And here is news of the second deal of the night, this one much less surprising. Domi's rights have been traded to Nashville who have let him hit the market too.

That's that done.

Now the attention turns to who the Leafs will sign from the pickings out there. We need a goalie, and maybe something up front, and for sure a defenseman, especially with possibly a nearly elite goalie in net.

Posted 9:04 PM by Chris |

Shocked here. I don't know why I should be, but there is a deep feeling of disappointment that Cujo has elected to try his hand on the open market. I think the thing that gets me more than anything is the way he has sort of turned his back on the team. I don't begrudge his looking for the most money possible, but he had something going in Toronto, and they were very close to a Stanley Cup with him. Without him we are still close, but I wish him the best of luck elsewhere. Not likely that anyone is going to offer him more than the Leafs were, and teams that do (the Flyers come to mind) don't stand much of a chance.

He is simply not worth what he is asking for. He has never won a Vezina, or a Stanley Cup. He has had some great years with the Leafs, and has saved their bacon thousands of times. He is worth a lot to this club, but his value diminishes when one looks him objectively.

Good luck to him. Thanks for the memories.


Posted 9:01 PM by Chris |

Decent article on what Roberts' absence might mean for the Leafs' line up this year.


Posted 10:32 AM by Chris |

Goodness me. Senators fans don't have a lot to worry about.


Posted 9:07 AM by Chris |

Gary Roberts is down and out for a while. The toll from the damage he inflicted on his body in the playoffs finally caught up with him, and he now has to have surgery on both shoulders. This means he won’t be back until probably January.

So this will be a bit of a test. It takes away the option of re-rekindling the spirited performance of Roberts and McCauley early in the season. It will be a test for Amac to see if he can become a playmaker to anyone, or whether he and Roberts had something clicking there that can't be repeated. If Amac comes through this year as the offensive threat he was always touted to be, it could be the year that he never looks back.

In other news this morning Cujo's options are waning. Boston has signed Steve Shields, freeing up Dafoe, Detroit is interested in Balfour, but won't pay anyone what Cujo is looking for (Hasek made $8 million last year) and no one will give him four years. He should just sign with Toronto. The longer he waits, the more greedy he seems, and the more pathetic it becomes.

"Oh yeah...Cujo. The guy who settled for the team that has made his career because no one else would take him."

Leaf fans are a tolerant bunch. We are used to being jacked around by owners and bad management making stupid trades and draft decisions, and we are forever endeared to guys that play for us with their hearts on their sleeves. But you can't toy with that loyalty in Toronto and expect everyone to be on your side when the chips are down. Look at Potvin, Larry Murphy, and Karpovtsev and even Anders Eriksson last year. When the dust settles, you have to put out. I want Cujo to sign and then play his heart out for a Cup during the next three years..

And if he doesn't sign with Toronto, I want the Leafs to be the team that knocks him out of the playoffs next year.

Posted 8:56 AM by Chris |

Nice review of the Leaf's draft selections.


Posted 10:28 AM by Chris |

Also today, the Leafs preseason schedule was released. With the exception of Tampa Bay (??) and Detroit, it's all divisional rivals.

Fri. Sept. 20, Toronto at Ottawa, 7:00pm EST
Sun. Sept. 22, Ottawa at Toronto, 7:30pm
Tue. Sept. 24, Toronto at Detroit, 7:30pm
Wed. Sept. 25, Buffalo at Toronto, 7:30pm
Fri. Sept. 27, Toronto at Buffalo, 7:00pm
Sat. Sept. 28, Detroit vs. Toronto @ Copps Coliseum, Hamiton ON, 7:30pm
Wed. Oct. 2, Montreal at Toronto, 7:30pm
Thu. Oct. 3, Toronto at Montreal, 7:30pm
Sat. Oct. 5, Tampa Bay at Toronto, 7:00pm

Posted 9:44 AM by Chris |

The Leafs announced an acquisition yesterday. In exchange for future considerations, Toronto acquired Ryan Bonni from Vancouver. Bonni appears to be little more than a big physical defenseman, clocking in at 6'4" and 220 lbs. I'm sure he'll have his summer full thinking of ways to crack the St. John's line up.

Posted 9:42 AM by Chris |

Here is the rundown on the Leafs 2002 draft picks.

1. ALEXANDER STEEN, C, SWEEDEN
24TH OVERALL

A smooth skater with good speed and quickness … a very talented all-around player who plays at a high overall skill level … possesses strong puck-handling and passing skills … a creative playmaker with a good shot … a great competitor and an excellent two-way player … very effective on the penalty kill … primarily a finesse player, but refuses to be intimidated in a physical game … displays natural leadership qualities and a winning attitude.

2. MATT STAJAN, C, CANADA
57TH OVERALL

A good skater with a long fluid stride and deceptive outside speed … a creative playmaker with good hockey sense and strong passing skills … a very good forechecker who drives hard to the net … has a hard, accurate wrist shot … a reliable center who is often used in crucial face-off situations … a solid defensive forward … a tireless worker who plays with drive and determination … very aggressive along the boards and in the corners … will sacrifice himself to make the play … a very unselfish player.

3. TODD FORD, G, CANADA
74TH OVERALL

A very athletic goaltender with excellent size... plays a strong butterfly, staying upright effectively covering a lot of the net... recovers quickly in scramble situations... a technically sound goaltender who plays his angels well... is very confident and challenges the shooters with authority... has good rebound control and handles the puck well... consistently shows good concentration and focus... is capable of making the big save in pressure situations.

4. DOMINIC D'AMOUR, D, CANADA
87TH OVERALL

He has impressive size, and at 196 pounds (slightly up from 190 on QMJHL draft day) his weight won’t need as much bulking up as some of the other prospects eligible in 2002. D’Amour is that defensive defenseman every team loves to have on their bench, as they know he will make the goalie’s job that much easier. He has responded well when playing important minutes, such as protecting leads late in the game, and hasn’t been impressed with dekes from overage players. Simply deciding to play the body, not the puck.

He doesn't get caught pinching. Which is a credit to him since he his a left hand shot who can play both left or right defense. D'Amour is a sure bet to be picked in the 2002 Draft, the only question left to answer in when.

5. DAVID TURON, D, CZECH REPUBLIC
122ND OVERALL

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound 18-year-old was ranked 28th among skaters in Europe by NHL Central Scouting. He has good puck skills but had just one assist in 14 games with Havirov in the Czech Extra League.

6. IAN WHITE, D, CANADA
191ST OVERALL

The offensively gifted defenceman -- he was second in Swift Current Broncos scoring with 79 points -- is going to have to grow to get a legitimate shot with the Leafs. He is just 5-foot-9 1/2 and 177 pounds.

7. SCOTT MAY, F, CANADA
222ND OVERALL

May has two years left at Ohio State University, where he had 12 goals and 30 points in 40 games last season. At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, May is not large either, but does not have a problem navigating the ice.

8. JARKKO IMMONEN, C, FINLAND
254TH OVERALL

The 6-foot, 200-pound 20-year-old was passed over in each of the past two drafts, but the Leafs like the fact that he is mature and generally makes good decisions. In 44 games with Assat of the Finnish Elite League, he had two assists.

9. STAFFAN KRONVALL, D, SWEDEN
285TH OVERALL

The big 19-year-old, who turns 20 in September, jumps to the Swedish Elite League next season. In 42 games with Huddinge in Sweden's first division, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Kronvall had 11 points.

Posted 8:45 AM by Chris |

Mikael Renberg was almost seriously injured yesterday. He had his right arm cut by the propeller of his new boat. He should be okay by training camp. Sheesh.

Reminds me of the old Mike Palmateer incident. Twards the end of his stint in Toronto he fell through a plate glass window while he was hanging curtains and hurt himself badly. It might not have sealed his fate, but it made him a likely candidate for Washington.

Posted 8:15 AM by Chris |

All the news on the Leaf's draft day.

Posted 8:08 AM by Chris |

Note on a minor league trade today. Jeff Farkas and Josh Holden changed spots, with Farkas going to Vancouver. Holden was a former first round pick in 1996 (Pat Quinn selected him) and might get a chance to grow in Toronto and St. John's, but on the face of it, it's a move in the depths of both organizations.


Posted 8:06 AM by Chris |

According to the New York Post (and who am I to know how credible this rumour is) the Rangers are set to dump Mike Richter and offer Cujo the farm. I guess we'll know in a week. June 30 is drop dead day.

Speaking of which, it has been confirmed that the Leafs will drop Dempsey. This is not unexpected, but it also doesn't make sense. Other than ruffling feathers with a mouthy agent and flaming out in training camp every year, he has always played well, both in St. John's and in TO when he's been called up. Sad to see him go.

In related news, Theo Fleury, Adam Oates and Bryan Berard are all free agents this year. They would all look good in blue and white, and they're not terribly expensive. That would fill all the holes, replacing Hoglund with Fleury and moving Oates into Reichel's spot. Berard would be back on the bluelilne where he belongs maybe with Yushkevich, and anchor the powerplay. Whew. Heady stuff.

Posted 11:11 PM by Chris |

More on the Cujo talks, but the big news today is that Gary Valk will not be resigned. He will be replaced by Alexi Ponikarovsky. It's a good move. Poni is younger, more mobile, a better playmaker and an overall upgrade. He is destined for the third line.

Valk had four good years with the Leafs, and played well at times on the checking line. He had stints as a good penalty killer. He's 35 this year, so the other side of the hill definitely beckons.


Posted 10:00 AM by Chris |

I can't resist one more story of Neilson coaching the Leafs. This one told to Eric Duhatschek by Lanny McDonald...

McDonald remembered a time when the Leafs were playing Pittsburgh and found themselves down 5-1 midway through the game. When the Penguins took back-to-back penalties in the second period, Neilson called his players over to the bench to tell them he was pulling the goaltender.

"We're all saying, 'What?' " McDonald said, "but Roger said, 'Yup, we need to score on both of these power plays to get back in the game.' Then he said to the goalie, 'by the way, when you leave the crease, just leave your stick there on your way to the bench, just in case.' We think, 'he's totally lost it' but sure enough, we're going six-on-three and we score on the first one and then before we scored the second one, one of their penalty-killers shot it down the ice and they would have scored, except it hit the goal stick and deflected wide. Then we score the second one and it's 5-3. We made it 5-4 and we pulled the goalie late in the game and now we had a chance to tie it. Even though we lost, Roger won because he made believers out of us all."

Posted 9:11 AM by Chris |

One more great story about Roger Neilson. An inveterate peruser of the rulebook, he used a defensman to defend against penalty shots when he coached the Petes:

"I think you're always trying to win," Neilson replied. "In junior, on the long bus trips, I often liked to read the rulebook. I still think coaches should be reading the rulebook through once a month. You always find things you don't know."

One of the most enduring, endearing stories came during his days as coach of the Peterborough Petes. Riding the bus to an exhibition game one day, someone wondered whether a defenceman could be used, instead of a goaltender, to defend against a penalty shot. The rule at the time specified only that whoever happened to be tending the goal had to stay in the crease until the shooter crossed the blueline. After that, he was fair game.

"That night, we were going into an exhibition game and we had a penalty shot against us," Neilson said, "so we said let's try it. It ended up there were six that season and he stopped them all."

Posted 9:06 AM by Chris |

I have never seen a captain speak out on negotiating free agents quite likeMats Sundin did today. He makes a very compelling case for not monkeying around with Cujo and Domi, and making sure they are back in blue and white next year.

Posted 8:26 AM by Chris |

And one more item...

Tie Domi got a low ball offer, but at least he has an agent representing him.

Also buried in this article is a reference to the fact that the Leafs have begun negotiations with Yushkevich, who is an RFA this year.

Schwab, Cross, Dempsey and Valk are all UFAs on July 1

I hate all this stuff...draft is coming soon...

Posted 6:25 PM by Chris |

Out of commission for a few days so I'm just catching up on the news. The Leafs made Cujo an offer last week rumoured to be in the $9 million range. Philadelphia have said they are out of the free agent game for this season, which could be a ploy, but if true, means there is one less team in the hunt for a free Joseph.


Posted 6:22 PM by Chris |

More accolades for Neilson.

Posted 6:19 PM by Chris |

Roger Neilson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame today. He was the first coach of the Leafs I really paid attention to. I remember thinking when he coached that his strategy made for boring games, but at least we won a few, making 92 points in 1977-78. And he took the Leafs to their greatest post 1967 playoff moment to that point too, the quaterfinal upset over the Islanders, when Lanny McDonald scored the overtime winner.

Neilson was treated really badly by Ballard. For some reason Ballard went off him, and tried firing him by leaking the news to dick Beddoes. The players went nuts. Ballard tried to cover up by suggesting that Neilson come to the next came wearing a paper bag over his head and that he take it off behind the bench and let the crowd go nuts. Neilson, being the classy guy that he is, refused.

After all the crap he has put up with from Ballard, Bobby Clarke and others, it's nice to see some recognition go his way too.


Posted 6:07 PM by Chris |

Here is a review of the last five Leaf draft days with a nice recap of each prospect and a run down of the missed picks.

I was looking through Total Hockey the other night lamenting some of the horrible Leaf drafting over the past 15 years. This is not a club that excels in scouting talent, and as a result has to acquire it through trades and UFA signings. Wendel Clark was probably the best pick the Leafs have made since 1985. During the nineties, Cliff Fletcher traded away a lot of picks, including the number one pick in 1997 for Wendel's return. That pick turned out to be Roberto Luongo.


Posted 4:17 PM by Chris |

In an effort to prepare for a host of unknown names coming through the draft, here is the first entry on the Leafs' top prospects.

The enigma, Mikael Tellqvist, who was Rookie of the Year in the Swedish Elite League in 1999-2000 is the top rated leaf prospect in the pipe. He is a butterfly style goalie, primarily, although he himself says he borrows from other styles to make something of his own. He covers the bottom of the net perfectly and sees things happening and developing on the ice long before others do. This keen sense of anticipation gets him to the angles fast. In fact, he is so good that his SEL team Djurgarden was able to use a Torpedo Offense in front of him, with four forwards and one defensman the year they won the league championship in 2001.

His major weakness is stickhandling, which he does passibly for a European goalie, but which needs works to defeat the dump and chase NHL style.

He signed a three year deal with the Leafs in July 2001, but took a while to get comfortable in North America.

Last year in St. John's he played in 28 games and was 8-11-6 with a 3.11 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

I say he's enigmatic because he is considered a money goalie, but he bombed out in training camp last year, prompting the Leafs to look for a new backup in Corey Schwab and then Tom Barrasso.

Tellqvist was the third backup for Sweden at Salt Lake City.

Posted 4:43 PM by Chris |

Nice analysis of the Leaf prospects heading into the draft this year.

I especially like the strength and weakness analysis:

Strengths
1. Major housecleaning of St.John's defense corp in the off-season opened up opportunities for new blood on the blueline to progress.

2. Quinn Era Draft Picks (Tellqvist, Boyes, Colaiacovo) starting to assert themselves over previous regimes more suspect choices.

3. Present regime attempting to correct previous mistakes by sending rushed prospects down for more seasoning is paying off (McCauley, Antropov).

Weaknesses
1. Team still feels the need to draft over-age Europeans or sign over-age juniors (Pilar, Chartier) to cover a hole in the pipeline at that level.

2. Organization is finally taking player development seriously and alotting the proper amount of money and manpower to the task.

3. Could use a couple more drop dead snipers in the system. Right now, only Miguel Delisle fits the bill.


Posted 8:55 AM by Chris |

I was looking over the playoff stats this morning and thinking about how little the numbers seem to matter in the second season.

For example, Cujo finished the playoffs at 10-10, with a bloated 2.30 GAA, 3 shutouts and a .914 save percentage.

Patrick Lalime finished at 7-5 with a 1.39 GAA, 4 shutouts and a .946 save percentage.

You would have thought by looking at those numbers that Lalime was the semifinalist. At any rate, Mats Sundin summed up his feelings about Cujo with a nice quote after game 6: "I think we shoot ourselves in the foot to watch him (Joseph) put on another uniform. I really hope the management can do everything they can to make sure we have Curtis back here next year."


Posted 8:31 AM by Chris |

The Leafs announced on Friday that they had signed JF Racine, a goalie. Racine was the Leafs' third round pick in 2000, and has had a rather unremarkable junior career to this point. Last season he was 29-30-1 with a 3.43 GAA and a .892 save percentage. At 20 years old he's got to be about 6 or 7 years away from playing in a Leaf uniform, if ever.


Posted 9:04 AM by Chris |