Just a quick update:
The Maple Leafs have recalled Viktor Stalberg from the Marlies and are sending down Joey MacDonald, as Jonas Gustavsson is ready to back up Vesa Toskala Friday night in Buffalo.
Probably a good idea to start Vesa on Friday. Give Jonas an extra night off (hopefully, anyway) and keep Toskala away from the Bruins Saturday, as he’s had trouble with them this season.
It is not clear who is coming out of the lineup tomorrow for Stalberg, as he skated as an extra on the fourth line with Wallin, Mayers and Orr in practice.
My guess is that Colton Orr comes out. He took a bad, offensive-zone tripping penalty last night and probably isn’t ready to drop the gloves anyway with his black eye and all. Perhaps Rickard Wallin comes out, with Mayers moving to centre. Perhaps Blake goes back to the fourth line and Stalberg plays with Grabovski and Hagman.
And finally, Luke Schenn will return to the lineup after missing 3 games as a healthy scratch.
It looks like Jeff Finger will be the odd-man out after a -3 rating against the Coyotes and limited ice-time in the third period. However, I think Garnet Exelby is just as deserving of coming out. Last night’s loss was probably the best thing that could have happened for Schenn, as a long-winning streak would have kept him in the press box. Hopefully, the Leafs can ‘force-feed’ Schenn more ice-time, as 10-12 minutes a game hasn’t done him any good.
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December 18th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
That was the year they traded Thonpson for Maloney. Was there a worse skater than Maloney ever? Some how found a way to score though. One fight I remember was Dave Hutchinson fighting 3 guys at once. Punch one then the next and the next. He went down but not before he got a bunch of licks in. Trying to remember who against. Also saw Hutchinson fight Mike Foligno in Foligno’s very fisrt NHL game live. I was behind the Leaf net when they went. Not very bright of Foligno at that time but he showed he could play with the big boys. I guess we could go on all day huh. Got to see Hull, Howe and Orr play live so being old isn’t all that bad. Even played Gretzky once in a little NHL tournament in Brampton.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
@ingy56
It really wasn’t Ballard that took that team apart…it was Punch Imlach that did them in…I read Tiger Williams book and he talks about how all the players hated that pricks guts…he thought he owned the team and that the players were his slaves…he didn’t get it that times had changed at all!!
December 18th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Yeah Hutch was one tough dude, I remember a playoff round against the Kings when he and Tiger were fencing in the penalty box. That was the year Tiger proclaimed the Kings were “done like dinner”…they were. The next year the Leafs got Hutch and I was at a pre-season game against Montreal when he fought Larry Robinson (no slouch) off the opening faceoff and prety much destroyed him. I remember thinking that if they got up against Montreal again in the playoffs they may handle them better. Unfortunately that year they went out again at the hands of that great Montreal team. Wow, got to play against Gretzky, that’s cool. Bobby Orr was the best, I went to his hockey camp as a kid, as good a person as he is a hockey player. Same as Gordie, I was practicing with my high school team at George Bell Arena many years ago and Gordie was on the ice with Mark and Marty practicing with the Houston Aeros when we got to the rink. We stood at the boards talking to him and he was more interested in asking how our team was doing, amazing man.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
captain morgan wrote:
I know, but Punch was really Harold’s hatchet man. Harold could have stepped in, but he didn’t. He waited until the damage was already done, and after Punch had a heart attack that year, Harold quietly took away his parking space at MLG as a way of firing him. Said he did it for the good of his health. Did Tiger’s book tell the story of how the players went to Turnbull’s bar after Lanny was traded and played darts with a picture of Punch on the board? Hilarious.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
ingy56 wrote:
I have never had a chance to meet Bobby Orr but I have met Gordie and have been really fortunate in getting to spend some time with Larry Robinson who is, even for an ex Hab, one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
No, that part didn’t come up…but he talked about Hutchinson drove by Imlach waving his booster cables, when Imlach had left his lights on at the airport and couldn’t start his car…Hutchinson was traded the next day!!
December 18th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
honesthockey wrote:
Yeah Larry was a class act, when he decided to go to the net and got the puck to the outside he was pretty much untouchable. Definitely not a Hab fan myself, but you sure had to admire some of the players from those teams in the 60’s and 70’s.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
captain morgan wrote:
Classic! I remember that now. I wonder who really left his lights on? I’ll have to read that book for sure. No wonder Punch had a heart attack.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
captain morgan wrote:
Hahaha. That’s a great one.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I’ve met Tiger a few times and he is one of the nicest guys to ever meet…he was one of the few guys that would bend over backwards to help youth hockey…Dave Shand helped me out when I was a kid and he playing with the Toronto Nationals with my game…when eh was playing with the Atlanta Flames agaisnt Toronto in the playoffs, him and Tiger went at it huge…I couldn’t watch, but I couldn’t turn away either…Shand did good with Tiger, as they went toe to toe for over a minute, both landing shot after shot!!
I’ve heard Orr, Howe, Sittler, Robinson are all grea guys…they always had time for kids!!
@Ingy
I agree Ballard could ahbve stopped it…but I really don;t think he knew what he was letting Imlach do, as he believed in him…stupid old man…both of them!!!
December 18th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
ingy56 wrote:
Used to piss me off they were so good. Couldn’t stop Lafleur and yeah Robinson was un-believable. My dad used to swear his head off at Dick Irvin and Danny Galivan. The Savardian Spinorama made the old man go through the roof. My old man was as entertaining as the games. I remember in the New years Eve 3-3 game he cheered for the Russians. Haha.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
captain morgan wrote:
There’s a name Dave Shand. How about Claire “the milkman” Alexander from Orillia.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
@Honest
I remember him so well!! He wasn’t bad either…just needed to put some teeth in his head!!! LOL
December 18th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
@honest
That’s too funny, your dad cheering for the Russians!!! LOL
December 18th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
@ captain morgan:
I guess Tiger is doing quite well away from the rink now. He is the CEO of an Oil exploration or mining company out West I believe. Never knew he had the business savvy in him.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
@ honesthockey:
I hated Gallivan and Irvin, big time homers. When Gallivan came over to do Leaf broadcasts after Bill Hewiit left it was sacrilegious.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
AS I read what I have missed, I will make my comments.
luke wrote:
Well, it started out with someone pointing me in the direction of that same website that is “Lord Voldemort” (Harry potter reference… but yes, that dreaded site that is the ground of the one and only UG.)
One day I was looking at the list of bloogers, and saw that there was this one Alec who has articles with the Leaf logo beside his name. One of his posts led me here, and I’ve been here ever since.
Potsy wrote:
Well, when it comes down to numbers, when I have the time, I love to analyse them. I was curious about both cases (the standings without the 1st 8 and who exactly was getting more assists on Kessel).
As for future accountant, I did get accepted at the university for that course (and my other 2 choices), so that’s the 1st important step into being one. Being one for this site, however, might take a longer while… (and an actual job to fill
).
December 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
lol, it would appear I’m a bit younger than you guys, the only old time hockey player I’ve spent time with is Paul Henderson. We used to go to the same church. The church had programs for the younger children and one time he came back to talk with us youngins. I was about 7 and got to introduce him as “a hockey player who scored an important goal for Canada a LONG LONG time ago.” He had a good laugh even though I’m sure I made him feel old.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
@Carlton
Hey bud…God will get you for that!!! LOL Henderson’s connected you know…by the way it was three game winners in a row, not just one big goal!!
December 18th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
@captain morgan
I was like 7, I think he was quasi impressed that I even knew who he was since it was more than 20 years after the summit series lol
December 18th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
@Carlton
Probably true pal!! He was another one of the nice guys…and should be in the HofF!!!
December 18th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Gotta go boys, nice going down memory lane!
December 18th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
honesthockey wrote:
@HH
Thanks a ton for the memory redux…..classic. That is the reason Sittler was my all-time favourite Leaf until Clark showed up. Gotta say that Sittler had more heart and more leadership skills than a lot of people gave him credit for….Cherry (for one) was never a fan of him.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
No problem kb.
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