Toronto Maple Leafs

[Lichtgestalt]

um kilger tuts mir ein bisschen leid, ansonsten seh ichs genauso. vielleicht bringen wir ja im sommer wundersamerweise jemanden aus dem kreise der krass überbezahlten an...

[Seppo Dramac]

Die Deadline Deals der Leafs:

Belak --> Panthers (5th-rounder)

Gill --> Penguins (2nd-rounder, 5th-rounder)

Kilger --> Panthers (3rd-rounder)

Ist okay, angesichts der Grundsituation. Hat nicht die falschen Leute weggetradet, und bei den anderen konnte er eh nix machen.

Bin gestern um zwei Uhr früh heimgekommen und extra nochmal online gegangen. Hab gehofft dass sich sensationellerweise doch noch jemand (Kubina, Blake) vertschüsst hat der richtig Budget frei macht aber leider halt nicht. Wenigstens blieben uns die jüngeren (Steen) erhalten, gehen mussten leider Spieler bei denen Preis/Leistung stimmten.

Jetzt heißt es gut draften (Canadian way), Sundin um einen Sonderpreis weiterverpflichten und gut traden. Zudem ist Zurückhaltung bei der UFA-Preistreiberei angesagt.

[AustroLeaf]

um kilger tuts mir ein bisschen leid, ansonsten seh ichs genauso. vielleicht bringen wir ja im sommer wundersamerweise jemanden aus dem kreise der krass überbezahlten an...

Ich bedauere eher noch Gill, der hat mir eigentlich gut gefallen. Aber gut, das waren gleich mal 2,2 Mille pro Jahr weg vom Salary Cap.

Unsere krass überbezahlten Leute werden wir wohl erst in 1(-2) Jahr(en) los, da sind die Verträge dann kürzer, der Salary Cap höher und die Gehälter insgesamt gestiegen; somit relativiert sich die Bezahlung ein wenig mit der Zeit.

Wenn man sieht, daß Dan Boyle 5 Jahre lang durchschnittlich 6,6 Mio $ einstreift, fragt man sich sowieso. Wie in einem Forum gelesen "all of a sudden, McCabe's price tag seems almost reasonable".

[Lichtgestalt]

"all of a sudden, McCabe's price tag seems almost reasonable"

[AustroLeaf]

Fletcher erzählte, einen der "big 5" (angeblich Kubina) bereits zum Waiven der no-trade clause überredet zu haben; dieser Spieler habe es sich aber am Montag abend doch wieder anders überlegt.

[Lichtgestalt]

Florida Panthers - Toronto Maple Leafs 3:4 SO (2:0, 0:1, 1:2, 0:0)

1:0 (10.) Cullimore 2 (Glass, Larman)

2:0 (18.) McLean 10 (Jokinen, Olesz)

2:1 (27.) Williams 1 (Sundin, Tlusty)

2:2 (43.) Sundin 27 PP (Blake, Kaberle)

3:2 (52.) Olesz 11 PP (McLean, Bouwmeester)

3:3 (59.) Sundin 28 (Wellwood, Moore)

3:4 (SO) Kaberle

SOG: Panthers 40, Leafs 37.

PIM: Panthers 8, Leafs 10.

PP: Panthers 1/4, Leafs 1/3.

-> Recap

[AustroLeaf]

6 Punkte Rückstand auf einen Playoff-Platz, dabei 1 Spiel mehr ausgetragen. Wenn es so weitergeht, beenden wir die Saison wieder einmal mit einer starken Serie, verpassen knapp die Playoffs und dürfen dann wieder so um die 12-14 herum draften.

[Lichtgestalt]

Tampa Bay Lightning - Toronto Maple Leafs 3:2 OT (1:0, 1:0, 0:2, 1:0)

1:0 (9.) Ouellet 10 PP (Halpern, Boyle)

2:0 (23.) Picard 1 PP (Boyle, Lecavalier)

2:1 (41.) Steen 12 (Sundin, Kaberle)

2:2 (52.) Blake 12 (White)

3:2 (63.) Boyle 4 PP OT (Lecavalier, Jokinen)

SOG: Lightning 27, Leafs 25.

PIM: Lightning 11, Leafs 35.

PP: Lightning 3/4, Leafs 0/2.

-> Recap

[Lichtgestalt]

WINGS WANTED MATS

As expected, the Detroit Red Wings were one of the teams that had a strong interest in acquiring Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin leading up to the February 26 trade deadline. And not as a rental player, either.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the Wings were poised to offer Sundin a two-year contract in the event they were able to convince him to waive the no-trade clause in his one-year, $5.5-- million US deal. Those plans would end up being moot, however, when Sundin would not budge from his stance of wishing to remain a Maple Leaf.

As reported in yesterday's Toronto Sun, Sundin, should he decide to return to the NHL next spring, pretty much would do it only as a Maple Leaf, a stance he reiterated to a gaggle of reporters at the St. Pete Times Forum yesterday. "If it should happen I do decide to play, I hope to do it as a Toronto Maple Leaf," Sundin said. In other words, it's the Leafs or retirement.

Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman said last night he has not talked to officials with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. since last August about potentially coming to the Maple Leaf organization. Bowman, 74, is a consultant with the Red Wings and scouts many games at the St. Pete Times Forum, which is a 90-- minute drive from his residence on Florida's Gulf Coast.

"I don't know what is going on with the search committee," Bowman said. "I have not talked to Cliff (Fletcher, the Leafs' interim GM). I think they are looking for someone a lot younger."

The always animated John Tortorella was asked if he fears for his job because of the struggles his Tampa Bay Lightning have endured this season. "No. Why?" Tortorella replied. "There are a lot of daggers being thrown around. There are a lot of coaches going through it. Look, I do my job the same way. If the people upstairs don't like it, then get me the hell out of here."

-> Toronto Sun

[Lichtgestalt]

Washington Capitals - Toronto Maple Leafs 2:3 (1:0, 0:2, 1:1)

1:0 (16.) Ovechkin 49 (Poti)

1:1 (22.) Antropov 23 PP (Sundin, McCabe)

1:2 (31.) Sundin 29 (McCabe, Tlusty)

1:3 (46.) Steen 13 (Sundin)

2:3 (50.) Kozlov 14 (Ovechkin)

SOG: Caps 28, Leafs 25.

PIM: Caps 4, Leafs 10.

PP: Caps 0/5, Leafs 1/2.

-> Recap

[Lichtgestalt]

HERE WE GO, AGAIN

That enduring 1993 film Groundhog Day features a beleaguered Bill Murray waking up to the same frustrating events over and over and over again.

Maple Leafs fans can relate. As the members of Leafs Nation wipe the sleep out of their eyes and take a sip of their strongly brewed javas this morning, they probably feel as if they've seen this movie before. Once again, their heroes have started to play their best hockey when the pressure, by all accounts, is off. Once again, this late-season run likely will give an entire city a faint glimmer of post-season hope, as far-fetched as it might be. Once again, it likely won't be enough to secure a playoff spot, given the deficit they face with just 15 games to go. And, once again, the cynics will ask why the team just didn't tank it in order to get one of the top draft slots, leaving it with a chance to win the draft lottery and, potentially, land Sarnia Sting star Steve Stamkos.

Two seasons ago, the Leafs were humiliated in back-to-back mid-March losses to the rival Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, pretty much booting them out of playoff contention. With outside expectations of the team lukewarm at best, the Leafs finished 9-1-2 to end up ninth in the East, nudged out for the final post-season slot by two points by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Surely a late-season swoon would have netted them a better draft pick than 13th overall.

Last season, the team scratched its way into contention with a nice March run, only to lose three of its final six games. Captain Mats Sundin and his teammates then could only watch helplessly as the New York Islanders beat the New Jersey Devils in a shootout on the final afternoon of the regular season, allowing Ted Nolan's squad to leapfrog the Leafs into eighth. The result? Another 13th overall pick, a spot they later would trade away as part of the deal to land goalie Vesa Toskala.

Fast forward to 2008. In the past two weeks, Toskala and Sundin have combined to lead the Leafs on a 6-1-1 run, a streak that has the town quietly thinking playoffs, again. Is this hockey's version of Groundhog Day? Is this just another big tease? Those who feel that way officially have entered panic mode, seeing their dream of Stamkos one day wearing blue and white evaporating in front of their very eyes with every Leafs win. These are the same people who are urging coach Paul Maurice to play porous goalie Andrew Raycroft, feeling that move would ensure a funk that quickly would get Toronto back into the Stamkos sweepstakes.

Interim general manager Cliff Fletcher can only shake his head in bewilderment at anyone who actually would suggest what is, in his mind, such nonsense. There will be no tanking under his watch. "Our players, our coaches and the five guys who refused to waive their no-trade deals, they all are showing they care about winning," Fletcher said last night upon arriving back in Toronto from his Phoenix residence, where he spent several days tying up loose ends. "As for the draft, the key is not where you draft, but how you draft. Anaheim is a good team and it got Ryan Getzlaf (19th overall) and Corey Perry (28th) later in the first round. New Jersey is good and it got Zach Parise (17th) and Travis Zajac (20th)."

The Leafs will face the Devils twice this week, part of a stretch drive that will see Toronto play each of its 15 remaining games against Eastern opponents. Ten of those come against Northeast Division foes, so there is, potentially, the opportunity to make up ground. Fletcher knows it won't be easy. Eight of the teams ahead of the Leafs in the standings hold at least one game in hand on Toronto.

All the while, the Leafs dropped to six points out of a playoff spot yesterday when the eighth-place Philadelphia Flyers gained a valuable one in their 5-4 overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Is landing a playoff spot improbable? You bet. Impossible? Not when this team is this hot, thanks, in part, to Sundin and Toskala.

Fletcher says the rebuilding plans for the franchise will not change, playoffs or no playoffs. In the meantime, he will be the biggest cheerleader in the house, pulling for his Leafs make the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

As fans of the 1969 Miracle Mets used to say: "You Gotta Believe."

Toronto Sun

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

FINAL SPRINT

With 15 games to play, the Maple Leafs remain six points out of a playoff berth despite their recent hot run. Here is a look at how they got here ... and at what awaits down the stretch.

THE STREAK

6-1-1 in past eight; 13 of possible 16 points.

THE KEYS

- F Mats Sundin has nine points in past five games (5-4-9)

- G Vesa Toskala has started 18 consecutive games, allowing just 42 goals (2.33 goals-against average) while suffering just six regulation-time losses in that span.

- Maple Leafs' power play has scored a goal in eight of past nine games.

GAMES TO PLAY

- Total remaining: 15

- Vs. Eastern Conf.: 15

- Vs. Northeast Div.: 10

HEAD-TO-HEAD

(No. H/A)

Buffalo 3 2 1

Boston 3 1 2

Montreal 2 1 1

Ottawa 2 1 1

New Jersey 2 2 0

Philadelphia 2 1 1

Islanders 1 0 1

IN HAND

Games in hand on Leafs by Eastern foes: Bruins 3, Flyers 1, Rangers 1, Sabres 1, Islanders 1, Capitals 1, Canadiens 1, Devils 1.

-> Toronto Sun

[Lichtgestalt]

Toronto Maple Leafs - New Jersey Devils 1:4 (0:1, 1:1, 0:2)

0:1 (12.) Parise 26 (Langenbrunner)

0:2 (26.) Gionta 19 PP (Oduya, Brookbank)

1:2 (37.) Antropov 24 (Kaberle, Sundin)

1:3 (50.) Clarkson 8 (Madden, Brylin)

1:4 (51.) Parise 27 (Elias, Pandolfo)

SOG: Leafs 42, Devils 25.

PIM: Leafs 10, Devils 8.

PP: Leafs 0/3, Devils 1/4.

-> Recap

[Lichtgestalt]

Boston Bruins - Toronto Maple Leafs 2:8 (1:1, 0:4, 1:3)

1:0 (12.) Schaefer 8 (Krejci, Ferenc)

1:1 (15.) Blake 13 PP (Kaberle, McCabe)

1:2 (22.) Ponikarovsky 15 (White, Colaiacovo)

1:3 (25.) McCabe 5 PP (Steen, Sundin)

1:4 (29.) Stajan 14 (Blake, Tucker)

1:5 (32.) Antropov 25 PP (McCabe, Sundin)

1:6 (47.) Tucker 15 PP (Blake, Kaberle)

1:7 (49.) Antropov 26 (Steen, Colaiacovo)

1:8 (56.) Sundin 30 (McCabe, Steen)

2:8 (60.) Kessel 16 (Stuart, Chara)

SOG: Bruins 29, Leafs 40.

PIM: Bruins 0/5, Leafs 4/7.

PP: Bruins 29, Leafs 12.

-> Recap

[Lichtgestalt]

catching up:

Toronto Maple Leafs - New Jersey Devils 1:2 (0:1, 0:0, 1:1)

Toronto Maple Leafs - Philadelphia Flyers 4:3 OT (0:1, 0:1, 3:1, 1:0)

Philadelphia Flyers - Toronto Maple Leafs 2:3 (1:2, 1:0, 0:1)

Toronto Maple Leafs - Buffalo Sabres 2:6 (1:3, 0:0, 1:3)

[Lichtgestalt]

New York Islanders - Toronto Maple Leafs 1:3 (1:0, 0:0, 0:3)

1:0 (14.) Davison 1 SH (unassisted)

1:1 (48.) Wellwood 7 (Steen, Ponikarovsky)

1:2 (52.) Kubina 10 PP ((Kaberle, Wellwood)

1:3 (60.) Ponikarovsky 17 EN (Steen, Moore)

SOG: Isles 28, Leafs 26.

PIM: Isles 12, Leafs 8.

PP: Isles 0/3, Leafs 1/5.

-> Recap