The return of Mats

A couple of days ago, Ken Campbell noted in The Star that the Leafs have fared better without Mats Sundin than with him.
The numbers are interesting, but apart from a few voices out there posting to message boards, or TSN last week during one of their more halfhearted intermission yakfests, I didn't hear anyone arguing that the Leafs might be better off without him. Sports are full of instances where teams perform well short-term without their best players, but in the long run does it ever really work that way? At least I don't think so.
This morning, Damien Cox is making the case for Sundin, with the captain due back this weekend, as Paul Hunter notes.
Sundin's absence has had one beneficial effect -- it's shown the Leafs, perhaps even hardheaded coach Pat Quinn, that the youngsters Stajan, Steen and Wellwood belong at this level, and not just as bit players. Each night out, they look a little better -- last night they were the three best players in blue and white on the ice, although Stajan's giveaway leading to the late winning goal blew his game up -- and the rest of the team sans Sundin, including a power play that went 0-for-6 last night, looks a little worse:

"With three losses in four nights, the Leafs are a team giving up more goals than they are scoring and a team relying more and more on young forwards Stajan and Steen for important offence and even game-saving defence rather than its cast of experienced veteran forwards."

The only thing I'd add is Wellwood's play (again. I know. I like the way this guy plays, have since back in September, and it'd be a real rotten shame and a dumb, dumb move if he's sent back to Marlies). He tracked back last night to save a goal, covering off Brind'Amour in front of an open net and preventing a sure goal (I think it was him -- my notes don't show it, so correct me if I'm wrong). If you go all the way back to that training camp, the one thing he's added to his game besides confidence is backchecking -- I even saw him throw a bodycheck last night.
Oh yes, about last night: a 4-3 loss to Eric Staal, Erik Cole and the Hurricanes in which the Leafs blew a third-period lead. Those guys are good, Staal looking like -- well, like an Olympian, actually, even if he may well end up as this year's Joe Thornton. He had two goals, would've had a third were it not for a weird late penalty call that denied him an empty-netter (and read on for more on that). But I'll let someone else read the entrails, including Paul Hunter, who lists the no-shows:

Notable amongst those absentees, even more so because it was his return to Raleigh after seven seasons here, was Jeff O'Neill who managed only one shot on net, a harmless blast from a bad angle in the third. Eric Lindros and Darcy Tucker, also among the top scorers on the team, generated little.

What struck me, though, had little to do with the Leafs, the Canes, or what was a fast, flowing game with plenty of thunder -- everything this postmodern NHL is supposed to be: Hands up everyone who thinks this week's memo from the NHL police headquarters mentioned what they call in soccer "embellishment", what's known here as "diving" and what amounts everywhere to "cheating".
Only a referee who'd been reminded recently would've called that last-minute trip on Erik Cole a case of diving. It cost Staal his third goal, and it was a terrible call from Kerry Fraser. But in the big picture -- the same one that shows the Leafs in crying need of their leader Sundin -- if this means the zebras are looking for dives, it's not such a bad thing at all.
(C.Y.)

---

Too bad for me. I missed the game last night -- but it's really gotten to the point where you just pick up the paper and go, "yup, three more points for Staal, no surprises there."

And what's all this about diving? Wish the players would show some guts and stop it already. Gotta feel for the referees so far. Lots of criticism, and so much of this "new" game falls on them. So...

Today's referee rant comes to us from lovely Phoenix, where it's a pleasant 27C today. The Great One says the stripes are doing a good job:

"I really, truly believe that the finesse and the smarts and the intelligence of hockey players now, both offensively and defensively, is a factor," Gretzky tells the Arizona Republic. "If you're not a good skater and you can't handle the puck or you're not a smart defenseman, you no longer can play in the National Hockey League and you'll be an American Hockey League player. And that's the way it should be."

Mr. Berg, Ya heard.

Sticking with the desert dogs, much was written on Gretzky becoming a coach. After a slow start, Coyotes are showing signs of bite (Cujo with the shutout last night). Here's how Gretzky's influence is paying off.

To follow up on the kissing of Havlat's butt yesterday, he scored again last night but the Sens only managed four in a win. Off night, I guess. But they were playing Tampa Bay. Here's how coach Bryan Murray has been taking advantage of one of the new rules to get his matchups.

"You can get your matchups, especially with the new icing rule," he tells the Ottawa Sun.

When your opponent ices the puck, they can't change players. So that's how Murray gets Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson on the ice against some of Tampa's more lead-footed players. Ottawa had a couple goals last night thanks to some simple but clever coaching.

Quick hits:

Ray Bourque's officially back in Boston, chipping in to help their young defence.

Marty Turco took a few days off to get his game back on track. Stars hope it worked.

The Red Wings, 12-1-1, have the most points in the NHL right now. Their secret? Fresh legs.

Hey look, the Predators are falling, falling, falling, falling back to earth.

Did the St. Louis Blues trade Chris Pronger to make themselves a better, younger hockey team? Or did they trade their franchise player to make the team more attractive to a prospective buyer? Discuss.

Leafs play Saturday and Sunday. Giddy up. (SW)

Comments

[Arthur]

What was so bad on the diving call on Cole? The guy blatantly JUMPED after he was tapped on the ankle, twisting his body to the ice in ref-I've-been-shot fashion.

Unless you mean the call was bad in that, "Cole diving on what would have been Staal's hat-trick goal was SO bad", I thought the call was excellent. Carolina had been embellishing calls all night, and it makes a mockery of the new NHL.

By the way - check out the box scores of Carolina's last few wins - they have won the games in the final periods thanks to multiple powerplays and 2-men advantages. I do wonder how many of those were the result of dives.

[Gary]

Will the Leafs be better with Sundin? Duh.... I think so. A proven point a game guy over his career just might be able to kick start O'Neill and pot a few himself. However I don't think Sundin alone can get the Leafs winning again. Lindros has to play like he was earlier, Allison has to continue to shake off the rust (although at his speed he could rust up like an 85 Civic during a shootout) and their overall team defense needs to be improved. This team even with Sundin will be life and death to make the playoffs but if they do could be very dangerous. Then again, maybe it would be a good thing to miss and add another young forward with some skill in the draft, cause the Stanley Cup ain't coming to Toronto in June. Get used to it.

[denial]

Two reasons why the Leafs are better without Sundin (for the time being) --

1. Other Leaf players can't mail it in, like they do when Mats is around. Mats is the core of the team; the game follows him when he's on the ice. Other teams target him (for good reason), and so basically when Mats is putting in his 25 minutes, the game becomes simplified for both teams. For the opposition, it's: Stop Mats. For the Leafs, it's: don't let them Stop Mats.

That's pretty much it. Because Leaf fans like me are so jaded -- OHIP should really cover this -- we can't comprehed that Mats is a true, bonafide superstar. He's actually the best player in the league, and if he were on some other team, you'd see that. His backhand has more scoring touch than most LINES.

2. When Mats isn't out there, other teams can't try to hurt him. That means bodyguard Domi gets less quality ice time. Less Domi on the ice = less Domi in the media = less Domi influence in the dressing room and at practice = a better Leaf team. Tie Domi is an albatross who is scoring 20 goals a year because he's getting minutes that other goons on real teams wouldn't even dream of.

And just for the tedious among you who think that Domi "bleeds blue and white" -- he doesn't. He bleeds money. He was riding around in a golf cart with Mario a week before he was re-signed, and was all set to bleed yellow and black. This isn't actually a criticism of Domi -- most players (maybe all of them now) are like this. But to imply that Domi is sacrificing ANYTHING to play on this team is just flat out wrong. so stop it.

Last note: "What's Wrong with the Leafs?"

Nothing. This is what they are. They're a medicore team who will get outshot and outchanced every game. Look people, it's been like this for YEARS. Even the 101 point year wasn't a dominating year by any stretch. The Leafs always get outshot and outchanced, and usually, outplayed. Why? Cuz they're full of over the hill vets who are trying to rekindle their spotlight and probably wander into the wonderful Toronto media when they're done (see Glen Healey, see Nick Kyprios).

If the Leafs make any noise in the playoffs, it will be as a medicore team that gets some timely goals and holds off the 3rd period onslaught By Any Means Necessary. This is what they are. They aren't good.

[cy]

Arthur, yes, he oversold it, but he was fouled -- why, if Fraser is calling both ends earlier, is this not another case of matching minors?
i would've liked a head-on replay to see if there hadn't been a tug involved, but it sure looked like a sticke-between-the-legs trip to me (and to harry neale and damien, a rare instance in which that trifecta comes in).
As for the Canes embellishing all night, i didn't see that either. i did see the Leafs a step behind the Staal line all night long.
but like we both said, hurrah that dives are being called.

Oh, i looked up your Hurricanes boxscores:

4-3 W v Tor: 3rd-period comeback from 2-3 down, PPG to tie it.
5-3 W v Pitt: 4-0 3rd period, two goals on 5-on-4 PP situations (one of those goals after a 5-on-3 term had ended).
8-6 W v Philly: 5-1 3rd period -- 1 PPG 5-on-3, 1 PPG 5-on-4.
4-3 W v Bos: OT win after tying game in 3rd period (no PPGs involved)
3-2 @ v Ott: winner in 3rd period (no PPG), after being 0-2 down early and outshot overall 47-27.

[Carla]

A bad call? By Kerry Fraser?? I guess, then, that the Raleigh announcers probably wanted to call back their description of him, earlier in the game, as the 'best official in the league', eh? BTW, those same announcers kept talking about 'Roddy' Brind'Amour and 'Frank' Kaberle. Whozywhatzit??

Surely Staal is somebody the Leafs might've been wise to assign somebody to check last night... if we have anyone speedy enough, that is.

As for the whole Mats-thang, the only trouble with having Mats in the lineup is that the slackers on the team always leave all the hard work to him.

[Darryl]

A few points...

Does someone want to explain to me why the Leafs are carrying 3 guys on the big club who are known more for packing fists and not offensive output? In this "new age" NHL, I think that ONE "enforcer" is enough on the team. If he gets hurt, call another one up from the farm. Since Tie can be a crap disturber out there as well as drop 'em AND get the odd garbage goal, I say he stays. That means Belak or Perrott, bye-bye. Everyone (media types?) is so out of joint that Perrott has to clear waivers if he is sent down. SO WHAT??? And Leafs might have to eat part or all of his salary, SO WHAT??? It's a headache Fergie has to deal with when in his GM mind he felt it necessary to sign and keep 3 pugilists.

And all this nonsense about deciding on who to send down to the farm when Sundin gets back... Teams that become powerhouses make sacrifices for the betterment of the team. So I say "So what" that you have to swallow a contract or take a cap hit, keeping people who produce on the big club and sending others down if it means a monetary or roster penalty are just tough decisions that need to be made and accepted if you are to go to that next level. I'm sure you all can see where I'm going with this, Wellwood STAYS, end of story. I don't care who else gets sent down, but WELLWOOD STAYS. Even someone who knows nothing about hockey can see this guy can thrive in this "new age" NHL, so I really don't know why there is so much "hubbub" and discussion on who is going to be sent down.

Finally, (I'm sure all of you are going "It's about time"...) I think Quinn should invoke the "If you are producing, you get more ice" mantra. Everyone can see that Stajan, Wellwood, Steen are working gold out there when the higher priced talent is wondering where the net is. I know Pat is quite loyal to the players he likes even when they're sucking (hello Hoglund, Modin, Khristich, Reichel, etc, etc, etc...) but you gotta go with what's working don't you? Nobody's saying that Lindros, Allison or O'Neill should be getting enforcer minutes per game, but just give the producers a bit more time out there if they're putting the puck in the net. They may surprise many of us even more than they have, you never know.

OK, I'm done....