Some Leaf numbers

Over at the Battle of Ontario, The Meatriarchy is wondering about Jeff O'Neill:

Did Jeff O'Neil play last night? According to the reports he did but he never even registered a shot on goal and played a grand total of 9:33 of which 3:55 was on the power play. So he had just over 5 minutes of ice time at even strength. Is there something going on that we don't know about?

Good question. The Leafs' designated trigger man is running a unique triple double so far this season: 11 goals, 11 assists and a team-worst minus-11. That offence looks okay on the surface, but the guy is virtually invisible at even strength, only two of his goals coming outside the power play. I guess that's why he's fallen down to the No. 4 line with Stajan and Wellwood.

Speaking of 11, the Leafs played seven in that many nights, their most taxing stretch of the season so far, and in crunching the numbers O'Neill didn't fare that badly. Here's the individuals for that period, in which Leafs won three (one of those in OT) and lost four (one of those in a shootout) and in general struggled offensively (Listed are goals-assists-plus/minus):

Allison 3 - 4 - E
McCabe 2 - 4 - minus 2
Tucker 5 - 0 - plus 2
Steen 1 - 4 - E
Sundin 1 - 4 - minus 1
O'Neill 2 - 2 - E
Kaberle 0 - 4 - plus 2
Lindros 1 - 3 - minus 1
Ponikarovsky 1 - 2 - plus 1
Antropov 1 - 2 - plus 1
Kilger 2 - 0 - minus 1
Stajan 1 - 1 - E
Wellwood 0 - 2 - plus 2
Colaiacovo 0 - 1 - plus 2
Berg 0 - 1 - plus 1
Klee 0 - 1 - minus 3
Kronwall 0 - 0 - plus 3
Wilm 0 - 0 - minus 1
Czerkawski 0 - 0 - minus 1
Domi 0 - 0 - minus 2
Khavanov 0 - 0 - minus 3

Belfour 5 games, 3.23 GAA, .897 save pct.
Tellqvist 2 games, 1.45 GAA, .952 save pct.

Other Leafs links this morning:

The Montreal Gazette's Dave Stubbs has a nice one on pesty Sean Avery, in town with the Kings tomorrow night, including this from Mathieu Dandenault:

"He says stupid things sometimes, but he's still a decent guy. He came to my wedding. But being a French-Canadian here, I took the opportunity when I had it. That was a good, clean hit."

Mark Zwolinski has an early look at those Kings, including some western conference aggregate numbers.

Team Sun asks, can the Leafs win the Cup? The answer: um, maybe, maybe not.
(C.Y.)

Comments

[FlamFlim]

I've been reading some juicy NHL trade rumours online, and I got to thinking, why should columnists and reporters have all the fun?

So dig this ... The Bruins and Leafs have had talks involving Glenn Murray. Word has it T.O. would ship Ken Klee and Nik Antropov to Boston for Murray. I like Klee, sorry to see him go, but for Murray, bang on! And if JFJ manages to unload Antropov, the guy deserves an award. Now, about Belak ...

Meanwhile, Todd Bertuzzi may be moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles (a good spot for him alongside the likes of superjerk Sean Avery). Then again, rumour has it the great ham-fisted one could end up with either the Rangers or Habs. Wouldn't the Leafs be sorry then? Perhaps and perhaps not.

[Ninja]

They can have Klee, but youth is much more important now..especially minimally paid youth. Murray is how old? This ain't the old NHL, so let's not be old Leafs fans spewing hogwash.

[cy]

I'm with Ninja on this one, Flam. Murray's 33.
HE would be an upgrade, but not a huge one, and Leafs don't need to be getting any older. Picking him up would be reminiscent of so many Leafs moves from the old NHL. SO many other things involved in deals now too, like cap and contract, i wonder how this would affect them. Rumours are so overrated, this one sounds like a cry for help from Murray's agent now that THornton is gone.

[Michelle]

Just to be argumentive, I guess....but you'd be surprised at how easy it would be for JFJ to unload Nik Antropov. A good defensive forward who's just hitting his stride and playing very well with Ponikarovsky. While he likely won't ever reach the elite status you'd hope a #10 pick would attain, trading him now would be a mistake with all the time that the Leafs have invested in him. "Play well, work hard and we'll trade ya"......not working as a motivational tool for me.