Author Archive

Leafs Need Leadership: They Should Reach Out to Chris Chelios

Posted: 14th October 2009 by Mark Gregory in NHL
The Leafs will sink or swim with Francois Beauchemin and Michael Komisarek as they both have signed long term contracts with the Leafs, so they will be around a long while. But neither have stepped up to claim captaincy on the Leafs, which has left a huge void in the Leafs roster. The Leafs defense and power play have been a disaster this year as well their players have been consistently ...

Something Is Rotten in Leaf Land: Wilson Must Go

Posted: 12th October 2009 by Mark Gregory in NHL
The Leafs are winless after five games, after dropping another game 7-2 to the Rangers in New York. Leafs follow the same script again. 1.áá áA weak start in the first period. Fall behind early.2.áá áAn early, unnecessary, penalty that leads to another goal.3.áá áA weak goal on Toskala from a long ways out.4.áá áLeafs donÆt have a good shift until they are two, or three goals behind. Time for a coaching change, ...

Toronto Falls Short, but the Monster Is Solid Against Ottawa

Posted: 6th October 2009 by Mark Gregory in NHL
Jonas Gustavsson got the start tonight against Ottawa, and looked solid in his first NHL start. Hockey is a game of millimeters and that continued to be the case tonight as a reviewed goalùdisputed over a questionable high stick by Donovan batted the puck past Gustavssonùput the Senators ahead to stay. Alfredsson scored on a penalty shot which turned out to be the winner. Both were scored in the second period after ...

Ron Wilson’s Loyalty to Dead Wood Results in Capital Punishment

Posted: 3rd October 2009 by Mark Gregory in NHL
WilsonÆs insistence on going with a veteran lineup has stalled the momentum that the infectious ôKid lineö brought with them to the Leafs' lineup during the preseason. Leafs lose again, 6-4.Game Two had the same two culprits as in the Leaf opener. Toskala was atrocious in the opening frame, letting in the first goal at 1:17 of the first period. Mike Komisarek took an unnecessary penalty and the Leafs were ...
Ron WilsonÆs decision to start Vesa Toskala led directly to the Leafs defeat 4-3 in OT in the season opener. The Leafs spent the majority of the game in the Canadians zone, yet every time the Canadians had a chance, Leaf fans cringed as Toskala doesnÆt seem able to stop the puck from entering the Leaf net. Giving up his obligatory soft goal per game, Toskala looked mediocre at best ...

Leafs Report: Old Boys Trump Promising Rookies

Posted: 25th September 2009 by Mark Gregory in NHL
The best players in camp this year have been Stalberg, Rosehill, Macdonald, Bozak, Kadri and Hanson; all of them rookies and according to the Star, none will have earned a regular spot on the Leafs roster so far. A couple of them are penciled in as replacements for injured players-Mayers and Orr. It seems the Leafs are more concerned with not losing games than they are about winning games. The youthful exuberance ...

In Burke we Trust, Toronto is a Stanley Cup Contender

Posted: 23rd September 2009 by Mark Gregory in NHL
Years of broken dreams have left many cynical and unable to recognize that the Toronto Maple Leafs are finally for real. The Leafs could really use some positive reinforcement in the Toronto media, instead of seeing nothing but negatives, for a miraculous rebuilding story. Leafs' management would rather be under the radar and without any pressure caused by lofty expectations, but all the pieces of a winning team seem to be ...