Monday Morning Links

by Alec Brownscombe on April 2, 2012 in Morning Mashup - 410 Comments

Photo: Hockey Inside/Out, Montreal Gazette

The  Leafs play their third from last game tomorrow in Buffalo as the season winds down to a depressing close. I hate having to ask the following question, but here’s your conversation starter for this morning: say the Leafs lose to a hungry Sabres team tomorrow, fall to the Lightning in the home finale, and the second or third overall draft pick – depending on how the Oilers finish – is up for decision this Saturday against Montreal. Would any bit of you want the Leafs to lose to the Canadiens in the season finale, in Montreal? I only ask the question because many still curse Boyd Devereaux’s and Martin Gerber’s names for what effectively ruined the Leafs’ chances at Brayden Schenn in 2009, and Devereaux’s hat trick came against the Senators.

I hope the Leafs pick up a win in their next two – and they’ve owned the Lightning this season – so this is all hypothetical. I’m tired of us having to ask the question and the only way the end to this season could get more depressing is if Leafs Nation is torn on whether or not we want the Leafs to beat the Habs. I think Burke should aggressively pursue a trade up scenario anyways, targetting that Edmonton pick for a package involving the Leafs’ pick and a defenceman.

Links after the jump.

LEAFS LINKS:

Leafs Nation podcast talks  goalies
Note that Scrivens is a pending RFA, Rynnas is an RFA and Gustavsson is a UFA.

Not a new notion, but with different timing: what about Iginla for the Leafs, now? (How about throwing in Kiprusoff)
Dave Nonis’ suggestion last week they were going to build around the kids, not trade them, would suggest no. Good read nonetheless.

Leafs asking Phaneuf to do too much
Mirtle suggests Burke is setting up Phaneuf for failure by casting him as a  a no. 1 defenceman in terms of match ups &  ice time, in addition to producing points and hitting that’s expected of him. If I were Burke I’d consider breaking the bank big time on Ryan Suter to share the big responsibilities. Mirtle also dismisses the Phaneuf-Schenn rift, suggesting Feschuk did indeed base that entire allegation around Brayden Schenn and Dion Phaneuf face washing each other the other night.

Five Maple Leafs Positives for 2011-12
If my above question depressed you, read this for help.

HOCKEY LINKS:

Chaos descended on Pennsylvania yesterday
Puck Daddy with the story on what should be a fun playoff series.

Teemu Selanne may have played his last game in Anaheim
In typical Teemu fashion, he scores a goal in case it was.

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