Dion Phaneuf

Leafs Blank Jets 4-0

January 5, 2012

Kory

TheCheckingLine.com - The Toronto Maple Leafs handed Winnipeg their second loss in as many days on Thursday night as the Jets faced off against the Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.

The Jets came out with some energy in the first period, but that was quickly countered by the Leafs as they generated some quality scoring chances. Just 4:49 into the opening frame, Phill Kessel jumped on a nice pass from Joffrey Lupul to put Toronto up 1-0.

Toronto continued to up the pressure in the first, but Chris Mason stood strong between the pipes. Prior to tonight, Mason had won his last four starts.

In the second period, it didn't take lon...

The Key to the Leafs' Season

September 11, 2011

Marco Perruzza

2 Comments

On Monday, September 19th, the Toronto Maple Leafs will take to the ice for the first time in five months. The pre season opener will see the Leafs hosting the Ottawa Senators at the Air Canada Centre. Regardless of the result that night, Leaf fans will finally have that hockey itch scratched. With the summer of longing ending, it is being repeatedly said that if Reimer can continue his strong play, and if the second line plays as well as last season than the Leafs will reach the playoffs. As stated before, I believe the Leafs will end their playoff drought this season, and although the fans are right about Reimer and the second line, the key to the season is whether the special teams can...

What if Everything Goes Wrong?

August 30, 2011

Marco Perruzza

7 Comments

The hockey yearbooks have hit the stands and prognosticators everywhere are making their predictions for the upcoming season. It's also the time when the fans of all teams assume this is the season that their team will take that next step.

Fans on Twitter and around the Internet are vehement that this season the playoff drought will end for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I personally agree. Although, I do not agree with the fans that say the Leafs will make the Eastern Conference Final; it kind of proves the "plan the parade" argument.

For this article though, I'd like to look at the opposite end of the spectrum and speculate how everything can go off the ra...

Colby Armstrong: Mr. Impact

August 21, 2011

Marco Perruzza

2 Comments

When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Colby Armstrong last season ($9 million over three years) many "experts" felt that they overpaid for the gritty, third line winger. On a team developing a new identity, Burke brought in a player who he felt was a necessary component to a winning team. A former Pittsburgh first round pick (21st in 2001), Armstrong was someone who was influential in the rise of the Penguins and the type of player the Leafs desperately lacked for quite some time.

Armstrong's Impact

The Leafs finished the 2010-2011 regular season with a 37-34-11 record, missing the playoffs yet again. The Leafs inability to consis...

Why the Luke Schenn Contract is Important.

August 16, 2011

Marco Perruzza

2 Comments

Both the mornings and evenings have begun to get cooler, and with that slight change in tempearture, hockey seems to be getting closer and closer to returning. The back half of August is upon us, and maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs’ most important player for both this and future seasons remains unsigned.

Luke Schenn has developed into a cornerstone member of the Leafs. He is valuable on the ice, having led the league in hits by a defenceman last season with 251. As well as off the ice, being the longest serving Leaf (along with Kulemin and Grabovski) a strong character like Schenn’s is necessary in one of the youngest dressing rooms ...

You Give Me My Captain and I'll Give You Four Magic Beans

August 11, 2011

Marco Perruzza

2 Comments

I read this article the other night and began thinking about the Dion Phaneuf trade. The fact that Brian Burke was able to acquire his cornerstone player and eventual Leaf captain for basically nothing still boggles my mind. Burke unloaded an underachieving pending UFA in Matt Stajan; a small, tweener defender having a career year (who was also a pending RFA looking to cash in) in Ian White; a streaky, run of the mill winger in Niklas Hagman; and a journeyman fourth line winger in Jamal Mayers. In addition to Phaneuf the Leafs also obtained well thought of at the time Flames prospect Keith Aulie and veteran winger Fredrick Sjostrom.

Wh...