Commenting Thread: So long, Tomas Kaberle

It's official.

At 1:51 p.m. today, Tomas Kaberle's long and dignified career with the Toronto Maple Leafs ended. The graceful defender is now en route to Boston in exchange for highly-touted prospect Joe Colborne, the Bruin's first-round pick in 2011 and a conditional second-round pick the following year.

Let the discussion begin...

Game 58: Pure and utter joy

When the final buzzer sounded, I strolled into the office and removed my Leafs schedule from the wall. Then I picked up a pen, crossed-out the month of November and wrote: "Ah, forget about it you guys. All is forgiven."

So this is what pure and utter joy feels like.

From Boston to Buffalo, 48 hours of pure and utter joy. Back-to-back bliss. Two divisional wins and four symbolic points in which old ghosts were doused with kerosene and set ablaze, hard work was gilded with golden rewards, new chemical formulas were discovered and confidence was renewed.

Make no mistake: The rollercoaster is now thundering down the tracks at thrilling speed, blowing our hair and rattling our teeth as we grin like we've never grinned before this season.

This team is rolling. They are 6-3-1 over the last 10 games. They have inched to within six points of the word we dare not speak. The interlocking pieces are starting to snap together.

I deliberately did not write last night because of this pure and utter joy. But after returning this morning from a long walk in the predawn darkness, perspective remains elusive; it's impossible to stay grounded when you're on cloud nine.

Wow, just wow.

When Timmy Brent kicked the puck past the blueline and Joey Crabb – his name alone is the epitome of magnificent bastardry! – bolted down the ice on a shorthanded rush, somehow fighting off two Sabres while flying through the air and swatting the puck past a hapless Ryan Miller, I jumped out of my seat and screamed.

Screamed.

That goal was the eventual game winner. But what it really felt like was a game changer for all of us. It felt like another small step in the right direction, another lunge away from the bubbling quicksand.

The goal ended a horrible streak of cross-border misfortune – this was the Leafs first win in Buffalo since December 12, 2008 – while also hinting at what lies ahead for a young team that seems to have stumbled upon a secret recipe after burning dozens of pots and pans.

Then when James Reimer preserved the 2-1 victory by slamming the door in the final minutes – controlling rebounds, suffocating plays, calmly directing his defencemen – I gave him a one-man standing ovation.

Pure and utter joy.

As a sidenote, I will also say this to the entire organization: Please hire a detail of armed guards, psychics, bouncers, personal assistants and medical specialists to flank Reimer. Now that J.S. Giguere looks to be injured again and Goose is dealing with heart issues, Reimer needs round-the-clock protection.

I am not joking. This kid is not to walk across wet floors. He is not to cut his own damn vegetables. I don't want him using revolving doors or crossing busy streets or even tying his own shoes. James Reimer needs to be kept under lock and key in a climate-controlled room inside a heavily-barricaded fortress that is blessed by witch-doctors and watched by radar.

Sorry. But that needed to be said.

You know, what's most amazing about the last two games is the work ethic. These guys are fighting for the puck the way lions and hyenas fight over a mangled carcass. They are focused and energized. On the bench, everybody is leaning forward, everybody is itching to jump over the boards and engage.

It seems a couple of relatively small trades can make a huge difference.

Joffrey Lupul brings an intensity that was often lacking this season. He goes to the net and mixes it up in the corners and takes hits to make plays. And you know what? All of this must be contagious because now linemate Phil Kessel is doing it and playing his best hockey in months.

Then you throw in the chemical reaction created by adding Christian Hanson and Keith Aulie, a newfound commitment in the defensive zone, line stability (thank you, Mr. Wilson), shorter and smarter shifts, fewer giveaways, escalating shot totals period-over-period, puck possession that's sometimes lasting two, three, four sustained minutes...

... and now you add this: Brian Burke is not done yet.

People, I don't know. I'm having trouble thinking this morning. Maybe it's all this smiling I can't stop doing. Maybe I need to go for another walk.

Here's the thing: It really does feel like something incredible has happened over the past 48 hours. And now as we look ahead, the pure and utter joy is impossible to ignore.

MAIN PHOTO: DOUG BENZ/REUTERS

Commenting Thread: Toronto at Buffalo

 

PHOTO: BILL WIPPERT/NHL1 VIA GETTY IMAGES

Game 57: Thank you, Boston

Say what you will about this Leafs team, but when they make us proud, they really make us proud. When they pull it all together, when they take an active interest in writing their own success, it's hard not to be dazzled by the narrative and thankful for the way certain stories end.

Chapter 1: Thank you, Kessel

My guess is he's still sleeping. Good. It's 5 a.m. Let him sleep.

After finding an unmarked exit in the living hell he's inhabited for 14 games, Kessel deserves some shuteye. He exorcised his demons last night in a big way and that's always exhausting.

Kessel scored twice. After both, his broad grin ricocheted around the TD Garden, muting the locals who arrived yet again to watch him stumble into the flames.

It was 17:22 of the first period when Kessel batted the puck out of the air, stunning Tim Thomas and, more important, freeing himself, distancing himself from the past.

Bang. Two shots of redemption with one cathartic swing. At long last, he had "scored against his former team," the bane of his existence. At long last, The 2011 Phil Kessel Slump Watch was no more.

Then at 13:37 of the third, for good measure, Kessel wristed the game-tying goal into the Boston net. Two goals, one busted slump, one homeless back monkey, thousands of baffled spectators with no obvious target to ridicule.

There were no churlish "Thank you, Kessel" chants last night because Kessel shut them up. Even the booing seemed half-hearted and reluctant, as if they feared what might happen.

One game will not change what anybody thinks about The Trade. But for this one game, thank you Phil.

Thank you for picking a brilliant time to shove it in their faces. Thank you for cranking up the dial and finding chemistry with Joffrey Lupul. Thank you for using your body and mucking in the corners, oblivious to tormenting faces on the other side of the glass.

When the Leafs skated away with a 4-3 win, Kessel was smiling again. The Boston fans were scowling. And deep down, we knew the story had changed.

Chapter 2: Thank you, Grabovski

Was Grabovski sent from the future to soothe the jangled nerves of Leafs Nation, one impossibly cool goal at a time? Or is he powered by an alien life force, one that's impervious to the immutable laws of physics?

These seem like the only possible explanations for his story last night.

Twice he was pancaked between an immovable object (the "boards") and a freak of nature (the "Zdeno Chara"). Twice, our man Grabovski crumpled to the ice after getting crushed by 6 feet, 9 inches and 255 pounds of human suffering.

Then like Kessel, he shrugged it off and twice he scored.

What can you say about this magnificent bastard? He probably shouldn't have returned to the ice after that second hit, not after it caused his eyes to temporarily glaze as he slowly tipped over like a damaged cactus in the desert sands.

Mere mortals would've been rushed to the nearest hospital. But, apparently, on the planet from which Grabovski was sent, near death experiences are treated with smelling salts and bursts of inexplicable laughter and plans to bang in another before time runs out.

The guy's face looked lopsided. Yet there he was, busting a gut and sniffing away. Chatting with his linemates on the bench, presumably asking if they could also see the unicorn now singing show tunes at center ice.

Thank you, Mikhail. Thank you for showing up each and every night this season. Thank you for caring. Thank you for last night's game winner with 1 minute and 1 second left in the third, an end-to-end beauty accessorized with skill, determination and remarkable heart given what your head endured only moments before.

Chapter 3: Thank you, Boston

And so on a twitchy, restless night in Boston, with future trade rumours swirling and memories of The Trade still lingering, we witnessed this team turn another page. We read two more stories about personal triumph and gritty courage.

Thank you, Boston.

Thank you for giving this young Leafs team a night to remember. Thank you for giving us another chance to show-off James Reimer, the towering upstart who badly outplayed your Thomas. Thank you for the moments in which your team was totally dominated, lost, confused, hemmed into their own end as the Leafs controlled the play.

Thank you for months of inspiring arrogance. Thank you for believing, perhaps too quickly, that the story on Phil Kessel was carved in stone. Thank you for the poetic justice.

It's been a topsy-turvy season for the Leafs and their fans. But last night, if even for just three hours, the good people of Boston turned up expecting to hear a familiar tale and their silence spoke volumes.

THE END

MAIN PHOTO: BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS

The five most popular Leafs by jersey sales

Wait a minute – there's a game tonight? But we're already emotionally drained.

The trades, the P-word we dare not speak, the troubling injuries... draining. I mean, if Boston fans start their obnoxious Thank you, Kessel chants tonight, I will have a mental breakdown no lemon square or even lemon drop martini can fix.

Enough already. Leave the poor bastard alone.

So I am forgoing a traditional preview again. Screw it. We need to rest our brains and hearts for the next two hours. Instead of a preview, may I present... The Five Most Popular Leafs By Jersey Sales*: 

1. Dion Phaneuf

 (No. 3)
2. Phil Kessel
 (No. 81)
3. Luke Schenn (No. 2)
4. Kris Versteeg

 (No. 32) 
4. Jonas Gustavsson
 (No. 50)
5. Colby Armstrong (No. 9)

(*FOR SALES BETWEEN JULY 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 2010)

I know, right? What a strange gauge of popularity.

The guy who just got traded was the fourth most popular Leaf when it comes to apparel? Have you ever seen someone wearing a Versteeg sweater? Me neither. And hang on, the new number four is... the guy on a conditioning stint in the minors who just had a heart procedure?

This can't be good.

You know what else is weird? Francois Beauchemin was traded last week and he wore No. 22. But while searching for pictures to embed atop this post, look at Exhibit A and Exhibit B below:

Did they deliberately give poor Francois a number used for awkward photo-ops involving celebrities and random platitudes?

Did he get traded because they needed the No. 22 for an upcoming event or famous person?

This feels like a conspiracy.

And have you ever wondered why there is no player on the current team who wears No. 1, No. 62 or No. 86? Well, pretend you've wondered it.

I now present... Exhibit C, Exhibit D and Exhibit E:

 

EXHIBIT C: "You know, this would look damn fine on a cocktail waitress."

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT D: "What is this ice hockey you speak of? I am here to talk about the Middle East. Where is your leader?"

 

 

 

EXHIBIT E: "Do they really play a sport in one of these? Look what it did to my hair. Savages."

 

 

What does the jersey sales data mean? Probably nothing. I'm drained. The only reason I put up this entire post was to start a fresh thread for game commenting. But my guess is we're going to see a revamped Top 5 of jersey sales by this time next year, with lots of MacArthurs, Grabovskis and Reimers among us. 

Until game commenting begins, I leave you with the soothing sights of Exhibit F:

 

MAIN PHOTO: RICK MADONIK/TORONTO STAR

Theory: Four reasons Kris Versteeg was traded to Philadelphia

The Leafs traded Kris Versteeg to Philadelphia this evening for a first and third round pick in the 2011 draft.

Versteeg, who arrived this summer in a trade with Chicago for Viktor Stalberg, Chris DiDomenico and Philippe Paradis, racked up 14 goals and 21 assists in his short stint with the Leafs.

A member of last season's Cup-winning team, Versteeg started slowly in Toronto. Despite his speed and versatility, two traits that appealed to the Flyers, the 24-year-old struggled offensively with the Leafs. After 53 games, he was also a -13 and, in recent days, the subject of escalating trade speculation.

So why unload a player after getting him less than eight months ago? Why trade a player once believed to be a Top 6 forward for draft picks from a team that's certain to finish high in the standings?

Here now, four theories:

1. Versteeg was too casual about losing. Do you remember when the team went off the rails in November? The one word Versteeg never stopped using in postgame interviews was "fun." He was always grinning. He never seemed particularly bothered by the mounting losses.

2. Versteeg could be selfish with the puck. How many times did he wind up and blast a low percentage shot instead of pass? How many times did he carry the puck for that extra second or extra step, which often resulted in a missed shot, a botched play, a whistle or a turnover?

3. Versteeg was made expendable by the recent acquisition of Joffrey Lupul, who can also play multiple positions and be used on special teams.

4. Versteeg did not seem to have any fire in his belly, at least not when it came to hockey. Maybe this was related to already winning a Cup. Maybe it was a personality quirk. But instead of fulfilling an on-ice leadership role, which was open to him this summer, he always seemed more preoccupied with the off-ice role of practical joker.

All of which boils down to this: Versteeg was not a good fit here. Maybe the team expected too much. Maybe he expected too little. But, ultimately, his breezy attitude was at odds with a team gasping for two points most nights, a team choking under the weight of chronic inconsistency.

Kris Versteeg, in my opinion, had blue-and-white disease before he arrived in Toronto.

On Philadelphia, like Chicago last season, Versteeg's "soft flaws" will not be as pronounced. He will be given a chance to contribute offensively down the stretch and in the playoffs. But this is a close-knit team, one that tellingly did not surrender any current roster players to acquire Versteeg. If he can help, great. If he wants to crack wise, build friendships and polish his sweet ride, he won't play very much.

This was a luxury Toronto could no longer afford. And in advance of this summer's free agency dance, they now have picks that can be flipped and significantly more cap room.

• More on the trade here.
• LEAFS TV has an exit interview with Versteeg here.
• The view from Philadelphia.
• The view from Chicago.

Guest Post: Seven situations that could have changed history

 

After The Disaster in Montreal, One Leaf Fan Wonders... What If?

BY TODD GREEN

We all see the dark cloud hanging over the Toronto Maple Leafs. But despite the lack of postseason action in our recent past and Cup success in well over a generation, Leaf fans cling to hope.

This is what we do.

It's not always shiny optimism but even now as the Leafs sit eight points outside of the playoffs, fans on this blog (and elsewhere) often suggest the team is one key player away from breaking through. We often talk about this team in a conditional sense, spouting off phrases such as "What if" and "If only."

The key conditional statement this season is: "If only there was consistency."

But this general statement has given way to specific questions:

• "What if Phil Kessel scored that goal in OT against the Panthers?"
• "If only Kessel were not so streaky."
• "What if James Reimer had been the No. 1 from Day One?"
• "If only special teams could improve."
• "What if the Leafs got some scoring from the defence?"
• "If only the Leafs had won more of those one goal games in November and December."
• "What if Colby Armstrong never missed a game?" (It is likely a strange coincidence but the Leafs are 20-16-3 when Colby plays and, well, not as successful when he does not.)

Some outside observers (read: all fans of all other franchises) listen to these conditional statements and slag Leafs Nation as a pack of delusional, crazy and ridiculous masochists. Others suggest these conditional constructs are a coping mechanism for a fan base that is at once starving for success and choking on the longest Cup drought in the NHL.

But the "What if" and "If only" questions do not just apply to the current team.

I have been on this planet for just 33 years, 29 of which have been spent as a Leafs fan, a term of duty that started when I received a stick signed by the 1981 team for Christmas.

Here now, the seven biggest "What if" and "If only" situations that have shaped Toronto (mis)fortunes since I've been a fan:

1. THE 1993 CONFERENCE FINALS

How often do you hear Leaf fans talk about the conference final run after beginning with an anguished, If Only?

The Leafs lost to Los Angeles in Game 7 but to this day what we remember is No. 99's high stick on Doug Gilmour in Game 6. If only Kerry Fraser had sent the Wayner to the showers for this overtime infraction, the Leafs could have won that series.

 

2. THE TOM KURVERS TRADE

If only Tom Kurvers had stayed a member of the New Jersey Devils instead of coming to the Leafs in exchange for a 1st round draft pick. We all know the level of success Scott Niedermayer had over the course of his brilliant career.

What if Kurvers never became a cautionary tale? What if Niedermayer had retired as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs last season?

 

3. THE TIE DOMI ELBOWING PENALTY

Building on the Niedermayer theme, my next if only example is related to a certain truculent Tie Domi and a nasty elbow he threw in the 2001 playoffs. If only Domi doesn't plant that elbow, the Leafs win that series and get a huge monkey off their backs by beating the Devils. That elbow woke up New Jersey and distracted the Leafs in a big way.

Domi was suspended for the rest of the playoffs. (It also made it very uncomfortable for me when I watched Game 6 in the swamp and was forced to duck beer bottles hurled by the locals in a parking lot.)

4. THE SUNDIN NO-TRADE CLAUSE

What if Sundin had waived his no-trade clause? The possibilities: If Sundin agrees to waive it, the Leafs get something in return - possibly something big - instead of losing him at the end of the year. But if he waives, then fans consider him a traitor for seeking a long playoff run with a legit contender.

As it stands, right or wrong, Sundin's decision to not waive his clause is now considered a stain on his legacy for many fans. It is seen as a symbol of selfishness.

5. THE KABERLE TRADE THAT ALMOST HAPPENED

What if Jeff Carter was now on the Leafs and Tomas Kaberle was a Philadelphia Flyer? That trade was on the table and it didn't take place due to Kaberle's no-trade clause. Granted, Carter's breakout season hadn't taken place yet and it's hard to say if he scores more than 50 goals for the Leafs. But wouldn't you like to know?

6. THE RASK MISTAKE

If only Tuukka Rask was the goalie the Leafs held onto instead of Justin Pogge. I probably can leave it at that but the goalie carousel that followed Ed Belfour's departure has been well documented and the scramble to find a No. 1 starter resulted in several horrible one-sided trades, including Rask for Andrew Raycroft and Brad Boyes and draft picks for Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell. I believe Logan Couture is the player the Sharks drafted with our pick. Ouch. If only it was socially acceptable to start drinking at 10 a.m. as I sit here contemplating history.

7. THE MIA AGENTS

If only big name free agents from the GTA (or even Canada for that matter) signed with the Leafs. In the recent past, a number of stories have surfaced suggesting players such as Patrick Marleau, Rick Nash and Brad Richards could now be wearing the blue and white. So the question begs, "Why do elite free agents not want to sign here?" No disrespect to the recent FA signings (I am a huge Colby Armstrong fan) but Jeff Finger does not appear on the path to the Promised Land.

Finally, what if none of Brian Burke's moves had been made? So imagine a Leafs roster with Toskala (without breaking into a terrifying sweat), Matt Stajan, Nik Hagman, Jamal Mayers, Ian White, Pavel Kubina, Nik Antropov, Jason Blake, Viktor Stalberg and Alexei Ponikarovsky.

Now subtract Phil Kessel, Colby Armstrong, Dion Phaneuf, Jonas Gustavsson, J.S. Giguere, Tyler Bozak, Christian Hanson, Mike Brown, Keith Aulie, Mike Komisarek and the latest addition, Joffrey Lupul, among others.

Will we one day look back on these moves as haunting mistakes or herald them as the start of a franchise turnaround? Will we still be rewriting history in the future?

Until an answer is forthcoming, I personally am growing a bit tired of relying on the "What If" and "If Only" statements to get us through another season.

 

Todd Green (aka TG77) lives in Vancouver and cheers for the Leafs. While walking around town in his Leafs gear, he receives looks of pity, looks of contempt and, on rare occasions, free drinks from enemy fans sympathetic to the plight of those in Leafs Nation.

Have an idea for a guest post? Email: vmenon@thestar.ca

MAIN PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES

Game 56: C'est la vie

Toward the end of tonight's game assault on our sanity, my eyes drifted away from the play and toward the boards. My eyes had an out-of-hockey experience.

I can't recall noticing rink-side advertising before. But as Montreal protected their 3-0 lead, as the Leafs re-enacted scenes from The English Patient and/or drifted into the offensive zone with the urgency and cunning of three-toed sloths, my eyes couldn't take it any more.

Coca Cola Zero, eska, Tim Hortons...

Oh, what's that I hear? Are they now singing the Olé song? That's nice. What a nice song.

Molson Export, MasterCard, Pay Pal, metro...

Didn't Carey Price earn a shutout last time Toronto was in town? If he gets another one, does that mean Toronto has been shutout nine times this season, or roughly once every 6.2 games?

Dejardins, Bell, aircanada.com...

How many power plays did the Leafs botch tonight? Five? Was it five? My brain couldn't keep track of Toronto power plays because Montreal had all the scoring chances. I'm surprised the Habs didn't play the entire game with three skaters – the final score could've been 12-0.

Jean Coutu, Banque Scotia, AGAT Labs...

Do the Leafs even work on the power play any more? Do they spend more than five minutes on passing and shooting drills? Do they use video to breakdown an opposition PK before a game? Or does working on special teams now involve tickle fights and clumsy games of All-y All-y In Come Free after a buffet meal at the Mandarin?

Expedia, Samsung, Techno-Bloc, Pizza Pizza, Viagra...

Everything about this night was aggravating. Absolutely everything.

The Leafs, once again, set our expectations to bunker buster and then delivered a stink bomb. They did that magic trick where they make themselves disappear.

Against a team decimated with injuries, a team staggered by two embarrassing losses, the Leafs were outshot, outplayed, out-hustled, out-desired, out-worked and just flat out embarrassed.

As the clock ticked down, as it became painfully obvious only one team had any real interest in winning, even the Hockey Day in Canada broadcast became unbearable.

I swear to God, if I ever see Ron MacLean in that striped Hudson's Bay coat, I will push him into a muddy puddle. Then I'll abduct Bob Cole at gunpoint and force him to listen as I keep yammering even though we’re going into a commercial break! And for good measure, I'll kick Glenn Healy in the kidneys – just because.

What an aggravating night.

The magnificent poor bastards had no energy, no drive, no focus. Each and every line had the chemistry of Kid Rock, Stephen Harper and one of the Wiggles. The defence looked lost and confused, as if they were hitchhiking along an unknown road on another planet in a galaxy far, far away.

The only one who deserved better was J.S. Giguere.

Earlier this afternoon, as the snow was falling, I noticed a black squirrel sniffing around my backyard. That's odd, I thought. Shouldn't he be hibernating? He must be hungry.

So I tore up a slice of bread and tossed it on the deck. Then I watched from behind the patio doors as the squirrel bounced two steps forward, got spooked by something and then retreated.

Two steps forward, spooked, retreat. Two steps forward, spooked, retreat.

Did this squirrel not realize his good fortune? Was he not hungry? Did he not realize the importance of grabbing what you can in the middle of February? Was he reluctant or skittish or scared or disinterested or too foolish to make the right decision at the right time?

Two steps forward, spooked, retreat. Two steps forward, spooked, retreat.

The bread is still out there. The squirrel is gone. My eyes are tired.

C'est la vie.

MAIN PHOTO: RICHARD WOLOWICZ/GETTY IMAGES

Commenting Thread: Toronto at Montreal

Game 55: When a loss is a step in the right direction

"Niagara Falls continues to be a world leader in coin operated viewing."

I heard a man say this last summer. Outside, the falls roared, misting eyes. Inside a nearby shopping tunnel, where I stood next to a lollipop outlet waiting for my wife and daughters, this guy with a badge was talking to another guy with a badge.

About long-range vision.

I thought about this odd quote while watching last night's 2-1 overtime loss to Jersey. Even as Ilya Kovalchuk activated his $100 million afterburners, rushing end to end and ending it all, Toronto's future clicked into sharper focus.

And you know what? It looked bright.

Consider:

* Keith Aulie, in his first game in his second tour of duty, was a borderline revelation. Aulie was the kind of young defenceman – always in position, reading plays, using his skyscraper size to obliterate opponents – a general manager would trade his liver, summer home and mother to acquire.

* The 2011 Phil Kessel Slump Watch continues. But last night, for the second straight game, he made a beautiful play to set-up new linemate Nikolai Kulemin. Kessel is battling for pucks, using his body more often and – I hope my laptop doesn't explode right now – backchecking. Is the one-dimensional sniper now entering new realms?

* James Reimer, so reliably stellar we are almost taking it for granted, was once again reliably stellar. The Devils of New Jersey – a shockingly different team since Jacques Lemaire resumed all coaching and scowling duties – have been hunting and trapping like The Palins of Alaska. Last night, they put Reimer in the crosshairs, shooting often (39 times) and from lethally close range.

* Joffrey Lupul, wearing his new No. 19 Leafs jersey for the first time, repeatedly did two things we are not accustomed to seeing from players not named MacArthur, Grabovski and Kulemin: 1. He went to the net. 2. He found open ice between the circles. Yes, he botched a perfect pass from MacArthur. And, yes, he apparently was trying to fit in during the first period when he missed the net by a country mile more than once. But if Lupul can recapture his pre-injury scoring touch, the Leafs have a new weapon to deploy, especially on the sputtering power play.

So as I sit here at 7 a.m. on the morning after an overtime loss, I am more hopeful than after many wins. I am encouraged by the slight modifications, the promise of more and the effort we are witnessing with greater consistency.

The game in a nutshell? Neither team won the first period. Toronto won the second period. Jersey won the third period. And Kovalchuk won the overtime. In other words, what you might expect at this precise moment in time.

But this precise moment in time is the least of it. Last night's game was really just a coin in the machine and another turn of the focusing wheel.