Toronto Maple Leafs

The Other Perspective

July 14, 2010

It has been a forgone conclusion for quite some time now that Tomas Kaberle would be traded in the summer window that we are currently in, one in which Kaberle’s no-movement clause has been lifted for a month. It has also been a forgone conclusion that dealing Kaberle for another top-six forward will immediately improve the team. Well I’m sorry to burst your bubble Leafs Nation, but neither of those may be true. Yesterday I wrote about the possibility that Kaberle will remain a Leaf and what would need to happen in order for that to occur. Well today I’m here to burst the bubble of hope that automatically assumes that the Leafs will be a better team once they get that top six forw...

Tick Tock

July 13, 2010

Patrick Storto

4 Comments

Right now Stan Bowman probably feels like a snow plow just pushed snow onto his drive way right after he finished shoveling it. After clearing out what seemed to be enough cap space by trading away Versteeg, Byfuglien, Ladd and Sopel, the San Jose Sharks signed the Blackhawks' restricted free agent defenseman, Niklas Hjalmarsson to an offer sheet. So what does this all have to do with the Leafs? Well it's no secret by now that the Blackhawks will be matching the Sharks offer to Hjalmarsson. The Blackhawks decision to match the offer has actually potentially benefited the Leafs two-fold. On one side, the Blackhawks now have to clear more cap space in order to get Niemi under contract. ...

Leafs Need More Offence

July 1, 2010

Ron Guillet

3 Comments

If the Toronto Maple Leafs hope to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season, the franchise must now focus on upgrading the offence. While the acquisition of Kris Versteeg certainly helps, the Leafs are still in need of some firepower upfront. Options are scarce in the free agent market, but the likes of Matthew Lombardi (although reports indicate he is seeking upwards of $4 million per season), Alexander Frolov and Ilya Kovalchuk are still available. The Leafs have $7.05 million in cap space and must still re-sign restricted free agents Nikolai Kulemin and Christian Hanson. However, Burke has options to free up some cap space should he decide to a) bury Jeff Finger’s $3.5 mil...

Versteeg Just the Beginning

July 1, 2010

Ron Guillet

2 Comments

On the eve of the Free Agent Frenzy, Brian Burke has once again stole the headlines with the acquisition of Kris Versteeg to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Burke has added a player who can legitimately play as a top-six forward. The 24-year-old has two 20+ goal seasons under his belt in his first two years in the National Hockey League. While the likes of Viktor Stalberg, Philippe Paradis and Chris DiDomenico will be missed (although the latter two were merely prospects), there's no disputing the move instantly bolsters the Leafs' offence. The best part? Burke still has his top bargaining chip in Tomas Kaberle. What that could potentially mean is another top-six forward to join the for...

Time For Changing Faces

June 29, 2010

Patrick Storto

0 Comments

It's that time of year again, the heart of the NHL's offseason sandwiched in between the draft and the start of free agency. If there's one thing we know about free agency it's that there will be overpayment. 3rd liners will be payed like 1st liners and 1st liners will be paid like CEO's. The only problem is that there are not that many 1st line players to go around, not nearly enough to fill the voids on many teams. The Leafs of course are one of those teams and they have more voids to fill than the average team. They have been quiet since the offseason began, but that hasn't kept the Leafs out of the rumour mill. After many Leaf fans sat patiently waiting on Friday night for Brian ...

Savard Makes Sense

June 28, 2010

Ron Guillet

2 Comments

If Brian Burke is contemplating the idea of acquiring Marc Savard, the Toronto Maple Leafs may be on the verge of adding a substantial piece to its rebuilding plan. That may sound strange considering the playmaking center is nearly 33 years old and is the beneficiary of a seven-year contract, but there are other factors at play that makes this rumor an enticing one. It’s no secret the Leafs are considerably bare not only down the middle, but in forward depth as well. The acquisition of Savard would provide the Leafs with the elite centerman they’ve been yearning since the departure of Mats Sundin. Savard may lack the size of the ideal number one centerman, but it’s his offensive ...

Chicago Trade Means No Sharp

June 23, 2010

Ron Guillet

6 Comments

Well, scratch another player from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ list of potential top-six forwards. Patrick Sharp is no longer an option for trade with the departures of Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager and Brent Sopel from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks now have the cap space necessary (with the anticipated demotion of goaltender Cristobal Huet) to tend offer sheets to their restricted free agents, which means there’s no reason to trade Sharp. If the unofficial report which suggested Burke had targeted Nathan Horton and Sharp is true, then the Leafs GM may be on the verge of something drastic if he is serious about improving the team’s lackluster offence. Could that mean a potent...

Leafs Should Target Frolov

June 23, 2010

Ron Guillet

3 Comments

If the Toronto Maple Leafs hope to complete the task of qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in six years, they will need to import some firepower to the forward ranks. It’s unlikely the current group of forwards would provide the necessary boost for the Leafs to vault from 15th to eight place in the Eastern Conference. Even with the inclusion of Dion Phaneuf, Phil Kessel and the reliable duo of Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Jonas Gustavsson between the pipes to start the season (and hopefully a healthy Mike Komisarek), the offence is simply too bare to withstand the 82-game schedule. While options are limited this off-season, GM Brian Burke is capable for the j...