BE-LEAF-ABLE

I heard he's a 6'1 tough guy that's solid in his own end of the rink and isn't afraid to throw his weight around out there. Sounds good... in theory. I've never seen this guy play though, so we'll see.

This also pretty much spells the end of Bryan McCabe in Toronto, or at least the Leafs want it to be. He should just drop his NMC and go now, because he won't be playing. But nope, he's dug his claws in.

Might also be the end of Kubina (where this topic is swerving a bit), as he still quite valueable... but it doesn't look like Ron Wilson wants him gone, as he named him and Kaberle as the defenceman that Jeff Finger would complement as they both tend to be offencive in their game for the most part (not that I agree about Kubina not being a two-way d-man, but he didn't play like that until the few months of the season... again).

And then there's Ian White. He's way low on the deth chart now. Trade bait? Starting to sound like it.

From what we've got so far:

Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, Jeff Finger, Carlo Colaiacovo, Anton Stralman, Jonas Frogren, Luke Schenn (expected to play a few games this season), Kronwall (still on the bubble.

Bryan McCabe and Ian White are likely gone... or at least that's what I hope. Fletcher seems to be putting some effort into adressing the defencive issues of defenceman, as in attempting to get defenceman that can actually play defence. (if Finger and Frogren are what we hear they are, and Luke Schenn turns out like we hope he does).

That marks McCabe and White out.

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"It's not the way it's going to be. We have to be very, very patient and build this the right way. We have to go through a process. It may be painful. I hope it isn't. But we're prepared for all the bumps and pratfalls and potholes in the road ahead. I'm prepared for it anyway, or I wouldn't have come." - Ron Wilson, Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.