Winnipeg
Post game Stats: Kessel now has his 14th of the season and with a hot streak incoming, should be able to hit 30 goals with 8 games left on the schedule. The Leafs’ penalty kill continues its excellence with a man down as they killed off three of the Rangers’ 20th ranked power-plays. And what a game it was after a first period that put my ADHD afflicted dog to sleep. [more…]
With the boats now foolishly burnt and the season 31 games old, the Toronto Maple Leafs sure look like they’re reeling into form. Since starting the season with a record of 15 – 9 – 0, the Leafs have gone 1 – 3 – 3 in the past seven games, collecting only five points in the standings and now sitting precariously in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Through the good graces of the Hockey gods and the incompetence of their direct competition (the Jets, Hurricanes and Rangers all lost in regulation last night), the Leafs are just barely keeping their head above water. [more…]
News broke last evening that Corey Perry had signed an 8 year deal totalling 69 million dollars to stay with the Anaheim Ducks and his newly signed centerman (also of 8 years), Ryan Getzlaf. [more…]
I was recently invited to a Canadian Tire press conference announcing their new five-year partnership with the NHL to become the League's Official Sporting Goods Retailer of the NHL in Canada. While I was unable to attend the event, which included a one-on-one interview with Olympic Gold Medalist and Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Toews, the promotion company generously offered a media release for the site.
Note: With the playoffs being the focus of the hockey world right now, there isn't a whole lot of big stories breaking in Leafland these days. As such, I'll be helping out Alec with his "Bits & Pieces" articles, touching briefly on various topics, and providing the occasional draft primer for the Entry Draft this coming June.
This session's topics include the Phoenix Coyotes, Mike Komisarek and 2010 draft prospect Joey Hishon.
Judge Redfield T. Baum has ruled that Jim Balisillie cannot use bankruptcy law to force his purchase of the Phoenix Coyotes.  The judge has also ruled that the NHL's relocation requirements do not violate anti-trust legislation.
WARNING: PLEASE BE ADVISED THE FOLLOWING POST WILL ATTRACT LOTS OF TROLLS, LEAF HATERS AND LOADS OF "TORONTO DOESN'T DESERVE A SECOND NHL TEAM, LAS VEGAS OR WINNIPEG DOES."Â THIS POST IS DIRECTED AT DIE HARD LEAF FANS AND FANS WHO LIVE IN THE TORONTO AREA.
CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED.
Excitement abounds these days in the streets of Toronto, as a long-overdue rebuilding effort for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the prospect of a revitalized franchise, moves into high gear.
Arguably the last successful revitalization of the Maple Leafs franchise occurred in the early 1990s, when in the span of three seasons the Leafs went from basement-dwellers to Stanley Cup contenders. Although many are quick to credit then-GM Cliff Fletcher's 1992 mega-deal with the Calgary Flames as the key turning point for the franchise, the groundwork for the franchise's rapid acceleration from pretender to contender actually began much earlier ... in the 1989-90 season, to be exact.
The final roster for Hockey Canada's 2009 World Junior Hockey team was announced early this morning and here were the final 16 cuts:
Memorial Cup winning netminder Tyson Sexsmith and Jake Allen; defencemen Travis Hamoic - who won gold with the under-18 squad - Kevin Marshall, Patrick Wiercioch, Jarred Spurgeon, Brendan Smith and Tyler Cuma, who suffered a knee injury during camp; forwards Evander Kane, Riley Nash, Jamie Arniel, Nazem Kadri, Matt Duchene, Brayden Schenn, Taylor Hall and Matt Calvert.
