Leafs

With the rumour mill churning and the Toronto Maple Leafs actively seeking a top-six forward, general manager Brian Burke could soon pull the trigger with the trade deadline looming.

As the All-Star weekend wraps up, trade speculation reaches its peek with what’s sure to be a few weeks of absurd trade rumours (Jeff Carter and the Columbus Blue Jackets’ first-round draft pick for Luke Schenn and Mikhail Grabovski is my personal favorite).

Burke has publicly stated his desire to acquire a top-six forward that can add some size and strength to the line-up. The problem, it seems, is such players aren’t acquired at will. Burke had expressed his prefer...

As the end of January approaches, so too does a trade from Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke to bolster his team and elude the madness of the trade deadline.

Burke has stated publicly that he has at least one trade on the burner and he's in conversations with one or more teams. If he pulls the trigger on any deal, however, it will have to a) add size to the top-six unit, and b) upgrade the Leafs for this season as they make a push for the post-season. The only exception, Burke said hypothetically, would be to trade "a 22-year-old for another 22-year-old who plays a different position" in order to fill a need---like, for example, a lack of size in the top-...

The Anaheim Ducks are prepared for a roster overhaul, and its three star players in Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf are available for the right price, according to Ducks general manager Bob Murray.

The news is a minor surprise as the Ducks are two points removed from being the worst team in the National Hockey League. Moreover, Ryan was available barely a month ago before Murray removed him from the trade market and instead hired head coach Bruce Boudreau in hopes of providing his club with a spark.

Nothing changed.

"I thought they'd figure out when we changed coaches that time was running, the clock...

Recently, I reviewed "The Lives of Conn Smythe" for The Checking Line, a biography on the former Leafs owner by Kelly McParland, writer and editor for the National Post. I had the opportunity to ask McParland some questions regarding the book, which reveal even more facts about Smythe, which hockey fans should find intriguing. If you haven't had the chance to pick up the book, you're doing yourself a disservice as a hockey fan.

The following are Mr. McParland's answers:

How did this project materialize? What made you decide to write a biography on Smythe?

I happened to come across an autobiography he wrote with Scott Young just bef...