Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs refused to let another pair of Canadian brothers come into their barn and come out on top, taking it to the Flyers with a 5-2 win Monday night. A dominant performance that saw five different Toronto players score, it is a game that will bring the team's record at home slightly closer to the realm of respectability. However, it may have came at the cost of James Reimer, who left the game with an apparent lower body injury partway through the night. [more…]
A tilt between two of the league's youngest teams went pretty much as expected. Questionable special teams, fast-paced action, and a blown third period lead. Thankfully, the Maple Leafs were on the winning side of this one and climb to a game above .500 eleven games into the season. [more…]
The Toronto Maple Leafs did the previously unthinkable, walking into Buffalo and winning an exciting game in overtime. Tonight's match looked like it may follow the same unsavory fate that has plagued the Leafs at HSBC in recent years when Buffalo tied it up late. But a team devoid of two of their top wingers in Joffrey Lupul and Clarke MacArthur showed fortitude and grabbed a victory in the dying moments of overtime. [more…]
Toronto will be without Clarke McArthur as they visit the Buffalo Sabres. The injury to his pinky finger won't sideline him for long but it does leave the Leafs' LW depth, already missing Lupul, looking thin for tonight.
The Sabres, like the Leafs, are not exactly hot. They have lost three straight and Thomas Vanek was sidelined by a strained muscle in Sunday's 3-2 loss in Washington. The left winger had been on the ice for all 11 of his team's goals prior to that contest, scoring three and assisting on six - one versus the Maple Leafs. [more…]
One of the more positive stories in Leafland a week ago was Mike Kostka earning a spot on the Leafs blue line coming out of camp. The 27-year-old career AHLer made his NHL debut in Montreal and was able to pick up his first point. He didn’t look horribly out of place against a horrible team. It also probably didn’t hurt to have a guy who has been playing all season, eating 20 minutes a night, in the first couple of shakedown games.
Kostka certainly seemed like a reliable option that would slowly slide down the depth chart as Carlyle had a better chance to assess his regulars. To date (albeit it’s been five games) that hasn’t happened. Kostka played 22:59 minutes against Montreal, and that ice time has climbed up to over 31 minutes against New York on Saturday night (he was also minus -4). He’s currently 10th in the league in Average Time on Ice per game, ahead of recent Norris Trophy winners Zdeno Chara and Erik Karlsson. [more…]
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ offense disappeared down the stretch and the defense had no answer for the “22-Million Dollar Line” en route to a 5 – 2 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday night. This was a funny game, because the Leafs never really had any business winning, yet carried a lead for 40+ minutes. That said, when Henrik Lundqvist has an average night, he ought to face more than 17 shots.
How's the saying go? Shit happens, it's how you react to the shit that counts? While the loss on Thursday was riddled with familiar Leaf flaws and more than a little concerning, we had seen much better from a defensive standpoint in the three games prior. [more…]
Nazem Kadri was interviewed by the Canadian Press on Friday and was asked a number of questions about his hot start.
While praising Randy Carlyle for his open lines of communication with the young Maple Leaf, it was clearly a shot at former Toronto Maple Leaf head coach, Ron Wilson.
This feels like writing a eulogy. I hate it.
You win. Let’s start with that concession, up front. A straightforward address to every fan who wanted Burke gone. I anxiously and hopefully await confirmation that this still-vague, as-yet-in-progress, largely-similar-but-supposedly-slightly-new direction will provide the amazing results that you’ve been adamant it hypothetically will. [more…]
The 14th General Manager in Leafs history Dave Nonis sits down with Bob McCown and Damien Cox on Prime Time Sports. Afterwards McCown, Cox, Brian Lawton and Mike Smith have an interesting conversation on the firing of Brian Burke.
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By Alec Brownscombe & Declan Kerin
Shocking, is the only way to put it.
No, this wasn’t a move that was waiting in the wings. Last night, Dave Nonis and Brian Burke were taking in a Marlies game expecting to be the assistant GM and President and GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively, for the upcoming 2012-13 season. It came as a bombshell to absolutely everybody short of Tom Anselmi and some board members. If that’s not raising red flags in your head already, it should be. [more…]
