Late Addition
The moment for which David Steckel is famous - or infamous - is really not his calling card as an NHL player.
That moment, of course, was his collision with Sidney Crosby during last year's Winter Classic that, in combination with another hit a few days later, has derailed Crosby's brilliant career for now because of concussion issues.
Some called it an intentional, dirty play by Steckel. It wasn't. Anybody who knows anything about his career understands that if anything, he has underused his 6-foot-6 frame in terms of physical play throughout his career.
So to be a bruiser is not the reason the Leafs picked up the 29-year-old centre today from New Jersey for a fourth round pick in 2012.
What Steckel can do is take draws as well as anybody in the league, a commodity the Leafs are in short supply of these days. In particular, the left-handed shooting Steckel is useful on draws while penalty killing, and we all know how that facet of the game has been a huge challenge for Ron Wilson's club. Win a few draws while shorthanded and your chances of allowing fewer powerplay goals increases.
Steckel had the best faceoff percentage in the league last year (62.3 per cent), and could be the best draw man the Leafs have had since Yanic Perreault.
"When your team gets competitive, you're looking for small pieces," said Leafs GM Brian Burke tonight. "I'm actually pretty excited about this move. He's been on our radar for 18 months and we finally got him."
Steckel's shortcoming is his skating, and he's not an offensive player, although he was during his collegiate career at Ohio State after being drafted in the first round by the L.A. Kings back in 2001. Unable to nail down an offensive role in the NHL, he reinvented himself as a checker and faceoff specialist.
"I like guys like that," said Burke.
At $1.1 million for this season and next, Steckel is also a little expensive for what many teams want to be paying their third and fourth liners. But the Leafs needs, both up the middle and in the faceoff circle, were significant enough they were willing to pay.
With Tim Connolly ailing, Steckel's presence frees up Tyler Bozak and/or Matthew Lombardi to play higher in the lineup in the home opener on Thursday.
@ Wade & Chop...
Guys have you looked at the roster??? Please read my comment above....There is about 60% Canadians on the roster...98% Canadians in the front office. This is the first time in ages that the Leafs have a Canadian Captain, A Canadian Goalie, Most of their defense is Canadian.....The Forwards are mostly Canadian......
Funny you would complain about a couple of American players...But guess what...American Captains are just as successful...Mike Madano rings a bell....Does he for you???????
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9312_Toronto_Maple_Leafs_season
A breakdown of the current Leaf Roster based on Nationality:
7 Americans
14 Canadians
2 Swedish
1 Russian
1 Belarusian
Posted by: Nik Cooloman | October 05, 2011 at 03:12 PM
we're supposed to be Canada's team.. not a bunch of crappy over-rated Americans who are grossly over-paid. Brian Burke should be run out of town along with Connolly, Kessel, Komisarek, Steckle.. (Brown, Gardiner and maybe Liles can stay) Canada consistantly produces the best players in the world and just because Team USA was marginally successful in one tournament does not mean that they have caught up. We need more good skilled hard hitting Canadians, not soft American players who play with no heart and aren't willing to sacrifice themselves for the team.
Posted by: Dan | October 05, 2011 at 03:32 PM
oh man, where to begin - anyone that really thinks that the yanks are second best hockey nation on the planet are smoking some pretty good greenbacks. I put both Russia and Sweden ahead of them in terms of talent - no contest.
Burke went to Anaheim and inherited the cup. He was there for three seasons and won the cup in his second season there - I'll give him full marks for bringing in Pronger but even he knows that he did not make that team up!
Burke has now been in Toronto for 3 years (his anniversary is November) - what has he done here but in a lawyerly fashion, blame JFJ?
If people do not believe that Burke endorsed Fletcher hiring Wilson than again they are smoking greenbacks.
Burke is the most overrated GM in the league and I can't wait for him to be run out of town and then bring in someone like a Stevie Y or Gretzky!
PS - it took Stevie Y one season to get his team in the playoffs!!! How many seasons for Burke / Wilson and Team USA?
Posted by: BillBarilko | October 05, 2011 at 08:11 PM
Also agree with those who think Zigo can do this job just as well, and is a better skater.
Give your head a shake he caint make the Leafs. Who wants him? Burke is getting calls all day for this super star? What ever the Leafs do is wrong go $**$ ur hats losers!
Posted by: Daddy | October 05, 2011 at 10:19 PM
stats dont lie..too many Americans is correct! Check out the Stanley cup champs of the past couple of years to find out majority of their team is..you guessed it..Canadian! Get rid of Ron Wilson and Burkie! Both Americans trying to rebuild this team with non winners!
Posted by: billy | October 06, 2011 at 08:35 AM
'oh man, where to begin - anyone that really thinks that the yanks are second best hockey nation on the planet are smoking some pretty good greenbacks. I put both Russia and Sweden ahead of them in terms of talent - no contest. Burke went to Anaheim and inherited the cup. He was there for three seasons and won the cup in his second season there - I'll give him full marks for bringing in Pronger but even he knows that he did not make that team up!' Smoking some good greenbacks?! Just take a look at how well the US has been doing in the U - 18 and U - 19 hockey. And try to see how vastly improved their development system is. Look at last year's draft - the US has the 2nd most drafted players behind Canada. You can deny it all you want, but the US is Canada's biggest rival. As for your assertion that Burke inherited the cup in Anahiem well I guess he did - if by inherit you mean he brought in a new coach, changed the defense and the forwards, so ya, I guess he 'inherited' the team.
Posted by: Conn Smythe | October 06, 2011 at 01:28 PM
'PS - it took Stevie Y one season to get his team in the playoffs!!! How many seasons for Burke / Wilson and Team USA?'
Wow - and all Stevie Y had on his team were Stamkos, St. Louis, Lecavelier, Downie, Ohlund and Hedman. Great example, Einstein!
Posted by: Conn Smythe | October 06, 2011 at 01:30 PM
meanwhile, it's only one game, but I think you should be pretty damn happy you have David Steckel, as he certainly made a HUGE difference for you in game one. Love this guy and what he brings to the table. Leafs fan living in LA, who has liked Steckel since the idiot King brass (at the time) gave up on him WAY TOO EARLY.
Posted by: Marc Nathan | October 07, 2011 at 10:16 AM
yes they need to be a little bit of patient and cool in their approach.
Posted by: interview experts | October 13, 2011 at 05:47 AM