daveintoronto

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.42

2010-07-08T01:13:00.001-04:00

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The process that is the rebuilding of the Toronto Maple Leafs continued in earnest last week as Brian Burke and his staff added two more prominent pieces in Colby Armstrong and Kris Versteeg. What’s clear about both these additions is that they fit quite comfortably into the blueprint set out by Burke and his staff.

Whether you agree with the blueprint is not the issue. The fact is Burke has said he is going to build a team with a definable top six group of forwards that possess a high skill and talent level along with a bottom six group forwards that are rugged, mean and nasty to play against. Burke is only doing what he said he was going to do and for that he cannot be faulted.

The potential for success though with those two additions is high. In Kris Versteeg, the Leafs get a speedy, skilled winger that has hit the twenty goal mark in each of his first two seasons in the NHL while having to fight for ice time on a deep team in Chicago. That, in and of itself is impressive, and you can no doubt guarantee Versteeg will get an increased opportunity in Toronto. He’s versatile, able to play both on the power play and perhaps more importantly from the Leafs’ standpoint on the penalty kill as well. He should slot in nicely on the wing on the second line behind Phil Kessel.

Armstrong is the kind of player that Brian Burke would likely craft first if he had the ability to clone and manufacture players himself. He has good size at 6-2 and nearly 200 pounds, reasonable skill that can fit in anywhere from the first to third lines and most of all, the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan native ranks very high on many players’ lists of people they hate to play against and lord knows the Leafs desperately needed an upgrade in that department.

Don’t be surprised if Armstrong fits in on a line with two highly skilled players, perhaps a combination of Bozak and Kessel, to take on a role similar to that of Dustin Byfuglien during the Blackhawks playoff run. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.41

2010-06-27T23:21:00.000-04:00

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Well for the time being, Tomas Kaberle, often rumored to be on the move for the past two years now, has dodged another bullet and will remain, for now at least, with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team he so emphatically made clear that he does not want to leave. The problem now for Kaberle is that he will have to make it to August 15th without the luxury of a safety net in the form of his no-trade clause that lifted as the NHL Entry Draft got underway on Friday night.

The Leafs saw significant interest from as many as five teams but none of the offers seemed to tickle Brian Burke’s fancy. As the Leaf general manager said, by Saturday, the team had stopped entertaining offers and was focused solely on day two of the draft.

The fact that Kaberle still remains a Leaf can be looked at as a positive though. For one, Burke has said all along there is no urgency to move the longest serving Leaf. Whether you agree with Burke or not, the lack of a trade this past weekend illustrated as much and serves as another example of Burke being true to his word. It’s refreshing for the general manager of a Toronto sports team to tell the truth. J.P Ricciardi could have taken a page from that book.

Secondly, by Burke exercising patience and not making a kneejerk trade, it shows that if Kaberle is indeed going to be moved, it will be in a deal that yields the maximum return. For far too long, the Leafs have been undercut on the return when dealing their assets. When was the last time the Leafs made a deal where you could say, “wow, did they ever get a steal on that trade?” If you can remember, let us know.

Kaberle may still yet be moved, but if it happens it likely won’t be until after July 1st when the free agency chips have fallen into place and teams that require a defenseman of Kaberle’s ability become clear. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.40

2010-06-20T16:05:00.001-04:00

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While it may still wear on throughout the summer for the players, by now, just over a week since their Stanley Cup triumph, the feeling of euphoria must certainly be starting to wear off for Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman.

Simply by looking at the numbers, you can see Bowman has his work cut out for him with a $57.66 million cap hit covering just fourteen players for 2010/2011. More disconcerting for Blackhawk fans is the fact that key contributors in Nik Hjalmarsson and Antti Niemi – both due for big raises - are not among those fourteen players.

Next year’s cap is expected to be set in the neighbourhood of $58.5 million which will necessitate the removal of at least one but more likely two or three contracts from last year’s roster. With that in mind, let the vultures converge.

Remember the problems that the Tampa Bay Lightning went through after winning the Stanley Cup in 2004 when the big three of Vincent Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Brad Richards were locked up at big dollars over long terms. Though they were solid up front, there was no money left to spend on adequate defense or goaltending. It’s been a problem they’ve been trying to solve since the league resumed after the lockout.

Chicago has a similar financial situation with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa not to mention the big contracts of defensemen Duncan Keith and Brian Campbell and goaltender Cristobal Huet. You have to think Bowman would like to unload Campbell and Huet – both of whom were far from integral to their playoff success. Easier said than done though with Campbell who has six years and $42.84 million remaining on his deal.

Likely two of Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Patrick Sharp will be on their way out and don’t expect the Hawks will get much in return. Remember, this is about unloading salary so there won’t be anybody of equal stature coming back. The Hawks hands are tied and the league knows it. Brian Burke, I believe that was your cue. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.39

2010-06-13T23:03:00.000-04:00

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There’s something about winning the Stanley Cup. It has a dramatic effect on people, one that seems to impact people in different ways. For some, just like the commercial, it leaves them speechless, unable to reach even for a cliché as many players dole out like candy on Halloween night countless times during a season.

For others, it brings tears – and really, that’s okay as usually robotic interview subjects transform into real emotional people for a brief period of time after they’ve realized the magnitude of what they’ve just accomplished. But for some, winning the Stanley Cup seems to provide a license to say the stupidest things that could possibly come to mind.

Case in point, shortly after winning the Cup, the Blackhawks’ Adam Burish – a fourth line grinder at best who was a healthy scratch throughout most of the playoff run – launched into a tirade where he said and I quote, “I think Chris Pronger's the biggest idiot in the league. I can't stand the guy one bit. I hope I never have to see him again, and if I see him out there I might punch him.”

Well let me ask this, how many times did Burish see him during the Finals not counting the times he saw Pronger while wearing a suit sitting in the press box? Over the three games Burish did play during the Finals, he logged a grand total of 15:34 in ice time. Pronger plays that much in about a period and a half.

To Pronger’s credit, he didn’t miss the chance to respond two days later as the Flyers were cleaning out their lockers. When told of Burish’s comments and that he might punch him if he has the chance, Pronger, as he did all playoffs long, provided one more golden sound bite by saying, “Oh really? Where’s that, in the minors?”

If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it has to be don’t chirp Chris Pronger, especially if you struggle to stay in the league to begin with. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.38

2010-06-06T12:55:00.001-04:00

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There’s a saying that goes, “In order to have success, your best players have to be your best players.” Well there’s something about the Stanley Cup Playoffs that often finds a way to disprove that theory. So often – certainly far more than in any other sport – it’s the lesser lights, the muckers, the grinders, the guys who show up with their lunch pail ready to work that become the heroes at the biggest times.

Just think Max Talbot, not Sidney Crosby, was the slayer of the mighty Detroit Red Wings in game seven of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals. Often it’s not for long, a single step up into the pantheon of the immortal but you only need to do it once. Rarely do these types of players ever reach such heights again in their careers but that’s alright, they’ve secured their places in history.

So far in this year’s Finals, the Chicago Blackhawks have managed their success on the backs of those types of players. The Dave Bollands, the Troy Brouwers, the Ben Eagers have all had their moments in the spotlight, all helping to propel the Blackhawks to an early two games to none lead. But that’s the thing with players from the supporting cast; they excel in the moment, in brief instances in time when the stars align allowing them to be heroes. In order for those moments to occur though, that is where teams need to rely on their best players and so far for the Blackhawks, they have been absent.

Dynamite through the first three rounds, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews have gone cold. In fact worse than that, not only have they produced just a meager four points between the two of them, they have consistently been victimized by the Flyers’ offense, putting up a minus six and minus three rating respectively.

Back in Chicago for game five, it’s the Flyers with all the momentum. If the Blackhawks are going to get back to holding control of the series, it will have to be on the backs of Kane and Toews. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.37

2010-05-30T11:51:00.001-04:00

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If you need any proof that fortunes can change quickly in today’s NHL, you don’t need to look any further than this year’s edition of the Stanley Cup Finals. Just three seasons ago, the Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks drafted first and second overall. That’s right; the last two teams standing this time around were mired at the bottom of the NHL standings in 2007. From the outhouse to the penthouse in three short years.

For the NHL, they are surely loving the reincarnation of two solid hockey markets in two major American cities. No disrespect intended to cities like Raleigh, Anaheim, and Tampa Bay but if the league is looking for major television numbers on a national level on NBC, they’ll have a much better chance attracting them with two of the biggest cities in the US reaching a fever pitch over their teams.

Moreover, Philadelphia and Chicago are two markets that have been out of the lime light in terms of Stanley Cup Finals appearances for quite some time. The league would never say anything against arguably its most marketable player in Sidney Crosby or the Detroit Red Wings, a model of success and consistency, but one has to think the last thing they wanted was a third consecutive Penguins vs Red Wings final. For even the most diehard fan, three years of the same starts to become awfully mundane. So if it’s time for a change, what better generate interest than two teams that could hardly be considered out of the group of usual suspects?

All that doesn’t matter though if the series itself does not live up to its billing on the ice. But through one game it certainly doesn’t seem like that’s going to be a problem either. The NHL has long craved a higher scoring, back and forth game and with eleven goals in game one, the league is getting exactly what it wants on the biggest stage that it has. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.36

2010-05-24T23:09:00.000-04:00

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Could the Conference Finals have gone any worse to this point from the perspective of a Leafs fan? Quite simply, no. With the Chicago Blackhawks already having advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals and the Philadelphia Flyers holding a commanding three games to one series lead over the Montreal Canadiens, Leaf fans should start to prepare for the jeering over the lack of playoff or really any kind of success to get a whole lot worse.

Let’s start with the Blackhawks. By securing their spot in the finals, Chicago can now count four finals appearances since 1967 while the Leafs are still looking to break the goose egg in that department. One would think that by jettisoning the first place, albeit perennial playoff choking San Jose Sharks in four games and by virtue of their second place seeding, the Blackhawks have to be considered the favourite to win the big prize whether they end up facing the Flyers or the Canadiens. Should they win, it would be the Blackhawks first Cup since 1961 leaving the Leafs as the team with the longest Cup drought in the NHL.

That should mean any self respecting Leaf fan should be cheering against the Blackhawks in the sole hope of preserving the last saving grace that’s left. I still maintain that it would be easier to support the Canadiens from the perspective of a Leaf fan than it would be the Flyers as the Habs have given Leaf fans no reason to hate them in almost thirty years. That’s likely a long shot though with the Flyers poised to advance to the Cup finals themselves for the first time since 1997.

Remember, it was the Flyers that gave the Leafs such trouble in the playoffs in the earlier part of the decade including bumping them in 2004 in six games, the last time the Leafs made a playoff appearance. At this point though for Leaf fans, it has to be anybody but Chicago. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.35 Ft. Jesse Beamish

2010-05-16T18:40:00.001-04:00

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It really was like “bizzaro” world in the Eastern Conference during the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Two series, each producing staggering results simultaneously was enough to make you scratch your head and wonder if what you were seeing really was, in fact, happening.

After top seeds Washington, New Jersey and Buffalo were all knocked out in round one leaving the Penguins with a second round matchup against the seemingly much weaker Montreal Canadiens, the road appeared paved for a third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Finals for Sidney Crosby and company.

But somehow, even amidst a rotating cast of blueliners in and out of the line up throughout the series, the Canadiens managed to keep their heads above water against the power house Penguins and by the end of the series, they were actually the better all around team. Montreal deserved to win that series. The same could not be said for their round one victory over the Capitals where had the two teams switched netminders, the Habs would likely have gone down in four straight.

What seemed like a harder series to predict at the outset, the Boston Bruins appeared poised to make short work of the Philadelphia Flyers building a three games to none series lead. But then the Flyers, bolstered by the return of Simon Gagne in game four squeaked out an overtime victory and began to gain traction. Even a season ending injury to netminder Brian Boucher in game five didn’t slow them down.

Pushing the series to a seventh game while trying to become only the third team in NHL history to come back from such a deficit, the Flyers magic appeared to run out when they got down by a score of 3-0 early in that game but in the end, it was just the Bruins showing the closest a team can possibly come to winning a series without actually winning it.

Unbelievable results, yes. It almost seemed surreal. One thing is for sure though; both series will go down as stories for the ages. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.34

2010-05-09T17:18:00.001-04:00

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Just six weeks ago when Ryan Kesler signed a six year deal, everything thing seemed rosy in the world of the Vancouver Canucks as they locked up the final piece of their core for the long term. In signing that contract extension – one that would pay him $30 million by its conclusion – Kesler joined the brothers Sedin and Roberto Luongo as cornerstone pieces of the Canuck organization. This was the group the Canucks decided they could win with.

No longer “young players” in the NHL, this was supposed to be the year where that group would step up to finally lead the Canucks to success not only in the regular season as they had done in the past but finally on a long playoff run where they would legitimately challenge for the Stanley Cup. Fast forward now six weeks and the Canucks find themselves in a world of trouble in more ways than one.

Yes, they trail the Chicago Blackhawks three games to one in their West semi final series but the bigger problem is the fact that said core group has been invisible.

The Sedins have shown very little interest in battling through now that the Hawks have made conditions a little bit more difficult to operate under in the offensive zone. There has been no sign of them being able to bring their game to another level. Kesler has one goal in ten playoff games. He’s added eight assists but for a $5 million player, one goal during the most important time of the year just isn’t good enough, period. For Luongo, the series against the Hawks was supposed to be a statement series, a way for him to exact revenge from an ugly defeat a year ago. Well he has made a statement alright, that he continues to come up empty handed when the Canucks need him most.

The Canucks now will have to decide whether or not they can win with this group. If they decide no, with four gigantic contracts, there may not be much that they can do about it. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.33

2010-05-02T17:08:00.000-04:00

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By virtue of pulling off the unthinkable and overcoming a three games to one series deficit to defeat the President`s Trophy winning Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs, everything accomplished from here on out should be considered a bonus for the Montreal Canadiens. Yes, any season that doesn`t end in a Stanley Cup in Montreal is viewed as a failure but let`s be honest, that`s nice to say; however, it rarely is accurate.

Obviously, no team goes into a season hoping not to win the Cup but when only one out of thirty teams goes away happy, expectations have to be set appropriately by the remaining teams to avoid being in constant states of depression. To look sensibly at the situation, there are just some years where expecting to win the Stanley Cup just isn`t a reasonable goal. This was one of those years in Montreal.

Did anybody actually expect the Canadiens to upset the Capitals? A team that barely made the playoffs going up against one of the most high octane teams in the NHL, that series did not bode well for the Canadiens. But they managed to squeak by with an impressive commitment to team defense and two all world netminding performances from Jaroslav Halak. In the Pittsburgh Penguins though, the Canadiens face a far more formidable opponent, one with more depth, more playoff experience, better goaltending and frankly, one with more ways to win.

Down a game already in the series and losing their top defenseman in Andrei Markov, the Canadiens have their work cut out for them. Although just as nobody should have predicted when they went up against the Capitals, nobody should be expecting the Habs to defeat the Penguins. If they do, well that’s what good stories are made of but if they don’t, it shouldn’t be considered a disappointment. They’ve already exceeded their realistic expectations. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.32

2010-04-25T13:09:00.001-04:00

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The Stanley Cup playoffs began with unparalleled parity across the board in both conferences. Three games into each series and everything was about as clear as mud. The Pittsburgh Penguins advanced as expected at the hands of the Ottawa Senators but quite surprisingly, the Philadelphia Flyers – a team that required a victory on the final day of the regular season just to punch a ticket to the dance – upset the New Jersey Devils, giving them three straight years of first round failures. Another upset could be forthcoming if the Boston Bruins can knock off the Buffalo Sabres in game six.

In the Western Conference though, order has been restored to a state that one might have expected coming into the post season. Top seeds San Jose, Chicago and Vancouver all trailed two games to one in their respective series but each pumped out two straight wins to go up three games to two. Moreover, in doing so, not only did they win the games but they seemed to find a gear that had been missing earlier. For the first time in games four and five in all three series, a disparity between the higher and lower seeded teams was noticeable. The Sharks ultimately advanced to the second round, putting to rest for the time being their playoff jinx.

While the Phoenix Coyotes are technically the favourite over the Detroit Red Wings by virtue of holding the fourth seed, this is a unique situation where any smart money would have to be on the lower seeded Red Wings. However, after Detroit too got out to a rough start going down two games to one, they finally wielded their playoff muscle with a pair of convincing victories, outscoring the Coyotes by a combined 7-1 margin in games four and five.

As the top Western Conference teams are all poised to move onto the second round, what this does mean is that the road to the Stanley Cup Finals might be that much more difficult west. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.31

2010-04-18T15:57:00.000-04:00

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Well if it was parity that the NHL was looking for in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, parity is exactly what they’ve got. As of the recording of this show, seven of the eight series are tied at one game apiece with the potential for that number to grow to all eight should the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Nashville Predators later on Sunday.

Not only though has there been parity between each series but there has been parity within each series. Two of the series – the Montreal Canadiens against the Washington Capitals and the LA Kings against the Vancouver Canucks – have seen both games go into overtime. The one versus eight seed series in both conferences saw the underdogs – the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche – both pull off upsets in game one before the top seeded teams – the Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks – scored with under two minutes remaining in the third period to tie game two before ultimately winning in overtime.

Moreover, excluding empty net goals, through the first fifteen games played in round one, fourteen of them have been one goal games. The only game decided by more than one goal that wasn’t scored into an empty net was game two of the Red Wings against Coyotes series – a game won by Detroit by a whopping two goal margin.

One third of the first fifteen games have gone into overtime. Really, it’s been an exhibition of remarkable competition and anybody who feels they can accurately predict the outcomes now after the early part of the first round quite simply is full of it. Hey, I went on about how I would be really surprised to see any upsets at all in the first round and we now see how well that’s panned out. But then again, if you don’t want something to happen, get me to predict that it will, and it won’t, but hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.30

2010-04-11T20:27:00.001-04:00

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See now I’m confused. Never, not once, during the entire regular season did I see Christian Hanson do anything that left me impressed. I never thought, “oh, good play” or “hey, this guy could turn into a player down the road” when watching him. In fact, I had actually grown comfortable with the idea that perhaps Hanson just wasn’t quite going to pan out the way the Maple Leafs had expected and you know what, that was alright. Sometimes you gamble and win, Tyler Bozak, other times you gamble and lose and even if the Leafs were going to lose on Hanson, it’s not like they were going to lose that much.

Hanson never showed any speed, any aggression, any desire to go to the net with authority, any desire to play a physical style of game that one would think his 6’3”, 203 lbs frame would allow him to. Until, that is, on Saturday night in Montreal in the Leafs final regular season game. There Hanson looked like the player everybody was told he could be when the Leafs signed him out of the University of Notre Dame just over a year ago. He was throwing his body around, he went to the net, he showed a bit of a scoring touch, in short, he just looked interested.

The frustrating part of that is why now? Why did that style of play take him until his thirty first game of the season in the last regular season contest? Was he just cruising through the rest of the season? Where was that kind of play when it still mattered because hey, if he’d played like that the whole season, there’s a good chance that he could turn himself into a downright effective player.

That he has finally shown some potential is encouraging but perhaps it’s the mental aspect of his game that is lacking. Brian Burke ought to sit him down and warn him that unless he enjoys long bus rides in the AHL, the style of play he showed against Montreal is what he will need to show more often than not next season. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.29

2010-04-07T00:14:00.000-04:00

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Tomas Kaberle is something of an anomaly in the world of the Toronto Maple Leafs. A homegrown prospect – not even a high draft pick but one picked all the way back in the eighth round – that has been developed from within before eventually going on to become one of the best at his craft in the NHL. The Leafs, for those just crawling out from under a rock for the first time in two decades, can’t cite too many other examples of just such an occurrence.

While there is no denying Kaberle’s ability to control the play, get out of trouble in his own zone and distribute the puck effectively, at thirty two years of age, what you see now is what you get. He has been a wonderful player for the Maple Leafs for the past ten years but as hard as it is to say, it is time for Kaberle to move along.

As the Leafs will miss the playoffs once again this season, Kaberle’s no-trade clause is rendered null and void this off season. Brian Burke must take advantage now and salvage some kind of a return on an asset like Kaberle. His value will never be any higher. At this point in his career, the potential for the greatest return will only start to diminish as more miles are logged. In two or three years when the Leafs hope to be a regularly competitive team, how much will Kaberle’s skills have eroded by then? Enough to warrant a trade now.

Nothing at all against Kaberle, but the Leafs can ill afford to let yet another tangible asset as they did with Sundin, Tucker et al. to move along with no return. Most concerning with Kaberle has been the fact that after arguably one of his best starts this season, his play has regressed in the second half of the season to the point where he is too often making critical errors that lead to goals. You don’t put up a -16 by accident. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.28

2010-03-28T14:28:00.000-04:00

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With their come-from-behind victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday night – the first time all season coming back to win when trailing after two periods – the Toronto Maple Leafs set a new record for most wins in a month with nine. That number could push to eleven still with two games remaining in March.

Two of the principle reasons for the success the Maple Leafs have experienced since Olympic break have been unquestionably Nik Kulemin and Jonas Gustavsson.

Fourteen points in fourteen games in March along with impressive attention to detail on the defensive side of the puck has revealed Kulemin to be a very useful player, one that almost begins to remind fans of that international man of mystery seen in those YouTube videos from Russia.

In seven starts during the month of March, Jonas Gustavsson has yet to lose a hockey game. All of a sudden that panicky, scrambling goalie from early in the season has given way to a calm, poised and efficient netminder who no longer looks like he is guessing every time a shot is directed his way.

The improvement seen from both players is simultaneously good and bad though for the Leafs. While it’s good that Kulemin and Gustavsson definitely look like they could have a part in the future of the team, both players are restricted free agents at season’s end which could lead to an uncomfortable negotiation process.

Both players have played well enough to give the Leafs reason to want to bring them back but under no circumstance should Brian Burke hand out long term and big dollar contracts based on a solid month of play once all the pressure was off. At a reasonable term and dollar amount, Kulemin and Gustavsson have a place on this team but not if they have to be overpaid for to get under contract.

Sign a short term deal, show they can get it done throughout the entire length of an NHL season and then the dollars will be there. But the time has come for the Leafs to stop overvaluing their assets. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.27

2010-03-21T22:19:00.001-04:00

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So the Toronto Maple Leafs just keep rolling along. A perfect week of three wins in three games gave them seven wins in their last nine games and now finally, the Leafs can entertain hopes of actually catching some teams ahead of them. And you know what that means, devaluing of the first round pick held by the Boston Bruins.

As a result of their recent hot stretch that began soon after the NHL resumed from the Olympic break, the Leafs now sit within four points of the Carolina Hurricanes for eleventh place in the Eastern Conference and within seven points of the New York Rangers for tenth. Between themselves and the Hurricanes sit the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders.

Down the stretch in their last ten games, the Leafs will play twice against the Rangers and once against the Panthers giving them even more of a hope at moving up. Additionally, these games will be “pressure games,” albeit it very much scaled down. The fact is though there will be something on the line in those games which will give Brian Burke and company a chance to assess how some of the youngsters perform under some degree of pressure.

And therein once again lays the problem. Is this surge any different than the last four seasons or is their real growth and development here? I tend to think it is different and that there is something to build on going forward because the surge is being led by the likes of Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel, Nik Kulemin, Luca Caputi and Dion Phaneuf – new youthful faces who are stepping up to make their mark and not older veterans who cruised through the first three quarters of the season, unable to produce when it mattered.

The next week should help to tell a better story with the game against the Panthers followed by games against the Atlanta Thrashers and New York Rangers – two teams fighting for their playoff lives. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.26

2010-03-14T22:41:00.001-04:00

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So here we are in mid March when nothing really matters again for the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the fifth year in a row, the Leafs are auditioning for jobs next season instead of jockeying for playoff position this season. Not surprisingly with nothing on the line, just as they seem to have done the past four years towards the end of the season, wins are starting to role in for the Leafs as they play an energetic, intense and passionate brand of hockey.

The frustrating part is where was all this inspired play when it mattered back in October, November and December? At least this year though, going on a bit of a winning streak won’t hurt a potential lottery draft pick as it has in previous seasons.

It’s starting to become frightening how the Leafs can just cruise through the first half of the season turning in a blasé effort here and a sleepwalker there, throw out all the right clichés about needing to work harder and get off to better starts and then once all the pressure is off with the playoffs all but out of sight, finally start to execute that M/O.

Take Lee Stempniak for example. After scoring just twenty five times in one hundred and twenty three career games with the Leafs, Stempniak already has five goals and an assist in four games since joining the Phoenix Coyotes. In short, he has been dynamic and has looked like a completely different player than he was in Toronto. He’s been using his speed, fighting to get into good scoring areas and has looked like a downright dangerous player because of the intensity and hard work he has brought to his game.

During Stempniak’s entire tenure in Toronto, I challenge anyone to find a similar stretch of four games that matches the start to his career in Phoenix. One can only wonder why we never saw a similar style out of Stempniak as a Leaf but really, he was hardly the only guilty party in that regard. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigmarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.25

2010-03-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

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A sensational Olympic hockey tournament really put on display the best that the game has to offer. Games were fast paced, highly skilled and featured an intensity level not commonly seen in the NHL outside of the post season. That’s not a surprise considering the tournament includes the world’s best players with gold medals resting on the line.

Really, to showcase the game on the world stage in front of millions upon millions of viewers, no better platform exists.

However once again, NHL participation for the next winter Olympics in 2014 is in jeopardy. But why? Things couldn’t have worked out better with a dream gold medal final between Canada and the US. The gold medal final though, according to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman back in 2002 when the outcome was the same, has as much bearing on whether the NHL returns to the Olympics as the pen that he was holding does.

At the end of the day, the NHL is using Olympic participation as a bargaining chip for when the CBA reopens in 2011. Alex Ovechkin though has already gone on the record as saying he will play for Russia with or without NHL permission.

So what does the league do in a situation like that? Punish and attempt to disgrace arguably their most marketable player? Suspend him? I’m sure the ticket holders in Washington would be so pleased for the NHL to extend his self decided absence from the Capitals line up even longer.

While the NHL might believe it holds the Olympics as a bargaining chip, the NHLPA has some bargaining power too. If we agree to give up the Olympics, how about the league sweetens the financial pot a bit? Raise the salary cap or even get rid of it all together.

Once all is boiled down, the simplest solution will be, let the players go to the Olympics. It will happen, count on it! But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.24

2010-02-28T23:10:00.000-05:00

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Our Olympic games. When will we be able to say that again? For the past seventeen days, Canada as a nation has come together in a way that it seldom has before and likely, seldom will again. This was our chance, for a fleeting period in time, to have all eyes on us, not having to compete for attention with anything else. We had to get it right and boy did we ever.

This was about far more than just medals, although Canada unquestionably did get it done in that department, this was about the chance for our nation to show the world who we really are and to make them understand why Canada is one of the best places on earth.

We showed them we were a passionate nation. Incomparable crowds on the streets of Vancouver and Whistler until well into the night, not just on the weekends but throughout all seventeen days. These crowds for the most part though, purely blissful, happy and patriotic. In recent memory, can anyone recall such an outpouring of support?

We showed we were a courageous nation. Who wasn’t deeply moved when watching figure skater Joannie Rochette skate to a bronze medal just days after her mother passed away unexpectedly? When she broke down following her short program, it was like this whole nation wanted to give her a hug.

You see, as a people, we live for these opportunities for patriotism, for camaraderie, for these chances to stand up and embrace something we can be so proud of, not just something that matters to us in our personal worlds but something that means so much to all of us collectively as a country.

Thing is though, we get so few of these moments, and even fewer where these moments take place in our own backyard. For the last seventeen days, it was almost like Canada was just letting it all out. The world noticed, our athletes, noticed, we as a nation noticed. Who doesn’t wish the magic could go on forever. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.23

2010-02-21T16:30:00.000-05:00

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Remember back, oh say eight years ago, when there were really only six countries – Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, Russia and the Czech Republic – that had a legitimate shot at winning Olympic medals in hockey? Well really, after what Belarus did to Sweden in Salt Lake City in 2002, I guess you’d have to say twelve years ago in 1998 in Nagano, Japan.

In 2006 at the Torino Olympic Games, Switzerland did the unthinkable and knocked off hockey giant and defending Olympic gold medalists at the time Team Canada by a score of 2-0. This may have been the first indication that the “Big Six” countries were no longer alone in their battle for three Olympic Medals. They had company now and it was coming fast.

Now at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, it is clear that several new countries have jumped to the fore and no longer can be viewed as nuisances in between games against the old superpowers. Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, and Belarus have all held their own to this point in the men’s Olympic hockey tournament.

The Swiss gave the USA all they could handle in a 3-1 loss and pushed Canada to the brink in a shootout. Belarus very nearly knocked off Sweden once again before eventually falling 4-2 while Germany also gave Sweden some trouble before the Swedes managed to squeak out a 2-0 win. That all world offensively powerful Russian team? Well they lost to the one-time ignored Slovaks 2-1.

In Switzerland and Slovakia’s case, they boast top tier NHL netminders in Jonas Hiller and Jaroslav Halak, respectively, that in a short tournament, can be the difference between winning and losing all by themselves. The Germans feature a sprinkling of solid NHL talent and are very well coached by former NHL defenseman Uwe Krupp. Ditto for the Belarusians that feature a handful of decent NHLers.

It’s shaping up to be the best Olympics Hockey Tournament yet. The women’s side could only dream of this kind of competition. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.22

2010-02-14T12:06:00.001-05:00

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As the National Hockey League goes on hiatus for the next two weeks as the Olympics hockey tournament gets underway, it’s high time we weigh in with our opinions regarding Team Canada’s men’s hockey team.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the first thing the team will have to deal with before worrying about the competition from any of the other countries involved will be the pressure faced by the twenty three men carrying the hopes of a nation on their shoulders. If you thought there was pressure on their shoulders in Nagano or Salt Lake or Torino, it pales in comparison to what they will face with the tournament on home soil.

The opening ceremony on Friday night was watched by over two thirds of all Canadians. Can you imagine how many viewers there will be should Canada reach the gold medal game? Well safe to say the record currently held by the opening ceremony as the most watched Canadian TV event in history could be in jeopardy.

In order to have success with so much of the competition having improved over the last decade, it will come down to two things: the ability to come together as a team quickly and quite simply, goaltending.

In Torino, the team never gelled. The team must quickly show an ability to define roles and adapt to perform them with efficiency. Players used to being front line players in the NHL will have to get used to role players. There isn’t room for four first lines.

Secondly, in a short, one game elimination style tournament, goaltending is critical. There is no time to fight back over the course of a seven game series. Canada will need one of Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo or Marc-Andre Fleury to step up and be dominant. In goal in the Olympic tournament, there is no room for error.

Clearly, anything short of gold will be a disappointment for Team Canada but make no mistake; the path to gold will be anything but easy. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.21

2010-02-08T00:10:00.001-05:00

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Well that was quite a debut for Jean-Sebastien Giguere, was it not? Yet to allow a goal as a Maple Leaf through two games, Giguere’s two consecutive shutouts have made him the first goaltender in Leaf history to start his Leaf career in such a fashion.

Dion Phaneuf’s presence has added a very noticeable degree of energy and a rather ornery quality that has spread throughout the Maple Leafs defense corps. Most noticeably though has been the improved play of Luke Schenn which surely has had a lot to do with the arrival of Phaneuf.

All of a sudden Leaf fans have somewhere new to direct their attention and with a marquee name like Phaneuf on the roster, he will certainly attract a lot of that attention. Over the past month or so, Schenn has begun to emerge from a season long sophomore slump but there is no debating he has played his best hockey, especially the past two home games, in the last week since Phaneuf and Giguere arrived in town.

Now able to fly under the radar, Schenn is exuding the confidence he very much lacked earlier in the season when his shortcomings were constantly placed under the microscope. In the last week, the young defenseman has been infected with that disagreeable quality Phaneuf has brought and has started reminding people why he was “The Human Eraser” during his junior career.

Keeping his game simple has allowed Schenn to avoid costly turnovers and move the puck with efficiency like he seemed to do effortlessly during his rookie campaign. A pair of well timed jumps up into the rush against the Senators on Saturday night gave him his first career multi goal game.

Perhaps it’s the reassurance of playing in front of the rock solid Giguere or perhaps it’s the energizing presence of Phaneuf but so far, Schenn’s improvement is almost like the Leafs acquired another player last weekend. Too often earlier in the season, Schenn was noticeable for all the wrong reasons. Lately though, he’s looked like a fifth overall pick. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.20

2010-02-02T01:31:00.002-05:00

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If there is one area in which the Toronto Maple Leafs have been proficient, at least recently, it has been finding new ways to lose hockey games. The mark of any good team is one that can find ways to win hockey games even when not at their best. Throughout the course of a long season, that ability usually allows a team to pick up five or six extra wins for ten or twelve extra points, often the difference between being towards the bottom of the conference or up in a fight for one of the top four positions.

Cleary, the ability to find ways to win is an area of the Maple Leafs’ game which requires a great deal of attention.

During what has now turned into a six game losing streak, the Leafs have lost games in all sorts of ways. They’ve blown early leads against the Atlanta Thrashers. Try too many men on the ice penalties in overtime against the Tampa Bay Lightning, that’s not going to help. How about just mailing one in against the Florida Panthers or sitting right back in the middle of a game against the Los Angeles Kings? Chase one of the best netminders in the game in Robert Luongo after one period against the Vancouver Canucks and still manage to lose that game.

Part of it has to be a confidence issue at this point because it seems like the moment one thing goes against the team, it snowballs into a full scale meltdown where the bleeding can never be stopped. Part of it has to be coaching as the Leafs continue to repeat the same mistakes time and again. Part of it has to be the fact that, quite honestly, the group of players simply isn’t good enough to win on a consistent basis.

At the end of the day though, once all those fractions are put together, it becomes clear just how bad of a situation the teams is in at this point and how much work needs to be done before the Leafs can even begin to climb back to respectability. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.19

2010-01-24T13:56:00.001-05:00

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Thanks to the Olympic break in the middle of February, we are likely to have an extra period of trade activity in 2010 in addition to the trade deadline on March 3rd. An Olympic roster freeze between February 12th and February 28th prevents any trade activity during that time frame and leaves just two and a half days for movement once the roster freeze is lifted. Undoubtedly there will be a flurry of deals in that short time but do not be surprised to see some general managers make their moves in early February as well.

That being said, the Maple Leafs will be sellers but once again, do not seem to be dealing from a position of power. The trading chips for Brian Burke to play will be limited putting more emphasis on his ability to get more for less. The number one asset that could reap the most return – Tomas Kaberle – has a no-trade clause and seems intent on staying.

Any other player potentially on the block – Alexei Ponikarovsky, Lee Stempniak, Jason Blake, Nik Hagman, Wayne Primeau, Matt Stajan, or Vesa Toskala – let’s be honest, will not yield much in terms of difference making draft picks or prospects. At most there will be some second and third round picks and mid level prospects to be had from that group but nothing to dramatically shift the short term fortunes of the franchise.

Perhaps somewhat off the radar screen but don’t be surprised if Nik Kulemin attracts some offers that the Leafs ultimately bite on. Due for a raise as a restricted free agent at year’s end, if the Leafs don’t pay him what he wants, the possibility is very real that Kulemin jets to the KHL in Russia for next season. In that scenario, a young developing asset would be lost for nothing, not something the Leafs would want to see happen.

It would have to be a trade and sign type deal for the Leafs’ trading partner to have some certainty that they too wouldn’t lose Kulemin for nothing but if that’s the case, he might bring something decent in return. But hey, all that was just rigmarole.

Rigmarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.18

2010-01-17T13:22:00.000-05:00

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Well time to weigh in on the Alex Burrows, Stephan Auger incident from earlier in the week. I won’t go through all the details again as they’ve been well documented but it’s safe to say if the NHL had to chose a particular kind of publicity, one of its players claiming in the media that a referee purposefully officiated in a way to get back at a player, willfully altering the outcome of the game if need be, would not be at the top of the league’s list.

What had the potential to become a very ugly situation for the NHL seems to have calmed down and died off without too much damage to anybody’s reputation. Burrows was the only party to be officially reprimanded, incurring a $2500 fine for publically questioning the integrity of Auger’s officiating. Not surprised really. Had the NHL avoided delivering any kind of punishment to Burrows, it would set a standard and it would become open season for the criticism of officials.

Also, no fine for Burrows would imply the NHL supported his claim of corruption and no league will hang one of its official out to dry, at least not until a thorough investigation has been conducted. While the evidence available certainly could lend credence to Burrows’ story, especially the discussion between Burrows and Auger prior to the puck drop, Auger just as easily could have simply said, “Hey, stop embellishing injuries, it makes you look foolish.”

And therein is where the problem lies. Without a third party witness, and it seems at this point like there is none, we may never know the exact details of that infamous pregame conversation as it is Burrows’ word against Auger’s. While both Burrows and Auger now continue to go about their work without much of an affect from the incident, one thing is clear: if anything came of this at all, the spotlight will be focused on both parties involved for the remainder of the season so they ought to be on their best behavior. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.17

2010-01-10T18:55:00.000-05:00

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After going on a bit of a good run through the end of November and into December where the Toronto Maple Leafs actually clawed their way back, at least, to the periphery of a playoff race, it’s starting to appear now that it was all just a mirage. And really, it does make sense. Every team, even the very worst in the league, will go through at least one stretch of ten or twelve games throughout the course of the season where you know what, they actually don’t look that bad.

It’s what that team does in the other seventy plus games of the season that really makes the difference and clearly, that is an area where the Maple Leafs having been nothing but an epic failure all year long. Constantly getting off to horrendous starts in games, giving up the first and now, far too frequently, the second goals of the game, is simply not a recipe for success. The team is just not talented enough to continue to try to fight back from behind all the time.

What’s more concerning is the fact that over the last week or two, the Maple Leafs seem to be falling back into their culture of complacency where nobody really seems to care about the way things are unfolding. If there was one thing they could rest on early in the season, it was that they showed a willingness to play tough. However since the beginning of December, that too has disappeared with only six fights in nineteen games, the four fights against Philadelphia earlier this week notwithstanding.

Where has the accountability gone? Where has the intensity gone? It’s almost like now that they are once again quite a distance from the playoffs – nine points to be exact – they have accepted their fate and given up. Undoubtedly, the Maple Leafs will get hot again at some point this season and win say four of six games. But as the legendary rock band, “The Who” once said, “we won’t get fooled again.” Hate to say it but the jig is up on this season. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.16

2010-01-03T10:50:00.000-05:00

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Winter Classic number three in the books now and from the “House that Ted Williams Built” – Fenway Park – on New Year’s Day, from an atmosphere perspective and from a hockey perspective, it was arguably the best yet. Over forty thousand people witnessed an outstanding hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers, one that featured many of the true elements of an authentic hockey game that had been absent in years past because of ideal weather conditions and tremendous ice.

No disrespect at all toward NHL Ice Guru Dan Craig but for the first time in three Classics, the players actually got more ice time and that, to Craig, is a testament to the quality of his work. The perfect conditions led to a physical style with banging and crashing along the boards, players willingly blocking shots, a fight and the ability to effectively move the puck with a hockey stick instead of a snow shovel. It’s tough to convince anybody to do any of those things when there is forty mile an hour winds, a temperature of -15 degrees Celsius and drifting snow.

Obviously the conditions are somewhat uncontrollable but for those few hours, the NHL couldn’t have asked for anything better. Of course now though, the talk comes about how successful the Winter Classic was and how the league can capitalize even further off of its popularity. Rumors of more than one game per season, even holding a Winter Classic in a west coast location or in Dallas have been tossed about. Only one problem with that, it’s hard to hold a “Winter” Classic surrounded by palm trees and deserts.

The strength of the Winter Classic rests as much in the atmosphere though as it does in the quality of the caliber of hockey game it produces. Bringing players and fans back to a more simple grassroots level when the game was played more for the love than the potential amount of dollars it might earn you is what it’s all about. Start using it too much as a pawn to sweeten other deals and the magic that exists will be lost. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.15

2009-12-27T17:34:00.001-05:00

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Well here we are, the final show of 2009, a perfect time to look back at some of the best and worst from the Maple Leafs’ year that was. Unfortunately once again when it comes to the best, we’re still left grasping for small, moral victories with no real team success to speak of. No playoff spot for the fourth year in a row in the spring of 2009 and at this point at the end of the calendar year, no real indications yet that the playoff drought will be coming to an end in the spring of 2010.

For the worst, well there are certainly plenty of options in that category but where to begin. The horrendous start to the 2009-2010 season with no wins in the first seven games and only one win during October is a pretty good place to start. How about the regression of Luke Schenn? Gone is the confident rookie we saw a year ago, instead replaced with a tentative, mistaken prone player whose minutes have been cut to between eight and ten a night. A terrible thought crossed my mind the other day, Luke Schenn is on a dangerous pace to become just like Mike Komesarik…and that is not a good thing.

The play of Tomas Kaberle has definitely been among the positives, as he finally seems to be back at the level where he was before being decked by Cam Janssen in 2007. Until this season, it is not hard to agree that Kaberle just was not the same player after that hit. Scoring at nearly a point per game pace, Kaberle is on pace for a career year and to do something a Leafs defenseman has never done before: lead the team in scoring.

Additionally, the farm system is as stocked now as it has been in many seasons although, so far, it’s too early to determine what kind of returns the Leafs might get on the prospects they’ve invested in. At least for a change you can say this: finally the potential for returns are there. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.14

2009-12-20T15:38:00.000-05:00

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Hard to believe we’re already at our final show before Christmas but with that being said, it presents a perfect opportunity to look back on the season to this point and evaluate just where the Maple Leafs are as a team.

Right from the start of training camp, Brian Burke and Ron Wilson were making it clear that they expected the Maple Leafs to be an improved group this season, one that would consistently work hard, be a difficult team to play against, and once all was said and done, be in a fight for a playoff spot. Through the preseason schedule that saw them go six and three, expectations might have been raised to an unrealistic level, perhaps setting the team and its fans up for disappointment.

And man was the first month ever a disappointment. One for October and only one win in the first thirteen games made the playoffs seem like a long shot for the fifth consecutive season. However, an improved month of November and an outstanding month of December which has featured seven wins in eleven games thus far has the Maple Leafs sitting four points back of a playoff spot.

So essentially, the Maple Leafs are right where they thought they would be, they just didn’t get there the way they thought they would. One can only wonder though how good a position they might have been in if they could have gone even four or five for October.

What’s become obvious though, especially after the Leafs lost two straight in the middle of last week, is that they will have to keep up their improved play of late from here on out until the end of the season to have any chance at the playoffs. That means no protracted losing streaks of two or three or four or five games. That luxury was lost after earning just one win in October.

More of the same from the month of December will give the Leafs a chance. Anything less and it will be golf, not playoff hockey, for a fifth straight spring in Toronto. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.13

2009-12-13T15:26:00.000-05:00

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Since the beginning of December, the Toronto Maple Leafs have looked like a vastly different hockey team than the one seen earlier in the season. After losing seven straight games right off the bat, the chances of making the playoffs looked dim, practically nonexistent to be frank. But over the last two weeks, three things have changed for the better and because of it, the Maple Leafs now sit just four points behind the eighth place Montreal Canadiens while holding a game in hand.

First of all their record at home. Before defeating the Atlanta Thrashers last Monday, the Buds had yet to record a midweek home win. Following another home win over the Islanders on Wednesday and a thrilling come-from-behind victory over the first place Washington Capitals on Saturday, all of a sudden the Leafs are looking at a three game home winning streak. Those three wins at home last week surpassed their entire total of two home wins through the first two months of the season. With that success, the Maple Leafs home record now only sits two games under the five hundred mark.

Secondly, goaltending. Vesa Toskala is back, looking like the Vesa Toskala who tended goal in years past for the San Jose Sharks. There is no question now that Toskala is the undisputed number one goaltender in Toronto as the team is playing with confidence in front of him due to Toskala’s new found penchant for big saves at big times.

What was that word there, oh yeah, confidence. It’s amazing what that can do for a hockey team. No longer a fragile-looking team where one bounce that goes against them will open the flood gates toward a long night. Instead, the Maple Leafs have shown lately that if they are going to get beat, their opposition will have to work hard for a full sixty minutes. Perhaps Alex Ovechkin said it best following the Capitals loss to the Leafs on Saturday night.

"They never quit. Those guys always skate hard, they forecheck hard. They might not be the most talented team, but they never give up." But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.12

2009-12-06T22:39:00.000-05:00

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Just when you start to think that the Toronto Maple Leafs are starting to get rolling and might, just might be a team that can compete consistently night in and night out, they turn in a game that reminds everyone to put those thoughts on hold for a little bit longer. You see, over the past four seasons, the Maple Leafs have become masters of excelling when all the pressure is off. The names have changed in that time but the same problem still lingers today: every time the team plays its self back into a position where there is something on the line, they can’t quite get over the hump.

Case in point against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, a win would have put the Maple Leafs right back into legitimate contention for a playoff spot, within four or five points depending on the results of other games that night. Well right from the drop of the puck, it was clear that the Maple Leafs were not in the game. In a game with something riding on it, the Maple Leafs turned in one of their worst efforts of the season.

Before the Buds will ever entertain thoughts of making the playoffs, they will need to find a way to look like the team that they resemble when there is nothing to lose when there is actually something to lose. In other words, they need to learn how to play under pressure.

It seems that over the past four seasons, the Maple Leafs consistently fail when they reach the threshold where one more win would get people talking again that maybe this team could get back into a playoff race. After Saturday’s dismal effort against the Bruins, the Maple Leafs now sit seven points back of a playoff spot. All of a sudden the pressure is off so it would not be a surprise in the least to see them play loose and relaxed over the upcoming week and reel off a few wins to get them back to within four or five points. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.11

2009-11-29T11:50:00.000-05:00

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Conventional wisdom says that for a team struggling to score goals, shoot more often. Well the Maple Leafs – tied for twenty second overall in the NHL in terms of goals scored - took that advice to heart in their game against the New York Islanders on Monday night, firing a franchise tying sixty one shots at goaltender Dwayne Roloson but only managed to beat him on three occasions.

If there was anything positive to take from that game, it was the fact that despite falling down 3-0 in the second period, once the Maple Leafs decided to start playing, they dominated much of the remaining time in the Islanders zone. That they were unable to score more than three times is beside the point. Shoot sixty one times and eventually they will start to go in.

Later in the week in their next two games against Tampa Bay and Florida, the shots kept coming – notching thirty five and thirty three shots respectively – and finally, the Maple Leafs were rewarded with some of those shots translating into goals, combining for ten goals in those two games.

With each passing game, Phil Kessel continues to justify the hefty price paid to acquire him, displaying a type of raw offensive talent the Maple Leafs have been unable to boast since perhaps Alex Mogilny. The fact that he is only twenty one years of age though sets him apart from Mogilny who was later in his career when he was with the Maple Leafs. A better comparison might be a young Mats Sundin when he was acquired in 1994 as a twenty three year old.

It’s no wonder that now with an improvement in terms of offensive production, the Maple Leafs are starting to string some wins together. Now with points, including three wins, in their last five games and a solid work ethic during that stretch, this is the team people were expecting to see since the beginning of the season. It’s a shame that it took a quarter of the campaign to get it going though. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.10

2009-11-22T15:51:00.001-05:00

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Prior to the game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke said that jobs are now on the line and that demotions to the Toronto Marlies, veterans being placed on waivers and possible trades are not out of the question for underperforming players. However, with just four wins through twenty one games, the chance to make the playoffs is now all but gone unless the Leafs get hot and stay hot for an awfully long time.

Prior to the season, all the talk was centered around eradicating the culture of complacency that seemed to become prevalent in the Maple Leafs locker room over the past four seasons. But through twenty one games, very little has been done in terms of roster adjustments to make underachieving players at all uncomfortable. Players have continually rolled out the same clichés of, “We need to work harder,” or “We need to get off to better starts,” and so on. Easy to say, now let’s see it done. Quite frankly, as Vice President of the United States Joe Biden said during his VP nomination acceptance speech, “That’s not change, that’s more of the same.”

The longer Burke waits before making some changes to shake up the comfort level, the more credibility he starts to lose. The lip service only goes so far, it needs to be backed up with decisive action. Send a guy like Jason Blake or Lee Stempniak to the Toronto Marlies, eat their salary and scare other players into thinking I could be the next guy. Yes they’d have to be put on waivers first, but if they lose them (and is there really much chance of that?), what have they really lost.

One can only wonder why it has taken this long to stir the pot. And at this point, these changes are still talk and threats, let’s wait till the hammer actually falls but honestly, is it ever time for it. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.9

2009-11-16T15:40:00.000-05:00

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For Luke Schenn, his second season in the NHL has not brought the same success that his rookie season did. Rarely has the confident, physical, efficient puck mover from a year ago been seen since the season began. Instead, Schenn has looked tentative, unsure, and has shown a propensity toward committing costly mistakes. Simply take a look at the Patrick Kane goal from Friday night against Chicago if you need anymore examples.

In short and quite frankly, Schenn is no longer developing, he is regressing. However with the Maple Leafs announcing on Thursday that Mike Komesarik will miss at least three weeks with a torn quadriceps muscle, Schenn will have an opportunity to take on a bigger role and play himself out of his early season funk.

If the Maple Leafs are to have success over the next three weeks, they will need Schenn to rediscover the style of play that allowed him to make the Maple Leafs out of training camp as a nineteen year old at the beginning of last season.

If no noticeable improvement in his game is seen though by the time Komesarik is ready to return, it might be time for Brian Burke to consider a demotion for Schenn to the Toronto Marlies. A disastrous year from start to finish at the NHL level will not do either Schenn or the Maple Leafs any good.

Schenn desperately needs to play in an atmosphere where he can regain his confidence before it is gone for good. Chances are he will have a better opportunity of doing just that free from the bright lights of the Air Canada Centre, where every mistake is magnified.

Still a good prospect, Schenn did not have the success he experienced in his rookie season as an eighteen year old by accident, the Leafs have to be careful that Schenn`s struggles don`t turn into irreparable damage. Remember, Jeff Ware was once a top prospect…once. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.8 Ft. Jeff Brown

2009-11-09T19:15:00.001-05:00

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With points now in seven consecutive games, the Maple Leafs are, dare we say it, rolling. Okay well maybe not rolling but their stretch of improved play that began with a commanding victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the second game of five game road trip has seen the Maple Leafs move out of dead last place in the NHL and to within six points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand on the New York Islanders, the current holders of said position.

All of a sudden the gloom and doom that prevailed over Leaf Nation just two weeks ago has once again given way to the hope and promise that this 2009/2010 campaign was initially founded upon. Phil Kessel has slid in well since his debut on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, giving the Maple Leafs a dangerous offensive dynamic, something they have lacked since the departure of Mats Sundin over a season and a half ago.

Jonas Gustavsson, with each passing start, is beginning to look more like the real deal and less like a one-time thing, having provided the Maple Leafs with exceptional netminding since returning from a groin injury against the Anaheim Ducks.

For the first time in recent memory, the Maple Leafs can boast a netminder whose goal against average begins with a two and whose save percentage begins with a nine. Without that kind of proficiency between the pipes, winning in the National Hockey League becomes exponentially more difficult.

No longer looking lost on home ice either, the Maple Leafs have begun to get the crowd back on their side and slowly, the often blustery winds of Leafs Nation are starting point in the direction of support.

Just like the weather in Western Canada, they say if you don’t like it, wait five minutes and it will change. Well in Leafs Nation, if you don’t care for the mood of the day, just be patient, it’s nothing a couple of wins won’t change. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.7

2009-11-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

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Two weeks ago when the Maple Leafs departed the hostility that had built up in Toronto after the team had gone winless in seven games to start the regular season, their five game road trip was seen as a saving grace of sorts. It would give them the ability to work out their kinks free from at least some of the constant criticism they had been receiving in the media.

Fast forward two weeks and now with the road trip in the books and a 1-1-3 record to show for it, did the Maple Leafs take enough strides to consider their five game sojourn a success?

Well certainly more than just one win would have been nice but when you assess how the team played in its first seven games and then compare that to how the team played during the road trip, there really is no comparison. And that’s a good thing.

Finally the Maple Leafs displayed elements of hustle, grittiness, energy and hard work, all of which were in far too short a supply before the road trip began. If they lose games playing in that type of fashion, I have no problem with it because at the end of the day, they simply lost, nothing more nothing less.

It’s when there is no apparent effort or hard work that you aren’t even giving yourself a chance and that to me, is what is unacceptable.

When the Maple Leafs return home on November 3rd against the Tampa Bay Lightning, they will likely do so with Phil Kessel in the lineup. In order to have success though, they must exhibit the kind of play they did on the road trip at home and not merely rely on Kessel, not that any one player would be the difference at this point.

Frankly compared to top teams’ rosters around the league, the Maple Leafs just do not stack up yet. If they are going to win games, it will be the hard work and resiliency they showed on the road trip that will make the difference. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.6

2009-10-26T01:52:00.000-04:00

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There may not be a more frightening sight in the game of hockey than when a player is seen lying motionless on the ice. Perhaps only when that player is then being carted off on a stretcher does the scene get even more ominous. In the last week, twice we have seen this scenario play out and both times it did not need to happen.

Avalanche forward Darcy Tucker spent a night in hospital with a concussion and a forty stitch gash to his forehead after his head was smashed off the glass on a late hit from Jarkko Rutuu. On Saturday night, David Booth of the Panthers was knocked out cold by a head hunting Mike Richards with a flagrant open ice hit.

Now I’m the first one who will stand up and advocate for a good, hard hit or a well timed and purposeful fight so don’t go off calling me soft. Physicality is one of the great features of this game. But another thing I am very high on is common sense, something that would go a long way – perhaps even further than fines or suspensions – in eradicating these types of dangerous plays.

Said Richards after the hit, "I'm never out there to hurt anyone. I have respect for the game and respect for the players. My concern is with him. Hopefully, he's fine and gets better. I just wanted to separate him from the puck." Really? Or was he trying to separate Booth’s head from his neck. To hit someone on the head who is not looking that hard, at that speed is just not necessary. Say to you weren’t trying to hurt them is a lie. You certainly weren’t trying to do them any favours that’s for sure.

Hockey does not need these types of hits in the game to be a tough physical sport. If you are hitting like Ruutu and Richards did, you are hitting to hurt. Period. And that’s not right. But hey, all that was just rigmarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.5

2009-10-18T17:17:00.000-04:00

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0 -7 to start the season…or 0-6-1 if we want to stick to the facts and preserve the very smallest of moral victories – that late game collapse on opening night against the Montreal Canadiens that led to an overtime loss, the Maple Leafs only point recorded thus far. At this point, it seems just about everyone is running out of answers on how to correct what, so far, has been a season that began with promise and anticipation gone horribly wrong.

There has been the ranting and raving by Head Coach Ron Wilson; the somewhat more subtle methods of sending a message including scratching healthy players from the line up and reducing ice times considerably; reassurances by General Manager Brian Burke that he still believes in the group assembled; a pushing of the Staples-like ``Re-set Button``; even a day of fun last Thursday that included a shootout survivor drill, scrimmages and dodge ball. So far none of that has worked; in fact, it is arguable that the Maple Leafs have managed to get progressively worse.

With that in mind, the only option left is to hit the road Jack, and that`s exactly what the Maple Leafs will do as they embark on a five game road trip that will take them to Vancouver, Anaheim, Dallas, Buffalo and Montreal before finally returning home on November 3rd against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Getting out of the pit of negativity that Toronto has become is likely the that best possible option right now as everything the Maple Leafs have been doing, most of it wrong, continues to be magnified, only serving to further sow the seeds of doubt.

If the Buds can use this trip to refocus on so many of the fundamentals they have butchered since the season began by simplifying their game and not worrying about the suddenly hostile environment at Air Canada Centre, then it will be a success. They need to find a way to get back into good habits. Although if even this trip can`t snap the Maple Leafs out of it, paper bag masks anyone. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.4

2009-10-13T00:44:00.001-04:00

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Well with six fights through their first four games, it would appear that the Maple Leafs certainly have got the message that General Manager Brian Burke has been delivering for months now. The problem is though, apart from Colton Orr, Jay Rosehill, Jamal Mayers and Mike Komesarik attempting to “set the tone” in fights with pugilists and other third line opponents, that team toughness mantra has not filtered through the rest of the lineup. At this point, for the most part, the Maple Leafs are still far too easy a team to play against.

When you think about it, Colton Orr going out and challenging a Georges Laraque or an Eric Godard to a fight early in a game really has little impact at all on the outcome unless the rest of the team puts forth a conscious effort to make it difficult for their opponent’s impact players. At the end of the day, whether Eric Godard is challenged to a fight matters very little in terms of whether Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin are able to perform at a high level.

The next time the Pittsburgh Penguins make their way into Air Canada Centre, the Maple Leafs might as well just lay out a red carpet and let the Penguins’ superstars walk to the front of the net because that’s the only way it could have been made easier for them on Saturday night.

Perhaps that is where Brian Burke went wrong in that message of toughness. He wasn’t specific enough. Making it more difficult for your opponent’s fourth line tough guys isn’t going to make one shred of difference. You have to actually make it more difficult for the players that ultimately have the ability to beat you.

In fact, you could argue that the Maple Leafs haven’t even got the toughness message yet despite their six fights. Players like Orr, Rosehill and Mayers don’t need to be convinced to play that way. If they don’t, really, what else can they bring? It’s everyone else who needs to buy in before the Maple Leafs become a tough team to play against. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.3

2009-10-05T00:37:00.000-04:00

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With the retirement of Mats Sundin, the NHL said goodbye to one of its most dominant players of the past two decades. When he was acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in an unpopular trade at the time in 1994 that saw, among other players, fan favourite Wendel Clark sent to the Quebec Nordiques, few had any notion that the unassuming young Swede would eventually go on to become arguably the best ever to put on a Maple Leaf jersey.

Apart from the lockout shortened season in 1994-1995 in which he scored forty seven points in forty seven games, Sundin was the model of consistency, never scoring less than seventy points in a season. All the while, he handled the pressure of leading, as captain, one of the most storied teams in hockey with the kind of class and dignity that turned him into a superstar not just on the ice, but off the ice as well.

Never winning a Stanley Cup will be long seen as the glaring omission from his sublime career not unlike another former Leaf captain, Darryl Sittler, whose records Sundin surpassed during his final days with the Maple Leafs. But while surrounded by and large throughout his time in Toronto with B-list wingers at best, Sundin still managed to produce, on his own, many of the moments that define the last decade and a half of Maple Leaf hockey.

While he was with the Maple Leafs, it took Sundin too long to earn respect from the fans. Now that he’s gone, the fact that the Maple Leafs are still grappling with the decision of replacing him as captain should show how lucky they were to have him. As Joni Mitchell once said, “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.”

There is no question in my mind that in three year’s time, Sundin will deservedly be a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer and will one day have his number immortalized with other Leaf greats in the rafters of Air Canada Centre. Forever #13 in a Maple Leaf jersey will belong to Mats Sundin. But hey, all that was just rigamrole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.2

2009-09-27T17:32:00.000-04:00

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When it became clear that Dany Heatley no longer wanted to be an Ottawa Senator, there certainly were not going to be any complaints from the Toronto Maple Leafs knowing they would have to face their Northeast Division rivals six times during the regular season. Heatley - now with the San Jose Sharks - is easily among the top five pure goal scorers in the NHL. His absence from the Ottawa line up and his fifty points in thirty six career games against the Maple Leafs will leave the Senators a far less daunting team.

Phil Kessel, another one of the premier threats within the Northeast, is no longer a concern – his talents having been added to the Toronto arsenal a week ago.

The Buffalo Sabres made no notable roster improvements during the off season nor did the Boston Bruins. In Montreal, Mike Cammalleri, Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta and Hal Gill were brought in but are merely replacing Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev, Alex Tanguay and Mike Komesarik – another divisional foe turned friend for the Maple Leafs. If anything, the Canadiens will be as good as they were last year but not much better.

Apart from essentially replacing Dany Heatley with Alex Kovalev who is frankly on the decline in his career and who knows if he will “feel like it” this year, the Ottawa Senators did not improve much up front. If Pascal Leclaire can solidify their netminding, then that will bode well but with only one strong season under his belt in 2007-2008, as far as I’m concerned, the jury is still out on him.

No question the most improved team on paper in the Northeast Division is the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the game isn’t played on paper. If the likes of Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komesarik, Jonas Gustavsson, Phil Kessel and some of the youth can play up to their expectations, the Maple Leafs will be a much improved club on the ice as well. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.1

2009-09-21T02:05:00.000-04:00

www.afootinthecrease.comRi

Four preseason games, three wins, over ten fights and one clear message: this is a Maple Leafs team unlike any one we’ve seen since prior to the lockout. They may not win every game; they may not cruise to a post season berth; they may still be a year away from legitimately contending but understand this, the Maple Leafs are a team that will not be pushed around, will not give opponents an easy ride and for the first time in years, there is finally a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

From a defensive standpoint, it is not remiss to say the Leafs possess a group that is easily in the top five in the National Hockey League. Tomas Kaberle and Mike Komesarik will form one pairing – a tandem that will simultaneously be able to keep the defensive zone under control and with Komesarik’s reliability defensively, it will once again allow Kaberle the freedom to do what he does best: carry and distribute the puck. Francois Beauchemin and Luke Schenn will form another pairing – one that will strike fear into opposing forwards while still providing an above average ability to move the puck.

Take your pick for the last pairing but expect Garnett Exelby to be included – one of the best open ice checkers in the game and if you’ll remember a few seasons back, among the only players to ever catch Mats Sundin with his head down.

Up front, the addition of Phil Kessel will hopefully give the Maple Leafs that bona fide scorer they have long been coveting but even without Kessel, Matt Stajan and Mikhail Grabovski appear ready for prime time campaigns. Additionally, the play of youngsters Tyler Bozak, Viktor Stahlberg, Christian Hanson and Nazem Kadri has shown that even if they are not NHL ready this season, the cupboard is no longer bare when it comes to true blue chip prospects at forward. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.42

2009-07-04T13:26:00.000-04:00

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Free agency certainly isn’t what it used to be for general managers looking to restock and change the fortunes of their team in a short period of time. Prior to the inception of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, players would not become unrestricted free agents until the age of thirty one but now when a player hits the age of twenty seven or accumulates seven years of NHL service, they are free to test the open market. In theory, more franchise-type players would become available to teams at a time in their careers where they were still young enough to change the direction of a franchise and not just act as a complimentary addition.

Funny thing is though; very few teams are letting their dynamic young talent come anywhere close to the open market, opting either to lock them up to long and I mean long term deals in advance of July 1st or trade away their rights to ensure they are not lost for nothing.

The Vancouver Canucks didn’t allow the Sedin twins to get to a point where other teams could negotiate with them. Jay Bouwmeester obviously wasn’t going to resign with the Panthers so his rights were dealt in advance of July 1st to the Flames, a team he had interest in signing with. A deal was eventually struck, the Panthers received a third round pick and the rights to UFA Jordan Leopold but Bouwmeester never became available to all thirty teams.

Many have said the Maple Leafs should set their sights toward landing Rick Nash when he becomes a free agent in 2010 but did anybody really believe Nash would ever come close to hitting the open market? I didn’t and I was right. A potential gold nugget for teams in the summer of 2010 is now off the market after signing a long term extension in Columbus. You’ll get some nice players through free agency but it’s not likely you’ll get a stud to change the fortunes of a franchise. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.41

2009-06-26T12:33:00.001-04:00

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The whole business of attempting to predict who the Toronto Maple Leafs will select with their first round pick at the NHL Entry Draft on Friday is a lot of busy work for no real purpose. Brian Burke will do what Brian Burke will do. Unless you are Brian Burke, you don’t know what is going to happen and at this point, I’m not sure even Brian Burke knows what will happen. It seems that the Maple Leafs have the wheels in motion of several different possibilities that could become realities as early as Friday or perhaps not come through at all.

You can be sure though that regardless of what transpires, the Maple Leafs will add a dynamic young player to their growing crop of promising prospects. There are a handful of quality players available that many scouts are saying will be impact players early in their careers at the NHL level. The top crop includes John Tavares, Matt Duchene and Victor Hedman, players that may be out of reach for the Maple Leafs from the seventh spot. Below them though are players like Brayden Schenn (brother of Luke), Evander Kane, Jared Cowan, Nazem Kadri and Magnus Paarjarvi-Svensson, easily interchangeable in rankings after the top three picks have been made.

Slated to select in the seventh position, the Maple Leafs are in a good position to control their destiny at the draft. If they stand pat, a supremely talented young player will be available. If they move up, obviously the crop only gets better and if they decide to move back, they’ll do so knowing they can get the player they want while accumulating further assets through the trade. In the immortal words of Paul Maurice, people relax, go home, have some tea. The Maple Leafs will be a better team after the draft than they were before the draft. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.40

2009-06-19T14:16:00.001-04:00

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What`s the old saying? If it ain`t broke, don`t fix it? That`s it, right? Ya. Well obviously the NHL isn`t too familiar with that notion after seeing its first attempt at hosting the annual awards show live from Las Vegas. If there was ever something from the big swing and a miss category, that was it. Clearly, the NHL was trying to add some luster and thrust itself into the big leagues of American sports events by holding it in the most lustrous city in the world, not the secluded little hamlet of Toronto, Ontario.

Instead what they ended up with was a directionless event with numerous awkward moments and surely more people laughing than those who were impressed. It was the kind of event that left me thinking of the reaction you get from the kid who`s no good and nobody wants to pick when picking teams. So eventually someone feels bad enough, picks him, he gets his chance but then fails miserably leaving everyone to roll their eyes.

What the NHL had with its awards show in Toronto was already unique and among the bigger spectacles for awards shows of the major North American sports leagues. It didn`t need changing. The focus in years past was on the game of hockey; Thursday night in Las Vega, I`m not really sure what the focus was on: ad for the Palms Casino and Resort, b-list actors and musicians with an opportunity to get on TV and wear that new tux? You definitely wouldn`t see b-list NHLers, let alone a-list NHLers handing out Oscars and Grammys now would you?

By the way, who hosted the show? Was it Jeremy Roenick? Michael Buble? The big voiceover guy? A curious question to be left with though isn`t it after watching an awards show that was trying to appear to be a bigger deal than it actually is? But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.39

2009-06-11T12:10:00.002-04:00

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So here we are: game seven, the Detroit Red Wings, the Pittsburgh Penguins, for the Stanley Cup. This should be as good as it gets. The passionate hockey fan, the casual sports viewer and those who watch whatever is hot at the moment, be it the American Idol Finale, the World Cup Final or the Super Bowl should all be tuning in for this one-time winner take all heavyweight bout.

The storylines? They are all there too. Will the Red Wings draw from their vast experience, use home ice to their advantage as they have already done on three occasions in this series, win their fifth Stanley Cup in twelve seasons and become the NHL’s newest…dynasty. Or is this the coronation of the next generation of legends. We all know that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are great players but to truly take that next step in how the hockey world remembers you, Stanley Cup championships are essential. This is their chance; this is their time to shine.

On two occasions during this series, the Penguins were written off and left for dead, first after going down two games to none and then after being blown out of the Joe Louis in game five losing 5-0. But both times the Penguins have responded with a mature, professional and inspired effort seemingly well beyond their years.

Pittsburgh has mastered the art of resiliency and to win the Cup, they will need to exorcise their demons one more time to rebound from a deflating game performance.

Oh yeah, one other storyline conspicuous through its absence: Marian Hossa. Turned down big money for a long term for what he perceived as a better chance to win the Stanley Cup. He might well be right. Mats Sundin wishes he had Hossa’s success picking and choosing but you can be sure the Penguins would like to make a fool out of Hossa. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.38

2009-06-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

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Through the first three games of the Stanley Cup Finals, things went exactly as they did last year in the first meeting between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins and exactly according to plan for the Red Wings. Take the first two games at home, look for a split in Pittsburgh and then return home to the Joe Louis Arena to hoist a fourth Stanley Cup in twelve years with a neat and tidy five game performance. However, in 2009 the Penguins had different ideas. Instead, Pittsburgh rebounded with a pair of wins on home ice to tie the series and set up what should be a thrilling best of three for the Stanley Cup.

For the Wings to win, they are going to have to get a legitimate offensive contribution from their big guns. Players like Darren Helm, Dan Cleary, Brad Stuart and Justin Abdelkader have shouldered the load but it’s now time for Hendrick Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and public enemy number one in Pittsburgh Marian Hossa to step up and take over a game the way Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have done on countless occasions thus far. Pavel Datsyuk appears to be nearing a return and his mere presence in the lineup will benefit the Red Wings, if for nothing else than to give them another option to match up against Crosby and Malkin.

If the Red Wings top players cannot step up the way they are capable of, the Penguins have a great chance to walk away with the Stanley Cup. Crosby and especially Malkin right now are playing the way everybody plays in their dreams. For their sake, hopefully they don’t wake up for two more games. All of a sudden in game four, Jordan Staal stepped to the fore to present a new threat for the Wings to consider.

The Red Wings won the first two games in large part on the contributions of their foot soldiers. The Penguins may yet win the Stanley Cup on the strength of their stars. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.37

2009-05-29T16:51:00.000-04:00

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Just three years ago on the program, we featured a weekly segment called March Of The Penguins, discussing their uncertain financial situation and moreover, their future in the city of Pittsburgh. Well how fast things can change sometimes. Fast forward three seasons and we are focused on an entirely different march of the Penguins, their march to participation in a second consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. Instead the March Of The Penguins has been replaced with the Howl Of The Coyotes as the Phoenix Coyotes face an equally uncertain future and may have played their last game in Phoenix if Mr. Balsillie gets his way.

For the Penguins, getting their hands on two of the best players in the league in two consecutive drafts has certainly helped to facilitate the renaissance in Pittsburgh. The way Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are playing these days, putting them in the same breath as Gretzky and Messier or Lemieux and Jagr is not a stretch. Good ownership, good management and good coaching has put the organization in a position to continue to be successful year after year. Dare I say just three years removed from what was nearly their apocalypse, the Penguins are one of the model franchises in the NHL.

While the Coyotes are indeed in a very undesirable situation, once the suits and ties finish all their work in the courtroom, better days may not be too far off for this team, wherever they end up. Already rich in quality young talent with the likes of Peter Mueller, Martin Hanzel, Mikkel Boedker, Kyle Turris and Victor Tikhonov, the Coyotes will add another key building block with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 Entry Draft. The foundation of youth is present and if those names develop and reach the potential they are thought to have, the Coyotes could be a playoff team in the next couple of years. If anything, at least there is light at the end of the tunnel. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.36

2009-05-22T15:31:00.000-04:00

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I spent many nights as youngster watching and admiring the great Steve Yzerman lead the Detroit Red Wings with a passion, drive and determination shown by very few players who have ever laced up the skates. Yzerman was the kind of player who could not only will himself to be better, but will his teammates to be better also. On many of those occasions, I dreamed of one day being in his shoes with the opportunity to lead a team to a Stanley Cup. Alright so I dreamed a dreamed that didn’t come true but the point is I wanted to be Steve Yzerman. Now, ah well, ok I’m just going to come right out and say it: I’m glad I’m not Steve Yzerman today.

Now the Executive Director of Team Canada for the upcoming 2010 Olympics, Yzerman is faced with the immense challenge of among other things, choosing a goaltender for a team that will be under tremendous pressure and at this point, nobody seems to want that responsibility.

Marty Brodeur? Well the incumbents bubble burst in the final minute and a half in the first round of the playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes. When was the last time Marty Brodeur really played like Marty Brodeur? Doesn’t come to mind right away does it?

Roberto Luongo? Well his crowning achievement internationally was a heroic last minute start in the Semi Finals against the Czech Republic at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey when an injury held Martin Brodeur out. However in the NHL, ten years in the league, two playoff series wins and a seven goal on thirty shot implosion in game seven this season against the Blackhawks.

Cam Ward? He’s already won a Stanley Cup in his young career and this season, he’s outdueled Marty Brodeur in the first round and the powerhouse Bruins in the second round but against Marc-Andre Fleury and the Penguins, he’s looked like the second best goalie.

Does that mean Fleury is the leading candidate at this point by process of elimination? We’ll find out soon enough, but hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.35

2009-05-15T12:49:00.000-04:00

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So here we are, two rounds down, two rounds left to go. Twenty six teams have come and gone, four remain. The Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes remain with a shot at Lord Stanley’s Mug. Of the four that remain, you can’t be surprised that the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins – last year’s Stanley Cup Finalists - are among them.

After winning the 2008 Stanley Cup, the Detroit Red Wings made negligible changes to their roster and fielded much the same team in 2008/2009. With Nik Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, Hendrick Zetterberg, and Johan Franzen leading the charge, if the Detroit Red Wings became the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions since the Detroit Red Wings, it certainly could not be considered an upset.

Last year’s Pittsburgh Penguins seem a lot like this year’s Chicago Blackhawks: too young to know any better but lacking just that much experience to go all the way. Therefore with another year of maturity and experience under their belts, the Penguins could have something to say by the time this season is said and done. Against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals, though battling a resilient opponent, the Penguins should prove to be too deep and too talented a team for the Hurricanes to continue their improbable journey through this year’s playoffs.

The youthful Chicago Blackhawks have had a tough road to this point taking out the remaining Canadian content in the 2009 playoffs through their first two match ups. The Calgary Flames were an experienced playoff team that ultimately fell victim to too many injuries. The Vancouver Canucks, well they just plain and simply got beat by a better team. Against the Red Wings though, the Blackhawks will face their biggest test. I predict a lesson in playoff hockey from the wily Red Wings for the energetic puppy dog Blackhawks.

In the end when all is said and done, expect a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.34

2009-05-08T14:43:00.001-04:00

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The bell rang on round three in the Jim Balsillie vs Gary Bettman title bout earlier this week when the Phoenix Coyotes filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and Mr. Balsillie swooped in with a nice, clean tidy, $212.5 million offer to purchase the team…(hey this looks like a pretty good deal for a team that’s mired in a pit of financial ruin), on the condition that he is allowed to move the Coyotes to the “unserved market of Southern Ontario”…(so close.) In Balsillie’s previous attempts to squeeze himself into the exclusive brethren of NHL owners by purchasing the Pittsburgh Penguins and then the Nashville Predators, it was been Gary Bettman and the NHL who have clearly come away with the knockout punch.

Once again though, despite the seemingly precarious financial situation in which the Coyotes reportedly find themselves, the NHL is not amused with Mr. Balsillie’s actions. According to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, “Mr. Balsillie is acting, again, in total disregard of any rules, or any structure. . . . I would be very surprised if the board would look favourably on the way that Mr. Balsillie has conducted himself in this instance." That does not sound like a man who wants to do business.

At this point, I’m starting to believe Mr. Balsillie’s fortune is made up of not real currency but in Canadian Tire money. Why else can the NHL be so deadest against allowing a passionate hockey man with seemingly no limits to his pocketbook become an owner in, let’s be honest, a league that needs to keep a close eye on dollars and cents.

Given the way things have unfolded since the story broke, it looks like Gary Bettman and the NHL will once again land a knockout in round three of their bout with Mr. Balsillie. However I do think one thing is for sure: no matter how many times Mr. Balsillie gets knocked out, I think he will keep coming back for more until he wins. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.33

2009-05-01T17:28:00.000-04:00

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The first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs is now officially in the books and while many things turned out as expected – the Boston Bruins easily brushing aside the Montreal Canadiens, the Detroit Red Wings teaching the postseason newbie Columbus Blue Jackets a lesson in playoff hockey and the usual suspects leading the way in terms of scoring – there were several big league surprises. Here is our look at the top three surprises from the first round.

The Carolina Hurricanes got hot at the right time as the regular season drew to a close but after drawing a first round matchup with the New Jersey Devils, few gave them a chance. The Devils were being touted as the possible Eastern Conference representative in the Stanley Cup Final but the Canes paid no attention. Instead they battled right down to the final second, literally in game four, and stunned the Devils with a late explosion in game seven to advance to the second round.

If there was any year for the San Jose Sharks to finally go deep into the playoffs, this was it. Added were playoff grizzled veterans in Rob Blake, Travis Moen, Jeremy Roenick and Claude Lemieux who were expected to show the way in tough times but instead it was the playoff grizzled Anaheim Ducks that made times tough and never let up. The Ducks were certainly not a typical eighth seed but if anything the Sharks should have at least been in that series. They never were.

While the Washington Capitals defeating the New York Rangers was not a surprise, they way in which they went about it was. Nobody expected the Caps to have to fight back after falling down three games to one. Moreover, if the Capitals were to have any success, it was expected to come with Jose Theodore in goal and not the little known Russian Simeon Varlamov. Now heading into a dream matchup for the NHL against Pittsburgh Penguins, it is hands down Varlamov’s team.

But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.32

2009-04-24T16:05:00.000-04:00

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Was it all too soon in Montreal for the heir apparent between the pipes to be given the throne all to himself? When Carey Price broke into the NHL at the beginning of the 2007/2008 season, he did so with an already long list of accomplishments for a very young goaltender, already a national hero for guiding Canada to a World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal in 2006 along with earning AHL playoff MVP honours helping the Hamilton Bulldogs to a Calder Cup Championship after arriving to that team late in the 06/07 season. However despite that gaudy list, it was against the advice of then Head Coach Guy Carbonneau that Price earned a spot with the Canadiens.

Instead it was General Manager Bob Gainey who insisted Price back up Cristobal Huet and for a half season, the arrangement seemed to be working. Huet provided a veteran presence and got the bulk of the work while Price was able to get spot duty, getting is feet wet in the NHL while knowing the fate of the team did not rest on his young shoulders. During that time, Price played quite well. But then with Huet heading toward unrestricted free agency at the end of last season, Gainey took another big leap by trading Huet and handing the goaltending reigns to Price. All of a sudden at just twenty years of age, it was Price’s team.

Scrutinized by millions, Price’s confidence began to slip resulting in a poor first playoff appearance. Following a good start to his second season, Price again began to slide just like his team under the immense expectations of the Habs’ 100th anniversary season culminating with a sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins with Price booed heavily on home ice.

Has irreparable damage been done to Price’s career? Well we can only wait and find out but if one thing is certain, perhaps Guy Carbonneau was right that a little extra seasoning in the minors might not have been such a bad thing. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In the Crease - Episode 4.31

2009-04-17T15:11:00.000-04:00

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In just his third season as a professional, Justin Pogge has already come to the crossroads in his career, or at least his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Once touted as the goaltender of the future, suggest that moniker to Brian Burke and I’m quite certain he would not be in agreement. Pogge struggled through his first season with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, improved only incrementally in his second year and if anything, took a step back both on the ice and on the depth chart of the Maple Leafs in his third season.

Now with the Maple Leafs in hot pursuit of “The Monster” Jonas Gustavsson, generally acknowledged to be the best goaltender not in the NHL right now, Pogge needs a long and impressive run with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL playoffs this spring if he has any hope of reestablishing his position within the organization.

Burke likes to have organizational depth with players in the AHL pushing their counterparts in the NHL, preventing them from slipping into a comfort zone of complacency. The recent signings of Christian Hanson, Tyler Bozak, Robert Slaney and the future 2009 first round pick will provide some of that depth. Pogge though has yet to show that he can push Vesa Toskala for the starter’s job. If Gustavsson does land in Toronto, it is likely he will be given every opportunity to provide that pressure and ensure Burke ends up looking smart.

As a restricted free agent, Pogge’s play this season has led some to wonder if the Maple Leafs should even resign him. If he does resign, it will most certainly be at Burke’s terms and not Pogge’s. However with a thirty seven save performance in game one of the Marlies series against the Manitoba Moose, Pogge is off to a good start. If only for the sake of organizational depth, here’s hoping he can keep it up. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.30

2009-04-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

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While there is still work to be done to settle the final two playoff positions in the Western Conference, the eight tickets to the big dance in the Eastern Conference have all been booked. The Canadiens and the Rangers are in and the Panthers and the Sabres are out. Though seeding in the fourth through eighth spots will be determined over the final weekend of the season with Philadelphia, Carolina and Pittsburgh all tied for fourth at ninety seven points and the New York Rangers and Montreal tied for seventh at ninety three points, the eight teams can rest assured that they’ll be able to take their shot at Lord Stanley’s Mug.

However the most intriguing situation to play out over the off season will likely be from a team that missed the playoffs every season since 2000.The Florida Panthers fought tooth and nail down the stretch with a less than impressive roster but eventually fell just short. The Panthers were in desperate need of making the playoffs to rekindle some interest in their team, especially after opting to retain one of the game’s better defensemen in Jay Bouwmeester at the trade deadline.

Bouwmeester, likely to walk as an unrestricted free agent this summer, would be a big asset for the Panthers to lose for nothing. It was a gamble for GM Jacques Martin to hang onto Bouwmeester at the trade deadline for a playoff push and now with the Panthers falling short, it is a gamble that has backfired and could cost Martin his job.

There will be many teams in the hunt for Bouwmeester and he certainly will not take a hometown discount. If the Panthers want to keep him they will have to open their checkbook and likely over pay since Bouwmeester seems intent on leaving – something they may not be prepared to do in uncertain economic times. One thing is for sure though: the Panthers gambled and lost but just how big of a loss it is remains to be seen. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.29

2009-04-03T15:53:00.000-04:00

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We’ve talked about it constantly on the program over the past year – how important it is for the Maple Leafs this season not to tank and bottom out in hopes of attaining the first overall draft choice in the 2009 Entry Draft, but rather alter the losing culture that has long been associated with the team.

The hiring of proven and respected Head Coach Ron Wilson last summer was the first step in that process and now toward the end of a season in which the Maple Leafs will again miss the playoffs, it is how a very talent thin roster competed hard almost night in and night out, keeping themselves in the playoff race until the seventy sixth game of the season and leaving some suggesting Wilson deserves “Coach of the Year” honours that is most impressive.

Secondly, the restructuring of the front office led by President and General Manager Brian Burke has gone a long way in providing direction and stability within the organization and has shed the notion that losing and mediocrity is permitted. After officially being eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday night, Burke said that failure felt like a “kick in the groin” and that he took it “personally and professionally” – a strong words from a GM who had very little opportunity to improve the hand he was dealt when he arrived in Toronto in late November.

Already that stability has begun to pay off with the Leafs being able to lure two of the top college free agents, Christian Hanson and Tyler Bozak, into the fold. When it’s clear who the head coach will be, clear who the general manager will be and clear that losing is not tolerated; it’s amazing how easy it can be to attract players. Just ask yourself this: if you were a player looking for a team would you want to play under Wilson and Burke in Toronto or under maybe Cory Clouston but maybe not and oh, are we really sure Bryan Murray is going to keep his job in Ottawa. Not a difficult question eh? But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.28

2009-03-27T19:59:00.001-04:00

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Even now, over a week after the infamous “celebration” of Alex Ovechkin following his fiftieth goal of the season, the debate regarding that celebration rages on. Just ridiculous it is that something so small and insignificant has forced such an outcry from people on both sides of the argument so as we are apt to do here on A Foot In The Crease, here is the correct opinion.

Alex Ovechkin scored fifty goals. He is by far the most dynamic, electrifying player in the game. In just four years in the NHL, three times he has surpassed the fifty goal plateau including one season of sixty five. The other season, he finished with a paltry forty six. He has personality, presence and a passion for the game that is unparalleled with any other player. Not only is he one of the top scorers in the game but he checks with the force of the freight train. Best of all, Ovechkin is low-maintenance. He simply goes out, dominates, and goes home. When you boil it all down, quite frankly yes, he and his stick are hot.

Ovechkin came into the league with Sidney Crosby and since then, the two have continuously been compared. At this point, I think it is as clear as it has ever been when you think which player you’d want to build a team around. For me, it’s Ovechkin, hands down. In fact, it’s not even a close call.

If anything, the NHL needs attention and Ovechkin is the perfect player to attract that attention. His celebration was not disrespectful, he didn’t skate out to centre ice and do it on the Lightning’s logo, he wasn’t in the face of his opponents. He was just purely happy that once again he reached a very impressive milestone while realizing the rest of the league is nowhere close to catching up to him. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.27

2009-03-19T18:48:00.000-04:00

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Three months ago when Marty Brodeur and Roberto Luongo were out with serious injuries that left the extent of their recovery somewhat unknown and Marty Turco was going through one of the toughest stretches of his career, people were suggesting how lucky Canada was that the Olympics were in February 2010 and not this past February with the top three goaltending candidates out of commission.

Now fast forward three months, Martin Brodeur is once again at the top of the goaltending heap after breaking Patrick Roy’s record for all time wins and seemingly regaining his previous form, Roberto Luongo and his Vancouver Canucks are coming off ten straight home wins, Marty Turco and his Dallas Stars are in the midst of a resurgence that has seen them play themselves back into the playoff picture and all of a sudden rookie goaltender Steve Mason has played himself into the debate with a 29-17-3 record with a 2.25 goals against average, a .918 save percentage and nine shutouts.

Today many of those same people who expressed such relief the Olympics were a year away are now wishing they started tomorrow. If by the end of 2009 the current goaltending situation remains the same, Team Canada Executive Director Steve Yzerman and his staff are going to have a very difficult, albeit pleasant decision on their hands.

Brodeur should be the go to guy over Luongo because of his past Olympic success, his ability to still stop the puck as well as anybody and Luongo’s puck handling which actually may be worse than Curtis Joseph’s. However if Steve Mason shows he is not just a flash in the pan (think Carey Price for the time being, not that he won’t eventually find his form again), he should earn serious consideration for the third spot because he could quite likely be the goaltender to whom the torch is passed when Brodeur and Luongo call it a career. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.26

2009-03-12T17:56:00.000-04:00

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With about a month remaining until the end of the 2008 / 2009 NHL regular season, it’s proving to be harder than it’s been in recent memory to start projecting which teams are likely to have playoff success because quite frankly, we don’t know which teams are going to be in the playoffs for the most part yet. Right now the NHL is experiencing great parity in both conferences – certainly a good thing to hold interest down the stretch in the final month.

In the Western Conference, all but two teams – the Phoenix Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche – are still legitimately in the playoff picture. Seventh through thirteenth place is separated by just four points, perhaps a reason there was not as much selling of big names at the trade deadline as we’ve come to expect. There simply were not as many sellers as there have been in past years. Involved in that mix of seven teams are the seventh place Edmonton Oilers, twelfth place St. Louis Blues and the thirteenth place Los Angeles Kings, all no doubt ready to slide out of rebuilding mode and see what all the building they’ve done can do with the chips on the line in the playoffs. Unfortunately, the odds are low as only two of that pack of seven teams will likely make it to the big dance unless the sixth place Columbus Blue Jackets can be tracked down.

In the East, while fewer teams can entertain playoff hopes, higher seeds are still available. Due to the recent slides of early season Stanley Cup picks, the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens, the gap between fifth and tenth place is only six points. With a win the eighth place Florida Panthers can jump all the way to fifth place and tie the Montreal Canadiens.

All of a sudden, games late in the regular season that may have seemed meaningless just a few weeks ago hold the potential for extreme impacts on the playoff picture in both the Eastern and Western Conference. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.24

2009-02-27T01:18:00.000-05:00

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Just as he did so many times over his thirteen years in Toronto, ending the night as the game’s first star amid thunderous applause from the Air Canada Centre faithful, once more on February 21st, this time as a member of the Vancouver Canucks, Mats Sundin ended the night in familiar storybook fashion to a similar warm ovation, finally allowing him to take a bow on the stage he had owned for so long.

It almost seemed scripted, fairytale like, the kind of moment that has been far too infrequent an occurrence this season at Air Canada Centre. But then, it was the special moments that Mats Sundin specialized in - his 500th NHL goal against the Calgary Flames, in overtime to finish a hat trick effort on October 14th, 2006; his game winning goal in overtime in game one of their first round playoff series against the Ottawa Senators on April 14th, 2001 giving the Leafs a 1-0 win; his goal to send game six of the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, a game they would eventually lose, into overtime to prolong the magic just a little bit longer and so many others on his way to becoming the most productive Maple Leaf of all time.

So much was made in the days leading up to his return about whether fans would cheer him or boo him and frankly the fans at Air Canada Centre could not have handled it better. A standing ovation delaying the game several minutes following a tribute on the video board nearly brought Sundin to tears. When he was announced as the game’s first star after scoring the shootout winner, the reaction from the crowd was as if he was still a Leaf. During the play, a few boos to let him know that it was his house no longer.

In the end, a fitting conclusion from a world class player and a classy response for an equally classy player. Well done Toronto, well done Mats and most of all, thank you. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.23

2009-02-19T16:05:00.001-05:00

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After seeing Justin Pogge for the fourth time in National Hockey League competition against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, it is time the Toronto Maple Leafs seriously reassess their goaltending situation, not just presently but over the long term. Through his brief time thus far in the NHL, Pogge has looked exactly the same as he has in the AHL, not very good and certainly nowhere near the “goaltender of the future” moniker that has been placed on his shoulders since he led Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2006.

Earlier in the week, GM Brian Burke indicated that Pogge has not earned the right to be in the NHL but nevertheless the organization wants to take advantage of the fact they are not in contention for a playoff spot and evaluate what they have in Pogge. Despite allowing three goals on his first eight shots against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, he rebounded in the final two periods allowing just one goal on twenty two shots, drawing praise from Head Coach Ron Wilson for his ability to bare down and recover after a difficult start.

Let’s be honest though, if that is what we are praising about Justin Pogge, it’s really no different than giving everybody a trophy in house league, regardless of winning or losing, so that nobody feels bad.

Now nearing the end of his third year as a professional, he has shown no indication that he is ready to assume full time duties in the NHL next season. If Pogge is indeed the Maple Leafs’ goaltender of the future, it has to be about wins and losses when he is in the net, not small victories like battling hard after a poor start.

Heading into restricted free agency this summer, Brian Burke has a difficult decision to make as he clearly is not happy with where Pogge is in his development as a professional and I think you could confidently say neither is Pogge himself. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.22

2009-02-13T00:52:00.000-05:00

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Heading into the season, many prognosticators were suggesting that the Montreal Canadiens, who are commemorating their hundredth year of existence this season, would be the favourite to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals. However after getting off to a good start, now two thirds of the way through the season, it appears that something is amiss in Montreal.

Earlier this week, Head Coach Guy Carboneau debuted four new line combinations in an effort to spark his club but instead saw his team lose 7-2 against the Edmonton Oilers – arguably their worst effort of the season.

Alex Tanguay has missed a month and is not scheduled to return until late February. Saku Koivu has lost a step this season and Alexei Kovalev appears to be in the midst of one of his disinterested campaigns. Worst of all, Carey Price is going through a full blown sophomore slump with his confidence as fragile as Robert Lang’s Achilles tendon will be when he returns.

It’s become clear that the Boston Bruins are the class of the Eastern Conference and likely will not be caught by any team before the end of the season. Montreal, however, must now worry about merely securing a playoff spot as they just five points up on the ninth place Carolina Hurricanes. With several gaping holes that have revealed themselves in the Montreal line up over the past few weeks; expect GM Bob Gainey to be an active player at the NHL trade deadline.

The rumors continue that Vincent Lecavalier will end up in a Habs’ sweater by the end of the season and you can be sure that if their play does not improve soon; those rumors will reach a fever pitch until after the NHL’s trade deadline on March 4th.

It would be inconceivable and frankly catastrophic in Montreal if the Canadiens missed the playoffs after being viewed as a serious Stanley Cup contender prior to the season but with all the injuries they are dealing with, not to mention inconsistency in goal, missing the playoffs is certainly not out of the question. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.21

2009-02-06T00:45:00.000-05:00

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With the NHL’s Trade Deadline less than a month away, Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke is going to have to face a number of questions regarding personnel on the roster right now that have been being asked even before he took over the job. This trade deadline represents a crossroads for the Maple Leafs that is simply far too important for the future of the franchise for the right things not to be done.

A year ago, a number of inconsequential trades were made by Cliff Fletcher but the real opportunities he had to significantly help the Maple Leafs improve in a shorter amount of time - Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, Bryan McCabe, Darcy Tucker and Mats Sundin – were unable to be moved.

When you hear of some of the deals available for Kaberle that were left on the table – Bobby Ryan and a first round pick from Anaheim or Jeff Carter and a first round pick from Philadelphia - one only begins to wonder what if. If similar scenarios come across Brian Burke’s desk this trade deadline, he cannot afford not to get those deals done.

Burke has already said when he is a seller; he likes to wait as close to the deadline as possible as the closer you wait, the higher the return you often receive.

Nik Antropov, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Jason Blake, Pavel Kubina, and Tomas Kaberle are prime candidates to be on the move. But don’t be surprised though if lesser thought of targets such as Dominic Moore, Niklas Hagman, or Jeff Finger get included in transactions as well if general managers of contending teams are looking for a little bit more depth.

One thing is for sure though, by the day after the trade deadline, if the future of the Maple Leafs is to be a positive one, the current state of the roster will have to look much different. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.20

2009-01-29T21:22:00.000-05:00

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On Saturday night, for the second time this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs will enshrine another player in the rafters of Air Canada Centre by raising the banner of Doug Gilmour, officially honouring number 93 for his years with the team – years that were quite clearly his best as a National Hockey League player.

Unlike earlier in the season when the same honour was bestowed upon Wendel Clark, there really is little room to argue Gilmour’s place among the other Leaf legends whose banners also hang from the ACC rafters. Not only was Gilmour a hugely popular player during his tenure in Toronto, his numbers over his first two seasons with the Maple Leafs stand in a league of their own when compared with other Leaf greats. No other Leafs numbers can equal the 301 points Gilmour racked up during 1993 and 1994 campaigns through any other two year stretch. To reach a total that lofty, most other Leafs needed at least four seasons to achieve a similar mark.

Before coming to the Maple Leafs midway through the 1991-1992 season in one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history, Gilmour was a good but not great player. The same applies following his departure. But for those two springs in 1993 and 1994 that saw the Leafs go on two magical playoff runs, Gilmour was just that himself: magical, arguably the best player the NHL had to offer.

The next player to join Gilmour and the other honoured Maple Leafs should be Rick Vaive. Three consecutive fifty goal seasons and one of the best players during a very dark decade in Maple Leaf history, today the team longs for a player to have three consecutive thirty goal seasons. Following that, don’t expect any more players to be honoured until…can you say Mats Sundin? Whenever it is the Maple Leafs have decided enough time as passed. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.19

2009-01-23T01:24:00.000-05:00

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The theory of “Tank Nation” pertaining to the Maple Leafs has become a touchy subject since midway through last season when it became clear that the team would miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Now, with the Maple Leafs on their way to a fourth straight season devoid of post season competition, the suggestion that they should purposefully lose their remaining games in the interest of securing a favourable draft position in the John Tavares sweepstakes is once again being brought back up.

We’ve said on numerous editions of this very program that purposefully losing games is not a good culture to foster on a team. Earlier in the week, Maple Leafs’ Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations said, "That is not the way to build the winning culture we want to establish." However, I’m starting to believe what the Maple Leafs are saying on the surface is not exactly what they are practicing from within.

Early in the season, Ron Wilson would hold players accountable by benching them or leaving them as healthy scratches for even the smallest of indiscretions. Over the past few weeks, the play of several veterans seems to have slipped back towards complacency but there has been no sign from the Coach of any method of accountability coming their way.

Nik Antropov has not scored in his last fifteen games but has not seen a diminishment in his ice time, much less the threat of becoming a healthy scratch. I guess it becomes awfully difficult to trade someone when you admit you don’t think they are any good. If Antropov, or for that matter Kaberle, Kubina or Ponikarovsky, is indeed on the trading block, the Leafs would lose significant bargaining power if their trading partner can cite a recent banishment to the press box.

So while the Leafs say they don’t purposefully want to lose, the fact that their hands are tied when it comes to holding players they might soon want to trade accountable, it could be forcing them to lose games purposefully anyway. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.18

2009-01-14T20:05:00.000-05:00

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Last week, Maple Leaf fans witnessed the return of Bryan McCabe to Toronto. In just over a month from now, the much hyped return of Mats Sundin will take place. But sandwiched in between the return of two outstanding albeit at times, enigmatic players was the return of Wade Belak to Toronto this past week when the Nashville Predators visited the Maple Leafs.

Unlike McCabe and most likely Sundin, Belak received a warm welcome and loud ovation from the gathering at Air Canada Centre. Not bad for a guy with just one goal in his past two hundred and thirteen games. His appeal though to Leaf fans was obviously not due to his scoring prowess but rather his willingness to play a role, accept that role, stick to it without complaining and in turn excel at it.

Following one of the most glaring cheap shots in recent memory in which Cam Jansen, then of the New Jersey Devils, drove an unsuspecting Tomas Kaberle head first into the boards long after he had moved the puck leaving the talented Leaf defenseman with a concussion and sore neck, Belak took note of the incident and knew what he had to do.

In the next meeting between the two teams, Belak asked Jansen to fight. He then took centre stage at centre ice in arguably what turned out to be the defining moment of his Leaf career. Belak responded the right way, not delivering an equally dirty hit, but facing Jansen man to man and ensuring he or any other would- be cheap shot artist knew that under his watch, the Maple Leafs would not be a team that could be pushed around.

Since Belak’s departure, his presence has been sorely missed and you can be sure Brian Burke is going to work to restore a similar feeling for opponents when facing the Maple Leafs. I’ll leave it with a direct quote from Kaberle himself. "It was really nice what Wade did for me. I never asked him to do that for me. He did it all on his own. "Wade cared about his teammates. He defended them. He really cares about players." But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.17

2009-01-08T17:21:00.000-05:00

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Well well well. Perhaps the clock, as the Maple Leafs approach the midway point of their schedule, has indeed struck midnight. All of a sudden the magic that appeared to resonate through the first half of the schedule seems to be wearing a little thin with more and more efforts that resemble the kind we became accustomed to last season starting to show up.

Case in point, in the much anticipated return of Bryan McCabe to Toronto last Tuesday night, it was McCabe who was left with the last laugh as the Maple Leafs sleepwalked through the game. Yes there were twenty men on the ice wearing Maple Leaf jerseys, I just don’t think they were the same men that we’ve seen play with such passion, energy and grit through the first half of the season.

Bottom line, the game was an embarrassment as was the Sabres game on New Year’s Day, the Capitals game on December 28th, the Islanders game on December 26th and the Stars game on December 23rd. All games where it looked like there was very little concern from those on the bench regarding the outcome of the game.

If Brian Burke had any doubts as to whether this Maple Leaf team was a playoff contender, he did not need to be a rocket scientist to decode the message his team left for him with their effort against the Panthers.

Trade possibilities should now be explored for any Maple Leaf or Marlie save for Luke Schenn that another general manager shows interest in. That includes players like Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, Nik Antropov, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Vesa Toskala.

Hard work and determination can only last so long before the crust of the matter is reveal and that is that the Maple Leafs just are not a good enough team. The more young players, prospects and draft picks that Brian Burke can stockpile from here on in will only help to improve the team quicker. But hey, all that is just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.16

2008-12-31T18:49:00.000-05:00

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After handing out glasses of holiday cheer and lumps of coal for some of the best and worst of the pre-Christmas portion of the Maple Leafs schedule last week on the program, it’s time to lay out some New Year’s resolutions for the Maple Leafs as we head into 2009.

First off: find some consistency in goal. Unlike a year ago when Vesa Toskala’s play often conjured up memories of quality netminding not seen since the glory days of Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour, his play thus far in the 2008-2009 season has left a lot to be desired. Infrequently has Toskala come up with big saves at key times in games, instead he far too frequently has allowed soft goals that have been more reminiscent of the play of another Maple Leaf netminder from the 2007-2008 season. That’s right, Andrew Raycroft.

In the limited action Curtis Joseph circa 2008 has received, he has been anything but reliable. Justin Pogge should get a long extended look at the NHL level but Maple Leaf brass has made it quite clear not to expect anything of that kind until next season. With the Maple Leafs turning in a solid, gritty, hard working effort on most nights, they deserve some consistent netminding to compliment their play.

Find a legitimate heavyweight. Try as they might, Ryan Hollweg, Jamal Mayers and Andre Deveaux simply cannot match up against some of the NHL’s toughest nor does their presence strike fear into their opponents.

Pick a captain! Now that Mats Sundin has officially closed the book, what are they waiting for? It’s time to take the next step in the rebuilding process and choose the new face of the team. You won’t find that face though among any of the players currently wearing A’s on their jerseys. Put the C on Matt Stajan’s sweater. He’s in the midst of a career season; always willing to answer for the team and quite honestly, it’s about time this guy gets some credit.

Here’s to a successful 2009 for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hey, it’s got to be better than 2008 right? But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.15

2008-12-24T18:09:00.001-05:00

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Now having hit the conclusion of the pre Christmas portion of the Maple Leafs schedule, it’s an appropriate time to sit back and digest – perhaps over a glass of rum and eggnog if you feel so inclined – what we have witnessed over the first thirty four games of the regular season. Staying in the Christmas spirit, we’ll award a few glasses of holiday cheer for some of the better performances thus far this season and a few lumps of coal for some of the less impressive showings.

A glass of holiday cheer to Ron Wilson. No, the Maple Leafs are not the most talented team but on most nights, they show up with their lunch pale, willing to work and have hung around, winning more games to this point in the season than many had predicted. Accountability finally reigns in the Maple Leaf locker room and they have become a better team because of it. If a player performs in a way that doesn’t warrant more ice time, it’s quite simple: they don’t play.

A lump of coal to Tomas Kaberle. On a team laden with young players, Kaberle was looked upon to provide leadership and a steadying force on the blueline. Difficult to comment on his leadership because we aren’t in the locker room but Kaberle’s play has been as underwhelming as it ever has been since his tenure began with the Maple Leafs in 1998. In fact, despite being held accountable by being benched and having his ice time cut, Kaberle has continued to play in a way that appears as though he is simply going through the motions. Even Jason Blake has been able to drop that persona.

Finally, some holiday cheer to Matt Stajan. Never a guy to get the credit he deserves, Stajan has quietly gone about his business this season and is on pace for a career season. He rarely makes a bad decision with the puck, plays on the power play and penalty kill while continuing to be a vocal player in the media, always answering to the media and acting as a leader, something he also doesn’t get credit for.

At this point, fans should be happy with the Maple Leafs play, winning a comfortable amount of games while seeing some impressive development out of a lot of their young players. For Christmas, that’s all the Maple Leafs could really ask for. But hey, all that was just rigmarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.14

2008-12-18T15:02:00.000-05:00

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Jeremy Williams can put the puck in the net. Period. But as any hotshot young sniper will quickly learn, there is much more to becoming an everyday NHL player than merely a one dimensional ability to score. Look at any of the top players in the game, be they Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, or Jarome Iginla: they all bring much more to the table than just offense.

For Williams, he has been a scorer at every level that he has competed at, whether it be Major Junior in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos, the AHL with the Toronto Marlies or so far in a brief NHL career with the Maple Leafs. The knock against him has always been a lack of competitiveness in the defensive end and as a result, he has never been presented with the opportunity to establish himself as a legitimate NHLer.

Hard work has also never been something that has come naturally to Williams. Often players blessed with natural ability are difficult to convince that at the NHL level, no matter how good you are, you won’t stay good for long if you aren’t putting in hard work, committed to continually improving your play.

Under previous Maple Leafs regimes, Williams was quite rightly identified as one of those types of players: a maddeningly tantalizing prospect who needs to learn how to be a consummate professional. So far this season under Ron Wilson, Williams seems to have received the message and has thoroughly improved his play in the defensive end holding a team leading plus four rating. Not surprisingly, he has been rewarded with greater ice time in offensive situations.

If Williams can keep his encouraging start going through a protracted period of time, the Maple Leafs may have lucked into the scoring winger they so desperately covet. If his play drops off though and a level of comfort seeps into his play, don’t be surprised to see Williams face another trip to the minors. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.13

2008-12-09T20:28:00.001-05:00

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Heading into the season, it was very clear that if the Maple Leafs were not in a competitive position by the midway point in the season, trade talks surrounding some of the team’s veteran players would start to heat up. Clearly in a rebuilding position, it makes sense and is frankly a necessary thing to do, trading established, older, veteran players in return for packages that include draft picks and prospects instead of allowing tangible assets to go to unrestricted free agency and in turn lose them for nothing.

By now it has been made brutally obvious that the Maple Leafs are not currently and will not be at any time this season in a position to legitimately compete for a playoff spot. As a result, that aforementioned trade speculation has indeed begun and now the question is who will be the first to go?

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Tomas Kaberle. Still a richly talented player, it has become clear that he is nearing the end of his ten year career with the Maple Leafs. Last Tuesday against San Jose, Kaberle did not see a shift in the first period. In the final forty minutes of that game, he was on the ice for four San Jose goals, not the best response to a message sent by Head Coach Ron Wilson. Recently, Kaberle has seen his special teams ice time cut down, perhaps another message being sent, telling Kaberle the Maple Leafs wouldn’t mind if he decided to waive his no trade clause.

Once he does agree to waive that clause, Kaberle would likely be the most desirable commodity the Maple Leafs have to offer. Still very much in his prime, he is under contract for another two seasons at a very reasonable $4.25 million dollars and could be a welcome addition to a Stanley Cup contender looking for an upgrade on their power play and a defenseman capable of playing a solid twenty to twenty three minutes per game. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.12 Ft. Michael Landsberg

2008-12-02T21:03:00.002-05:00

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No matter how good of a General Manager you may have running your team, inevitably some moves that are made just simply don’t not turn out well. After all, nobody’s perfect. Cliff Fletcher made several moves over the course of the summertime that put the Maple Leafs in a significantly better position than they were in a year ago. Mikhail Grabovski looks like a forward with top six potential. Niklas Hagman has proven to be a reliable two-way forward, above average in both the offensive and defensive zones. The play of nineteen year old Luke Schenn simply speaks for its self.

In Curtis Joseph, the Maple Leafs knew he was no longer the goalie he was during his previous Toronto tenure between 1998 and 2002 but he was still thought to be a reliable back up, capable of playing fifteen to twenty games. However in the brief action he has seen thus far this season, Joseph’s play has been anything but what the Leafs were hoping for.

Frankly, the game looks like it has passed Joseph by. He has looked very uncomfortable in the Toronto net, clueless at times and has allowed numerous goals that simply have to be stopped at the NHL level. By no means though should Joseph feel any shame. He has been a wonderful, upstanding citizen throughout his remarkable NHL career but as so happens, players reach a point where they can no longer compete at the level they once could, and it is clear Joseph has indeed reached that point.

It’s now or never for Justin Pogge at this point in his professional career and it is time for the Maple Leafs to start seasoning him at the NHL level especially during a season where they seem to be more concerned with development than in wins and losses. Joseph should be kept on in the organization in a coaching or advisory role but to have him finish the season as their second string netminder is merely setting back the development process. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.11

2008-11-25T18:47:00.001-05:00

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Prior their game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Toronto Maple Leafs – on the same night as their forever rivals from Montreal retired the legendary number 33 of Patrick Roy – honoured the number 17 of Wendel Clark, arguably one of the most popular Maple Leafs in history. However watching these two ceremonies back to back – Roy’s first followed immediately by Clark’s – served to highlight the disparity between the two organizations when it comes to enshrining legends, or at least those from recent times.

Roy’s career accomplishments are staggering. Like his personality or not, he could stop the puck, case closed. NHL all time leader in playoff games played, wins, shutouts, four Stanley Cups, three Conn Smythe Trophies, three Vezina Trophies to name only a few accolades easily underline that point.

Clark was and still is revered in the city in which he made his mark in the NHL. His hard working, gritty, energetic style of play allowed legions of fans to identify with him but when it comes to his list of individual and team accomplishments, Clark’s list is rather brief. Often injured, Clark missed an average of one game for every two he played in. He was 229 points shy of a point per game ratio over his career, won no individual awards and no Stanley Cups.

Don’t get me wrong, Clark displayed the kind of heart and soul characteristics coaches wish they saw in all their players but when you think about it, isn’t playing hard with determination and passion something that should be part of every NHL player’s job description?

A model citizen, Clark has been nothing but a tremendous ambassador for the Maple Leaf organization but when you mention his name along with the likes of Mahovlich, Sittler, Apps, Salming, Bower, Horton, - some of the other players to have had their numbers enshrined at Air Canada Centre - I’m not sure Clark can claim to be in their equals.

You can be sure if Clark played his career in Montreal, he wouldn’t have received such an honour. Very popular, yes, but to have your number enshrined in the rafters, it should be earned through more than just popularity. But hey, all that rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.10

2008-11-18T14:11:00.000-05:00

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Through the first nineteen games of the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have shown that for the first time since the lockout, there is much to be get excited about in terms of the future of this team. The work ethic has been there most every night. Matt Stajan is having a career year. Mikhail Grabovski, Niklas Hagman and Nikolai Kulemin have turned out to be an electrifying line capable of exhibiting some serious speed. Ron Wilson has founds ways to get the most out of his players and finally, Maple Leaf players are starting to overachieve instead of perennially underachieving as they have for so many years.

However despite all of the positives seen early in the season, one facet of the game is beginning to show itself as a growing concern. Goaltending. Vesa Toskala has not been the Vesa Toskala of last year yet and has been giving up far too many goals that have conjured up memories of the inconsistent Andrew Raycroft. His GAA and SA% are among the worst for starting goaltenders and he has been unable to make big saves at key times for the most part this season. In fact, some of the goals allowed have been just plain soft.

The Maple Leafs though at this point do not really have a viable option apart from Toskala. In the limited action we’ve seen Curtis Joesph play this season, he has not shown an ability to be a reliable goaltender for a four or five game stretch. On the farm, the Maple Leafs seem intent on seasoning Justin Pogge for another year in the AHL which means benching Toskala for two or three games to send a message likely is not possible if they are still interested in having an opportunity to win hockey games.

One thing is for sure though. If Toskala’s inconsistent play continues, the Maple Leafs will lose more games than they win regardless of who is between the pipes. But hey, all that is just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.9

2008-11-11T14:12:00.000-05:00

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Undoubtedly every season in the National Hockey League, a variety of incidents take place resulting in serious injuries followed by half hearted apologies from the perpetrators, something along the lines of, “I’m sorry for the injury I inflicted, I didn’t mean to hurt anybody.”

Rarely though do you get the sense that anybody is showing any true remorse. I can somewhat believe the, “I’m sorry for the injury I caused” part because I honestly don’t think that many players relish the extent of an injury they inflict on a fellow player but the “I didn’t mean to hurt anybody” part just reeks of insincerity. If the offending player really didn’t mean to hurt anybody, well then he shouldn’t have played so recklessly in the first place.

However, if there was ever an apology you can truly believe, it was Tom Kostopoulos after learning he had been suspended for three games for a devastating hit from behind on Leafs’ defenseman Mike Van Ryn. Love or hate Don Cherry, he is absolutely right when he says defenseman going into the corner should never turn back or they are simply asking to get leveled.

Kostopolous makes his living on being a gritty forward who plays a strong forecheck and that’s what he was doing against Van Ryn expecting the Leaf defenseman to collect the puck and round the net. Instead Van Ryn threw on the breaks leaving Kostopolous no opportunity to avoid the hit. Immediately, a look of concern came over Kostopolous as he saw Van Ryn lying motionless on the ice.

That look of concern, Kostopolous’ intention to call Van Ryn personally to apologize as well as his written statement leads me to honestly believe Kostopolous truly feels bad for the injuries suffered by Van Ryn. An offense worthy of a suspension? Absolutely. But after the suspension is served, no hard feelings toward Kostopolous should remain. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.8

2008-11-03T01:20:00.002-05:00

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Is it just me or is everybody starting to get a feeling that something special is building in the Maple Leafs locker room? On Saturday night, we saw fifty minutes of gritty hockey as the Leafs worked hard to hang around in a game against the NHL’s best squad. Sure scoring chances were there but no bounces were going the Maple Leafs way and Leaf killer Stephan Valiquette appeared to be on his way to yet another victory over the Buds.

But then, late in the game the bounces did start to go the Maple Leafs way as they poured on a knockout flurry of offense that left the Rangers not quite sure what had hit them. Five goals in a span of 5:21 seconds left the Air Canada Centre crowd in a standing frenzy as the final seconds ticked down, a state of euphoria not seen at ACC since the Maple Leafs won their last playoff round against the Ottawa Senators in 2004.

Following the game, the players credited the crowd and Ron Wilson credited the work ethic he has managed to instill in the Maple Leafs in a very short period of time. It’s amazing how positive an affect hard work, youthful exuberance and determination can have on a team.

Those were the qualities missing on the Maple Leafs since the end of the lockout and now in the fourth season of the “new NHL,” it has become clear those are three qualities any team needs to possess in order to be successful.

A win like Saturday’s over the Rangers will only serve to galvanize the team even further as it starts to alter the prevailing mindset of accepting mediocrity that has existed over the past three years and shows this group that they are indeed capable of winning games. This is not the first time this season the Maple Leafs have impressed so I’m starting to think this was not an accident.

The last three seasons, the Maple Leafs had a collection of talent. Now finally this season, the Maple Leafs have a team. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.7

2008-10-28T14:41:00.000-04:00

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Sometimes it is really difficult to figure out Maple Leaf fans. For years, the play of the blue and white was examined microscopically by fans and media pundits alike: doom and gloom after a loss, pure euphoria after a win. After suffering through three difficult losing years following the lockout that wiped out the 2004-2005 season, one would think that Maple Leaf supporters would be ready for a little winning but now strangely enough, the Maple Leafs, according to most, are playing too well.

That’s right. After a successful week, picking up five out of a possible six points, the Maple Leafs are said to be playing too well. All this success is screwing up the master plan of continuing to lose, losing worse than ever to continue to accumulate draft picks and then almost through rite of passage, magically transform from cellar dweller to Cup contender in a flash.

That’s how a lot of people seem to see it for the Maple Leafs, that they could not possibly get good again unless they continue to stink for the next few years. Nonsense. The fact is the coaching style being implemented by Ron Wilson is quickly ridding the team of the sense of entitlement that seemed to prevail throughout most of Paul Maurice’s tenure.

He is quickly facilitating development and ensuring that his players overachieve, not something often seen since before the lockout. If they don’t, Wilson assigns them a seat in the press box, not the bench, and so far, the strategy has worked in three cases. Matt Stajan, Mike Van Ryn and Jason Blake have all had to learn the hard way but have all responded and are playing some of their best hockey in years.

When Pat Quinn took over for the 1998-1999 season, the Maple Leafs were supposed to lose badly that season too. All they did was go to the Eastern Conference Finals. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.6

2008-10-20T01:16:00.001-04:00

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After a shockingly unexpected defeat of the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in their season opening contest followed by four less than impressive outings, reality is now beginning to set in for the 2008-2009 Maple Leafs campaign. Opening night euphoria has quickly given way to the stark truth of what likely awaits Leaf fans this season. But all is not lost.

The play of top prospect Luke Schenn has been very encouraging, consistently among the team leaders in ice time while arguably becoming the Maple Leafs’ most reliable defenseman in his own zone.

Nik Kulemin’s play is starting to remove the folklore that was built up around him from media speculation since the Maple Leafs drafted him out of Russia and instead, replacing it with shreds of optimism and truth that say, “yeah, this guy might just have some talent.” If anything, despite the Maple Leafs’ poor record in shootouts, Kulemin has shown a far too unfamiliar knack to the Maple Leafs, of scoring consistently in that facet of the game.

Mixing them in with the remaining group of young players including Mikhail Grabovski, Anton Stralman and Jiri Tlusty and all of sudden, there is the potential for some meaningful development this season.

Just a few seasons ago, the Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues, long on young talent but short on experience, were in very similar positions. However, after suffering through some difficult seasons, those young prospects have developed to the point where they are now leading their respective teams to very successful starts in the always competitive Western Conference.

For the Maple Leafs, this is a season all about patience, in the hopes that riding with many of the young players they have on their roster now, will soon lead to the improvement seen in the cases of the Oilers and Blues.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and Leafs Nation…well it won’t quite be built in just one season either. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.5

2008-10-14T14:03:00.000-04:00

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Throughout much of last season, it was clear that the Maple Leafs were not a tough enough team to play against – except for when Wade Belak was in the lineup, which wasn’t very often. The reasons for the Leafs’ disinterest in utilizing Belak a year ago to fill a role in which he excelled at – protecting his teammates by striking fear into opponents but without taking unnecessary penalties – I will never understand.

Instead Belak was shipped to Florida in exchange for a 5th round draft pick and Ryan Hollweg was acquired from the New York Rangers to fill his void and in return the Maple Leafs sent a different 5th round pick back to New York.

Essentially, the Leafs traded Belak for Hollweg and so far, the switch has been anything but a good one for the Maple Leafs. Inexplicably, Hollweg dropped the gloves an astounding five times in the preseason including three times in one game, losing all five bouts. Late in the exhibition schedule, Hollweg picked up a boarding major and a game misconduct against St. Louis netting him an automatic two game suspension for accumulating three boarding majors in forty one games dating back to his time with the Rangers.

No sooner does he return after serving his suspension, Hollweg lasts only four minutes of ice time before taking another boarding major penalty against the same St. Louis Blues netting him a three game suspension this time and possibly even more supplemental discipline. On the ensuing five minute power play, the Blues scored twice to tie the game on their way to winning in come from behind fashion.

Hollweg’s play has absolutely no place on the Leafs nor in the NHL and as wrong was Chris Simon was in tomahawking Hollweg across the head with his stick two seasons ago, Hollweg’s play thus far with the Leafs begins to allow people understand Simon’s frustration.

Here’s hoping Hollweg gets handed at least a twenty game suspension because that will be twenty games the Leafs will be better off without him. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.4

2008-10-05T14:22:00.000-04:00

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Clearly, the 2008-2009 season is one of rebuilding and retooling for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Development of younger players is paramount whereas winning games is really not. After all the more games they lose, the better they set themselves up for a high draft pick at the end of the year and that’s all part of the master plan, or at least some people’s master plan isn’t it?

Certainly, under no circumstances would it make sense for the Maple Leafs to consider trading their first round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft. Well….not necessarily. Earlier last week, it was reported the Maple Leafs attempted to package their first round pick in 2009 along with two unnamed prospects in exchange for Mathieu Schneider and Bobby Ryan from the Anaheim Ducks.

For the first time in years, this was a trade that would have sacrificed a top draft pick yet yielded a player that would become a big part of the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bobby Ryan, picked immediately after Sidney Crosby in 2005, is as good a first round pick that the Maple Leafs could possibly hope to land in the summer of 2009 but is also NHL ready. Add in the caveat that the Maple Leafs would retain their first round pick in 2009 if it ended up being in the top five selections and this was a win-win deal for the Maple Leafs, potentially being able to add to cornerstone players in a short period of time to their roster to go along with 2008 top pick Luke Schenn.

If Cliff Fletcher could have swung this move, the possibility existed that Schneider could then have been flipped for prospects or picks as well. If anything, Schneider’s veteran presence and experience would have benefitted the numerous youngsters that will ply their trades with the Maple Leafs this season.

Trading first round picks is rarely a wise decision, especially during rebuilding years but this was one circumstance that I would have made an exception for. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.3

2008-09-29T01:52:00.000-04:00

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Earlier this summer, the Toronto Maple Leafs put out a mysterious message that a major announcement would be made but said nothing else about what was to be expected. Anyone who wanted to find out what it was all about would have to make their way to the Air Canada Centre at 11am on a Wednesday in the middle of the summertime, hardly a conducive time for most to make the trek. Nevertheless, several Maple Leaf die-hard souls made it out to hear the Maple Leafs had added a preseason game to their schedule in which all of the tickets would be given out, free of charge, thanks to Coca Cola. All those in attendance at the announcement were given free ducats.

A nice idea, despite the fact this game really wasn’t the charity from MLSE that it appeared to be on the surface. Coke bought all the tickets, so MLSE didn’t lose a penny, the money just came from a different source. Still, the willingness to give fans that rarely get to attend games the opportunity to see their favourite team in action was a noble gesture. Fast forward to the game itself and following its conclusion, it was reported that approximately one thousand seats went without occupants.

Maybe there are just not that many people who care to attend a Leaf game? Not likely. The tickets just got into the wrong hands. For those who had tickets to this game but didn’t feel compelled to use them since they had no real fiscal value attached to them should be ashamed of themselves. Anyone who holds any tickets to any Leaf games that they let go unused is missing a big opportunity to brighten the lives of those who can only dreaming of attending a game.

Say what you want but the fact still is, Leaf tickets are a privilege in Toronto. There are numerous children’s hospitals, big brother organizations and charitable institutions that would not have too difficult a time putting extra tickets to use. Not putting your extra tickets to use, that’s just despicable. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.2

2008-09-22T01:55:00.000-04:00

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When Maple Leaf training camp commenced over the weekend, something was missing. For the first time since 1986, the Maple Leafs roster included neither Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour nor Mats Sundin. Each of those three men represented the core of the leadership in the Maple Leaf dressing room for a period of time throughout the last twenty two years and now that leadership will have to come from a new source. But who?

Nobody on the current roster has the talent level, experience, leadership ability and tenure, all requirements of a sound choice for the captain of any hockey team. A number of possibilities do exist but none of the candidates possess all four of those aforementioned qualities.

For young players without experience, it often rubs older veteran players the wrong way when a player early in his career is constantly telling him how to play. Without top level skill, a captain risks earning an “easier said than done” reputation among his teammates. To be a true leader, a player needs to earn the respect of his teammates, something difficult for those in their first year with a club to do. Those without good leadership ability, well, I guess that’s really the ante required to get your name involved in a discussion for the captaincy.

Matt Stajan and Alex Steen have developed as good leaders and core veterans but neither are top tier players with enough tenure to be able to back up getting on older underperforming teammates.

Tomas Kaberle, now the longest serving and arguably the most talent player on the roster, doesn’t possess the drive and desire to be the mouthpiece for a team that gets as much media coverage as the Maple Leafs do.

Pavel Kubina and newcomer Jamal Mayers are both vocal leaders but in Kubina’s case, like Kaberle, probably doesn’t have the interest for answering to the media and Mayers has no tenure nor top level skill.

At this point, the Leafs would be wise to opt for leadership by committee and rotate the C based on performance because clearly, it will take more than just one player if any success is expected this season. But hey, all that was just rigmarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.1

2008-09-14T14:36:00.000-04:00

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Quite a stark contrast from just one year ago: as the Maple Leafs gathered to prepare for the 2007-2008 campaign, then Head Coach Paul Maurice proclaimed that his team would “make the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup.” Fast forward one year and you see that the current version of the Maple Leafs only sparsely resembles the version from 365 days ago and that includes the organization’s expectations. GM Cliff Fletcher did not try to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes when he spoke to a group of reporters earlier last week suggesting this would be a season that will likely be quite lean in terms of success and include many, as he put it, “rough spells”.

The Head Coach and General Manager from a season ago are long gone, Paul Maurice and John Ferguson Jr. now replaced with Ron Wilson and Cliff Fletcher. Mats Sundin likely will not be back but who really knows at this point. Former core players from years gone by including Darcy Tucker, Bryan McCabe, and the oft-injured Kyle Wellwood have all been shown the door. So what does all this leave Maple Leaf fans to expect this season?

Time for me to be frank: not much. If you convince yourself the Maple Leafs will be playoff contenders even just for a moment this season, you are indeed fooling yourself. But all this doesn’t mean there isn’t reason to stay interested. Take the approach of a junior hockey fan and focus on the development of the players that will hopefully one day comprise a new “core group.” Jiri Tlusty, Jeremy Williams, Robbie Earl, Nikolai Kulemin, Mikhail Grabovski, and Anton Stralman will all get the opportunity to prove that they are genuine NHL players and by the end of the season, we will have a pretty good idea of whether or not that is true.

If those players and other youngsters impress and show themselves to be capable NHLers, then this campaign will be a success. Accomplishments in Leaf Land will be measured in development and improvement, not playoff spots and Stanley Cups. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.44

2008-07-06T17:28:00.000-04:00

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Now, close to a week into free agency, and we still have not heard a decision from Mats Sundin regarding his playing future, other than him saying a decision of any such nature is still likely, not days, but weeks away.

Throughout his tenure in Toronto, Sundin has maintained a remarkably private life for someone who is the captain of arguably the most reported-on hockey franchise in the world. On the ice, he is not a very difficult player to understand. Simply put: he's one of the best to have ever played the game.

Off the ice though, Sundin is much more difficult to figure out. Not to suggest his conduct is questionable, Sundin has been a model citizen during his career as both a tremendous leader of the Maple Leafs on the ice, and away from hockey through his various philanthropic efforts to give back to the community that has embraced him.

The question that many have struggled to find an answer to is: what is it that drives Mats Sundin?

Following the events of the past week, it’s quite clear that money is not as high on his list of motivating factors as some may have thought it was.

With at least four serious offers on the table, including a staggering two-year deal worth $20 million from the Vancouver Canucks—one that would make him the highest-paid player in the game—it has not influenced Sundin’s decision regarding next season in the least.

It seems now that the only thing standing between Sundin and another NHL season is whether or not he wants to put his body through the rigors of 100+ games.

If the answer is no, then it doesn’t seem like any amount of money could change his mind. If the answer is yes, he will return because a passion for hockey still burns inside him. If it was all about the money, Sundin would be the newest member of the Vancouver Canucks.

But hey, all that was just rigmarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.43

2008-06-30T00:49:00.001-04:00

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Every year in the days leading up to unrestricted free agency on July 1st, the top free agent prizes are identified and then as sure as the sun will come up in the morning, all those top free agents are said to be bound for Toronto. However this time around, things seem to be much different.

This year’s unrestricted free agent class is a lot weaker than in previous years. Mats Sundin will be this year’s most coveted free agent and it seems like the only place he isn’t rumored to be going is Toronto. Other top free agents include Marian Hossa, Jaromir Jagr, Kristin Huselius and Markus Naslund; none of which would I recommend general managers commit to for the long term or with significant dollars.

Many GM’s turn into kids in candy stores at free agency time: eager to spend their money on as much as possible but then end up wishing they hadn’t when they are left with queasy feelings. Look at Ryan Smyth, considered to be a top prize a year ago. While he had a decent year with 37 points in 55 games with the Avalanche last season, I highly doubt GM Francois Giguere is too pleased with a cap hit of $6.25 million for the next four seasons.

Mats Sundin notwithstanding, the Maple Leafs should go after none of these free agents. They will not be a good team next year and they probably will not be a good team the following year. Burdening themselves down with large, unwieldy contracts at this stage of the game would only hamper the rebuilding process, especially when there are still several players left remaining on the roster whose contracts the Maple Leafs are trying to get rid of.

A backup netminder? Fine. One or two serviceable and inexpensive skaters? Fine. $8 million dollars a season for four years to Marian Hossa? Forget it Cliff. Now is certainly not the time. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.42 - Ft. Matt Marquardt

2008-06-22T00:29:00.001-04:00

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In less than two months, on what is considered a day of luck on the Chinese calendar, August 8th, 2008, or 08/08/08, the games of the 29th Olympiad will begin in Beijing, China in the year of the rat. In the hockey world though, after watching the success of the Anaheim Ducks a year ago, the Detroit Red Wings most recently and now the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, it is quite clearly the year of the defenseman.

Now more than ever, general managers are starting to realize the value of building a team around a strong core of defenseman. Brian Burke understood this when the Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007 with a blueline that included the likes of future hall of fame defensemen Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer along with the rugged and reliable Francois Beauchemin. Ken Holland understood this when his Detroit Red Wings captured the 2008 Stanley Cup with a defense corps that boasted the likes of Nicklas Lidstrom, Bryan Rafalski, Brad Stuart and Niklas Kronwall.

In both examples, the defensive prowess was the strength of both of these Stanley Cup winning teams, always able to make a quality first pass to get the puck out of the defensive zone and rarely allowing opponents to get in position for a dangerous scoring opportunity.

Following the example of the past two Stanley Cup winners, other general managers around the league seem to be buying into the importance of solid defensemen as twelve of the first twenty seven picks in the 2008 Entry Draft were defensemen including four of the first five.

Only time will tell if Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian, Alex Pietrangelo, Luke Schenn and others will develop into the type of defensemen that the Ducks and Red Wings were so successful with but one thing is for sure, you can’t say GMs aren’t trying that route. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.41

2008-06-14T13:24:00.002-04:00

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For the first time since the lockout three seasons ago, the NHL is facing another summer of transition. But unlike the dark abyss the league stared into as the game struggled to regain even the slightest foothold of interest in the United States following a return to action, this summer’s period of transition is indeed a much more positive one.

The television ratings for the Stanley Cup Finals in the US, while not staggering, were a considerable improvement over a year ago, returning close to pre lockout levels. This slight increase offers hope that perhaps hockey is slowing making its way onto the radar screen.

The best way for the NHL to continue this upward trend in American interest is to find a marketable superstar who becomes a recognizable name not only to hockey fans but as a cultural icon, somebody who makes hockey cool to watch, to play, to follow.

Alexander Ovechkin is quickly becoming that kind of superstar. He has single handedly turned Washington DC back into a hockey town since coming into the league and is easily the most popular athlete in the city in any sport. He loves the spotlight, never tires of talking about the game, possesses a certain endearing quality when he speaks and plays the game with the passion of a child. At times, I start to wonder if he would play for free if necessary.

Sidney Crosby is looked at by many as this marketable force, but unlike the passionate, spontaneous and carefree Ovechkin, Crosby is almost robotic in his approach to all business off the ice, lacking that compelling quality that makes Ovechkin stand out and forces viewers to take notice.

For the NHL, their players standing out (in a good way) is exactly what they want. Alex Ovechkin draws interest to the NHL for all the right reasons. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Wellwood Faces Summer of Rehab...Again

2008-06-12T15:53:00.000-04:00

Kyle Wellwood’s plans of going through his first injury-free off season in recent memory hit a bump two weeks ago during an indoor soccer game. According to a report published in the Windsor Star, Wellwood injured his foot while playing indoor soccer as part of an off season training session.

"I was playing indoor soccer and it (my foot) sort of cracked," Wellwood commented in an interview with the Windsor Star.

Though he is expected to recover well in advance of training camp which opens in mid September, the injury does inevitably set back Wellwood’s off season training regiment where he had hope to drastically improve his fitness level in advance of next season.

After an impressive rookie campaign in 2005-2006 where Wellwood registered 45 points while competing in 81 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, his sophomore season was cut short. He managed appearances in only 48 games after suffering an abdominal injury that required surgery. Wellwood spent the better part of last summer recovering from that surgery to a point where both he and the Toronto Maple Leafs felt he would be able to regain the form he showed during the first season and a half of his NHL career.

That was not quite how things worked out though. Early in training camp before the 2007-2008 season, Wellwood required another minor surgery forcing him to miss the first month of the season. Throughout a lackluster and disappointing season, Wellwood’s conditioning was called into question as he struggled mightily during his third NHL campaign.

A restricted free agent as of July 1st, 2008, there are no guarantees that he will be back with the Maple Leafs for a fourth season. Wellwood will need to be extended a qualifying offer in order for the Maple Leafs to retain his rights. General Manager Cliff Fletcher will have to decide if he feels Wellwood is still an integral component to the Maple Leafs core group of young players that includes Matt Stajan, also a restricted free agent this off season, Alex Steen, Jiri Tlusty, Anton Stralman, Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo.

However, with Jeremy Williams, a young player with scoring prowess who has been knocking on the big league door for the past few seasons and the highly touted Russian winger Nikolai Kulemin, both expected to get serious looks from the big club next season, even if Wellwood is back, a demotion to the Toronto Marlies may be in order.

The Maple Leafs are clearly not in a position to challenge for a Stanley Cup next season and as a result, they will likely rely more heavily on their contingent of youth next season in hopes of expediting their development at the NHL level. Wellwood will not just be allowed to coast through another season with a lot of young players eager for a shot with the big club.

If anything is for sure with Kyle Wellwood, an off season with much uncertainty just got a little bit cloudier.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.40 - Ft. Matt Stajan

2008-06-08T14:35:00.001-04:00

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While many viewed the Pittsburgh Penguins as the understudy to the Detroit Red Wings on the NHL’s biggest stage this season, paying their dues before eventually rising to the top for years to come, do not expect this year’s big stars to just step aside next season, out of the way of the march of the Penguins. Unlike the Penguins who have several key players without contracts for next season and an even bigger problem a year from now when the contracts of Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal run out, the Red Wings have all their cornerstone players locked up.

Up front, only Dallas Drake, Darren McCarty, Aaron Downey and Mark Hartigan are facing a summer of unrestricted free agency. With all due respect none of these players would present a significant loss for the Red Wings should they not be resigned. Valtteri Filppula is a restricted free agent but should not be a problem for GM Ken Holland to get under contract. On defense, Brad Stuart is the only significant rearguard in need of a contract. Andres Lilja and Chris Chelios are also unrestricted free agents but neither are integral pieces of Detroit’s puzzle.

Dominik Hasek’s $2 million salary will be off the books next year as he is not likely to return leaving Holland with money for a more inexpensive backup netminder and extra to allocate where he sees fit. A year from now, the only players who will likely see significant pay raises will be Hendrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen. Other key members of the 2008 champs including Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Holmstrom, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Darren Helm, Nik Lidstrom, Nik Kronwall, Bryan Rafalski and Chris Osgood are all locked up as a group at least until the 2009-2010 campaign.

So while the Pittsburgh Penguins, with their staggering collection of young talent, may yet begin a Cup collection down the road, they may have to wait a few more years for the Detroit Red Wings to complete a Cup collection of their own. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.39 - Ft. Justin Hodgman

2008-06-02T00:12:00.001-04:00

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Thirteen fantastic seasons in Toronto; ten of those as captain. During that time he reached countless personal milestones and set new marks for franchise records in goals and points. He has spent countless hours on humanitarian projects benefiting numerous charities around Toronto and handled himself always with dignity. However, despite all of his work and contributions to the Maple Leafs and the city of Toronto, Mats Sundin’s legacy will be determined by only one decision: the next one he makes.

Come back next season to the Maple Leafs, retire, or come back next season to play elsewhere. Those are the three options facing Sundin in the summer of 2008 and only one of those options will truly preserve his legacy in the hearts of Maple Leaf fans. After all of those aforementioned accomplishments and years of dedication and loyalty, you would think that Sundin has earned the right to do what he feels is best for him. But if he indeed cares about the way he is remembered in Toronto, unfortunately that just not the way it works in this city.

Should Sundin decide to retire, fans will wonder why he didn’t agree to be traded to take one last run at a Stanley Cup while yielding a strong crop of young talent with which the Maple Leafs could build around. Should Sundin decide to return next season with a team other than the Maple Leafs, fans will angrily wonder why Sundin did not agree to a trade at the trade deadline but suddenly decides to move on when it doesn’t benefit the Maple Leafs at all.

For Sundin, returning to the Maple Leafs next season is the only decision that will prevent him from being blackballed in the city that he has come to love. A harsh but true reality for still as of right now, the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.38 - Ft. Brandon Burlon

2008-05-25T14:12:00.001-04:00

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Well if there was ever any doubt about whether Nicklas Lidstrom and friends could find away to slow or perhaps even contain the powerful Pittsburgh Penguins offensive attack, those doubts were quickly dashed after a commanding Red Wings victory in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Red Wings not only slowed and contained the Penguins big guns like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa, they completely extinguished them holding Pittsburgh to just nineteen shots. In what was another example of experience prevailing over youth, for the first time in the 2008 playoffs, Pittsburgh looked significantly overmatched as they stumbled out of the gate, literally…just ask Marc-Andre Fleury.

Losing only two games en route to the Cup Finals, the Penguins rolled over their Eastern Conference competition. The Red Wings were not as quick in their march to the finals dropping four games through the first three rounds but keep in mind they faced much tougher competition in a stronger Western Conference. To put things in perspective, Pittsburgh appeared in game one against Detroit on Saturday night as they did in game one against the Ottawa Senators during the 2007 playoffs when they were easily dispatched in five games.

The Stanley Cup Finals, unlike the first three rounds of the playoffs, represent a whole new level of hockey that requires a whole different type of experience to be successful just as the games in those first three rounds are far different than the first eighty two games that come during the regular season. To be so close to the big prize is exciting but that excitement can easily paralyze a team rendering them ineffective as we saw the Penguins in game one. Detroit and their twenty three Stanley Cup rings of experience simply played mistake-free hockey cutting the Penguins down to size and putting themselves one step closer to Lord Stanley’s Mug. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.37 Ft. Nick D'Agostino

2008-05-20T00:01:00.004-04:00

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"It's a pathetic performance. Half of the team doesn't care. That defensive squad - I am really starting to believe their goal is to be the worst defensive squad in the league. They turn the puck over. They have no vision. They are soft. I have never seen a bunch of defensemen as soft as this."

Legendary words from Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach Michel Therrien just two and a half seasons ago. Hearing those words without context today, one might be inclined to think of the Toronto Maple Leafs but certainly not about the Penguins.

In such a short period of time, the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone from one end of the spectrum to the other: laughing stock to powerhouse. Of course having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, two of the NHL’s top five players virtually handed to them through the draft helped but this season, Pittsburgh’s dominance is about so much more than just Crosby and Malkin.

Ryan Malone has taken the next step in his career, providing consistent secondary scoring along with a rugged physical presence. Ray Shero became the first general manager to understand that Marian Hossa cannot play the go-to-guy but surrounded by other great players that take some of his pressure away, Hossa can be dynamite. Jordan Staal, still just nineteen, continues to score timely goals while growing into one of the most reliable defensive players and penalty killers in the game. Somewhere between Toronto and Pittsburgh, Hal Gill became a consistently solid defenseman. Their fourth line plays seven to ten effective minutes per game, chipping in with important goals while keeping their opponents off the scoreboard and Marc-Andre Fleury seems to have finally allowed his last soft goal, maybe it had something to do with getting rid of those horrendous canary yellow pads.

Mix in all those ingredients and then top it off with two franchise players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and that’s where total dominance comes from. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.36

2008-05-10T17:11:00.001-04:00

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So does anybody really think the Brian Burke to Toronto scenario is over and done with? It seemed that way two weeks ago when Burke himself came out and said he will be serving out the duration of his contract as general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. But even after that statement, the rumors just won’t seem to go away.

It seems logical that from a personal standpoint Burke would welcome a move to Toronto to take over the Maple Leafs. He has children currently living in Boston, a long trek from Anaheim but far less daunting from Toronto. Of course, as previously discussed in this segment on Episode 3.34, Burke’s wife, who works occasionally as a broadcaster in Vancouver would likely be able to find employment in Toronto while being closer to husband.

When stories surfaced last week about the Leafs interest in former Canucks GM Dave Nonis, it only added more fuel to the Burke speculation. With Burke being denied permission to get out of his contract, Nonis could keep the GM seat warm for a year until Burke’s contract with the Ducks runs out, at which time Burke could come in to take over the hockey operations department of the Maple Leafs and rework the front office as he sees fit.

However at this point, the Maple Leaf Board of Governors insistence that they are not meddling in the process of hockey decisions seems somewhat hard to believe, especially after the curious timing of the Paul Maurice firing and Richard Peddie’s lip syncing of Cliff Fletcher’s introduction speech back in January. The Leafs will never win if Peddie et al. continue to play armchair general manager. The good news for Leaf fans is that if Brian Burke does eventually take the Leaf general managers position, this meddling from upper management will have come to an end. And if it hasn’t, don’t expect Burke to be around too long. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.35 Ft Jennifer Hedger

2008-05-04T14:50:00.000-04:00

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As the very rarely seen but much talked about Fabian Brunnstrom continues his barnstorming tour of NHL clubs speaking with various representatives before he and agent JP Barry decide which team will suit him best, one has to wonder if the newest Swedish sensation will follow in the well chosen footsteps of his fellow countrymen who have come before him. When Brunnstrom finally chooses a suitor and skates onto NHL ice, he will do so, in large part due to enormous media speculation, under stunningly high expectations. Anything short of failing to take the league by storm and he will be labeled a failure and a disappointment even if he proves to be a good player but not a great player.

With this possibility in mind, why not chose an organization that has almost become Team Sweden’s North American annex. The Detroit Red Wings have had tremendous success finding numerous Swedish players passed over by most every other team and developing them into not just serviceable NHLers but front line talent. Kind of sounds a bit like Brunnstrom’s situation doesn’t it. Six of Detroit’s top nine playoff scorers hold Swedish passports and just one of those six, Niklas Kronwall, was selected higher than the third round of the entry draft.

In an organization unable to foster and nurture his talent, it will be easy for Brunnstrom to go the way of the dodo bird if he doesn’t, oh I don’t know, win the Hart Trophy next year. Ridiculous expectations you say? Hey I’m just judging from speculation we’ve heard. If you’ve seen him play, tell me different. In Detroit though, surrounded by fellow Swedes in an organization that constantly develops winners, Brunnstrom would have the best chance at success even if he only turns out to be as good as, let’s say Johan Franzen. And hey right now, playing like Franzen isn’t a bad thing at all. If Detroit shows interest, Fabian should listen. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.34

2008-04-27T14:58:00.000-04:00

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So I’m sure everyone knows situations like these. Something is said about someone else; that person takes it right out of context and then before you know it you have major drama on your hands founded on virtually nothing. Why just this week I had a situation like that myself – I’ll tell you, you lose more friends that way – and so to did the Maple Leafs. When the Anaheim Ducks lost to the Dallas Stars in their first round playoff match up, speculation regarding Brian Burke as the next general manager of the Maple Leafs reached lofty new heights.

By Tuesday, as far as many media members were concerned, the redecoration of the GM’s office at Air Canada Centre complete with a fresh green coat of paint and Irish Spring soap in the executive bathroom might as well have been underway. It was even thought that Ivan Fecan, an MLSE board member and CEO of CTV, had offered to ensure Burke’s wife Jennifer – a broadcaster in Vancouver – be given a television job in Toronto. Wow talk about a story snowballing out of control.

Finally on Wednesday, Burke himself made it clear he isn’t going anywhere. Now with Burke out of the picture for at least a year, some are suggesting the Leafs stick with Cliff Fletcher next season before trying once again to lure Burke once his contract with the Ducks runs out, a notion that is indeed absurd. You cannot go through the season, essentially putting the franchise on hold, using a placeholder GM in hopes of attracting Burke again next year. There are numerous other candidates that would do a fine job. It seems some people are operating under the belief that Brian Burke equals Stanley Cup, and that’s just certainly not the case. The Maple Leafs can and will have to move forward without Burke leading the way, and if you’re a Leaf fan, you better hope they’ve been exploring other options. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.33 - Featuring Andy Frost

2008-04-20T14:25:00.001-04:00

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For almost five games against the Boston Bruins, it appeared that Carey Price was ready to make like Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy and lead the storied Montreal Canadiens through the playoffs to a place they haven’t been since 1993. However, late in game five, Price made his first mistake attempting to keep the play alive. Instead, Glen Metropolit pounced on the loose puck after Price had tossed it back into play, scoring the eventual game winning goal. Boston would score three more times against a clearly rattled Montreal netminder.

In game six, despite the Canadiens loss, Price was solid but still did let in five goals. At just twenty years of age, Price is dealing with the immense expectations of playing in a hockey crazed city desperate for a long playoff run. All quite a bit to handle for such a young man. However, throughout the regular season and early part of the playoffs, it looked that if anyone could handle these expectations, it would be Carey Price. Mature beyond his years and seemingly unflappable, Price’s play was so strong that it prompted the trading of Cristobal Huet.

You know that the at-times vicious and relentless Montreal media will continually bring up Price’s gaffe should the Canadiens go onto lose this series after being ahead 3-1. The fact is though that the Canadiens, since taking that 3-1 lead, have not been the same team and little of that has to do with Price. Twenty six times the Canadiens have been ahead 3-1 in a playoff series and twenty six times they have closed the deal. Only because its Montreal does this scenario exist but because of his one glaring individual error, the spotlight will be focused on Carey Price in game seven. Although with everything we’ve seen from Price in his rookie season, don’t be surprised if writes himself back into the good books of Montreal Canadiens fans.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.32

2008-04-13T13:35:00.000-04:00

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Even when the Senators beat the Maple Leafs, the Maple Leafs really still beat the Senators. With a playoff spot still very much in jeopardy when they came into Toronto to play their penultimate game of the regular season, the Senators responded with a convincing 8-2 trouncing of the Leafs, locking themselves into a playoff spot. In the playoffs, yes but after what they lost along the way, really not a hope of competing. Already reeling down the stretch, Mark Bell tagged both Mike Fisher and Daniel Alfredsson with clean hits that carried long term consequences. Clean hits, I should say, in the opinion of most people. Fans in Ottawa seem to prefer the hits of the dirty variety using elbows and high sticks care of Chris Neil.

With Alfredsson and Fisher in suits instead of hockey sweaters to start the playoffs, Spezza and Heatley have been asked to carry the load and so far they’ve been anything but impressive. Not to worry though, just look to the secondary scoring options. Oh that’s right, Bryan Murray never addressed that issue which became ever so apparent in last year’s Stanley Cup Final.

Against the Penguins, the Senators look simply overmatched in all areas of the game. The 42 year old Gary Roberts is bringing back memories of better days in Leaf land when he would run rampant over the Senators in the playoffs. Wade Redden, don’t be afraid to battle for the puck behind your net. Where’s that toughness it was clear the Senators needed after last year? Yeah, didn’t get that addressed either. Chris Neil, yeah clearly not the answer…he doesn’t scare anybody who is actually tough.

So not to say that the Senators would beat the Penguins if Fisher and Alfredsson in the lineup, there are still clearly serious issues on this team that go far beyond the absence of Fisher and Alfredsson. Safe to say though, they’d be a bit more competitive with them. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.31

2008-04-06T14:41:00.000-04:00

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So who isn’t happy to see the Washington Capitals get a shot at the post season? After starting the year with a discouraging six wins in their first twenty one games which led to the firing of head coach Glen Hanlon, it looked like it was going to be yet another season of spinning the wheels for the Washington Capitals. Then, Hanlon was replaced with Bruce Boudreau and suddenly the Capitals started to come together in a hurry.

Of all the teams that made late season playoff pushes – Edmonton, Chicago, Buffalo, Toronto, maybe even Phoenix – Washington started from the farthest back. On the strength of a seven game win streak to conclude the season along with wins in eleven of their last twelve and points in forty four of their last sixty one games, the Capitals jumped from ninth to third after beating the Florida Panthers in game eighty two of their season. Without question, numbers like that show Washington is the hottest team in the league. Why shouldn’t a team like this make it after a team like Ottawa limps through the back door only to clinch a spot on the strength of a Bruins loss. Nothing like charging through the gate with confidence eh?

Now that the Capitals are officially in the playoffs, it also ends the debate for the Hart Trophy: Alex Ovechkin…end of discussion. Led the league in goals with thirteen more than the next highest scorer, led the league in points, led the league in game winning goals, led the league in excitement. Watching the final twenty seconds as the Capitals headed toward a playoff birth with Ovechkin on the bench, it was tough to tell if he was a player or a cheerleader. This guy loves to win and wants to win and players like that belong in the playoffs. Without Ovechkin, the Capitals still would have been in the race though. The race for the top draft pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.30

2008-03-30T15:07:00.000-04:00

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Last week, one playoff dream died, while another still has a chance to turn from dream into reality. Despite clawing back into the playoff race after many people including GM Cliff Fletcher had left them for dead at the trade deadline, the Maple Leafs playoff dream came to an end with losses in two key games against the Boston Bruins. In the end, it was simply too much to expect the Maple Leafs to win their final nine games for a shot at post season play. As Mats Sundin so accurately stated after the Leafs were officially eliminated from post season contention, “It's disappointing that we didn't learn from the previous two years, that we need to come up with a stronger effort up until Christmas.” Hopefully now, three failed years of trying to make the playoffs in the final fifteen games will show the Leafs it’s not a very good strategy for success.

Out west though, while the Leafs were fighting and clawing to get back into the race, another Canadian team was mounting a valiant fight of their own. Starting the season laden with players in the early part of their careers, the Edmonton Oilers, after being as many as eleven points back of the final playoff spot in the West, have won thirteen of their last eighteen games to pull into a tie for eighth place with the Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators. What makes this run even more impressive is that the Oilers have done it without the likes of Sheldon Souray, Ethan Moreau, Shawn Horcoff and starting netminder Mathieu Garon, key veterans all out with injuries. Instead the team has been led by its young core of Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner, and Robert Nilsson.

The hill is still steep with the Canucks and Predators each holding two more games in hand than the Oilers. If their miracle run ultimately falls short, it won’t be all bad though. The development seen by their youngsters in the last twenty games has shown the future of the Oilers is indeed in good hands. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.29

2008-03-23T23:50:00.000-04:00

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Just when it was thought the Maple Leafs march to the playoffs was all but over after a discouraging loss to Buffalo two Saturday’s ago, the buds reel off three straight victories last week and now sit four points back of eighth place Boston with…that’s right, two head to head games this coming week against the Bruins. Win those both in regulation time and all of a sudden, the Leafs are tied with the Bruins. The question is, will the Bruins still be the eighth place team at the time or will they have fallen to ninth or tenth by the time the Maple Leafs catch them.

And thus, the issue of not being too far behind eighth place in terms of points but having just too many teams to pass to get there is presented again. With just four points to make up to reach eighth place, the Maple Leafs will have to pass four teams in the process to get there which means even with two wins against the Bruins next week, help on the out-of-town scoreboard will again be necessary to make a serious bid for the final playoff spot.

This is why though it will be so heartbreaking should the Leafs miss the playoffs yet again. For the last two seasons, they have fallen just short, not included in the post season despite being arguably the hottest team down the stretch. If they were to fall out of the race with ten games to go and struggle down the stretch, it would be clear that making the playoffs wasn’t meant to be. The way it’s happened the last two years leaves so much to be desired although better play early in the year would prevent the Leafs from being in such a difficult position. Will it happen again a third year in a row? Two games against Boston this week will go a long way toward answering that question. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.