The Official M.E.R.B. Hockey Thread

[Doc Holliday]

Do whatever you like!

However, try to keep the frivolous stuff for the other threads.

[Doc Holliday]

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- When the Boston Bruins kicked off training camp with team medicals here in this picturesque New England town yesterday, there was no Phil Kessel on hand to be prodded and poked by doctors like the rest of his teammates.

Given that he remains without a contract, no one was surprised that the gifted young forward was nowhere to be seen at the Ristuccia Arena.

Nor is he expected to be around in the future, either.

TWO FIRST-ROUNDERS

In Kessel's own words yesterday, the chances of ever playing for the Bruins again "are slim right now."

"Slim" must be a synonym for "almost zero."

Will he end up in Toronto with the Maple Leafs, who are believed to be the frontrunners?

ESPN reported yesterday that the Leafs have offered two first-round picks and a second-rounder for Kessel.

Can the New York Rangers blow Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli away?

Will the Nashville Predators put together a package?

Or, are there other interested parties, as has been widely reported.

"We've talked concepts," Preds general manager David Poile told The Tennessean.

"I'd be very interested to see if there might be something he would like from the Predators."

Chiarelli, who has done an admirable job rebuilding this once-struggling Original Six franchise, said he would not comment on any issues regarding contract negotiations or trade speculation.

Just the way coach Claude Julien likes it.

"Peter has done a great job handling the (Kessel) situation," Julien said.

"From the outside, people can make comments but he's been very professional keeping that situation in control and not having a war of words. I respect that.

"It would be easy to be a loose lip and try to have to defend (yourself) but (Chiarelli) doesn't.

"I have confidence he'll handle this situation well, just as the players have confidence."

Perhaps the most telling comments to date that Kessel's days in Boston are done were offered by Marc Savard, one of the winger's best friends on the team.

During the Bruins' team golf tournament several days ago, Savard was reluctant to discuss the situation, but eventually opened up.

"It's between Phil and the management," Savard finally said.

"Obviously, he's a great player and obviously helps us win hockey games.

"When you miss a guy like that, there's going to be holes to fill. But then again, we've got guys like (Marco Sturm) coming back that will be able to fill holes like that.

"Obviously, we're going to miss him, but in the same sense life will go on with the team that we have."

Life goes on.

That seems to be the credo the Bruins seem to be adopting.

There have, in the past, been whispers that Kessel is a "me-first" type of guy.

On the other hand, he has beaten testicular cancer, does a lot of charity work that never gets reported, and is one of the most talented young players in the game.

That last trait is the one that obviously attracts Leafs GM Brian Burke the most.

A kid in his early 20s who scored 36 goals last season, well, those are rare commodities.

Kessel is said to be looking for a deal between $4.5-$6 million US.

If Chiarelli can't move him, Burke has positioned himself to submit an offer sheet, one that would cost the Leafs a first-, second- and a third-round pick for any offer of $6 million or less.

Wherever Kessel ends up, this much is certain: It likely will not be back in Boston.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Zeisberger/2009/09/13/10872416-sun.html

Doc says: "I'd like to have Kessel with the Leafs. But not if it requires giving away two first-round picks & a second rounder. That'd be very stupid!"

[Doc Holliday]

Captain Markov not in the cards

Defenceman rejects Habs' offer

Defenceman Andrei Markov will not be the next captain of the Canadiens.

The Gazette has learned that Markov, who wore an "A" on his jersey as one of the assistant captains last season, was asked whether he wanted to wear the "C", but told the Habs he wasn't interested.

Markov's decision isn't surprising. The veteran Russian is an intensely private person and, while he has been more accessible to the media in recent years, it would be difficult to see him in a role requiring him to be available on an almost daily basis.

The debate over who should be captain has been lively since the Canadiens decided not to offer a contract to unrestricted free agent Saku Koivu, who subsequently signed with Anaheim.

Koivu's experiences might make a player think twice about accepting the job. He was criticized on a regular basis because he was reluctant to speak French.

General manager Bob Gainey and new head coach Jacques Martin have been grilled about the vacant post and neither seems as concerned as the fans and the media.

At the team's annual golf tournament last week, Gainey said he was content to wait until a leader emerged.

Martin addressed the subject of leadership yesterday, and said it was important to have a variety of leaders, including vocal players and those who lead by example.

With a little more than two weeks before the season opener, it's becoming more likely the Canadiens will start the season without a designated captain or that they will follow the lead of the Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild and employ a system of rotating captains.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Habs+exclusive+Captain+Markov+cards/1994225/story.html

[gohabsgo]

MARTIN: MARKOV WAS NEVER OFFERED HABS' CAPTAINCY

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=291208

[JustBob]

I never saw Markov as captain material. As stated above, he's way too shy and private. There's no rush, they can wait until pre-season ends to name a captain. Gomez woudn't be a bad choice, he started taking french lessons the minute he got here.

[Doc Holliday]

The three top 'captain' candidates they had are now gone: Koivu, Kovalev & Komisarek. That's a lot of leadership that's all gone at the same time. Seeing that no one can seemingly fill that void presently, it makes me question Gainey's moves. How about Hal Gill?

(Considering the fact that french-canadian players are a dying breed on the Habs teams of late, i guess it's no longer a requirement (or expected) that the captain has to speak french.)

[sk11]

Here is my choice for captaincy :

Cammalleri, he's signed for 5 years, showed so much charisma in interviews, impact player with great stats, magics happens whenever he's on the ice and his name starts with a "C" .

[Doc Holliday]

Another 'captain' type for the Habs would have been local boy 'Francois Beauchemin', who is currently being groomed in Toronto to be the team's next captain or alternate. He'll become the team's #1 defenceman & the fact he played nearly 30 minutes last night during an exhibition game proves it. He'll also be in the lineup tonight against the Flyers. Beauchemin has matured & he's in the best shape of his life. He's toiled with the likes of Scott Niedermayer & Chris Pronger, among others. He had the most minutes played for Anaheim a few years ago when they won the Cup. He's a solid, no-nonsense two-way player that any team would want on their team & he'll play an important role for Team Canada at the next Olympics.

The Habs could have had him (once again), but they preferred to sign Jaroslav Spacek instead. I honestly can't figure that one out!

[Special K]

Kessel a Leaf now! (http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=499041)

Report: Leafs acquire Kessel from Bruins for picks


Friday, 09.18.2009 / 7:38 PM / News (http://www.nhl.com/ice/newsindex.htm?location=%2Fnews&view=headline)
By NHL.com Staff (http://www.nhl.com/ice/newsindex.htm?author=2321&view=headline)

Phil Kessel (http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8473548) has been rumored to be on the go for months now, and he landed Friday night in Toronto.

According to TSN, the Boston Bruins (http://bruins.nhl.com/) traded the talented young forward to the Toronto Maple Leafs (http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/) for a pair of first-round draft picks and a second-rounder. The trade was contingent on Kessel signing a contract with his new team, which he did by agreeing to a five-year, $27 million deal, TSN reported.

Kessel, who turns 22 on Oct. 2, has already overcome testicular cancer and emerged as a future star in just three NHL seasons. The fifth pick in the 2006 Entry Draft debuted with the Bruins the following season and had his breakthrough year in 2008-09, scoring 36 goals as Boston finished first in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto's interest in Kessel, a restricted free agent, dates as far back as this summer's draft, when the Leafs were reportedly set to send defenseman Tomas Kaberle (http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8465200) to Boston in return. But miscommunication over a draft pick to be included in the trade was blamed for it eventually falling apart.

In the end, the Leafs will give up first- and second-round picks in the 2010 Entry Draft and another first-round pick the following year.

Kessel has registered 66 goals and 126 points in 222 regular-season games, adding nine goals and 15 points in 15 playoff games. Bruins coach Claude Julien (http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8448385) scratched him from three games in a first-round loss to Montreal in 2008, but Kessel came back to score three goals in the series and his production took a big leap forward last season.

Rotator cuff surgery in the offseason has Kessel sidelined until at least November. He was previously awarded the Bill Masterton (http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8447635) Trophy for perseverance and dedication to hockey after returning to play in the 2006-07 season following the battle with cancer.

[gohabsgo]

Brutal and desperate trade by BlowHard Burke. Burke struck out on draft day and couldn't land any top six forwards so now decides to trade the future away for a quick fix. Kessel can score 36 with Savard but has no one to pass him the puck in Laff land. The idiot Leafs fell for the same thing when you signed Blake to a long term deal. Hot air wind bag Burke overpaid to acquire a player who has battled cancer and is out until at least November after having major surgery. What is it with the desperation moves and poor health individuals with your sad sack Maple Loser organization? You just potentially handed Boston the 1st overall draft picks in 2010 and 2011 for a chance at being mediocre now. Out of the 36 goals he scored last year, only 8 of them were against teams who made the playoffs. In other words, in important games, Kessel disappears. Also, if you take his career 66 goals in 222 games, that averages to 24 a year... if he plays a full 82 game schedule. Kessel is soft and is not a team player which is why he couldnt get along with Julien. Good luck with that loser Laff fans!

[lgna69xxx]

Jealous :p

[lgna69xxx]

Doc, patiently waiting your scope on the Kessel deal? lets look at the "real" facts, and not thru the eyes of beer league or biased fans (aka Montreal Scab Fans)

The only part i dont like is the amount they are giving a 3rd year player, i think if he had at least 2 good seasons like last yr then it makes more sense to give a 21yr old that kind of money, BUT, we are not management so we have to trust in Burke and his boys, and remember Kessel was a #5 overall pick, we are getting a proven #5 and giving up 2 pics in a weak draft next year and a 2nd round the year after which now with the way the leafs are looking those pics wont be very high at all.....

At first i didnt like giving up 2 first rounders and a 2nd but the more i read into this trade, it was overall a very good move, are we guarenteed a 36 goal draft choice from either one, 2 or 3 of those picks? nope..... is Kessel a 34yr old veteran? nope.... is he reached his potential? no and thats the scary thing, plus with the speed of the new guys plus grabo or possible stajan centering him (stajan had 40 assists last year with alot lesser talent than Kessel) ,Kessel has the potential to have someone as good or possibly better at setting him up ala Marc Savard

Burkes a majician, he collected 3 of the top college players for this deal to eventually be possible , he just admitted it live on 640am Toronto.... he has already brought in for all intense purpose, 4 possible first rounders in Bozak (kid is gonna be a good one) Stalberg (potential star) Hanson (not sure about him yet but they love him) and the Monster ....... plus Kadri was a 7th pic and has been impressive in the rookie camp and into the Leafs camp..... so actually thats 5 players considered top round pics, combine that with the weak talent at next years draft, it was really a great trade.....

the X factor is Kessels ability to be 100% healed from a relative normal surgical procedure, which i am sure Burke and company have complete faith in it or kessel wouldnt of been so highly sought after

This deal is nothing like what leafs gm's are used to doing, Kessel isnt a aging veteran, but a young up and coming Star.... he is shy so they have to handle him carefully as to not let the TO media mess with his head like the Montreal media has done with Price.

Anyone who thinks this deal was so horrible is either Jealous, (usually the case), or just hasnt picked this trade apart piece by piece, so let the jealousy begin boys, just play nice like Doc has asked....

All the so called experts were complaining the leafs had no top liners, and this would keep them on the bubble for making the playoffs, well, now what are they gonna come up with to satisfy their jealousy? the 4 new kids (Bozak,Stalberg.Hanson,Kadri) are making headlines everyday in camp, and one or 2 should make the club opening night, remember 3 of them are 22/23 yrs old and ready to step right in, GREAT Signings by Burke at the end of last season

Combined with one of the top defenses in all of the NHL and a healthy Toskala behind a great defense with the Monster pushing for that top spot, look out , could be a very very interesting season.,.... Scared or Jealous? i say both :D
by the way, the Leafs just got better than the scabs if they already werent, which they were :p

[joelcairo]

Brutal and desperate trade by BlowHard Burke. Burke struck out on draft day and couldn't land any top six forwards so now decides to trade the future away for a quick fix. Kessel can score 36 with Savard but has no one to pass him the puck in Laff land. The idiot Leafs fell for the same thing when you signed Blake to a long term deal. Hot air wind bag Burke overpaid to acquire a player who has battled cancer and is out until at least November after having major surgery. What is it with the desperation moves and poor health individuals with your sad sack Maple Loser organization? You just potentially handed Boston the 1st overall draft picks in 2010 and 2011 for a chance at being mediocre now. Out of the 36 goals he scored last year, only 8 of them were against teams who made the playoffs. In other words, in important games, Kessel disappears. Also, if you take his career 66 goals in 222 games, that averages to 24 a year... if he plays a full 82 game schedule. Kessel is soft and is not a team player which is why he couldnt get along with Julien. Good luck with that loser Laff fans!

Excellent analysis ghg.

[lgna69xxx]

ROFL!!!!!!!!!


ahhhhhhhhhhhh, blind leading the blind..... after having ALOT of Boston red sox fans hating on the Yankees and the yankees fans thinking what morons they are, i kinda feel like there not as bad as scabs fans, at least RED SOX FANS are intelligent about the game and about trades and deals even if they dont wanna admit it, they tell the truth.... unlike blinded scabs fans who feel like the stanley cup by rights should be theirs every season, :p what a joke....:rolleyes:


at least ghg commented on the actual trade and didnt try to steer Docs original idea at a good thread off pace again...... so with that

This trade is gonna take some time to see if it was good for all involved, the Leafs certainly should not have any high pics available to boston for the pics they traded as they will be much much improved and finishing alot higher than last year and the draft is very weak the next few years esp next season........GO LEAFS GO!!!!!!!!



Excellent analysis ghg.

[Doc Holliday]

Doc, patiently waiting your scope on the Kessel deal?

I have mixed feelings about the trade. The good side is that they've acquired a bonafide proven scoring star in Phil Kessel. Even better, he's only 21 & he's already under contract for the next 5 years. Instead of being with the rival Bruins, Rangers or Preds, he'll be playing in a Leafs uniform. He also didn't cost them their top offensive defenceman in Tomas Kaberle. However, the negative side, if there is one, is that he did cost them two 1st-round picks & a 2nd-rounder. This brings back bad memories of past years when the likes of Gerry McNamara, Gord Stellick, Cliff Fletcher & John Ferguson Jr. were throwing away high draft pics for marginal returns. But that's where it stops. Phil Kessel is a star scorer & potentially one of the league's superstars. He's only 21 years old & he's yet to reach his full potential. This isn't a thirty-something veteran like Jason Blake, a Tom Kurvers, an over-the-hill Brian Leetch on loan for 2 months, a Yannic Perreault on loan for the final couple of months of his NHL career, nor an injury-prone veteran like Owen Nolan. It's Phil Kessel, 21 years old, already a proven scorer with unlimited potential & one of the most exciting young players in the NHL.

Now let's examine the transaction itself. Burke didn't have to give up any of his young prospects, nor established players. He didn't give away anyone on his current roster. He did give away two first-rounders. But let's be frank: every single GM would have made the trade straight up if it would have meant giving away next year's #1 pick, since Kessel's value is considerably higher. Let's not forget that a large majority of first-round picks wind up as flops. The Leafs, as i mentionned earlier, obtained someone who was a very high draft pick a few seasons ago who has already proven his worth. Then you have the case of the second first-rounder (in 2011). If the Leafs finish in the first half of the NHL's standings, as expected, that 2011 pick will be a marginal one. The next two 'draft' seasons are not expected to produce as good a crop as this past one. As for the 2nd rounder, well, it's a 2nd round pick & most 2nd round picks wind up playing most of their careers in the minors, unless they beat the odds. Drafting a 2nd round pick is a gamble & always has been. On top of that, they obtained that 2nd pick by trading minor-league defenceman Anton Stralman, who had nearly zero chances of making this year's team. So basically, that 2nd rounder is a wash. He didn't cost the Leafs anything.

As for that 2nd first-rounder, as i mentionned above, it might not be much if the Leafs do finish among the top 10 teams in the league in two years. But people forget that you had to give away something of quality in order to convince a division rival like Boston to agree to the trade. Why would they trade one of their top young players for a bargain to a division rival? It doesn't make sense. Do that's why the Leafs had to include that 2nd first-rounder.

Boston would have matched any offer sheet given to Kessel by any team, including the Leafs. Sure, it would have forced them to get rid of some players in order to create cap room in order to accomodate Kessel's big contract, but they still would have matched the offer. Peter Chiarelli, the Bruins GM, stated publicly many times that no matter what, Boston would have matched & i doubt he would have went back on his word. Even better, Burke is still on good terms with the Bruins GM as opposed to how it would have been if he would have signed Kessel to an offer sheet (instead of trading for him) and thus enraging the Boston brass.

I'll admit that it would have been preferrable that Burke obtain Kessel by signing him to an offer sheet & then losing his #1, #2 & #3 picks to Boston. But it wouldn't have even happened if Boston would have reacted to this by matching the offer sheet.

My final analysis is that i'm convinced that Burke did the right thing. He did admit himself that the strong play & development of young players such as Bozak, Hanson & Stalberg is what convinced him that the Leafs future wouldn't be sacrificed if he traded away those picks. Kadri likely will be sent down to the minors this season with probably 2 of the other 3 players i mentionned, but come next year or so, look out. Some of those players will be stars just a few years from now & everyone will have admired Burke for the great moves he's made. By the way, i'm very surprised that a large majority of reader/fans comments on the tabloids approve of the trade. People are once again starting to Be-Leaf. For today's press conference, click on the link below & go to 'The Vault':

http://mapleleafs.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=616&id=46703

[JustBob]

Too much to pay for a skilled, but one dimensional player with questionable attitude and work ethics.The upside is that he's only 21. Still a HUGE gamble. Could work out or could be a bust.

[Doc Holliday]

Too much to pay for a skilled, but one dimensional player with questionable attitude and work ethics.The upside is that he's only 21. Still a HUGE gamble. Could work out or could be a bust.

This is the type of trade that can only be evaluated in 3-4 years.

[lgna69xxx]

how is it "too much to pay"?????? i pointed out and doc also afterwards said the same thing (whos the parakeet now " g1gballsonchin" ???) :p jk Doc....... that the weak draft the next few years along with the fact most likely those pics wont be very high,plus as doc said that 2nd round pic was a freebie for a defense man who wouldnt see ice time anytime soon.... do you guys not read or just always in the state of mind that the scabs are owed "give us the cup every year" passage of rights????? :rolleyes:


face it, Burke if nothing else has shown he is a great gm who wants to get the Leafs back to being an elite club again,, and is doing it the RIGHT WAY!!!!!,,,, and i think he was the perfect choice for the job.... keep it up Burkie, sign Sundin for one year and let him mentor the young guys and add 50-70 points to the offense.....







Too much to pay for a skilled, but one dimensional player with questionable attitude and work ethics.The upside is that he's only 21. Still a HUGE gamble. Could work out or could be a bust.

[lgna69xxx]

are you sitting on my shoulder tonight or what?????? geez.... :rolleyes:

:p
This is the type of trade that can only be evaluated in 3-4 years.

[Doc Holliday]

are you sitting on my shoulder tonight or what?????? geez.... :rolleyes:

:p
If i am, then we're watching the Leafs/Flyers game online (free on Leafs TV) and just finished watching the Sens destroy the Habs 6-1. Way to go, Kovy! :D

(Yes indeed, the smurfs did play tonight for the Habs, but didn't accomplish much)

[JustBob]

Burke himself said "it's a very high price"... Some believe it's too high because there are too many questionable aspects to Kessel as a player and as a person. So Mr Igna the groupie, lay off the friggin Burke bandwagon nonsense for once and just accept the fact that this is one of those "we HOPE it works out" type of deal.

[lgna69xxx]

actually i am listening to it from mtl.....LOL........ and they just said 6-1 not 5-1, update, thanks Doc, i am now watching




If i am, then we're watching the Leafs/Flyers game online (free on Leafs TV) and just finished watching the Sens destroy the Habs 6-1. Way to go, Kovy! :D

(Yes indeed, the smurfs did play tonight for the Habs, but didn't accomplish much)

[Doc Holliday]

Like i said earlier, we'll only know in 3-4 years if he overpaid for Kessel. I simply explained the reasoning behind the trade earlier. As for every negative comment in regards to Kessel, i've heard twice more that were positive & contradicted the negative ones. Since both Burke & Ron Wilson know Kessel better than most of his detractors, i'll side with those two.

[JustBob]

Kessel must take after his mom. :D



Spiro: Your friendship with 1st overall pick Sidney Crosby has been well-documented since your days as teammates at Shattuck St. Mary's. What was it like to play with him, and will he live up to his expectations in Pittsburgh?

Johnson: Sid is the best player that I have ever played with or against. We hit it off right away during our first year at Shattuck. The whole chemistry of the team was so great; it was just like an immediate click.

One of my favorite Sid stories is the time that Phil Kessel's mom went right down to the glass and started heckling him before a face-off in the opponents' zone. She was calling Sid every nasty name in the book and telling him that he was overrated. Typically, Sid would win the face-off and set me up for a slap shot near the blueline. Not this time. Sid went up to me and said that he was going to win the face-off and take the puck himself and score. I just nodded my head.

Sure enough, the puck drops and Sid grabs possession. Within 2 seconds, the red light goes off and all Sid does is tip his hat to Mrs. Kessel. Just a classic Sid Crosby moment.

[lgna69xxx]

o bobby stop it,. you only wish boring bob gainey was worthy of groupies :p.... after this season if he makes it w/o being fired, he will show he has passed his time in todays nhl...... time to retire and be happy and let the stress go in a young mans game

back to the thread.... of course Burke said its a high price to pay, but he pulled the trigger anyways, and why? cause he sees it as a risk worth taking and also understands the same thing leafs fans as a whole do and thats the weak draft and those pics we traded not being very high, GREAT Trade , if nothing else, its got the NHL talking good things about the leafs for once in a LONG time and thats Great for hockey in general,,,,,, now if we can just get some more teams in Canada and let those suffering clubs in the USA go by the wayside.....




Burke himself said "it's a very high price"... Some believe it's too high because there are too many questionable aspects to Kessel as a player and as a person. So Mr Igna the groupie, lay off the friggin Burke bandwagon nonsense for once and just accept the fact that this is one of those "we HOPE it works out" type of deal.

[lgna69xxx]

here we go again doc........ habs fans are really desparate these days..... bwhaahahaha!!
Kessel must take after his mom. :D

[EagerBeaver]

Phil Kessel comes from a very athletic family. His father was a Washington Redskins QB, his mother a track star in college, his sister Amanda the leading scorer on the gold medal winning USA women's hockey team, and a brother who was drafted by the Islanders now plays for the U of New Hampshire. The Kessel pedigree is a good one. It's like a Sutter pedigree or a Staal pedigree.

[lgna69xxx]

i dont agree with ppl who think the leafs didnt have any top six forwards before kessel ... Grabo is for sure, Stajan maybe but not sold on him just yet, what about Blake? especially now that he;s got more young talent who can fly like he does? what about Hagman? if Hags stays healthy , he is a bonafide 70 point guy on this new faster younger Leafs team,........ remember the name Viktar Stalberg boys and girls, remember

[lgna69xxx]

EB, whose your team?



Phil Kessel comes from a very athletic family. His father was a Washington Redskins QB, his mother a track star in college, his sister Amanda the leading scorer on the gold medal winning USA women's hockey team, and a brother who was drafted by the Islanders now plays for the U of New Hampshire. The Kessel pedigree is a good one. It's like a Sutter pedigree or a Staal pedigree.

[Doc Holliday]

i dont agree with ppl who think the leafs didnt have any top six forwards before kessel ... Grabo is for sure, Stajan maybe but not sold on him just yet, what about Blake? especially now that he;s got more young talent who can fly like he does? what about Hagman? if Hags stays healthy , he is a bonafide 70 point guy on this new faster younger Leafs team,........ remember the name Viktar Stalberg boys and girls, remember
I agree with you. Stajan is coming into his own & looking better year after year. He's having a great pre-season so far. People seem to forget that Jason Blake discovered he had leukemia during training camp two years ago in his first season with the Leafs. That must be devastating news! To his credit, he didn't miss a game. He had the most shots on net for his team, and to his credit, he never gave up. He had a very good year last season, the kind of year the team expected him to have when the signed him.

Iggie, i just finished watching the Leafs-Flyers game, won by the Leafs in overtime, and Kadri looks great out there! He's starting to make me a believer that he might actually make this team. I absolutely love this Beauchemin guy.....he played the power play & has a cannon for a shot! He & Kaberle look like a great pairing. I don't know if they'll be paired up together throughout the season, though...i heard Kabby might be paired up with Komisarek. I can't remember the last time i've seen Kabby look this happy.....actually, i can't remember the last time i've been so upbeat about a Leafs team! :D

[Doc Holliday]

EB, whose your team?

EB sounds like he could be a NY Rangers fan.

[lgna69xxx]

could be worse :p
EB sounds like he could be a NY Rangers fan.

[lgna69xxx]

i saw it also and what a finish,..,,, even tho its preseason, like burke said on 640am today, preseason wins dont mean much, but you want to win every game you can, thats what being a professional is about, and with the new character he is trying to install in a losing franchise , it is important..... about Francois B...... he is a great player, i have followed his career a little and he was one of those perfect pieces to burkes puzzle,,,,,, and yes Komi/Kabs are suppossed to start the season together...... Kadri? i think he could make the team from the get go but i doubt they will keep him right now....... if not for the 3 young guns from college (Bozak/Stalberg (remember that name people, remember) and hanson) he would most likely make it but not enuff room right now.... but look out if he stays healthy, he's puck smart, can fly and has soft hands, just needs to add some size and look out



Iggie, i just finished watching the Leafs-Flyers game, won by the Leafs in overtime,:D

[Doc Holliday]

Kadri? i think he could make the team from the get go but i doubt they will keep him right now.

I just read that he'll likely be sent back to the London Knights, his junior hockey team. I'd prefer they send him to the Marlies, since he has nothing else to prove in junior. I applaud Burke & Wilson if they have the patience to send him to either junior or to the AHL, but i'd be happy if he makes the team if he's good enough to make it right now. Matt Stajan played as an 18-year old, so did Phil Kessel. But i guess they might have the same dilemma as last season, when they had to figure whether to keep Luke Schenn or send him down. By keeping him, they were risking losing him to restricted free agency earlier & same thing with having to offer him salary arbitration. Maybe that's the real reason why Kadri might not make the team. But he's impressed me a lot, i must admit.

(Maybe the plan is to bring him back up at mid-season, like the Flyers did with Claude Giroux....and have his spot taken by the likes of Jason Allison or someone else until then.)

[Doc Holliday]

Leafs bonding off the ice

From a Sunday football pot luck dinner to some planned wilderness bonding, the ‘new’ Maple Leafs want to be closer off the ice to stay closer on the scoreboard.

For all the obvious reasons the Leafs haven’t been in playoffs since 2004 or done anything of note in almost a decade, one of the threads can be traced to a poor team fabric.

But general manager Brian Burke and coach Ron Wilson are fanatic about team character, either in size or soul, and with their secure contracts and a clean sheet, they’ve set about re-constructing ‘Big Blue’ as Burke likes to call it.

The GM assembled the players he thought best exemplified his philosophy, defencemen Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin and Garnet Exelby to name a few. Komisarek immediately befriended new partner Tomas Kaberle and Beauchemin hit it off with sophomore Luke Schenn. As the top four blueliners, all looked solid in their first game together on Saturday against the Flyers, a night with plenty of fights, power play and penalty killing duties.

“With Kabby, we’re always trying to build that chemistry,” ex-Montreal Canadien Komisarek said yesterday. “I spend a lot of time with him at the rink, but also grabbing lunch or dinner or having him over to my place.

“Ex lives right across the street and we’ve had a couple of dinners where the defencemen cook. Ex is quite the chef and made chili for us to watch the Jets and Patriots. I’ve tried to spend a lot of time with Schenn and Kabby. I’m the new guy, but unity and camaraderie is important.”

Just as it was to other Leaf teams who insisted they were like brothers, too - before ending the year a dysfunctional family.

There could be as many as 11 new faces on the 23-man roster next month, joining seven that Cliff Fletcher brought in last year.

The timing of the new arrivals was perfect, as the Leafs unveiled their new $45 million MasterCard Centre, a quantum leap among the best NHL training facilities. The new West End four pad has already enticed many Leafs to hang out well after business hours to work out or chat, while the envious Marlies must stay on their side of the glass, urged to earn their way across the hall.

Beauchemin is a rarity, a Leaf with a Stanley Cup ring, winning under Burke in Anaheim with a blueline group that included Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger.

“I learned a lot from watching them, not only playing, but working out and practising,” Beauchemin said. “I’ll try and bring that here. Usually it pays off in games.”

Hearing himself and Schenn mentioned as the Leafs’ potential shutdown pair was music to Beauchemin’s ears.

“I love the challenge to play against the other team’s top line,” he said. “Luke is solid, with a good body, makes a good pass, so we should do well together.”

Burke and Wilson want the whole team on the same page as the defencemen, with the coach planninng a trip in the Huntsville area somewhere between Sunday’s final exhibition game against the Buffalo Sabres and the Oct. 1 season opener against Montreal. Paintball and survivor games are being discussed around on-ice practices.

Wilson’s team brings a record of 3-1 into tonight’s exhibition game against the Penguins at the Air Canada Centre. From the fighting spirit to 15 goals for and just 10 against, Wilson is pleased, but far from satisfied.

“If I’d pencilled in a lineup on Sept. 1 of what I thought our team would be at the end, I’m pretty much right on target,” he said of his lines, defensive pairings, progress of youngsters and what Vesa Toskala has shown in net.

“We’ll have organizational decisions to make, based on all the young guys we have, whether we send them to the Marlies or send (first-round pick) Nazem Kadri back to junior at some point.”

They won’t be easy. As they shouldn’t be on a good team.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2009/09/21/11038096-sun.html

[lgna69xxx]

i must say the electricity in the bell centre was pretty good for a preseason game,.,,,,,

The "habs" (lol) won but were not very impressive against a Stanley Cup Pitt team who seemed more about trying new lines and seeing new players than about winning the game

Price looked sharp but other than that, the habs looked like a deer in the headlights

GO LEAFS GO!!!!!!!!!!!


PS the highlight of the night was my date and not the scabs. ........

[G1GBallday]

PS the highlight of the night was my date

Glad to see someone finally helped you get rid of that uncontrollable boner you've had since Kessel was signed. :D

[Special K]

Would anyone be interested in joining a Merb Fantasy Hockey League, set up on Yahoo? Would be great to get some of you guys into this league and have a lot of fun with it. I set something up so post if you're interested.

SK

[Doc Holliday]

Would anyone be interested in joining a Merb Fantasy Hockey League, set up on Yahoo? Would be great to get some of you guys into this league and have a lot of fun with it. I set something up so post if you're interested.

I'm in if there's a good group of us in it.

[JustBob]

Price looked sharp but other than that, the habs looked like a deer in the headlights

PS the highlight of the night was my date and not the scabs. ........

You should have spent less time fondling her boobs and more time watching the actual game...

[lgna69xxx]

i wish i could show you her pics, and then you'd understand WHY maybe i missed some of the "game" :p



You should have spent less time fondling her boobs and more time watching the actual game...

[Doc Holliday]

What a game the Leafs played tonight!!

Kadri was once again fantastic & he scored a highlight reel type of goal in the shootout. Wow!!!

I absolutely love Beauchemin.....what a great all-around defenceman with a canon shot to boot!

It was my first chance to watch Stalberg. This kid has quite a future in the NHL!!

As for Kadri, either he makes the team or they send him down to the juniors. They're not allowed to send him to the minors (similar to Luke Schenn last season). You know what? I want to see him start the season with the Leafs!! He's got nothing to prove in the juniors & he's one of the fastest & higher skilled players on the Leafs. They should at least let him start the season & decide after 10 games if he stays or goes.

Sadly, the kids' terrific play has probably led to the exit of Jason Allison, a good guy. But i don't know what the Leafs will do with all those defencemen. I figure Frogren will be sent down to the minors & they'll have at least 1 defenceman in the press box prior to each game until some of them start going down due to injuries. At the same time, the Leafs will be showcasing some of their top 6 defencemen in order to attract attention & possibly trade one or two of them for high draft picks (1st or 2nd rounders) during the season. The Leafs are in the driver's seat in that aspect. No hurry to trade them right away.....just sit & wait.....offers will soon come when other teams' defencemen start going down....who knows, it might even cause a team to trade a top centerman to the Leafs for one of their excess defencemen.

They spoke about the Leafs tonight on the french talkshow "L'Attack a Cinq". Most of the panel have reversed their thinking that the Leafs wouldn't make the playoffs. Jean-Charles Lajoie added that the Phil Kessel trade might have put Toronto over the top. They all agreed that any team going into Toronto will come up hurting & bruised up. They even mentionned that last season, the Leafs were better than the Habs offensively. Now that their defence has improved considerably, including better goaltending, things will get interesting. I wholeheartedly agree!

[lgna69xxx]

Kadri is gonna be a good one for sure, i must admit i never heard of him before the draft, and as i was sitting in the bell centre during draft day, i thought to myself "Who"?

well, now after following him since i am fully aware of "WHO" Kadri is,......... also as i said before, since they got him....... Stalberg, remember that name boys and girls, REMEMBER!


With Bozak, Stalberg , Hanson , Kadri, and the Monster,,,,,, the Leafs finally have some young guns looking like their ready to step up and make the leap very soon to the NHL....... Heck there all First round draft material and people can only say the Leafs gave up to much for Kessel, WRONG! , with the 5 guys mentioned, they could afford to give up the picks they did in a weak draft the next 2 years...


its nice for a change to have some young TALENTED kids and not just old players who were good 3 years ago......... Nice Mr. Burke ,. VERY NICE INDEED! (Gaineys drooling as we speak, and sweating im sure).......

[Doc Holliday]

With Bozak, Stalberg , Hanson , Kadri, and the Monster,,,,,, the Leafs finally have some young guns looking like their ready to step up and make the leap very soon to the NHL....... Heck there all First round draft material and people can only say the Leafs gave up to much for Kessel, WRONG! , with the 5 guys mentioned, they could afford to give up the picks they did in a weak draft the next 2 years.

I'd like to add to your list the names Grabovski, Mitchell, Kulemin, Stajan & White. Nik Hagman is only 29. Will this be the year 21-year old Jiri Tlusti finally shows his potential? All young players with talent & potential coming out of their ears!

The more i think about it, the more i'm thinking that the Phil Kessel trade being an absolutely brilliant move. Let's face it, there isn't any first round pick, even first overall, in the next two drafts who has the talent & potential of a Phil Kessel, who likely would have been a #1 overall pick in any other draft other than his own & last June's. He easily would have been a top 3 pick in last June's fantastic draft crop, even possibly #1 over Tavares. Kessel is also a proven scorer & mountains of improvement ahead of him & he's so young! If you'd be Kessel's GM, would you accept a trade offer of a first-round pick straight up for him? Of course not. Not a single GM in the league would make that trade. How about if he'd add a 2nd rounder? No way....the next draft crops will be very ordinary ones & Kessel is already a star. How about if that GM would add a 2nd first rounder to his trade offer? Maybe. Half the GM's would do it, the other half wouldn't. The only reason Boston agreed to the trade was that they didn't have the money to re-sign Kessel & Kessel was holding the cards, wanting to sign with the Leafs. Boston didn't lose, neither did the Leafs. That's probably how the trade will be evaluated in the next 3-4 years once we find out whom the Bruins drafted with those picks they obtained in the Kessel trade. Toronto didn't lose anything.....they got the better player of the bunch, a future superstar & scoring sensation. As i've said before, that 2nd rounder didn't cost him anything since they practically got it for nothing in that Stralman trade to Calgary. The first-rounder? Kessel is worth much more than just one first-round pick. Two maybe.....or more. Way to go, Burkie!!

I remember a year or two ago when some Habs fans were making fun of the Leafs being an old & slow team. No more!!! The Leafs are young, fast, tough, skilled & will scrap with anyone other teams throw at them. No one will dare push around their smaller, skilled players, knowing full well Ron Wilson will send out an army of tough guys to take care of business if that every happens! The Leafs have one top player who could be considered up there in age, and that's Jason Blake. But Blakie is still one of the fastest players on the team & can still score. He'll be relied upon for his leadership more than ever now. Watch out folks, the Leafs mean business & not a single team will take them lightly this season. Habs fans, be afraid! Be very afraid!!

[lgna69xxx]

Trust me Doc.,. They ARE! and if not then their in Denial......




Habs fans, be afraid! Be very afraid!!

[lgna69xxx]

Of course, but i meant the new Leafs..... btw wouldnt Kadri playing alongside Kessel look good in the future?





I'd like to add to your list the names Grabovski, Mitchell, Stajan & White. Nik Hagman is only 29. All young players with talent & potential coming out of their ears!

!

[JustBob]

Afraid of what? Of all the hype you two groupies regurgitate on a daily basis? I don't feel anything about the Leafs, not hatred, not fear, nothing. I just ignore them just like all other irrelevant teams.

And congrats for beating the Pen's 'C' team. Huge accomplishment! :D

[lgna69xxx]

the Scabs irrelevant? ........ finally we agree bobby! :p



irrelevant teams.

[lgna69xxx]

its easy to ignore when your afraid.... matter of fact it goes hand in hand , ignore = afraid , Its gonna be a fun season :D



Afraid of what? I just ignore them just like all other irrelevant teams.

[Doc Holliday]

I've added the names Nikolai Kulemin & Jiri Tlusti to my prior post. Kulemin will once again make the team & be an even better player than last season.

[lgna69xxx]

sure why not



Would anyone be interested in joining a Merb Fantasy Hockey League, set up on Yahoo? Would be great to get some of you guys into this league and have a lot of fun with it. I set something up so post if you're interested.

SK

[johnmbot]

Would anyone be interested in joining a Merb Fantasy Hockey League...only if i can play goalie.

[Doc Holliday]

Forsberg planning another comeback

STOCKHOLM - Peter Forsberg is set to play for his hometown team Modo in a Swedish Elite League home opener against Frolunda on Thursday in yet another comeback attempt following a lingering foot injury.

The former NHL MVP has practised with the team since early August and played two games during a pre-season tournament in Switzerland a month ago.

Modo has given the 36-year-old Forsberg a one-week tryout contract, which means he'll play at least three games. He can play with Modo until the NHL season begins Oct. 2 without jeopardizing a possible comeback in the NHL.

The veteran centre, who won two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche, has only played sporadically over the last two seasons because of an ailing right foot.

[gohabsgo]

What a game the Leafs played tonight!!

Big deal – a shoot out win against a Pens team that played the night before (including their farm hand goalie Curry) and had no Crosby, Malkin or Fleury in the lineup.


I guess if your team hasn’t had so much as a sniff of the SC finals in 42 years and missed the playoffs for the last four (or five) seasons in a row; a preseason OT win must seem like winning a championship for loser Leaf fans. Keep drinking Burke’s blue and white kool aid because your sad sack franchise isn’t going anywhere.



I guess I’ll have to update this to '09 and beyond


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e196/Praetor0506/doncherry_prediction.jpg

[joelcairo]

Afraid of what? Of all the hype you two groupies regurgitate on a daily basis? I don't feel anything about the Leafs, not hatred, not fear, nothing. I just ignore them just like all other irrelevant teams.

And congrats for beating the Pen's 'C' team. Huge accomplishment! :D

Well Bobby it took you 1081 posts but you finally wrote something that I completely agree with.

P.S. : As for the two groupies at least Doc knows something about hockey. Doc's fan club president is another story.

[lgna69xxx]

:D ROFL!!!!!!!!!!

honestly, not to brag but i probably no more about hockey than you and ghg. combined.... but then again, i could of started watching hockey yesterday and known more than you 2 dopes..... where you been joel? still looking at yourself in front of the mirror all day?

and to keep the thread on pace with "Real" talk about the NHL...... Buffalo had most of their team there gonna play this season including Miller in goal and Leafs had maybe 1/2 what they will start with and lost a close one 3-2...... Nadri again was the best of all the rookies, looks like maybe Burke and Co. knew what they were doing drafting this talented kid....



Well Bobby it took you 1081 posts but you finally wrote something that I completely agree with.

P.S. : As for the two groupies at least Doc knows something about hockey. Doc's fan club president is another story.

[gohabsgo]

:D ROFL!!!!!!!!!!

honestly, not to brag but i probably no more about hockey than you and ghg. combined.... but then again, i could of started watching hockey yesterday and known more than you 2 dopes..... where you been joel? still looking at yourself in front of the mirror all day? what a waste of time, you should take up trying to learn hockey, at least your hand might not be so sore :p

and to keep the thread on pace with "Real" talk about the NHL...... Buffalo had most of their team there gonna play this season including Miller in goal and Leafs had maybe 1/2 what they will start with and lost a close one 3-2...... Nadri again was the best of all the rookies, looks like maybe Burke and Co. knew what they were doing drafting this talented kid....

Yes, and you no how to spell 2 … and you could of finished primary school

[lgna69xxx]

thats all you got? Lame with a capital L like you..:rolleyes:

heres a good one that i KNOW you love ......... wait for it,.......... wait,,,,,,,,,,,,, ok,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!
Goscabsgo? almost time to jump UNDER the wagon again is it not? the season starts in a week :p , i give you 2 weeks before you get lost until a 3 game winning streak by the scabs..... i have a feeling you will be AWOL alot this season like you were the 2nd half of last year
Yes, and you no how to spell 2 … and you could of finished primary school

[Doc Holliday]

Minority owner and creditor was in limbo during bankruptcy proceedings for troubled NHL team

The Great One's run in Phoenix is officially over. Wayne Gretzky announced today that he is quitting as head coach of the Coyotes with the hockey club in limbo after being placed into bankruptcy in May.

"This was a difficult decision that I've thought long and hard about," said Gretzky on his website Gretzky.com.

"We all hoped there would be a resolution earlier this month to the Coyotes ownership situation, but the decision is taking longer than expected. Since both remaining bidders have made it clear that I don't fit into their future plans, I approached General Manger Don Maloney and suggested he begin looking for someone to replace me as coach. Don has worked hard and explored many options. I think he has made an excellent choice, and so now it's time for me to step aside."

It's expected associate coach Ulf Samuelsson will take over as head coach, with Doug Sulliman and newly hired Dave King as his assistants.

Gretzky, who has not been at the Phoenix training camp since it opened 12 days ago, was unable during his four-year coaching tenure to lead the Coyotes to the playoffs.

"I often said it was the greatest honor and privilege I could imagine to be able to play in the National Hockey League," Gretzky wrote on his website. "I feel the same way about being an NHL coach. I've loved the four years I spent coaching the Coyotes. Not a day went by when I took it for granted, and I will miss the competition of the NHL dearly."

Gretzky is owed millions of dollars by the Coyotes, but its not clear how much will be left for him through bankruptcy proceedings. The final two bidders for the team, the NHL and one led by Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, have indicated they would not honour the terms of Gretzky's contract. Recent online polls in Phoenix indicated a majority of respondents didn't want him to return to coach the team.

Balsillie wants to buy the team for $242.5 million (U.S.) and move it to Hamilton. His initial offer for the team included about $22.5 million for Gretzky if he came on board with the bid.

The NHL is offering $140 million for the team, hoping to find an owner who would keep it in Glendale, Ariz. The NHL's offer did not include the "assumption" of Gretzky's lucrative contract.

The NHL said Gretzky is owed money from Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes's personal finances, not the bankrupt estate.

Gretzky was working closely with a third group, Ice Edge Holdings, which failed to put a bid in at the Sept. 10-11 auction. The group is still interested in the team.

Bankruptcy judge Redfield T. Baum continues to mull over a decision on the fate of the NHL franchise. Balsillie yesterday sweetened his offer for the team, pledging to keep it in Glendale this season and offering to step aside if the NHL should find a buyer by the end of the year.

Interestingly, Gretzky made no comment on whether he believes the Coyotes will survive in the desert, but made a pitch for southern Ontario eventually getting a team.

"As a young boy, I learned to play hockey in Southern Ontario, and I know what great fans they have there. It's my hope they too will have an NHL franchise in the not too distant future," he said.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/700375

[Doc Holliday]

Dave Tippett will be named coach of the Phoenix Coyotes at an afternoon news conference.

The veteran National Hockey League coach takes over from Wayne Gretzky, who announced his resignation earlier in the day. Tippett coached the Dallas Stars for six seasons, never finishing below .500 and with his teams finishing with more than 95 points in five of his seasons in Dallas.

He will be assisted by Dave King, who coached him with the Canadian Olympic team and former Olympic team goaltender, Sean Burke. Tippett was once considered a protege of King's, and when King was named assistant coach recently the rumours of Tippett's hiring began to emerge.

It isn't known if current interim coach Ulf Samuelsson will be part of the coaching package - but it's assumed he will be.

Tippett had an impressive 271-156-28-37 record with the Stars, missing the playoffs only once. The Coyotes have not been in the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2000 and have never won a round since moving to Phoenix.

(Doc's take: The Coyotes are better off with Dave Tippett behind the bench.....he's a very good coach.)

[gohabsgo]

As a young boy, I learned to play hockey in Southern Ontario, and I know what great fans they have there. It’s my hope they too will have an NHL franchise in the not too distant future.

Hockey fans in Toronto are also hoping to have an NHL franchise one day too! :D

[Doc Holliday]

As a young boy, I learned to play hockey in Southern Ontario, and I know what great fans they have there. It’s my hope they too will have an NHL franchise in the not too distant future.

Hockey fans in Toronto are also hoping to have an NHL franchise one day too! :D

You're annoying! Can't you come up with anything new once in a while? Are you really as stupid as you sound? :confused:

[gohabsgo]

You're annoying! Can't you come up with anything new once in a while? Are you really as stupid as you sound? :confused:

pretty rich - coming from someone who said Sittler went to Vancouver :o

[Doc Holliday]

pretty rich - coming from someone who said Sittler went to Vancouver :o

That's the best you can do? C'mon! :D

[lgna69xxx]

another stepping stone for the young and talented Leafs...... Detroit had almost every regular playing while the Leafs had about half of theirs and they still pulled out a shootout win....... i no it's only preseason but alot of good things are happening with this new look Leafs team..... Stalberg once again impressed with 3 points, the kid is gonna be a star, and remember where you heard that first,,,,,,,again the name is Viktar STALBERG! , remember boys and girls, REMEMBER That Name!

[Doc Holliday]

I agree that Stalberg has been extremely impressive in the games he played. But Hanson, Kadri, Bozak & Gunnarson have also impressed the heck out of me!

It's quite likely that those young players won't be rushed into the NHL & will likely spend a good part of the season in the minors or in junior. But thats' actually quite refreshing, knowing that such good young players with unlimited potential will be in a Maple Leafs uniform in 1, 2 or 3 years. Finally, the Leafs future is a bright one!!

I'm so impressed with the defence. Francois Beauchemin is a horse & will be looked upon as a leader on that young team. I'm predicting that he'll soon be named the team's captain, with her Komisarek, Kaberle or Stajan as his alternates.

Who's the Habs' captain? Oh, that's right....they probably won't have one this season. :D

[gohabsgo]

another stepping stone for the young and talented Leafs...... Detroit had almost every regular playing while the Leafs had about half of theirs and they still pulled out a shootout win.......

Fool #2,

Give your pea-brained head a shake. Do you think Detroit was really trying in a meaningless game against a bottom feeding team like Toronto? Do you think guys like Lidstrom, Franzen, Datsyuk and Holmstrom are competing for jobs on their team and therefore need to make an impression on the coach in the hopes of securing a roster spot? Detroit starts the season in Sweden – they’re just hoping to get out of the pre-season without any injuries.

Delusional Leaf fans are drinking too much of Blowhard Burke’s blue&white kool-aid. :D

[lgna69xxx]

I think you will see Bozak and Stalberg make the team come Oct1. maybe and i hope, Kadri, at least for a 9 game trial ......

Francios or Komi would make excellent Captians for a few years until Schenn is ready to handle the responsibility....... on another note, Stajan is not a Burke type guy and is gonna make the team based on last years point totals, he has done little in preseason and time will tell if he stays or used as trade bait




I agree that Stalberg has been extremely impressive in the games he played. But Hanson, Kadri, Bozak & Gunnarson have also impressed the heck out of me!

It's quite likely that those young players won't be rushed into the NHL & will likely spend a good part of the season in the minors or in junior. But thats' actually quite refreshing, knowing that such good young players with unlimited potential will be in a Maple Leafs uniform in 1, 2 or 3 years. Finally, the Leafs future is a bright one!!

I'm so impressed with the defence. Francois Beauchemin is a horse & will be looked upon as a leader on that young team. I'm predicting that he'll soon be named the team's captain, with her Komisarek, Kaberle or Stajan as his alternates.

Who's the Habs' captain? Oh, that's right....they probably won't have one this season. :D

[lgna69xxx]

A Professional is a Professional, they even admitted they played like crap for most of the game, ........ you are a Professional at hiding under the wagon then jumping back on so im sure you "NO" :p full well a PRO is always a PRO........ chickenman., bawk bawk

:D:D:D




Fool #2,

Give your pea-brained head a shake. Do you think Detroit was really trying in a meaningless game against a bottom feeding team like Toronto? Do you think guys like Lidstrom, Franzen, Datsyuk and Holmstrom are competing for jobs on their team and therefore need to make an impression on the coach in the hopes of securing a roster spot? Detroit starts the season in Sweden – they’re just hoping to get out of the pre-season without any injuries.

Delusional Leaf fans are drinking too much of Blowhard Burke’s blue&white kool-aid. :D

[Doc Holliday]

Likely praying to make the playoffs next season, among other things:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/canadiens-head-to-christian-ranch/article1303160/

Praise the Lord! :D

[G1GBallday]

Well it didn't do much for these two teams last year. :rolleyes: http://www.teenranch.on.ca/hockey/

NHL teams such as the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs have utilized our arena for development camps.

My guess is the Habs were invited and comped by the place in order to get rid of the loser vibe left behind by those two. :D

[gohabsgo]

Likely praying to make the playoffs next season, among other things:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/canadiens-head-to-christian-ranch/article1303160/

Praise the Lord! :D

Yes, Praise the Lord for more dumb comments from Idiot#1! :D


http://www.teenranch.on.ca/hockey/

NHL teams such as the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs have utilized our arena for development camps. The Florida Panthers and St. Michael's Majors are our annual guests for their development camps as well. National and Olympic teams from Canada, Finland,Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand add to the list of International guests.

you lose again, fool! :D

[gohabsgo]

Likely praying to make the playoffs next season, among other things:

How about praying to make the Stanley Cup finals - just once - after 42 straight seasons of futility! :D

[JustBob]

The Habs will be the only playoff team to spend 5 consecutive days in Ontario this season. What a thrill this must be for Ontarians! :D

[Doc Holliday]

As of noon today:

Habs cut Sergei Kostitsyn. No big surprise there. The young lad has a lot of personal problems (social problems i should say) and his main focus isn't on hockey.

Toronto has cut Jason Allison & Andy Rogers. They had granted a tryout to those two free agents. They've sent down Jonas Frogren to the minors. Nazem Kadri has been returned to the London Knights of the OHL. They've announced that Viktor Stalberg has made the team. He'll likely be the only rookie to start the season with the Leafs.

Meanwhile, the Habs are off to a Christian camp for some bonding & praying. Not sure which of the two comes first. As for the Leafs, they're off to the Muskoka area to play some paintball & relax in the pool.

Big game on Thursday between the two teams & the doc will be in attendance, right behind the Leafs bench next to Larry Tanenbaum. If you see a guy wearing a cowboy hat passing notes to Ron Wilson, it might just be the doc. :D

[johnmbot]

i'm waiting for my atf team to make a comeback... the seals.

[Mod 11]

You guys in sports threads are boring for us Mods! You call each other names, you kick each other asses but you always stay in "buddy mode" with respect in the background.

Don't change please, you got it right... Well... Most of the time... :D

[lgna69xxx]

Rumor has it that Mod11 is a Leafs fan......... way to go! :)




You guys in sports threads are boring for us Mods! You call each other names, you kick each other asses but you always stay in "buddy mode" with respect in the background.

Don't change please, you got it right... Well... Most of the time... :D

[Mod 11]

Igna, now, stop the insults or I'll ban you until the Leafs win the cup!

[Doc Holliday]

Igna, now, stop the insults or I'll ban you until the Leafs win the cup!

Now, that's mean!! ;)

(However, the Leafs will win the Cup before the Habs ever will again!)

[joelcairo]

Toronto has cut Jason Allison

Sincere congratulations to the Laffs: this is the first (only?) good move they've made in years. Addition by subtraction! Now if they'd cut Burke and Wilson they'd really be making massive steps forward!

[joelcairo]

Igna, now, stop the insults or I'll ban you until the Leafs win the cup!

Please - even for iggy, a lifetime ban is too severe.

[Doc Holliday]

Now if they'd cut Burke and Wilson they'd really be making massive steps forward!

Jealous! :D

[lgna69xxx]

hey now, i guess that $100 i slipped you was forgotten about already huh? :rolleyes:



Igna, now, stop the insults or I'll ban you until the Leafs win the cup!

[lgna69xxx]

it is quite obvious isnt it? i have never seen so many scab fans have little to talk about , simply because they have NO IDEA if they got any better than last season, sure you can bring in one top scorer and 2 FORMER TOP scorers, along with a tall AGED D-man and a cpl other new faces, but will they Gel togehter?????? only time will tell...



Jealous! :D

[Doc Holliday]

Captain=Mike Cammalleri
Alternates=Andrei Markov & Brian Gionta

He did say that Markov isn't vocal/extrovert enough to get the 'C' right now. He also mentionned that he'll have to start playing better in the playoffs if he ever winds up getting the 'C'.

Perron added that it's well known that the selections will be made by coach Jacques Martin (and not the players). He did say that it's quite possible that the team won't name a captain until the season is already under way.

(Anyone watch "Le Banquier" last night? It was fantastic!!)

[joelcairo]

it is quite obvious isnt it? i have never seen so many scab fans have little to talk about , simply because they have NO IDEA if they got any better than last season, sure you can bring in one top scorer and 2 FORMER TOP scorers, along with a tall AGED D-man and a cpl other new faces, but will they Gel togehter?????? only time will tell...

You guys make me laugh. Believe it or not, the shitty habs and the SUPERshitty Leafs are not the only two teams in the NHL. Instead of rooting for these two examples of long-ago glory (or maybe you don't think 42 freakin' years since your douchebag Leafs won anything is that long ago iggy), why don't you root for a REAL team like the Red Wings?

[Doc Holliday]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded a third-round pick in the 2010 draft to the Calgary Flames for defenseman Anton Stralman.

The 23-year-old Swede played 88 games the past two seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded along with forward Colin Stuart to Calgary in July for center Wayne Primeau.

Stralman, a seventh-round pick in the 2005 draft by the Maple Leafs, has four goals and 18 assists in his two seasons in the NHL. He will be given a shot at playing on the Blue Jackets' league-worst power play. The Blue Jackets also cut nine players on Monday to pare their roster to 27 players in advance of Saturday's season opener at home against Minnesota.

[Doc Holliday]

Considering he was able to get a 2nd rounder for Stralman when he traded him to the Flames, his Kessel deal is starting to look even better now that the Flames were able to only get a 3rd rounder for him:

Flames trade Anton Stralman for 3rd round pick

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded a third-round pick in the 2010 draft to the Calgary Flames for defenseman Anton Stralman.

The 23-year-old Swede played 88 games the past two seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded along with forward Colin Stuart to Calgary in July for center Wayne Primeau.

Stralman, a seventh-round pick in the 2005 draft by the Maple Leafs, has four goals and 18 assists in his two seasons in the NHL. He will be given a shot at playing on the Blue Jackets' league-worst power play. The Blue Jackets also cut nine players on Monday to pare their roster to 27 players in advance of Saturday's season opener at home against Minnesota.

[lgna69xxx]

Why you ask? because i'm a true "FAN" of my team and dont run and hide when they miss the playoffs, i dont run and hide when they lose three games in a row like some people around here, i support them when times are good, and when times are bad, and for once in the last several years, the Leafs are doing some very good things for the future and hopefully the present....... thats WHY ...... should of known you'd only like a team thats on top :rolleyes:

(ok this is where you step in and say your not a fan of the red wings either, grow a set and take a stand instead of being a wishy washy fan who only wants to slam Tor and Mtl)....... btw your wings are on the decline.... age and too many long term contracts are starting to dismantle the birds..... not gonna be the dominant team anymore, good team, Very, but i dont think the "Glory Days" of the last decade are in their immediate future...... it sure is gonna be an interesting season , that i think You and I can agree on , eh????




Instead of rooting for these two examples of long-ago glory (or maybe you don't think 42 freakin' years since your douchebag Leafs won anything is that long ago iggy), why don't you root for a REAL team like the Red Wings?

[gohabsgo]

Big game on Thursday between the two teams & the doc will be in attendance, right behind the Leafs bench next to Larry Tanenbaum.

Yes, you'll be hard to miss in your pretty Leaf outfit :D

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e196/Praetor0506/leafs_alt_jersey-1.jpg

[lgna69xxx]

Hey now, it is nowhere near as bad as if i had said i heard that Special K was the biggest Habs fan in the world.... geesh :rolleyes:
Igna, now, stop the insults or I'll ban you until the Leafs win the cup!

[lgna69xxx]

so is this gonna happen or not?........ the Season starts tommorrow
Would anyone be interested in joining a Merb Fantasy Hockey League, set up on Yahoo? Would be great to get some of you guys into this league and have a lot of fun with it. I set something up so post if you're interested.

SK

[lgna69xxx]

Sergei Kostitsyn was demoted by the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday and now his days with the club may be over.

General manager Bob Gainey told reporters on Wednesday that Kostitsyn has been suspended for refusing to report to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL and that he has asked for a trade.

Last season, the Belarussian native scored eight goals and added 15 assists for 23 points in 56 games.

According to the Montreal Gazette, there is speculation that Kostitsyn is looking at playing in the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League.


This is NOT a good way to start the season for the Scabs,,,,,, Controversy from Day 1, not that i want Sergei on the Leafs but wouldnt it be funny if he ended up on a line and best friends with Grabo? ROFL!!!!!

[Doc Holliday]

Can't blame Sergei for wanting to be traded from that organization. They've been on his case since last season & using him as a scapegoat. Sure, he was no saint while in Mtl...who would be? But he wasn't alone.

I'd take him on my team (Leafs) anytime & make him play with his fellow countryman & good friend Mike Grabovski. :D

Come to Toronto, Sergei!

[lgna69xxx]

Doc, all set for your Voyage to the Capital of Hockey tommorrow? ......i'm jealous, haha!

[gohabsgo]

Who's the Habs' captain? Oh, that's right....they probably won't have one this season. :D

Fool #1,

Is that all you can muster, that Montreal hasn't named a captain? Pretty feeble (from the feeble minded).

Btw, who was Leafs captain for all of last season? Yeah, that's what I thought! :D

[joelcairo]

should of known you'd only like a team thats on top :rolleyes:

(ok this is where you step in and say your not a fan of the red wings either

Well iggy as usual you're wrong on all counts. I've always been a Wings fan, even in their struggling years. I've stated that several times in the past in the hockey threads here but I guess no one read them to you.

You see ig, the difference between the Wings and your Hogtown douchebags is that the Wings are a class organization with the best ownership and management in the NHL...not to mention a tradition that includes truly great former players such as Howe, Lindsay, Abel and Delvecchio (to name just a few).

And now? Well you can start with someone like Lidstrom, who is merely one of the greatest 3 or 4 defensemen in the history of the sport. You can continue with Datsyuk, one of the best 3 or 4 players in the world today, and then you can start thinking about Zetterberg and a dozen other current Wings.

But shit - wait a minute! I forgot all about the glorious history of the Leafs: Brian Spencer, John Kordic, Tie Domi, and the list goes on and on right up to Jiri Tlusty. Oh yeah and in terms of ownership, it's true the Wings have the best in Mike Illitch, but shit I forgot that the Leafs had Harold Ballard and the Ontario Teachers!

[lgna69xxx]

Goscabsgo, your such a lovable HOMER! :D

although i agree that a captain doesnt need to be named before the season, i do think the Leafs last year should be used as a measure of how NOT SO GOOD your scabs were..... i do believe the Leafs only had 12 points less than the Scabs who by all accounts were suppossed to have won the cup last season right? (the 100th season, a year of celebration, oups, im sorry, i mean another dissappointing season, my bad) :D ROFL!!!!...... and with something like 2 weeks before the end of the season the Scabs were only 6 points better than the Leafs :D

by Jan 2010, i would like to think H.A.B.S. will mean Having Another Bad Season for your minor league team that calls the Bell Centre home :p.....

True the Leafs havnt won a cup in 42 years, but it will make it that much sweeter when it happens, just ask red sox fans.... Toronto still has the Best fans in Hockey, bar none





Btw, who was Leafs captain for all of last season? Yeah, that's what I thought! :D

[joelcairo]

Toronto still has the Best fans in Hockey, bar none

There is just one error in your sentence. The correct version is: Toronto still has the dumbest fans in hockey, bar none.

[lgna69xxx]

Typical Wings fan, living in the Past., spend more time reading and less time posing in front of that mirror will ya? your not gonna get any better looking just by admiring yourself :p

It's a new season and your team has not gotten better thats for sure, just older. slower, and the salary cap has finally started to show on the ONCE Mighty Wings...... truth be told....

you can say you have loved the wings forever all you want, kinda funny you never talk about them and only come in here to bash mainly the Leafs,.... (read before you post, i said MAINLY)

with that said the Wings are still a contender, but nowhere near as much as in years past, and come playoff time, their tired old guys will show from a long 82 game season and i dont think a cup is in your future for the near future...
Well iggy as usual you're wrong on all counts. I've always been a Wings fan, even in their struggling years. I've stated that several times in the past in the hockey threads here but I guess no one read them to you.

[lgna69xxx]

Real truth hurts,............ eh??????? i stand correct tho, i should have said Best and most Loyal.......



There is just one error in your sentence. The correct version is: Toronto still has the dumbest fans in hockey, bar none.

[joelcairo]

Typical Wings fan, living in the Past
with that said the Wings are still a contender, but nowhere near as much as in years past, and come playoff time, their tired old guys will show from a long 82 game season and i dont think a cup is in your future for the near future...

You're right Iggy I'm living in the past. Shit, they haven't won a Cup since way, way back in 2008. Fuck! It was over a year ago! And in 2009 the best they could do was lose in the final. Shit it sucks to be living in the past.

Oh by the way when was the Laffs most recent Cup? Hey, I think it was 1967 - is that possible?

[Techman]

Doc, all set for your Voyage to the Capital of Hockey tommorrow? ......i'm jealous, haha!

Doc's coming to Montreal? :D

[joelcairo]

i do believe the Leafs only had 12 points less than the Scabs

the Leafs havnt won a cup in 42 years

I guess this is why you're a Leafs fan. You must be awfully proud of these accomplishments. You know ig, you give me more laughs than any comedian alive.

[lgna69xxx]

past isnt present is it? they showed some old age against Pitt and it has only carried over to this season the way it's looking now...... at least they didnt sign Chelios... what was he 60? .......like i said they will look good probably all season but after 82 games, i would be surprised if they can make a cup run this year and will have to re tool before they ever get another...... thats all



You're right Iggy I'm living in the past. Shit, they haven't won a Cup since way, way back in 2008. Fuck! It was over a year ago! And in 2009 the best they could do was lose in the final. Shit it sucks to be living in the past.

Oh by the way when was the Laffs most recent Cup? Hey, I think it was 1967 - is that possible?

[lgna69xxx]

so because my team hasnt won a Cup in 42 years means i should stop being a fan? thats called being a bandwagon fan, and that only describes one person on here, well maybe 2 now if thats your belief of what a fan should do when his team doesnt win.... nice job, the true colors just came thru .......



I guess this is why you're a Leafs fan. You must be awfully proud of these accomplishments. You know ig, you give me more laughs than any comedian alive.

[lgna69xxx]

now Tech, i know you, and i know your smarter than this...... i said Capital of Hockey, not the Capital of the Hottest girls in the world.........gessh :rolleyes:..... lol
Doc's coming to Montreal? :D

[master_bates]

Habs 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCuEEPi2ufI

[lgna69xxx]

Let the games begin!!!!!!! .......... best of luck to everyone's team and enjoy the game and all its beauty! ...... Go Leafs Go!

[master_bates]

Has to be somekind of record tonight having 2 teams play eachother both without a

captain

[tangledweb]

I heard it happenned last year in a game between the Leafs and the Sabres. But anyways, the captaincy is more for the benefit of the fans and the media because for the most part, the players don't care about who has a "C" or an "A" on the jersey. They know who the leaders in the dressing room are and don't need the letters to identify them...

[G1GBallday]

Since I can't find a Leafy fan to make a real man's bet :rolleyes:, let's at least have some predictions on tonight's game.

I say 6-4 for the Habs.

P.S. $750 bet still available right up to the opening faceoff tonight. :D

[master_bates]

Ithe players don't care about who has a "C" or an "A" on the jersey. They know who the leaders in the dressing room are and don't need the letters to identify them...


Unless you're alexei kovalev

He played so much better last year when he was captain as compared to when he wasnt

Coincidence? I think not

[gohabsgo]

P.S. $750 bet still available right up to the opening faceoff tonight. :D

You're not going to find any Leaf fans with the stones to make a real bet :o

[lgna69xxx]

BWAHAHAHAH!!!!!! that coming from you, the biggest pussy(cat) (gotta keep it clean :) ) on here, what a oxymoron! :D
You're not going to find any Leaf fans with the stones to make a real bet :o

[gohabsgo]

BGL tunes up Orr! :D

[lgna69xxx]

great game, just be thankfull price was the price of 2 years ago.;........ See GHG this is what REAL and TRUE fans do, , not run and hide like a cowardly lil girl....:p........ Toronto outplayed the habs, but sometimes those are the way things go......... see ya in Mtl on Halloween........ o crap that reminds me, i gotta wear a scabs jersey to the game., ... crap..... ,,i was very impressed by both teams overall(well mainly price for the scabs) ..... Leafs a lil more :D

Plan the parade ghg! ROFL!

[Doc Holliday]

Well, what can i say? The Habs stole one from the Leafs, who outshot them badly (by a 2-1 margin) and dominated them throughout the game. A couple of lucky goals for the Habs got them that extra point. Carey Price played great in the nets for the Habs, who owe him their win.

Leafs were impressive & Stalberg looked great out there. Komisarek didn't help his team with a couple of stupid costly penalties, but he was probably too wired for this game. He'll learn from this. Beauch was once again a horse on defence. All in all, a good game by the Leafs, who deserved a much better fate.

(Very hot-looking young sexy blond just walked up to me (in the hotel lobby) and did a few hand signals. I finally realized she wanted a phone, which i didn't have on me.....how the hell does a sexy young deaf mute use a phone? At first i was sure she an sp....who knows...deaf mute sp?)

[JustBob]

Leafs played well. I like that kid Stalberg. Habs were more opportunistic. Lucky goals? Give me a break... Price played well. Gill sucks. I'm impressed with Gionta. Komi got what? 5 penalties? He should have gotten at least 10...

[gohabsgo]

Well, what can i say? The Habs stole one from the Leafs, A couple of lucky goals for the Habs

What you always have to say ... the usual big pile of crap

http://i.ebayimg.com/11/!BZH5ulg!Wk~$(KGrHgoH-CMEjlLl)s+(BKlHL7)Jcw~~_35.JPG

[lgna69xxx]

i wouldnt say Lucky goals either, but i would say price had a few lucky saves, but played his butt off and he stole that game for his team.......Don Cherry was correct that Price should of been the first star, hands down!

told you guys to watch Stalberg..... kid has greatness written all over him, his speed is unreal, he just flys by defenders with ease...... time will tell..... whats the injury to Markov? ....... anyone got a damn jersey i can borrow? ( i sure am not buying a scabs jersey, although it would be fun to burn it after) i asked my "friend" and she wont let me back out of it....... if she wasnt so damned hot i just may have but oh well....... :p
Leafs played well. I like that kid Stalberg. Habs were more opportunistic. Lucky goals? Give me a break... Price played well. Gill sucks. I'm impressed with Gionta. Komi got what? 5 penalties? He should have gotten at least 10...

[JustBob]

From the replay, it looked like Markov got cut by Price's skate on the front of his left leg right above his skate but there are no further details on his injury.

[joelcairo]

Komisarek didn't help his team with a couple of stupid costly penalties, but he was probably too wired for this game. He'll learn from this.

Komisarek won't learn. He'll continue costing his team with his selfish and cowardly penalties. The Habs are better off without him - it's addition by subtraction one more time. But look at the bright side Leaf fans: you were playing Montreal not Boston, so at least Komi didn't have to get his clock cleaned yet again by Lucic.

[G1GBallday]

So with an overrated bum in nets and a bunch of smurfs taking two periods to show up, the Habs still won the game. OUCH! :eek:

What I really liked the most was the "Smurfs" out hit Jurke's big scary Leafs 2-1 :D and Komisarek played exactly like he did last year ie. bonehead penalties, tons of giveaways, hits from behind on small players, and fought like he was hugging his Mommy. :rolleyes: Unless he finds his 2007-2008 form again the love affair with Leafy fans won't last much longer. :p

P.S. Doc caught on tape leaving the ACC last night. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_RKPGS2vwM)

[lgna69xxx]

even tho the Leafs lost, there was alot to be encouraged about , they thoroughly out played the scabs for most of the game, and well, most isnt good enough as was the case. but price was on fire and the score could of easily been 6 or 7-3, but kudos to the scabs for pulling it out,,,,,, Komi has to settle down and he will be fine, as they said he was amped up for this game and played too agressive at times.,... overall if mtl is a measuring stick as an elite team this season, then great things are on the horizon for the Leafs, but unfortunatley, the Scabs are NOT an elite team, so hopefully the Leafs win alot more of the games they dominate and dont get beat by taking silly penalties or by foolish mistakes .....

[Techman]

even tho the Leafs lost, there was alot to be encouraged about , they thoroughly out played the scabs for most of the game, and well, most isnt good enough as was the case. but price was on fire and the score could of easily been 6 or 7-3, but kudos to the scabs for pulling it out,,,,,, Komi has to settle down and he will be fine, as they said he was amped up for this game and played too agressive at times.,... overall if mtl is a measuring stick as an elite team this season, then great things are on the horizon for the Leafs, but unfortunatley, the Scabs are NOT an elite team, so hopefully the Leafs win alot more of the games they dominate and dont get beat by taking silly penalties or by foolish mistakes .....

Komi will never learn and he will continue to take stupid penalties, especially when they play the Habs. In fact there were a couple more that he could have been called on especially a cross check from behind driving someone into the boards which should have earned him a 5 minute major. He'll end up being more of a liability than anything else by the end of the season when the Leafs find themselves playing golf instead of playoff hockey. :D

But the Habs weren't very impressive last night either. Too many shots allowed once again, even though not many of them were very dangerous and the injury to Markov is bad news. But it will take them a few games to get used to playing together and we can't really judge them until another 10 games or so have been played. But they really have to get those shots down or Price will just fold again. No goalie can take a barrage like that game after game without burning out.

By the way lgna, congrats on your 1000th post!

How can you tell that summer is over? The Leafs are falling.:p

[JustBob]

Markov out for 4 months ouch... They say he was operated on last night to repair a laceration on his left ankle. I guess it was pretty bad and tendons/ligaments were severed.
Huge blow to the Habs. I guess they'll bring Weber up because he can play on the PP.

[lgna69xxx]

Komi is a great defenseman, otherwise why were the habs not only grooming him last year to be the Captain, but also offering him a long term contract, you dont do that to a average player, plus he is an allstar D man,..... .... he is truly a superstar in the NHL and just has to get his head back in the game, there was NO DOUBT he was wired up to play the habs and his first game as a leaf, and he made alot of mistakes, but one bad game wont break his career, in the long run he is a great great GREAT addition to the Leafs and habs fans are just pissed because he left on his own terms and not like how your former captain and alternate captain were thrown out like yesterdays trash.....







Komi will never learn and he will continue to take stupid penalties, especially when they play the Habs. He'll end up being more of a liability than anything else by the end of the season

[lgna69xxx]

Habs got 2 points, Leafs got 1..... habs lost markov for 4 months. :eek:

Looks like the Leafs did fare better last night afterall...... i do wish a speedy recovery to Markov however....





Markov out for 4 months ouch... .

[lgna69xxx]

by the way, Chelios is available...... he may be pushing 50 but he plays like he's 28 :p




Markov out for 4 months ouch... They say he was operated on last night to repair a laceration on his left ankle. I guess it was pretty bad and tendons/ligaments were severed.
Huge blow to the Habs. I guess they'll bring Weber up because he can play on the PP.

[Doc Holliday]

by the way, Chelios is available...... he may be pushing 50 but he plays like he's 28 :p

Patrice Brisebois has approached the team about coming out of retirement. They haven't given him an answer yet. Some experts are now predicting that the Habs won't make the playoffs now with Markov gone for the most part of the season. These 'experts' had placed Mtl in 7th or 8th before Markov's injury. Tough!!!! :D :D :D

[lgna69xxx]

would not surprise me to see him back, but he is not the answer
Patrice Brisebois has approached the team about coming out of retirement. They haven't given him an answer yet. Some experts are now predicting that the Habs won't make the playoffs now with Markov gone for the most part of the season. These 'experts' had placed Mtl in 7th or 8th before Markov's injury. Tough!!!! :D :D :D

[Doc Holliday]

would not surprise me to see him back, but he is not the answer

Okay then. How about Serge Savard making a comeback?

[master_bates]

Habs do it again!

2 games badly outshot, 2 games won in OT

[lgna69xxx]

another game they escaped with 2 points, again only because of CP..... can price play like this all season? can he stop nearly 40 shots per game? ., time will tell



Habs do it again!

2 games badly outshot, 2 games won in OT

[Special K]

Habs do it again!

2 games badly outshot, 2 games won in OT

Yea, that kind of luck isn't going to hold up all season long. They'll be coming back to earth very soon.

[Doc Holliday]

Yea, that kind of luck isn't going to hold up all season long. They'll be coming back to earth very soon.

Plus they lost another defenceman. O'Byrne possibly gone with a broken ankle.

I never thought Hal Gill & Paul Mara would be so important to a hockey team until now! :D

[joelcairo]

Okay then. How about Serge Savard making a comeback?

Well he'd probably do better than any of the current Leafs d-men are doing!

[lgna69xxx]

yea, and hopefully better than the red wings D men as well :D..... touche'
Well he'd probably do better than any of the current Leafs d-men are doing!

[G1GBallday]

Well he'd probably do better than any of the current Leafs d-men are doing!

What do you mean JC, Beauchemin is only on a pace for a league record of -164. :confused:

Maybe he can get injured and the Leafs can get Ian Turnbull to come back. :D

[lgna69xxx]

Oh c'mon G1GBallsychin, you know very well Beauchemin would have been beloved in Montreal and is much better than his first 2 games of the season indicate.... all the Scabs fans i know wanted him in the worst way and couldnt believe Gainey didnt sign one of Quebecs own.....


What do you mean JC, Beauchemin is only on a pace for a league record of -164. :confused:

Maybe he can get injured and the Leafs can get Ian Turnbull to come back. :D

[johnhenrygalt]

These 'experts' had placed Mtl in 7th or 8th before Markov's injury. Tough!!!! :D :D :D

And these same "experts" predicted the 08-09 CH to finish near the top when in actuality they barely made the playoffs in 8th place.

And these same "experts" predicted the 07-08 CH to finish out of the playoffs at 10th or 11th when in reality they finished 1st in the conference.

Maybe this is a good sign; the Habs do better when the "experts" don't expect anything from them.,

[Doc Holliday]

On the post-game show after the Habs/Sabres game last night, the panel was again lamenting the fact that Gainey went out & got to very similar defencemen in Hal "Giveaway" Gill & Paul "The Invisible" Mara. Most of their defenceman all shoot from the same side. The panel even wondered why in the world Gainey didn't acquire Beauchemin over all of these players after Beauchemin had even stated he'd welcome playing for Mtl.

Anyways, the season is still extremely young. Two games. Let's see how the teams look after 40 games.

Looks like The Monster will start for Toronto against Ottawa on Tuesday. It appears the team has lost confidence in Vesa Toskala, who might actually wind up in the minors this season.

[Doc Holliday]

The New York Islanders are becoming the NHL's biggest free agent. Frustrated with a lack of a decision by local government to approve or reject a major developmental plan that would provide the Islanders with a new, refurbished arena, owner Charles Wang said yesterday he will explore all other options -- including relocation.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/nhl

[Doc Holliday]

CBC personality Don Cherry blasted the NHL Players Association's firing of former union boss Paul Kelly on his "Coach's Corner" segment on Saturday's "Hockey Night in Canada."

The NHLPA's executive board voted to fire Kelly after a marathon meeting in a Chicago hotel in the early hours of Aug. 31.

In a sometimes heated exchange with host Ron MacLean, Cherry said he usually sides with players on issues, but couldn't when it comes to Kelly.

"It's terrible the way they treated him. They should be ashamed of themselves," said Cherry.

"(To keep Kelly) waiting in the hall 'til 4 a.m., bring him back in and fire him, gotta do it that night, couldn't do it the next day," said a visibly upset Cherry.

"When I hear somebody's fired quick like that, something fishy's going on."

Kelly is a former U.S. prosecutor in Massachusetts who helped bring former NHL union leader Alan Eagleson to justice on fraud charges.

No reason has been given for Kelly's firing other than it came after a review of his leadership.

Last night's Coach's Corner:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Sports/CBC%27s_Hockey_Night_in_Canada/Coach%27s_Corner/ID=1284059955

Last night's Hotstove:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Sports/CBC%27s_Hockey_Night_in_Canada/Hotstove/ID=1284105111

[lgna69xxx]

RDS is reporting that defenseman Ryan O'Byrne will be sidelined for the next six weeks with a knee injury.
Bad news for the Canadiens as they are already without the services of star defender Andrei Markov for up to four months with a torn tendon in his ankle. Montreal will likely be making a call to the minors soon for help on the blueline


OUCH!!!! O'Byrne was having a great preseason and finally looking like a good D man...... plus was a big body on D.......

[G1GBallday]

Ryan O'Byrne will be sidelined for the next six weeks
Andrei Markov for up to four months

You should have taken the bet. :D
Happy B-Day BTW.

[Doc Holliday]

Weber has been recalled by the team. Two starting defencemen injured long-term in two games. I think i'll let the Habs have the points if it means losing a starting player for a long-term period. Anytime! :D

On a more serious matter, i've been checking the various blogs dedicated to the Habs & it seems more & more people are suggesting a trade between the Habs & Leafs involving a Leafs defenceman, such as Kaberle, due to the excess of NHL-calibre defencemen in the Leafs organization. If i were Burke, i wouldn't do it unless the return is considerable, like a 1st or 2nd round pick, plus Sergei. How about Sergei straight up for Jonas Frogren?

[gohabsgo]

You should have taken the bet. :D


I even gave retard#2 two-to-one odds :D

[lgna69xxx]

not sure Burke would be willing to help an arch rival in the same division, the rewards would need to be HUGE, not just good., the Kessel deal made sense, but i doubt boring Bob Gainey would give Burke something with rich rewards back,, but Gainey is clueless these days so maybe, ya never know!


.....
Weber has been recalled by the team. Two starting defencemen injured long-term in two games. I think i'll let the Habs have the points if it means losing a starting player for a long-term period. Anytime! :D

On a more serious matter, i've been checking the various blogs dedicated to the Habs & it seems more & more people are suggesting a trade between the Habs & Leafs involving a Leafs defenceman, such as Kaberle, due to the excess of NHL-calibre defencemen in the Leafs organization. If i were Burke, i wouldn't do it unless the return is considerable, like a 1st or 2nd round pick, plus Sergei. How about Sergei straight up for Jonas Frogren?

[Special K]

the Kessel deal made sense,

Did it really? Apparently he's already damaged goods. On the IR for at least 6 more weeks. Lol. As a B's fan, that's sweet justice to see. A piece of shit primadonna like Kessel. 21 year old punk who thinks he's a seasoned vet.

[lgna69xxx]

SK, for being a reasonably smart sports fan like you are :p...... you might need some brushing up on your NHL knowledge, it has been well documented that Kessel had successful rotator cuff surgery and was diagnosed with a full recovery, matter of fact most rotator cuff surgeries , the patient is as good as they were before the injury and sometimes even better..... Every expert that i heard on nhl network, tsn, espn,cbc, as well as other hockey columnists agreed it was a good trade for both clubs and only time will tell who benefited more.....the only "expert" that disagrees was goscabsgo..... go figure :D

i wouldnt call a shy kid a primadonna, but more of the boston media making him out to be so,,,,, dont always believe the media my man, especially the boston media








Apparently he's already damaged goods. On the IR for at least 6 more weeks. Lol..

[Doc Holliday]

Calling Phil Kessel a 'primadonna' is way off base, and even most Boston sports writers would agree with me on this. Many of them (and other hockey writers) didn't blame Kessel for demanding a move to another team, which was entirely in his right, by the way, being a restricted free agent. But that wasn't the sole reason. Kessel got fucked by the Bruins, and even Boston writers admitted this. Boston tried to trade Kessel at the trade deadline last season, and then thought they had a deal made with Toronto on the day of the amateur draft. Anyone in Kessel's shoes would see the writing on the wall & realize that the Bruins organization didn't want him.

If Boston really would have wanted him, they would have kept him, period. But twice they failed to trade him & now that he was a restricted free agent, he let it be known that he'd be moving & it was up to them if they wanted to trade him, let him sign an offer sheet which might bring them a first, second & third rounder if they didn't match, or match any offer being thrown at him. Luckily for them, and everyone concerned, he agreed to a contract with Toronto, which allowed them to trade him for 2 first-rounders and a 2nd rounder.

Kessel is far from being a primadonna. He's a very shy kid with tremendous talent, who simply wants to play hockey where he's wanted. His offensive skills were not a match in a Claude Julien system & it simply was the best thing for both parties to part ways. As for his rotator cuff surgery, everyone who follows hockey regularly & not just sporadically knew this already & it's not like he's a baseball pitcher. He's a hockey player & he'll recover completely from the procedure. He's already skating & he'll be ready to play in just over a month from now. I have him in my hockey pool, so i expect him to rack up a lot of points this season.

[Special K]

A very close friend of mine is a very successful businessman who has been a season ticket holder for quite a few years. He attends all the special events that the Bruins hold, golf tourneys, party cruises, anything there is, he's there. He even had Lucic go to school (http://www.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view.bg?articleid=1173474)with his 8 year old kid last year for show and tell. Lol.

Point being is this, another friend of mine along with him recently played a golf tournament in Bolton, MA and Shawn Thornton was included in their foursome. Shawn is not the type of guy to hold anything back when talking and he made it more than obvious that young Phil Kessel is a primadonna. He had no desire whatsoever to play in this city and made many other statements as to Phils character in the locker room and the dislike the other players and the coach had for him. Let's just say he was very vocal about his and others feelings about this primadonna.

BTW, his offensive skills were fine, it's his defensive mentality or lack there of that didn't fit Juliens system. Anyone who doesn't have any desire to back check and just wants to hang around the blue lines won't fit into Julien's system and that's exactly what Kessel was.

[Doc Holliday]

Shawn is not the type of guy to hold anything back when talking and he made it more than obvious that young Phil Kessel is a primadonna. He had no desire whatsoever to play in this city and made many other statements as to Phils character in the locker room and the dislike the other players and the coach had for him. Let's just say he was very vocal about his and others feelings about this primadonna.

Marginal players such as Shawn Thornton usually hold nothing back when they speak & often badmouth fellow players (who usually are more talented than they are) when they speak. My brother-in-law has played for years in the AHL & he didn't mince words in regards to Sidney Crosby after his first season. He called him overrated & overpaid, a player who was overly hyped & not as talented as people claimed he was. I laughed! I tried to argue with him to no avail. He claimed that most of the players on his team believed the same thing about Crosby. That basically he was an overhyped, overpaid primadonna. Last spring, my brother-in-law refused to admit what he had said in regards to Crosby. He looked so foolish!

Shawn Thornton is a career 4th-line player, who'll spend his time playing in the minors & for the big team. He's a marginal player, at best. But what i like about him is that he once played in the Leafs system. But i'll believe Brian Burke & Ron Wilson's sources 100 times than i'll believe what a career journeyman 4th liner will say in regards to a much superior hockey talent. Just my two cents.

[Special K]

Shawn Thornton is a career 4th-line player, who'll spend his time playing in the minors & for the big team. He's a marginal player, at best. But what i like about him is that he once played in the Leafs system. But i'll believe Brian Burke & Ron Wilson's sources 100 times than i'll believe what a career journeyman 4th liner will say in regards to a much superior hockey talent. Just my two cents.

Just because he's a career 4th liner doesn't make him non credible. That in itself is an asinine assumption.

[lgna69xxx]

Whatever reason he was ""Labeled"" a primadonna is irrelevant now anyways, whether it was fabricated or made to be a bigger issue than it was by the media or by fellow teammates, it's over, he is now a Leaf and is happy being so,.,,,, everyone wants to feel important and you cant blame the guy for being distant to the bruins for the way they tried to trade him more than once, when all the guy did was give 100% every second he was on the ice, you dont score 36 goals by luck and without effort, not in todays NHL......

..... ......
Just because he's a career 4th liner doesn't make him non credible. That in itself is an asinine assumption.

[Doc Holliday]

Whatever reason he was ""Labeled"" a primadonna is irrelevant now anyways, whether it was fabricated or made to be a bigger issue than it was by the media or by fellow teammates, it's over, he is now a Leaf and is happy being so...

Very well spoken. As a matter of fact, 99% of NHL'ers were all once primadonnas & many still are. Most of these players used to be the top players on their teams when growing up. Even George Laracque was the best player on his team in minor hockey. Most of these athletes (not just in hockey) grew up with swelled heads & egos & everyone catering to their needs. When they arrived in the pros, they realized that they were no longer the best players & their respective egos took a beating. Even Nick Kypreos once was a top junior player. He still holds the record for the most goals for the North Bay Centennials junior hockey team (OHL). Everyone thinks he was strictly a tough guy (goon) when he played, which was partly true. He himself said that when he arrived in the pros (with Hartford i believe), he quickly figured out that if he wanted to stay in the pros & not spend years in the minors, he had a better chance of making it by using his fists instead of trying to make it as a goal scorer. He had a very respectable career, having played for the likes of the Whalers, Caps, Rangers & Leafs.

[Doc Holliday]

Latest rumour most concrete yet

We got a salary cap.

We got a new arena.

We've got some southern teams in trouble.

And now, it appears, we have some big money in the mix.

Dare I say, the wheel is turning in the right direction for the return of the NHL to Winnipeg some day.

Don't get overly excited. It's not likely to happen in a year or two.

But news that the richest man in Canada has some interest in bringing a team to Winnipeg is a pretty key piece to the puzzle.

Why would someone based in Toronto want to spend $150-200 million to put a team here, you ask?

They wouldn't, on their own.

But David Thomson, who as chairman of the Thomson Corporation is one of the few people who has more money than BlackBerry Jim (Balsillie), is already a major shareholder with True North Sports and Entertainment, the company that runs our downtown arena and the Manitoba Moose.

Thomson's been involved with True North since the beginning, through his real estate company, Osmington, Inc. Osmington owned the old Eaton's building, although its share in True North goes beyond that.

So when we learn that he's involved -- as we did yesterday -- we don't dismiss it.

This all started with Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada report suggesting there's a group working to acquire the Atlanta Thrashers and move them to Winnipeg .

Never mind what Don Cherry said. Never mind talk of the Phoenix Coyotes coming back.

And never mind the usual naysaying you get in this space.

This is the best, most concrete news a Winnipeg NHL fan has heard, yet.

Sure, we're getting the usual denials out of Atlanta. That's what they have to say. They may still be playing there for a few years.

But we know there's a disjointed ownership group there, one that's been battling for control in court.

The Thrashers are owned by Atlanta Spirit, Inc., who bought them for $80 million in 2004. And we know they lose money.

The Thrashers are near the bottom of the NHL in terms of generating revenue. According to Forbes Magazine, the 10-year-old franchise has been losing some $6 million a year recently.

It would be no surprise if some of those owners were ready to bail.

A move is far from imminent, though.

The same ownership group controls the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, and the group's deal with the city-owned 18,545-seat Philips Arena reportedly calls for both teams to stay, or pay a major penalty ($10 million per year).

There's another factor in Atlanta's stability: according to Forbes, the Thrashers may also be on the verge of losing some $6 million per year in the NHL revenue sharing program, because the city of Atlanta will pass the 2.5-million household limit designated in the program.

Not to mention the U.S. recession is going to kick the crap out of the Thrashers, and several other struggling southern teams, this season.

As per usual, the folks at True North Sports aren't making any comment. Interviews with Thomson are even more rare.

But there's something about this one that makes some sense.

This isn't Pittsburgh owners using Winnipeg and/or Kansas City as leverage to get a sweet arena deal.

This isn't the gawd-awful mess going on in Phoenix, one a sensible person wouldn't want to touch with a 10-foot hockey stick.

What's it all mean?

Maybe we should look at the bottom line.

A year ago, Forbes valued the Thrashers at $158 million.

I'm not sure Winnipeg's Mark Chipman could afford that on his own, or with his other Winnipeg-based partners.

David Thomson, on the other hand, could make it happen.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Atlanta/2009/10/06/11318431-sun.html

[lgna69xxx]

Quebec City deserves a team more...... with that said Winnipeg also deserves a team again.... Hamiliton doesnt make sense, and it's not becasue im a Leafs fan, it's just not as smart as the other 2 cities listed above... 3 teams in Ontario? QC makes a LOT of sense and would be great for Hockey in general, and i for one never got to see a Live Quebec/Montreal game and would cherish that idea,....... QC would get a new Arena and flourish now that there is a salary cap..... as would the Peg'

[Doc Holliday]

Quebec City deserves a team more...... with that said Winnipeg also deserves a team again.... Hamiliton doesnt make sense, and it's not becasue im a Leafs fan, it's just not as smart as the other 2 cities listed above... 3 teams in Ontario?

Winnipeg already has an arena to accomodate an NHL team, Quebec City doesn't. Yet.

The only problem i have with a team in Hamilton is because it'd be located right next to both Toronto & Buffalo. It wouldn't harm the Leafs' market, but definitely would do serious damage to the Sabres. I see another team in Toronto (NYC has two) or in the Kitchener/Waterloo area (or London) and call it 'Ontario' for marketing purposes.

I'm still surprised there's no team in Seattle, which would be a natural geographical rivalry with Vancouver.

I'm willing to bet that Phoenix will still have a team in the near future & Atlanta won't. Nobody goes to the games in Atlanta & the ones footing the bill are the players. Once the NHLPA gets its house in order, they'll put pressure on the league to relocate that team.

[master_bates]

I would love to see more canadian teams in the nhl seeing as how hockey is canadian but

gary buttman wants to get rid of the canadian teams not lose american franchises and give

more teams to canada.

[gohabsgo]

my brother-in-law refused to admit what he had said. He looked so foolish!


Had your brother-in-law posted what he said on a message board, he could simply go back and edit or erase the post! :D

[smuler]

I agree with some ideas here

There should be NHL hockey in the Pacific Northwest ( Portland or Seattle )

Hockey should return to Canada ( Winnipeg or Quebec City )

I used to love it when the Rangers would play on TV in those cities


Kansas City seems to be the destination the NY Islanders are looking at. Really no competition market wise there... They are looking for an NBA franchise also...



Even though I'm a Ranger fan, it would be a shame for the loyal Islander fans

They would feel what the Jet and Nordique fans felt....


Best Regards


Smuler

[Doc Holliday]

Why doesn't Mtl & Toronto have them? :confused:

http://www.totalprosports.com/blog/index.php/2009/10/25-beautiful-nhl-ice-crew-girls-photos/

[gohabsgo]

Doc after a recent Leaf loss:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JalWHhGpzPM

[Doc Holliday]

Habs enforcer gets a boxing lesson!!

Loved it!! :D :D :D :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gi3oTyvwQw

[johnhenrygalt]

...gary buttman (sic) wants to get rid of the canadian teams not lose american franchises and give

more teams to canada.

Why would you say that after Bettman was the guy who saved Ottawa and Edmonton?

[G1GBallday]

Habs enforcer gets a boxing lesson!!

Loved it!! :D :D :D :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gi3oTyvwQw

I guess when your "current" team is 0-3 it doesn't take much to give you a boner. :rolleyes:

Personally I preferred this clip. :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9_fb5dSuGI

[Doc Holliday]

Personally I preferred this clip. :D

Nah! Kind of lame if you ask me. No blood! The doc likes it when there's blood! :D

[gohabsgo]

CANUCKS TO FILE TAMPERING CHARGES AGAINST MAPLE LEAFS

It appears as though the Toronto Maple Leafs may be in a bit of hot water as they have been accused of tampering by the Vancouver Canucks.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=294023

[gohabsgo]

From Leaf boards on last nights game:

Where has the supposed team toughness gone? Wasn't Burke making a big deal about our forwards getting more room and not getting knocked around anymore? Stalberg was leveled, ok it was clean hit but did ANY Leaf do anything about it later on? Nope. Same old crap as last season so far.

The whole team can't pass.

Beauchemin is still not good

Blake has 2 moves: Drive wide behind the net and lose the puck Drive wide and fall down

No truculence.

Ponikarovsky is consistently painful to watch. Such a big man, and plays like he is 5'7" and 150lbs.

What frustrates me is that he has poor hands and no hockey sense. He fumbles the puck all the time and can't pass. Other than that he's great.

That game last night was freaking Pond Hockey on the part of the Leafs.

No offense at all. You would think working 1 night in 3 you would be goosed and ready for action. Not this crew.

How bad is it when Stempniak is the best hitter on our team?

I really, really miss Mats Sundin.

It's pretty sad when all three of the new defensemen have been terrible so far.

I frankly don't know what it's going to take to get this team going, as games like this one demonstrate. A slow, sluggish start coupled with questionable defensive/offensive lapses... certainly they won't win too many games this way!

I can't believe that after waiting 7 years to see a game in person I'm rewarded with the garbage I witnessed tonight.

The whole team seemed generally invisible

Another aspect of the game which I found very telling was the Leafs could not manage ANY sustained offence at all.

I've been a strong supporter of the additions Burke has made, but it's very, very obvious that we're missing players with skill and size.

The biggest problem in my mind right now is how the Leafs got pretty much physically man-handled by the sens. Where the hell is all this truculence, etc...? They bent over for Ottawa tonight

I'd like to know where all this "Teams will be punished" BS went?
Looks to me like they get pushed around just as much as last year.

That was ugly. I didn't think they could look worse than Washington. In some ways, they did.

Beachemin has been a let down for me. At times, I can't possibly imagine what he's thinking and it's been going on since his first game in preseason.

What a pathetic display of hockey that was last night. Can we make a simple pass out there without putting it on the opponents stick or 5 feet in front of the player? Brutal.

[lgna69xxx]

juat getting ready to watch the Scabs/Canucks game, what happened to that big opera singer who used to let the crowd sing half of the Canadian National Anthem?

[lgna69xxx]

this guy...... i think every Canadian Team should do this,,,,,, what great Spirit!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc3OO0IUPjE&feature=related

[Doc Holliday]

CANUCKS TO FILE TAMPERING CHARGES AGAINST MAPLE LEAFS

It appears as though the Toronto Maple Leafs may be in a bit of hot water as they have been accused of tampering by the Vancouver Canucks.

You're kind of late with your news. The Leafs' Ron Wilson received a small fine today for comments he made a few months ago. No further discipline by the league will be imposed.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2009/10/07/11336466-sun.html

(I'm really enjoying tonight's game right now.....Habs trailing Vancouver 5-1.....Habs defence, as predicted, has been terrible tonight.....Price isn't playing saviour tonight! The smurfs haven't done much....playing like smurfs, i guess! LOL!!!!)

[Special K]

Yea, that kind of luck isn't going to hold up all season long. They'll be coming back to earth very soon.

Honeymoon's over Habibis fans! Lol. Routed tonight.

[lgna69xxx]

Routed? that would be if they got beat say, 5-1, .... NO, tonight. they plain got MURDERED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ....... gonna be a LONG 4 months w/o Markov Scab fans.......



Honeymoon's over Habibis fans! Lol. Routed tonight.

[lgna69xxx]

Price can't stop a f*cking beach ball tonight



LOOK AT THIS PEE WEE DEFENSIVE COVERAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ray Ferrero is making excuse after excuse for Price and the Canadiens....Ray, sh*t the Hell up!!!! they f*cking suck!!!!




7-1 For f*cks sakes!!!! get the bum out of the f*cking net!!!!




pretty brutal defence tonite...Spacek is stinkin big. Cripes the losses of Markov and obyrne are really being felt tonite.



sigh... has price been pulled yet.... i turned my tv off after the 2nd



yeah hes gone..and gill sucks... guy couldn't even beat up a guy that is like 8-9 inches shorter and half his weight...



that was just awful. terrible. that ruined my night



Can't blame Price for this loss.. he didn't play great but wasn't horrible either..
This loss goes to the HORRIBLE excuse for a defense..


the SMURF line played really really SMALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,


gonna be a long long season...... dammit Gainey, we look even worse than last year!!!!!!

[gohabsgo]

(I'm really enjoying tonight's game right now.....

Remind me again, how many wins do the Leafs have this season? Yeah, that's what I thought.

[lgna69xxx]

wow, your still here? ohhhhhh silly me, thats right, one more loss and your gone again, silly silly me, last night was only the scabs 2nd loss in a row, not 3...... i guess after Edmonton Saturday night it's vacation time....... try not to get a sunburn :p






Remind me again, how many wins do the Leafs have this season? Yeah, that's what I thought.

[lgna69xxx]

another embarrassing moment from last nights debacle :D



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F9_oPMPk-4

[gohabsgo]

A Montreal loss seems to provide a joyous distraction for loser Leaf fans – they don’t have to think about how shitty their team is. Speaking of Burke’s “Army of None”, the Leafs currently sit last in the division and are practically cellar dwellers in the conference. But look on the bright side of being winless so far this season Leaf fans - you will likely end up with really high first and second round draft picks next June which will help your organization in the rebuilding process. Oops, Jurke the Genius traded them away for the whiny “Phil the Shrill” Kessel. :o


EDIT: With Detroit and New Jersey wins tonight, the bottom feeding Maple Turds are not only the worst team in their division and conference but now last in the league! 30th overall! Boston G.M. Peter Chiarelli probably can't wait for next years draft when he makes the first overall selection (compliments of idiot windbag Brian Jurke)

[G1GBallday]

Honeymoon's over Habibis fans! Lol. Routed tonight.

Hey SK, I missed the score of the Bruins versus Saku and his buddies tonight. Can you fill me in? :D

[Special K]

Hey SK, I missed the score of the Bruins versus Saku and his buddies tonight. Can you fill me in? :D

Haha..I've forgotten it already. ;)

[Doc Holliday]

Former Flames star Theoren Fleury says he was sexually assaulted dozens of times by convicted pervert coach Graham James -- crimes the ex-NHLer claims led him to later squander virtually all his hockey wealth on inebriated rampages.

In excerpts from his new book in Maclean's Magazine, Fleury tells of how James wore down resistance to the coach's advances while he spent two nights a week at the older man's home in the 1980s.

"Graham was on me once or twice a week for the next two years," Fleury told Maclean's, confirming what many have suspected for years after Fleury's one-time minor league teammate Sheldon Kennedy blew the whistle on James in 1996.

He also describes a road trip he and Kennedy took with James to Disneyland in which his teammate was sexually abused in the car's front seat while he slept in the back.

"Think about how sick that is," said Fleury, while also recalling taking turns sleeping with James in motel rooms on the same trip.

The interview comes a week before the release of Fleury's book Playing with Fire in which he alleges harrowing years under James' tutelage as a member of the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors, which he joined at the age of 16.

The ex-Flame said he decided not to reveal his secret in the 1980s for fear the stigma attached to it would have aborted any hope of an NHL career.

Instead, Fleury said he numbed the trauma with vast amounts of booze, drugs, gambling and strip club romps that he believes consumed most of the $50 million he'd made in the NHL.

"I would go five, six, seven, eight levels below the streets of New York and party with freaks, transvestites, strippers and all kinds of shady people," he said.

Following Kennedy's revelations he'd been assaulted by James 350 times, his former coach was sentenced to 3-1/2 years in prison.

It's believed James now lives in Montreal.

Fleury -- who thrilled hockey fans with a gritty bid at a comeback with the Flames this fall -- said he's made peace with his parents who he once accused of allowing him to fall into James' clutches.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Calgary/2009/10/09/11359721-sun.html

[EagerBeaver]

There was an article on ESPN claiming James is now coaching junior hockey in Europe:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4545993

"James, a well-known Canadian junior hockey coach, served 3½ years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing some of his players, including Sheldon Kennedy, the only player prior to Fleury to go public. James currently coaches junior hockey in Europe."

[gohabsgo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dry6bqzZbFc
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e196/Praetor0506/LeafsSuck-1.jpg

[Doc Holliday]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO4HAiUcrTk

[Doc Holliday]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TglklO-YMZY&feature=related

(GHG, do you realize that the Habs should actually be 0-4 right now if it wasn't for Carey Price's masterful goaltending in the first two games? I'm surprised you haven't gone into hiding yet. Will a loss in Edmonton tomorrow do it? :D)

HABS REALLY SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lgna69xxx]

geez Doc,,,,, why are you always repeating what i say first? :mad:........ Just Kidding, if its a slam against a cowardly bandwagon scabs fan then repeat all you want my friend! :D





[
(GHG, do you realize that the Habs should actually be 0-4 right now if it wasn't for Carey Price's masterful goaltending in the first two games? I'm surprised you haven't gone into hiding yet. Will a loss in Edmonton tomorrow do it? :D)

HABS REALLY SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gohabsgo]

HABS REALLY SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take a look at this fool, now tell me who really sucks ... :D

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?type=lea#&navid=nav-stn-league

When Burke said "truculence" he meant "suckulence"!

[Doc Holliday]

Any average hockey fan with a brain who's watched every game both teams played would easily come to the conclusion that with a bit of luck (and less bad luck), the Leafs should be 2-1 right now. They dominated the Habs in their first game, did lose their 2nd game against Washington, but easily could have beaten Ottawa in their last game, who got both their goals on flukes. The Leafs scored once & could have got their 2nd goal in the third when Komisarek hit both posts with a slapshot.

The Habs, meanwhile, were lucky to beat both Toronto & Buffalo after being grossly outplayed by these two teams, and most knowledgeable Habs hockey fans will admit to this. Carey Price played like Jacques Plante in those two games. A young Jacques Plante, i should add. They played better than people expected against Calgary but still lost to the superior team. You want me to analyze the Vancouver game? I think not.

So with a bit of luck & less bad luck, the standings should read Toronto at 2-1, and Montreal at 0-4. Even most 'Habs experts' i've listened to on tv & radio talk shows admit that the Habs in reality could easily be 0-4 right now.

THE HABS SUCK AND HAVE BECOME AN EMBARASSMENT TO MONTREAL

[EagerBeaver]

I am not the hockey fan that all of you guys are, but isn't it true that both Montreal and Toronto stink? Isn't it true that TO has severe goaltending issues and Montreal has severe defensemen issues? Who really cares which team stinks worse if neither one is playoff calibre?

There should be more discussion in this thread about the winners in the NHL and less dwelling on the losers. Pittsburgh is defending Stanly Cup champion and it appears as thought the Capitals and perhaps the Blackhawks could mount a serious challenge to them this year. These young teams are teams that will at least sniff the liquid in the Stanley Cup. The only think that either Toronto or Montreal will be sniffing is the horrendous odor of their shitty performances. Let's stop dwelling on the losers in the NHL and start talking about who the winners will be.

[Doc Holliday]

True, both teams currently suck, and both teams have goaltending issues (among other problems). But i see the light in Toronto. This will be a great team in a couple of years. It's a team with a vision. Montreal, on the other hand, is going opposite ways & i doubt the GM will be named Gainey next year, unless his first name is Steve. Yes, Mtl has major problems at defence & things were only slightly better when Markov was healthy. The offense is okay. In Toronto, the defence is okay, but they're struggling offensively, even though they were 10th in the league last year in offense with basically the same group, minus Nik Antropov & Dominic Moore. But the offense should stabilize itself once Phil Kessel joins the team in mid-to-late November.

I agree that there are other teams in the league who are very good to great teams. I welcome all feedback on those teams. I agree with your assessment that Pittsburgh, Washington & Chicago are on the way up or already are at the top. I'd also want to mention the NY Rangers, who will surprise a lot of people this season now that they've found a sucker to rid them of that cancer Scott Gomez. With the addition of Marian Gaboric, they'll be one of the top teams in the east, along with the Flyers, the Pens & the Caps, whom i predict will wind up in the Eastern Conference finals this year IF the core of the team remains healthy. A case could be made that Alexander Ovechkin might simply be the most spectacular hockey player we will ever see in our lifetimes.

I don't know what's going on in Boston. The Bruins have been absolutely terrible up to now. Was last year an abberration? Did they play over there heads? Has the departure of Phil Kessel & the injury to David Krejci hurt that much? Will Tim Thomas be a one-season wonder? Have the players tuned off to Claude Julien like they did back in New Jersey and previously in Mtl? Or will they bounce back?

By the way, a study released yesterday showed that the Leafs are the most expensive ticket in hockey, followed by the Habs. Amazing!!!

[Special K]

Will Tim Thomas be a one-season wonder?

This I can agree with for certain! Tim Thomas had a crazy fluke season last year. He's an awful goaltender and relied on an absurd amount of luck last year. The Bruins completely fucked up in signing him long term for an absurd price. He sucked the year before last and he sucks this year, same old goalie, different streak of luck so far. Bring on Tukka!!

[Doc Holliday]

http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/10/09/theoren-fleury-was-abused-an-absolute-nightmare-every-day-of-my-life/

[gohabsgo]

with a bit of luck (and less bad luck), the Leafs should be 2-1 right now. but easily could have beaten Ottawa in their last game, who got both their goals on flukes.

The Habs, meanwhile, were lucky to beat both Toronto & Buffalo So with a bit of luck & less bad luck, the standings should read Toronto at 2-1,

Absolutely hilarious! Yes, luck and fluke goals are to blame (how about adding biased officiating, poor ice and bad bounces?). More of the same lame excuses from loser Leaf fans. :o

[gohabsgo]

By the way, a study released yesterday showed that the Leafs are the most expensive ticket in hockey, followed by the Habs. Amazing!!!

Fan Cost Index

Toronto Maple Leafs $411.30

four straight seasons without making the playoffs (soon to be five) - amazing that idiot Leaf fans pay those prices to see such a piece of on ice crap!

Montreal Canadiens 361.25
Boston Bruins 352.60
New York Rangers 348.84
New Jersey Devils 339.60
Minnesota Wild 338.12
Vancouver Canucks 334.43
Philadelphia Flyers 322.80
Calgary Flames 312.44
Chicago Blackhawks 312.38
Florida Panthers 309.44
Edmonton Oilers 294.61
NHL AVERAGE 288.23

[lgna69xxx]

Sadly, that statement is reality






THE HABS SUCK AND HAVE BECOME AN EMBARASSMENT TO MONTREAL

[G1GBallday]

THE HABS SUCK AND HAVE BECOME AN EMBARASSMENT TO MONTREAL


Sadly, that statement is reality

http://pix.motivatedphotos.com/2009/3/23/633734286276035410-retardsweallknowoneortwo.jpg

[EagerBeaver]

This will be a great team in a couple of years.

Do you think Toronto can be great with Jonas Gustavsson and Vesa Toskala as their goalies? These two are worthy successors to the likes of Eddie Belfour and Curtis Joseph?

[Special K]

What a comeback for the beloved B's tonight! Down 3-0 in the 3rd period they scored 3 goals in the final 8 minutes to force an OT and shootout, then won the shootout for the 2 points!!

What'd the Leafs and Habs do last night? :D

[lgna69xxx]

the same thing the red sox will do in their next and LAST game of the season :rolleyes:



What'd the Leafs and Habs do last night? :D

[Doc Holliday]

What'd the Leafs and Habs do last night? :D

Like i said earlier, they both suck right now. To think that if Carey Price hadn't stood on his head in the first two games where Mtl were grossly outshot & outplayed by both the Leafs & Sabres, Montreal would be 0-5 right now. What an embarrassment to their legends!! :mad:

What do you think, GHG? Have you gone into hiding yet? :D

[gohabsgo]

, Montreal would be 0-5 right now.

Remind me again, where is Toronto in the standing? how did they do last night?

[G1GBallday]

If my "current" team was 0-4 I'd be posting about baseball in a hockey thread too. :D

[gohabsgo]

What an embarrassment to their legends!! :mad:

Embarrassment? You want to talk about embarrassment? Let me step aside and let Leaf fans do all the talking …


I feel a bit foolish. I think I honestly believed Burke when he said this team would compete for a playoff spot. I would like to see them compete in a game first.

I am still waiting for 1 of the top 6 forwards he talked about. There are plenty of bottom 6 forwards.... plenty

They traded their only top six forward last year. He plays for Atlanta now. Anyone think Burke is feeling the heat?

The team sucks right now and everybody knows it.

I cannot hold it in any longer, I want a coaching change
Wilson has lost this team.

Anyone still want to say Ron Wilson is a defensive coaching genius?
The guy is a bum. Everyone thought Paul Maurice was a bum but look at what he is doing with a shallow depth team like Carolina.

what can be changed when the whole team looks dreadful from top to bottom.

Are the Leafs going to get it together to the point where they can dig themselves out of the hole they're in so far? I wouldn't put money on it.

the quality of the assets that Toronto can ice, is piss-poor.

As long as the mindless idiots continue packing the ACC win or lose the suits at MLSE are going to continue to give us talent poor teams that they try to dress up in the media as contenders.

I don't see an effective system in Toronto right now. There's a lack of organization in general.

Right now, I haven't seen anything that makes us look tougher than last year. It's kinda pathetic really.

this team, once again has all the earmarks of a poorly coached team. There is no game plan, nobody seems to know where they are supposed to be and nobody seems to be where they need to be.Even a team with this little talent should be able to at least offer up some sort of game! I can't think of a single part of their game that looks to be on track. They don't/can't hit, they can't score, they can't defend, they can't penalty kill, they have no power play

When you come right down to it, nothing has worked in the past - at least the past 42 years.

the only proven way to build a winner is via the draft and you cannot do that dealing away 1st & 2nd rounders year in and year out.

Very little talent -- agreed. Ineffective systems -- let's suppose we give Wilson a mulligan on that, too, and the players won't listed to him because they all know better. But, what is the excuse for what appears to be a very disinterested group of players who show no urgency to win, pride, or consistent effort? I thought Wilson was supposed to be an effective, albeit unorthodox, motivator.

We have too many mediocre, support-type players

The problem I have with this team is effort, desire, passion, belief.

I have to admit to feeling a little disillusioned with this team right now. I think it was stupid to aim for the playoffs this season.

We have nothing but a bunch of third-liners on this team.

Our team toughness is vapourware.

this is very bad times

[gohabsgo]

on last nights game …

I have no comments beyond this because the Leafs game was simply ugly and too awful for me to watch completely so I didn't watch all of it.

Lets face facts...that performance was a disgrace...Rosehill the only player who deserves to even wear the jersey.......No Heart..No Effort...No Skill...No anything...disgusti ng .......didnt even look like they cared either......

tonight's game really made me wonder why I've been a Leaf die-hard fan for so many years! Frustrating isn't even the word (it's beyond that...). Last year when they had a chance to get a higher pick, I was on the Tank-team side but Burke has screwed us over on that so nobody wants to see the team tank this year. The problem is, this team has no superstars and questionable (to say the least) goaltending & Kessel won't be the savour we need to make the playoffs. I have no idea how they're gonna right this ship but if Boston gets a top 3 pick this year thanks to the Leafs, Burke will be in the doghouse for sure! What a flipping mess this team is this year....

about leadership the problem being that we have NO legit candidates for that role...these guys seemed happy enough tonite to just show up
....where is the truculence and beligerance that these guys r supposed to have? they were made to look like a bunch of wasters tonite...it was always gonna be a tough one to win but they came out with NO desire at all......terrible.

it's becoming increasingly clear that Mats Sundin brought a hell of lot to this team, quite apart from his points. Leadership has been a HUGE missing ingredient for the squad in the past few seasons.

The team sucks right now, doesn't matter who says it or doesn't

Let's face it, this team seriously lacks not just leadership but offence in the middle and a sense of consistency from their defence.

Star forwards are something other NHL teams have. Never our perpetually mediocre Leafs.

It's only 4 games but it's the same problems as last season. Crappy goaltending, a brutal PK and a D that anyone can walk right through and score on.

No leadership...no legit scoring threat for offence...no "star" player...very little talent...etc.

our goaltending is suspect and Toskala leaves a lot to be desired, but let's face it, this team overall talent wise (save Kaberle) is near pathetic.

It really is pathetic that Stajan is our 1st line center. And I'm sick of Blake and his weak shot from the perimeter. Ditto Grabovski and his one-man band.

It's embarrassing when the only "toughness" we have on our team is a couple of goons, and the rest of them are the same bunch of wusses that got pushed around all last year, and the year before, and the year before that.

Honestly, I really believe that NYI have more front line talent at this point then the Leafs.

Komisarek and Blowchemin are abysmal.

The more things change the more they stay the same. The thing that hurts me even more is that we can't even look forward to tanking because we have no first rounder for the next two years.

This group seems worse than Ferguson's teams.

This is as bad as the Leafs have looked as a team in as long as I can remember.

I think its time to call up some farm guys, they guys that played well during the regular season, maybe it will light a fire under some of the Leafs lazy ass's.

Too many of the old guard stiffs still here because of their ridiculous contracts.

There were teams in the 80s that showed more fire than this bunch of clowns.

Like others have said, it's not so much about the fact that they're losing, it's how they're losing. I mean, they're practically rolling over and peeing themselves. It hasn't exactly been encouraging.

The reality is that we've got one point of eight and not a single solid effort in any of the the games.

Its sad to watch really...I'm not sure how things will turn around.I know they will win a game but at this rate when is the question

The whole team looks completely disinterested!

The ACC crowd is the most pathetic in the league. They should be booing these guys right off the ice.

still stuck trying to figure out how they could have paid so much for tickets..to see so little effort... Fans should be chanting "refund"

No need to rush Phil Kessel into action. There isn't any forward on this team with enough talent to play with him.

[gohabsgo]

Ah, but it keeps getting better and better …


Leaf Nation, get used to your team finishing 16th instead of the usual 15th place in the Eastern conference standings.

No finish. No defence. No goalkeeping. No playoffs.

Coach decided to go with the more highly paid veterans. Big mistake.

Still too many passengers and the special teams play is horrid.

Leafs Lose - By mid-season that phrase will have a very familiar ring to it.

I begin by thanking CBC for the nationwide broadcast of the hapless Leafs - truth in advertising would have resulted in changing the name of the broadcast since whatever the Leafs were playing, it wasn't hockey.

I also thank The Burke for assembling such a gritty and tough team with special upgrades on defence. The proof is in the pudding, isn't it.

I also want to thank Wilson the ranter whose histrionics and high volume blather have already been discounted by this veteran group of, of, well, veterans.

Finally I thank the Leaf Nation for their blind and mindless loyalty to the cash cow that is MLSE. Boo birds notwithstanding (and there were several tonight at the ACC) these fans are solidly behind The Burke and believe every contradictory word he utters.

The Charlestown Chiefs vs.The Pittsburgh Penguins.The Burke-Wilson era will be responsible for turning these sad sacks into the Harlem Globetrotters of the NHL.Who is Ron going to blame tonight? Take a peek in the mirror Ronnie. You have been outcoached in every game so far.I'm looking foward to the big, fat turkey you will be serving the Rangers on Monday.Joey Mac in goal Monday.

You look at this team and they have absolutely nothing on offense. When I heard before the start of the year that the first line was supposed to be Stajan, Blake and Hagman, I figured it had to be a joke.

But none of these guys are worth anything. How many times did you see Stajan on his butt tonight?

All I can say is can you imagine paying 500 bucks for two seats to watch this team play? Where can I find these suckers? Even the ice at the ACC is in pitiful condition. IT looked like the paint was coming right through.

What sad shape this franchise is in. Not even the arena they play in is condusive to hockey.

I was a huge leaf fan for 25 yrs but I figured out that Haley's Comet will come again before the leafs win another cup. I honestly don't know why they would suffer and sweat for so many decades.

The Leafs looked horrible. Offense was terrible.

I hope the CBC stops broadcasting this hopeless team and shows us other Canadian teams. The Leafs can fight but little else. I'm not interested in seeing a bunch of goons, I want to see skilled hockey on Saturday nights.

So what's a Leaf Nation fan to do? Blame it all on bad penalty calls all season long? Wait for The Burke to use his high draft picks to build the base (Oh wait, he doesn't have those any more).

Okay, that was painful. I was at the game tonight and it was clear to me that this team has no belief in itself. It is a team without a soul. Yeah, they've got fighters, but they don't have a guy who will win them games.

we'll be lucky to get 3 wins this month

Well its seems we are going to have to get used to the Leafs new game plan. Get the goons out and let the other team know we plan to beat you in the alley. Someone needs to tell Burke and Wilson that game is won on the ice by scoring more goals than the other guy which becomes hard when you spend a lot of time on the penalty kill.

Well, at least if we keep playing this way, we will get the 1st draft pick next year......oh wait, we gave that to Boston.

We dress 3 forwards who can fight - Orr, Rosehill and Mayers and meanwhile we don't seem to have any forwards capable of scoring on even a semi-regular basis.

Of course everyone is waiting for saviour Kessel to finally dress. Well I got news for you, Matt Stajan is not a Marc Savard clone and Kessel will learn that very fast. Stajan will turn Kessel back into a 20 goal scorer.

The Maple Laughs suck. The fact that their high priced GM has mortgaged the team's future in the hope that they could solidify the team, now makes the situation ten times worse. This will be a looonnnng season and I can't see it improving.

I never thought I would say this, but maybe the Leaves should have kept Gerber around.

For a city that is supposedly the mecca of hockey, it really doesn't know much about running a team.

you are delusional if you believe this Leaf team can compete in the NHL. All of them think 'truculence' is a dessert served after a turkey of a game they have played. They are looking forward to a double helping after tonight's effort.

Gerber showed he could block well - in Toronto. No one offered him a contract, so he went to Europe for $200k. Add to that the idiotic decision to start Gus too soon; and in front of the home crowd. The downside was even worse than losing a game.

The present contingent of Leafs are reminiscent of a bunch of hired mercenaries playing hockey.
Burke's credo is to create mayhem on ice. Using Burke's law will only see the Leafs continue to wallow proudly in its own mediocrity.

If burke doesn't trade away any more 1st round picks, the leaves may get to 500 hockey in about 5 years...that is if they can pick a couple of good 1st rounders in 2014/2015 seasons. If I was burke I'd be looking for a way outta my contract...cause the future is gonna stink in toranna for years to come.

now your draft picks are gone(and it looks like those are going to be some valuable picks.) it`s painful to watch...for everyone(and thanks to the sadistic HNIC that`s the case.) that Burke`s first order of business was to go out and get some fighters must have been the first clue. Scrappers ae supposed to be the afterthought, a dime a dozen. Then he picked up a oddball collection of castoff defencemen, not a few key guys but a whole bunch of mediocre guys.

whatta joke..i never thought i'd say this but burkie might actually break up leaf nation..does anyone buy their kid a leaf jersey any more?..they'd get beat up at the playground ..if u wear a leaf jersey in public your a fool

and btw, no rebuilding team trades away draft picks like that. that`s final piece of the puzzle stuff.

these clowns on ice are off to another disasterous season

It appears from an outsider that the Leafs greatest talents are exhibited after the whistle blows. That may have worked in the 1970's, but I doubt it will be successful today. Speed and skill are required now in addition to fisticuffs and the desire to intimidate.

The Burke has gambled on a Bertuzzi-like goon squad of big bruisers who can drop their gloves after each goal they allow, leading to about five or more fights per night based on recent trends. Problem is, you can't hit what you can't catch and you can't stop speedier and more talented players without incurring a penalty for tripping, hooking, and/or interference. Add to the mix a high octane screamer coach with a focus on negativity as motivation and you have the toxic mix that is the current Leafs debacle.

the natives are getting restless....comeon give The Burke and Rompin Ronnie a chance to weave their magic...I mean look at The Burke's signings so far......the much sought after Colton Orr ( should have been 1st star tonight ), Komisarek ( invisible tonight, only because he didn't get a penalty )Francois Beauchemin ( the defensive saviour ?, where did he play before ?) It is early, only 78 more games to go.....ouch that is a painful thought

Burke decided to build from the front lines back, instead of the real weakness in goal. Had he recruited a truly-talented goalie and worked out, things would be different. Toskala is like Red-Light Raycroft, Belfour, and back and back to Curtis Joseph, the last goalie with some ability. How could the team resign Stempniak, Mayers, Blake, and the other never will be's. Kaberle is becoming a liability, too. We can wait for Kessel, but at his price of two first round draft picks, the way this team is playing, it has mortgaged the future again. The ghosts of Cliff Fletcher and Ken Dryden have supplanted Imlach and Ballard. Woe, Leafs, woe.

Prepare for futility because this team is not good at all.

Amazing how the whole Toronto media swallowed all of Burke's flimflam since last season ended. Now, what? Surprised that 29 other teams are not intimidated by all that growl and scowl, all that talk about "truculence".

Like Pat Quinn's "good, old boys" mentality," Burke's like-minded, hand-picked cronies don't seem to yet realize that their style of game has passed them by.

I blame Burke....
He is making every single mistake every single past GM has made since Punch Imlach brought the 1967 Stanley Cup to Toronto. Traded away all of the first round draft picks for quick fixes, unfortunately what he picked up were other teams problems.
Sad, Sad, Sad,,,,,

It looks like Burke traded the number 2 pick over all in 2010 and the number 1 pick overall in 2011 for Kessel. Bahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa ha ha ha .............

Does Wilson know how to coach? Burke's Goon Squad is doing their job tho - putting warm bodies in Leaf jerseys so the plebes pay $200 a ticket to watch.

I would rather have Kubina back then Komisarek et al.

This is what happens when you build a team of fighters not players. Leafs are a bunch of ego-driven "tough-guys" with no idea on how to play together as a team.

Let the Marlies join the NHL and send the Leafs to the OHL. I've been a Leafs fan since I was born. For the first time in my life: Go Habs!

[Special K]

If my "current" team was 0-4 I'd be posting about baseball in a hockey thread too. :D

You know how they are G1...anything to divert the embarrassment off their own. LOL.

[lgna69xxx]

funny coming from you, and your so called GREAT Scabs team that is suppossed to be given the Cup every yr, news flash ballsonchin, your Scabs SUCK! and you even know they very well could be 0-5 and should be, HAHA! and its gonna be a long year for the small and old scabbies..... Price is not a Majician, not for 82 games, and well he showed he is human against the Canucks... o well, look at the bright side, maybe tickets will get cheaper as the season and the losing goes on for Les Habitants :p






If my "current" team was 0-4 I'd be posting about baseball in a hockey thread too. :D

[lgna69xxx]

hmmmmmmmmm, speaking of embarrassment, did the sox play a game today?



You know how they are G1...anything to divert the embarrassment off their own. LOL.

[Mod 11]

gohabsgo (http://www.merb.ca/vbulletin/member.php?u=1020), don't you think these long "What the Leafs fan are saying" posts are annoying at best?

Have you personally checked the loyalty of whoever is saying these things? As far as anybody is concerned, they might be Sens fans!

Where is this privileged info coming from?

How can you tell there is an ounce of truth coming from those sources?

You know how unreliable info from anonymous forums can be, don't you?

This is borderline to posting bullshit and that is not allowed so be careful, the line is very close.

Thanks

[JustBob]

That's not any worse than all the crap posted by our two resident Leafs fans. Plus, it echos what Leafs fans in general now think, and have been writing about their team. And I mean somewhat objective fans that don't have their heads firmly screwed up their arse.

And talking trash when your team hasn't won a single game? Really? That's pathetic and should warrant a suspension. :p

[lgna69xxx]

again it all goes back to what a TRUE FAN really is,.,,,,,, just cause your team doesnt win are you suppossed to jump off the wagon and go away or pick another team,. ? yea i guess so bob if your not a true FAN, but if you are a true FAN then you root for your team win or lose ...... after one week of hockey, it's silly , and the only fans i see acting retarded and with their heads up their butts are lol, SCAB fans, :D...... and why is that? i will tell ya why robert, because you see your team is not even as good as last year and for a scabs fan, thats scarry...... but then again, Halloween is this month :p

can you do me a favor bobby? quit being a fan of my Dallas Cowboys, i hate the idea of sharing with you :D........ just kidding bro


That's not any worse than all the crap posted by our two resident Leafs fans. Plus, it echos what Leafs fans in general now think, and have been writing about their team. And I mean somewhat objective fans that don't have their heads firmly screwed up their arse.

And talking trash when your team hasn't won a single game? Really? That's pathetic and should warrant a suspension. :p

[lgna69xxx]

Did anyone see this? i cant find video of it yet but they asked him if it bothers him and his teammates being called smurfs? i cant believe they asked him that , and he was clearly pissed off and it was to say the least a uncomfortable situation for him and Scott Oake...... Oake clearly was feeling stupid for asking the question as Gomez was making him look a fool....... guess thats a victory for the Canadiens , lol

[gohabsgo]

Where is this privileged info coming from?

http://tmlfans.ca/community/index.php/topic,64524.435.html

other threads from this board,

http://tmlfans.ca/community/index.php/topic,64531.0.html

and other forums like HF Boards

[JustBob]

again it all goes back to what a TRUE FAN really is,.,,,,,, just cause your team doesnt win are you suppossed to jump off the wagon and go away or pick another team,. ?

Jump off no? But criticizing your team instead of always harping about other teams yes. You're not a true fan, you just sound like some retarded child using silly name calling. Plus, again, talking trash when your team hasn't won a single game is pathetic.



can you do me a favor bobby? quit being a fan of my Dallas Cowboys, i hate the idea of sharing with you :D........ just kidding bro

Since I've been a Cowboy fan longer than you have, know more about their history and football in general than you do, no sale. And despite the win today, they still pissed me off. I'm a true fan. :D

[lgna69xxx]

the same negatives are being said about the Canadiens on habs boards as well but to post them after every loss is a bit stupid , retarded, and childish, well, that does explain it right there i suppose, :p...... but i guess when your a habs fan and you realise you have a worse team than last year (and we all know how that worked out in the 100th season) :D then all you got left is to bash the leafs who are not even suppossed to comepete this season by most experts..... but then again all this is after one week of the season, and is a little ridiculous...... lol.......

ghg is just running scared and doesnt wanna prove he's bandwagon and leave after 3 losses in a row by Le Canadien, i guarantee you if the leafs had the same 4 points as the habs he would not even be here posting anything,,,,, so this is his only way to say he's not bandwagon and to stay on that Wagon a lil while longer., its one thing to post jokes about a team but be creative, but to keep posting what "this fan said or that fan said" over and over again is being a moron, once or twice in a season , ok, but after every game? ..... anyways, lets get back to real Hockey talk,.,,,,, if the few children in here can possibly do so :rolleyes:



gohabsgo (http://www.merb.ca/vbulletin/member.php?u=1020), don't you think these long "What the Leafs fan are saying" posts are annoying at best?

Have you personally checked the loyalty of whoever is saying these things? As far as anybody is concerned, they might be Sens fans!

Where is this privileged info coming from?

How can you tell there is an ounce of truth coming from those sources?

You know how unreliable info from anonymous forums can be, don't you?

This is borderline to posting bullshit and that is not allowed so be careful, the line is very close.

Thanks

[lgna69xxx]

if you'd look, Robert... i am responding to some lame scab fans comment, not starting it, but seems some cant let things alone, and true it is all in good fun back and forth,thats what passionate fans do, like i always said, if you cant take it, grow a thicker skin or get out, but then again im sure you wont see it that way as the blinders will never come off your eyes.... always bled leafs Blue and White, always will..... that never has nor ever will change, unlike some people with their team :rolleyes: (not you)

Ahhhhhh yes the ever so knowing all that is justbob...... this is the hockey thread so just one remark about the nfl....... take it over there if youd like to continue to get schooled but im sure you know as much about football as i do., well in my pinky finger that is...., and maybe or maybe not you have liked them longer,...and you critisize others for childish statement? .(now whos being a hypocrite?), you lil silly boy :D.........NOW, can we get back to hockey?




Jump off no? But criticizing your team instead of always harping about other teams yes. You're not a true fan, you just sound like some retarded child using silly name calling. Plus, again, talking trash when your team hasn't won a single game is pathetic.



Since I've been a Cowboy fan longer than you have, know more about their history and football in general than you do, no sale. And despite the win today, they still pissed me off. I'm a true fan. :D

[joelcairo]

I am not the hockey fan that all of you guys are, but isn't it true that both Montreal and Toronto stink? Isn't it true that TO has severe goaltending issues and Montreal has severe defensemen issues? Who really cares which team stinks worse if neither one is playoff calibre?

There should be more discussion in this thread about the winners in the NHL and less dwelling on the losers. The only think that either Toronto or Montreal will be sniffing is the horrendous odor of their shitty performances. Let's stop dwelling on the losers in the NHL and start talking about who the winners will be.

Exactly right!

[Doc Holliday]

i cant find video of it yet but they asked him if it bothers him and his teammates being called smurfs? i cant believe they asked him that , and he was clearly pissed off and it was to say the least a uncomfortable situation for him and Scott Oake...... Oake clearly was feeling stupid for asking the question as Gomez was making him look a fool.

Here it is:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Sports/CBC%27s_Hockey_Night_in_Canada/After_Hours/ID=1291508097

The Gomez interview occurs at around the 4:20 mark. The 'smurfs' question occurs at the 10:14 mark. I was surprised to hear Gomez say that it's the first time he'd heard that reference (so did I). Makes me wonder if Scott Oake (or a member of the HNIC staff) isn't a merbite. I believe i'm the one who came up with that nickname for the three free agents when they got signed & have continued to refer to them as 'smurfs' in this thread. Scott Oake did admit near the end of the interview (due to Gomez' reply) that it probably was a stupid question.

[joelcairo]

True, both teams currently suck, and both teams have goaltending issues (among other problems).

A case could be made that Alexander Ovechkin might simply be the most spectacular hockey player we will ever see in our lifetimes.

I don't know what's going on in Boston.

By the way, a study released yesterday showed that the Leafs are the most expensive ticket in hockey, followed by the Habs. Amazing!!!

Also exactly right!

[joelcairo]

Fan Cost Index

Toronto Maple Leafs $411.30

four straight seasons without making the playoffs (soon to be five) - amazing that idiot Leaf fans pay those prices to see such a piece of on ice crap!

Once more: Exactly right!

[Doc Holliday]

Fan Cost Index

Toronto Maple Leafs $411.30

four straight seasons without making the playoffs (soon to be five) - amazing that idiot Leaf fans pay those prices to see such a piece of on ice crap!

Montreal Canadiens 361.25

Wow! It's only $361.25 to see such a great team like the Habs. A team full of superstars & hard workers. A team with a great goalie & a great coach! A team who will surely win the Stanley Cup this season & possibly for the next few years or so. Wow! What a bargain!! :D

(Ok, i had to stop here.....or else i was about to die from laughing too hard! :D)

Toronto=$411.30
Montreal=$361.25

(The small difference in price isn't surprising considering everything in Toronto is more expensive than in Mtl, including even the hookers.)

(Anyone watching 'Battle of the Blades' on CBC? I must admit i'm hooked!)

[lgna69xxx]

thanks Doc........ yea Oake was clearly feeling embarrassed .....
Here it is:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Sports/CBC%27s_Hockey_Night_in_Canada/After_Hours/ID=1291508097

The Gomez interview occurs at around the 4:20 mark. The 'smurfs' question occurs at the 10:14 mark. I was surprised to hear Gomez say that it's the first time he'd heard that reference (so did I). Makes me wonder if Scott Oake (or a member of the HNIC staff) isn't a merbite. I believe i'm the one who came up with that nickname for the three free agents when they got signed & have continued to refer to them as 'smurfs' in this thread. Scott Oake did admit near the end of the interview (due to Gomez' reply) that it probably was a stupid question.

[Mod 11]

Hear the whistle! It's time for a pause!

Guys, I'm not into sport and I have no intention in getting involved in these discussions but, if I have to step-in, you can rest assured I won't be happy to read these discussions and, consequently, my moderation will get affected and it won't be in a way anybody will like.

These sport threads are going with almost no moderation besides the occasional glance because you guys seemed to be able to control yourselves. It's usually just tavern-style blabbing with the occasional loud discussions but, it usually gets back to buddy-type pretty fast but, at this time, I'm starting to think this control is getting lost.

Some of you are taking this way too seriously and now, the virtual fist fight seems to be just a few posts away. Maybe some peoples should take a break from the sport section for a while before they go too far and get kicked-out of the tavern for a few days? And YOU might be one of them. Yes, YOU!

Please guys, don't force me to read all the posts, I'm quite happy with the once in a while glance method used up to now..

[gohabsgo]

Since the good guys aren’t playing until Thursday, I’m getting a “Laff” from watching that poor excuse of a hockey team from Toronto take on the NYR. Not looking to good so far Leaf fans, down 2-0 halfway through the first - especially for Burke’s big offseason acquisition, the lumbering Komisarek (Markov made this guy look so good!)

Leaf fans are watching the game too and they don't sound very impressed :o:

Would be nice if someone on this team wasn't entirely useless.

Good job Komisarek, you jackass.

Between Toskala's arm and his body. This is a recording.

That goal brought to you by Mike Komisarek who gave up the puck, again.

My goodness this team just sucks ass

at least Komisarek didn't take a penalty after his blue line screwups? Thats one positive on the play.

This team couldn't win an ahl game.

EDIT: Source
http://tmlfans.ca/community/index.php/topic,64547.135.html

[Mod 11]

gohabsgo (http://www.merb.ca/vbulletin/member.php?u=1020), I guess you didn't read my post? See #214 in this thread.

I suggest you do.

[gohabsgo]

gohabsgo (http://www.merb.ca/vbulletin/member.php?u=1020), I guess you didn't read my post? See #214 in this thread.

I suggest you do.

Moderator,

I can assure you that I have checked the loyalty of the posters on TMLfans.ca (considered to be the main Leaf fan board and an excellent source of reliable information by knowledgeable and realistic Toronto fans).

GHG

[gohabsgo]

The tv guys mentioned that if Toronto doesn't win tonight, it will be the worst start in 90 years for this sad sack franchise! OUCH! :D

Burke is hoping that Pocklington offer is still on the table!

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5j4hOFRMJ3X9Ic3lZZgVlVlkQwa1Q

[G1GBallday]

worst start in 90 years for this sad sack franchise! OUCH! :D


Holy shit! :eek:, considering how pathetic the history of Canada's national embarrassment is that's really saying a lot. :p

P.S. The city of Boston should immediately name a street in honor of the new Sam Pollock, Peter Chiarelli. :D

[gohabsgo]

uh oh, two quickies from Avery and Gaborik to start the third, Laffs down 5-2.

[gohabsgo]

P.S. The city of Boston should immediately name a street in honor of the new Sam Pollock, Peter Chiarelli. :D

Boston will have three of the top 31 picks in next years draft: first and 31st overall (compliments of Gasbag Burke) and their own pick .:(

[gohabsgo]

SWEET! Avery with a late goal. Final: 7-2 Maple Turds still winless! :)

Stick a fork in 'em, they're done! :D
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e196/Praetor0506/Fork_in_Leafs-1.jpg

[Mod 8]

Hello everyone,

GHG, I am sure that all the habs fans on the board appreciate the fine support you show for the team but copying posts from sports blogs is going a bit overboard. We are very tolerant with people sharing their own opinions on their favorite team but I see no reason to post the opinions of people from other boards or blogs that have nothing to do with MERB. At least not in the volume that you have been posting them lately.

So long as posters primarily post their own opinions, the occasional quote from other sites will not be a problem. But let's make the main subject of a post your own opinion, not someone else's.

Other than that, we understand how sports fans and their discussions get a bit heated and that is perfectly fine up until the insults start getting a bit too personal. So have fun and let's not let any flames that start in the sports threads carry over to any threads outside the sports forum.

And if people cannot play nice, I will limit the hockey discussion to Battle of the Blades. :D

M8

[gohabsgo]

(Anyone watching 'Battle of the Blades' on CBC? I must admit i'm hooked!)

You must be - you even went so far as to thank the CBC for the show ... :eek:

http://www.blip.tv/file/2703313/

[Techman]

Looks like things just keep getting worse for the Leafs. Now Toskala is down with an injury and MacDonald will be in the net against Colorado with another AHL goalie, James Reimer, backing him up. If things keep going like this, the Leafs will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs by the Olympic break! :D

[Doc Holliday]

Looks like things just keep getting worse for the Leafs. Now Toskala is down with an injury and MacDonald will be in the net against Colorado....
No. You have it wrong. It's the best thing that has happened to the Leafs since they grossly ouplayed the Habs in the opening game of the season. Toskala sucks, everyone knows it, but they keep playing him because of his fat contract in hoping that he improves & they can then unload him to an unsuspecting team. I wouldn't be surprised to see him sent down to the minors, along with Jason Blake, in order to be able to recall them & have to put them on waivers in order to do so. With this scenario, any team picking them up only has to pay half of their salary. But Blake's would be a different story since he has more years left on his contract....Toskala will be a free agent next season.

Joey McDonald, who was in the nets for the majority of the Isles' games last season, will be between the pipes tonight. He'll surprise a lot of people who don't know anything about him. He's a good goaltender & should be with the Leafs ahead of Toskala. But again, money talks. Similar to the Carey Price situation in Mtl & why many believe Halak should be #1 and are wondering why he's not.

Leafs just called up Tyler Bozak. They decided to bench Matt Stajan & Nik Hagman for tonight's game. Stalberg will be back in the lineup after suffering a mild concussion. I'm just hoping that their losing ways won't tempt them to bring up Nazem Kadri. They must be patient with this kid & not rush him into the NHL.

[lgna69xxx]

I am not 100% sure of the rules, but i dont think once a player is sent down to the OHL he can come back to the NHL the same season...... something about age limits also, thats why he wasnt sent to the Marlies, he's not old enuff or something... theres some homework for someone to find



. I'm just hoping that their losing ways won't tempt them to bring up Nazem Kadri. They must be patient with this kid & not rush him into the NHL.

[Doc Holliday]

I am not 100% sure of the rules, but i dont think once a player is sent down to the OHL he can come back to the NHL the same season...... something about age limits also, thats why he wasnt sent to the Marlies, he's not old enuff or something... theres some homework for someone to find

You're correct. I was listening to the FAN 590 & Kadri cannot be recalled once he'd been sent down to junior.

[gohabsgo]

Don’t worry loser Leaf fans, this is just a piece of the puzzle in Gasbag Burke's master plan: don’t peak too early!!!

Wilson has lost the team and Jurke doesn’t have a clue! Gasbag Burke signed 2 marginal defensemen as free agents, grossly overpaying for one (Komisarek) while another (Beauchemin) would be easier to find on a milk carton than on the ice. And how about the Kubina for Exelby trade? Exelby can’t even get in the lineup! Komisarek is 0-0-0 and -2. He is the third most penalized player in the league, #1 for penalized defensemen and all on a team that can't kill penalties. Komisarek can't handle the puck, takes unnecessary penalties and is constantly out of position trying to take the body – Markov made this guy look good when he played here. And how about the rest of Toronto’s brutal D? Schenn looks like a peewee player. Toskala now ranks 50th in the league with a save percentage of .812, a 5.56 GAA. A quarter of your forwards can’t contribute anything but fisticuffs. Worst of all, Jurke has gambled away the future (3 premium draft picks), plus grossly overpaid again, for a moody and selfish player who won’t put up anywhere near the numbers he did in Boston.

It must be Fall, the Leafs are dropping! :D

[Techman]

Looks like Komi is helping his team out again tonight. Another power play goal scored against the Leafs with him in the box. Just when the Leafs had closed to one goal.

3-1 Colorado in the second.


Bummer. :p

[gohabsgo]

Looks like Komi is helping his team out again tonight. Another power play goal scored against the Leafs with him in the box. Just when the Leafs had closed to one goal.

:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzildM6TqAw

and Beauchemin gets turned inside out while Komi sits in the box ...

The line on Komi: no goals, no assists, no points, no shots, -2 and yet another dumb penalty!

http://www.nhl.com/ice/app?service=page&page=playerstats&fetchKey=20102ALLDADAll&viewName=summary&sort=plusMinus&pg=7

Komi: the 194th worst d-man in the league (out of 211) :eek:
Beauchemin: 202nd worst d-man in the league (out of 211) :eek:

way to use your head Komi!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjrtLe7uSiw


and I saved the best for last!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bdh-BjXFH4

[Special K]

Check out this goal (http://www.nesn.com/2009/10/maines-oliver-wahlstrom-tallies-dazzling-mini-1on1-goal.html)by this kid during a mini 1 on 1 tournament. The look from the goalie after is priceless.

[G1GBallday]

Check out this goal (http://www.nesn.com/2009/10/maines-oliver-wahlstrom-tallies-dazzling-mini-1on1-goal.html)by this kid during a mini 1 on 1 tournament. The look from the goalie after is priceless.

Rumour has it Brian Burke is now on a plane to Maine for a meeting with the Junior Pirates' GM where he'll offer the Leafs first round picks in 2012, 2013, 2014, & 20015 plus Mikhail Grabovski for this kid. :D

[Doc Holliday]

Rumour has it Brian Burke is now on a plane to Maine for a meeting with the Junior Pirates' GM where he'll offer the Leafs first round picks in 2012, 2013, 2014, & 20015 plus Mikhail Grabovski for this kid. :D

Well at least it would show that Burke is doing something to try to upgrade his hockey team. What's Boring Bob ever doing other than showing up once a week or so looking like he's suffering from chronic constipation? His ways to address the Markov situation have so far been very lame. J-F Bergeron?? C'mon!!! How long will it take him to be in NHL playing shape? Gainey sucks & he's the worse GM the entire NHL!!

[Special K]

Rumour has it Brian Burke is now on a plane to Maine for a meeting with the Junior Pirates' GM where he'll offer the Leafs first round picks in 2012, 2013, 2014, & 20015 plus Mikhail Grabovski for this kid. :D


Well at least it would show that Burke is doing something to try to upgrade his hockey team. What's Boring Bob ever doing other than showing up once a week or so looking like he's suffering from chronic constipation?

Bwwaaaahhh!!!! You guys are too f'n funny!!! :D:D:D

[G1GBallday]

Just read on Twitter :p that the Pirates GM refused the offer so Jurke said he'd throw in Komisarek but once again the GM refused saying even the kids in Pee-Wee aren't afraid of him anymore. :D