Arena The Toronto Maple Leafs Thread

Well, no one can call Burky a dull boy.

Dion Phaneuf--prolly a good trade for the Leafs. (Query: couldn't the Flames do better?)

J. S. Giguere--not bad, with his giant contract the only question.

These two players are about $14,000,000 alone...which might be a problem.

 

We gotta pay somebody....

 

True. And Burke had to do something.

I don't see the Leafs enough to know why they aren't better. They seem to have a good defence, for instance.

 

Leafs shutout the Devils 3-0!

Three stars of the game:

1. Giguere
2. Phaneuf
3. Sjostrom

Nice.

 

I hate to break this to you, but Olli Jokinen went on a scoring tear when he first joined Calgary.

That didn't last long.

 

Komisarek out for season. boourns.

 

Sad news today: Brian Burke's youngest son was killed in a car accident in Indiana.

 

I'm loving the fight in this team. Liked Caputi too. Hope Kulemin stays next year and doesn't go to the KHL.

 

Yeah Caputi's looked good so far. Kulemin and Bozak have gotten better as the season goes on.

 

It's only Edmonton, guys, don't book the parade.

 

Great job Zaz. React to a reaction that never existed!

 

Here's to beating the Sens again. Go Leafs Go!

 

Closer to getting out of the basement!

 

The Devils sweep the Penguins this season but lose again to the Leafs last night. Go figure.

 

They keep playing Marc Denis against the Leafs, that might have something to do with it. Plus they played the night before. It's just nice to see the young guys progressing a little, even though it's the end of the year.

 

**Yann Danis

 

Right, thanks.

 

Man it's beautiful when the Leafs beat the Sens and the Habs in the same week. Now if we could only do something about the Sabres.

 

And the Pens?

 

Pretty much everybody really. Lets be honest.

 

You'd better hope Burke has improved as a drafter.

Oh, right: you don't have a first rounder for two years.

Nevermind.

 

Well, things are not improving.

 

It is sad the NHL's two alpha markets -New York and Toronto- field such mediocre teams. And between Burke giving away draft picks like it's going out of style and Sather's horrendous talent evaluation skills, I don't see either franchise being relevant for a while. The NHL should seize control of these teams as well.

 

The Leafs don't *have* to be good...which is why they aren't. They are the most profitable team in the league by a good bit. They take in $2,000,000 per game in ticket sales (and related income). In the days of Harold Ballard, he was too greedy to spend the money to make the team good. Now it appears to be years of mismanagement (why would they hire John Ferguson, Jr.?) This is also why there will be no new franchise in S. Ontario. The Leafs have a lot of power, and Buffalo also has a territorial veto. A new S. Ontarian franchise would probably kill the Sabres, which draw a lot of support from the area.

 

I disagree. The NHL's two biggest teams are in Pittsburgh and Washington, and the league is still a complete joke and afterthought. Having good teams in Toronto and Broadway gives fans in both Canada and the US teams to root against -the big bad, market kings- and automatically gives the league more media exposure -including more interest from ESPN.

Look at it this way: do you think David Stern prefers an NBA with a stellar or crappy Laker team? And I can tell you it kills him to have an inept operation in New York.