Friday Mail Bag

This has been one of those weeks when it seems folks have been a little too eager to take speculation as fact.

For example, when it was clear Anaheim had, albeit temporarily, put winger Bobby Ryan on the trading block, I suggested the Leafs needed to seriously investigate the possibility of acquiring him even though he wasn't the centre they covet. I'm pretty convinced they did knowing the price would be very high and he wasn't exactly what they're looking for, which is a big centre.

Nowhere was it suggested that the Leafs should gut their inventory of young players to get Ryan, or even that he would be a must-buy. But some interpreted it that way.

Same with the availability of Randy Carlyle. I didn't advocate the dismissal of Ron Wilson. In fact, I never have, although I've frequently wondered about the shortcomings of Leaf teams under Wilson's guidance and how long he could retain his position if the team didn't win.

On the other hand, Carlyle and Brian Burke won a Cup together in Anaheim; it just makes sense that if circumstances presented themselves for the two men to work together again, they'd want to. But those circumstances, with the Leafs doing rather well, haven't presented themselves. That said, as long as Wilson doesn't have a contract beyond the end of this season, his future is going to be a debating point.

Last week it was chatter about Wayne Gretzky being approached to be part of a group vying to purchase MLSE. That's all the story said, but then it was blown into a suggestion that Gretzky was already part of a group or even more than that.

As it stands, none of Gretzky, Ryan or Carlyle are part of the Leafs or are expected to be in the immediate future. But it's all grist for the mill.

Now on to this week's mail bag:

Q: I don't see how Randy Carlyle would offer "a change of direction." He and Wilson are actually very similar as coaches, which is probably why Burke likes both of them.

Geoff Read

A: I'm assuming that's a statement, not a question. So I guess I accept your statement, but disagree. Wilson has had good defensive teams in his career, but Carlyle is much more of a conservative type, in my opinion. He places a greater emphasis on muscle, while Wilson preaches an attack style that can leave a team exposed. He gave a long soliloquy at the Vancouver Olympics on how both the U.S. and Canada showed the right way to play the game, up tempo and moving forward. So while I guess you could argue that most NHL coaches are generally alike in terms of strategy and systems and differ mostly on the basis of personality, I see Carlyle and Wilson as very different.

Q: Why not bring Randy in as a special assistant to Ron Wilson for now. They can have 10 general managers but only one coach and three assistant coaches? Maybe they should just hire one coach per player ??!!??

Uncle Jake

A: I'm not sure whether you're being facetious on not. But bringing in Carlyle to look over Wilson's shoulder is neither sensible nor good hockey politics.

Q: Mr. Cox, another great article. I'm sure your inbox is being riddled with trade proposals for Ryan as we speak. I have more of a comment rather than a question but would appreciate your opinion. Would Ryan look good in a Leafs uniform? Of course he would, but so would Sidney Crosby or Steven Stamkos.  But it doesn't mean we're going to get them.

Ryan of course is not at their elite level but he's an excellent player, who's asking price would be way too high for the Leafs. Do we have the players and pieces to make this type of trade? For the first time in a very long time we do have those pieces.

Which leads to my second point, for the first time in a long time we have those pieces, so why trade them! Any deal would start with Schenn or Kadri plus a significant piece in the Leaf roster already (Kulemin, Grabovski).

I would even argue that despite an offer of Schenn and Grabovski, a first-round pick would most likely have to be offered for Murray to consider a trade. In my opinion, Bob Murray is looking at how the Lupul and Gardiner trade worked out, and will literally demand an arm and a leg for Ryan from Burke and Co. Not worth it. Patience and letting the young core develop should be the Leafs' mantra. This is not a team on the cusp of winning a cup, and acquiring Ryan is that type of move.

Even though their a division rival, let the Bruins make a run and get him. If the asking price, as stated by Mr. MacLean, would be Krejci and Dougie Hamilton that's great news for the Leafs. Bruins lose a potential successor to Chara, and trade away a bona fide playoff performer who would've been the Conn Smythe winner if it wasn't for Thomas. Yeah Ryan would be a great addition, but those losses would hurt them more in the long-run than the addition of Ryan. Would appreciate your view. Cheers.

Dilraj S. Sandhu, Mississauga

A: Well, again I'm not exactly sure what the question is. I'm assuming you want me to agree or disagree with your thesis.

Basically, I disagree, but would stop short of advocating that the Leafs go full out to acquire Ryan (who's off the trade market now anyways). But we're talking a 24-year-old forward here who is under contract for another three years. I agree Anaheim would demand a stiff price, but that doesn't mean the Leafs or anyone else has to pay it. I think he's a good to very good player, not an excellent one, not a franchise-type player. So if there was a deal there in which the Leafs could acquire Ryan for one primary asset (Schenn) and one secondary asset (Jerry D'Amigo, Stuart Percy, Ben Scrivens or Jesse Blacker) I think you would look at it seriously. But that doesn't mean Anaheim would be satisfied.

Q: Should we be going after a top-line centre instead of a winger? We need a centre more now more than ever if we want to make a serious statement about a playoff run.

Russ Robinson, Toronto

A: Well, basically, the answer is yes. But it was Ryan who was (briefly) available and not a top centre. So you evaluate that opportunity, and in general, I would argue the Leafs are still in the position of trying to add as much talent as possible regardless of position, and then use their assets later to address positional imbalances. In my mind, this is a team that could still use another top six forward, particularly one with size. Ideally, that would be a centre, but ideal circumstances are rarely at hand.

Q: Hey Mr. Cox,

I attended the Marlies absolute thrashing of the IceCaps last Saturday night. Got some good natured abuse for the sweater I was wearing. Both local media and Toronto papers described Kadri as "the best player by far on the ice" and his five points in the two games seemed to prove that. However (and please let me qualify that I am not a hockey genius) it seemed to me and some other Marlies fans that he was a selfish puck hog that didn't pass to his linemates and made huge numbers of fancy plays that went nowhere. What's your impression of Kadri and is that why he's still on the farm?

Lastly, Jeff Finger played over 35 minutes and was solid.  Just thought I'd throw that out to a good guy who can't be blamed for signing a big contract.

Cheers

Dean Menchions, St. John's

A: Well, Kadri was given some AHL honours this week, so he must be doing something right. I've never really seen him as a selfish player, but rather one who's good with the puck and tries to make things happen offensively. At times, particularly when in the NHL, he gets in trouble playing too complicated a game when simple often works better. He's a talented young guy still in the development stage who can use more time in the minors honing his skill. It matters more what kind of NHL player he'll be at 25 than at 21.

Re: Finger, well, good to see he's earning his paycheque. But he's not in the Leafs' plans.

Q: Just a quick Ryan question. What's his speed like? I've heard it's not super great. And is he a good dressing room guy? And why do you think Mike Zigomanis never seemed to make it as an NHL regular? Is he just one of those guys who plateaued at the AHL level?

Jim Barber, Napanee

A: I think Ryan has been an electrifying one-on-one player. I don't think his speed is an issue. Whether he's a good dressing room guy, well, I have no idea, and only the players who have played with him would know.

On Zigomanis, he's had chances in many places, and perhaps the opportunity has just never fit his abilities. But it's not as though the Leafs are the only team who don't seem him as an NHL player. There's no crime in being a very good AHL player.

Q: Hey Damien,

With all this Bobby Ryan trade chatter, isn't it amazing that Toronto is even a player, considering that only three years ago, we really had just one "asset" (Kaberle) other than picks.

While I'm sure every team would crave top-3 talent like Ryan, wouldn't it make better sense for the Leafs to go after Chris Stewart from St. Louis?

More of a power forward that we need and probably available at a less costly price compared to Ryan (especially considering Stewart's struggles under Hitchcock so far). Same age, less cap-hit, Toronto-kid, and probably a better fit on the second line. Thoughts?

Jim Treadwell, Burlington

A: Well, we can draw up all the draft scenarios we want but they won't necessarily match the players that are actually available. Toronto might want Stewart, but St. Louis just got him and the Blues obviously see the same potential you do.

In terms of assets, while Brian Burke has been criticized for expending first round picks on Phil Kessel, he's done a rock solid job of gradually building up the team's depth chart. Interestingly, few (none?) of the players he jettisoned from Toronto have done a great deal elsewhere.

Q: Re acquiring Bobby Ryan

Burke and Wilson obviously have a bias for American-born players. Maybe it is their familiarity with them via their national team connections, but it should come as no surprise that they're chasing him.

The Leaf success is bitter sweet for me. Sure, Canada is well represented with Phaneuf, Lupul, the potential of Reimer and Schenn, but it's hard for me to cheer for this team in this city.

Sure, everyone likes a winner, but it's still our game.

Rob James, Toronto

A: I couldn't care less where a player is from, and based on their histories, I don't think you can make any case at all that Burke and Ron Wilson have a preference for U.S.-born players. Burke's Anaheim team was led by Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, J.S. Giguere, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, Canadians all. When Wilson was in San Jose, his best players were Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle and young emerging talents like Ryan Clowe. Canadians all. Let's just drop this topic. It's silly.

Q: Hello Damien,

I have been reading your column at Toronto Star and your blog for a long time and been listening on your comments on the Fan590 for a long time. I respect your opinions on hockey matters and the Maple Leafs.

I just read your article on 'The Spin' whether the Leafs should trade for Bobby Ryan of Anaheim.

I wanted to ask you whether it would make more sense to try and get either Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry from Anaheim instead of Bobby Ryan. Would it be possible that any of these two players might be on the trade block by Anaheim? Would it be possible that Brian Burke could make a pitch for any of them? I would personally like to see Corey Perry playing for the Maple Leafs, although having Bobby Ryan is not a bad move either, provided that what goes to Anaheim is not an over payment for the player.

I thank you for taking the time to read my email and I am looking forward to your response.

Michael Maris, Toronto

A: Sure, Michael, the Leafs might prefer Getzlaf or Perry, but as of now they're not available. I mean, Perry just won the Hart Trophy, right? Perhaps they will be in the future, and in the case of Getzlaf in particular, you can be sure the Leafs would have enormous interest. Both Getzlaf and Perry are free agents after next season, and it could be that if Anaheim has trouble signing them, they could indeed become available for trade.

MLSE Off the Market and the Friday Mail Bag

As it turns out, a buyer couldn't be found for MLSE.

Not at $1.5 billion or more. Not under current economic conditions.

So the nameless, faceless, championship-less mandarins of the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund, those people who have sponsored the wholly unsuccessful current era in Toronto hockey, basketball and soccer, will keep their stake in the sports conglomerate.

And nobody applauded.

The news, and a passionate-less statement, came from the Teachers this morning. No appreciative note to fans, or promises of increased efforts to win. Nothing, other than complimenting themselves on torontomapleleafs.com as "great owners." The fund calls MLSE a "very successful investment" but promised no other comment.

These suits just don't get it. Never have.

The pension fund has made lots of money owning MLSE, but despite hiring big names like Bryan Colangelo and Brian Burke, hasn't figured out ways to move its basketball and hockey properties into the elite of either the NBA and NHL. It can develop and open a good sports bar; winning games has never been something it has done well.

With more than $100 billion in assets, MLSE is but a small part of the pension fund's holdings, and Leaf fans need to understand that. Even under MLSE, the Leafs are only a part of the puzzle. In a generation, the hockey franchise has gone from being owned by a man who's sole interest was being the proprietor of the team to being owned by a corporate entity with only a passing interest in the needs of the hockey club.

And there's no end in sight. Now on to this week's mail bag;

Q: Damien, how goes it? Wondering should the Leafs continue to play .500 hockey for the next while, as in win one, lose one, do you think they will make a trade, fire Wilson, or keep the status quo?

Terry Halloran, Boissevain, Man.

A: Plan seems to be hold with the status quo. I believe Brian Burke is kicking tires everywhere, but until James Reimer returns, holding the line seems to be the game plan. And probably the right one.

Q: One of the faults of the Brian Burke regime is its poor track record with assessing and projecting its talent.

They tend to lean towards optimism (Pegging draft picks in the Kessel trade, Bozak as a No. 1 centre).  Obviously no one could have predicted James Reimer's injury, the absolute worst case. But with a second-year goalie, how many times have we seen them take a step back or completely fall off (Steve Mason)?

As a fan I hoped Reimer could continue his quality of play, I didn’t expect him to be a whole lot better or a whole lot worse.

But as a GM, you need some contingency plans, especially when a second-year goalie is your starter.

When the contingency plan is Jonas Gustavsson, given his playing and health track record, then it seems poorly thought out. (I have to wonder how much better the Monster would be if he played a full season in the AHL before joining the Leafs? The adjustment from Swedish elite league to NHL is a big deal for a goalie)

Now With James Reimer seemingly closer to returning; what are the chances he returns to form and can finish the season playing like he did last year? I don’t seem him starting an NHL game until January. (A couple more weeks healing, then conditioning in the AHL…)

Can the Monster hold the fort for another month?

Matt Ferraro, Guelph

A: That's a long intro to a short question. Gustavsson has been somewhat better, but getting massive offensive support has been a big key to that. Ben Scrivens will be the odd man out when Reimer returns. So the evidence seems to be that Gustavsson can hold the fort, particularly as long as Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul remain as hot as they have been.

Q: On Wednesday, the Leafs sat in second place (in the conference). Everyone in the playoff race (8th place and up), including Washington in 8th, can catch the Leafs because they have games in hand. This just might be a "House of Cards". The Leafs will be fighting for a playoff spot until the end of the year. What da ya think?

Andy Pizans, Longford Mills

A: Sounds like your assessment is bang on. The only change to this, in my mind, would be if Reimer returns and starts playing like an all-star. Otherwise, they'll be part of a pack grinding it out, hoping to get a playoff berth, to the end.

Q: Is it possible that MLSE will never panic about the Leafs as long as they continue to sell out the seats - boxes - condos – etc., etc.?

An unhealthy balance sheet may be the only thing that actually forces the Leafs to do something radical —- i.e.: fire Wilson -- or (God forbid)fire Burke.

Pete Geraghty, Whitby

A: Well, based on the decision of the pension fund to keep the team, it looks like an unhealthy balance sheet isn't in the cards. This has been the theory about the Leafs for years, and there's no question that it means little or nothing to ownership from a financial perspective whether the hockey club finished first or last. That said, they've hired some expensive, qualified people to run the Leafs and Raptors and otherwise stood back and watched. To some, that would be ideal ownership.

Q: Hey Damien,

Love your columns and hearing your opinions on the Fan. I was wondering if you've heard anything about the status of the improvements to NHL rinks that were shown in the pre-season and R&D camp? The curved glass at the ends of benches, the goal verification line and the thinner mesh at the top of the net. The NHL was saying during the pre-season they wanted these changes for the start of the season, but I haven't heard anything about them since. Have you heard anything about the holdup?

Cheers,

Dan Thompson, Toronto

A: All logistical. I would have thought the the verification line, in particular, would have been instituted by now. But apparently there's still bugs needed to be sorted out. The hockey world awaits.

Q: Hi Damien,

Love your column. Best substance per word ratio among hockey commentators.

My question is more of a beginning of the season question, but here goes: What is with Brian Burke and "truculence"? Every year, the Leafs miss the playoffs, and every offseason, the thing Burke always thinks is missing is the ever-elusive "truculence." As if the Leafs suffer from a dearth of 3rd-line forwards and no. 4 defencemen.

If he was bringing in Corey Perrys, Ryan Getzlafs and Milan Lucics, fine, but on a team that has (1) no reliable starting or backup goaltender, (2) no No. 1 centre, and (3) only one first-line player, his obsession with role players is kind of myopic. Role players can certainly enhance a team on the cusp, but the Leafs are not on the cusp.

Richard Blanco, New York

A: Well, it's a lot easier to get role players than stars. To me, there's no question the Leafs aren't nearly as physical (or truculent) as team as they need to be, that is, if you understand physical to be the need to be an aggressive, hitting team that pushes the play and dictates the game. Boston proved last spring how having a strong, physical club can pay off. That's the kind of team Burke would like to develop. In three years on the job, it's still a work in progress.

Q: While certainly not a Wilson fan, Damien, I do not think Burke will hang the pink slip on Wilson. Because if Reimer wasn't hurt, things would be a lot different as you know. Yes, there are other team deficiencies which the coach is responsible for but had Reimer been playing all the time, his goaltending would have covered up many of those deficiencies. Plus they have a ton of injuries to boot right now. It's kind of a tough spot for Burke because he made the terrible mistake in the offseason, not getting a proper talented backup goalie in the event Reimer got hurt. Doug McLean at the start of the season said that Leafs would go a lot farther this year PROVIDED REIMER DIDN'T GET HURT. Boy was he ever right on that one.

Paul McNamara, Midland

A: I don't think anybody believed Wilson would get fired this season unless the team got off to a horrible start. The issue has been whether, and when, he'll get an extension. Look, you cannot criticize a GM who stubbornly stands by his coach. You and I may or may not think Wilson is the right man to coach the Leafs, but you have to admit it's refreshing in this day and age to see a GM not use firing the coach as the first and easiest option when things don't go well.

Thursday Mail Bag

Of all the dumb things said in the past 11 days over the Matt Cooke-Marc Savard incident - and there have been an astonishing amount, even for hockey - the dumbest has to have been this notion that had the NHL suspended Cooke for a few games all would have been well.

In other words, the Bruins would have been satisfied that justice had been done, and tonight's Boston-Pittsburgh game would be just another night on the NHL calendar.

Well, even if Cooke had received a four-game ban from NHL head office, severe in a league that believes breaking a guy's collarbone is equivalent to a two-gamer - he'd be back for tonight's game. And you really think there wouldn't be folks in Boston baying for more blood, more nonsense?

Of course there would be. People behave as if these incidents all have a logical beginning and conclusion, and they don't. In fact, it's even worse these days when every microscopically-scrutinized incident is compared to others. Just last night in Anaheim there was another act of stupidity, this time by Ducks defenceman James Wisniewski on Chicago's Brent Seabrook, which had the announcers talking about the larger head shot debate and other incidents, etc. etc.

What's clear is that partisanship plays a big role in how any of these are examined. Last night, with Seabrook clearly out on his feet before falling back to the ice, Ducks announcer Brian Hayward wondered aloud if the Hawks blueliner was "selling it" in an effort to draw a penalty.

Tonight, idiotic Bruins play-by-play man Jack Edwards - probably the worst in the sport right now - will undoubtedly be frothing at the mouth and cheering on whatever Bruin decides to challenge Cooke to a fight. Cooke has already fought once in the four games since the incident - Rob Niedermayer was the opponent - and will probably oblige.

Assuming the Bruin player wins, some will be satisfied. Of course, if Cooke wins, there could be more trouble. Never forget it was Cooke's pugilistic defeat at the hands of Steve Moore on that fateful night that encouraged Todd Bertuzzi into thinking yet more revenge needed to be exacted.

But the idiocy never makes sense. So Cooke knocks out Savard, and then, say, Shawn Thornton engages Cooke in a scrap, and everything's okay again?

By desperately and deliberately keeping fighting in the game at all costs, the NHL allows this caveman thinking to live on. So carry on boys, knock each other's teeth out! Whatever it takes.

Meanwhile, looks to be like both the Bruins and Penguins could use a victory. To some, sadly, that's secondary.

Now on to this week's mail bag:

Q: 
I am curious of your opinion on the trip up by Steve Downie on Crosby in 
their game on Sunday. It was overshadowed by the Ovie cheapshot but also
 deserves a suspension for intent to injure.

J. Howie, Vancouver

A: Repeat offender, should have been a suspension for that act of stupidity. Another dropped ball by the NHL. Lowest common denominator wins again.

Q: Hey Damien,

just wondering, in your opinion, how many of these young players
currently on the Leafs roster have a legitimate chance to be solid 
NHL'ers? Obviously not every one of these guys is going to score 50
 goals but who is Burke counting on to be able to build a competitive 
core around? Which guys do not look so promising?

 Thanks,



Larry Cranmore, London




A: Right now, I'd say all of them have a chance. There isn't a youngster with the team right at the moment who is over his head. What the club is trying to determine is the level to which each player might rise, and which ones could possibly use more seasoning in the minors to develop their game. Other than Tyler Bozak, I'm not sure there's a possible top-end player in the mix. But at this point, it's up to the players to prove how high they can fly. To me, the one player I'm not sold on is Christian Hanson. I just don't know what he's supposed to be. Looks like he needs to get a lot stronger.

Q: Hello, Mr. Cox. I am a giant Leafs fan, and I like many others am
 wondering when Ron Wilson is going to give someone the role of captain.
Of any of the new players, mainly Phaneuf, do you think is a likely
 candidate?



John Toad, Kitchener

A: Phaneuf, to me, is really the only candidate. I think there's better than a 50/50 chance he gets the "C" by next season.

Q: 



Hi - Please explain why Section 4 Rule 21.1 was not used to suspend
 Cooke ?



Thanks.

Derek Stewart, Portland, Maine

A: If you're referring to attempt to injure, my understanding is that the way that rule is used is on top of an infraction. In other words, there has to be an initial, illegal act - a slash, elbow, butt end, board, etc. - to which attempt to injure can then be added. In this case, the league ruled the hit was legal, therefore no attempt to injure.

Q: 

What's with Nazem Kadri having 105 penalty minutes? He could be leading 
the league in points if he was on the ice more. Do you think the Leafs 
should address this issue? I do.



Iain Bushe, Toronto







A: I think the Leafs, given the type of team they're trying to develop, are thrilled that Kadri plays with a nasty edge. They'll worry about reining him in later, if at all.

Q: 

Damien,



Why was Sydney Crosby not wearing an "A" in the gold medal game?  I know 
he was on the cover of SI with the "A", and I could have sworn he was
 named an alternate captain on the roster.




Deryck Evelyn, Cambridge





A: Crosby, Jarome Iginla and Chris Pronger were all alternate captains, but only two could actually were the letter on their jersey in a given game. So they took turns. I'm amazing how many questions I've received on this issue.




Q: I keep reading and hearing about the amazement over certain defencemen 
logging 25 or 26 minutes, yet when I was a kid in the six-team days,
every team had two defence pairs plus a fifth defenceman who rarely
 played (Leafs had Noel Price, Al Arbour, Joe Crozier, etc.). Brewer and 
Baun, Stanley and Horton, basically logged 30 minutes each per game. Are 
the speed and size the reasons for teams now having three defence pairs
and dressing seven D? Do defencemen have to skate that much more in
to day's style of play? Surely today's players are in far better shape 
than players were in the 50s and 60s.



Nick Martin, Winnipeg

A: The answer is yes, the game has changed drastically and is that much faster. Most defencemen start to struggle when their minutes get much north of 20. In the 1970s and earlier, forwards used to take much longer shifts and the game was played at a less furious pace, allowing defencemen to stay out longer. That said, in big games, you'll still see NHL teams shorten their bench and cut down to four or five defencemen. It's equal parts choice and necessity.


Q: Damien, as a hockey fan I am really upset and perplexed right now. I
remember 5-10 years ago when the topic of the day was hitting from
 behind. The league implemented rules to get this dangerous act out of
the game. Now, it seems hitting from behind has returned, and there are
 meagre consequences that go with it. Just because the new topic of the 
day is headshots, it seems like the league executives have forgotten how 
dangerous an act this is. They should have thrown the book at Ovechkin.
In my mind, he deserved around 6-8 games. Will this league ever get 
serious about suspensions?



Tanome Mchale, Toronto

A: It appears not. I'm less worried about the big hits like Ovechkin's than I am about the steady drumbeat of cheap hits from behind that go essentially unpunished because the victim isn't injured. It's turning into a roulette game. To me, any hit from behind should be five minutes and a game. Alfredsson hits Beauchemin from behind like the other night and its five and a game. Soon, you wouldn't have to worry about calling it because it would happen. But a two-minute penalty? That's nothing in a league where 75-80 per cent of penalties are killed off.

Q: 

Hey there Damian, long time reader, first time writer.

With the recent success of Nikolai Kulemin and a few late round draft
picks in Viktor Stalberg, Carl Gunnarsson and with guys like Juraj, Mikus 
and Korbinian Holzer showing lots of promise, do you think Burke will
 better utilize the talents of Euro scout Thommie Bergman this coming
draft?

We don't have any picks below the 3rd round, so why not let Bergman take 
some homerun swings at some high potential Euros. With how good he has
 done in the past, I was very disappointed to see him ignored last year.
I hope that won't be repeated. What do you think?



Jeff Pearce, Kingston




A: Well, out of all the guys you mentioned, only Kulemin is an established NHLer, with Gunnarson close, and neither's a star. Stalberg has a chance, the other guys are longshots. So I don't see the brilliance of the Leaf Euro-drafting strategy, necessarily. Moreover, Brian Burke wants a big, tough team based on North American talent. So I wouldn't anticipated a host of Euro picks in any draft as long as Burke is in charge.

Q: 
I am not questioning Phill Kessel's talent or speed but,in your opinion,
is Phil Kessel in good enough shape to be an elite player in the NHL.
Where would he rate on a fitness scale from Kyle Wellwood to Gary
Roberts?



Thomas Bee, Toronto

A: I haven't heard the conditioning issue raised with Kessel. Being such a terrific skater, sometimes he can get around the ice with what appears to be little effort. All this said, he had serious shoulder surgery last summer that kept him off skates for months, so it could be possible he is still finding the level of conditioning he wants to be at. To me, the issue with Kessel isn't if he's in good enough shape. It's whether over time he will develop the grit and level of competitiveness to go with his talent.


Friday Mail Bag

In 1989, the Maple Leafs had three first round draft picks and spent all three, curiously enough, on members of the OHL's Belleville Bulls.

It wasn't a particularly strong draft after Mats Sundin went first overall. Scott Thornton, at No. 3, went on to play 941 NHL games as a sturdy, useful if low-scoring centre. The 12th pick, winger Rob Pearson, scored 23 goals one season for the Leafs but flamed out after 269 games. With the final selection of the first round, the Leafs acquired defenceman Steve Bancroft at No. 21.

Bancroft played only six NHL games. That one hurt a bit more because with the very next pick, the Quebec Nordiques selected defenceman Adam Foote, who went on to play more than 1,000 NHL games.

And is still playing.

That was the most first rounders the Leafs ever had in a single year. The current administration, however, would argue that it harvested the equivalent of four first round picks from April to June last year.

Nazem Kadri, of course, was the seventh overall selection in the entry draft. Centre Tyler Bozak was signed as an NCAA free agent out of Denver University, and the Leafs have maintained that, while 23, he was essentially equal to what a team could expect to get with a first round pick between 10-20.

Winger Christian Hanson was another NCAA signee, and then the Leafs also inked Swedish free agent goalie Jonas Gustavsson. The belief in the Leaf camp was that in both cases, the club was acquiring the kind of talent usually available in the final 10 picks of the first round.

So to the Leafs, if not necessarily to the hockey world in general, the group of Kadri, Bozak, Hanson and Gustavsson essentially represented four first round picks, which was part of Brian Burke's rationale when he traded the club's 2010 and 2011 first rounders to Boston to land scoring winger Phil Kessel, now 22.

With Bozak and Hanson in the minors for much of the year, and with Gustavsson either struggling or dealing with health issues, the confidence that the Leafs had in fact found a short-cut to the entry draft seemed to have little foundation.

These days, there's definitely some bricks and mortar visible.

Gustavsson, 25, has won his last two starts and looked better in doing so. Working with J.S. Giguere seems to be a much better situation.

The 24-year-old Hanson is still discovering what kind of NHL player he can be and remains on the lookout for his first second NHL goal after 16 games. But glimpses of a rangy forward able to create off the forecheck and play a physical game, perhaps a poor man's Ryan Kesler, are there. It's going to take time.

Bozak, meanwhile, is soaring with the added responsibility assigned to him after the departure of veteran forwards like Matt Stajan, Nik Hagman, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Lee Stempniak in recent weeks.

In his last five games, Bozak is averaging more than 22 minutes per night and beginning to unveil a game that seems equal parts hustle and skillful playmaker. He's got two goals and two assists with a plus-two in those games, including a goal against Tampa on Thursday night and a pretty setup to Kessel on the winning goal in overtime.

To put Bozak in perspective, stack him up against the Nos. 10-20 picks from what would have been his draft year back in 2004. Of that group, the best would be Buffalo winger Drew Stafford, former Nashville winger Alexander Radulov and New Jersey centre Travis Zajac. Six others taken in that range haven't yet panned out at all, while Petteri Nokelainen, traded to Phoenix on draft deadline day last week, is a fringe player.

Right now, Bozak looks like he has the potential to be better than the busts and maybe even as useful an offensive player as Stafford, Radulov or Zajac. Zajac, probably the best comparison to Bozak in terms of overall style of game, is enjoying his best NHL season so far with 21 goals and 36 assists in 65 games.

If Bozak produces anything like that in the coming seasons, the Leafs will be thrilled. Most important, he comes with an unusually large cap number — $3.725 million — that would make him very difficult to carry at the NHL level if he were to be unable to produce in the big leagues.

His salary is $875,000, but he carries maximum bonuses of $2.85 million. He won't collect most of those, but the club still has to account for that on its payroll, which explains the much higher cap number. It's an element to his story that has gone largely unnoticed.

It'll be the same cap number that applies next season, as well. So in terms of cap logic, Bozak's ability to fill at least a second line centre's role next season becomes more important.

Now on to this week's mail bag:

Q: Tomas Kaberle is the top Leaf with 46 points — good for 66th place in the league's Top 100. When was the last time a defenceman led the team in scoring? Is this the position and the guy you want to build a team around? Thanks.

Joe Kuchta, Saskatoon

A: No defenceman has ever led the Leafs in scoring over the course of team history, so Kaberle will be the first if he hangs on to his lead over the final part of this season. You certainly can build a team around a star defenceman but is Kaberle the guy? At minus-15 this season, and at 32 years of age, I would suggest not.

Q: Do you see the Leafs going after Ilya Kovalchuk this summer? (Do you see Kovalchuk interested in the Leafs?) If not, how do you see the Leafs improving over the next couple of years, especially since (a) the chance of improving significantly through free agency is uncertain — most young, scoring forwards typically are re-signed before they become free agents — and (b) the Leafs have traded away their top two picks this year and next, leaving them little room to deal? Putting their faith in six unknowns (Kulemin, Bozak, Caputi, Hanson, Stalberg and Kadri) seems nothing more than wishful thinking.

John Hunt, Harvard, Mass.

A: My guess/understanding is that they'd have little or no interest in Kovalchuk, particularly in the kind of 10- or 12-year, $100-plus million contract he seems to be gunning for. To me, Kadri is the key, and Jonas Gustavsson secondarily so. If Kadri doesn't become a No. 1 NHL centre, the Leafs are going to have a very difficult time becoming a good NHL team. Gustavsson's development into a bona fide starter is similarly vital, although if he doesn't, there will likely be other options available. Otherwise, the fact that the Leafs were able to acquire two significant young players over the past seven months in Kessel and Dion Phaneuf suggests that the modern NHL environment — salary cap, free agency at 27 — may in fact mean players like that will become available in coming years in similar ways. It's just hard to guess right now who those players will be.

Q: With the NHL GM's meeting on headshots happening, why doesn't the NHL adopt Hockey Canada's rule on headshots for minor hockey or an adaptation of that rule. It has worked well for minor hockey up to AAA midget hockey and provincial junior/senior hockey so why not at least try it. Initial contact with the head and you get 2/10, 5/10 or match.

Jeremy Mercer, Bay Roberts, Nfld.

A: Well, I guess the simple answer is they don't like that rule, or believe it doesn't apply effectively to the best league in the world. We'll see how the new rule gets applied next season, but my guess is that it will — if not eliminate the kinds of head shots we've been seeing — at least punish those who deliver them in ways that aren't happening currently. Understand, the NHL GMs who came up with this rule aren't dopes. They're seasoned hockey men, some of whom played at the NHL level. It's a least worth considering the possibility they have some idea what they're talking about.

Q: On the subject of head shots, would the type of hit Brian Campbell laid on R.J. Umberger a few years back be eliminated from the game? I certainly hope not — that was one of the most epic plays in recent years.

Jacek Miskiewicz, Amsterdam

A: My recollection is that hit was straight on, with Umberger caught with his head down. If that's the case, such a hit would still be legal under the proposed NHL rule.

Q: Hey Damien,

Shouldn't the Leafs and Bruins have discussed a "trade back" at the deadline. Seriously, the Bruins need scoring (Kessel provides that), and the Leafs need prospects, the draft picks provide that...

It probably would have been the smart move for both teams...Thoughts?

Tanome Mchale, Toronto

A: Certainly it's a deal that may prove costly to both teams. The Bruins, as a team that had aspirations of being a Cup contender this year, have certainly missed Kessel's scoring punch. The Leafs, as a team trying to build back up into at least a playoff team, would certainly be happy at the moment if they were looking at a top three draft pick. The smart move? Maybe. But there's no way either Burke or Peter Chiarelli were going to backtrack at the deadline.

Q: Hi Damien,

Thanks for all the opinions over the years. Never let some of the more "extreme" fans give you a hard time about your columns. Objectivity is a good thing and generally a pleasant surprise when it comes to sports journalism.

Now for my question. What kind of control do the Leafs have on what their players do/do not do in the off-season to keep in shape? The reason I ask is with the recent play of Steven Stamkos, it would appear that he is really benefitting from training with Gary Roberts over the summer. With all the cash they make, couldn't the Leafs hire Roberts and create the best off-season training program? With so many young guys, just showing them the proper ways to train and get ready for the season would surely be beneficial.

Thanks,

Tyler Turner, Ottawa

A: The Leafs, like a lot of teams, put a great deal of effort into their off-season training programs. That said, much is still left to the individual player. I would suggest Stamkos' rapid improvement is as much due to his personal drive for excellence as it does with any particular trainer. He's just a special kid.

Q: Damien,

I grew up watching Gordie and Terrible Ted so I am no fan of soft Hockey. However, I have never seen so much cross-checking going on in my life! Someone gets cross checked to the ice about once a shift or several times in a row. Did the refs all get a 'don't call this' memo?

Bill Beaudoin, Detroit

A: Hmmm. Can't say I've really noticed that myself, Bill. I'll keep an eye out.

Q: Could you please tell me why we have to go to the U.S. for people to run the Maple Leafs, with all the good hockey people we have in this country?

As one season ticket holder told, the difference between Canadiens and the Leafs, Montreal has hockey people running the club and we have a bunch of Yanks running our team.

Thank you and keep up the excellent work.

Donald Dow, Brampton

A: Thanks, Donald. Well, Ron Wilson comes from a hockey rich family background, and Brian Burke owns a Stanley Cup ring and organized a silver medal winning performance for Team USA at the recent Olympics. These are hockey people. What passport they carry matters little, at least to me.

Q: Now that Jeff Jackson has left, it seem like the only other longtime manager/coach left with the team is Keith Acton. He seems to be well regarded in terms of fitness and conditioning, but doesn't he also handle the PP or PK (can't remember which) neither of which have been going very well for some time. Is it fair to look at his performance with regards to how the Leafs have been doing, or do Ass't Coaches generally just execute the plans of the head coach?

Mark Harwood, Los Angeles

A: It's certainly interesting that Acton has lasted through Pat Quinn and Paul Maurice, and is now in his second season under Wilson. Hockey people throughout the game seem to have a high regard for him. He's a hard-working fellow and was an industrious, gritty player when he played. Overall, the results haven't been there for the Wilson staff, however, and I would imagine all of them could be in trouble if next season doesn't see an improvement.

Post-Trade Deadline Mail Bag

So now we see what the Leafs will do next.

There's college free agents. There's the future of Tomas Kaberle. There's NHL free agency July 1st. There are possible trades. All of these could further alter the roster of a club that is currently the NHL's youngest.

Another season is gone, and all the Leafs can do is look at teams like Colorado and Phoenix and hope their turnaround from doormat to playoff contender can be achieved that quickly.

Clearly, two factors will determine that. One, this is a team that has to significantly improve its goaltending or there won't be much else to talk about. Perhaps the combination of J.S. Giguere and Jonas Gustavsson can do the job, but that's still an 'if' at this point.

Two, the development of London Knights junior Nazem Kadri now looms as central to the Leafs future hopes. If Kadri is the player the Leafs believe he is, a true No. 1 centre, then things look a little brighter. If he isn't, and without a first round pick the next two drafts, rebuilding is going to be a lot tougher.

Now on to this week's post-trade deadline mail bag:

Q: Damien, Two questions:

With the movement of so many draft picks this week, the state of the Leafs' draft picks this year is a bit unclear. No 1st or 2nd rounders, but how many - and from which teams - do they have picks in each of the later rounds?

Do you have a sense of Burke's targets from the US College ranks, and how they might fit into the Leaf puzzle?

Jeremy Huws, Ottawa

A: Here's what the Leafs have right now as far as picks for the June draft. In all, they have seven picks, none in the first two rounds. They have their own 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th, plus the 4th and 7th rounders of the Phoenix Coyotes and the 5th round selection of New Jersey's. It's not a great picture.

As far as the NCAA free agents, right now it doesn't appear to be as strong a market as it was a year ago when the Leafs were able to sign Tyler Bozak and Christian Hanson, and the Rangers inked defenceman Matt Gilroy.

The top college free agent available this spring may be 6-foot-5 University of Vermont defenceman Brayden Irwin, a 22-year-old from Toronto. There's also Cornell goalie Ben Scrivens from Spruce Grove, Alta. and Ray Kaunisto, a 6-foot-4 forward from Northern Michigan.

Other possibilities are some smaller forwards like Wisconsin's Mike Davies or Sean Backman from Yale, both 5-foot-8, along with 5-foot-10 Clarkson senior forward Matt Beca, who's from Mississauga.

Q: Two questions on the Ponikarovsky trade. First, why so little in return for him? I admit he's not an elite player, but isn't he worth more than a minor-leaguer and a 5th round pick? Was that really the best Burke could do, or was he just desperate to be rid of him? Secondly, would the Leafs be interested in signing him as a UFA in July, and might that have kept the return down?

Kevin D., Toronto

A: The Leafs wouldn't likely be interested in signing him as a UFA in July. They moved him because they knew he was going to command a salary in excess of $3 million per season and simply don't like his game enough to make that kind of multi-year commitment.

As far as his trade value, that's what you get for rentals. You'll notice no first rounders moved at the deadline this year. Whether Luca Caputi is anything more than a "minor leaguer", well, we'll see. He's a young player with a chance to play in the league, and the Leafs were looking for those as well as draft picks. In his Leaf debut last night in Boston, Caputi certainly looked as though he might have a chance to be an NHL regular at some point.

Q: Brad Boyes has been traded an awful lot for a young player with so many goals. Is there a problem that hasn't been made public?

Roger Fields, Toronto

A: Not that I'm aware of. I think he's viewed as a good offensive player, but somewhat one-dimensional. That said, I don't know if I'd agree he's been trade an awful lot. He's 27 years old. He was traded before he was an NHLer by the Leafs in the Owen Nolan deal, was moved to Boston after one season and then was traded to St. Louis straight-up for defenceman Dennis Wideman, a pretty good player. He's not having a great year this season, and with a cap number of $4 million and a salary next year of $4.5 million, he's probably not moving again anytime soon on the basis of the mediocre season he's having.

Q: Thanks for considering and hopefully responding to this question. Can you please clarify the Jeff Finger situation? He hasn't played in a couple of months, and there has been no mention, including on deadline day, of his potential trade status. Is he unable to play owing to injury? Would his salary adversely impact cap limits for other teams, let alone the Leafs? It seems that, were Finger's contract be marketed and he traded to another team, more money would be available to the Leafs to purchase higher valued free agents? Or have I got this all wrong?

Lorne Blatchford, Bath, Ont.

A: Well, I would say Finger's contract, with two more years remaining at $3.5 million, officially takes over from the departed Jason Blake's as the worst contract the Leafs own. It was a terrible free agent signing by Cliff Fletcher, and really, Finger is a very difficult contract to move. He played slightly less than 14 minutes last night against Boston and will probably play down the stretch. He's a fifth or sixth defenceman who has played quite poorly this season. Right now, he's the player the Leafs would dump to the minors if they decided they wanted to free up money to sign or trade for a player with a significant contract. If he stays, he'll get another chance to be a regular next fall and we'll see if he's up to the challenge.

Q: Do you see the Leafs trying to use Kaberle this summer in an effort to get back their 2011 first round pick from the Bruins? Do you think it likely that the 2011 pick turns out to be a top-2 pick like (presumably) this year's?

John Hunt, Harvard, Mass.

A: I think in June the Leafs will listen to any and all serious offers for Kaberle when his trade window opens up, and they'll be looking for either a good prospect or a first round pick. It doesn't have to be in 2011. They could move him before the draft for a first rounder this June. So we'll see.

Whether the second of the first rounders spent on Phil Kessel turns out to be a top two picks, well, who knows? I thought the Leafs would be a playoff team this year and I was dead wrong. Right now, they have the youngest team in the NHL, and that's going to take time to develop into a competitive squad. Let's see who they are able to sign through free agency before the possibilities of next season come into focus.

Q: Hi, why hasn't the option of offering Kaberle an extension, and building around him, instead of trading him ever been explored? He most certainly has 4-7 good yrs left, and he's one of the slickest puck distributors out there? Sign him for four, give him the "C", and let him finish as a Leaf.?

Joel Tarvudd, Sudbury

A: Well, there's no chance he gets the "C," so forget that. He's just not a leader type, never has been. Brian Burke said on Wednesday that he's interesting in talking about a contract extension for Kaberle. Both sides know having the veteran defenceman go into next season in the last year of his deal isn't going to be comfortable for anyone.

Q: Hi Damien, Any idea why Colorado gave up on Wojtek Wolski?

Kyle Kopanyshyn, Osaka, Japan

A: Can't say I'm aware of an insider dope on Wolski, but clearly his contractual situation drove this deal. He's 24 and in the final year of a contract that pays him $2.8 million per season. He's arbitration eligible and thus likely to get something this summer in the $4 million per season range. The Avalanche didn't like him at that number and moved him. It's similar to the decision the Leafs made with Matt Stajan and Ponikarovsky. It's no longer just about whether you like a player or whether he's better than what you've got. It's whether you can live with the impact he has on your payroll, particularly teams like Colorado who aren't maxed to the cap.

Q: Damien, Why did Burke trade two first round draft picks, a second and a third for Kessel when if he signed him to an offer sheet, he would of been forced to give up one first, one second and one third rounder. By going the trade route it cost the leafs and extra first rounder and Boston would of been hard pressed to match Kessel's offer sheet and if he did, oh well, on to the next player....what am I missing

Brian M, Barrie

A: Well, I think Burke's thinking was two-fold. He didn't want to go the free agent offer sheet without trying a trade first just because that's his preferred way of doing business. Second, the B's would have matched, so he wouldn't have got the player he coveted. So you offer a little more and you get the player. Pretty simple.

Q: It is a joke that Burke continues this "I would make the Kessel deal again today" stance.

It was a mistake when it was made and it remains a bigger mistake today.

There is no question that Kessel is a good hockey player but not a player to build a team around. He is an asset to the Leafs but he is not worthy of two first round picks.

One only need to look at a Stamkos or a Doughty to see what a real # one draft pick looks like and to see what they can do for a team.

Why does everyone pussyfoot around Burke? He blew it, call him on it.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel for this team?

John McAllister, Toronto

A: Well, I imagine that Burke continues to say that because he believes it to be true. You can disagree, but that doesn't make his stance a joke.

Look, we're going to have to see how this works out. Last year, Kessel scored 36 goals in 70 (pro-rated over 82 games, that would be 42 goals) and then added six more in 11 playoff games. This year, coming off serious shoulder surgery which people seem to forget, he's got 21 goals in 51 games, which is about a 33-goal pace. He's 22 years old, easily the Leafs' best offensive player and a former high first rounder, exactly the kind of player critics of the trade believe the Leafs have sacrificed to get him.

He's an Olympic-level player, and while he didn't have an impressive Olympics, he was one of the more dangerous U.S. shooters in the third period of the gold medal game. Basically, I think it's a little early yet to declare Kessel to be unworthy of what was given up to get him. If he pots 45 next season, will you still hate the deal?

That said, Burke never believed the Leafs would be this bad, and didn't believe he would be giving up a top 3 draft pick. So the deal has already proven to be more expensive than he believed it would. But that's what makes running an NHL team less than an exact science. Burke believes Kessel is a core player, and that assessment will either be credited to him or held against him over time. If the player Boston selects blossoms into a NHLer as good or better than Kessel, than the trade will have to be judged a mistake. You can make that judgment now, and over time you may prove to be right, but it's premature.

Thursday Mail Bag

Wild week in the Leaf kingdom, huh? If this is what you were hoping for when Brian Burke came to town, well, you've got it.

Hard to say at this point whether J.S. Giguere and/or Dion Phaneuf will flourish in this market. But the Leafs went from having one high profile player - Phil Kessel - to having three in a matter of days. Giguere is a Stanley Cup winner and Conn Smythe Trophy winner. If he played in Boston, Philly, Detroit, Chicago or Montreal, he'd be an even bigger name.

And Phaneuf? He's like a big cartoon character, minus a cuddly personality. He demands to be noticed, and he usually is, for better or worse.

I disagree, however, with the sentiment that Phaneuf and Kessel are now the foundation. To me, they're the icing, the flashy elements. The chore for Burke is now to surround them with reliable, competitive and reliable teammates willing to play a certain style of hockey.

So the process continues. Now on to this week's mail bag:

Q: Hi Damien,
Quick question about no trade/movement clauses: if a player waives his no-trade to move to another team, does the no-trade follow him? Hypothetically, if the Leafs decide they need to move Giguere, can they?
Thanks!
Patrick Gauthier, Ottawa

A: Absolutely, the no-trade clause follows them. Interestingly, it was Brian Burke - who calls no trades "coach killers" - who gave that clause to Giguere. It was done because of the health issues of Giguere's child, who needed to stay close to the Anaheim area at the time. Presumably, any issues can now be dealt with here in Toronto.

Q: Hey Damien,
Anybody ever think of turning Kaberle into a centre? Leafs now have lots of defense and few centres. It work for Red Kelly why not give it a try.
Thanks.
Brian Moxley, Kingston

A: I've heard this one a thousand times from a thousand readers, each believing it's a unique idea. That's not to say it isn't a good one in theory. But it's not going to happen. And again, as I say to Leaf fans, this is NOT a team with an abundance of defencemen. This is a team that needs to get more.

Q: Hi Damien,
With the big deals this week and Burke's comments that he's still "open for business" , I'm wondering if you think more deals like this one (where the Leafs get PLAYERS instead of PICKS) could be in the works? Particularly I've heard a rumour of Chris Versteeg coming from Chicago for Ponikorovsky and Hanson (or Stalberg). Do you think we should expect more warm bodies coming back to the Leafs?
Bradley Meldrew, Toronto

A: I think what you should probably expect, Bradley, is an avalanche of rumours over the next month, most of which will not be true. Did anybody have the scoop on Phaneuf coming to Toronto? For many financial and logistical reasons, teams are much better at concealing their intentions these days than was the case even 10 years ago. If you were to keep track of all the speculation that comes from all the insiders out there, I bet you'd find less than 3 per cent ended up having any basis in fact.

That said, it's been long suggested the Hawks need to move salary, the Leafs have long been talking with Chicago and Versteeg is a name that always comes up.

Q: Hey Damien,

With the recent acquisition of Dion Phaneuf, I like many others have been reminded of another blockbuster trade with the Flames that brought Doug Gilmour to the Leafs. I have been thinking about why that trade was ever made from Calgary's point of view. As I was only 9 years old at the time, I wasn't aware of anything that might have occurred off the ice. Were there issues that made Gilmour someone that had to be moved? Did the Flames think that Gary Leeman was going to score 50 goals again? I know Gilmour wasn't yet the superstar that he would become in Toronto but he was still far and away the best player in that trade. I guess my question is, in all seriousness, what were the Flames thinking back then?
Andrew Cacciatore, Toronto

A: Pretty simple. They were thinking they were getting rid of some contractual headaches - Gilmour, Jamie Macoun - and that in Gary Leeman they were acquiring a bona fide 50-goal sniper. This was a Calgary team that was still trying to win championships and had made some bold deals before, including trading away Brett Hull. But Doug Risebrough was a brash, youthful GM, and he got caught trading with an experienced man in Cliff Fletcher who knew all the players involved better.

Q: Hi Damien,

I was wondering what the status of Chris DiDomenico is. I know he broke his femur about a year ago and was just wondering when we can expect to see him in a Marlie, and ultimately Leafs uniform. He is a prospect that seems very interesting and I think could find a home in the NHL.
Nick Heersink, Bailieboro, Ont.

A: The process of recovering from a broken femur is ongoing. DiDomenico has been working for weeks on skating and building up strength in his leg. There is still hope, I believe, that he will join his QMJHL team for the final weeks of the season.

Q: Damien,

As a former union member but now a senior manager I was considering that the disparity between what the average player salary is and what the star player is getting must be having an affect on the game. One, it limits the amount of skilled players with the cap but two, there must be resentment from the guys on the bottom. It would surely bother me if I was doing a good job in helping the Crosby's of the world succeed and yet receiving 1/10 of what their making. Can't imagine this hasn't come up in the Players Association, mind you we know it is in disarray.

One other point as a senior manager I know that you can't succeed by embarrassing or calling out your workers. I find Ron Wilson's tactic's wrong and unsuccessful, no one wants to work for someone like that, it's never worked for me. This guy has to go.
John Madill, Toronto

A: Well John, your first concern is as old as the hills, and it applies to sports other than hockey. Like how the lower paid offensive lineup has to bash his head every week to protect the $10 million quarterback. Just part of pro sports, always has been, it's just the gap is greater than ever and growing.

Re Wilson, I hear this a lot, but the fact is, only on rare occasions has he publicly called a player out. I don't think he does it any more than many other coaches, but in Toronto, every word a coach says gets magnified.

Q: Is Carl Gunnarrson a real NHL defenceman, or is he playing only because he's better than the alternatives? If he's for real, what's his potential? He certainly seems calm and steady. Will Jeff Finger play only if there's a string of injuries, and if not, will Burke send him to the AHL to get him off the cap? And is it safe to assume Frogren was a mistake?
Nick Martin, Winnipeg

A: Frogren was a mistake. Finger is just a very expensive depth player now and Gunnarson, well, let's wait until he's played a full season in the league. He's smooth, mobile and plays a heads up game. But he's still just past the prospect stage. He's got a chance, though.

Q: Hi Damien, thanks for some great columns and insight. I saw a twitter post from Mark Cuban questioning how only 4 NHL teams could have losing records. I checked it out and it is true! Obviously it has to do with the ridiculous 3rd point awarded in OT but what does this say to anyone looking for real competition? Isn't having so few losing records a bit silly?
Matthew Binks, Sudbury

A: Yup. I think it is. But the NHL believes this keeps more teams in the mix for longer, and it's hard to argue with that.

Q: Hi, Damien. Back in my day (born 1946) if anyone took more than 2 steps (strides) and hit an opponent it was considered charging. Now players go the full length or width or the ice to hit an opponent and it isn't called unless it is a head shot (sometimes), hit from behind (sometimes) or an elbow (sometimes). If the 2 step rule was implemented the severity of all contact including head shots would be reduced immensely. Your thoughts please.
Jim Markham, Hudson, Que.

A: I don't necessarily want to see the severity of all contact reduced. Just tell guys they can't hit to the head or the penalties are severe. This players are big enough, strong enough and well enough protected that they can handle the other hits.

Q: Hey Damien,

I have a few questions, please feel free to touch on one or all three regarding the big trades:

1. Does it appear to you that the Leafs are allowed to spend as much as needed and are very willing to pay extra salary to save cap space (traded Blake $4M Cap Hit, $3M salary and Giguere $1 M higher salary than cap hit I believe). In some ways this is buying cap space.

2. With the above said, does it appear that next summer (2011) is when the Leafs are gong to sign a big UFA, at that point they only have three big contracts in Phaneuf, Komisarek, and Kessel.

3. How happy are sports retailers in TO (and across Ontario) with the chance to sell a new Leaf jersey with number 3 and Phaneuf on the back. This trade seems like a million dollar deal in memorabilia for a sadly declining market. I know this was primarily a hockey trade (with and added side benefit), but when does the marketing business enter into this or does it ever in a market like TO?
Joe Akey, Ottawa

A: This is gonna be a full-time gig just dealing with Joe's active mind!

Okay, to the first question, I think you're asking whether the Leafs are willing to spend to the max on payroll even if it means burying a few dollars. I think the answer is yes, although we really haven't seen it. Right now, like a lot of teams, they're just walking the cap tightrope.

To the second question, too much can happen between now and then. Also, there's no guarantee that a big-name UFA who interests the Leafs will be available in '11. Look at this summer. Other than Kovalchuk, that kind of player just isn't out there. But they do seem to want to build in salary flexibility to make it possible at any point to add elite players if they become available.

And third, I don't think the Leafs have to worry about jersey sales when they make trades or they would never have let Darcy Tucker go. That said, this is the business of hockey, and it never hurts for a big market team like Toronto to have high profile players. The problem with the cap system, in my mind, is that it doesn't allow the big markets to be the Yankees, to build powerhouse names with all-star players. So its one or two big names per club.

Thursday Mail Bag

Of this there can be no argument: The Maple Leafs delivered an awful lot of effort in the past three games.

Two were wins, one an overtime loss to the Islanders despite a 61-shot effort. The win over Washington on Saturday had something to do with a listless Caps team, and last night's game in Tampa was pretty sloppy at both ends, although the Leafs did protect a one-goal lead.

The Caps were first in the conference when the Leafs beat them, the Isles and Lightning are both within a point of the eighth and final conference playoff berth.

These games, you'd have to say, are at the very least positive indicators, and certainly ones that suggest the club may yet respond favourably to the coaching of Ron Wilson. Last night's triumph in Tampa came without regulars Mike Komisarek and John Mitchell and suddenly you can look up and down the lineup and see the growth of a young core.

The Leafs had six players 23 or under in the lineup last night including Carl Gunnarson, Christian Hanson, Nikolai Kulemin, Luke Schenn, Phil Kessel and Jonas Gustavsson. Only Kulemin and Gustavsson Schenn were part of the mix last year, and the likelihood is that the club will be even younger next year.

The results have been lousy this season. But isn't the overall direction one that people have been demanding?

Now on to this week's mail bag:

Q: Hi Damien, 
In trading for Phil Kessel, even though he's an excellent player, the Leafs will have no first rounders for the next two years. Even if Brian Burke trades for a first rounder now it will most likely not be at the level they've given up already. The current thinking seems to be that eventually the new prospects now toiling in the Marlies (i.e. Bozak, Hanson and Stalberg) will come in and provide the kind of support that a player of Kessel's caliber would need. However, if you look at the AHL standings, you'll see that the Marlies are tied for last place in the Western Conference which suggests the new crop of prospects isn't exactly tearing up the league. In fact, Andre Deveaux has more points than Bozak and Stalberg. Is it too early to assume they are not panning out as hoped?

Peter van Hoof, Pickering

A: Way too early. Look at Tyler Bozak, for example. He played only 19 games in college last year. Now he's learning the pro game. Give the kid a couple of seasons before declaring him a bust.

Will any of these guys be top-end players? Probably not. But Nazem Kadri might. Otherwise, Burke's going to have to find other ways to get those types of players, and in a salary cap world with free agency at 27, they'll be available from time to time. That, don't forget, is how Kessel became available.

Q: Damien,

Do you think a "walk out" similar to what Orioles fans did in Baltimore would be beneficial at all for Leafs fans to do during a game? Do you see this possible for an event in which people are paying hundreds of dollars per seat? Just curious as to your thoughts on this.

Paul Selby, Toronto

A: Would it cause MLSE to sit up and take notice? Sure, I suppose. But unless it were to happen for an extended period the suits would just turn their attention to their condominium projects for that day. Besides, I've heard this kind of talk for more than 20 years. Never has any legs.

Q: Hi Damien,

Surely as one of the only voices of reason in Leafland you must admit that the Leafs will not be making the playoffs this season (forget about your prediction, stick to reasoning). The Leafs would need to go 40-22-2 in their remaining 64 games to get to 93 points and any hope of grabbing 8th spot. So, what should the Leafs do to gain any benefits from this season? Particularly in regards to trades and player development?

Andrew Gourley, London, U.K.

A: It's not what I care to admit or not admit. The playoffs indeed look like a remote possibility this season. But that shouldn't stop a team from trying to win as many games as possible. There is a benefit in developing a winning attitude, after all. But I think as the season progresses, there's a very good chance that some veteran players – Kaberle, Hagman, Stajan – will be moved for draft picks. As I mentioned above, younger players are going to get opportunities, although some of those opportunities may be through learning the game at the AHL level. When you're down this far, it's pointless to rush anyone.

Q: Damien,

Read an article today about the turnaround of the Caps and some of the gutsy moves they made moving the likes of Jagr and Lang at the trade deadline for some excellent picks and really creating a future. While we don't have (an Ovechkin to lead the way) or a Jagr or a Lang to move, do you think Burke has the potential to manufacture similar moves to continue to re-stock the cupboard? In terms of Kessel, we may need to come to terms with the fact that we'll give up a potential 1st or 2nd pick this year and (hopefully) a 15th or 16th pick next year. He is as dynamic as they come, the calibre of player we haven't had in some time.

Tom Bajusz, San Antonio

A: You know, it's interesting Tom, but in terms of “gutsy” moves, could Burke have done anything gutsier than the Kessel deal? In fact, many are lambasting him for being reckless. I think when you look at his history – the drafting of Chris Pronger, the deal for the Sedins, trading for Kessel – it's pretty clear this is an executive who doesn't lack for boldness. And it's not going to stop. Burke, I would say, is a tad mystified the team hasn't been better this season. But that's not going to change his approach.

Q: Damien,

Further to your point about the Leafs not improving under Wilson in his first 100 games here, can you think of one player in the organization who has shown improvement in those same 100 games because I sure can't. On the flip side there seems to be a heck of a lot of them who have regressed.

David Isaacs, Toronto

A: Basically, I'd agree with you. The only players I would suggest appear to have progressed would be Ian White and, particularly of late, Nikolai Kulemin. Luke Schenn's obvious regression gets a lot of attention, but otherwise, we're talking mostly players who were here before Wilson arrived and have basically flatlined. One other player who has responded favourably of late has been defenceman Francois Beauchemin. He was outstanding against Tampa last night.

Q: Damien,

Is it just me or are Wilson's tough words about sitting those who don't perform a hollow shell? Case in point was the first goal in Ottawa where Blake watched Fisher net one without much effort to back check. Where was the immediate benching to send a message? Does he really think that sitting Schenn in the third sent the message...way too late by then, "coach"!

Regards,

Jamie Hubbert, Ottawa

A: From 100-plus games of watching, it seems that's just not going to be Wilson's style. He's not going to punish players by anchoring them to the bench. To be fair, neither did Paul Maurice or Pat Quinn. These days, it seems, few NHL coaches can afford to approach their work that way.

Q: Hey Damien,

What is the deal with Mikhail Grabovski?I have never seen a player put so much effort into no results. I feel like he has the tools to be an effective second liner, especially on this team. At the age of 25, I suppose he's got some time, what should we be expecting from him?

Liam Murphy, Barrie

A: There's lots to like and lots to dislike. Basically, he lacks finish. His inaccurate shot betrays him at key moments. What I would be encouraged by if I were the Leafs is a vastly improved attention to defence and defensive hustle by Grabovski. He plays hard and plays in his own end, things that couldn't necessarily be said a year ago.

Q: Do you think the Leafs not having a captain has gone on for too long? Allowing the 1st goal in 17 of 19 games and 0-5 in overtime indicates the team has no leadership. Do you think they need a leader that will prepare the players mentally going into a game or overtime? I think Komisarek would be a good captain as he is here for the long haul, plays a style the Leafs want to emulate, and can act as a leader for the young players. What do you think?

John Mullrooney, Calgary

A: This is clearly an issue that really bothers some people, and I get that. But if its a factor in what's gone on this season, it's a small one. There's no point in just giving the “C” to a player when you're trying to re-define a team and give players a chance to establish roles. Right now, the only player I would argue has anything close to the bona fides to be Leaf captain is Francois Beauchemin. And why would you give the captaincy to a player who has been here less than 30 games? This is just going to take a little time.

Q: Hi Damien,

Just wanted your take on the Leafs' shot blocking. I've noticed that they never do the sprawling block, but continue to attempt a partially-crouched standing block (for lack of a better term). This is obviously not working for them, especially during crunch time. Why do you think there is such a reluctance to get down and dirty, Mac-T style?

Peter Ng, Schomberg, Ont.

A: Most coaches, not all, don't like the sprawling block. In New Jersey, for example, its almost forbidden. Why? Well, because you may make the block, but then you're totally out of the play. Most teams prefer the concept of getting players into shooting lanes rather than hurling their bodies at the puck. The Leafs are no exception. They just have some players who lack the proper technique – or courage – at the right moment.

Q: Everyone is saying nothing can be done to fix the Leafs right now. I don't think nothing can be done. Brian Burke needs to get creative. Kyle Turris, a 3rd overall pick a few years ago is playing in the minors for the San Antonio Rampage. He is a crafty centre with a lot of skill that looks to be going nowhere in the Phoenix organization. Phoenix may think he is a bust. Burke can pull off what he did with Tampa last year; take on some salary, give them a Kulemin type of player and get Turris, which they can put with Phil Kessel and see what he can accomplish with a dynamic winger.

What do you think of that move?

Thanks,

Paolo Del Nibletto, Toronto

A: There's an awful lot of conjecture here. What makes you think Turris is “going nowhere” in the Phoenix organization. Just because he's in the minors right now? Perhaps GM Don Maloney simply feels that's the best place for the kid to develop his game. I really don't know where this idea came from that if 19- and 20-year-olds are in the minors they're being written off or are wasting their time. It's called player development, and the Coyotes, for a variety of reasons, are one of those NHL clubs most dedicated to bringing young players along.

Would the Leafs want Turris if he was available? Sure, I suppose. I think Burke and all Gms are constantly on the lookout for undervalued assets, or assets that may be undervalued by others. But Kulemin is just starting to demonstrate he can play at the NHL level, and he's just 23.

Thursday Mail Bag

Join us at noon Thursday for a live Q&A with Damien Cox, as the Leafs prepare to face the Carolina Hurricanes.

A quick, non-Leaf thought of the day before we get to this week’s mail bag, and not an original one.

It actually came from New Jersey Devils all-world goalie Martin Brodeur. We were chatting recently about the possibility of taking the trapezoid out from behind the net that restricts goalies from playing the puck, a change he (of course) would welcome.

He also proposed a better use for the trapezoid. It would become an area in which players would no longer be allowed to come to a complete stop without opposition players in the vicinity. Brodeur dislikes, as do most, a strategy that has crept into the game in recent years in which players stand behind their nets and wait for their teammates to change, thus essentially delaying the game for 15-20 seconds. The opponent usually goes along with the strategy, and everyone stops playing.

It’s not as annoying as players skating to the bench in a line to slap gloves after scoring a goal. But it’s close. Three seconds in the trapezoid might be a better use for those painted lines than it’s current use.

Now on to this week’s mailbag:

Q: Damien,

I'm slowly waking up to the realization I'm in a classic abusive relationship — they tell me they love me and promise to change, to be better, to respect me. Then they hurt me all over again. This has to stop. Or I have to start cheering for someone else — even Phoenix looks good to me now.

The Leafs have some decent pieces and unless Boston drafts some unknown second coming of Mario Lemieux, Phil Kessel looks like he was worth the price. There is potential.

But ... I want to know: at what point do the Leafs make some real changes to salvage the season? What would you do? On one hand, drastic change is at least partially responsible for this 21 game fiasco. And despite what Burke/Wilson said in the halcyon days of the pre-season, this is a rebuilding year for an under-talented club. Many players with potential are (hopefully) maturing. But it seems to me that it's time to slap some sense into a team that puts up 80 per cent of the effort yet consistently fails to win hockey games.

This is all sounding a lot like the "we did a lot of things right" mantra through the Leafs winter slide in the 07/08 season.

Thanks,
Bill

A: I certainly understand your feeling of frustration. I certainly believed this was a better team than it has proven to be. It appeared there had been enough change that at least a club with a fighting chance to make the playoffs would emerge from training camp. Apparently I was wrong, as were others.

I guess it depends on what you mean by “salvage the season.” Try to make the playoffs? Try to avoid finishing last? I think you mean the latter, but what does that matter at this point? Any move the club makes now should be based on next year and beyond, or at the very least should unduly sacrifice possibilities beyond this year. Did the Kessel deal do that? Possibly, but not necessarily. The Leafs got a young, burgeoning star out of the deal, the Bruins still have to draft one with the picks they received to even make a deal fair from their point-of-view. It seems likelier to me that the Leafs will try to acquire prospects and picks for the veterans they have over the course of this season rather than actively search out help, at least help that would come at a cost. So “real changes” to salvage the season? I don’t think they’ll be coming. More clearing the decks seems likelier.

Q: If baseball can eliminate metal bats because it increases the distance the ball travels then why can't the NHL outlaw metal/graphite sticks because they increase the velocity of the shot? This would put a better spin on stick costs for every body, including kids who copy the NHL players.

Jim Skura, Waterloo

A: The NHL isn’t interested in stick costs for kids. Maybe for themselves. But the league can’t turn back now, and other than the cost and the frustrating propensity of frequent breakage, there’s no concrete reason to argue composite sticks are bad for the sport. This is a game that has embraced every new technology and isn’t about to stop now. That said, teams will tell you stick costs have rocketed in recent years. That’s why the ones they give out to the fans after three-star selections are game-used ones, but rather cheap wood imitations.

Q: Hi Damien,

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been in a very long recent memory been mismanaged, incompetent and a franchise failure. Yet, they are supported beyond loyalty, filling the rink despite embarrassment. Why? How are they given such leverage by Torontonians? Please explain.

George Piccott, Snow Lake

A: A proper answer would clog the World Wide Web for days. The simplest answer, I guess, is that they have an NHL monopoly over the densest, most excitable, most passionate hockey market in the world, something they’ve had for decades and decades. The closest comparison would be baseball’s Chicago Cubs, and they've gone without a championship for a lot longer than the Leafs. The Leafs have legions and legions of fans around the world — something akin to Notre Dame football — and they’re not about to give up now. Is that a bad thing? Depends on your point of view.

Q: Love the mail bag from last week. Big fan.

What do you think would be a bigger draw for MLSE, the recently floated idea of a Leaf game at BMO field, a game at the (Rogers Centre) or shipping in some seats and ice and seeing the Leafs play one game against the Hawks or Canadians at the Gardens?

For me, I know I would take out a loan to spend one more night at the house on Carlton St., if everything were the way it was with banners, the music, heck even the ushers, followed by the Rogers Centre with over 60,000 people at a game. BMO just seems like a wasted opportunity from a fan perspective.

Adam Lebow, Windsor

A: Not interested in a game at the dome or BMO Field, really. Now a night of nostalgia at the Gardens, that I could get behind.

Q: Hi Damien,

Question for you on Tyler Bozak and Christian Hanson.

What will they have to do to get a call up to the Leafs? I'm not just thinking of them fitting in on this rebuilding project but also the possibility of signing other college players in the future.

If Burke signed these guys but they don't get a "fair" shot at making the team, would that hinder future signings of college players?

Really there isn't much standing in their way as far as current roster is concerned, obviously they will have to work hard to make it.

DJ Lake, St. Catharines

A: I think both had a fair shot at making the team. Heck, Viktor Stalberg did make it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having them play a half-season or more with the Marlies as they learn the game. No promises were made that any of them would be big leaguers automatically, and none of the three have earned a ticket to the NHL this season, at least not a lasting one. You have to have patience with young players. Not having any with Luke Schenn is proving costly. If the fact that none of Bozak, Hanson and Stalberg aren’t in the NHL right now scares off other U.S. collegiate free agents, well, they may not be the ones you want to recruit anyway.

Q: I really am at a loss sometimes with the way the Leafs use some of the players. I look at Matt Stajan as an example. They moved him from playing with Kessel and Blake to playing with Orr and Primeau. Stajan was the top centre last year, so why not move him to play with Hagman and Stempniak — who did not look dangerous with Wallin. I see Wallin as a 4th-line centre who kills penalties, but with a winger capable of scoring reasonably like Hagman, I see Stajan as being able to get more out of one of the better players the Leafs have. In general I see the juggling that Wilson does more harm than any help — especially when you see lines eventually revert back. What are your thoughts on how the players are bounced around?

Keith Kerfoot, Guelph

A: Stajan has been a massive disappointment this season. He was given an opportunity to be a top six forward, and continues to be given opportunities. Most of the time he is failing to establish himself as that type of player. It’s nobody’s fault but his own.

Q: Hello Damien, I am from Ottawa and have no interest in the Leafs. I would however like your thoughts regarding the Mike Danton interview and whether, as a convicted felon, he has any hope of playing hockey full time again. My concerns would be: 1. can he cross the border and play in the states; and 2. does he have any value that would make a team take a chance on him?

Thanks,

Dan Robinson, Ottawa

A: Danton has two big hurdles to clear. First, he would have to be allowed to play but the NHL, and Gary Bettman might still have penalties of his own to impose. Second, he’d have to get clearance to cross the U.S. border, which is possible, but still would have to be acquired. Do I think a team will take a chance on him? As long as there’s a whiff of David Frost around this young man, any team would be out of their mind to do so. It’s not about second chances. It’s about understanding that with Danton you get Frost, or at least a player controlled by Frost. No team should want that.

Q: I need your immense hockey savvy and proficiency to answer a "dilly of a pickle."

Under the current CBA, could the Leafs send Luke Schenn down to the Marlies without him passing through waivers if they thought that the minors might spark his game a bit? Do you think this is needed due to the current play of the struggling sophomore?

Thanks.

Ian Byrne, Byrne Road, P.E.I.

A: The rules are different for every player. In Schenn’s case, he is exempt from waivers until he has played 160 NHL games. So he’s got 71 games to go until he would need waivers to move up and down from the Marlies. Would I send him to down for a stint? Absolutely. Get the kid playing with confidence again. But the Leafs have no one to blame for this situation but themselves. Putting a kid like Schenn in the NHL at 18 just makes it appear any step away from NHL status is a step backward, even if it ultimately benefits him.

Q: Hi Damien,

The arrival of Phil Kessel, regardless of how he has performed, has really demonstrated what a difference there is between him and the rest of the Leafs forwards. How did the Leafs get to this point of having so many players with marginal talent? What can they do to upgrade the talent on the forward lines now that they don't have a couple of high draft picks to look forward to in the next couple of years? Kessel can't do it all himself.

Varun Chakravorty, Brampton

A: Well, they only have nine players, I believe, under contract beyond this season. So they’ll have cap space and roster room for free agency next summer. They have Nazem Kadri, Bozak, Hanson and Stalberg as future possibilities. They have Tomas Kaberle to trade. They can sign more U.S. free agents. They can try to draft useful players after the first or second rounds. There are lots of options, but it won’t be easy.

Q: The Leafs have three unrestricted free agents (Stajan, Ponikarovsky, Stempniak) who I don't see as fitting into Brian Burke's long-term plan, as they are not talented enough to be top-six forwards, or gritty enough to be bottom six. I think we would have heard talk of re-signing already if they were considered part of the long term future.

Therefore, trading them at the deadline to teams looking to add depth at forward, regardless of the Leafs position in the standings, for whatever picks and prospects Burke could get would seem to be the correct course of action. Any thoughts and have you heard anything on what the Leafs might do with these three players?

Thanks,
Jeff Mills, Cambridge

A: I think they’d trade all three today if they got a good offer. Stempniak had a promising camp but has tailed off, Stajan can’t take the workload of a top six forward and Ponikarovsky is either streaky or maddeningly inconsistent. If the Leafs can move any of the three for draft picks/prospects before March, they likely will.

Q: When Brian Burke was hired a year ago, He stated he wouldn't be scared to bury a high priced player in the minors. Well a year later we still have Jeff Finger and Jason Blake still on the big club, which leads me to believe that Burke is not keeping to his word. My question is this. Obviously, he won't do it. What about a trade with Anaheim? The Ducks take one of those two contracts and The Leafs get Jean-Sebastien Giguere and take his contract. I think this one would make more sense near the trade deadline. What are your thoughts? Friends continually say we are building for the future, but we were told this year we would compete and we have no 1st round picks to look forward to. Mr. Cox, please tell me where this team is going.

Marc Oliver, Vancouver

A: Well, it appears they’re going to have to do a more comprehensive rebuild than Burke anticipated. If that’s the case, adding Giguere at $6 million this year and $7 million next year when there’s fear he’s no longer the goalie he wasn’t doesn’t make much sense. You might like to unload salaries on the Ducks, but why would the Ducks want to take those players. If they’re moving Giguere, it will be to get rid of his contract, not to take others on.

Q: Hey Damien

If the leafs need to make a change to get things going, and it is obvious that Wilson is going anywhere soon (until after the Olympics) is it possible that the assistant coaches could be replaced by guys like Craig MacTavish or Mike Keenan that would only be defence coaches or power play coaches etc. This would give new direction without risking the U.S. Olympic teams’ hopes.

Mark, Ottawa

A: Unlikely. Ron Wilson, Rob Zettler and Tim Hunter come as a package. They’ll likely leave that way some day. But I can’t imagine Burke trying to insert another coach into the mix.

Thursday Mail Bag

Well, that was appalling.

The ease with which the Maple Leafs are satisfied, it would seem, follows the team year after year, regardless of who is coaching the team, managing the team or playing for the team. Tuesday’s performance against Minnesota, the worst team in the west, was the latest example. The Wild did some good things, but after just two victories, it was as though the Leafs felt they simply needed to wear the correct jerseys and the Wild would be easily beaten. No franchise in the NHL, it seems, struggles more with maintaining a level of decent consistency than the Leafs. Is it because their fans are so easily satisfied? Is it because the media in Toronto praises the club too extravagantly after moderate achievements? Or is it because there simply isn’t enough urgency in the organization, from ownership on down, because there’s is no financial imperative to motivate icing a winning team?

It’s the No. 1 problem Brian Burke and Ron Wilson have to fix, and judging by Tuesday, it’s as bad as ever.

Now on to this week’s mail bag:

Q: I am having trouble seeing how the NHL ownership of the Phoenix Coyotes really changes anything. The current lease is still in effect between Glendale and the Coyotes because Judge Baum did everything in his power to avoid having to decide the lease status in the bankruptcy proceedings. If the NHL cannot renegotiate the lease, Glendale is still free to pursue the $750 million penalty for relocation of the franchise. What new owner would want to take on this battle?

Glen Wollenberg, Massanutten, Virginia

A: No owner wants this lease. The game plan for the NHL, after all its other contingency plans fell through, was always to re-negotiate the lease and, if unsuccessful, break it and move the team. Nobody takes seriously the City of Glendale’s stated intention to pursue penalties in the hundreds of millions of dollars if that lease isn’t honored. Multiple precedents suggest the city might, at best, be entitled to a penalty payment of $50 million. At any rate, the city has held previous negotations on the lease, most recently with the Jerry Reinsdorf group, and if the Coyotes are to remain in Phoenix, that lease will have to change.

Q: I've heard speculation that Eric Lindros has played a role, behind the scenes, in the events that transpired recently over at the NHLPA. Do you think this is true, and if so, what was the nature of his involvement? His recent resignation from the ombudsman position and all the clashes he's had with others throughout his career don't exactly paint a picture of innocence.

Michael Manno, North York

A: Lindros denies this, although he was remarkably up to speed on all the recent NHLPA events, including an insiders knowledge of the firing of Paul Kelly. Others say that he has been influential all along, or at least, individuals sympathetic to his sentiments about the NHLPA - Ian Penny, in particular - have played a significant role in what has happened at the union in recent months. There are all kinds of conspiracy theories out there, but the pertinent fact now seems to be that Lindros won’t have an influence or role in the union when the current process of finding a new executive director and rewriting the constitution are completed. His union days are done, and given that he resigned as ombudsman last winter, he may be happy with that.

Q: I wanted to hear your thoughts on the Whitby product James Neal. Having seen a few Dallas games (Thank God for Rogers free Centre Ice preview!) James has impressed me with his ability to gather attention from the defense and spreading the puck, and not to mention his left handed shot coming in from the right wing for this Dallas team. Any shot at Team Canada? Future prediction possibly?

Kevin Black, Whitby

A: No shot at Team Canada, at least not if you’re talking about the Vancouver Olympics. But he’s certainly a young player coming into his own after a 24-goal campaign a year ago and nine goals already this season. Moreover, he’s been in the Hockey Canada national team stream for a while, having played in the under-18 program and the national junior program. His time is yet to come as far as playing for his country in the big international events.

Q: Barring a miracle, if things continue as they are , how far do you think Burke will go in terms of compromising the future of this club in order to assure the Bruins are not getting a #1.

If on the other hand he does the right thing and stays the course, can he survive such an outcome?

Filip Gracz, Toronto

A: Well, at this point, Burke can survive pretty much anything. He’s not going to be fired after one full season even if the Leafs finish dead last by 20 points. As far as what he might do to make sure the Bruins don’t get the first overall pick, that’s partly out of his hands. Any of the teams with top five picks could get to No. 1 through the draft lottery. I don’t think you’ll see him moving much in the way of future assets for help now, but he might trade a younger player (Matt Stajan, Ian White, Nikolai Kulemin) for an older NHLer who can help his club more now.

Q: Interesting watching the Leafs promote all the new players that Burke has brought in. To see them sit Stajan, meanwhile Komisarek alone costs them the first three games. Beauchemin is a disaster yet does not miss a shift. Kessel is our best player by far says Wilson. Yet Kaberle is the NHL player of the week. How do you build a team with this type of alienation from the coach towards all the non Burke players?

Dave Nesbitt, Barrie

A: Well, Burke brought in Garnet Exelby and he’s having trouble staying in the lineup. Colton Orr doesn’t play much, and the college signings - Tyler Bozak and Christian Hanson - are in the minors. That said, it’s pretty well established that the players that were here before Burke arrived weren’t very successful as a group, so its not surprising newer players would be seen in a different way. As far as Mike Komisarek supposedly costing the team the first three games, that’s so absurd it’s not even worth addressing.

Q: What are your thoughts on turning Tomas Kaberle into a centre? We all know he is a great skater and passer. Look at the career Red Kelly made for himself at centre after being an all star for years on defence. T.K. sure would look good centering Kessel and Blake.

Jim Gosleigh, Newcastle

A: Kaberle’s gifted enough as athlete to be effective to some degree at any position. But clearly when he’s on his game he’s one of the NHL’s better puck moving, playmaking rearguards. He wouldn’t possibly have that impact playing centre with no training or experience at that position.

Q: Hi Damien,

Am I alone in thinking the Leafs are heading down the wrong path again? For so many years the Leafs would "build" by trading draft picks for aging veterans as a quick-fix attempt to succeed. I still cannot get over what Burke gave to the Bruins for Kessell. Granted he's a young scorer, but he's no Crosby or Malkin. Why can't the Leafs just be patient building via the draft? Look at the Penguins or Hawks, set for the future with draft picks like Fleury, Malkin, Crosby, Toews, Kane etc. We're forced to be satisfied with other teams' mediocre cast-offs.

John Kovacs, Richmond Hill

A: I’m not the sure I’d call Kessel “other teams’ mediocre castoff,” but I get your point. To be honest, I’m not really sure why the Leafs refuse to go down the slow rebuild path. Burke has said you can’t do that in Toronto, but I just don’t buy it. After all, they’ve been selling mostly losing teams in the city for decades. That said, Burke has chosen a different path, drafting Nazem Kadri, signing college free agents and signing Jonas Gustavsson, who looks like he might be the equivalent of a first round draft pick. You can expect Burke will go after more college free agents next summer, and in the 22-year-old Kessel, he now has a player that was regarded as a franchise-type player in his draft year and has already scored 36 goals in a season. We’ll see how this progresses.

Q: Hello there Damien,

Long time reader, first time e-mailer. I'm wondering if you might be able to explain the logic of Brian Burke's mentality when it comes to the "belligerance and truculance" of his players. I understand that there is a physical element to hockey and that fighting will always be part of the game, but why is it that BB would pick up someone like Colton Orr when it is clearly a scoring touch that the Leafs need and not a physical touch? Granted the Leafs got pushed around a lot last season but turning the Leafs from wimps into bullies is not the way to make this a winning team. In all honesty, Toronto needs five more Phil Kessels and about 10 less Colton Orrs. So here's my real question, are there no players in the league that BB can get his hands on that have the physicality of a Colton Orr and the scoring touch of a Phil Kessel and if so, why hasn't he pulled his head out of the sand and traded for one of those types of players?

Shane Rieger, Richmond Hill

A: Well, if such a player were available, Burke would be the first in line making an offer. But such players are rare indeed - Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Ryan Getzlaf - and not available. So the answer is that the Leafs had many holes to fill, and still have holes to fill, and the addition of Orr, in Burke’s opinion, filled a role the Leafs needed to have filled at a very affordable price. Burke really believes that such players allow skill players to play their games better, and he really doesn’t care whether you or I agree. He has strong opinions on this - and most hockey matters - and right now the shine on his 2007 Stanley Cup ring means his opinions carry a great deal of weight.

Q: Regarding the Ben Fanelli hit, it is noticeable from the clip that his helmet popped off like a champagne cork. Another piece of the hockey culture at the NHL and junior levels is the "dangling chinstrap". Many players in the NHL have been injured because the helmet isn't firmly secured (see Donald Brashear after Marty McSorley clubbed him). I've played hockey for 40 years, and never found it to be a problem to have my chinstrap done up fairly close to my chin. Have you ever heard this issue discussed around the rinks?

Ron Stewart, Oakville

A: Its discussed all the time. But players think its cool to wear the chinstraps loose and the culture of hockey is about fitting in, not being different. It would be an easy rule for leagues to enforce, but they just don’t.

Every Thursday, Damien Cox answers your questions in The Spin, only at thestar.com. Click here to submit a question. **Note: please follow the link above to send a question to Damien. Questions posted in the comments section may not make it to the mailbag. Thanks.**

Thursday Mail Bag

Not dead last.

Do you get a banner for that?

Lo and behold, having just one win in 13 games no longer sentences the Maple Leafs to last in the Eastern Conference. The hard-reversing Carolina Hurricanes have caught Ron Wilson’s team, moving into 15th place by virtue of having played one more game and despite have one more win.

That’s reality in Gary Bettman’s NHL standings.

It sets up a Battle of the (Non) Titans in Raleigh tomorrow, with the punchless Leafs (apparently lethal only in Orange County) against the dreadful Canes, losers of 10 straight.

Ron Wilson vs. Paul Maurice. Brian Burke vs. Jim Rutherford. Phil Kessel against Eric Staal. Oops, Staal may be too injured to play.

I’m sure it’ll still be a great one.

Now on to this week’s mail bag:

Q: Damien,

Why does Ian White seem to be the best player on the ice night in and night out and never seem to get the recognition. I almost get the feeling the management team doesn't think he should be this good so they just ignore his success. Is it just me?

Joe Cutajar, Brampton

A: I don’t think it’s up to the management team in the middle of a season to give a player “recognition.” That comes after the season, usually in the form of a contract or the moves a team chooses or chooses not to make. Otherwise, it’s up to the fans and media to identify players who are achieving or over-achieving, and I think gradually White is getting that recognition for his strong overall play. Don’t forget, he started the season on the third defensive pair. Now he’s getting as much ice time as Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin, sometimes more. He’d tell you that’s the recognition he’s looking for.

Q: Damien,

Considering that the Leafs do not currently have a Captain how about slipping the "C" onto the worthwhile shoulder of Ian White?

He may not be the biggest guy or the best player, although most nights he outplays the supposed "stars" on the Leafs, but he clearly has the biggest heart.

Jamie Hubbert, Ottawa

A: It’s real live honest-to-goodness Ian White love-in!! Seriously, one of the issues in Toronto is that players are heralded as stars after what are really relatively modest accomplishments. White established himself as an NHL defenceman last season. This season, he’s progressing to establish himself as a top four guy. If he’s doing the same or more in two to three years, we can talk about the captaincy then. That said, you don’t hear as much about Luke Schenn being the future captain of the Leafs, do you?

Q: Hi Damien,

Still loving the column. There's an old theory that empires are already declining when they still seem invincible. Is the same true of the MLSE juggernaut? With reports that there's no more revenue to be squeezed/bilked out of the market, ticket scalpers getting hammered, and a fan base that is finally waking up, is it an operation set for decline in future years?

Meanwhile Leafs TV is running ludicrous features about the whole world being Leafs fans. Head in the sand or what?

David Robinson, Toronto

A: Well, I hear what you’re saying. I just don’t see it reflected in any meaningful way, at least not yet. What I would say is that MLSE has increasingly become focused on other business enterprises in recent years and probably needs to re-focus on the Leafs, it’s top business. Otherwise, business seems as a good as ever. If the Leafs are in decline anywhere other than on the ice, they’re hiding it very well.

Q: How can the sale of the Coyotes be anything but a fraud and a scam? Jim B. offers 50 per cent more than the NHL yet the NHL gets the team, not Jim B? This is capitalism? Seems more like corruption and fraud to me. This nonsense and the never-ending bulls--- hockey from the Leafs are exactly the reason why I abandoned hockey a few years ago after nearly 35 years of "enjoyment."

Edward Fenner, Toronto

A: Well, sorry you lost interest, Edward. But that’s cool. There’s lots of other stuff to follow and do. In terms of the Coyotes, it’s pretty simple. The NHL fought a battle to keep the right to say where its franchises are located. Balsillie offered more, but with the conditions of being able to move the team to a market where it would be worth a lot more. You can argue the logic of the NHL’s fight, but I’m not sure that makes it a fraud or a scam.

Q: By the time you read this Kessel will have played his first game as a Leaf. I really don't know what kind of player Kessel is. Do you think that Kessel's mere presence will actually open up more scoring chances, more "ice," if you will, for his linemates?

Moe Green, Austin, Texas

A: We’ll see. What I think people shouldn’t lose sight of is that Kessel isn’t a finished product yet. He’s 22. He can be a little too solo some nights and lose the team attack perspective. That said, he is surely a weapon who can score and open up the ice for others. But the Leafs won’t be playing Tampa every night, so you can expect the checking to get a lot tighter.

Q: Damien,

The original return date for Kessel was Nov. 15 and now it appears he'll be in the game (Tuesday night) vs Tampa. The Leafs said they wouldn't rush his return but it sounds like it. It seems the Leafs are returning to the old ways of rushing a player only to have him re-injured by a too quick return. True or False ?

Gord Wilson, Thorold, Ont.

A: I wondered about that too, to be honest with you, Gord. But maybe the Mattias Ohlund hit showed everywhere Kessel was indeed ready to go. You’ve got to rely on the player, to some degree, to know when he’s healthy, and the Leafs put him through a battery of strength tests before clearing him. I think he was good to go.

Q: Damien,

Would we have not been better off keeping McCabe, and forgetting about Finger? If I remember correctly the pay scale is pretty close between the two. Also Darcy Tucker seemed to bleed blue. How can you let guys like that go, and acquire the likes of Mayer, and Finger?

Lewis McClain, Edinboro

A: I don’t think it was a choice of McCabe or Finger. I would have liked to see if Wilson could have coached McCabe to be better, but he was probably done with the scrutiny in Toronto. Finger wasn’t a bad signing, necessarily, he was just paid way too much money by Cliff Fletcher. Now they’re stuck with a lousy contract. And Tucker? He was pretty much finished as a frontline NHLer when he left Toronto. He bled just as much self-interest and self-importance as he did blue. That’s why he’ll forever be known as Sideshow Bob.

Q: Hi Damien,

There are have been some hints of rumors about J.S. Giguere coming to Toronto in what may become a desperation move. Just wondering about the idea of trading Toskala for Giguere one-for-one. This would be a great salary-clearing move for Anaheim giving them a more affordable back-up to Jonas Hiller ($4m vs. $6M) for this year as well as save them Giguere's salary next year, an additional $6M to be put elsewhere. It would potentially give the Leafs a former Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup winner. I like the idea of Toronto getting a goalie without giving up another first-rounder.

Also, on the topic of trades, is there any chance that by the deadline Kaberle could be worth getting our first round pick back from Boston?

David Johnson, Orangeville

A: If Gustavsson continues looking like a true No. 1 goalie, Giguere is out of the question. Many scouts question whether he’s finished as a bona fide starter in the NHL. At $6 million this year and $7 million next year, he’s just not worth it.

On a possible Kaberle deal, he’ll fetch a first rounder from someone. But not the one the Leafs traded to Boston to get Kessel.

Every Thursday, Damien Cox answers your questions in The Spin, only at thestar.com. Click here to submit a question. **Note: please follow the link above to send a question to Damien. Questions posted in the comments section may not make it to the mailbag. Thanks.**