as we want it to. I'm very thankful that I don't have to deal with some of the horrors that we see in the main section of the newspaper and I wish that no one else did either. Losing sucks, but there's always tomorrow, and then there's always next season. Or I could also just turn it off. That might be the best option right now, but at least it is an option. There's always hope that things might get better someday, and in the meantime, we have each other to commiserate with. We can cry, we can try to laugh, we'll keep each other company, and together, we'll celebrate the small victories whenever they come our way, until that glorious day when we parade down Yonge St. Until then, I can still feel smug and satisfied, knowing that we are the best fans of any team, anywhere, from here to oblivion, even if that's where we're going.

Finally, in the interest of entertainment, and since there isn't anything else positive to express, for your viewing pleasure we present: Jason Blake's Spirit Quest, a pictorial-montage of one player's exciting journey in search of the Fist Pump.

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'.

Battle of Ontario Blow by Blow

Toronto and Ottawa resumed their rivalry last night, and so for the grand historical significance of the occasion, I've covered the game for anyone who didn't get to see it, or for the rest of you that want to relive it again and again. Here's the Battle of Ontario Blow by Blow, also known as the BoOBbB, round 1.

One minute in. Neil gets a piece of Stajan and Schenn goes after him. They have a scrap and Schenn looks awesome. Neil comes out of it allright, but the rest of his NHL career is about to get a lot more painful, and a lot shorter.

Bad choice Neil. There will be payback.

First shot for the Leafs goes to Kulemin. Are you playing SPG? Don't ask why. Just do it, okay, who cares why!

Two minutes, 15 seconds in,, Vermette is stopped on a breakaway. Shortly after at the other end Steen is set up nicely by Blake and stopped by Auld.

4 minutes in. Poni takes a hit to get the puck in deep and then Antro does some bangin' down low. Strong play from those two.

5 and a half minutes. Some nice defending by Van Ryn. 45 seconds later, Blake's hard forechecking leads to a good shot from the point.

6 and a half minutes gone. Moore is hauled down. Ottawa penalty Volchenkov goes for clipping(?).

The powerplay had an early drive but then looked slow and lethargic, starting with Kaberle's lazy retrieval of a puck down the ice.

At the half way point of the period, Schenn is looking great and leading the way.

11:30. Great save Tosakla on Alfie in close and then Alfie takes a stupid holding penalty shortly after. The powerplay is again weak. Stajan does okay digging behind the net, but Van Ryn didn't look focused at the point.

Next shift, a beautiful pass by Kaberle up the middle to Grabovski, who is stopped on a breakaway.

Another good shift for the Blake line. Jason Smith nails Moore and gets called for a cross-checking penalty.

6 minutes left in the first. Leafs are 75% on face-offs so far.

14:14. GOAL!!! Taken it to the net! Blake makes a nice play at the side of the net to get the puck in front, and a good crash by Van Ryn and Moore. Dominic Moore gets his second of the year, on the powerplay, from Van Ryn and Blake.

With three minutes remaining in the first, Sens put together a decent shift against the Hagman-Grabovski-Kulemin line.

18:15. Good hit by Steen.

18:45 More pressure by the Sens leads to their first powerplay. Stralman goes off for hooking. (He had a good goal Thursday, but I am surprised he's getting so much playing time over Carlo)

Period ends. Overall a very good first 20 minutes for the Leafs. Shots were 21-9! Faceoffs, 14-3! Wow. Moore leads the way with 4 shots, 1 goal, while 13 different Leafs also had at least one shot on net that period.

2nd Period

First minute. The penalty to Stralman expires and he steps out of the box and into a breakaway, but has his shot stopped.

Next shift features some nice passing by Schenn, Kaberle, Antropov, Ponikarovski, and Stajan.

2 minutes, 15 seconds. GOAL!!! Grabovski from Hagman. Stralman nearly loses it at the line but then kept the puck in and threw it deep to pick up the other assist. Kulemin doesn't get an assist but made a really nice play to protect the puck until it got to Hagman behind the goal. Grabovski's skot was like a comet to the top corner.

4:06. Goal. Mitchell loses his stick in the defensive zone, and then a point shot is deflected. Donovan from Picard and Kuba. Boo.

4:42. Penalty to Ottawa. Volchenkov for hooking. The powerplay for Toronto has some okay pressure but no goal. Should have been another penalty to Ottawa on a Hagman takedown.

7 minutes played in the 2nd. Shots are 9-2 for the Leafs so far in this period (30-11 overall).

The Blake-Moore line again with some pressure. Seems like the Leafs have 3 good lines going tonight.

8 and a half minutes. The 4th line gets some ice time and pressures Ottawa. Leafs controlling the play through the first half of the 2nd.

10:20. Stralman throws a hit.

10:50. Kulemin-Hagman-Grabovski hemmed in. First poor Leaf shift in a while.

14 minute 45 seconds. Mayers and Neil get the crowd going but don't scrap. Mayers drops his gloves, but Neil won't go. Coward. Shortly after, Neil shoves Grabovski into Toskala and receives a 10-minute misconduct.

11 seconds later, Moore gets a holding penalty. Ottawa fails to score or get a good chance. Stajan does a nice job on the penalty kill. Moore then gets a chance in the slot with 2:45 remaining in the period.

With a minute and 8 seconds left, Antropov draws an Ottawa penalty, Schubert for interference. The powerplay really goes nowhere, and the period ends.

Shots 33-13. Face-offs 24-7. The goals advantage is only by one, 2-1.

3rd Period

The good pace to the game continues and the first six minutes of the 3rd go by quickly. Steen has the only early chance.

6 minutes, 45 seconds, Toskala makes a great save, and Finger does a good job clearing the puck.

7:40. Antropov leads a nice rush.

10 minutes left. Back and forth, but neither team with any solid pressure. Leafs are doing a good job of limiting the Senator's attack. Shots are 4-3 for the Sens in the 3rd at this point, 36-17 for the Leafs overall.

11:30. Good shoulder by Finger! His name still sounds weird but he's lookin' allright.

7 minutes left. Another nice pass from Kaberle and Blake is away on a breakaway but then loses the puck.

37 seconds later. Good pressure. Antropov shot - rebound, Pony! GOAL!!! Complete phantom assist for Stajan, who led the rush, stopped just inside the blue line and then had his shot deflect wildly off the glass, behind the net. Antropov picks it up, skates around to the slot, and throws the puck at the net where Poni bangs it in. Leafs lead by 2, 3-1.

Under 5 minutes. Blake throws a hit?! Then Kubina throws a hit. That's more like it. Ottawa's pressure is all on the perimeter.

Blake's hustle with 2 and a half minutes to go leads to a Sens' penalty. Phillips goes to the box for hooking, and that's pretty much it for Ottawa. Great work, Blake.

55 seconds left. Ouch! Ugly short-handed goal by the Senators cuts the lead to one, 3-2. McAmmond banks it in off of Van Ryn's skate, who goes bezerk on his stick and chops it in two. How huge is that Poni goal now? Or the Phillips penalty?

30 seconds. Woweee! Mad scramble and then a lot of pushing and shoving. Spezza gets a little aggressive with Scehnn. I guess Emery wasn't the only player on the Senators lookin' to sabotage their own career. Spezza's is done for.

10 seconds. Senators win an important face-off and Heatley has a chance, but hits Toskala with the puck and it bounces away. Finger clears the puck and the Leafs win!

Two in a row!

My Three Stars:

The third star, Alexei Ponikarovsky

The second star, Jason Blake

The first star, Luuuuuuuke Schenn!!!

Overall, a very satisfying game. There's a box score here. It's always fun when the Leafs beat Ottawa, but tonight it was nice to see the Leafs come together and show some real confidence. Blake really rebounded with a strong effort, Toskala had 22 saves for the win, and several key players, including Moore, Antropov, Kaberle, and Kubina, had strong games. There's still long way to go for both the Leafs and the Senators, but right now, I'd so much rather be us then them. We're four points ahead of them in the standings, but more importantly, we have Luke Schenn - they have a funny lookin' zero on their shoulder.