Reality strikes TO

[PMAC]

Some words of truth from Bill Langkov of SLam Sports

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Lankh...24/1233734.html

Maybe it's a good thing the Maple Leafs aren't likely to win the Stanley Cup. Honest.

After all, how good is it going to look at the post-game skate-around when Mats Sundin, as captain, takes the Cup, passes it to Nik Antropov -- and sees him miss it

Also, Pat Hickey wrote a classic the other day:

"Leafs depend on brain- damaged duo of Lindros and Allison..." Actually, its JFJ who's brain damaged if he thinks that he will get a full season out of either of those two

[Peter Puck]

Here is a more detailed look at a couple of leaf problems.

A column by Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. One of my buddies in Toronto, a leaf fan even, pointed it out to me.

What does Quinn see in these guys?

Enjoy!

[Howie_Morenz]

Also, Pat Hickey wrote a classic the other day:

"Leafs depend on brain- damaged duo of Lindros and Allison..." Actually, its JFJ who's brain damaged if he thinks that he will get a full season out of either of those two

hahahahahaha :lol: this kills me!

When they signed them I was wondering what JFJ was doing. We sign Kovalev and get criticized by the one Toronto reporter that picked it up (All that was said was too much money).

Lindros is a walking concusion bomb. Alison cannot play a whole season, he cant even stay healthy in one preseason game. Oneil was a good trade for Toronto though...Carolina gave him to Toronto...Grrrr:wall:

[Habsp]

after all, I think you are jumping to a lot of concusions about him...

[PMAC]

I like this one too... from the Globe and Mail:

By TIM WHARNSBY

Monday, September 26, 2005 Posted at 8:06 AM EDT

HOCKEY REPORTER

The return of Jason Allison and the play of goalie Jean-François Racine The return of Jason Allison and the play of goalie Jean-François Racine were the lone bright spots in otherwise second-rate performances by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a pair of weekend exhibition games.

The Leafs were dusted 7-4 by the Senators in Ottawa last night and defeated 3-2 by the Canadiens in Montreal on Saturday evening.

Allison, 30, had not played a game since suffering a serious neck injury while with the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 25, 2003.

He had another setback in training camp with a sore right hip flexor muscle, but finally saw some game action when he suited up against the Canadiens.

Allison skated well, registered an assist on Alexei Ponikarovsky's second-period power-play goal and even saw some penalty-killing duty in the penalty-filled contest.

"It was nice to get out there again in a competitive game," Allison said.

"You are going to have some ups and downs, but this was something to build [on]. It's important for me just to get some ice time and to get used to it again."

Allison felt the biggest adjustment will not be regaining his skating legs or working himself into game condition, but adapting to the new, stricter standard of officiating.

He also was afforded the opportunity of taking one of the Leafs penalty shots in the practice shootout that followed the game. Allison had Habs netminder Jose Theodore beat with a deke, but then nailed the post with his backhand.

"I thought I had him," Allison said.

Racine, 23, continued to make inroads in his attempt to win the backup goaltending position. Playing in front of friends and family at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Racine stopped 20 of 21 shots.

Before training camp, the backup position was supposed to be decided by a battle between Mikael Tellqvist and Jean-Sébastien Aubin.

But Aubin has been felled by a groin pull injury and Tellqvist had a tough outing against the Senators last night.

"I think [Racine's] still in the running," Leafs head coach Pat Quinn said.

On Saturday, defencemen Sheldon Souray of Montreal and Toronto's Tomas Kaberle traded goals in the opening period. After Ponikarovsky put the Leafs up, Richard Zednik and Tomas Plekanic put the Habs in front for good later in the second period.

All five goals in the game were scored during power plays.

There was a scare in the first period when a Kaberle shot hit Toronto forward Jeff O'Neill in the back of the neck.

He left the game with a bad bruise, but said the injury was not serious.

Last night, the Senators jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the game was five minutes old and enjoyed a 5-1 advantage early in the second period.

Ottawa coach Bryan Murray had most of his top players in the lineup, including the high-flying line of Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley and Brandon Bochenski.

The threesome scored four of the Senators' first five goals with Bochenski accounting for three.

The Senators, who also beat the Leafs in the preseason opener 5-2 in Toronto, open the regular season against the Leafs at the Air Canada Centre a week Wednesday.

[hankhab]

Leafs linup...whaen everyone is healthy (not often)...

O'neil Sundin Czercowski

Ponikerovsky Allison Antropov

Tucker Lindros Thomas or Wellwood

Kilger Stajan Domi

Mccabe Kaberle

Klee Khavanov

Berg Brown

Belfour

Tellquest

The real problem for Leafs is no depth...if anyone at all gets hurt, they are in Tremendous trouble....I think they'll squeek into the final playoff spot this year...unless Lindros and Allison miss 20-30 games each..then they'll be missing playoffs this year.

[PMAC]

From David Shoalts of the GM: a nice analysis of how JFJ's signing of Kilger and MC to one-way deals has limited the laughs ability to keep promising young players.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...BNStory/Sports/

In the next week or so, someone in authority with the Toronto Maple Leafs will have to sit down with a few of their young players and explain that life in the National Hockey League is hardly ever fair.

These players will be the prospects who have lost their bids to make the roster of the big team and have to carry their duffel bags a few blocks down Lake Shore Boulevard to the Ricoh Coliseum. It may be only a few blocks, but the Toronto Marlies and the American Hockey League are a hockey world away from the NHL.

There may even be an old guy among them, although Steve Thomas will probably go home to start calling other NHL teams. At 42, no one has to tell Thomas that the best players in training camp do not always make the team.

This will be a bitter truth for the likes of Kyle Wellwood, Jean-François Racine, one of Staffan Kronwall, Carlo Coliacovo or Andy Wozniewski and, perhaps, even Alexander Steen.

The NHL is not much different from the regular working world in that it's often whom you know, or more precisely who knows you, rather than how you play, that determines your fate. Coaches and general managers are conservative by nature or by necessity, given their short shelf life, and will often keep a veteran they have a history with over a rookie who can be sent to the minors for another year of seasoning despite evidence he is ready for the big show.

There is also the matter of business, especially now that the NHL has a salary cap.

It is far better to be a marginal veteran with a one-way contract who would have to clear waivers to be sent down than a youngster in his first three years as a pro with a two-way contract and no such restrictions.

That is why Leafs fans could well see Kilger taking a spot on the fourth line next week instead of Wellwood or Thomas.

A look at the statistics before last night's exhibition game against the Buffalo Sabres found Kilger four names from the bottom, with zeroes across the board in three games.

Oops, sorry about that. Kilger still has not put the puck in the net himself, but Sabres defenceman Toni Lydman gave him a goal by kicking the puck into his own net last night.

Wellwood, on the other hand, led the Leafs in scoring with five points in four games, and Thomas, who has the fans living and dying with his job hunt, two points in four games.

However, Kilger managed to get a one-way contract out of Leafs general manager John Ferguson Jr. That means that even though his $475,000 salary (all figures U.S.) is just above the league minimum, he will get all of it even if he is sent to the Marlies. Kilger would have to clear waivers first, but it is unlikely any other NHL team would claim him.

The Leafs may be the wealthiest club in the NHL, with even more riches coming because of the salary cap, but GMs still do not like to explain to the owners why someone in the minors is collecting a major-league salary.

Wellwood has a two-way contract and does not have to clear waivers, while Thomas has no contract at all. That will not work in their favour. (For another injustice concerning players with one-way contracts see Czerkawski, Mariusz.)

Waivers, by the way, could be responsible for another roster surprise.

There is a chance winger Nathan Perrott could make the Leafs as an extra player if they elect to carry 22 or 23 players. Perrott wasn't given a chance by anyone to make the team because the Leafs already have Wade Belak (destined to be the swingman, the 21st player who will play either forward or defence) and Tie Domi to handle the fighting. But there is some fear Perrott would not clear waivers, so he could stay.

There is also a chance, albeit a small one, that Steen could be sent to the Marlies. Steen has looked every bit the NHL player and is being given a long look on a line beside captain Mats Sundin, but the matter has been seriously discussed. There are those who feel Steen would be better off playing a lot in the AHL instead of being thrust on the top line in the NHL or playing sparingly on the fourth line.

Racine may head to the Marlies feeling the most hard done by of the lot. He outplayed Mikael Tellqvist in the race for the backup goaltending job, but the job was always Tellqvist's to lose.

And there is another twist. History has shown that goaltender Ed Belfour is not a happy camper when the backup poses a threat to his job. Since the Leafs were also unlikely to promote Racine all the way from the ECHL to the NHL, Tellqvist wound up doing himself a favour by having an ordinary camp.

All Hail Bob and Andre:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:

and give thanks

[Edited on 2005/9/28 by PMAC]