Sens and Canucks - GDT Leaf Fan edition!

Ok. Enough is enough. A 10 game winning streak, Spezza actually earning a portion instead of none of his paycheque... this simply has to stop.

Ottawa host the Vancouver Canucks tonight, a team that for a change isn't struggling.

Lets look at the teams Ottawa have gotten most of there recent wins from and those teams record in the last 10 games:

1 X Rangers: 3-7-0
2 X Boston: 1-7-2
1 X NJD: 3-6-1
2 X Montreal: 4-4-2
1 X Buffalo: 3-5-2

That's 7 of the 10 wins, or, 14 points, all against teams struggling mightily. Throw the Blues in there who are actually above .500 in their last 10, but not fooling anybody - they're a mediocre team at best.

That's 8 wins for Ottawa against bad teams or good teams playing badly.

Tonight it's a different story. The Canucks are 7-3 in their last 10 and boast one of the best goaltenders in the NHL and a top line whom, if they have even a decent game, will send the locals home from Kanata feeling every second of that drive back to Ottawa.

The disclaimer to all this is that God giveth and God taketh away, so while he has finally given Leaf fans Dion Phaneuf and JS Giguere, he might give the Sens #11 just to keep us from ever actually feeling pure joy.

Go Sedin's!

Enjoy the game.

WHERE'S THE LOVE FOR OTTAWA?

Sheesh, 9 straight wins at the time this was published and still 11th on the list?
I'm a Leafs fan and even I know Ottawa is getting screwed.

KOMISAREK GONE FOR SEASON

He'll be having surgery and shutting it down.

The Leafs were a better team with him in the line-up this year and he'll go down having only played 34 games for his new team. Not the start to his Leaf career anybody was hoping for. Lets just hope he doesn't become the next Mike Van Ryn.

So it's bad news for the rest of the season except the last two weeks of February for Canadian Leaf fans. Komisarek and also Martin won't be playing for team USA.

Awesomeness of the most awesome kind.

The most recent thread had me doing a little reflection.

Clickety-click for NHL awesomeness.

Answering Muppet's question

Yes.  Here's why.  

The first image below is the goal distribution amongst the top 12 most productive forwards from last year and this year.   The percentages represent the fraction of total goals by the top 12 forwards by each player (numbered 1 to 12 of the left axis, decreasing by total points [next]).

% of total goals

This year is in red (for Senators!), last year is in teal (for douchebag).  You can guess who holds the 23%.   This year's distribution is better distributed at all stages - top 4, middle and lesser TOIers.

Next up is total points (I didn't bother with an 'assists' chart as its inferred by the other two).

% of total points

This one is actually really cool - last year the top three forwards (Alfie-Spezza-Heatley) shared 18% each of total points for a total of 53% of all points.  This year, the top line each reduced total points percentage to ~14% for a total of 41% - a decrease of 12%.  But since this is a % of total, where'd that 12% go?

Well, this is where it gets interesting:  the next three forwards (Foligno-Fisher-Vermette) each had 8% of the total points scored for a total of 24%.  The values have remained  virtually unchanged  for the 4-6 forwards this year (though the actual forwards themselves have changed) for a total of 23%.

As illustrated by the graph, that 12% reduction for the top 3 is now distributed very evenly amongst the 7-12 skaters.  

Results:  

1) much more balanced scoring;

2) greater flexibility of line combinations.

Both of these results illustrate that Ottawa is no longer a "one line team" which the critics (Muppet et al.) very rightly identified as the weak point of Ottawa's team.   

Conclusions:

1) Ottawa is no longer a one-line team;

2) Team chemistry enhanced thereby permitting greater line combinations and on the fly changeups;

3) Clouston has convinced all the forwards to buy in to his system and play less of an individual "pass me the puck 'cause I'm a one-trick shooter" game;

4) No one is openly fucking any teammate's partners.

*this years totals based on data prior to tonight's game.

Updated Heatley Trade Stats - Are we happy?

THM and Don used to post the points race quite regularly. I couldn't figure out why they stopped until I just had a look. Is it because of below?

HEATLEY: 61pts

MICHALEK:25pts
CHEECHOO: 13pts

I guess we shouldn't discount the 2nd round pick which would be 59th overall if draft was tomorrow.

Points-wise, if you look around the NHL here are some comparable forwards off other teams. Would you make any of these deals for Heatley??

ISLANDERS: Frans Nielsen - 25PTS, Sean Bergenheim - 13PTS.
DALLAS: Jamie Benn - 25pts, Tom Wandell - 15pts
PHOENIX: Martin Hanzal - 25pts, Taylor Pyatt 14pts

I know the Sens are winning but dealing a franchise player isn't about a middle of the season winning streak in season one. It's about the next 3-5 years.

THM's "Keepin'-It-Real"

Volume 3:  Fight like a man, or fight like Tucker-Domi

Upcoming HNiC Vote:  

Don Cherry's hero or Don Cherry's visor-wearing goat?

Giguere Watch volume 1

THM was kind enough to give us Guguere's stats the day he was signed: 3.14 GAA and 9.00%
Revised season stats after tonight: 2.98GAA and .905%
His stats as a Toronto Maple Leaf: 0.00GAA and .1000%

Sleep well tonight Leaf Nation!

THM's "Keepin'-It-Real"

Volume 2: Jersey's last 11 games

THM's "Keepin'-It-Real"

Volume 1:

I just had a look at a few Leafer blogs.  Apparently, the NHL 2009/2010 season started tonight. 

THREE STAR SELECTION

#1 Giguere
#2 Phaneuf
#3 Sorjstrom

Some might look at that and think that it was a PR job, but you didn't watch the game then. That's about as accurate a three star selection as I've seen.

What a team effort though.

Flames fans might be a little pissed off right now...

GAME DAY - The new look Edition!

In case any of you are just coming out of a coma, or, alternatively, have some kind of interesting life where you're just catching up on this past weekend in sports right now, the Leafs will be a different looking team tonight in New Jersey.

Giguere and Phaneuf make their debut's, as does Sjorstrom. The new faces didn't work for Calgary last night (how about ex-BoO goalies named Razor huh?) so Jokinen was officially shipped to New York today. Count 'em... that's 6 new forwards out of 12 for the Flames. Wow.

The Devils on Sunday lost their first game of the year when leading after two periods. Their game before that one, against the Leafs, also ended in a 3rd period meltdown for Brodeur and company, albeit a game they salvaged on the powerplay in overtime.

Kessel and Ponikorovsky have provided most of the Leafs points lately, so thankfully they are still on the team. The Leafs will apparently call up Christian Hanson for the game, but nothing official that I can find.

Lots of great links over at PPP. Expect this game to reach new records on Sportsnet weekday ratings as pretty much every wounded Leaf fan I know is crawling out from under their rock to see if anything will change.

Prediction: Leafs 4 Jersey 0.
Ya, a shutout. I'm calling it.

Be careful what bones you dig up...

Remember when.....

Ah, memories.

Not two short years ago:

• Vesa Toskala was considered "untouchable".
• Jason Blake was going to make Toronto "more balanced and more consistent"

Now Phaneuf is going to save the defense and generate tonnes of PP goals and Giguere is going to make the goal-tending corps solid.

Normally we don't get this kind of entertainment until pre-season at the ACC!

Did Toskala choose to keep sucking?

I did not know this tidbit of information until about 25 seconds ago as I was watching Leafs interactive and an interview with Gustavsson.

Vesa Toskala did not work with Francois Allaire this season. Because Vesa Toskala thought he couldn't change styles at his age and didn't want to try.

Is Toskala a moron, or is that a fair enough stance?

UPDATE: GIGUERE GETS THE START TOMORROW, and a good portion of the remaining schedule. He's officially the #1 guy.

Alfie for the Selke

Spread the word.

Start Giguere on Tuesday Ron.

I'm not saying Gustavsson isn't good enough to win the game. It's not about that. It's about Giguere. The pure adrenaline of being on a new team. The opportunity to put Anaheim behind him. The chance to get him gelled with his new team.
The biggest reason however has to be Giguere's ability to stand tall in must-win games. Well, welcome to Toronto buddy. All games are must-win at this point, even if just recouping some dignity is all that stands to be gained in the end.

Throw him in there Ron. What have you got to lose? You know, besides yet another hockey game?

UPDATE: In case you're wondering, Stajan skated on a line with Iginla, Hagman with Jokinen and Ian White took Dion's place and #3, skating with Regehr. Seems like everybody in Calgary is pretty excited about the players they got. Game is on Sportsnet West tonight. If I'm right, that's usually blacked out here in Ontario. Anybody know?

THM's "I'm just sayin'...."

I'm just sayin'....

Part I

Part II:

I'm just sayin'...

Checking in with Nazem!

Interesting I would choose the day the Leafs traded for Dion Phaneuf and JS Giguere to talk about Nazem Kadri but he's awesome. Have a look at games played and penalty minutes. This kid is gonna be a beast.

No wonder Cryin' Bryan wanted him so bad.

Big day for Burkie

Well, all that bashing Burkie has taken in the worst trade of the last year of the first decade of the 21st century seems to have lit a fire under his pompous ass.

We Senators fans bash him quite a bit (with good cause), but he is a risk taker.  Hell, I'd almost say he's a maverick.  But we all know about maverick's don't we?

A major overhaul of the Leaf squad, beginning with the trading away of the only good D-man they had - Ian White - for the most regularly under performing D-man Calgary had - Dion "Warwick" LePuff, and then dumping substantial salary to Anaheim by ditching  "40-goal man" Blake and the only guy Muppet thought untouchable, Vesa Toskala for the career-declining J.S. Giguere (whom we all knew was headed here once Burke signed on.... tampering!!!).

The parade route is being planned over at Pension Plan Puppets and my money is on Down Goes Brown giving up his month-long hiatus from watching Leafs TV.

This is definitely good for the BoO as Leaf fans will now have more delusional visions of Lord Stanley himself presenting their team captain - Minnesota Phil - the silver chalice.   The change of scenery may make the Leafs a little more competitive, but we can still all look forward to Boston's pick this June.

Dion is the new Jason Blake.

(Don:  where'd the blog header go?  Did I hit a button the wrong way?)

Phaneuf to Toronto for....

Thomas Kaberle, Nick Hagman and Jamal Meyers.

Ok, at this point that's speculative, but with the comment "it's bigger than that" when a Leaf source was asked about Stajan and Hagman, you know Kaberle is in that pot.

Here's the poke-fun-at-/praise "The Trade" thread, folks.

UPDATE:   

Phaneuf, Sjostrom and Aulie ---- Stajan, Hagman, Mayers and White. 

UPDATE 2:

Toskala & Blake to Anaheim for Giguere.

Nine, nine, it sounds so fine!

What a game.

What a frikkin' game.

Kuba's tape-to-tape pass from the blue line to Kovalev on the right post for a tap in was just sweet, sweet sign of a helluva game.

On the longest winning streak by a modern day Senators team, let's have a look at three* of the major numbers that lead to such success:

• Kovalev has now managed a point in 8 of the last 9 games;
• Spezza with 6 goals in 6 games since returning from a knee injury;
• Elliott with a 1.14 GAA and 0.961 SV% in the last 8 games.

*Ok, only three for now as the g/f is calling to be picked up from the salon.  Thank the unicorns that she didn't call during OT!

Oh baby

Burke may soon have no choice with Wilson.

Players publicly requesting trades in my mind is a bad sign that the emotional effects of a losing season is getting into the fabric of the dressing room. While only a few players have spoken out, we all know know that more players are thinking it. It's miserable out here as a fan watching this team with a noose around its neck. One can only assume it's worse in the room.

Nobody will argue that it's a rebuilding season and the team wasn't supposed to be great - but they weren't supposed to be this bad either. This kind of consistent losing could be creating an environment that will hurt this team for more than the duration of this particular season. It could be doing permanent and long term damage. The kind of taste that won't go away easily.

Wilson is a good coach. Or at least he was until two years ago. I can buy that he hasn't forgotten how to coach and that he's working with very little talent, but the reality is that any work Burke has done thus far and plans on doing this summer will be held back by the effects of such a negative vibe surrounding the team. Wilson, whether it was his fault or not, is the face behind two of the crappiest seasons in recent memory. This current trajectory could result in the worst finish in decades, and that will be attached to Wilson whether he likes it or not.

Unless things turn around and the Leafs can build some respect back in the dressing room, Ron Wilson has to be fired in the off-season. Whether Burke likes it or not.

Take the Sens as an example. After an incredible start in 2007/2008 Ottawa had a long stretch of horrible play which resulted in a dressing room meltdown. Before anybody could say "Afraidsson", the cup finalists were swept in four games and their personae as an elite team shattered - they haven't seen a playoff game since. Only after numerous management changes and multiple roster adjustments do the Sens seem to have rid themselves of the cancer created by that incredible fall from grace. The Sens are finally a different team. Eight wins will make anybody feel good, but they seem to me at least to have put the past behind them

Burke may also need to start fresh after the curtain falls on this season.

THM Edit:

With this post, Muppet shows that the Leaf Nation sharks are beginning to circle!


Countdown Clocks, Video Countdowns at WishAFriend.com

*Ron Wilson....sharks.... ha!

How to judge Brian Burke: A Sens fan checklist.

#1: DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO.

When Brian Burke won a Stanley Cup in Anaheim, you told anybody who would listen that it was in fact your own GM Brian Murray who built the champion team when he boss in Anaheim two full years earlier. Now that Brian Burke has been GM of the Leafs for a calendar year, you tell anybody who will listen that the current woes are all Burke's fault and has NOTHING to do with previous GM's. If anybody tries to reason with you, stick fingers in ears and yell incoherently.

#2: USE THE MAYAN CALENDAR, OR JUST MAKE A NEW ONE UP!

Brian Burke comes in with a rebuilding plan that he says from day one won't happen overnight. You ignore this, and part way through his first full season in command you spend every waking moment criticizing the team on the ice for not matching what he has promised. When Leaf fans point this out, you change the subject multiple times per thread until your argument is so convoluted and ridiculous that people stop bothering all together.

#3: CAMP OUT ON ONE SIDE OF THE DRAFT PICK ARGUMENT AND HANG ON FOR DEAR LIFE.

The Leafs do not have their top draft picks for the next two years, so you now blow the importance of these picks into borderline magical proportions. Unknown players years from being drafted are now demigods, while real 22 year-old star players are worthless. Stick with this at all costs ignoring facts, like the Tampa Bay Lightning who have had the #1 and #2 overall picks the last two years to add to their former #1 pick Lecalvier - resulting in 5 more wins than the Leafs.

#4: BRING UP THE KOMISAREK/LUCIC FIGHT TO DISPEL PUGNACITY.

Despite the fact that Chris Neil has had his face punched-in regularly over the years, call him a tough guy and praise his contributions. When talking about Mike Komisarek discount all the great things he does like hit and fight and block shots because last season he lost a fight against one of the toughest guys in the NHL. And don't worry, that argument only looks ridiculous to everybody in the world who lives outside the Ottawa valley. You're good.

Good luck!

Here comes the pugnacity!

First Jamal Mayers and now Garnet Excelby want out.

So long, Truculence! See ya' 'round, Beligerence!

Is Burke's blueprint for the bleu et blanc beginning to brown? It sure looks that way.
Well, that's ok, because reinforcements are headed for Toronto to make the place more physical.

For those of you to lazy to click the link.... 

Olivia Newton-John is headed for Toronto to film a movie (a musical, a la Xanadu) about:

a budding teen hockey star who grapples with newfound fame and the pressure to fight on ice

It sounds like they're filming the Luke Schenn Story.

Anyway, it sounds like a film full of dainties-on-ice. I guess the NHL wouldn't grant a favorable licensing deal for use of the logo, but we'll all know the real team being parodied.

Well, it seems appropriate at this point to show you all this. Notice she's wearing a blue and white top.  Mats Sundin makes a cameo.



Send me the bill for your eye bleach.

Seven in a row

I was tempted to put up the Anthropomorphic Mocking Numeral 7 after that win but decided just mentioning that we've won 7 in a row a few times would be enough.

Winning 7 - hear that? 7 - in a row gives the Sens some nice space in the playoff race. The next four games before the BoO matchup on the 6th of Feb are interesting:
Thursday in Pit
Saturday host Mtl
Wednesday in Buf
Thursday host Van

As for the Leafs, they get to know Brodeur well as they play the Devils 3 of the next 4 games for some reason with Vancouver coming inbetween. I'm thinking the odds are pretty good.

AVAILABLE UFA PLAYERS LIST

I manually pulled this list from NHL Numbers and left out some of the lesser known players. Obviously some of these guys will be signed well before July 1, but here they are as it stands right now.

GOALTENDERS

Johan Hedberg, Jonus Hiller, Patrick Lalime, Manny Legace, Peter Budaj, Marty Turco, Alex Auld, Dan Ellis, Pekke Rinne, Martin Biron, Ray Emery, Michael Leighton, Evengi Nabakov, Chris Mason, Antero Nittmymaki, Jose Theodore, Josh Harding.

DEFENCEMAN

Nik Lidstrom, Andrew Ferencem Derek Morris, Pavel Kubina, Henrik Tallinder, Joe Corvo, Aaron Ward, Adam Foote, Rusian Salei, Jordan Leopold, Dennis Seidenberg, Kim Johnson, Marek Zidilcky, Paul Mara, Dan Hamhuis, Paul Martin, Andy Sutton, Anton Volchenkov, Adrian Aucoin, Mike Van Ryn, Sergei Gonchar, Mark Eaton, Jay McKee, Martin Skoula, Rob Blake, Carlo Caolaicovo, Willie Mitchell, Brad Lukowich, Brian Pothier.

FORWARDS

Saku Koivu, Teemu Selanne, Ilya Kovulchuk, Colby Armstrong, Maxim Afinigenov, Steve Begin, Mark Recchi, Mike Grier, Adam Mair, Ray Whitney, Matt Cullen, Scott Walker, Stephane Yelle, Oli Jokinen, Rene Bourke, Craig Conroy, John Madden, Fred Modin, Raffi Torres, Darcy Tucker, Marek Svatos, Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen, Thomas Holmstrom, Todd Bertuzzi, Kirk Maltby, Jason Williams, Pisani Fernando, Mike Comrie, Dominic Moore, Alex Frolov, Owen Nolan, Eric Belanger, Petr Sykora, Thomas Plekanec, Glen Metropolit, Jordin Tootoo, Rob Niedermayer, Doug Weight, Chris Higgins, Vaclav Prospal, Arron Asham, Mathiew Lombardi, Robert Lang, Taylor Pyatt, Bill Guerin, Rusian Fedotenko, Matt Cooke, Patrick Marleau, Paul Kariya, Keith Tkatchuk, Alex Tanguay, Pavel Demitra, Brendan Morrisson.

Toronto have a lot of options as far as goaltenders. Some good back-ups and at this point quite a few #1 and #1B guys. Raycroft was also on that list. I couldn't bear to even type his name. Oh wait, I just did... Dammit.

Ottawa, if it's defenceman you're after it's actually a good menu to choose from. I do think Colaiacovo should become a Senator because "Giggles passes back to Coco Puffs" is just too awesome to pass up.

If the Leafs want a game-breaker out of the forward crop, they better work fast. Can Burke call Marleau's agent now and drop hints? Is that allowed?

Kessel, Draft Picks, and Sens Fans. A Monday Morning Trilogy.

A day doesn’t go by without a Sens fan telling Leaf fans that Toronto lost out on their deal with the Bruins for Phil Kessel. This insightful hockey opinion is obviously some kind of genius because the draft hasn’t even happened and Kessel is barely into the first 1/5 of his contract. While most of the women in Ottawa look like witches, I’m quite confident there's no such thing as a crystal ball which means most of these opinions must originate from the lower regions of their digestive systems.

It's a free country however, and the people can type whatever the hell they want. We welcome such thoughts from you Ottawa, no matter what part of your body they come from.

Today, lets change it up. Instead of speculating about the Phil Kessel deal and who won or lost, I thought I would dig up some of the deals the Leafs have made to ACQUIRE draft picks over the past two seasons. Partially out of curiosity to see what the Leafs got and what these players are up to, but also as a thinly veiled attempt to move the conversation towards something actually arguable.

Here they are:


2008
Wade Belak to Florida for 5th round pick.
Who the Leafs drafted: Joel Champagne, C, 6’4” and 210 lbs. One of the Q’s top scorers with 53 pts in 46 games. He has size, grit and scoring touch beyond Wade Belak’s wildest dreams.

Hal Gill to Pittsburgh for a 2nd and 5th round pick.
Who the Leafs drafted: 2nd round: Jimmy Hayes, RW, 6’5”, 210 lbs. Playing in the NCAA for Boston, he’s already surpassed last years output with 16 points in 14 less games than 08/09. Key player on 2009 USA junior team as agitator.
Who the Leafs drafted: 5th round: Jerome Flaake. LW, 6’2” 187lbs. Hard to find recent stats on this guy, but he did score 80 points in 36 games two years ago in Germany.

2009
Dominic Moore to Buffalo for Carolina’s 2nd round pick:
Who the Leafs drafted: Kenny Ryan, RW, 6’, 204 lbs. He left college part way through the season to join the Spitfires where he has 24 points in 33 games. Any relation to Bobby Ryan?

Nik Antropov to New York for 2nd round pick.
Who the Leafs drafted: Jesse Blacker, D, 6’1” 190lbs. Leafs best D prospect. After winning a Memorial Cup last year, now playing for Owen Sound – getting better as we speak w/ 24 points in 33 games.

Jiri Tlusty to Carolina for Phillipe Paradis.
Although this wasn’t a trade for picks, Paradids was the 27th overall draft pick in 2009, meaning the Leafs essentially had two first round choices this past summer. Paradis, who is 6’2” and weights close to 200lbs, has 32 points for Shawinigan of the QMJHL, and leads the team with 72 PIM’s.

Anton Stralman to Calgary for Primeau and a 2011 2nd round pick.
Obviously this has yet to bear fruit, but the Leafs do have this 2nd rounder plus their own in 2011.

A little redirection to start the day.

So I'm guessing that 'Eklund' is the source of the Kovalchuk-to-Toronto rumour article  posted by Muppet.  

Which means the quote isn't real and there is zero chance of it ever happening.  Burke wouldn't want the guy anyway;  he's not truculent.  Which means he'd probably fit right in.

Anyway.... it wasn't my own brilliance that led me to the answer, but the always must-read DownGoesBrown.   

Click here for the latest from DGB on the Kovalchuk rumour.    Avoid electrical appliance operation whilst reading the Habs rationale as the LOLZ!!1! will produce enough tears of laughter to flood the Canal many times over.

GAME DAY THREAD - The Bench Warmer Edition.

Leafs at Tampa, 7pm, TSN.

Every now and then, I get a hate-on for a Leaf player. John Mitchell is one of those players.

Ok hate is a bit strong. I just dislike him substantially.

I dislike his sub-mediocre scoring touch. I dislike his allergic reaction to physical play. I dislike that I can almost skate better than him. I dislike that he's a poster boy for this team of useless 3rd liners. Mostly though, I dislike his fricken terrible play through the neutral zone and I'm guessing that since he's a healthy scratch tonight that Ron Wilson finally agrees with that last one. Maybe it was Mitchell's giveaway in the neutral zone that lead to the go-ahead goal in Atlanta that finally broke Wilson's will with this kid? I just hope we don't have to see him again for a while, if ever.

In the line-up comes Wayne Primeau, who, unlike Mitchell is a 3rd liner not because he's mediocre in every way, but because he's mediocre in every way except killing penalties and taking defensive faceoffs in the Leafs zone. That makes him better, in my books.

Gustavsson is also back in. He won his last game in Nashville and all we can ask from him is to not allow innocent shots from the blue line to rattle through his equipment as if he were a Happy Days pinball machine. They end up in the net and you Vesa Toskala end up on the bench.

I'll still call a Leafs win. Only because Tampa suck just a bit less than us and Toronto actually had a day off yesterday during this ridiculous January schedule.

Sens preview after the jump...

St Louis at Ottawa, 7pm, SNE

The Sens are 5-5 in their last 10 games, but since the most recent 4 are wins, it's all puppy dogs and rainbows again for Sens fans.

THM, if you want to write in something here be my guest. I don't have anything to say about this game other than I guess the Blues have a bunch of ex-Leafs on the team and I don't think I can handle the candy apple mood around here tomorrow if the Sens win 5 straight, so lets call this one 4-1 for the Blues. Colaiacovo has potted a pair before you can say Coco Puffs.

Does this sound like a good idea to anyone?

From the Ottawa Sun today

"The Senators’ search for a goalie coach is about to officially begin. GM Bryan Murray has spent the last couple of days meeting with Gs Pascal Leclaire and Brian Elliott to get an idea of what they’d like to see in a replacement for Eli Wilson, who was fired following last week’s 6-1 loss to the Thrashers in Atlanta. “I spoke with Brian and I talked at length with Pascal (Tuesday) to get their input on what kind of situation they’d like to see for a replacement,” said Murray. “I’ll begin speaking with people in the next few days, but I wanted to speak to both goalies first.” Leclaire has worked with former Columbus coach Clint Malarchuk in the past and there’s talk the Senators have been doing homework on him. He has been out of hockey since suffering a gunshot wound in October 2008."

Hiring a guy who got his neck sliced by a skate and then got shot to coach a guy who got H1N1, put on the IR for one month because of a puck to the face while on the bench and out for a week with a concussion for taking a puck on the noggin in practice.  

2012 is right around the corner, but these guys are getting a head start.

Who do you think wrote this?

Kovalchuk heading to Toronto?

I had a long discussion with a person who has been around the NHL for 30 plus years. I asked him what he thought of this season's finest drama, "The Ilya Kovalchuk Story." This person, who convenes and communicates with maybe more scouts, players, coaches, GMs and owners than anyone I know, was very matter or fact. I love talking to tried-and-true-old-time hockey guys. They say it exactly as they see it.

"Burkie will get him," my source replied to my question. "With all that is going on in Toronto, with Burkie and Willy headed up team USA, and the pressure from the teachers, they will get him. It's also what Kovalchuk wants. The Spotlight. To be on the big stage."

"Is it?" I asked, "I thought Ilya was ok being out of the limelight to a degree."

"Oh No," my source replied, " Russians, and he in particular, they want to be 'the Guy.' They want the stage....and the Leafs have the money. They have been saving it for this. The Leafs don't have 'the guy' yet and they need one immediately. It is coming from above Burkie."

"What about Kessel, can't he be the guy?"

"Kessel is a great player, but he is an American...The Leafs have never done that and Kessel is good to great, but not enough. The Leafs do have a history of Europeans and Russians being big players for them..but it is different for Americans."

"Isn't there a great irony with Burkie being the GM of the Maple Leafs at such a critical time in Canadian Hockey, while also being GM of the Americans?"

"It would be a problem for 90% of GMs. But Burkie doesn't care. He adores that juxtaposition. Yet he knows that he must get Kovalchuk tied up long term. And what better way to soften the blow going into the Olympics...The fact that there are no Leafs on Team Canada, while there are two Leafs (Kessel and Komisarek) on Team USA, as well as Brian and Ron...Brian knows the Leafs need to make the splash going into these games.. They will get him. I would almost call it a given."

Game over. Unreal.

There is no equal to this save, nor will there be for a long, long, long time.  TSN should just give the guy in charge of the top 10 saves of the year a severance package now.  They'll be paying him to pick his ass for the rest of the season.

Sens beat the league's best.  Leafs choke up some sartorium after an impressive lead.  Life has its good moments.

Game Day Thread - Didn't we play last night edition?

Leafs at Thrashers.
Hawks at Sens.

We don't want to hear any excuses from Sens fans about back to back games either. The Leafs play back to back four times in January while the Sens only get two such white gloves across the face from the schedule makers in the same 30 days. Who the hell creates these schedules anyway? Is it Kerry Fraser?

Anyway, I've been thinking about the win/loss the Leafs need to accumulate in order to make the playoffs, as revealed by Mirtle via Don earlier. 23-9 as it stands right now. I figure I might as well embrace that statistic and stay on top of it. That way I'll know where the Leafs stand as the season winds down, or, more likely, the exact day in February I can give up on this team.

Whatever comes first.

Tonight I smell a Leafs win 5-2, and a Sens loss 3-2.

That's not even me being hateful. Who the hell would bet against Chicago?

The Mirtle Record

I like the way James presents the push to the playoffs. He's set 89 points as the East cutoff and after this afternoon's win our two teams need the following record for the rest of the season to get in:

7. Ottawa - 17-14-1
14. Toronto - 24-9-0

Great News for Leaf fans.

According to the Toronto Star, Wayne Primeau will be back in the line-up this week. Normally, this would be about as noteworthy as Ray Emery losing his temper again. However, buried deep in this story there was indeed a real glimmer of hope if you at all follow the Leafs beyond the current roster.

Can you find it in the quote below?

"It took a while to get going," Primeau said of his skate. "But once I got up to speed it was good."

Komisarek skated with rookie Chris DiDomenico after the Leafs wrapped up Sunday's practice, and is expected to join the team when it wraps up its trip at the end of week in Florida."

C'mon Dido!

Matinee match

Sens in Boston at 1pm today and apparently are going to give Brodeur another start. With a win we pass Boston in the standings and get a game or two breathing room on the non-playoff teams.

And further on down the standings, the Leafs visit Nashville tonight.

About Last Night...

THE EASY BUTTON?
After last night's heralded performance by Mike Brodeur, at least one or two Sens fans must be wondering if maybe Murray jumped the gun firing Eli Wilson two days ago? In fact, has any NHL GM fired as many staff as Bryan Murray these last couple of seasons? Murray's assistant ought to hit the Office Depot and stock up on pink slips for his boss because the playoffs are coming and if the Sens don't make the cut surely the equipment manager along with the guy who monitors the PH level in the Sens locker-room hot tub will be looking for work?

MORE ROSEHILL.
Lost in the various warm and fuzzy Tyler Bozak stories this morning, is the impact that Jay Rosehill had on the game last night. He set the tone for the game with a blistering forecheck (yes, this scrapper can also skate like the wind), a giant hit, and a goal within the first 55 seconds of the game. Sure the goal was called back (what ever happened to the hand of God?), but before any Leaf forward not named Mayers, Rosehill or Orr had stepped on the ice the tone has been set. It was infectious. The Leafs with a mix of skill and hard-nosed play from their tough guys looked the team Brian Burke promised us from that point on. Hey, for one night at least.

IS IT BOZAK OR PROZAK?
Speaking of #42, in three games this season he has an impressive 4 points. Last night he looked like an all-star out there with Kessel and Kulemin. This is Toronto, so if you're eavesdropping on the water cooler this morning you already know that Bozak is the guy who will be the first line center when the Leafs win the Cup in three years. Personally, I'm going to try and hold back my glee until I see more games.
In the meantime I'll go out on a limb and wonder out loud what next season might hold if this newly minted first line sticks and Nazem Kadri centers the second. Directions: Take pill, swallow and enjoy!

VESA TOSKALA
I have nothing really to say other than he got a shutout and nowhere around any water cooler will you hear any praise for him. It's kind of like patting Hitler on the back because he donated $100 to the Haiti disaster relief fund.

GUNNARSSON HAS THE WORD GUN IN IT.
Two days ago I was making fun of Leaf Nation for counting down of the days before Carl Gunnarsson - a guy with a whole 8 games under his belt - returned to the Leafs line-up. Then in his first game back he made smart quick play after smart quick play with the poise of a veteran 10 years his senior and it hit me: maybe I'm not cut out to be an NHL scout? Too bad, because I hear Bryan Murray is just about to fire one of his.

THM is a genius.

Ok, so I'm the one making that claim, but if you look to my comment in the previous thread I scooped the media.  

Eli Wilson fired.

Thank you, Bryan Murray, for reading the BoO and taking my advice.  Now put Neil on the top line and start winning some games.

Maybe Burkie will follow Murray's lead and my December 6th post and dump F.A.

The Importance of Mike

You know that the Leafs are thin on talent when Tyler Bozak is called up and immediately gets put on the first line. Or that rookie Gunnarson's "return" from injury is being followed more closely that hippies following Phish.
I suppose when the team is this bad, media and fans alike will grasp at any sign of hope, warranted or not.

Lost in the fictitious world of hope and make belief, there is one player who is definitely being missed from the roster. Mike Komisarek. I just had a quick peak through the Leafs results since November with and without him in the line-up and it's pretty obvious that in a real way Komisarek is missed badly when he is gone.

Consider that after Komisarek got hurt November 10th the Leafs spiraled immediately, going 0-5-1 in their next 6 games. Once he returned November 30th? They went 6-3 in their next 9 games.
Since Komisarek got hurt January 2nd to kick off the new decade, Toronto has went 1-4.

The bad news is that he's still a week to 10 away from rejoining the team, so I wouldn't bet against Don that Toronto will be in 30th by the Olympic break if this Komisarek factor continues.

Silver linings

It's pretty bleak right now in Sensland but small rays are coming through with both Alfie and Spezza on skates. 5 shots in the first period after the players had a meeting after the last loss. Does it just seem like most games after a 'players only meeting' a team stinks up the joint?

Thank goodness we didn't get the worst of the bad weather though. It's really dark a few hours southwest. 28th in the league with Carolina and Edmonton with games in hand. What's the odds the Leafs are in 30th by the Olympic break?

Holiday's over?

Who's been less productive? Me on this blog or Kessel for the Leafs?

New commenting system on it's way - Haloscan has gone the way of the dinos. We'll miss ya.

It's freezing here. Leafs even colder.

I'm back from my month in Southeast Asia.

Great month for me. Doesn't look like it's been very good for the Leafs, or, injury-wise, for the Sens. Anybody left on that team?

Anyway, I had an incredible time these last 31 days and a depleted bank account and tanned face to show for it, but this whole 34C to -14C in a day isn't easy. If the Leafs had somehow actually made up some ground while I was gone maybe it would have helped ease the pain. Can't have it all, I suppose.

So lets hope that my return somehow sparks the Leafs and they beat the Pens tonight. For some reason Toronto has their number lately, so if Kessel and co can pull one off I won't take ALL the credit. It would warm things up for me a little though.

Now, better go out and chip the ice off my walkway and sidewalk before some douchebag sues me for slipping in front of my house. God I miss the beach. Almost as much as I missed hockey while I was away!

Good to be back.

PENGUINS @ LEAFS
PANTHERS @ SENATORS

Have at 'er!

Let's sing a song...

"Carcillo and Kadri,  sittin' in a tree

S-L-A-S-H-I-E." 

Oh, the irony.

Anyone for a refreshment?

Ok, so it's been pretty quiet around here these past several days.  In recognition of this, I give you the following video for your blogging pleasure with more after the jump:

Now then, let's relate that video to the BoO, shall we?

Two singers, two teams. Paul Simon is to Art Garfunkle as the Ottawa Senators are to the Toronto Maple Leafs; Paul Simon being the much more successful of the two over the years, staying generally consistent with a few lapses and a few great successes. And then there's Art Garfunkle: lacking the talent of Simon, flashier hair, much whineyer voice, self inflating and perpetually sucking Simon's left (and hairiest) testicle, but eventually forgotten by the music industry, yet terrifically supported by the dedicated cult that forms his fan base.

On to Leafs/Sens things:

Starting it up is always classy Leaf top prospect Kadr whom, after having menaced CH with a throat-slash gesture, refused to shake hands with the defeated opponent in the next meetup. Some guys'll never get it. USA 5-4 with Kadri -5 for punishment. (Fuck you if you think that's anti-patriotic, but the US is just flat out way, way better this year and I'm sick of the entitlement bullshit coming out of the West).

Tonight the 'big club', sans two more "top 6 forwards" (stifled guffaws) will face the Panthers at home while the Senators host Sens-killer Thomas, though the Bruins are without Bergeron whom may have, with a wrist injury, granted an Olympic spot to our dear top centreman Mike Fisher (whom, when lined up with Kovalev in the Wii NHL 2k10, kicks some major ass, btw!)

Ok, enough rambling. Good luck to both fan groups except those of you who sport the blue and white. May your personal lives be fruitful this year but your AHL club masquerading as an NHL franchise continue to suck it.

P.S., I won't be very regular on main postings here for a while as, to be quite frank and anti-Happy New Year, we're waiting out the approaching expiry date of a family member.

BoO and Canada's Team

So, while Mike Fisher is edged out of the Olympic team by Richards he has the solace that he doesn't have to suffer on the Leafs.  Oh, and he gets to hair-tug Carrie Underwood.

Meanwhile, two douchebags with ties to the BoO play roles on Canada's Olympic and Junior teams.  You all know I'm referring to Heatley in that first reference, tying up the Senator's contribution to douchebaggery on the teams that represent Canada on the international stage.  But what of Toronto?  Well, Kadri is taking care of doucheness at the Junior level.  

The Senators got rid of their douchebag.  The Leafs can't wait to get theirs.

Well now....

.... that was fucking calamitous.

The Pens win over the Senators thereby bringing Yoda out for his third post of the 09/10 season.

Lesson's we learned:

• Leclaire had the puck-in-face fear his first game back from a sub-orbital fracture.  I know how that feels - it took half a year for me to get back in front of infield grounders after getting a baseball right below the eye for 13 stitches.  Clouston made a mistake putting him in.  Elliott should`ve played until post-Christmas;
• Matt Cooke is a huge fucking pussy.  He takes Donovan out for several weeks with a knee-on-knee and then pussies out on a fight with a 37 y/o lacking 1.5 ligaments;
• Chris Neil, also back from several weeks of a knee injury, takes on a guy 10x bigger and bleeds him.  Fuck yeah Chris Neil.
• Kovalev can play.  He, next to Ruutu, was one of the better Senators on the night.  Now start doing it more often, man!
• As Alfie goes, so go the Senators.  And Michalek showed more balls than Heatley has ever fondled in sticking up for Alfie.
• 47 shots/2 goals.  Soooo much more frustrating than 25 shots/no goals.

Adams & Cooke better pay the next time the teams meet or my g/f is going to start mailing tortured Arctic Penguins from the Papineau Zoo to Mario.

Oh yeah, the Leafs lost, but that's not news.

I got drunk with NSFW

Just got back from a little work stint in Toronto this week. The cool part of the trip was Monday night.

After a long day working outside in the cold we hit up the bar (Shoeless Joe's) attached to our hotel just down the street from the ACC. We had a bite to eat and started watching the game when a couple guys sat down beside us. One of the guys was Jiri Tlusty.

Long story short... We ended up watching the game with Jiri, talking hockey and about the players he's played with and against, who he liked on the team and who he didn't, how he felt about getting traded and the prospect of playing for Maurice again. I didn't have the nerve to tell him I had seen pictures of his penis.

Apparently he was back in Toronto because his work Visa had expired so he was unable to play for Carolina or their farm team until that paperwork was finalized.

All in all Tlusty was a pretty cool guy and ended up telling us some pretty cool stories about the guys on the team and life as a hockey player. I'm going to have a hard time expensing the $360 bar bill that we accumulated from 6pm-3am, but it was worth it. I'm a little busy with work and finishing up my Christmas shopping so I'm probably out of commission until at least next week but I'll post the full story when I get back.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas week in the BoO

Ok, so with Muppet stuffing himself for a month with Pad Thai and the rest of us apparently occupied with real-life activities, that last post is a little stale.

Since then, we've seen the following:

• Toskala got chased;
  
• Two M.Brodeurs played in Ottawa games, both won; 
  
• Minnesota's equipment burned in Ottawa, then the team got burned by Ottawa;
• The Leafs faced their former Goalie of the Future  (GAA 1.97, SV .933 - yay JFJ!), yet won with their present Goalie of the Future (GAA 2.90, SV .903) and subsequently planned the parade (when your only top-10 ranking is for OT losses (4th), is that cause for celebration?);
• Thomas beat the Senators again (10 straight) & Miller beat the Leafs again (9 straight);
• Jarkko Ruutu* scored 2 goals, Kessel none; and
• Mike Fisher told Yzerman - "Fuck it, you don't pick me, I don't care - I've locked up Underwood!"

*Ruutu is making a case for a contract extension.  Anshu was right - he's playing very, very good all-round hockey of late.

One more game each this week as Toronto faces leading rookie scorer, John Tavares and Ottawa faces the Pens who will now appear in the details of the "Most shutouts by an NHL goalie" entry of the NHL record book.

I won't be around much for the next week - I suppose not too many will be.   Have a safe & Happy Holidays, all!

Order is restored

Having planned the 2010 Stanley Cup route after Toronto's admittedly undeserved win over Ottawa, Toronto - led by Toskala and representing the highest financially valued team - returned to form, shitting the bed 6-3 against the team that can't make a dime.   But hey, Kessel scored, so everything is ok, right?

Meanwhile, Ottawa began 2 months of Spezza free play, taking on the top team in the NE in a 4-pointer, earning Elliott his 2nd shutout on the season.    Perhaps the strangest thing in this game (even moreso that seeing Kovalev try) was regularly seeing three Senators D-men on the ice in 5-on-5 play.  No wait, that's not right.... Campoli was a winger last night. 

Alfie's advice to Campoli:

 “You can turn the puck over a few times and the defence will back you up.” 

2010 World Junior Roster

All set and ready to go.
Nasty Nazem Kadri and Jared "Lurch" Cowen to represent the BoO.

I was in attendance for the USA, Russia and gold medal (Sweden) games in Ottawa last year and let me tell ya, it's going to be hard for this years team to top those games.

First prelim game against Latvia at 3pm on Boxing Day.

E.T. was created in the 80s. Just like Matt Carkner's punching bag.

This makes me happy. It also makes the pay-per-X-ray operator happy too.

ELLLLLIIIIOOOOOTT

Sorry for missin the live thread boys. My bros were over and beer was a flowin. Plus, I'm on call this week. Made for some interesting calls.

Ooh, ooh. I had drunken memories of Lalime when I watched Blake shovel that weak backhander in on Elliott. Pure awesomeness.

Game notes:

-Alfredsson is a douche... and getting older. (Beauchemin shoulda fucked him up)
-The leafs finally won a game that they probably didn't deserve to win. For a change.
-Toskala played... umm... solid (3 or 4 games in a row? WTF?)
-Carkner redemption on Orr? Nuh uh. Lucky punch, wont happen again.
-Hockey taste like elbow. Ex-teamates not have niceness, eh Kovalev?
-Kessel has more sperm in one testicle than the whole Sens squad combined. (Wesssssssley Snipes baby)
-Its hockey, not soccer... Winchester.
-www.backhandersacrossthebluelineonlyworkifyouarearealsuperstar.com/spezza

Update. 2 points out of a playoff spot.

GDT: Battle of Ontario Part 3. Senators @ Leafs

Ok, folks. As promised on Saturday, we're bringing live blogging (courtesy of CoverItLive). I've sent out invites to those whose e-mails I could scrounge up so I don't have to add during the event. I might miss the start if the g/f commands it, but will be in on the fun ASAP.

The next installment of the BoO takes place tonight. While Leafs fans tend to gather at Pension Plan Puppets for their regular Leaf game weep in, and Senators fans have had the opportunity for some time to live blog Senators games over at Scarlett Ice, this installment brings the first opportunity to have real-time commenting for the games that bring the two sides of the Battle of Ontario together.

We'll open things up at 6:45 pm tonight. Be patient if it's not working right off the bat. It's the first attempt at this and I think it's free-commenting (i.e., no comment approvals required), but it's not terribly clear. Anyone familiar with the program is welcome give pointers.

Keep rollin, rollin, rollin.

Now I know y'all be lovin this shit right here.

Leafs last 10: 7-3-0
Sens last 10: 4-5-1

Pretty important night in the East.

With a Leafs win, a Boston win, a Florida win, an Atlanta win, and a Buffalo win, the Leafs would move from 14th into a tie for 10th and would be 2 points out of the playoffs!!!1.

C'mon Santa. Other than that little mishap with the hooker, I've been pretty damn good this year. Make it happen.

Sidenote: I will be playing the exact opposite on my Proline ticket tonight.

No 3 point games please.

GDT: #15 @ 6 & #1 @ 14

The best and the worst of the Eastern Conference play the teams of the Battle of Ontario tonight at 7:00 for both games.

#1 Washington visits the only team with more points than Carolina at the ACC. Poolers with Ovechkin, Green, Backstrom and Varlamov should pull up a chair and a nice bottle of wine and watch their fortunes (and pool positions) improve.

#6 Ottawa, coming off a rather well fought (though terribly boring) shutout against the preseason Eastern favorites, is visited by said only team worse than the Leafs in Carolina. Eric Cole, resurgent in the last several weeks after a Spezza-like start & Uh-oh Corvo are on the IR, but Cam Ward is back in the mix.

I don't know if it's intentional, but if you look at Carolina's website, it looks like all the fans are covered in blood. With the Canes getting slaughtered in the standings this year, it's quite apropos. Maybe Dexter moved to Raleigh.

Preview - BoO Part III GDT: Now with live bloggy sweetness!

This is a preview for what we'll be seeing on the BoO every time the two participants share the ice. Click the "Read More" link below. I'll move this up the site on Monday, but consider yourselves notified!

The next installment of the BoO takes place this coming Monday night. While Leafs fans tend to gather at Pension Plan Puppets for their regular Leaf game weep in, and Senators fans have had the opportunity for some time to live blog Senators games over at Scarlett Ice, this installment brings the first opportunity to have real-time commenting for the games that bring the two sides of the Battle of Ontario together.

We'll open things up at 6:45 pm on Monday. Be patient if it's not working right off the bat. It's the first attempt at this and I think it's free-commenting (i.e., no comment approvals required), but it's not terribly clear. Anyone familiar with the program is welcome give pointers.

Note: I'll be pulling DHS's tweets in (unless objected to by DHS) and the BoO tweets. If any twitterers (is that a word?) from either side of the aisle are out there, let me know via the normal comments and I'll set them up to be pulled in to the live chat.

This and That II

You're a GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs receiving guidance from a former GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs:

Justin Pogge or Tuukka Rask?

Discuss.

This and that

I hate Jason Blake.

And the Senators.

Discuss.

Saaaawwwweeeeet.

5.

Points.

Out.

Of.

A.

Playoff.

Spot.




I hate Jason Bla...

I love Jason Blake.

FU Roloson

Pretty quiet around here. I wonder why?

With the third best record in the East in the last 10 games the Leafs are looking to hit double digits in the win column tonight.

Hopefully the horseshoe fell out of Roloson's ass.

C'mon lads. Win one for Muppet.

GDT: Atlanta @ Toronto

Ok, let's push the Muppet love fest down a bit.

All that needs to be said about tonight's match that sees Atlanta heading to Toronto for a 7 pm start is this:

Put Kovalchuk in your Fantasy lineup and win the night.

Leaf Nation

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for over a month in Southeast Asia. It wasn't easy wrangling that much time off from work, but luckily I'm a Leaf fan and my boss seems to like me. The trip will take me to Thailand, Vietnam and if we have time Cambodia. I'm going to attempt to find a Leaf game on TV somewhere in one of those countries. I'll document my efforts and try and get here to post how this is going, or just put something together when I get back.

A few Things:

1. Five-O you'll really have to hold the Leafs side of this thing together brother!

2. Leafs are 5-2-1 in their last 8 and the Sens 1-4 in their last five. I really hope that trend continues while I'm away.

3. If for some reason, I never make it back (we are doing some trekking in Vietnam), know that I don't really hate the Sens or Sens fans that much. They're the teams score I check right after the Leafs. Wait. I do that because I want to enjoy them losing. Never mind then, I do hate the Sens. Fans are OK though...

Talk soon...

Update...

Heatley	19	Michalek	15
		Cheechoo	3
		Total	18

I had Kovalev in this table as well earlier but that's a little unfair.

"You know what your problem is?"

That's a question, asked of a Leafs fan in reference to the (mis)fortunes of the Toronto club, that will be answered with:

a) "No." or b) "There is no problem."

Well, THM has the answer to that question and it lies in the subject of this next quote:

"He brings a tremendous amount of experience and I know that he will make an immediate impact [...]," said Burke.

Now whom was Burke speaking of?

Ok, let us, for a moment, forgive the failings of the Swiss cheese defense, the one-man offense, and moonlighting* coach who can't be fired until March. What is left to address?

Goaltending. But what, specifically, about the goaltending? We've talked plenty about the thus-far undeserved praise about twice-ablated Montster Jo' and the overpayment of Toskala but we've completely ignored the one guy common amongst all goaltenders (aside from playing for the Teacher's recreation squad).

"Francois Allaire" would be the answer to the above queries. Thus far untouched, I think it's time to look at what this guy has produced: two 3+ and one 4+ GAA goaltenders with a combined total of 8 wins in 28 games played. He, himself, is credited with 20 games played in his career.... in Thetford Mines. That's not even the AHL.

He's said to have been the reason Roy won two Cups. Roy was a natural talent. Good on FA to take the credit. He's said to have been the reason JSG was stellar... for a year and a half.

According to Wikipedia,

"The 'Allaire style' stresses sound positioning, getting down into the butterfly, and taking up as much net as possible. He has encouraged his goalies to wear the biggest allowable gear."

What, exactly, did goalies do prior to the 'advent' of 'sound positining' and 'taking up as much as the net as possible? And biggest allowable gear.... maybe the guys aren't comfortable with that. Maybe, instead of presenting a stationary wall, they'd like some mobility. You know.... that might be useful in the 'new NHL'.

You want to see the team stop letting in goals? Dump Allaire.

Coach of the year?

I remember when Brian Burke was on The Hour when the Leafs were 7 miserable games deep into the season and Strombo asked him if Ron Wilson's job was at risk. As Burke had also told reporters, panelists and probably a few others at the time:

"No".

Well, the title of this post is intended to get Sens fans backs up, but the truth is when you look at how the Leafs have been playing for the last month or so and then you read a quote I've pasted below, one does wonder if Wilson could have a chance of taking home the Jack if the team keeps this up and does the unthinkable - makes the playoffs?

"If they play at this pace they're going to get in the playoffs," Hitchcock said. "They look like a team that's starting to figure out the balance between offence and defence.

"They're quick. They get on you quick. It just looks like to me there's a coordination on the checking side that Ron (Wilson) has wanted. The team looks exactly the same way as San Jose when Ron was there, checking-wise."

Nicely said big man. Nicely said.

Game Day Thread - Goodbye Naked Guy Edition

Leafs at Columbus and Sens at Kings tonight.

But first, Jiri Tlusty has been traded to the Hurricanes. Burke sends the Leafs 2006 1st round choice to Carolina for their 2009 27th overall pick Philippe Paradis. Not gonna lie here, never heard of the guy, but The Star says he's a power forward with 19 points and 43 PIM's in the Q this season.
Tlusty, unfortunately, will not be remembered for his contributions to the team in 74 games over a few seasons, but instead his cell phone camera and his twig and berries.

See ya later kid.

Leafs are 7 points back of Tampa who hold the 8th playoff spot, and Toronto has a game in hand. Do the math folks.

Senators lost their last one and face a pretty good team in LA. I think the odds are against them, but even a 7-2 wins the pot sometimes.

I'm on a stopover on my way out east so that's all I got. Have at 'er.

Post game hangover

Surprisingly not much chatter after a rather significant night for each of the BoO teams though both situations had a mix of the good and the evil. 

For the bad guys, a 3-0 shutout against the Habs in downtown Montreal is a big win.  The first divisional win and the first shutout gives added oompf to an important 2 points.  However, goalie-of-the-future (tongue in cheek) Gustavsson suffered an elevated heart rate midway through the 1st and had to be taken to hospital for "precautionary" evaluation.  At this point, following early season heart surgery (of the minor sort), "precautionary" evaluation should include every possible known test for this young talent (whom I personally will cheer for in the 2014 Olympics against the US, Finland, etc., but loath in the blue and white).

Here's hoping 100,000+ years of human evolution influenced by environmental stimuli and crossing of varied strands of DNA helices sees him through this into a much healthier career.

For the good guys, they traveled to the new home of selfish, douchebag, team-last, He(atly)first, Alfie/Fisher-hater,  Dany Heatley for their first post-abuse of NTC game.  The Sharks won, to be sure with DH picking up 2 helpers.  However, the quo for the Senators quid came out on top with 2 in the net to win the man-for-man battle.  Sadly, Chris Neil wasn't around to enlarge fuck-face's other pupil.

Now have at it.

Double header Tuesday

The Sens play the late game (10:30 on Sportsnet) in San Jose. The BoC Sharks contributor Mike Chen gives his take on the return of Michalek and Cheechoo - mainly 'Cheech':

There aren't too many players where you can point to one injury that jacks up their entire career, but Cheechoo's dramatic fall from NHL glory seems to come almost exclusively from his double-sports hernia surgery following the 2006-07 season. He's just never been the same after that.
....
While Michalek will probably get warm applause, I'm guessing an outpouring of affection for Cheechoo, including the return of the famous "CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH" call and perhaps a few train whistles. You bust your ass for us, we'll always have your back.

We'll be watching Heatley of course - hopefully being given a ride by the A-train or Carkner.

In Montreal (7:30 on TSN), the Leafs look to get to 20pts on the year. It's really unlikely as they suck so bad.
One of the guys from Four Habs Fans says: "Whatever happened to that whole truculence thing?"
Well, I'd say they got part of it down. Linking those to wins is the problem.
Taking a quick glance at some stats, the Leafs may end up being the first team since the 2002-2003 Blue Jackets to have more fighting majors than points in a season. Congrats!

Also, the Leafs as the Stones I get, but Trust? Bad.

Give him a 10 year, 4.5mil per, with a NMC!

DJ makes a case for Ian White - surely he deserves more money than Komisarek!

I feel dirty

I know, I know. You Leafs fans are going to hate me for referencing an article from this guy, but I found his little tidbit of information somewhat encouraging.

"Clearly, it’s that initial tailspin the Leafs will be fighting all season. Since the catastrophic 0-7-1 start, the team is a respectable – if bizarre – 6-4-6. Anytime a hockey club loses just four of 16 games in regulation, it is doing something right. In this case, however, it has enabled the Leafs only to escape the NHL basement; the club sits 29th overall today, four points up on last-place Carolina. That’s how damaging the first 3½ weeks of the season have proven to be."

By no means am I predicting PLAYOFFS!!!! here, but the Leafs currently sit 9 points out of a spot with at least 1 game in hand on the four teams in front of them.

Like douchebag mentions in his article, they'll be fighting an uphill battle all season (after posting that abysmal record to start the season) but if they can string together a few more wins this week (4 games) that will at least bring them back into the mix of things. And by "mix of things" I mean "out of a lottery pick".

That said, they'll have their hands full with the Sabres tonight. The Sabres are 11-4-0 in their last 15 games against the Leafs.

The good news... Toskala is still hurt.

Spezza Day Thread

I tuned in to the Sens/Jackets game in time to see Spezza lose the puck not once but twice in his own end of the ice and then take a penalty.

Ya, he's a real "defensive" guy now!

Anyway, 12 minutes left. Go Jackets

What's the matter, can't stand the heat?

I just want to say how typical it is that after a Leaf win and a Sens loss, not one Senator fan comment and it's 11am.

If those roles were reversed this morning, there would be 30 comments and two posts from THM by now.

Ya, I'm calling you all out!

(Insert "300" shot, me with my sword and 10,000 gruesome looking Sens fans now running towards me!)

Here's a question to wet your appetite:

Is Corey Clouston proving that he has absolutely no clue how to coach star players? Lets do the math here. Heatley asks to be traded and Spezza along with Kovalev have done absolutely squat this season. Sure, Clouston has Carkner, a career AHLer playing better than he ever has, but is this because that's all Clouston should be, an AHL coach?

GAME DAY THREAD - HERE'S TO 11TH PLACE!

-According to some local Toronto sports shops, Leaf jerseys have dropped in sales by up to 25%.
-Scalpers say they are lucky to get face value for non weekend game tickets.
-Reports out of MLSE say some of the Leafs corporate boxes are remaining empty for the first time since the ACC came into existence.

4-11-7

Enough said folks.

So with that brutal record hanging over their head and some of their most potent efforts resulting in OT losses this past week, is there any way the Leafs will get out from under this darkness? While no Leaf fan in their right mind thinks the playoffs are even a distinct possibility anymore, some believe there is still opportunity for the team to grow and win some games and climb into a position of respectability. Right now finishing the season in 11th place and handing Boston the 7th overall pick would be a victory. That's how bad things are.

*** *** *** *** ***

In Ottawa, three straight wins against good teams has certainly shut up those who said an easy schedule was the reason for the Sens decent start. I'm one of those people. So I'll eat some crow. Maybe the Sens are better than I think?
(take that in)
I'm sure one could try and argue that the Pens are playing crappy hockey right now and the Caps were exhausted from a compressed road trip. But a W is a W, and the Sens have some breathing room and a playoff spot. Toronto don't.

I just hope that any "I told you so's" out there from Sens fans are diluted by a loss tonight. So... Go Devils!

Leafs get TSN and the Sens are relegated to back-up TSN2 where if you tuned in today at 3pm you could have watched the Stihl Chainsaw competition (Duff?).
Hey, at least we still get prime billing Leaf fans... although that may not last long either.

How you doin'?

Looking through the box score last night, I noticed Antoine Vermette and Anton Stralman scored all of the goals for the Jackets. Besides the fact they almost have the same first name, as you know they are both ex players from the BoO.

Got me wondering how other ex Leafs and ex Sens are doing these days?
Here's a few of them...

NIK ANTROPOV: 19 assists and a goal in Atlanta. That makes him tied for 4th in the NHL in assists. His hefty raise to $4M looks maybe like it's been worth it for Atlanta. Was Burke too quick to trade this guy?

MIKE COMRIE: 8 points and a -3 in 16 games for the Oilers. Word is Pat Quinn already hates him with a passion because he's selfish and unmotivated. Ok... I made that last part up.

ALEX STEEN: Once the "future" in Toronto, this 24th overall draft pick has 2 points in 7 games and has made Cliff Fletcher look pretty sharp, for an old guy.

ANTOINE VERMETTE: Sent to Columbus in a deal that brought back Porcelain Pascal, it seems Vermette just needed a change of scenery. He's just under a point per game since the move. Thankfully, his trade means we won't have to see him shirtless on this blog anymore. Because seriously, that just makes us feel bad about ourselves.

CARLO COLAIACOVO: Speaking of porcelain, the cursed one seemed to find his game and his luck in St Louis. He's scoring at a rate of about .5 points a game, playing close to 20 minutes a night and so far his only setback has been the flu. Oops, did I just jinx him?

DANY HEATLEY: Since we get a stats comparison between him and four Sens every third day, I don't need to tell you he's 1st in goals with 18 and 4th on points in the NHL. Everyone is happy in Ottawa though because there are four Senators that have more points combined as he does right?

DOMINIC MOORE: Since requesting a reported $1.5M more than the Leafs would offer and then being traded, Moore must be kicking himself in the ass. He's a non-factor in Florida and making one million dollars instead of close to two. Our only hope is that Florida really really want to reunite him with Jason Blake.

BRIAN MCGRATTON: He's actually a +2 in Calgary which is great for a grinder/fighter. He has a few points as well and is making $500K. Playing for a cup contender must also be pretty nice. And for all that, all he has to do is get his lips punched off by Colton Orr once in a while. That has to beat playing for Ottawa.

There are more. Feel free to add more if you like and they don't have to be recent even. Pot shots at other BoO team however are mandatory.

Finally....

..... something coming something coming from Burke's mouth that garners respect.

Your average Leaf fan celebrates.

Obligatory.

Give me a break

TSN:
The Ottawa Senators will be forced to do without Pascal Leclaire for up to four weeks as the Sens' number one netminder will undergo surgery to repair a fractured cheekbone.
The injury occured during Monday's victory over the Capitals when an errant puck bounced off the glass behind the Senators bench and hit him in the head.

Are you convinced?

Some resident of leaf hamlet suggested here about two weeks ago that the Senators had been playing "bottom feeders" for far too long thus inflating their win column.  The implication was that, facing the upper echelon teams, they would not fare so well; that they would falter.

Well here ya go, doubters.  

Suck it!

Unfortunately, Leclaire with a possible broken jaw (sportsnet wrapup).  What luck: sitting on the bench and getting a puck in the face.  This guy needs to invest in horseshoes.  

Meanwhile, the Leafs blow it again.  That old saying "just get the puck on the net" was taken to heart.   The problem is, you should maybe try to score.   

Big deal a brewin'?

Blackhawks assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff was in attendance at the Leafs/Capitals game Saturday amidst rumours swirling that a trade is being discussed.

Here's where I got the story.

The players the Hawks are rumoured to be shopping are: Sopel, Sharp, Versteeg and Barker as they all have salaries ranging from $2.5m to $4m, and the Hawks need to clear space to sign their young guns.

HNIC said it was Sopel the Leafs are interested in. That makes very little sense, unless it's part of a larger package. Story says the Leafs will take on the salary but are wanting draft picks included.

We'll see how this shakes out.

Stitches in my mouth. Lightness in my step.

You know that were an abused bunch when the fourth win in 21 games can make us feel so good.

...Like a hobo finding an unopened can of tuna in a dumpster.

...Like thinking Cancun is "awesome" because you've never had a vacation before.

...Or, on a hot day when even a Carling tastes good, because that's all they have.

There was something about those helmets on backwards, the 5'10" Toskala standing taller and Phil Kessel sniping one in front of the home crowd that helps numb the agony of these last two months. Heck, one might really get ambitious and see last night as the big turning point - the night the Leafs learned to relax and have fun and then slayed a dragon.

Of course, I have a mouth full of stitches and some of the best pain killers my company health insurance can buy. So it's possible that I'm completely off my face right now.

Happy Sunday.

Which one are you?

Another dandy from our buddy DGB.

I'd like to think I'm "The Realist" but unfortunately, I'm probably more of a "Just one cup guy who's getting older".

After 20 games

Heatley	14	Michalek	9
		Kovalev	4
		Cheechoo	2
		Total	15

Ouch.

Well. It doesn't get much worse than this.

The only positive I can take out of this game is that Ian White is a beauty.

Here's the link to the game in six. Check out the call at the 5 minute mark. You be the judge.

Post-game wrap-up

First up:  Penguins @ Senators

Yoda put his bet in at 5-1 Pens.  Game ends 6-2 Sens.  You almost had it Yoda, but for the typo and the fat finger!

So the Sens beat the Stanley Cup champs (with Crosby, Malkin & Fleury).  Can you Leafers spin that somehow to show the Sens were lucky?  They outplayed Pittsburg throughout.  Leclaire with his mandatory weak goal, but stands tall the rest of the game.

Phillips with 2 goals, Fisher with 3 pts,  Carkner with a goal and a +3,  and the proof-of-payment for the Michalek/Heatley trade scores as I type this.    Secondary scoring issues?  No more!  

Oh, and Neil doesn't take on skilled fighter?  He had something to say about that by drawing Eric Goddard, 3" bigger and 15 lbs heavier.  Coward my ass.

Next up:  Toronto @ Carolina

Melt                  down

Melt          down

Melt   down

Meltdown! Meltdown! Meltdown! Meltdowwwwwwn!

LOLZ to last the night.  I need to keep the fridge full of beer.

At least they got a point!

GDT. Pens @ Sens + Two Coaches Paid by the Leafs

Gonchar is back for the Pens as they visit Ottawa.    Kovalev is going to be fired up for this one as he's heading home to Russia for his mother-in-law's funeral. 

#29 TO visits #30 Carolina to switch positions in the rankings as Burke threatens to fire players rather than fire the coach (which is where he should start).

The fight decider

All the junk being tossed around about how Neil should fight Rosehill but not Schenn despite the bad on-ice decision that would be had me inspired to develop a "Fight Decider" matrix.  

Pretty simple:  I looked at the guys on each team who had at least 2 major penalties (fights).  I took the averagetime on ice (TOI) per point (P) which gives the average amount of time between points.  I then divided fight penalty minutes (FPM: No. of Majors x 5 min) by this value to give a trade-off value.

So, how would one use this to decide if it's intelligent to fight an opponent?  

Well, a neutral match-up (with respect to the overall effect on the team) will have a similar 5 minute trade-off value (TrOV).    A good match-up would see one's opponent with a substantially higher TrOV.  A bad matchup would see one's opponent with substantially lower TrOV.

So.... how do the Senators/Leafs players stack up?

Player          TrOV

Rosehill        0.023

Schenn         0.029

Orr               0.082

Carkner       0.105

Neil               0.127

So it's pretty clear that Neil fighting Rosehill or Schenn would be a bad tradeoff for the Senators.  Neil shouldn't have fought Schenn based on this, though Schenn taking a run at him is a good enough reason.  Even Carkner/Orr doesn't make sense for the Senators, but is a good choice for the Leafs.  

I checked out some 'skill' guys too. Fisher comes in at 0.153 & Hagman comes in at 0.125. An even tradeoff would be Neil v. Hagman.

Remember kids, criticize the method and results, but keep it in perspective.Of course, this doesn't count in fighting for team motivational purposes.  I'm going to try to work something together that establishes a GF/GA differential while the fighter is in the box, but that's a little manual intensive.  Also, a team-value factor may be added to account for how valuable a guy is relative to the others on his team (e.g., a goon on Toronto with 4 points is probably similar in scoring value to their second liners!).

Post 09/10 BoO Pt II gloating/wound licking thread.

And the answer to Five-O's question is this:   

No.

Mike Zeisberger, mis-titles this piece.

Sorry, Ron.  Yes you are.

Is there still hope?

The Other Vatican provides Leaf Nation with a little perspective.

I'm not saying I didn't sip on some of the "PLAYOFFS!!!*!!" kool-aid that Burke was serving this summer but we all knew this season was going to be a struggle.

Here's hoping we can turn this ship around... starting tonight.

Toskala to start.

Shit.

Chicago Good. Leafs and Sens, bad.

Seeing as the Leafs are sucking ass and the Sens have lost 2 straight, it's kind of quiet around here. However I have to give a shout out to the city of Chicago and Blackhawk fans - because they deserve it.

What an amazing night Friday was.

The Hawks fans at United center treated me and my friend like guests in their home. They were constantly coming up to us and asking where we're from and wanted to talk hockey, which was really unexpected. They were warm and friendly and I think enjoyed having a whole bunch of Leaf fans in attendance. And there were a lot of us.

Blackhawk fans are REALLY into their team. Being there live during the Star Spangled Banner was a real treat. Leaf fans at the ACC could learn a thing or two about setting the tone in the building. It was awesome down there and I have no doubt it's the #1 reason the Hawks are coming out of the gate so strongly in their games.

Hawks fans, the people who run the United center concessions right down to the cabbie who drove us there - Thank You for an awesome night.

Overall, an amazing experience.

What was also really cool was the guys to our right were diehard Bruins fans in town for business. Awesome guys, totally know their hockey... but OUTRAGED that Chiarelli let Kessel go and continuously told us how lucky we were to have him. They didn't kick me and my friend's asses for having Kessel jersey's though. I appreciated that.

One last thing: It wouldn't be the Battle of Ontario unless I posted something about Ottawa. Two things happened Friday night. One was a Chicago fan came up to my buddy while I was in the washroom and just screamed "Sens Suck" and high-fived him. Secondly, of all the Leaf jersey's we saw the best was the guy who had actually paid good money to have the words SENS SUCK sewn on his shirt.

I am actually still really curious - was that you Jared?

I recommend you go down and see a game there.

I am going to see the Leafs in Philly in March it looks like. Chicago has set the bar huge. Awesome people, awesome city, can't say enough good things about it.