Toronto Maple Leafs

[AustroLeaf]

Alle 3 Spiele in Kalifornien verloren, und Richard Peddie war sogar mit. Wenn sich jetzt nix ändert, weiß ich auch nicht mehr. Worauf warten diese Dodln? Den Playoff-Zug haben wir realistischerweise eh schon verpaßt.

[AustroLeaf]

Toronto Maple Leafs - Carolina Hurricanes 5:4 (0:0, 3:2, 2:2)

1:0 (24.) Kaberle 7 PP (Sundin)

1:1 (28.) Samsonov PP (Cole, Brind'Amour)

2:1 (30.) Kilger 8 (Devereaux, White)

2:2 (33.) Cole (Wesley, Samsonov)

3:2 (39.) Stajan 10 PP (Stralman, Blake)

3:3 (42.) Ladd (Staal, Hamilton)

4:3 (46.) Ponikarovsky 12 (Blake)

5:3 (49.) White 3 unassisted

5:4 (60.) Brind'Amour (Whitney, Samsonov)

SOG: Leafs 36, Canes 25

PP: Leafs 2/5, Canes 1/3

Game Recap

Go Leafs Go!

[AustroLeaf]

ADVICE ON HOW NOT TO WIN CUP

By MIKE STROBEL -- Sun Media

Sacre bleu! What are the Leafs trying to do, win?

All this talk about Cliff Fletcher and Scotty Bowman ...

Don't do it, please, please, Mr. Peddie.

We like our Leafs just the way they are. Lovable Losers.

On Sunday, I asked fans to advise team brass on how NOT to win the Stanley Cup.

Who needs cold, boring champions like, say, the New England Patriots, when you can have adorable, huggable chumps like, say, the Chicago Cubs.

Or the Toronto Maple Leafs.

This feeling is widespread, judging by the mound of e-mails.

So, how do the Leafs guarantee warm and fuzzy mediocrity?

A lot of you offered variations on the same answer.

"Do nothing," writes Bruce Legacy. "I mean, if it's not working, don't fix it."

Bang on, Bruce. As if Richard Peddie et al need any help keeping the "loser" in Lovable Loser.

'LET MOMMY PLAY'

But if we must meddle with imperfection, here's a few ideas:

"Let mommy play for the Leafs instead of Sundin," suggests Andrew Schjerning, 8.

Suit up, Mrs. Schjerning. You'll centre a line with my sister and her hairdresser.

"Let Mayor Miller and his gang run the team," opines John Cottle.

Good thinking. A team loaded with left-wingers is sure to go in circles.

Other personnel moves you'd like to see to ensure Losing Lovability: John Tory, Isiah Thomas or Alex ("The Answer") Trebek as GM, Conrad Black and Britney Spears on defence, Jiri Tlusty as team photographer.

Anna Kournikova as coach, says Michael Flowitt. "She knows how to lose and look good doing it!"

Mike Milbury seems a safe bet as Lovable Loser coach or GM. Mad Mike traded away Robert Luongo and once beat a fan with a shoe. But I'm nervous because Milbury coached the Bruins dangerously close to the Stanley Cup in 1990.

Jonathon Tobin suggests cloning Hal Gill, though I think the Leafs are sheepish enough these days.

Goal was a popular target, as it is most Leafs games.

Throw Carlton the Bear in net, says Ray Matson. At least the big furball will be entertaining.

"Ray Charles," suggests Perry Hammer from Tavistock, Ont. "And Helen Keller!"

Just one problem with those two as goalies, Perry. They're dead.

"Move the team to Singapore," writes Ann Spall.

"Move the team to Hawaii," writes Elizabeth Stewart.

Ouch, Liz, that's a luau blow. The only ice in Hawaii comes with frilly little umbrellas.

On the other hand, drinking by the pool with Jessica Simpson kept Tony Romo soft in the saddle.

I like Lindsay Leo's idea: "Seriously, wouldn't it be fun to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs and their opponents both play in the same uniforms?"

You ain't lyin', Leo. The refs would go cross-eyed.

Jill Davies, on behalf of her "broken-hearted" 7-year-old Cian, says "don't let (the Leafs) skate past their blue line."

Good, Jill, except they can still score on their own net.

"Make them skate backwards only," offers Melody Makinen.

"Ice their jock straps before games." This from Lorna "Grandma Hockey" Muslewski, a cruel, cruel woman.

One of the jewels among hundreds of entries was this Ode to Lovable Losers:

McCabe gets more money

Have Sundin be rude

Play Belak more often

Have Tlusty play nude!

It was penned by the winner of the draw for tickets to the game against Ottawa Feb. 2 at the ACC.

Janet Hoskin, of Acton, was 2 months old when the Leafs won the 1967 Cup, their last.

"They're the only team in the league that gets away with losing and losing and people still stand by them, still fill their arena, still wear their stuff."

Dammit, Janet. You've got it. They're our Lovable Losers.

It just wouldn't be the same if they won. We'd have nothing to whine about or dissect over coffee, no reason to swear at the TV.

I hope Janet's grandson Benjamin, 4, grows up to appreciate this unique quality of the Leafs.

She's taking Ben to the Feb. 2 game.

Already, he knows everyone's number, position, points, injuries. A budding Leafs diehard.

"He's a lifer," laughs Janet.

Well, maybe he'll get time off for good behaviour.

--> Artikel (Toronto Sun)

[Lichtgestalt]

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

0:1 (5.) Steen 8 (Sundin, Kaberle)

1:1 (15.) Chara 7 (Wideman, Savard)

2:1 (16.) Sturm 14 (Savard, Wideman)

2:2 (40.) Stajan 11 (Kubina, Kaberle)

2:3 (SO) Sundin

SOG: Bruins 31, Leafs 33.

PIM: Bruins 10, Leafs 6.

PP: Bruins 0/2, Leafs 0/5.

-> Recap

[AustroLeaf]

Toronto Maple Leafs - Buffalo Sabres 4:2 (1:0, 2:1, 1:1)

1:0 (3.) Antropov 18 PP (Sundin, Steen)

2:0 (21.) Steen 9 PP (Antropov, Kubina)

3:0 (23.) Ponikarovsky 13 (Gill, White)

3:1 (34.) Hecht (MacArthur, Campbell)

3:2 (39.) Paille (Gaustad, Kotalik)

4:2 (54.) Blake 9 (White)

SOG: Leafs 23, Sabres 28

PP: Leafs 2/5, Sabres 0/2

Recap

Go Leafs Go!

[Lichtgestalt]

New Jersey Devils - Toronto Maple Leafs 3:2 (0:0, 2:0, 1:2)

1:0 (38.) Zajac 11 (Rachunek, Oduya)

2:0 (40.) Madden 13 (Parise, White)

3:0 (44.) Madden 14 (Martin, Langenbrunner)

3:1 (45.) Tucker 6 (Tlusty, White)

3:2 (49.) Kubina 4 (unassisted)

SOG: Devils 32, Leafs 36.

PIM: Devils 4, Leafs 6.

PP: Devils 0/3, Leafs 0/2.

-> Recap

[Lichtgestalt]

FERGY'S LAST STAND?

NEWARK -- John Ferguson disappeared into the cold New Jersey night to the team bus, refusing to talk about what could have been his last game as general manager of the Maple Leafs. He hasn't spoken to the media at large in days, but you know he must be thinking whether he would be walking the plank this week if his team had played the entire first half of the season as it did the past five games.

Two one-goal losses to Cup contenders San Jose and New Jersey book-ended a three-game win streak in which several of his controversial acquisitions suddenly found their legs. It has probably given the board of directors of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., small pause for thought. But after the team plane touched down at Pearson last night, Leaf Nation began watching the skies for Cliff Fletcher's flight.

"You want to do well for the people who believe in you," said goaltender Andrew Raycroft, who had one of his better starts last night in a 3-2 close-call loss to the Devils. "John has had a lot of faith in me, giving me the ball last year and keeping me here this year. We feel like we've been in every game (since a Jan. 10 defeat in Los Angeles brought fan and media wrath on MLSEL). We have an idea of the storm going on. We feel like we're in it together and we have to get out of it together."

But by the time the Leafs get to back-to-back midweek games against the Washington Capitals, it's expected Fletcher will have returned with his wife from a Mexican holiday and reached a power-distribution agreement with Richard Peddie, the club's president and CEO. Fletcher wants the same carte blanche in hockey operations that he had upon arriving in 1991. And whatever happens, you know the NHL wants the Leafs to clear this thing up before there is a danger of them hogging the Canadian media spotlight at the all-star game in Atlanta this weekend.

The Hall of Famer Fletcher likely has not been is siesta mode the past week, sizing up what needs to be done in the short and long term. Yet, all of the swirling speculation of a change at the top seems to have had a galvanizing effect on the Leafs the past 10 days. Alex Steen's short-side shot at the buzzer yesterday almost gave the Leafs an unlikely three-goal comeback against the air-tight Devils. "If we sit and wait and follow what's going on off the ice, we're in trouble," captain Mats Sundin warned. "I see at least some signs of a system. If we put a good two weeks together, we're back in the playoff race."

Coach Paul Maurice, whose fate is tied to Ferguson's, has kept the team hanging on to its playoff thread. "After the game, John is chin up, front and centre and I'm trying to be that way, too," Maurice said. "When you look at playing four games in six nights, I like the way we've competed."

Vesa Toskala and winger Jason Blake have been the most noticeably resurgent players in Ferguson's stable the past few games and last night was Raycroft's chance. A culprit in many key losses this year and unable to carry the Leafs to a playoff spot in his first full season, Raycroft has come to represent Ferguson's questionable trade acumen and team vision. He played his first game since the first-period debacle in L.A., though had yesterday's second of back-to-backs not been a 5 p.m., start, Maurice would have stuck with Toskala, who had a busy second and third periods beating the Sabres the night before at home.

But the coach went the cautious route with his No. 1 and will now use Toskala in both ends against the Caps heading into the break. The Caps are a point ahead of the 14th-place Leafs heading in to the week.

-> Toronto Sun

[themanwho]

breaking news, JFJ gefeuert: http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=227906&hubname=nhl

[Lichtgestalt]

das wurde auch langsam zeit.

GO LEAFS GO!!

[Lichtgestalt]

Cliff Fletcher Named Interim General Manager

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Tuesday that John Ferguson’s contract as vice president and general manager, which expires June 30, 2008, will not be extended. As a result, he has been relieved of his duties effective immediately. Cliff Fletcher, who served with the Leafs as team president, chief operating officer and general manager between 1991 and 1997, has been appointed to serve as interim general manager.

“After full consideration of the Leafs’ situation, it has become clear that change and a new direction is needed. The decision has been made that John will not be receiving a new contract at the end of this year, and it’s in the best interests of the Leafs and of John to begin the transition immediately,” said Richard Peddie, president and chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. “John has been given the opportunity and the resources he requested to deliver results from the strategic plans that he put in place when he was named general manager in 2003, and while the new collective bargaining agreement required some re-shaping of those plans, the results have fallen short of what our organization, including John, and our fans expect.

“We will always be grateful to John for his passion, dedication and commitment to putting a winning team on the ice. He’s a man of the highest integrity, who withstood often unfair public criticism with dignity and class. He represented our organization and our community in a first class manner. We wish him well in what we expect will be a long and productive hockey career.”

Ferguson became the 12th general manager in Leafs franchise history on August 29, 2003, and during his tenure the club reached at least 90 points and 40 wins in each of the three seasons played. Toronto has a combined record of 145 wins, 110 losses, 10 ties, 13 overtime losses, and 17 shootout losses for a .559 points percentage.

Fletcher, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder category in 2004, brings more than 50 years of experience to his new role with the Leafs.

“Cliff Fletcher is the ideal person to lay the groundwork of positive change for the Leafs,” said Peddie. “As all of our general managers have had, he will have the autonomy and responsibility for all hockey decisions with a focus on establishing a foundation from which the next general manager can build. He will guide us through the upcoming trade deadline and toward the draft and free agent signing period.”

Beginning in 1956 as a scout with the Montreal Canadiens under legendary Sam Pollock, Fletcher served as a scout and assistant general manager with the St. Louis Blues from 1966-72 before being named general manager of the expansion Atlanta Flames in 1972. During the next 10 years, he led the Flames to two division titles, two conference championships, two Presidents’ Trophies, and the 1989 Stanley Cup championship.

Fletcher’s teams have a career record of 929 wins, 776 losses, and 295 ties for a .539 winning percentage during his time as a general manager. Fletcher took over a struggling Leafs franchise in 1991 and presided over a turnaround that saw the team advance to the conference finals in 1993 and 1994. The Leafs played in 52 postseason games with Fletcher at the helm. He was chosen “Man of the Year” and “Executive of the Year” in 1993 by The Hockey News. Under his direction, the Leafs posted a record of 202 wins, 200 losses, and 58 ties for a .502 winning percentage.

In 1999 Fletcher came out of retirement to serve as senior advisor to the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning for two seasons. He joined the Phoenix Coyotes in February 2001 as general manager and executive vice president, moving up to senior executive vice president of hockey operations the following year. He and the club’s general manager were relieved of their duties in Phoenix in April 2007.

The Leafs also announced that Gord Kirke has been retained to help head up the search for the new general manager. Kirke has been involved with the representation of numerous components of the sports business for more than 30 years and has acted on behalf of several sports teams. In addition to representing the interests of a long list of athletes, coaches and sports executives, Kirke’s client list includes leagues such as the Ontario Hockey League and the Canadian Hockey League as well as unions such as the National Hockey League Players Association and the Professional Hockey Players Association.

The president and first Canadian director of the Sports Lawyers Association, Kirke has authored numerous legal articles and has been publisher of several journals related to sports and entertainment law. He is a professor of sports and entertainment law at both Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, and the University of Toronto.

“Sports attorney Gord Kirke and I will form the search team that will ultimately recommend the next president and general manager to the board of directors. Cliff will serve as a resource to us in that process, “Peddie said. “We believe being president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs is the top job in hockey, and we have defined criteria as we begin to consider candidates for the position. Our ideal candidate will be a long-term builder and a short-term fixer who has an established track record of success on the ice.

“Along with experience and extensive knowledge in the areas of drafting and identifying talent in the professional, amateur and international ranks, this individual will be comfortable with the intense scrutiny within the Toronto hockey market and will work effectively with the media. He will have the full autonomy to lead this hockey club in the manner he feels is best.”

The Leafs have home-and-home games with Washington this Wednesday and Thursday heading into the NHL All-Star Weekend.

-> mapleleafs.com

[Seppo Dramac]

das wurde auch langsam zeit.

GO LEAFS GO!!

Genau. Jetzt müssen sie aber erst mal eine Deppen finden der sich das antut. Ferguson hat mit den vielen hochdotierten Verträgen inklusive No-Trade-Klauseln ein solches Schlamassel hinterlassen dass die Leafs auf Jahre hinaus handlungsunfähig sein werden. Highlight für mich: die beiden 4-Mille-Verträge für Blake und Toskala, gerade als wieder Luft zum Atmen dagewesen wäre.

Glück im Draft ist das einzige das uns momentan helfen könnte, außer es findet sich irgendein GM-Koffer der McCabe, Blake oder Kubina unbedingt haben möchte.

[AustroLeaf]

Cliff Fletcher Named Interim General Manager

Genau. Jetzt müssen sie aber erst mal eine Deppen finden der sich das antut. Ferguson hat mit den vielen hochdotierten Verträgen inklusive No-Trade-Klauseln ein solches Schlamassel hinterlassen dass die Leafs auf Jahre hinaus handlungsunfähig sein werden. Highlight für mich: die beiden 4-Mille-Verträge für Blake und Toskala, gerade als wieder Luft zum Atmen dagewesen wäre.

Glück im Draft ist das einzige das uns momentan helfen könnte, außer es findet sich irgendein GM-Koffer der McCabe, Blake oder Kubina unbedingt haben möchte.

Sie haben keinen Schlechten gefunden - Fletcher ist ein Mann, der keineswegs vor spektakulären Trades zurückschreckt. Und es ist nur gerecht, daß der Mann, der 1994 weitsichtig genug war, uns völlig entgegen der öffentlichen Meinung Mats Sundin zu bescheren, ihn nun teuer wegtraden darf.

Und daß sich GMs finden, die uns zumindest ein paar unserer teuren Helden abnehmen, daran zweifle ich nicht. Die Leafs sind schon SEHR deppert, aber nicht die einzigen, die es sind.

Erwarte den Abgang von zumindest 2 aus dem Triumvirat Tucker, Blake, Kubina.

[Seppo Dramac]

Sie haben keinen Schlechten gefunden - Fletcher ist ein Mann, der keineswegs vor spektakulären Trades zurückschreckt.

Erwarte den Abgang von zumindest 2 aus dem Triumvirat Tucker, Blake, Kubina.

Ich meinte auch für die Zeit nach Fletcher, der nur bis Sommer vorgesehen ist.

Ich weiß, die Tucker-Stats in dieser Saison sind schrecklich - Maurice setzt ja nicht wirklich auf ihn. Was sagte Don Cherry vor kurzem: 'If Sundin is the heart of the Leafs, then Tucker is their Soul.' 3 Mille im Jahr sind viel aber so einen Fighter mit Herz darfst nicht gehen lassen.

Was anderes: kann mir bitte jemand erklären warum Colaiacovo das Budget mit 1,28 Mille belastet?

[AustroLeaf]

Ich weiß, die Tucker-Stats in dieser Saison sind schrecklich - Maurice setzt ja nicht wirklich auf ihn. Was sagte Don Cherry vor kurzem: 'If Sundin is the heart of the Leafs, then Tucker is their Soul.' 3 Mille im Jahr sind viel aber so einen Fighter mit Herz darfst nicht gehen lassen.

Ja, nur so einen Kämpfer (und das ist er wirklich) kriegst du viel billiger. Um ehrlich zu sein, sollte man die Torstatistik vom letzten Jahr doch relativ sehen; in der 1. Powerplaylinie, mit perfekten tape-to-tape passes von Sundin und Kaberle gefüttert, während 2 Leute auf McCabe aufpassen müssen, da purzeln die Tore. Man sieht ja, daß es anders kaum klappt.

Tucker ist ein wichtiger Spieler, es täte mir weh, wenn er ginge, aber rein von der Salary-Cap-Gestaltung her wäre es nachvollziehbar. Und Interesse würde er wohl auch einiges hervorrufen.

[Lichtgestalt]

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

1:0 (8.) Kilger 9 (Stralman)

1:1 (23.) Ovechkin 39 (Kozlov, Eminger)

2:1 (39.) Steen 10 (Sundin, Antropov)

2:2 (54.) Semin 12 (Steckel)

3:2 (60.) Sundin 21 (Steen, Antropov)

SOG: Leafs 24, Caps 32.

PIM: Leafs 10, Caps 8.

PP: Leafs 0/3, Caps 0/4.

-> Recap