Weekend conclusions

1. If you present a convincing excuse - or even a not-so-convincing one - uncertain athletes will grab on to it with enthusiasm.

That's sure the way it seems to be with the Raptors. They've been told so often and by so many people that they're too young for the playoffs, they're playing as though they believe that themselves these days. Every Raptor playing is offering that line up after four straight mediocre to dismal performancea against the very average Nets.

But while inexperience might result in mistakes or over-aggressive play, the kind of lazy defensive effort and absence of grittiness that especially seemed present in Sunday's embarassment seem more the result of a team that's been told not to expect to win and now believes it.

2. Its the last chance for Randy Moss in New England, at least the last chance for him to prove he's not only about individual success.

Its similar to, if not exactly the same, as the type of trade that landed Todd Bertuzzi in Detroit. Both the Patriots and Red Wings are recent champions with a stromg infrastructure of veteran, team-oriented players. Peer pressure works a lot better than yelling by a coach.

If Moss can't make it in New England, or if Bertuzzi fails in Motown, they can't make it anywhere.

3. There's a lot of talk about revolutionizing overtime in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Well, they've already done it.

Remember those bad old days when nothing short of a weapons charge would merit a minor penalty in the post-season?

It was a "let the players decide it" philosophy that turned playoff OT games into an utter joke.

Now, the game is basically being called the same way in the first period as the third, and the same in OT as well.

Doesn't this make a lot more sense to everybody?

It sure makes for better entertainment, as the Sabres and Rangers proved on Sunday.

Moreover, the players are accepting the change, once again demonstrating the way to "police" the sport is with reule enforcement, not to ask the players to take on that responsibility as well.

Friday Incompletions

There's a very good chance that an NHL team that has never won the Stanley Cup will do so this spring, as five of the eight remaining squads have yet to hoist the trophy. But there's a 100 per cent chance that a coach who has never before coached a Cup winner will enjoy that honor this spring. One of Mike Babcock, Lou Lamoriello, Tom Renney, Ron Wilson, Randy Carlyle, Alain Vigneault, Bryan Murray or Lindy Ruff will have their lives changed forever in June. . .One of the most amazing things about Jaromir Jagr is that he's sure not cut like an elite athlete. The guy has love handles, for goodness sakes, but he remains one of the game's dominant players. . .Interesting point by Lindy Ruff in regards to Dainius Zubrus' surprising level of physical play since he became a Sabre. Buffalo is using him more on the wing than at centre, his usual position in Washington, which allows him to throw his weight around a lot more. . .TSN's Pierre Maguire paid the price for being at ice level in Game 1 of the Buffalo-New York series when he was clipped by the errant high stick of Ranger blueliner Karel Rachunek and cut. Maguire assures one and all he's day-to-day. . .Given how often Russian news reports quote the musings of Alexei Kovalev, its as though the various English and French media outlets and Quebec need a reporter just to sift through the Moscow media every day. . .An example of a good, hardworking player earning an NHL paycheque; Boyd Devereaux's new contract with the Leafs. . .Still waiting to see how much of a salary cap break Mats Sundin will give the Leafs. It's worth remembering that he was paid above market value for several seasons in the middle of his Leaf career when the club unilaterally re-did his deal. . .No surprise the Senators nearly blew a 4-0 lead in Game 1 against the Devils. Ottawa is a good team, but it has been doing that all year long. . .Honest. I never knew Angelina Jolie was the daughter of Jon Voight. . .The only this goofier than the Curt Schilling bloody sock story is how worked up the Red Sox get over it. . .The New Jersey Nets are supposed to be moving to Brooklyn, but you never hear about it. The proposed arena is apparenty on the same site that Walter O'Malley once wanted to build a domed stadium before giving up and moving his Dodgers to Los Angeles. . .Believe me, there was no more discussed topic in sports media circles this week than the announcement by a Los Angeles sportswriter named Mike Penner than he is a transexual and will soon return to work as Christine Daniels. . .Enough already with the mock NFL drafts. Can we have the real one now, please?. . .Guess the Florida Panthers didn't mind Ville Peltonen getting caught out late with Ed Belfour. They've signed the veteran Finn to a new two-year deal. But will Belfour get a contract?. . .Angelo Esposito of the Quebec Remparts has suffered from the Mike Ricci syndrome. Too much exposure for too long has seen him plummet in pre-draft ratings. . .Seeing Pat Quinn on Hockey Night in Canada Thursday night made one wonder; will Quinn ever coach in the NHL again?. . .Chris Drury and Daniel Briere will get all the free agent publicity, but Scott Gomez might be a better fit for the Leafs. . .Are there going to be any exciting games in the Western Conference playoffs this spring?. . .Hard to believe the TV-concious NBA thought it was really a good idea to have the Suns wear orange and the Lakers wear yellow for Game 3 of their series on Thursday. . .While he's at it, will GTHL boss John Gardner make excuses for Alec Baldwin, as well?. . .There's no greater proof that Long Island is the dead zone of the NHL than the fact the Sean Hill drug suspension story disappeared so quickly.

Mail Bag

Damien Cox answers your questions in his mail bag. Click here to submit a question.

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Q: Hi Damien,

Instead of going out an getting a big-time forward such as a Daniel Briere or a Ryan Smyth, wouldn't they be better off adding depth and getting two middle free agents, such as Dainius Zubrus and Scott Hartnell?

Matthew Ellis, Gatineau, QC

A: There's any number of ways to deal with the Leafs' depth issues. What they need are top six forwards, and all of those players you mentioned fit that description. Yes, two would be better than one, but let me make this argument. If you add, say, Briere, does that allow Mats Sundin to either share top billing or move to a second line role? That would be the kind of trickle down effect that would help the team. The reality, of course, is that free agency isn't a panacea for all that ails the Leafs. It can help, but it can't solve problems that must be dealt with by continuing to improve the club's drafting and development.

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Q: Hi Damien,

Two questions for you. Why didn't the Leafs pick up Danny Markov this past off season? He was a free agent and so far, has had a good season for Detroit this year. He was great when he was a Maple Leaf some time ago and I know for a fact that he would have come cheapier than Pavel Kubina.

And two, what about getting Curtis Joseph as a back-up goaltender to Andrew Raycroft? I think he would make a great role model for Andrew and help him mature in this market. Nothing against J.S. Aubin, but I think Andrew would flourish under the guidance of Cujo (and you never know, Curtis might get his stride back if he puts on the blue and white). What do you think?

Ralph Singh, Brampton, Ont.

A: Well, I guess they didn't chase Markov instead of Kubina because they believed Kubina to be the better player. In truth, they are different players, and a better question is why the Leafs ever parted with Markov in the first place in a ill-fated series of connected deals with Phoenix that delivered Robert Reichel and Mikael Renberg. Re Joseph, I think it's an idea that has merit, although Joseph didn't have a sterling season last year on a very weak Phoenix team. The problem you might encounter is that because of Joseph's popularity, Raycroft might find himself centred out by the fans not because of his own shortcomings but because people simply like Joseph. It could work, but it would have to be managed very carefully by the coaching staff.

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Q: Damien,

Although I agree with the attention everyone is giving headshots, for the life of me I cannot understand why the same attention is not being given to the check from behind hits that keep accumulating in these NHL play-offs. A two minute "boarding" penalty to Shubert of Ottawa is no better than the non-call head shot of Armstrong. Lots of talk about Armstrong's hit which is valid but nothing of Shubert's, why? No injury?

Also, if you watch each night, there are far more checks from behind in the game than there are headshots. I find these types of hits very disgraceful as a Minor Hockey Official where both types of hits are deemed ruthless and unlawful.

Bob Dumond, Gore Bay, Ont.

A: I agree. Last night, Teemu Selanne hit Alexandre Burrows from behind late in the Anaheim-Vancouver game and received a two minute penalty, the same penalty he would have received for tripping Burrows or hooking his arm. It just doesn't make sense, but my answer is the same as it is on all these violence related issues. If the NHL wanted to get rid of checking from behind, it could; the fact it doesn't, means it wants that type of play as part of its game.

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Q: Hello Damien,

I have been reading ever since I can remember and appreciate the work you do. While watching the Armstrong hit on Eves my immediate reaction was wow what a great clean hit. Very similar to the Wendell Clark hit on Bruce Bell. I was surprised the next day to read to say that dirty hits like that have no place in today’s game. It only seemed like yesterday that Scott Stevens was praised for his hits that knocked out several players on his way to winning a Conn Symthe trophy. I was wondering what changed the perspective of these hard thunderous body checks.

Mike Davidson, Boston

A: You know, that's a great question. And I guess the answer is that sports evolve just as society evolves, and hopefully we don't stick to certain beliefs just because we once did. Players once played without helmets, but no one would suggest that they do that now. Stevens' hits were thundering and legal in his time, and players can only be asked to play within the rules that are in force at the time they are playing. I guess that would be Armstrong's defence, although my problem is more that he has made a reputation as a head-hunter and the league does nothing to stop players from jumping or launching themselves into the head area of opponents.

Other leagues – like the OHL - have legislated against head shots. I see no reason why the NHL can't, or any reason why it wouldn't want to.

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Q: I’ve always enjoyed the NHL overtime “feature” in the playoffs, however there does come a point where it is just too much. A seven hour hockey game in the first round is a little silly.

My question is in regards to overtime and US television.

How quickly do you think the NHL would alter its overtime format if one of the big US networks came calling offering a comprehensive playoff package and big $$? Say the complete last two rounds, in the same manner as MLB playoffs and world series?

We know that Letterman or Leno would never be preempted for an NHL playoff game that goes into the 7th period. Yankees vs RedSox into the 17th inning – yes. Stars vs. Canucks…not so much.

Jim Boyd, Dumfries, Scotland

A: That's a great point, and it does often seem like the NHL puts itself up for sale when it comes to U.S. television interests. That said, overtime in the playoffs is cherished by the purists of the game, and I think the long, drawn out OT games are relatively rare and really are the exception. So I wouldn't expect anything to change soon.

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Q: Shortly after John Ferguson Jr. signed on as the Maple Leafs general manager, he stated publicly that he had a "plan" in place. Since that time, I haven't heard anything more about that "plan", much less have I seen anything that even remotely resembles any type of a "plan"! I was hoping that maybe you could provide Leaf fans with some insight into what that plan may have been and if it still exists?

Jody Matheson, Hornby, Ont.

A: Well, the plan has been to build with draft picks and youth, and I think on this year's team with players like Stajan, Steen, White, Colaiacovo and Wellwood there was evidence of that.

Whether you agree with the plan, or whether you believe Ferguson is executing the plan effectively, that is what he set out to do. The difference with other teams is that the Leafs are also trying to remain competitive at the same time and carry expensive veterans, and that's where the overall objective may be compromised.

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Q: Hi Damien,

What do you think the Leafs should do draft day? I know there is a school of thought that you take the best player available no matter what position, but I think the Leafs' most pressing need right now is for a scoring winger or a young defenceman along the lines of Volchenkov in Ottawa.

Mike Milner, Orillia, Ont.

A: Best player available. Period. You draft for assets, not need.

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Click here to send Damien a question and he'll answer a selection in his mail bag every Thursday in this space.

And Now, the World?

Sidney Crosby's NHL season is over, one in which he asserted himself as the league's No. 1 drawing card and, quite probably, it's most valuable player.

Most impressively, there really wasn't a mis-step along the way. The Kid comports himself with class at every turn, even when being baited by Don Cherry or the fans of Montreal.

Now, with his sophomore season in the bag, Crosby faces a tricky decision.

Should he join Team Canada for the upcoming world championships in Moscow?

You can bet as soon as the moment feels right Canadian GM Steve Yzerman - boy, doesn't that title make a lot of us suddenly feel old? - will be on the phone to Crosby and his agent, Pat Brisson, to ask if he's willing to go for a second straight year.

Yzerman, needless to say, knows exactly how Crosby feels today, for he was in his position many times in the late 1980s and early 1990s before the Detroit Red Wings annually started going so deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Exhausted and disappointed, it's not easy for these athletes to quickly change their mindset, pack their bags and head overseas for what is a long, grinding international tournament of ambiguous importance in the modern international hockey world.

Crosby, however, isn't just any player. He has become the face of Canadian hockey and most believe that when Vancouver 2010 rolls around, he'll be the captain of Team Canada as it goes for its second gold in 58 years.

Many see this as a national duty, and there will be many who would expect Crosby to go to Moscow and join a team that as of this morning has named two goalies, three defenceman and eight forwards to its roster, along with six other players - including top Chicago draft Jonathan Toews - to a practice roster for the training sessions and preliminary games.

More to the point, international competition is very different from the NHL, and while Crosby did well with 16 points in nine games last year, only repeated exposure to the bigger ice results in the experience necessary to succeed in the big tournaments, like the Olympics.

There's a little Canadian pride on the line here. Already, Canadians felt screwed last weekend when NBC took the Pittsburgh-Ottawa game for an afternoon broadcast, keeping Crosby off Hockey Night in Canada for, as it turns out, the one game for which he would have been available.

Now, you can bet the Pens aren't going to be crazy about Crosby playing in the worlds. GM Ray Shero would love for No. 87 just to go home and rest his 19-year-old bones for a few months, particularly with the team looking at possibly doing a new contract for Crosby this summer. Pittsburgh owner Mario Lemieux warmed to international competition in his final years as a pro, but there were many more years in which he turned down Canada or wasn't available for the worlds, Canada Cup or World Cup.

Making this decision even more interesting is that the New York Islanders might be eliminated as early as tonight. Imagine the optics if Ryan Smyth, Captain Canada, were to agree to play for Canada one more time and Crosby opted to stay home?

Crosby, by now, has already learned that the political landmines just get more complex and difficult to avoid as a star becomes a superstar.

Mail Bag

Every Thursday, Damien Cox answers your questions in his mail bag. Click here to submit a question.

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Q: Hi Damien,

The Leafs seem to have a glut of young defencemen who are ready to play at the NHL level.

However, it looks like the Leafs are already set for their top six D for next year. With the big three being paid top dollar, there is no way they will sit. Plus, management seems to like both of the two young guys and Gill was effective as the fifth/sixth D-man.

That leaves Kronwall, Woznewski, Harrison and possibly Pilar (if he's healthy) on the farm when all four seem to be ready to play and contribute in the NHL.

Is there any teams out there with a glut of young forwards who we could trade with? I know it is rare to trade young players for other young players but at the same time I would hate to see these guys lost on the waiver wire for nothing. Do you have any idea on how Leafs management is going to deal with this and how would you handle this if you were JFJ?

Andrew Canavan, Missssauga

A: Andrew, there’s lots of teams out there looking to upgrade at all positions, but you have to be realistic concerning the prospects the Leafs do have. I agree the Leafs appear set with their top six, but that could change, and there’s no guarantee of that because Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo appeared to be more than NHL ready last season that their development will continue. Of the other four you’ve mentioned, only Pilar has definitely proved he can play at the NHL level, and his health history makes his future very uncertain. Wozniewski appears close to being able to be an NHL regular, but he isn’t one yet, and neither Kronwall nor Harrison has proven anything about their readiness for NHL work yet.

I guess what I’m saying is that the Leaf depth chart on defence, really, goes seven or eight deep, tops, and that doesn’t represent a glut of tradeable talent, in my estimation.

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Q: What is your assessment of the Raycroft trade now that the season is over? I know that the verdict on the trade is partially contingent on how Rask develops, but Raycroft was brought in to solidify the goaltending for right now and help the Leafs reach the playoffs. Were his struggles this season just a case of a young goalie's maturation process, or do you think this is as good as he will ever get? I think that some similarities can be drawn between both Raycroft's struggles as well as Cam Ward's, and everyone still seems pretty high on Ward. Any thoughts?

Shawn Farrell, Toronto

A: You’re correct in your assessment that the total evaluation of the trade can’t be made until we see how Tuukka Rask, the Finnish goalie traded for Raycroft, turns out. In terms of whether the Leafs upgraded themselves in goal through the deal last season, the answer is clearly no. Raycroft’s stats were pedestrian at best, outside of his 37 victories, and the fact he was yanked in the 82nd and most important game of the year was telling.

In terms of the future, Rask is a better prospect. But Raycroft may indeed improve, and in my mind it's always a mistake to assume that professionals can’t improve their performance through training, coaching and maturation. In terms of the comparison with Ward, while the two goalies might have experienced similar seasons, Ward was the man in goal when the Hurricanes won it all, and that far outranks any of Raycroft’s career achievements.

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Q: Hi Damien,

I've been hearing a lot about how Marty Turco is going to be on thin ice if the Stars can't beat the Canucks in the first round. I've heard that they might ask him to waive his no-trade clause. What are the chances thathe waives the no-trade clause, and do you think the Leafs could get involved in a trade for Turco? Do they have anything to offer for a goalie of that calibre?

Varun Chakravorty, Brampton, Ont.

A: That’s a very interesting scenario. Turco made $6 million this season and is under contract through 2010 with the Stars. They have a fairly impressive, 25-year-old backup named Mike Smith, but it would be a leap of logic to suggest they’d necessarily be ready to trade Turco and hand Smith the job. That said, Turco may have to move if the Stars are polished off by Vancouver, with his uneviable 1-9 post-season record in OT a stigma he can’t escape. Right now, however, his price tag would make him a tough fit for the Leaf payroll, but he’s only 31 and would represent a clear upgrade over Raycroft. Moreover, he’s a personality who could flourish in Toronto.

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Q: Hey Damien,

What are your thoughts on the Leafs pursuing Briere or Drury from Buffalo in the off-season - which one should we get? I think Drury would fit better within the Leafs’ style of game, he seems to be more of a two-way player than Briere. That said, Breire is a fantastic addition to any lineup with his good hands and good vision of the ice.

Dan D'Alimonte, Oakville, Ont.

A: I think the Leafs will be in the bidding for one or both, and both would significantly strengthen their lineup. That said, the bidding is going to be heavy on both players, so being interested may not be enough. This isn’t fantasy hockey. I don’t think one or the other will definitely be more affordable, nor do I think either is more likely to want to play in Toronto. As well, the Sabres are going to make a big pitch to keep one or the other. But the Leafs, theoretically, should have $10 million or more to spend, and they’d do a lot worse than spend a big chunk of that dough on either of these two Buffalo players.

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Q: Damien; I enjoy your insight into the game and share many of your views. I have never subscribed to the view that Leaf fans would not stand for a complete over haul of the club. An overhaul that would leave the club in a non competitive position for a period of time, perhaps with the playoffs being a distant dream for another couple of seasons. Do you think that the Board will give, or should give JFJ, should he be retained, the latitude to blow up this ship and rebuild from the bottom up? I for one would welcome it.

Jeff Ostic, Fergus, Ont.

A: You’re not the only one, that’s for sure. The “blow up the Leafs” support group may be larger than the Green Party these days.

Would the Leaf board support such a plan? Doubtful. More to the point, this is a organization just as dedicated – or more dedicated – to profits as on-ice success, so a plan that involves multiple years outside the Stanley Cup playoffs wouldn’t interest them.

Finally, people often cite such an approach as though it had a guaranteed outcome. But there’s no guarantee that finishing low in the standings would necessarily net quality young players, and while everybody loves the Pittsburgh Penguins right now you can look no further than the Washington Capitals or Chicago Blackhawks to understand being lousy may also mean you stay lousy.

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Q: Do you think Mike Peca will be back for the Leafs? Why or why not? Is this good or bad?

Zac Kurylyk, Saint John, Nfld.

A: Great question, and I don’t know the answer. He would like to stay, but it seems unlikely the Leafs are going to want him at $2.5 million a season again. Given his serious injury, it’s unclear what his marketability as a free agent would be. If the Leafs could fit him under their cap, I think he would help at least as much next season as he did this season when he was healthy, and that was quite a bit in terms of leadership, defensive play and penalty killing. If he was willing to play for $1 million or less, I think there’s still a fit.

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Q: Damien, I'm really at a loss to say what JFJ has done on the positive side of the ledger as GM in regards to player activity which is not part of his job.

I do feel the hire of Maurice was positive but that is not a player move. The signings of Peca, Tucker, Kaberle etc. were just routine in my view. I don't dislike the man and want him to suceed but I can't think of any great player move which he has made which has made any real difference. I can't recall a good trade.

Please help my memory.

Tom Martin, Toronto

A: If you can’t recall a big-time trade JFJ has made and won, that’s because there hasn’t been one. His biggest deal was probably getting Brian Leetch, and neither of the prospects sacrificed (Maxim Kondratieve and Jarkko Immonen) are yet established NHLers and the draft picks given up have yet to turn into major assets for the Rangers. Most of his best moves in terms of player acquisition have been of the cheap, minor variety, like Chad Kilger, Bates Battaglia and Boyd Devereaux.

That said, evaluating a GM solely on his trades can be a mistake. Ferguson’s emphasis is clearly on drafting and development and his approach has been to use free agent dollars to attract players rather than follow the approach of many previous Leaf GMs and sacrifice players and prospects. That said, a significant deal with an upside for the Leafs would greatly enhance Ferguson’s standing.

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Q: Now that he's gone from Phoenix, what do you think about the idea of Toronto hiring a guy like Cliff Fletcher to act in a sort of Wayne Embry like role for JFJ?

Marshall Auerback, Denver, Colorado

A: Interesting concept, but I think Fletcher is more likely to want to stay put in Phoenix and probably retire. The Coyotes didn’t see value in his input any longer, but he has great experience and a depth of knowledge second to none in the game. It just seems extremely unlikely that he could help the Leafs or that Ferguson, so soon after getting out from under the shadow of Pat Quinn, would want another high-profile hockey man in the organization. The Leafs have enough fingers in the pie as it is.

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Click here to send Damien a question and he'll answer a selection in his mail bag every Thursday in this space.

Hitting the Nail on the Head. . .Sort Of

I know James Duthie fairly well, and have even worked with him on occasion.

But I have no idea about the TSN broadcaster's views on head shots in hockey.

That, needless to say, was one of the strengths of Duthie's intriguing interview with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Monday night.

We got to hear what Bettman had to say on the issue. Not what Duthie thought.

It was very different than the Ron MacLean approach on HNIC, which is to make the sure the world first understands your point-of-view and then force the interviewee to disagree with it while constantly interrupting them and asking slanted "Well, Grapes Says" questions.

Some like one style of interviewing, some like the other. It's a question of taste, I suppose.

But Duthie's questioning of Bettman was particularly well done because it illustrated the political commish, adroitly steering clear of ever actually taking a strong position on an issue of controversy or one on which there is a great deal of disagreement.

No wonder he's lasted so long as NHL boss. Somebody should introduce him to David Braley.

Bettman started by giving a spirited defence of the way in which the league now deals with hits to the head, which is not to deal with them at all but instead label them to be "clean" under the strict terms of the rule book.

He's always sensitive to being called an American trying to redesign Canada's game, so when it comes to certain issues Bettman loves to trot out the "always been part of the game" argument. Forget the fact one of his greatest unilateral calls as commissioner was to force-feed four-on-four overtime upon the league, a scheme that had never been widely used previously but has been a great success.

He can lean towards the innovative. But he can also be the champion of the so-called purist, depending on the winds.

Bettman even employed the silliest argument of all on head shots, that of taller players playing against smaller ones, and cited the challenge that 6-foot-9 Zdeno Chara would face under enhanced head shot legislation.

Never mind that Chara plays all the time against tiny Brian Gionta and doesn't spend the entire game elbowing him in the chops. As long as there's been hockey, there have been taller players and shorter ones, and the taller player has always had to modify his approach.

So after listening to all of this, you would have been under the impression the commissioner was a staunch opponent of doing anything to address the issue of players deliberately cold-cocking opponents by driving their shoulder pads into the opponent's cranium whenever the opportunity arose.

We'll call it the Colby Armstrong approach to hockey. Hit to hurt/injure and then pretend to be all broken up about it afterwards.

No way would this change under his watch, Bettman seemed to make clear.

Well, wondered Duthie quite correctly, what about the Ontario Hockey League's widely praised head checking rule which has been endorsed by GMs, coaches and players alike? Why couldn't the NHL adopt such a rule successfully if it meant reducing concussions and head injuries?

And then Bettman flip-flopped.

Well, he said, don't get me wrong. We might put in a head checking rule. This might be a significant problem with which we must deal as soon as possible.

Which, for the one-thousandth time, put Bettman exactly where he wants to be on any major issue in the game.

Right in the middle, waiting to measure the political winds, preferring not to lead the way.

Saint June

I have my doubts that the late, great June Callwood's name ever appeared in the sports pages. Then again, her influence on life in general was so pervasive I wouldn't be shocked if it had.

We all lost Saint June on the weekend to the ravages of cancer, and it is a living testament to her memory that if you knew her at all, as I did a little through my friendship with her brave and brilliant husband, the writer Trent Frayne, that people just assumed her death would have a profound impact on you and quickly sent emails and made phone calls.

I'm pretty sure she liked hockey some, if not a lot. But on a personal level, it was somehow symbolic that we received news of her loss on a weekend when hundreds of girls and young women were competing in Brampton, Mississauga and Vaughan as part of the Ontario Women's Hockey Association provincial championships. Even a decade ago, the championships weren't of the size and quality they are now, yet another sign that women's sports are growing in our province and our country.

A peewee team from Seaforth, Ont., Boyd Devereaux's home town, made the weekend for me. After losing a semifinal Sunday morning in quadruple overtime to North Bay, the Seaforth squad claimed a bronze medal in the late afternoon by winning in the FIFTH overtime against West Northumberland.

And plucky Seaforth did it with only 10 skaters the entire day. Incredible.

Joyful teams from Whitby, Leaside, Hamilton, Cambridge, Windsor, Niagara Falls, Walkerton, Kincardine, Belleville, Ottawa and Thunder Bay all won provincial championships, as did a midget team from tiny Ancaster, Ont with which I have to admit a personal bias since it included my 16-year-old daughter. Their team won in overtime over a well-coached and gritty team from Hamilton that was marvellously classy in accepting their silver medals.

What does any of this have to do with Saint June? Only that the growth of women's sports in general and women's hockey in particular are expressions of all the elements of life she held dear, including fairness, equality, determination, unwillingness to bend and the utter joy found in the pursuit of a life's passion. Hopefully her namesake, my one-year-old daughter, will carry those qualities forward in her life.

And hopefully June won't mind too much that we've now mentioned her name in the sports pages.

Friday Incompletions

So far, the NHL seems just as determined as ever to maintain the rules standard in the post-season. That's a very good thing, and the quality of play has so far been very high and very entertaining......Hmmm, funny how Georges Laraque couldn't do a darn thing to help Sidney Crosby being hit and battered by the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of their playoff series. That's why it is just so laughable when fans and analysts alike trumpet the acquisition of players like Laraque as so important when, in reality, they are nearly completely unimportant. . .Big step for Wayne Gretzky to essentially acknowledge he's brought too many friends and pals to the Phoenix Coyotes. That said, The Great One has so many friends its hard to imagine the team can find somebody to come in as GM that Gretzky doesn't know. Don't know about every executive in the game, but I do know that Detroit assistant GM Jim Nill has earned his shot. . .The Spin received a lot of replies to the suggestion that Mats Sundin should evaluate how much he can help the Leafs by taking a smaller salary in his new contract. The dumbest replies were those that argued Sundin shouldn't have to take less because his boss had given inflated contracts to Bryan McCabe and Pavel Kubina, among others. That's like arguing that Sundin shouldn't take less because Steve Thomas was shafted by the Leafs back in 1987. You deal with the situation now, and going back again to review the mistakes made before doesn't help anybody. Besides, taking less in salary would make Sundin the hero in this city he's never been, and surely there are tangible benefits in that. . .Nice to see TSN's Bob McKenzie fire right back when Jeremy Roenick trotted out the old "you never played the game" line during an on-air discussion the other night. "I'm going to lose every single argument if Jeremy uses that line all the time," said McKenzie. Truth is, hockey players only fall into that line of rationale when they can't logically argue the point. . .Speaking of playoff broadcasters, does HNIC have a better asset than Kelly Hrudey? Nice to see a man with honesty not simply parroting the McLean-Cherry agenda. And Hrudey never falls back on the "you never played the game" line. . .Nice that Rick DiPietro has been cleared to play. But right now, he can't help the Isles more than the inspirational Wade Dubielewicz. . .Amazing that nobody other than the Islanders really wanted Sean Hill as a free agent last summer. . .

OFF-ICE
NFL Roger Goodell made a bold step by suspending Pacman Jones and Chris Henry this week. Now let's see him apply the same discipline to the next coach or assistant coach that gets in hot water. And what would Goodell have done with Ray Lewis?. . .Sorry, I'm just not going to feel bad for Don Imus. All he did this week was make himself more famous, and anybody who says something so ignorant deserves to be fired. And don't trot out the argument that rap stars say worse things all the time. If Imus wants to spew crap and then sell it as a CD, let him do it. . .There's only one sure fact about the upcoming NFL draft. With Oakland, Detroit and Cleveland owning the first three picks, two of the three will screw it up. . .Amazing. The San Francisco Giants don't have a starting position player under the age of 31. And Barry Zito isn't looking like such a hot idea after all. The greatest commentary on Barry Bonds' bogus piece of history will that he will do it playing for one of the worst teams in baseball. . .

BACK TO THE FACE-OFF CIRCLE
Hold any opinion you like on the future of Leafs GM John Ferguson. But the fact he has done his job under extreme scrutiny while dealing with the birth of a child during the season and the serious illness of his famous father without complaining once about any of it tells you something of the man's character and integrity. . .Glad that Chicago won the NHL draft lottery. It shows that no matter how any team might try to tank it to get their hands on John Tavares, there's no guarantee it will work. . .You wonder if the MLSE board of directors will notice that while the Leafs haven't even made the Stanley Cup final since 1967, the small market Sabres have been there twice, almost won it all in 1999 and are a favourite to take it all this spring after surviving bankruptcy and a serious loss of ticket-buying fans for several seasons. . .You'll see a lot of outstanding hockey competition this weekend at the Ontario Women's Hockey Association provincial championships in Mississauga and Brampton, a lot more than you saw during the women's world championships, that's for sure. . .Interesting debate on the length of overtime after the Vancouver-Dallas game this week. One full period of traditional OT followed by four-on-four seems to be a reasonable compromise. Hockey after 80 minutes of play ceases to be all that interesting.

Mail Bag

Every Thursday, Damien Cox answers your Maple Leafs questions in his mail bag. Click here to send Damien a question.

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Q: Suffering since 1967-68 when I became a Leaf fan at the age of seven. Who's available via the free agency route to help the Leafs become a serious playoff team?

Grant MacLean, Halifax

A: Grant, sorry for your suffering, but I think the answer is no one. There’s no one available that will make the Leafs a "serious" playoff team because those teams are built patiently with youth and quality goaltending, and neither commodity is available on the free agent market.

That said, there are players who could help, particularly forwards. Any one of Ryan Smyth, Jason Blake, Daniel Briere, Chris Drury and Scott Gomez would add depth to the Leafs up front and help them make the playoffs, which is the first step.

But none will take a non-playoff team and make it a contender right away.

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Q: Oh my God! Has the earth stopped spinning? Has Global warming been curtailed? Has Jesus returned to save the world?

There must have been something I've missed because Damien Cox and I have finally agreed on something! Take out the usual illogical and irrelevant arguments from your latest article and you are left with the #1 reason the leafs didn't make the playoffs ... goaltending. The bottom line is that if Montreal's 3rd string goaltender was in Toronto's net for 82 games, we make the playoffs easily. If warms my heart to think that we agree on something and I'll set an extra place for you at the dinner table for family gatherings now that we are like family.

Mike McClelland, Belleville, Ont.

A: Can’t wait. What’s for dinner? Love meat loaf and roast beef, hate brussel sprouts with a passion. (Will work on taking out all illogical and irrelevant arguments from my next column. But miracles take time.)

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Q: Hi Damien,

Now that the season is done, at least for the Leafs, it's time to look ahead. A lot has been said about Bryan McCabe's defensive shortcomings, and his contract makes him untradable, both because of its price and the no-trade clause. The Leafs have lots of promise in the youth on the blue line and they need some offence up front. Would there be any merit in trying to convert McCabe into a forward? I was thinking the same about Kaberle, but he's not as bad a defensive liability. It's been done before - Wendel Clark started out on the blue line (and wore #4 as well, but that's beside the point).

Kevin Doiron, Toronto

A: Whether there would be any merit or not, it’s not going to happen. There are teams that still do it, such as Montreal, which used both Mathieu Dandenault and Mark Streit as forwards this season. Even the Leafs used Brendan Bell up front before trading him. But McCabe would be ineffective up front – he just doesn’t skate well enough.

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Q: You said last year at this time Quinn should go just look at his record. I questioned why you always went after Quinn? Your reply was just look at the record. Well the Leafs failed again with a new coach and were 3 points better, just look at the record who goes now?

Ferguson or Maurice?

Pat Quinn could have done the same job, I believe it is time for a new general manager but I realize this is not going to happen. It is time you start going after Fergie like you did Quinn.

William Milligan, St. Catharines

A: Fair enough. The difference is Quinn had eight years to make it all work, four of which he was also GM and essentially had unlimited funds with which to work.

I promise you that once Ferguson hits the eight-year mark without any success, I’ll be all over him.

The lockout changed the industry, so really Ferguson's just finishing his second year. He's done some good things and made some mistakes, and under the new rules, mistakes are much more costly. Just imagine how much more costly Quinn's Dmitri Khristich error would have been under a salary cap system.

JFJ deserves some time. Patience with Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff has paid off in Buffalo. Ditto for David Poile and Barry Trotz in Nashville.

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Q: Damien - Just how good is Justin Pogge? You said a couple of weeks ago that he's probably two years away from being ready for the NHL. Meantime the impact of his junior numbers is fading somewhat in the reality of life in the AHL. Regardless of any other speculation on Leafs netminders, how will we know if Pogge's going to make the grade - and who would be a fair comparison at this stage in his career?

Peter Hawkins, Bahrain

A: Great question. I can’t think of a fair comparison. But it’s worth looking at a netminder like Ryan Miller who spent three full years in the minors before moving up to the NHL on a full-time basis. That would seem to be a fair plan for Pogge. He’s just a kid learning on a non-playoff team, and rushing him won’t make him any better any faster. He’s still got a good shot if the Leafs are patient.

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Q: Damien: Isn't it a very poor coaching ploy to have Sundin playing a grinding game and always playing against the other teams top players in a checking roll. In my opinion this neutralizes the leafs only world class player, and at 36 he is simply worn out, is he not?

Glen Stewart, PEI

A: I don’t think he’s worn out. Maybe he’s slowing down a bit, but many teams go for the strength vs. strength game plan, largely because playing against top offensive players often presents increased scoring opportunities to offensive players. I wouldn’t say this strategy puts Sundin in a checking role. I think his performance down the stretch, however, makes you wonder if fewer minutes – say, 16-18 per game – might make him a more effective player next season.

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Q: Hi Damien how are you,

My favourite player growing up was Pavel Bure aka The Russian Rocket. I want to know why so many Canadians disrespect Pavel Bure and not ever consider him to be one of the 50 greatest players of all time. People say he couldn't play defence but his presence on the ice always forced one or two players on the opposing team to shadow him throughout the game so that argument's null and void. Also Pavel Bure was close to scoring 60 goals twice in an era where we saw the least amount of goals being scored in the NHL. C'mon you're very well respected, show Pavel Bure some much needed love and respect. Thanks for hearing me out!

Ednan Ahmed, Scarborough

A: Interesting point. Had Bure stayed in Vancouver – and stayed healthy – I wonder if his legacy would be different. He also developed a reputation of not caring that much through incidents like leaving the all-star game early, and after the Canucks he didn’t seem to make the teams on which he played much better.

But at his peak, he was as dangerous a goal scorer as there was in hockey.

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Q: I'm wondering why the Leafs don't employ a PP Coach and PK Coach like a team would do in NFL Football. In the NFL they have coaches for defense, offense and special teams. The PP and PK would be defined as Special aspects of the game. The Leafs certainly have the money at their disposal to hire someone in this capacity. It has obviously cost them a number of points this past season. Their PP lacks imagination what with the big shot from Bryan McCabe or One timer from Tucker. They Leafs should have more designed plays to help them.

Gary Allen, Fort Frances, Ont.

A: I think NHL clubs are becoming increasingly specialized, but I also wonder how much of special teams are schemes and how much is personnel. The Leaf penalty killing, for example, would have been much better this year had Mike Peca not been hurt and if Andrew Raycroft had supplied more consistent goaltending. I’m not sure if the Leaf power play lacks imagination more than any other team, but for sure teams took away the McCabe bomb and cut off the Tucker play beside the net. Wellwood will be an interesting factor next season particularly if he can learn to use his shot from down low instead of always looking to pass.

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Q: I read your blog on the Claude Julien firing. I am surprised you tried to spin it as positive.

Bottom line, I think its a terrible move. It shows no loyalty on the part of management. How are the players to take this? For them, its an example of the dubious practice of the suits in the front office.

Coaches get fired all the time, often with years remaining on their contract. They are usually fired for poor performance, and its justified. Second in the east and first in the Atlantic division, is not poor performance, 104 points with 2 games remaining, is not a poor performance.

My question is, since Julien seems to have put in a great perfromance as head coach, could he seek legal action, such as wrongful dismissal? I am sure his contract buyout will be generous, but I have to wonder if it's enough to endure this insult.

Andrew Barrie, Toronto

A: I doubt Julien could or would pursue legal action. If he did, he’d never get another NHL job. Getting canned comes with the profession, and Julien has two more years of pay cheques to make him feel better.

I don’t think I spun this as positive – I just tried to explain that instead of looking for reasons like a player revolt, people have to realize that Lou Lamoriello calls the shots and if he decides the coach needs to go for the betterment of the team, that’s what will happen. I don’t think Julien’s firing bothered the players at all. There were just getting back to something they already knew.

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Q: Hello Mr. Cox,

I’m a 26 (soon to be 27) year old masters student studying in France, and have been a Leaf fan since I could remember. I keep up with what’s going on back home by reading the Toronto Star everyday. Which brings me to the reason I’m compelled to write you. I was reading the "voices" section of the paper following the elimination of the Leafs and was utterly astounded by the amount of hate out there back in Leaf Nation.

What the Leafs need to change is a new corporate vision. With the salary cap era now a fixture in NHL economics, why do we still have the Teachers Pension Fund owning a majority of MLSE? The Leafs don’t need their money to "buy" talent any more as that era is now long gone. The TPF main objective is to make money to provide for their retiring members, not to build a winning organization. If you want to build a winner, start from the top. Everyone needs to WANT to win, not hope to win while making money. Give JFJ full freedom to do what he wants to do. No one in the world can be effective at what they’re doing when they have their boss constantly looking over their shoulder and questioning every move he makes.

Richard Chim, Strasbourg, France

A: Well Richard, you’re certainly not alone in your thinking. But the teachers still own the majority of MLSE shares because its very profitable, and there’s nothing a Leaf fan can do about it. I agree that there isn’t a win at all costs attitude in the company, and I also agree making the GM consult the board constantly doesn’t give him the freedom necessary. But as long as the company’s making lots of money, why would they change their business practices?

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Click here to send Damien a question and he'll answer a selection in his mail bag every Thursday in this space.

Its Up to Mats

Over the course of his NHL career, Mats Sundin has earned somewhere in excess of $68 million, a tidy fortune.

All but about $1 million of that has been paid by the Leafs. Now, a day after Sundin once again re-iterated that his goal is to win a Stanley Cup in Toronto, he has his chance to put his money where his mouth is.

First, note the difference from last year to this year. Last year, Sundin couldn't get out of town fast enough and left a lot of fans hanging as to his intentions and whether he wanted to remain a Leaf.

This year, he's said it all already. Wants to stay, happy as a Leaf.

The difference? Well, he's already got a deal in place, one that may be announced before the end of this week.

The exchange is straightforward. Sundin gives up the $5.3 million option on his deal for next year, one that carries a $6.3 million salary hit, and in return gets more money - something in the neighborhood of $5.8 million, probably - and gives the club a bit of a break on the cap.

If it is $5.8 million for each of two years, it's a $500,000 cap break per season.

But if Sundin is really serious about helping the team win the Cup, he could take a much bigger pay cut, and in so doing help the Leafs sign more quality players this summer.

In theory, he could agree to a deal paying him $1 million a year, thus freeing up more than $4 million for the club to spend on another player. A pretty good player.

He could take $2 million and free up more than $3 million for somebody else.

Or he can free up a piddly $500,000 that buys you nothing.

A large pay cut would be spectacular goodwill on Sundin's part, but not totally without precedent.

For example, last year Martin Brodeur signed a six-year deal with the Devils that pays him $5.2 million per season. Given his history, and given that Nikolai Khabibulin made $6.75 million this season, it's a nice deal for Jersey that gives them a bit of room to maneuver under the cap, about $1.5-2 million worth depending on how you assess Brodeur's market value.

In 2003, meanwhile, Paul Kariya absorbed the single largest pay cut in the NHL history when he agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million deal with Colorado after making $10 million the previous season with Anaheim. Kariya wanted to play with Teemu Selanne in Denver and there were only so many dollars available in the pre-cap era, and so he helped the Avalanche make it happen.

On Monday, Joe Sakic agreed to a one-year, $6.75 million deal with Colorado, which represents a $1.25 decrease in the cap hit he represents for next year (this year he made a salary of $5.75 million plus $2.25 million from an old deal for a total of $8 million).

So now the ball's in Sundin's corner.

How much does he want to help the Leafs, and how much does he want to pad his own already velvety nest?

If he really wants to win a Cup, the proof will be in the dollar figure on his new contract.

NOTE: A couple of readers have written to say that other players, like Bryan McCabe, should be the ones to take a pay cut or restructure their contract. Under the terms of the current CBA, that's not possible. McCabe, for example, can't re-do his deal to give the team more salary cap room, and neither can any other player with an existing contract. Sundin, on the other hand, is in that position if the team rips up the option year of his old contract.