Scott Howson
Alright, here we go! As the scouting world shifts its gaze to the NHL Combine, which kicks off today in Toronto, this will signal the beginning of the home stretch for this year's crop of draft hopefuls. The draft itself may be just two days long, but the process and preparation for it will include hundreds upon hundreds of viewing hours for the scouts, and months of training for the players. [more…]
I've been trading a few emails of late with some "non-sources" (I want to be very clear about that) employed by various media outlets in the Toronto area, to get their take on the rapidly-churning Maple Leafs' rumour mill.
Although these folks are obviously not directly tied to anyone you would call a "source" affiliated with a team, their insight is often valuable as they are privy to more of the backroom chatter with those who are connected to the so-called "sources".
It's official:Â the trade deadline has come and gone ... not with a bang but a whimper.
Aside from the agonizingly slow pace throughout most of the day, some fascinating moves (and non-moves) took place, for both the Maple Leafs and the league as a whole.
Here are my thoughts, in the aftermath of Deadline Day:
While draft picks are high priority in any potential trade talks leading up to the March 4th deadline, Brian Burke is also said to be targeting a group of young but already established NHLers, according to a source.
A few quick thoughts from tonight's game via the blackberry...
-Firstly, a soporific affair inside the ACC tonight.
-Jiri Tlusty had troubles settling into the game and looked edgy. He handled the puck like a hand grenade, likely due to nerves. It looked to be a result of his trying too hard to impress.
