Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.12

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When Mats Sundin was interviewed between the 2nd and 3rd periods of his team’s game in Washington on Friday night, he was jokingly asked if there was any room for him in a lineup that seemed to be firing on all cylinders of late. After Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Boston, a game in which Maurice used as he said “325 different line combinations,” perhaps the Coach was wondering just that as he seemed to arbitrarily select troops for battle on this particular night.

Now of course this is indeed an absurd notion. When your best player, let alone a world class player is ready to get back into the lineup, no matter how good your team is going, you get him back in the lineup. However, throughout the better part of Saturday’s game; it never felt like Maurice could make up his mind as to where, when and with who he wanted Sundin to play. Since he has taken over the Head Coaching reigns of the Maple Leafs, I have been nothing but thrilled with the work Maurice has done. I felt like Maurice overdid the line changing last night to the point where I had a hard time keeping the lines straight in my head while watching the game. Since this is really the first decision of Maurice’s I have questioned, I will cut him a great deal of slack. However, if I was the Coach, this is what I would have done.

Wellwood with Antropov and Ponikarovsky. Solid in Sundin’s absence and with Sundin back, the potential for a solid second scoring line exists. Stajan with Tucker and O’Neill. Also solid without Sundin, they can score, grind and get under the skin of opponents. Sundin goes with Battaglia and Steen. Battaglia has been good enough to earn some time with the Captain and perhaps this could be someway to finally get Steen to let loose. The time for the young sophomore to get going is now. He is starting to hear about it not only from fans but now the Coaching staff as well. The fourth line then becomes the shutdown line with Peca between Kilger and Pohl. Suglobov, well he can warm Sundin’s place in the press box. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot in the Crease - Episode 2.11

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So this is it, we’ve hit the quarter mark of the NHL season. The Leafs having played 21 games, are off to a better start than many had predicted but as previously mentioned, are actually only marginally better than they were at this time a year ago. Netminding has not been an issue, regardless of whether Raycroft, Aubin or just last night, Tellqvist have received the call. In fact, the Leafs owe at least a handful of points they have picked up this year to the play of their netminders, something they could not often say was the case last season until JS Aubin came along late in the season and nearly lifted the Leafs single handedly into the playoffs. Aubin and Tellqvist have made it clear the Leafs can take their time with Raycroft’s injury.

Sundin’s absence, however, is becoming more noticeable. He is clearly missed on the power play along with his ability to help establish a forecheck with his strong play low in the zone. In neither of the past two contests have the Leafs had a particularly strong offensive zone presence. Sundin is targeting next Saturday as a return; however, that could be slightly optimistic considering that would mean he would be returning only 19 days since suffering the injury. Having just started a stretch of 5 games in 8 nights, a successful next ten days will be crucial for the Leafs to maintain their position in the standings. With scoring having dried of late and Sundin still a good week away from returning, there is the possibility that the Leafs could struggle through this next stretch. Let’s hope Leafs tow the line for the next week or so until help arrives.

In that time, look for Antropov and Ponikarovsky to continue their strong play. Of late, both have started to show why the Leafs have been oh so very patient with them for so many years. Alex Steen, after stumbling out of the gate, has shown some improvement in the last week. Though you still won’t find his name all over the score sheet, he has started to get more involved in the play and create a few more chances. I think it’s only a matter of time until he puts a few in the net but hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.10

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Can anything stop the Leafs right now? Rolling along last week, the Maple Leafs go into Buffalo hand the Sabres their first regulation time loss of the season. Then Philadelphia stops by the ACC, a game against a weaker team the Leafs would typically squander after reaching an emotional high the game before. Instead no, the Leafs hand it to Philadelphia with a convincing 4-1 victory. In that game however, the Leafs lose their Captain Mats Sundin to injury. Could that injury along with a game against another weaker opponent break their success? Again no but in the process of beating Boston, down goes Andrew Raycroft. Even that doesn’t stop the Leafs as they dominate Montreal in the annual Hall of Fame Game.

What can stop the Leafs right now? Well in fact the only thing that can stop them is an extended break in the schedule that doesn’t see the Leafs play again until next Thursday in Boston. Opponents will be able to make up some games in hand and given the way the Leafs have played of late, those opponents better win those games in hand because the Leafs are not allowing teams to pick up ground on them on days where they are playing. With seven wins in their last eight games, the Leafs are certainly rolling like they haven’t rolled in a long, long time.

With the cushion the Leafs have built up, they have firmly entrenched themselves in the Eastern Conference. Now more than ever is great time to have a slight layoff to allow some of the injured players to heal without missing too much action. If Sundin, using his magic healing powers that he seems to possess, is able to recover in three weeks instead of four, he would only miss eight games. The break in the schedule also gives Andrew Raycroft the option of taking ten days off while only missing three games. With the way JS Aubin has shown he can play and the comfortable position the Leafs are in right now, I recommend he takes that option. Better to make sure that groin is back to 100% rather than coming back too soon and making it a season long issue. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.9

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There is no denying Pat Quinn had a profound affect on the Toronto Maple Leafs during the seven years in which he led the team, both as General Manager and Head Coach. When he was fired back in April and replaced with Paul Maurice, the change was met with both positive and negative reactions from fans and media alike. Some said it was time for a change behind the bench, that players had grown tired of listening to him for seven years and that his coaching philosophies had been rendered irrelevant in the new NHL. Others pointed out how ludicrous it was to let a Head Coach with the reputation of Pat Quinn go after years of successfully guiding the Maple Leafs deep into the playoffs, failing only once to do so last season, a year in which upper management severely misjudged the way the “New NHL” would play out.

It can be argued Quinn had a great eye for talent. In 1996 as the GM of the Vancouver Canucks, he acquired the little known Markus Naslund. He didn’t turn out to be too bad. Now after his departure from the Leafs, the prospects he drafted are beginning to blossom now despite the Leafs having received years of criticism of their apparent ineptness at the NHL entry draft. However, through the first sixteen games of this season, it appears a change behind the bench was the right decision to make.

The Leafs have won games this season they simply would not have won if Pat Quinn was still behind the bench. Maurice has demonstrated an ability to make in-game adjustments, be it through shortening his bench, getting his big guns out for a few extra shifts, or getting the checking line out in an important situation. Quinn would rarely make in-game adjustments. He would show loyalty to his players but sometimes loyalty doesn’t win games. In Tampa, Maurice got his guns out early and often to start the third. After taking the lead, he assembled two shut down lines and shelved offensive players like Wellwood and O’Neill in favour of the defensively conscious Chad Kilger and Nik Antropov. Feelings could have been hurt but isn’t winning hockey games most important. Hey all that was just rigmarole.