From Post To Post And Pole to Poll: Horse Racing And Hockey

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Horse Racing. Seems to be an odd recurring theme as I sift through Google Images. Not much goin' on these days, so for entertainment I've decided to compile all the pictures I could find of Leafs at the racetrack and put them all together, in case there was somebody, anybody, who found this amusing or interesting. It's not, really, but Burke is gone fishin', so we might as well go sightseeing at the track. 

Here's a great picture of popular former Leaf and Dream Team member, Alyn McCauley. You'll notice in the next 2 photos Brian Burke and Darcy Tucker holding the same trophy, but for some reason, Alyn is only allowed to meekly place his left hand on top of the trophy while someone holds it for him. What gives? Alyn seemed like a really cool guy and I'm really jealous of PPP for his run in with him in Montreal. I'll never forget the way he came through for us against Ottawa.

You never really realize how small jockeys are until you see them standing beside hockey players. Here's a picture of Super-Psycho Shane Corson along with his chaperon for the day, Darcy Tucker. Anytime you can make the guy they call "bat-shit crazy" appear to be the normal one, it's a warning sign that you have serious problems.
Here's Brain Burke as the drawmaster at Mohawk Raceway earlier this summer, taking charge of the proceedings by lifting the trophy right out of the official's hands, and then letting people know straight up which horses they should be putting their money on. There's only one way to do things when Brian is around, and that's his way.
Just like Brian Burke, Ron Wilson's first official duty in Toronto was to be a drawmaster for a horse race. Still visible in this photo is the look of obvious culture shock that anyone wears when traveling from California to Ontario. The trophy beside Wilson is the nicest one in all of these pictures.
Who can forget the time that Tie Domi stabbed a guy in the neck with 2 horseshoes just to make a room full of people laugh? Also amusing is the fact that the trophy and Domi's head are exactly the same size.
Then there was the year that Curtis Joseph actually won the Queen's Plate. A surprise disqualification minutes before the start saw the always competitive Cujo enter the race as an incredible 375 to 1 longshot. Joseph then stunned the competition and the crowd, winning the Queen's Plate by a length and a half, all the while carrying 120-pound jockey Oleg Borschevsky (Nikolai's lesser known younger half-brother) around the track on his back. A somewhat embarrassed Joseph was rewarded for his "un-bee-lee-ba-ba" performance with the smallest trophy they could find and then they hung a wreath of flowers around his neck.

Here's an extremely rare photo of Mr. Fletcher accompanied by the elite group of assistants he employs, known only as Cliff's Angels. These 3 fabulous stereotypes are Cliff's ultra-secret team of highly trained international agents, using the latest skills in martial arts, weaponry, and seduction to track down the most dangerous and sought-after prospects from around the globe and then bring them to Toronto. Originally assigned as high-level liaison operatives for Central European Scouting 2 years ago, their latest mission to Farjestads, Sweden has been a notable success.

Well, that's it. I didn't do any research for this at all. Maybe I should have, but actually, this post was just an excuse to tell people that I have a new poll at the bottom of the page to keep us excited through the summer. Who is your favorite "new" Leaf that Burke has added to the team so far? Beauchemin, Exelby, Gustavsson, Hanson, Kadri, Komisarek, Orr, Stuart, or Wallin? The poll will be open until September 1st.

Until then, see you at the track, everybody.

Hockey Players Are People Too

A trade! It's always an exciting time in Leaf Nation when the Silver Fox pulls the trigger. I'll try to post more reactions to the Stempniak-Steen-Colaiacovo deal soon, but first I'd like to present simply the words from the Leafs directly involved.

First, Mirtle lets you read a transcript of Cliff Fletcher's press conference. 

This is the money-shot: "The rationale behind the Leafs making the trade was that we felt we were acquiring a top six forward, someone who can play on our power play besides contributing substantially offensively... We just looked at it from the standpoint of that it's very difficult to find top six forwards, particularly someone who can play on the power play and Stempniak, in this case, is a right-handed shot, which we don't have..."

There's that expression, "top-six forward" again. I wonder how many Cliff thinks we have now?

Below is some awesome footage from media scrums with Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. They both look great in their goodbye-tuques.



Highlights:

Steen: "... excited to have a better 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter..." Indicating he's well aware of the crap numbers he's put up through the 1st 20 games.

"... It is what it is, y'know..." I don't, but I like the way he said it.

It seems they had a practice first and weren't told about the trade and then after were summoned to Cliff's room of gloom. "... When you find out you and Carlo have to go and talk to Cliff, we kind of knew that something was up. I've never had a meeting like that before..."

I'm a bit disturbed with how often Steen remarks that he's going to miss the trainers. At least 3 times he mentions it.

His wife is wondering where St. Louis is and what's it's like. It's in Missouri. It's very American, compared to Canada or Sweden.

On the playoffs in Toronto: "... something that I really wanted to do, but y'know, won't be able to do, maybe the Stanley Cup Finals, or something like that down the road..." That's the spirit.

Steen, at least, looks relaxed and comfortable. Carlo looks like he's in considerable shock.

Carlo: "... We have a great bunch of guys in the room. It's really tough saying goodbye to them..."

"...It's all a big shock to me right now, but I love Toronto... I'd consider coming back one day..." Could you imagine? 3 to 4 years from now, when the Leafs are a Stanley Cup contender, and right at the trade deadline, GM Brian Burke reacquires Carlo Colaiacovo for the playoff push. That would be so awesome.

On the possible advantages of not playing in Toronto: "... I finally get to get away from you guys... " Haha. Stupid media, take that!

"...Both me and Alex thought we were part of the future of this team... Wish it could have been better but hopefully things will be different down the road..."

They both seem like really cool guys. And I'm a bit sorry to see each of them go. Alex, especially, had seen quite a lot of criticism recently, and Carlo wasn't able to avoid it either, being hit first by a puck in practice, and then by this out-of-the-blue shot from Wilson, just less then a week ago:

"The big thing with Carlo, and I tell him every day, you're not in very good shape and that's your fault."

Ouch. That's not happy, that's sad. Sad, now that he's been traded. Hockey players are people too, y'know, and besides all the passion and grit they're required to display , they sometimes also have feelings. Hopefully Carlo's feelings aren't as fragile as his bones.

Best of luck, Carlo and Alex. Keep in touch.

The Over/Under On My Expectations

Hey, Leaf fans! I'm lookin' forward to Saturday's game against Chicago, not just for the Wendelmania that's going to run wild, but partly because Mitchell is expected to be back in the line up, and also because I think this game will be the start of a good run for the Leafs. They've lost 3 out of their last 4, so now would definately be a good time to turn it around. 3 of their next 4 games will be at home, with the only exception being a road game in Ottawa (which is really the Leafs' home away from home) next Thursday. Also, each of the next four games will be against teams that have more losses then they have wins (I count overtime losses as a loss, not a tie): Chicago (8-9), Atlanta (7-10), Ottawa (6-12, wow), and Philadelphia (7-10). The Leaf's record of 7 wins and 12 losses puts them in the same category as the rest of these "playoff doubtfuls", so a modest winning streak starting now would be a good way to distinguish themselves from this mediocre group. Picking up at least 6 points over these next 4 games would also probably do a lot to lift their spirits before heading out west for another 3 games against L.A., San Jose, and Phoenix, next week.

For this post I thought I'd take a quick look at 6 players on each side of the expectation line that I've arbitrarily drawn; 3 that have so far exceeded those expectations, and 3 that, for now, are well below.

Under: Vesa Toskala

Okay, so we had a little fun with Vesa in our last post, and we're sorry 'cause we love him, but we were inspired by his play from games previous to the Boston loss. An .878 save percantage does not reflect one bad night, or even a handful. Vesa has to be better. Not just better then that game in Boston, better then every game so far, with the exception of the 1-0 shoot-out loss to the NYRangers. Game in, game out, Vesa needs to be better. Before the season, my expectations were that he would be one of the Leafs' 3 stars virtually every game. Sadly, that isn't happening, but it needs to happen if the Leafs are going to have any hope of playoff success. I certainly expect him to be better then Raycrap, but frankly, that's not saying much and it ain't anywhere near enough.

Over: Ian White

Not much was expected of White heading into camp. With an overcrowded blue line, White lost his usefulness until he reinvented himself as a forward in the pre-season. Even still, Coach Ron Wilson began the season with White in the press box for the first 11 games. As far as I know, during that time when White was a healthy scratch, his mood never became a distraction, nor did he complain, but instead, gave us this great quote:

"I can't wait to play, forward, defence, whatever. If Vesa (Toskala) or Cujo (Curtis Joseph) get hurt, I'll play between the pipes too. I just want to play."

Since being inserted into the line up, now primarily as a forward that can play be utilized as a defenceman when there's a need, White has responded with some of his best and most consistent play in a Leafs uniform. In 8 games, Ian White has tallied 7 points, and shares the team lead with Antropov in plus/minus at +5. He has averaged 2 shots per game, and has scored 3 goals. I think those are great numbers, and it'll be interesting to see now how long he can keep it up, and how long Wilson will leave him in the line-up if can't. For sure, he's shown the right kind of perseverance and determination, and the results so far are better then I ever would have expected.

Under: Alex Steen

I want to start seeing more out of Steen. I know the guy can score big goals and be a leader on this team, but this season he hasn't shown it. Up until now it seems Wilson hasn't been too bothered by Steen's play, satisfied perhaps that he is fulfilling his defensive responsibilities, but increasingly, others are starting to notice the lack of production. 2 goals and 2 assists, and also a minus 3, is well below the expectations I had for Steen. Over 3 seasons in the NHL, Steen has averaged 16 goals, and 25 assists per campaign. This year, he is on pace for 8 goals and 8 assists. In a year where I was hoping he would improve on his offensive numbers, this would seem to be a major setback. In my opinion, it's not an issue of Wilson putting Steen in more offensive situations either. The very best defensive forwards; Datsyuk, Draper, Peca, Federov, Gilmour, Carbonneau, Gainey, were all able to put the puck in the other net while keeping it out of their own, and often came up with the big goal which they'd call the "momentum killer". This is the challenge for Alex Steen. He needs to find a way to be a significant contributer, not with an abundance of scoring, but with the right goal at the right time. If he can, the pressure comes off the top two lines to win every game, and the Leafs attack becomes more dynamic

and difficult to defend against. For Alex Steen, the next level awaits.

Over: Nikals Hagman

Hagman has been a rock for the Leafs. His consistency is perhaps his strongest suit. Every shift, he seem to play hard and brings the same level of intensity over the boards every time he hits the ice. He plays a mature physical game: only 2 PIMs, and a +3 is the evidence of his excellent forechecking skills. Hagman is currently tied for 4th on the Leafs in scoring, with 13 points, 6 goals and 7 assists,  after 19 games, and shares the team lead with Matt Stajan for powerplay goals with 3. Most surprising, he leads the Leafs in shots on goal with 72. I never imagined anyone would have more shots on goal then Jason Blake, but thankfully Hagman's shooting percentage is much higher at .083. Overall, I'm really enjoying Hagman's play so far and think that he and Antropov are the 2 key components behind the Leafs' ability to have 2 strong offensive lines. 

Under: Jamal Mayers

Can't say I'm too impressed with Jamal Mayers so far. I hadn't seen a lot of Jamal, but I was expecting a player that banged and crashed - along the boards, in front of the net, in the corners, at centre ice - who'd make me want to yell, "YaaaaahH! Jamal smoked that guy!" So far, not so much. But mostly where I'm disappointed with Jamal is on the score sheet. Not that I was expecting a lot, but when I look at his stats from the last 3 seasons; 15G 11A 26P in 2006, 8G 14A 22P in 2007, and 12G 15A 27P last season, his 1 goal and 2 assists after 19 games this season just isn't up to par. Right now he's on pace for 12 points, or roughly half the offensive output that he'd been averaging the last 3 years in St. Louis. Part of that has to be because of the ice-time he's being given, as well as the role he plays, but also it seems as if he's struggling to find chemistry with any of his linemates so far. Hopefully soon he can find somebody to click with and he'll start to chip in more often on the scoresheet. Tough is good, but aside from making Chris Neil shake in his spaceboots, he's not really contributing much. Jamal needs to crank it up a notch and start poppin' a few goals and skulls at the same time.

Over: Matt Stajan

Stajan's numbers are amazing right now. Despite not getting a point Monday against Boston, the not-so-invisible-Matt is still leading the Leafs in scoring with 17 points. How much of this is just luck and how much of this is Stajan's skill and hustle we'll just have to see. He's on quite a run right now, playing some really excellent hockey, and if he can keep it up he is heading for a career year. Thus far, he has totally and completely exceeded all the expectations that I had for him at the beginning of the year, and looks more and more comfortable as a leader on this team. It's a long season and we're not quite at the quarter-mark yet, but this terrific start from Stajan should kill any confidence issues he might have had early on. While the next level waits for Alex Steen, Matt Stajan is already there.

Finally, an honourable mention should go out to Cliff Fletcher and Ron Wilson for producing a hockey team whose work ethic and competitiveness has easily exceeded any expectations I might have had back in September.

A Sundin Update? Not Again!

I wasn't sure if I was going to post this, but I thought, if I don't - who will? Only everybody else! I know everyone's sick and tired of the Sundin drama, especially me, so I decided that I wouldn't bother posting this after all, but then I went and typed the whole thing anyways. And then I hit "PUBLISH POST", and it was too late. Fortunately, I knew all of that was going to happen and included it ahead of time in my introduction, which by now, you've already read.

On the weekend I happened to read an article in the Star by Rosie Dimanno about Mats Sundin. I don't normally care for Dimanno's work, - her last piece on Sundin, when she covered the Festival Cup, was horribly bland and uninspired, - but buried down at the bottom of this article was a really weird bit:

Yet his interest is clearly perked when informed about one well-connected hockey journalist who reported yesterday that coach Ron Wilson believes Sundin will return as a Leaf at some point this year.

"Wilson said that? But did he say he wants me to?''
Sundin, Oct. 24/08

Strange thing for Sundin to ask, I thought. Is that all he's waiting for? Maybe Dimanno didn't have the exact quote in her notes, or maybe she didn't have her notes in front of her, or maybe she doesn't believe in notes, but just so we're not gossiping or playing broken-telephone, here's what Wilson said on record the next day:

"Hey, I wouldn't mind if he came back, and reports say he might come back to Toronto, that he's waiting to see how we play."
Wilson, Oct. 26/08

Aha. He said, he wouldn't mind. That's not bad. That's about as much as you're going to get out of Ron Wilson, I think. The desire has to come from within, Mats. Wilson doesn't want Stajan to play better, he expects him to. If Blake doesn't want to play the way Wilson expects, then he doesn't play. Wilson never said publicly that he wanted Luke Schenn to be part of his top 4 defence this year - but he gave him the opportunity, and now Luke gets the rewards:

"He just came up to me and said: `We're going to keep you. You're not going to have to go back and ride the bus.' That's all he said."

Schenn, Oct. 28/08

Wilson's not going to ask anybody to do anything. Either get the job done or be out of a job. But if he believes in your abilities, he will give you the opportunities. If you accept those opportunities, then you also accept the responsibilty of Wilson's expectations.

"If Mats Sundin came back I would make him the captain."

Wilson, Oct. 26/08

That's a pretty strong endorsement, I would say. Without saying specifically that he wants Sundin to come back, he is suggesting that if Mats did decide to return, Wilson would expect him to lead. The fact that Wilson has left the captaincy vacant, or that Fletcher has built a roster perfectly suited for Sundin while leaving enough cap room to sign him, suggests the Leafs are very interested in having Sundin rejoin them. Without saying so publicly, they've done everything they can to create the perfect conditions for his return. Oh, wait a minute, they did say so publicly:

"It feels like my decision is going to come after there's going to be some other stuff going on with the Toronto Maple Leafs and I'll see what happens there. I'll have to make my decision after that."
Sundin, May 29/08

"After I sit down and tell him what we have in mind -- which isn't for public consumption now -- I think a clear picture will emerge for him," Fletcher said. "I think he'll be comfortable."
Fletcher, early June 08

What wasn't for public consumption then was how Cliff was going to do it. Cliff is a man of his word though, and while it took time to get all the pieces in place (and McCabe and others out of place), the Leafs are a different team this year, a better team, and yet there remains a huge hole in the line-up specifically suited to allow for Sundin's return. Matt Stajan has done well the last 3 games between Antropov and Ponikarovsky, including a goal last night, but, c'mon seriously, Matt Stajan is the number 1 centre on the Leafs?!?

Actions speak louder then words. It's taken a while to get there, but I think the Leafs have more then demonstrated their desire to have Sundin come back. No one wants to lose face on this and look the fool, but, baby-step by baby-step, the two sides are getting closer to resuming the relationship again.

Maybe there really isn't anymore to it then that. If we look back to the beginning of the summer, before Sundin was even a free-agent, the message from Sundin was already there:

"First of all, for me to come back to Toronto, Toronto has got to show they really want me to come back, too," Sundin later added. "So we'll see what happens."
Sundin, May 29/08

Maybe there is more. Maybe it's up to the fans. Us. You, me, and all the other apathetic weirdo's out there who've lost interest in Sundin and don't care if he returns. Some (not me) don't want to see Sundin return because it will decrease our chances of a quality draft pick. Others (also not me) are skeptical of having Sundin back because of the weight of his larger-then-life presence and the way it affects team chemistry. And finally, some people (me) are just bored with the whole thing. They need constant stimulation (totally me) or they lose interest.

So I think I've found the solution. We just need to have our buttons pressed. Generate a little excitment. Once that ball of hype gets going, there'll be no stopping it. One way Sundin could do that himself would be to start talking about hockey again. To show some enthusiasm for the sport we all love. Get that look of determination back in his eyes. Because, as Leaf fans, we know there's very few things more exciting then a determined Sundin.

Another way Sundin could totally win over all Leaf fans would be to return without an NTC. I know, not going to happen, but from a purely PR perspective, it'd be a brilliant move. Let it be a gentleman's agreement between Mats and Cliff. Let Fletcher take the heat at the trade deadline and at the end of the year for not moving Sundin. Cliff is a man on his word, I don't think he would screw Sundin by sending him to a team if he didn't want to go, contractual agreement or not. It doesn't really need to be there, so why should it be there? But imagine the joy in Leaf Nation when it's announced that Sundin has signed without a No-Trade clause. Fletcher would be a hero, and Sundin too. Until the end of the year when the Leafs miss the playoffs again by a single point, but then all the heat will fall on Cliff's shoulders for not trading Sundin when he could have. Fletcher won't care 'cause he'll be stepping down and handing the reigns over to someone else. Meanwhile, Sundin can ride off into the sunset and retire as a Maple Leaf, having thanked the fans for making his dream come true with one last season.

"My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto MapleLeaf."
Sundin, May 29/08

No one player, not even Sundin, is bigger then the Leafs' orginization. By demontrating that he understands that, and then leading by that kind of example, without a No-Trade clause - only a handshake from Cliff - Mats can have the send off he deserves, and so can we.

*** An Update to the Update ***

From the comments section, Drake asks a good question:

I've always been a Sundin fan, but having said that, the team seems to be developing some good chemistry without him... Sundins return would obviously demote Stajan, so do you think that might mess up the chemistry?

I responded with: Personally, I think no one wants Sundin to come back more then Stajan.

It seems someone from the Natioanl Post overheard our little conversation and gave us this follow up (Nov. 3/08):

Wilson was asked if Sundin's return - theoretically, at least - would place the team's new-found chemistry at risk.

"I don't see how it could hurt," the coach said. "But that's just speculation.

From the same article, further down, Stajan responds with this:

"I hope he comes back. I hope he comes back to us. He'd be a big boost to our team, for sure... You add one of the best players in the world and, no doubt, it's going to help the team."

It's Time To Pump Up The Jam!

Spirit is Everything! Winning... not so much.

Tomas Kaberle presents... "Commitment To Execution"

2008-2009 Toronto Maple Leafs

"I am the Pony-King! I can do anything!"

Only a few more hours to go, Leaf fans, before we drop the puck on yet another un-glorious season. It's a year that begins with "zero" fans, zero expectations, and zero Captains.

It's a fresh start. A clean slate. And in mere moments it will all unfold, the living monument that is Leaf-history will yet again be carved with Blades of Honour and Glory. Towards victory or defeat, we march with a mighty roar...

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Yaaaaah! We love to win!"

Time to paint your face and get your freak-on, Leaf Nation. Despite the discouraging opinion of the sad, morose Damien Cox, this is going to be an exciting season. But don't take my word for it. Check out some of the comments from Damien's blog. Here's a good one:

Rather then the usual dissapointment and frustration of losing with under-achieving "superstars", Leaf fans will get to see a new coach with a new style, players whose jobs depend on their performances, unknown quantities like Kulemin and Frogren attempting to establish themselves, and working-class journeymen (Mayers, Stajan, Moore) emerging as leaders. Do the words "develope, blossom, mature" sound boring? ... If you live in Toronto, and you follow hockey, but you don't see this set of circumstances as being positive or exciting, well then you're just a sad, morose person who can't be encouraged about anything.

Surprised they printed that. Here's another:

The only folks who are "suggesting" the things that Damien is talking about get paid to express their opinions either on TV, print or radio. Not one fan with a brain in their head is as delusional as he suggests, he should check the meals at the ACC press room.
-TorontoSpotsMedia

And another:

Folks, it's about more than just having lots of names, bald heads, and arrogant columnists.
The Maple Leafs might have the weakest media corps in the entire league.
-PensionPlanPuppets

Hahahahaha. Hilarious. Maybe it won't be exciting to Damien because he just doesn't care. That's fine, that's his choice. I choose: "Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"We did it again! Scoring goals is awesome!"

With the final cuts to Bell, Devereaux and Kronwall this week, the line up appears set. Coming out of camp, the big surprises for me have been Luke Schenn and Ian White. It remains to be seen how long either will stick with the club, but congrats to both for finding a way to get on the team for now.

And so here's where I take a stab at projecting the forward line matchups:

Poni - Antro - Blake (Tlusty/Kulemin)
Hagman - Grabovski - Mitchell (Kulemin/Hollweg)
Stajan - Steen - White (Tlusty/Mitchell)
Mayers - Moore - Hollweg (Blake/White)

The names in blue are the players that I think should play everyday together. The players on the right are the remaining 6 rotating through 4 spots. In bold is my first choice and in brackets are players they could be interchanged with depending on game situations, injury, etc.

"Something had to be done to change the culture of this hockey club."

I think Cliff's moves this summer have been very cunning and I really like what I've seen from Ron Wilson. The record in the exhibition (2-5-2) didn't show it, but this is a far better team then what we had last year. Wilson's attitude is already making a difference and he's also given us some great quotes early on. So far, this is my favorite:

"The only thing I guarantee is this team will not accept defeat. If they go down, they'll go down swinging."

Fuck, ya!! It's like I can feel something in my heart again. What is that? Love? Pride? Passion?!?

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

Look at those beautiful, sensitive, understanding eyes. What a dreamboat!

If ever there was a man to have a man-crush on, it is Vesa. The most adorable tandem the Leafs have seen since Damien Rhodes and Felix the Cat, Toskala and Cujo are going to bring respectability back to the Leafs' blue-paint this year. While the world waits for Pogge to mature, the time is now for Vesa to prove he is a superstar goalie in the NHL.

"Hey! You really don't suck! We might actually be good again someday!"

Finally, we need to acknowledge Luke Schenn. Thank you, Luke, for all you've done so far. Your skill, your poise, your power - humbles us and reminds us that the great hockey players of our time have all been worth waiting for. For this tremendous gift of genuine optimism we will, in return, have eternal patience (well, 2 to 3 year patience actually, but that's like an eternity on a Leaf Nation time-scale) while we wait for the right team, one that Luke Schenn deserves, to be assembled and delivered to him.

The future is bright Leaf fans. The future starts now. Get excited. This is it. Let it begin...

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

"Go! Leafs! Go!"

This Is How We Say Goodbye

Exciting news, everyone! Important things are happening and they're happening quickly:

Bryan McCabe is officially no longer a Maple Leaf.

Mats Sundin is back in town for a charity hockey game.

Jaredoflondon has magical powers!

Who is the "interesting mystery personality" that has just been added to the growing list of famous names scheduled to attend the Festival Cup?

And why has no one heard of the Festival Cup before?

So, Cliff had a plan to make the 16th Captain more comfortable, and now Sundin has come back to witness the "final execution" of that masterplan, that is - the realization of a once-considered impossible challenge of dispatching Bryan McCabe to anywhere for anything.

If you admire Sundin and you still want to see him return to the NHL as a Maple Leaf, don't give up hope. The door is still open. For all other teams, however, time has run out. Sundin is nowhere near being ready for opening night, so that eliminates any "group" considering itself a contender.

"I never believed in rental players to start with," Sundin told reporters. "I think if you want to be part of the team that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup or a team that is going far in the playoffs, my opinion has always been that you want to be there from training camp or the start of the season to be part of the group."

We know Sundin is not, and will never, ever be, a rental player for a contending team. That leaves only the Leafs and other teams that suck, and I can't imagine him finishing his brilliant career with a half-season on some crappy team, unless for some reason, it's what he dreams about it.

"My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf."

Remember the Dream, Mats. One last time, one more year. Dream.
Here's how it goes down: Cliff says to Mats, "This is what I'm going to do...", then he whispers in Mats' ear. Mats says, "Wow, the whole team! That would be comfortable! Sounds too good to be true and I've been fooled by you guys once before. Call me when it's done. Until then, I'm going fishing." Fletcher's a responsible guy and he can't chase Sundin the way he deserves, so he does the next best thing: he trades the right to do it to Bob Gainey. It's a test of faith, but also a way of flattering Sundin the way he ought to be, by letting someone else do it. Gainey goes to Sweden, Vancouver perpetuates its own fantasy, and meanwhile Fletcher keeps himself busy improving the hockey club.

Sundin never had any desire to play for anyone else, but he also had no desire to waste an entire summer training and conditioning for a team he's not employed to, that owes him no commitment, and may not follow up on its promises. Cliff went to work while Sundin went fishing. Essentially, he retired at that point. Now that Cliff's work is done, Sundin can begin to see if his body is ready for another NHL season, and if his spirit is willing to return to that level. Friday, at the Festival Cup, is Step One.

I'm sure by now everyone is dying of anticipation, wondering who is the "interesting mystery personality" attending the Festival Cup, but first let me point out some important names that have already been announced. Curtis Joseph, Doug Gilmour, Matt Stajan, will all be playing, but there's also Joe Nieuwendyk, not officially participating, but he'll be hangin' around the building somewhere. Both Cujo and Joe are good friends with Sundin and are likely to encourage him one way or another.For Stajan, the game possibly represents a passing of the torch. It is beginning to look more and more like Matt Stajan is being groomed to be the next Captain of the Maple Leafs. While Kaberle has been invisible this summer, Stajan has introduced Leaf fans to a free (promotional) exhibition contest, and is now representing the Leafs at a high profile charity event. One thing is clear: Mats Sundin is no longer the Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, nor will he be on opening night. Sundin may yet return, but the Blood Of My Chief waits for no one. Along with a new "A", there will be a 17th Captain wearing the "C" for that first game. With the departure of McCabe, and the indefinite absence of Sundin, Stajan will have a letter on the front of his sweater, it's just a question of which one.

Exclusive Leafs(sort of)-Hockey-Fan-Related Minor Announcement

And now finally, the moment you've all be waiting for! About to be revealed for the very first time, the "interesting mystery personality" whose name has been added to the exciting list of celebrities and hockey players appearing at the Festival Cup! Joining Mats Sundin, Cujo, Stajan, Doug Gilmour, along with Sean Avery, Joe Thornton, Jason Spezza and Steve Stamkos, will be, from Hollywood; Luc Robitaille, Tim Robbins, Alan Thicke and... (if you guessed Kirk Cameron, boy, you are so close!) In fact, the latest addition to this exciting list of names is none other then me, Leaf-blogger extraordinaire, general borschevsky! The guy who's typing what your eyes are reading. Yep, just your usual general borschevsky will be in attendance at the Festival Cup. I will not be participating in the actual game, but I will be surveying and recording the action and events in my mind (or with a notepad, I haven't decided yet) and will post the results as soon as I can. So, probably long after you've already read about it somewhere else.

Thanks for dropping by everybody. Lots more to come!

Hockey Or Death!

"My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf. That hasn't changed. But I'm not going to say that I'm not going to play anywhere else either, because I'm not really in control of that".

I've never seen anyone in such complete control of their destiny as Mats Sundin is now. Yet the battle rages on. If only this juggernaut of indecision could be defeated, if only the Dragon of Doubt in his mind could be struck down with a mighty cry, "Hockey Or Death!" Reminds me of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Rather, Mats Sundin reminds me of a Hamlet who's dropped out of high school, smokes too much weed, and won't stop watching the Discovery channel in the basement.
"To be, or not to be... that is the fucked up shit..."

"Would you please get a job!!"

"Mom, I told you a hundred times, I don't know what I wanna do!"

A long time ago I sarcastically suggested that Cliff simply give Sundin the control to make his own decision about returning and what kind of environment he'd like to be in. Then, upon the hiring of Ron Wilson, I took that as an indication that Cliff was here to stay, and that Mats Sundin still had the door held open for him, so long as his heart wasn't set on a Stanley Cup ('cause we know he's not about the money; Guy Carbonneau said so).

And so we waited. It rained a lot this summer. More then usual.

The negotiating rights to Sundin were traded away to bitter rivals, Montreal, but I concluded that it was insignificant, that Sundin had no interest in signing anything before July 1st. At that point, he had only two things on his mind: arctic fishing, and vowing never to go to Mark Messier's New York hair salon ever again. It's a scam. All they do is shave your head and charge you $70! Sure your head smells like flowers for a week, but it's also so slippery you can't wear a comfortable hat on a windy day. Time passed. Arctic fishing was a huge success. You should have seen him at it, he was unbelievable! If only this sport had the same kind of following as the NHL, Sundin's brilliance would be twice as legendary. So many fish overcome by raw talent. They never had a chance.

Meanwhile, I interrupted a post to announce the breaking news that Cliff Fletcher was doing everything he could to make the Captain comfortable for the upcoming season in Toronto. The funny part though, was that's exactly what Cliff said he was going to do, back on May the 28th.

"After I sit down and tell him what we have in mind- (which wasn't for public consumption then) -I think a clear picture will emerge for him", Fletcher said. "I think he'll be more comfortable."

Well, the Silver Fox made his moves, acquiring Grabovski, Hagman, Hollweg, Mayers, Finger, and Frogren. The public has consumed this information and developed opinion. A clear picture has emerged!
Montreal: You suck.

Vancouver: You suck worse.

Sweden's boring. Even in the summertime.

Of course Mats Sundin is a little sad about last season, but a broken heart can love again. Like all romantic losers, Robert Smith of The Cure loves the Leafs, and that guy's sad about everything.Robert Smith broke his heart in 1979 and made a career out of it. C'mon Mats. You can do it, too. We'll be here. Waiting in the rain. Wanting to die, or just to be given a little attention. Just like a Cure song. We're not sad anymore, Mats. Black is the colour of our love.

The Dream Team (Part 2): Defence, Goalies, Management

Hello Sports Fans, and welcome back to the second half of our 2-part mini-series, looking at some of my favorite players to wear a Maple Leafs uniform, and imagining what it would be like to have them all on the same team at the same time. If you missed Part 1: The Forward Lines, check it out, here. And now, let's look at the rest of the line up. Defence, the goalies, and Management.

I'm expecting some disagreement here, and to be honest, I found picking the 6 defencemen way harder then choosing 12 forwards. A lot of very good defencemen have come to Toronto but were not very good Maple Leaf defencemen. Indeed, something about Toronto seems to repeatedly eat up decent defencemen and spit them back. Mathieu Schneider, Jeff Brown, Larry Murphy. Those are the worst of the best. But there's also Phil Housley, Jason Smith, and Kenny Johnson; fairly good defencemen whose impact was minimal. Then there's also popular Leaf defenders, Al Iafrate, Brad Marsh, and Luke Richardson, who never got to enjoy the Leafs' better days. And then finally, there's Bryan McCabe.

Tomas Kaberle-Dimitri Mironov. Kaberle is an obvious choice and doesn't need to be explained. Mironov, on the other hand, is actually my sixth defenceman, I just like the way he pairs up with Tomas. He's like a McCabe that girls don't laugh at. Mironov was called "Tree" because you needed an axe to take him down. His career statistics are not all that impressive, and he had his shortcomings, but in the '94 playoffs he put it all together. In 18 games, Mironov scored 6 goals and added 9 assists for 15 points. The choice was really between Dimitri and McCabe, and it was hard, but I just couldn't have a guy who shot the puck into his own net, and got rag-dolled by Zdeno Chara on my Dream Team.

Borje Salming-Sylvain Lefebvre. Borje is the King. One of the all-time greats, and one of my earliest favorite players. He has a map of the Don Valley Parkway on his face. That's devotion. Salming's conditioning and skill puts him in control of the play whenever he's on the ice. Lefebvre meanwhile, will be looking for anyone with their head down in the trolley tracks. Sylvain's a stay-at-home defenceman who cooks and takes care of the kids. If it wasn't for Lefebvre, and Joe Bowen's call of one magical moment, would DownGoesBrown still exist? Maybe then this blog wouldn't exist either, and you wouldn't be reading this post right now. Heavy, eh? In a weird way, we owe our thanks for this moment to Sylvain Lefebvre.

Todd Gill-Danny Markov. I'm expecting disagreement with this pairing, but I'm open to it. If you don't know why Todd Gill is on the team, you should read this. As for Markov, I just kinda like him. His stats don't do his performance credit. He was a poor man's Darius Kasparaitus. Tough, edgy, and combative, he was also an ambitious risk-taker. This pair is going to give up a lot of scoring chances, but they'll also be entertaining as hell. If Don Cherry wants Rock'em Sock'em hockey, these 2 will provide it. What they lack in common sense they make up for with their hustle and effort. With Gill and Markov's spirit and sacrifice, this Dream Team of millionaires will stay honest and won't go soft, or run from a fight.

Felix Potvin-Curtis Joseph. This was another tough one. I'm going to right a wrong done long ago by bringin' in Cujo, but I'm keeping the Cat as my starting goalie. Felix will start 60% of the games up to the trade deadline, and then we'll take Zigmund Palffy for whichever goalie the NYIslanders want. Honorable mention in this category goes to Mike Palmateer and Grant Fuhr. After the trade for Palffy, an 8th round pick should bring back Damien Rhodes. If you're looking for a "purely back-up" goaltender, he seemed like a really, really nice guy. I always liked him, and he liked us. Seriously, when has a back-up goalie ever cried after he got traded? In a bizarre 3-way deal with the NYIslanders and Senators, Rhodes and Wade Redden went to Ottawa while the Leafs landed Kirk Muller. Rhodes held a press conference to thank the city and to wish his teammates luck and softly wept for the cameras. C'mon back, kid. We didn't mean it.

The Coach: Pat Burns. The GM: Pat Quinn. The President: Cliff Fletcher. Serious hockey for serious minds only. If we stay within our system, the rest will take care of itself. Winning and losing is everyone's responsibility. We win as a team, and if we go down, we go down together. We back each other up and we don't get pushed around. Our goal is only to win the Stanley Cup.

The Owner: Me. Inherited form Harold Ballard due to a clerical error that no one ever noticed. Hey, it's my Dream Team!

Flushin' It Down The Woz

Tucker bought out. Raycrap gone. Same goes for Johnny Pohl. Wellwood lost. Everyone's assuming Sundin is see-ya-later, and so am I. McCabe might be forced out. Kubina might be traded. Jay Harrison is going to Switzerland or wherever. Kronwall is not currently listed on the Maple Leafs roster. And Wozniewski, well, the name means toilet to me now. (I really enjoy saying, "I'm gonna take a whiz in the Woz")

Meet The D-Men Update: Leafs Acquire Frogren!

Special thanks to Steve over at HockeyAnalysis: Toronto Maple Leafs and MF37 at Bitter Leaf Fan Page. Excellent work keeping us on top of the situation with these posts about the McCabe Conspiracy, and the Leafs evolving blue-line. To summarize: Frogren is a "strong stay-at-home defenceman with a lot of skill in his own end". He is "considered physical, even tough", and makes the simple play with "solid" execution. The only other thing that I know about him is he's prone to making Spezza bleed, which has tremendous prospect potential written all over it. Finally, if you can read Swedish, there's this article about Frogren which tells you everything, including who Mats will play for next year.

So forget everything I said in my last post. Suddenly, with the acquisition of Frogren, I get the feeling that Fletcher really is trying to blow the whole thing up. He could just be filling holes, moving Frogren into Kronwall's place on the depth chart, or he's a possible back up to Finger, if he gets an early injury. But if Frogren is expected to crack the lineup off the bat, with Finger and Stralman playing regular shifts too, then there really is too many bozos in the circus. Like a McCabe backhand pass, this thing is about to explode. Cliff has only just begun. By the start of the NHL season, you will see a new-look Leafs.

Breaking News: We interrupt this post to announce that Mats Sundin may yet return to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Reports are coming in from around the globe that Cliff Fletcher is doing everything in his power to make the captain "very comfortable".

It starts with Cliff signing Cujo, Sundin's buddy, but it doesn't end there. Wilson's a tough coach who isn't afraid to call out anybody, but I don't think he'd ever embarrass Mats. The team will be led by Kaberle, Toskala, and Antropov; all Europeans. Frogren, Kulemin, Hagman, and Grabovski are all European additions. Stralman, a Swede, is expected to have an elevated role. And Jeff Finger and Jamal Mayers are here to make sure these pussies don't get kicked around. Looks like "home sweet home" for Sundin. A very comfortable set up, if you're not looking to win a Cup right away, that is.

Maybe it's true that Sundin does want to end his career as a Toronto Maple Leaf, but maybe it's also true, as suggested here, that he wanted to see what he was worth on the open market, flatter himself, and then go back to the bargaining table with Cliff. The Silver Fox has played his hand, and Mats, quite intelligently, has countered. But neither side has formally left the table, and I think there's a chance we could still see a deal. The just needed to shuffle the deck a bit first.

Holy Cow, It's Nostalgic!

What a strange day. And what a strange way to leave town. That's what PPP might be thinking. I wonder what's goin' through Sundin's head?

Scene: (lobby of a fancy hotel) The captain, Mats, dressed as Humphrey Bogart, tips his hat, quietly puts on his raincoat, and without turning around to wave goodbye, just an ever so slight glance over the shoulder, steps through the hotel's gold and glass revolving doors, disappearing as it turns. Silently it spins as one second, then another passes when suddenly, emerging from the other side and into the hotel lobby again, it's ..! Cito Gaston wearing a Blue Jays uniform? Huh?

Welcome back, Cito, I guess. Do you know Cliff? Surely, you guys bumped into each other at a cocktail party back in '93. Ah, the good old days. Not at all like today, where the biggest news should be that the greatest player who was ever a MapleLeaf is no longer a MapleLeaf. Instead, we get a heavy dose of nostalgia.

1993 is a popular year on this blog, but I feel like I'm watching a Star Trek episode where characters from the past are interrupting the present to warn about a future that looks exactly like the past, except it's a re-run that I've seen before and now I can't figure out if this sense of deja-vu is real or if time is actually moving backwards or if I'm just stoned. Did the Sly Fox just make a dramatic move at the Draft Table? Was it for Wendel? Does Cito shoot left?

Back in reality, despite the Habs bold play for the former Leaf captain, Mats might not sign with Montreal. I remember what he said once about a trade rumour to the Canadiens. He used a profanity. True, it would be a great team for him to play for because of the key players they have, but he might feel that if he's not playing for the Leafs, why sign with anybody before July 1st? At least, for ego's sake, see what the market will flatter him with. I'm also thinking he might enjoy spending less time being an NHL Superstar when he's not on skates, and more time being a regular person. That won't happen in Montreal. Despite Koivu, Kovalev, and Carbonneau, Mats' presence in hockey-mad, french-goalie-worshipping, police-car-burning Montreal would be huge. Enormous. It'd be like Bill Clinton becoming the president of Mexico.

So I actually don't think Mats will sign with Montreal, but maybe the Habs know something I don't. I also don't think he'll be back here though, either. For Cliff, it's a win-sorta win situation. If Sundin does sign with Montreal, then I guess we get something in return. If he doesn't, at least it looks like he tried. Which is the other reason I think Mats won't sign with Montreal. I think he might be a bit miffed that Cliff tried to swing any deal. Unless he approved it, which then begs the question, why hasn't he signed yet? According to Fletcher: "It took you guys (Toronto's best investigative sports writers) a while to find out... It would have been better if you hadn't found out". Funny thing to say. Makes me wonder who let the cat out of the bag.

Sundin's agent had this to say: "At this point Mats hasn't decided if he wants to play, let alone where". Doesn't sound like someone who's said, "Yes, give them the green-light". Sounds more like, "Piss off, I'm enjoying my vacation".

Bon Voyage, Captain!

Where Do We Go From Here?

So, obviously letting Sundin and Fletcher run the show is not such a hot idea. In fact, it's absurd. But the Leafs are in an absurd situation. No coach, no GM, and a captain that doesn't know if he's coming back or not. The coaching situation may change very soon, with TSN, Down Goes Brown, and Wikipedia all reporting that Ron Wilson is about to be named the new Leaf head coach. But who's the general manager? "Is Cliff going to be in charge or is there a new guy coming in?" Sundin wants to know. Will he be back? We don't know. So we wait, while Sundin waits for answers, for his answer. Confused? Tired? You won't be if you just stop paying attention for a moment and put your head down.

In the meantime, let me try to straighten out spaghetti. By the end of this week, possibly tomorrow, the Leafs will announce Wilson as their new head coach. Presumably, reporters will ask questions like, "how do you feel about the GM position... y'know, how it's like... whatever... can you say something about that... it... whatever?" Wilson will prepare his answers with 1 of 2 situations in mind: A) "I don't care who the new GM is going to be, I'm just happy to be here, and I'll work with anybody". Or, B) "Cliff's the GM. I'm happy to work with Cliff. I'm gonna whip this team into shape while Cliff builds for the future".

I guess I like option B. It's less murky, more aggressive, where option A looks like Wilson is setting himself up to be a patsy. The coach being hired by the interim general manager before the replacement general manager could be found diminishes the strength of both roles. The GM is stuck with a coach who may not share his attitude or vision, and the coach goes to work without the formal endorsement of his boss. It's nice to hear "you're the right man for the job" at least once from the man you have to work for. That's usually what they say when they hire you.
For this reason, I'm guessing Cliff Fletcher is here to stay, at least for this year, and that Wilson will have his endorsement. Wilson will keep the job on merit and no expectations for one year, and then he'll have one more year to prove himself to the new GM.

So where does that leave Sundin? With the door to the bus wide open, his favorite bead-cushion waiting for him in the driver's seat. It's his team to captain if he wants. There'll be no expectations. No heartbreak, either. This is just stage one of a long term building process. He'll get market value. He'll be very comfortable. Leafs will miss the playoffs for 2 years in a row, stockpiling draft picks and prospects. Wilson will be replaced by an impatient, glory-hungry GM (using Burke as a random example), and Sundin can retire as a MapleLeaf, never having won a Stanley Cup. Stage One Complete.

Or maybe Sundin will bolt to a team that has a good chance and really go for it! I wonder...

Hail to the Bus Driver, Bus Driver Mats!

In my last post I suggested that Todd Gill would be great as the new Leafs head coach. It began as a funny idea, but the more I thought about it, the more it actually seemed to make sense. Well, in the same spirit, I now have a suggestion for who the next GM of the Leafs should be. Have you guessed? It's not Garth Snow, but you're close.

Why not just let Sundin be the general manager? After all, he is driving the bus. With Fletcher at his side to guide him, Sundin could hand-pick his coach, trade or buy out players that bug him, and surround himself with new talent that suits his abilities and his vision. The most important thing is that Mats feels comfortable.

"After I sit down and tell him what we have in mind- which isn't for public consumption now - I think a clear picture will emerge for him", Fletcher said. "I think he'll be more comfortable." Did I mention the best part about making Mats comfy? They can pay him 8-million to be the general manager, and then he can sign himself to play for the league minimum and then fill that cap space with the best free agent available. Meanwhile, he can give himself all kinds of ridiculous bonuses for achieving any random objective, and a no-trade clause that he'll never have to worry about having to ask himself to waive. It's win-win-win-win, which, I presume, is what Mats Sundin wants to do, right? And he wants to do it as a MapleLeaf until the day he dies, right? Mats Sundin is thinking about one word right now: "Legacy", and I don't mean Manny.

Said the captain-without-a-contract-to-be, "My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto MapleLeaf. That hasn't changed. But I'm not going to say that I'm not going to play anywhere else either, because I'm not really in control of that". Well? What are we waiting for? Let's make Mats' dream come true and give him that control. He practically begged for it. Most players' dream would be to win the Stanley Cup, but not Mats. His dream is about ending his career, and he wants to do it here! Not now, who knows when, but that's "The Dream".

I get the feeling (based on one lousy quote in the paper, nothing more) that Mats likes power, he likes to be the big man, he likes being in charge. That's why he drives a bus and not a sedan.

"I'd like to know what's going to happen in the general manager position, whether Cliff is going to be in charge this year or is there a new guy going to be coming in?" Sounds to me like Mats just put his name in the hat, and threw the hat into the ring, and set the ring on fire. Is there a new guy going to be coming in? That's just a formal way of saying, "hey Cliff, what the hell is going on?!" Watch out, New Guy!

Well, if Garth Snow can do it, and Brett Hull and Yzerman too, why not Mats? And why not now? If it doesn't work out after one year, oh well, call it "an experiment", move on, and let's see who's available after next season... Is that Brian Burke's wife on the phone?

You're driving the bus, Mats. Sign yourself to whatever contract you want, get comfortable, and take Leaf Nation on a ride to dreamland. Next stop: head of the table at the NHL Entry Draft!