NHL FanHouse

Cherry Speaks, Bloggers Cheer

Eric McErlain — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, NHL Hall of Fame

Hockey Night in Canada personality Don Cherry is the gift that keeps on giving to hockey bloggers. Whenever the guy opens his mounts, he's equally likely to say something entertaining, enlightening or outrageous. And when a Canadian Press reporter caught up with him at a racetrack in Toronto on Thursday, he was a little bit of all those things.

He admitted that he's going to miss the theme music that's been with Hockey Night in Canada for 40 years when the show returns in the Fall, but hastened to add that he was disappointed that the composer of the song, Dolores Claman, didn't show more loyalty to the program;

When it comes to a replacement, Cherry would be fine with The Hockey Song, the iconic tune by Stompin' Tom Connors, but would prefer to see You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet ,originally performed by 70s Canadian rock band Bachman Turner Overdrive, get the spot. One would assume it would be updated and re-recorded, much like Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting was freshened up by Nickelback;

Defended Maple Leaf veterans Bryan McCabe and Darcy Tucker, dismissing calls for either player to be bought out of the remainder of their contracts; and

Complained bitterly that Hockey Hall of Fame voters had passed over Ontario-native and Cherry favorite Doug Gilmour in the latest round of balloting earlier this week. Said Cherry: "That's ridiculous ... I'm not knocking the guys who were in there now but they couldn't carry his jockstrap."

More or less acknowledged that Anaheim GM Brian Burke would be working in Toronto soon enough.

One question I would have liked to ask Cherry: What did he think of the contention of Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy that the Lakers lost the NBA title to the Celtics because they had too many Europeans on the roster?

Cherry Speaks, Bloggers Cheer originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PuckToons: Is Brian Burke Planning For a Short Future?

Earl Sleek — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, Ducks, NHL Rumors

Every Thursday, Earl Sleek will conspire with his pen and scanner to bring you another installment of PuckToons. Hopefully you will find these amusing, relevant, well-drawn, or you're a person who is tolerant towards mediocrity.

This week's cartoon addresses two items related to GM Brian Burke of the Anaheim Ducks. First, he has given superstars Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne until tomorrow to commit to training camp, refusing to repeat last year's set of semi-retirement distractions. I wrote a post at Battle of California that talked about the impact of each player's return to the roster, and I hope that both decide to play another year in a Ducks uniform.

Burke also has been connected with rumors that once he has finished this season with the Ducks, he will take over the GM duties for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I can't say that this idea pleases me as a Ducks fan, but I'll save judgement until his decision has been made. At this point, Burke has at least created a lot of flexibility with next year's roster, which I certainly can appreciate.

Predictions on the futures of Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne, or Brian Burke are all welcome in the comments.

PuckToons: Is Brian Burke Planning For a Short Future? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An Ovechkin Sweep at NHL Awards

Eric McErlain — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:41:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Devils, Maple Leafs, Lightning, Capitals, Blackhawks, Wings, NHL Awards

About the only way the 2007-08 NHL season could have ended better for Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin would have been with the Stanley Cup. But with that goal temporarily out of reach, Ovechkin seemed more than pleased to add the Hart and Lester Pearson Trophies to a collection that already included this year's version of the Art Ross and the Richard as well as the 2006 Calder as the league's Rookie of the Year.

But as much as the night belonged to Ovechkin -- the rest of the day in Washington, D.C. will belong to him too with plenty of public celebrations and a dinner-hour party and press event at one of the town's swankiest eateries -- there was plenty of other star power in the audience last night in Toronto for the NHL Awards. One who admitted plenty of surprise at being in the room was Ovechkin's head coach, Bruce Boudreau, who took top honors as winner of the Jack Adams as coach of the year. As it would turn out, the Caps would miss a clean sweep for their nominees when Chicago's Patrick Kane edged out Nicklas Backstrom for the Calder.

So who else won last night? There weren't many surprises at all, truth be told.

Nicklas Lidstrom collected the Norris as the league's best defenseman, the sixth of his Hall of Fame career.

Martin Brodeur took home the Vezina as the league's top goalie, and it's hard to argue, as Brodeur has managed to perform at the same level of excellence year after year, even as the stalwarts of the New Jersey blue line like Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Bryan Rafalski have all come and gone.

The other double winner of the night was Pavel Datsyuk, who took home both the Lady Byng for gentlemanly play, and the Selke for the top defensive forward. Datsyuk beat out his teammate, Conn Smythe winner Henrik Zetterberg, in both categories.

The night had more than a few emotional moments: Red Kelly coming to the stage to present the Selke was amazing to see, and the reception for Gordie Howe, who was given the league's first lifetime achievement award, threated to step on a reel of video congratulations the league had arranged to air on the program. It was tough not to get a little choked up watching Jason Blake, who fought cancer all season long, accept the Masterton, and it was hard not to feel as if you were doing enough when you saw Vincent Lecavalier accept the King Clancy.

I know not everybody can give $3 million to a children's hospital ... but wow.

If there was a loser last night, and they were hard to find (even NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was a winner, of a sort, as he showed up someplace in public and didn't get booed), it had to be Versus. Last year, Versus couldn't pick up the feed from the awards in the U.S. thanks to a fire in a production truck, pushing the program to tape delay late in the evening. And last night there was trouble again. When I tuned in at 7:00 p.m. expecting to see the awards, what I was confronted with was taped coverage from Canada's TSN on the 2008 Draft Lottery -- something that had happened months ago with the Lightning gaining the right to select Steve Stamkos with the #1 pick in next week's draft.

Whatever happened, I took that cue to change the channel, not getting back until after Ovechkin had accepted the Pearson. Then, for the rest of the night, the Versus feed I was watching on DirecTV kept cutting out for a few seconds at a time. It was a poor performance, and one that the sports cable network shouldn't be excused for.

An Ovechkin Sweep at NHL Awards originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Roundtable: The NHL Awards

Eric McErlain — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:02:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, Capitals, Blackhawks, Wings, Flames, Sharks, NHL Awards

Just when I thought the season was over, they keep pulling me back in!

Ok, enough of channeling Al Pacino in a movie all serious fans of cinema would like to forget. The NHL is back, if only for a night, with its annual awards presentation. From what we've heard so far, it's looking like a huge night for Alex Ovechkin, who is fully expected to walk away with both the Hart and Pearson Trophies.

Still curious? Well, be sure to tune in to Versus/CBC tonight at 7:00 p.m. U.S. EDT. In the meantime, we convened a short FanHouse roundtable to discuss the big four awards: The Hart, the Norris, the Vezina and the Calder.

Eric McErlain: Ok, we'll start with the blindingly obvious. Who's your pick for the Hart?

John "J.P." Press: Uh, next. I think Iginla and Malkin have already seen their "I went to Toronto and all I got is this lousy t-shirt" shirts.

James Mirtle: The big one will be no contest. I'm curious actually to see how many first-place votes aren't cast for Ovechkin. This could be one of the most lopsided award wins ever.

John "J.P." Press: If you want a substantive answer, Ovechkin lead the League in goals, points, shots (with the second-highest total ever), game-winning goals, power-play goals, even-strength goals, home goals, road goals, intra- and inter-divisional goals, road points, even-strength points and goals created per game. He became the first 60-goal scorer in a dozen years, set a franchise record for goals and an NHL mark for single season goals by a left wing, had ten two-goal games, a three-goal game and two four-goal games, had 32 multi-point games (including a trio of five-point outings) and was only held off the score sheet 19 times all season (and only three times in consecutive games).

Ovechkin was sixth among all forwards (ninth overall) in hits, fifth among forwards (seventh overall) in plus-minus and was the most clutch player in the League, thanks in part to 29 third period or OT goals (19 of which came in the final ten minutes of games) and a 26-point/plus-17 March in which he had nine multiple-point games. He turned his plus/minus around by 47 over 2006-07, was ninth in the NHL in takeaways, third among forwards in average ice time and nabbed himself a cutie along the way.

Btw, I took that all from a post I did last month.

Earl Sleek: Yeah, regardless of Ovechkin's accomplishments it seems that the league has painted itself into a corner on the Hart. Even if it were a closer contest, I don't see how the league could possibly give the award to anybody else now that they've already made their T-Shirts.

Really, J.P.'s nailed the reasons why it's a one-horse contest, especially if only forwards got nominated. The only other guy I'd give Hart consideration to is Lidstrom, and he's not even a rival nominee.

There's no drama or suspense for this award, which is a bit of a shame, but Ovechkin's deserving enough -- that's for sure.

Bruce Ciskie: Is it too late for Pavol Demitra to win the Hart?

Sarcasm aside, Ovechkin. Not even an argument. It's almost as anti-climactic as the Norris.

Patrick Lackey: I could try to make an argument for Malkin based on his post-Crosby injury stats, but I'd just sound like a homer after the poor guy bombed out in the Finals. He had a great year (as did Iginla), but really it's got to go to the guy that scored 65 goals and dragged his team into the playoffs.

Jes Golbez: Bruce -- Don't make me smack you!

The Norris and Hart trophies...there is no contest. I wonder if the NHL actually released the Ovechkin t-shirt on purpose just to generate some buzz.

John "J.P." Press: Malkin no doubt played MVP-caliber hockey for two months, but he really didn't play at that level from opening night on. Iginla comes in second in my book (not that it matters).

Eric McErlain: Next up, the Vezina: Nabokov, Brodeur or Lundqvist?

Jes Golbez: Remember, the GM's vote on the Vezina, and not the writers.

GM's love the shiny stats, like WINS and GAA, which speaks to their poor evaluation of what makes a goalie truly good. That is the only reason why Nabokov, who ranks 23rd in save percentage (behind the likes of Martin Gerber and Jason Labarbera) is a contender. Yes, he has 46 wins and a a great GAA, but that is thanks to the tight defense in front of him. No way is he even near the likes of Brodeur, Luongo, etc. The same goes for Lundqvist.

This award is Brodeur's, and it won't be close. Brodeur has the shiny wins and low GAA PLUS one of the best SV%'s in the league. Luongo blew it in the second half, giving the race easily to Brodeur.

Earl Sleek: Yeah, I wish I had more of an opinion here, but frankly I don't think I understand what this award celebrates anymore. Generally a team that limits shots against or shares its goaltending workload might make for a better hockey team, but those same moves probably pull its players from Vezina consideration.

Give the award to Brodeur, I guess, but if I were a Devils fan, I'd probably be hoping that Marty was less of a candidate next year. He'd probably be better off if he saw less rubber and started less games, but I guess those improvements aren't trends that the Vezina Trophy likes to see.

Eric McErlain: Let's move quickly to the Norris: Lidstrom, Phaneuf or Chara?

Bruce Ciskie: You have to ask?

Unless this is based on some sort of scale that includes "amount of tabloid attention", there's no way Lidstrom doesn't win unless he's been disqualified for winning too much.

Matt Saler: No kidding, Bruce. No offense to Chara or Phaneuf, but Lidstrom remains in a class of his own and there's no way the Norris isn't his again.

Earl Sleek: Yeah, what they said. In retrospect, ten years ago they probably should have created a trophy to go to the league's second best defenseman. At least then there could be some discussion.

If that were the case, I'd take Chara over Phaneuf. But who am I kidding? Lidstrom would probably win that, too.

Bruce Ciskie: The Vezina is Brodeur. If it's someone else, the voters should be ashamed. Brodeur does more with less - so to speak - than any other goalie in the league. I think he's the best of the nominated three. If Nabokov wins, that's just wrong. So it'll probably happen that way.

Eric McErlain: Finally, how about the Calder? We've got Kane, Backstrom and Toews.

Matt Saler: Backstrom had a big season, but I wonder if he would have looked so good without Alexander Ovechkin on his wing. Kane and Toews are both studs and to me it's a toss-up. They both gave the Wings fits this past season at various points. Personally, I'd lean toward Toews.

John "J.P." Press: I think if Toews was healthy all year, it'd be his. I also think that Backstrom gets discounted (perhaps to some extent fairly) for having played with Ovechkin for the better part of the year. The award was Kane's to lose from Day One and he didn't lose it - it's his.

Bruce Ciskie: I'd like to see Toews win it for personal reasons. He's a great kid.

However, I think Kane's your man here. He was front-and-center for the resurgence of hockey in arguably the NHL's most important city.

John "J.P." Press: Rick Nash laughs at Toews' goal. Ovie laughs at Nash's.

Nice goal for a kid, though. :)

FanHouse Roundtable: The NHL Awards originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Awards Live Chat

Mirtle M.D. — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, NHL Awards, NHL Live Blogging

Who has Hart? Can anyone beat Lidstrom? And will it be a sweep for the Washington Capitals in the MVP, rookie of the year and coach of the year awards?

The red carpet's being rolled out here in Toronto as we speak (type), and with hockey royalty set to stroll down Yonge Street, we've got a raucous live chat setup to take your questions on the NHL's annual awards gala.

Please feel free to join me and our special guests, offer your thoughts, vote on our polls and weigh in on the discussion, which begins at 1 p.m. ET.

Who wins the Vezina, Norris, Calder, Byng, Selke, Hart, Adams, Masterton and Pearson?

NHL Awards Live Chat originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin Gets His Own Clothing Line

Eric McErlain — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:24:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Fans, NHL Economics

Like it or not, it seems as if the careers of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are going to be intertwined for the forseeable future. One year ago at the 2007 NHL Awards, Crosby took home the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player, and tonight at the 2008 edition, most folks expect Ovechkin to go home with that same award.

Similarly, last August, Reebok announced the introduction of a Crosby clothing line. And yesterday, Reebok-CCM announced the debut of their very own line of Ovechkin-brand threads.

CCM by Roger Edwards and Alex Ovechkin are pleased to announce the launch of the new Ovechkin Designer Street Wear Collection for men. Created by designer Roger Edwards in conjunction with CCM and Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin, the collection will be available exclusively at Pro Hockey Life and Sports Gilbert Rousseau June 12, 2008.

The Collection, which includes short and long sleeved tees, fleece and assorted headwear, was designed to capture the passion and style of this year's NHL top scorer. All garments will feature Ovechkin's signature '8' logo embedded in custom graphics, and will be finished with a CCM by Roger Edwards label.

And you thought the only time Crosby and Ovechkin would ever play together was in the NHL All-Star Game. Now they're both working for the same brand. To check out some more stuff from Roger Edwards, click here. To see another shot of Alex in his designer duds, click here. Thanks to my FanHouse colleague, J.P., for the heads up.

Ovechkin Gets His Own Clothing Line originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colbert Wants to Hijack Hockey Night in Canada Theme

Eric McErlain — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:13:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, NHL Media Watch, NHL Videos

Steven Colbert's take on the CBC saying goodbye to the theme from Hockey Night in Canada.

Why would Colbert even notice? Perhaps because he's appearing in a Summer movie where he portrays a hockey announcer for, you guessed it, Hockey Night in Canada?

HT: Mirtle.

Colbert Wants to Hijack Hockey Night in Canada Theme originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knob Hockey Returns

Eric McErlain — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

Over the past several years, Richard D'Alessio and a crew of reprobates from Toronto and Los Angeles have been pumping out a set of videos every Spring spoofing the NHL under the Knob Hockey brand name. Now, just in time for what may be the last game of the Stanley Cup Finals, Richard and company have released another fresh set of videos. The format is a tad different this year, with actors interacting with the knob hockey players.

In this clip, Knob Hockey's Duthie Dreger (get it?) interviews famous hockey tough guy Gary Roberts:

In this clip, obviously prepared for the Eastern Conference Finals, we take a look inside each locker room during the Battle of Pennsylvania:

It looks like you can find the entire batch of eight by clicking here. Full disclosure: I've known Richard for a couple of years now, and he asked me for a couple of ideas. I was honored and happy to oblige.

Knob Hockey Returns originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As the Leafs Turn: Jason Blake Edition

Kevin Schultz — Sun, 11 May 2008 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, NHL Rumors

Well, the soap opera that has become the Toronto Maple Leafs in recent months continues to churn out new episodes. Earlier this week the team cut coach Paul Maurice loose, adding another position to their search for new employees. Now, they may be looking for some more punch up front. Apparently Jason Blake isn't all that excited about playing for the team next season. The following comes to us from TSN:

According to a report in the Toronto Star, Blake would welcome a trade if one came along.

"I don't know," Blake told the Star when asked if he wanted to return to Toronto.

"It's a long time from now until the beginning of the year. We'll see. It was obviously a frustrating year, the most frustrating year I've had in the NHL."

The Star asked Blake if he would put up a fuss if he were traded, he said: "Oh no, not at all, if that's the route."

I can't blame the guy. He had a frustratingly bad year that came along with a healthy dose of cancer. When you hear the 'C' word, hockey instantly gets put on the back burner. Add to it an organization in turmoil and a team that is lacking both a coach and general manager and it's not hard to see why Blake isn't exuberant about playing in Toronto. Heck, if I was him, I'd be on the next plane out. But that's just me. And heck, that would make for some great daytime TV -- something the Leafs are proficient at.

As the Leafs Turn: Jason Blake Edition originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 11 May 2008 14:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHLPA Wipes Saskin Off Its Skate Blade

Eric McErlain — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:41:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, NHL Gossip, NHL Media Watch, NHL Economics

The history of the short and controversial tenure of former NHLPA Executive Director Ted Saskin came to an ignominious end today, with the Globe and Mail reporting that Saskin accepted a measly $400,000 (and those are dollars, not loonies, ugh) settlement in exchange for walking away without subjecting either party to further litigation.

The settlement has to rank as a final victory of sorts for insurgents like Trent Klaat and Chris Chelios who seized control of the union after Saskin's bizzare rise to the top in the wake of the fall of Bob Goodenow after the resolution of the lockout.

Apparently, according to the paper, Saskin had a $2 million severance clause written into his contract, and had originally sought $6.5 million in walking away money from the NHLPA, this even after it was revealed how his election had violated NHLPA bylaws and that Saskin had worked with union staff to monitor email traffic between players to sniff out who might be working against him.

When you look at it that way, Saskin has to feel lucky leaving Toronto with any money at all. Heck, he should have felt lucky leaving the office without having to explain anything to Chelios face-to-face.

So what's the takeaway here? New NHLPA head Paul Kelly has once again proved he'll do what's in the best interest of his players, in this case squeezing Saskin for a full year before letting him leave for considerably less than what the union would have to pay in legal fees if the case ever came to trial -- a trial that could have proven to be very messy and possibly split a membership that Kelly has been working to bring together since he took office.

If and when ownership decides to take on the players again, my guess is that Kelly is going to prove to be a tough nut to crack. For the first time in a long time, I'd say the players are probably on level ground vis-a-vis ownership for the first time in a long time.

NHLPA Wipes Saskin Off Its Skate Blade originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maple Leafs Censor Radio Station's Ads

Jes Golbez — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, NHL Media Watch

How many of you think the Maple Leafs, owned by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), have one of the most inept management/ownership groups in the NHL?

Yep, that's a lot of you. I know quite a few Leafs fans think the same way, and the hometown media certainly love to fan the flames, inducing angry fans to call into their favorite radio station and rant about the state of their beloved franchise.

Rather than worry about running their hockey team (into the ground), it appears that MLSE is more concerned about appearances and public perception. How else can you explain this latest blatant bit of censorship?

Out of the playoffs and under attack from fans, the Toronto Maple Leafs have turned their attention to the real problem - the media.

Reacting to criticisms from Bill Watters, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the company that owns the Leafs, has expunged from the Air Canada Centre all references to the Toronto broadcaster.

"We provided them with new material once we were told the Watters stuff had to come down," Gord Harris, AM640's program director, said yesterday.

John Lashway, MLSE's senior vice-president of communications, said the company pulled the signage because it felt Watters's criticisms were excessive and "deeply personal."

I don't doubt that Bill Watters (pictured) has some personal issues with the Leafs, but everything he says is pretty much spot-on. It's not as if Watters is committing slander, or giving fans the inside edge on Mats Sundin's conquests at Toronto nightclubs. Watters is paid to have opinions, and the Leafs must understand that everyone and their mother will have a strong opinion about their club, good or bad.

This is hardly the first time that an NHL club has strong-armed the media and it won't be the last. Knowing that the NHL brings big bucks in for any Canadian media outlet, the NHL clubs certainly work hard to ensure that none of the denizens dare think anything but cheery-happy thoughts about their hometown franchise, even when they suck more than 'The Hottie and The Nottie'.

Sure the Leafs pay big $$ for the radio rights, but don't think for a split-second that another Toronto radio station wouldn't pay just as much, or even more, to get the radio rights, without a second thought. The Leafs clearly have the leverage, and can bully their way into making the radio station shape their 'opinions' into MLSE-approved propaganda.

It's quite sad that the Leafs feel the need to stifle the opinions of one particular radio personality, rather than try and actually improve the club, or address the criticism head on. This type of censorship tells you that the Leafs have lots to hide, and don't believe in freedom of the press. It's simply petty.

Maple Leafs Censor Radio Station's Ads originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mats Sundin Burns the Leafs

Greg Wyshynski — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:40:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, NHL Rumors

Way to spoil the Trade Deadline party, baldy: Mats Sundin has decided not to waive his no-trade clause and will remain in Toronto for the rest of the season. TSN reports that Sundin and his agent J.P. Barry came to the decision on Sunday, and in a statement Sundin appeared a tad insulted that Toronto interim GM Cliff Fletcher and the Leafs had asked him to waive it in the first place:

"I have carefully considered the team's request that I waive my no-trade clause," Sundin said in a statement. "I have always believed I would finish my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf so the actual request was still a very difficult one for me to contemplate."

[...]

"I cannot leave my teammates and join another NHL Club at this time. I have never believed in the concept of a rental player. It is my belief that winning the Stanley Cup is the greatest thing you can achieve in hockey but for me, in order to appreciate it you have to have been part of the entire journey and that means October through June. I hope everyone will understand and respect my decision."

Sundin is a pending unrestricted free agent, and Fletcher told the Canadian Press that the forward is "not interested in entering into a deal for next year" at this time. Should the Leafs even welcome him back? Sundin has placed his own personal comfort ahead of self-sacrifice for the franchise he so dearly adores. The asking price was only going to rise as Tuesday's deadline grew near; there's no telling what improvements to next year's Leafs their captain just pissed away because of his nihilism toward the "concept of a rental player." Ice Junkies believes this decision is the epitome of class; I couldn't disagree more.

Mats Sundin Burns the Leafs originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You Want Toronto's Tomas Kaberle, But He's Just Not That Into You

Greg Wyshynski — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:56:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Flyers, Maple Leafs, NHL Rumors

The GM Meetings in Naples, Fla. are providing their usual tease of rules changes (Five-man shootouts? A change in policy on the instigator rule?) while turning up the hot stove chatter to blistering levels. Today's target: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle.

He's under contract until 2012, but he's also cheap ($4.25 million per year) and the kind of top-pairing defenseman that's in short order at the trade deadline. Scott Morrison of the CBC reported today that no less than 15 teams had inquired about Kaberle. Howard Berger of the Fan 590 said that the Flyers and Leafs are "having talks, and the Flyers are among a half-dozen teams that could use Kaberle's smarts and puck-moving skills in an effort to boost their playoff designs." Guess who else is talking? Kaberle's agent Rick Curran, who poops on the party and tells TSN's Bob McKenzie that his client plans on remaining in blue pajamas:

"Tomas Kaberle is not going anywhere," agent Rick Curran told TSN. "He signed a contract to be a Toronto Maple Leaf and while he's disappointed with the way things have turned out this season in Toronto, he has no intention of leaving. He's fully committed to the Maple Leafs. That's why he signed a long-term contract (three more seasons after this one at $4.25 million per season) and that's why he's not waiving his no-trade clause.

"I don't know how much clearer I can be on this. I talked to Tomas two weeks ago and he told me he's not going to waive his no-trade. I talked to Tomas two days days ago and he said then he hasn't changed his mind. I talked to him this morning and it's still the same thing - he's not moving. He likes Toronto, he likes the Maple Leafs and he wants to be a part of the team getting better. Players have no-trade clauses for a reason and Tomas doesn't want to be traded. It's really that simple. It's just not happening."

If this were "Dumb and Dumber," we'd be at the part where Lloyd Christmas goes, "So you're saying there's a chance..."

You Want Toronto's Tomas Kaberle, But He's Just Not That Into You originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hockey Nerd Tuesday: How To End an Abusive Relationship with the Maple Leafs

Greg Wyshynski — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, NHL Videos

Hockey Nerd Tuesday examines those who spend an uncomfortable amount of time putting the "fan" in fanatic. Have a hockey nerd you'd like to see featured? E-mail Greg Wyshynski with the details.

Scott Stratten seems like a happy and successful guy, serving as the president for Un-Marketing, a Canadian marketing firm. But the truth is that he's been in a long-term abusive relationship ... with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The following (rather hilarious) video features the bitter end of his love affair with the Boys in the Blue Pajamas. Among his reasons: "Forty-one years without going all the way is way too long of a dry spell"; "I yearn for Bester and Wregget between the pipes"; "I need to leave this retirement home for decrepit NHL players and move somewhere else."

As he mentions at the end of the video, he's willing to be wooed by another team, and can be reached by e-mail at noleafsno@un-marketing.com. But for now: "Please just go Leafs ... go."

Hockey Nerd Tuesday: How To End an Abusive Relationship with the Maple Leafs originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Stamkos Watch

Eric McErlain — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Photos enclosed, do not bend.

With the standings packed tighter than ever this year, there are plenty of teams stuck in a twilight zone when it comes to planning for the February 26 traded deadline. With relatively few exceptions -- like Los Angeles -- most of the 30 teams in the league are still mathematically have a chance to make to to the postseason.

And with so many teams just on the edge of playoff contention, one wonders if more GMs might play this deadline a bit closer to the sleeve than usual in a year where the prize this year looks to be Mats Sundin.

Over at the Globe and Mail, Eric Duhatschek is taking a look at just the sort of price teams pay for hanging on that precipice when it comes to drafting the top talents in the game:

The one thing that Leaf Nation has learned to their chagrin over the past two years is the curse of the ninth-place finish - that capacity to fall just short of the playoffs, thus missing out on a chance for a first-round, but not cashing in on a blue-chip prospect at the draft table.

How important is that ability to draft first overall, but especially in the top three? Significant, if you base it on this year's scoring race. As of Friday, five of the NHL's top-10 scorers were players chosen first overall in their respective entry drafts (that'd be Alex Ovechkin, Vincent Lecavalier, Ilya Kovalchuk, Sidney Crosby and Joe Thornton) - and a sixth, Jason Spezza went second overall behind Kovalchuk.

Looking Back at Last Night: Only six games on the Friday schedule ...

Rangers 3, New Jersey 1: Lundqvist, 33 saves. Jagr: 0 points.
Detroit 2, Colorado 0: Zetterberg gets game winner.
Atlanta 5, Buffalo 4 (SO): Perrin gets game winning shootout goal.
Florida 4, Vancouver 3 (SO): Horton spoils Luongo homecoming.
St. Louis 1, Anaheim 0 (SO): McDonald gets SO goal against team that traded him away.
Dallas 4, Edmonton 1: Of all the games not to go to a shootout.

Other Headlines You Need to Know About ...

Saturday Previews: It's the biggest night of the week, as always, with matinees in Montreal and San Jose leading off a 13-game schedule:

New York Islanders@Montreal: With a Rangers win last night, the Islanders need the two points to stay within hailing distance of the 8th and final playoff spot.

Chicago@San Jose: If you're wondering about Jonathan Toews, it'll be a little less than two weeks before his return.

Detroit@Boston: An original six matchup is always a great way to spend a Saturday night.

Ottawa@Toronto: Remember when there was a legitimate Battle of Ontario? Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

Los Angeles@New Jersey: If you're in Newark for this game, try a Cuban sandwich.

Anaheim@Philadelphia: A team full of cheap shot artists hosts a defending Stanley Cup champ that's used to physically dominating opponents. They should play this one in the old Spectrum.

Atlanta@Washington: "Critical Southestern Division Matchup" no longer an oxymoron.

Minnesota@Columbus: Perhaps the most critical game the Blue Jackets have ever played in the month of February in the entire history of the franchise. And there are more to come.

Carolina@Pittsburgh: The Hurricanes: Legitimate playoff contender or tomato can? Discuss.

Florida@Tampa Bay: Winners get a set of steak knives. Losers get contracted from NHL.

Phoenix@Nashville: I'm sorry, I'm out of superlatives here.

Colorado@St. Louis: I am Joe Sakic's creaky old groin.

Dallas@Calgary: If the season ended today, Dallas would be the second playoff seed in the West. Somebody get Dave Tippet a medal.

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: With North Dakota and Minnesota tied last night in OT, North Dakota's Evan Trupp scores a sweet goal for the game winner:

The Ice Sheet: Stamkos Watch originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The John Ferguson Jr. Era is Over

Jes Golbez — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, Eastern, NHL Rumors

After days, weeks, and months of speculation, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), the for-profit entity owned by the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund (some damn rich teachers!), finally did the expected and gave GM John (JFJ) Ferguson Jr. the big bootski out the door. Cliff Fletcher, who has been around the block a few times, will be his mid-season replacement.

During his tenure, JFJ has been widely panned for being a puppet without a sense of direction, and not a very good GM in general. Claiming he wanted to 'rebuild' the franchise, the Leafs have simply gotten worse with each passing season, have a pretty barren farm system, and have made some head-scratching moves.

Trading away two first-round picks and star prospect Tuukka Rask, three second-round picks and three fourth-round picks, for what amounts to Vesa Toskala, Andrew Raycroft and drunk driver Mark Bell.

Giving Andrew Raycroft a big money contract, despite a lack of sustained success and the fact Raycroft was coming off of a horrible season. Talk about buying high and selling low.

Signing Hal Gill and Pavel Kubina to obscene contracts. Not that Gill and Kubina are horrible, but they are paid way too much for their talents, especially the slow-footed Gill.

Hiring coach Paul Maurice, who is clearly once of the worst head coaches in the NHL today.

It should be noted that MLSE's 'too many cooks' structure certainly didn't help JFJ do his job any better. When he wanted to fire coach Paul Maurice? He was blocked from doing so. MLSE has a simple 'make money' direction for its club, so anything JFJ did had to make the Leafs more profitable, rather than make the team a better on-ice product. As long as the fans keep coming in, the owners don't really seem too interested in making the best hockey decisions.

Hiring a veteran GM was what the team should have done from the start (as they acknowledged), but will it help the club if they continue to have cumbersome meddling from the many power-hungry execs within MLSE? Can Cliff Fletcher tell the likes of Richard Peddie to 'shut the hell up and let me do my job?' If not, then it'll be the same old crap in Hogtown.

The John Ferguson Jr. Era is Over originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: As the Leafs Turn

Greg Wyshynski — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Sabres, Maple Leafs, NHL Videos

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

There are plenty of easy jobs in the world: Marty Brodeur's back-up goalie; weed wrangler for The Black Crowes; the assistant who has to clip positive film reviews for Rob Schneider. Added to that list: Toronto sports talk radio host during a Maple Leafs' season from hell. I mean, it's not like Toronto stations were offering hourly updates on the Leafs' teetering-on-the-brink front office situation.

Step One: Turn mic on. Step Two: ~~Put your junk in that box~~ Open mouth, say, "Leafs." Step Three: Sit back and let the waves of hate, despair and false hope crash over the phone lines. It's the same kind of lazy convenience that conservative talk show hosts enjoy, only replace "Leafs" with "abortion," "guns" or "Hillary." The faithful just get fanatic when it comes to Toronto's failures and cloudy future, from Internet mailbags to lengthy letters to the editor about why Damien Cox is "officially the biggest jackass in Canadian sports media." So even as the Leafs snag a 5-4 win over Carolina last night -- featuring that Haley's Comet of hockey moments, a game where both Chad Kilger and Ian White had goals -- we still have Maple Leafs fans who are ready to drop their fan allegiance after many years and fans anticipating a public hanging of the coach and general manager.

So here's my question: What if the Leafs actually, you know, make the playoffs?

(Coming Up Next: Last Night's Losers, Sabres Fan-tastic, A Tribute to the NHL's All-Average Team, Tonight's Must-See Games and why the Leafs' GM is Fergalicious.)

Look, I don't think it's going to happen and you don't think it's going to happen. But we're still talking aboot a team that is six points off the eight hole with just under 40 games to play. The NHL is a parody of parity this season, especially in the six-through-eight spots in the Eastern Conference. While I believe there's a better chance that Carolina, the Rangers or the Washington Capitals sneak in ahead of the Leafs, I also don't think you can stick a fork in any team within striking distance on Jan. 16.

I think a change in the GM chair is inevitable at this point -- the fans are chanting for JFJ's removal -- but Paul Maurice can still save his job if the bottom doesn't fall out (even if most Leafs fans believe it already has). If the unlikely becomes likely and the Leafs somehow sneak into the postseason picture, how does that affect fan reaction? Will they still want to clean house behind the scenes and on the ice? Is Sundin still a goner?

Again, I don't think this team will be six points out on Feb. 16. They'll likely be cooked. Which is fine, because it's a hell of a lot more fun for fans to discuss why the Leafs suck and how to fix'em than discussing what would be, if anything, a one-and-done playoff appearance that would screw their draft position.

Last Night's Losers

Methinks the Senators would very much like to avoid the Washington Capitals in Round One. By the way: Is Michael Nylander the first free agent to majorly screw three teams (Caps, Oilers, Jagrs) in the same season?
The Islanders fall to the Habs, 3-1. Check out Richard Park doing his Bill Cosby impression in a Newsday photo.
Not only did Vancouver lose to Columbus last night, but the Canucks managed to make Nikolai Zherdev look like Mike Ricci.
Is it January 2003 or 2008 for Carolina?
I've got everything you need to know about Thrashers/Red Wings over on Deadspin today. (Self pimp!)
Torts calls his team's 3-0 loss to Colorado "probably the most embarrassed and disappointed I've been since I've been here."
The Flames are firing blanks. Hey, happens to the best of us.
Garon can't beat the team that (poop) canned him.
San Jose loses to Phoenix, 5-3, just to make me look bad.
Nieder's three-point night sinks the Stars.

The NHL Is Fan-Tastic!

A. "Daddy, every time the Sabres come into focus, they always seem to fall out of the picture again."
B. "Daddy, help: I can't find Briere or Drury anywhere out there."
C. "I STEAL YOUR SOUL, AFINOGENOV!!!"

This Week's Glimpse Into the Maddeningly Awesome World of the HF Boards

HF Boards member Jose Corvo (awesome) opens a can of nostalgic worms with "A tribute to the most average NHLers ever." For the Lonny Bohonos, Jody Hull, Murray Craven and Paul Ysebaert fan in all of us.

Congrats, Jose Corvo: Your Aitch Effy is IN THE MAIL!

Tonight's Games You Should Be Watching

Brent Sutter is done asking for the Devils to cowboy up and beat the Islanders.
The Rangers face the Sabres with a hobbled Jagr, which sounds like a shot I slammed during Spring Break in my younger years.
FORSBERG FORSBERG FORSBERG FORSBERG ... oh, and some Flyers/Panthers thing.
The Wild will have their 300th sell out crowd in a row tonight against Calgary, drawing at a slightly better capacity than the Twins.
Finally, a goaltending controversy in Chicago? Hell, at least the Blackhawks are getting some goaltending, right?

Gratuitous YouTube Embed

John Ferguson, Jr. does not make Leaf fans go loco and they are not lining down the block to see what he got. But he may just be Fergalicious:

The Ice Sheet: As the Leafs Turn originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's Time for Toronto and Mats Sundin to Break Up and Move On

Jes Golbez — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs

It's hard to fathom Mats Sundin wearing any NHL uniform but that of the Toronto Maple Leafs. During his tenure with the club, dating all the way back to 1994, the iconic Swede has been one of the most consistent and bankable offensive performers in league history. Through all of the Leafs ups and downs, Sundin has been that one constant, besides head-scratching trade rumors, that one could count on when talking about the Leafs.

At 36 years of age, Father Time is beckoning and Sundin's Stanley Cup chances dwindle with each year he is a member of the Leafs. Perhaps it's time for both sides to cut their losses and end their long-term relationship before it goes sour?

The Leafs are currently languishing in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and don't have a shot in hell at making the playoffs. The Leafs have a lame-duck coach, a lame-duck GM, and the most inept 'too-many-cooks" ownership in the NHL. At this point, it makes perfect sense for the Leafs to stock their barren farm system and get what they can for Sundin. Why hold on to him? The Leafs know they will sell out the building anyway, and they won't make the playoffs even with him in the lineup, this season, next season, and probably the season after that.

If/when Sundin is dealt, or simply signs with a different team in the off-season, Leafs fans ought to be ashamed of how poorly they've treated their captain over the years. As The Bleacher Report notes, it will be a case of not knowing what you have until it's gone.

Too bad we never treated him like the prince that he was.

All too often, fans would readily lash out at their captain, saying he wasn't doing enough for the team, claiming that he didn't have the tangible qualities or the ability to lead, or accusing him of pawning off his responsibilities.

The Leafs would play a bad game, and it would be Sundin's fault. The Leafs would hit a slide and everyone was begging for him to be gone.

It's Time for Toronto and Mats Sundin to Break Up and Move On originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for a Bad Goaltender? Call the Toronto Maple Leafs

Jes Golbez — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 13:13:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Penguins, Maple Leafs, NHL Media Watch, NHL Rumors

Ah, the Toronto hockey media. You can always count on them for over-analyzing a single regular season game, getting panicky over a two-game losing streak, planning the parade route after three straight wins, and whipping up trade rumors out of thin air.

Say you are a team looking for a goaltender and see the following on the market ...

a 88.2% save percentage, which would be the second worst total in the entire NHL among qualified goalies.

a 3.50GA, which is far worse than any starting goaltender in the NHL.

a $2mil/season salary

According to TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger, at least three clubs -- the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings -- have called the Leafs inquiring about Raycroft, who has become entrenched in his role as Toronto's backup behind starter Vesa Toskala.

This is classic. Team suffers injury or has an obvious need, the Leafs have a spare part they want to get rid of, and suddenly other teams are showing interest.

Riiiiight! It's one thing to say that a team with an injury MIGHT want to look at Raycroft, but quite another to claim that the Penguins or any other team would really want to trade for a poor goaltender with a big contract. There is a reason Raycroft is a backup, and it's not because Toskala is the bees knees.

Look, just because the Leafs have a (bad) goalie that they want to get rid of, and some other team has an opening, doesn't mean the other team is going to want to trade with the Leafs. Who, in the right mind, would want Andrew Raycroft? The Penguins already have a poor backup, and he (Conklin), is not going to cost $2mil in salary AND whatever assets the Penguins would have to trade away.

Looking for a Bad Goaltender? Call the Toronto Maple Leafs originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 16 Dec 2007 13:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leafs Admit Hiring JFJ was a Mistake

Jes Golbez — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, NHL Gossip

"With friends like you, who needs enemies?"

A day after it was reported/rumored Leafs GM that John Ferguson Jr. was not allowed to fire coach Paul Maurice, we get word that the president of the Leafs owning body is regretting the team's decision to hire Fergie in the first place.

John Ferguson's job may be in jeopardy as the Leafs continue to struggle, though the team's president says management won't make any rash decisions.

"To be honest, it was a mistake on my part for not fully understanding at the time what the job of being [the Leafs GM] in this market fully entailed," said Peddie, who was behind the hiring of Ferguson in August 2003.

"Let's face it. It probably was the wrong place for a rookie general manager to start. I mean, all GMs make mistakes, but they are not under the constant microscope and scrutiny that you have in Toronto, which is, in our opinion, the top hockey market there is.

Wow, we can honestly see that JFJ is now a lame-duck GM with absolutely no support from those above him. How can JFJ expect to do his job if his employers think he's unqualified?

"We won't make any rash decisions" probably equates to the Leafs beginning a behind-the-scenes GM search, waiting until they have a good candidate before booting JFJ out the door.

Pure class, MLSE, pure class.

Leafs Admit Hiring JFJ was a Mistake originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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