farzamk

Leafs hope for a more robust 2007-08


The Toronto Maple Leafs know just how fragile a season can be. The Maple Leafs missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second-straight season, falling just one point short of the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference.
Clearly, health issues played a huge part in Toronto’s failure. Darcy Tucker, Kyle Wellwood and Mike Peca all missed significant time because of injury. But injuries cannot be an excuse in a physical sport such as hockey. So, Leafs General Manager John Ferguson Jr., has spent much of the summer addressing the depth of his team. He added a potential No. 1 goalie in Vesa Toskala, a 40-goal scorer in Jason Blake, a potential second-line winger in Mark Bell and goalie depth in Scott Clemmensen.

Those additions, especially Blake and Toskala, will have a huge impact on the 2007-08 season and will hopefully translate into the one point in the standings that Maple Leaf nation obsessed about all summer.

But make no mistake, it is the returning cast that will define the Maple Leafs’ season. Captain Mats Sundin is back for another year, signing a one-year deal. Defensemen Bryan McCabe, Pavel Kubina and Tomas Kaberle also will be looking to rebound with stronger performances this season. Goalie Andrew Raycroft, meanwhile, will be looking to hold onto the No. 1 job in the face of a stiff challenge from Toskala.


2006-07 Record:
40-31-11, 3rd Northeast
Who's In:
G Vesa Toskala, F Mark Bell, F Jason Blake, G Scott Clemmensen

Who's Out:
F Mike Peca, D Karel Pilar, F Yanick Perreault

2006-07 Leading Scorers:
Mats Sundin (27-49-76), Tomas Kaberle (11-47-58), Bryan McCabe (15-42-57), Alexei Ponikarovsky (21-24-45), Darcy Tucker (24-19-43)


2006-07 Goaltending Leaders:
Andrew Raycroft 37-25-9, 2.99 GAA, 72 appearances, .894 save percentage, 2 shutouts; J-S Aubin 3-5-2, 3.43 GAA, 20 appearances, .876 save percentage, 0 shutouts

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

farzamk

Who's No. 1?
This question may well define the entire Maple Leaf season. Andrew Raycroft was the No. 1 last year and he went 37-25-9 in 72 appearances. He posted a respectable 2.99 goals-against average, but could only manage a .894 save percentage. In fact, it was Raycroft’s perceived inability to make the game-changing saves that convinced Ferguson to go out and make the trade for Toskala, an established backup in San Jose who is on the brink of becoming a bona fide starter. Toskala had a 2.35 GAA last season in a career-best 38 appearances. He was 26-10-1 and on the verge of stealing the No. 1 designation before Evgeni Nabokov laid claim to that job for the playoffs.

Both goalies have legitimate claims to be the top dog in Toronto this season. Raycroft is the incumbent and Toskala is the vaunted new kid on the block. If one can’t claim the job outright, Toronto may end up being blessed with one of the strongest goalie rotations in the League. But no matter how things shake out, these two alpha dogs will have to find a way to co-exist if the Leafs hope to develop a winning chemistry.

Backup plan

Scott Clemmensen was brought in as a veteran free agent to give the Maple Leafs some flexibility. If both Raycroft and Toskala ended up sticking around and sharing goalie duties with the Maple Leafs, Clemmensen will likely find himself with the Marlies of the American Hockey League. If one of the two established goalies is moved, Clemmensen is ideally suited to step into the back-up role at the NHL level. After all, he has spent the past three years as Martin Brodeur’s backup in New Jersey. He made just 23 appearances at the NHL level during that time.

In the Wings

Justin Pogge -- The Leafs’ goalie of the future, but he does not appear ready to shoulder the load just yet. The former Canadian Hockey League Goalie of the Year struggled at times in his first pro season, going 19-25-2 with a 3.03 GAA and .896 save percentage in 48 appearances with Toronto’s AHL affiliate. The arrival of Toskala assures Pogge -- a third-round pick in 2004 -- he will get another year at the minor-league level if that is what is judged to be best for his career.

James Reimer -- The team’s fourth-round selection in 2006, Reimer will return for another year of seasoning in the Western Hockey League. He laid claim to the starting job in Red Deer last season, playing in 60 games and posting a 2.66 GAA and .912 save percentage. He is expected to make even bigger strides this season in Red Deer and emerge as a viable option behind Pogge in an organization that lacks bountiful goaltending prospects.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

farzamk

The Big Four

Toronto has one of the most offensively effective blue lines in the League. Tomas Kaberle and Bryan McCabe combined for 26 goals and 115 points last season. They also accounted for 13 power-play goals, including 11 off the stick of McCabe. The second pair of scorers is not nearly as dominant, but still is impressive. Pavel Kubina and Ian White combined for 10 goals and 47 points.

Just as impressive, all four of the above players finished the season with a plus rating, led by White’s plus-8. Hal Gill, a stay-at-home defender, led all Toronto defenseman with a plus-11 rating.

So, it is clear that Paul Maurice has a complement of defenders who can excel at both ends of the ice. His ability to mix and match these defenders with the up-and-coming prospects just on the horizon will determine how successful Toronto can be this year.

Get the point

The Leafs rely heavily on McCabe and Kaberle when on the power play. Each merits more than five minutes per game, which is more than double the workload heaped upon Pavel Kubina, the third choice for the power-play unit.

McCabe and Kaberle have earned the extensive power-play minutes. Thirty-four of McCabe’s 57 points last season came in man-advantage situations. Only five defenders last season managed more than those 34 points. Kaberle added 30 man-advantage points.

In shorthanded situations, the workload is distributed more liberally. Kaberle, McCabe, Gill and Kubina all average better than three minutes per game in penalty-kill situations.

In the Wings

Andy Wozniewski – The big defensemen (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) was blooded a little bit last season, playing in 15 NHL games and holding his own. He did not score much at the NHL level, but he did show a little offensive pop at the AHL level, scoring four goals and 15 points in 31 AHL games.

Anton Stralman – One of the most talked about prospects as training camp started, the 21-year-old Swede opened eyes with his strong play last season with Timra of the Swedish Elite League. After scoring just five points in his first year of top-level competition in Sweden, Stralman exploded for 10 goals and 11 assists last season in his second go-round. He appears ready for NHL duty, but whether or not that happens in the near future remains to be seen.

Staffan Kronwall – A series of injuries derailed Kronwall’s season last year, but before that he had been establishing his credentials as a valuable depth defenseman in the organization. Two years ago, he played 34 games with the parent club and was relatively steady, registering one point and a minus-3 rating.

X Factor

Carlo Colaiacovo -- He has returned from a serious head injury suffered in Jan. 2006 and turned in a strong closing kick to the 2006-07 season. The first-round pick from 2001 had eight goals and nine assists in 48 games. If he can stay healthy and deliver that kind of performance through an entire season, the Leafs will be far ahead of the game.

FAST FACTS


1.Bryan McCabe was one of only nine NHL defensemen to top the 200-shot plateau. He finished with 207 shots, good for sixth in the League and second, behind Sheldon Souray, in the Eastern Conference.

2. Only nine defensemen in the League saw more ice time than the average of 25:52 assigned to Tomas Kaberle each game last season.

3.Kaberle, McCabe and Gill all scored more points on the road than they did in the friendly confines of the Air Canada Center.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

farzamk

Lining Up
Coach Paul Maurice certainly has some serious offensive weapons at his disposal.

Captain Mats Sundin is as consistent a performer as there is in the League. His 76-point output last year marked the 11th straight season that he finished with at least 70 points, although his goal output, 27, was the lowest he has managed in a full season of NHL play. His struggles at the end of the season severely impacted the Maple Leafs’ playoff chances.

Sundin, though, will have an added weapon at his disposal with the addition of Blake, who is one of the elite scorers in the League after posting 40 markers with the Islanders last season. Only seven players scored more even-strength goals than Blake’s 26 last season.

Darcy Tucker remains a viable threat as well, especially on the power play.

Plus, the Leafs have a cadre of younger players who are developing in a favorable manner. Nik Antropov had a career-best 18 goals. Alexei Ponikarovsky has put down back-to-back 20-goal seasons. Alex Steen, Kyle Wellwood, Matt Stajan, John Pohl and Kris Newbury all had positive impacts last season.

Feeling Special

Toronto was the League’s most dangerous team with the two-man advantage, banging home 15 goals in those situations. But otherwise, their power-play was very pedestrian, finishing with a 17.7 percent success rate, which was good for 15th in the League.

The addition of Blake should help the power play as he banged home 14 man-advantage situation goals last season. Plus, the Maple Leafs get a lot of production on the power play from their defensemen.

But the Leafs will have to be better in shorthanded situations. They had just three shorthanded goals last season, tied for last in the League. Their kill rate was also near the bottom of the statistical pack. Plus, the club was shorthanded more than 400 times, an unacceptable lack of discipline.

Up and Coming

Jiri Tlusty – There are quite a few rumblings that suggest Tlusty could make the club as a 19-year-old this fall. He had 17 points in just 13 playoff games last year with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League after putting a season-long ankle injury behind him. Not only was he productive in the OHL, but Tlusty accomplished his success with a physical, North American style that bodes well for the pro game.

Nikolai Kulemin – It is highly unlikely that Kulemin will play in North America this year after signing a new one-year deal with Magnitogorsk Mettalurg back in Russia. But the 20-year old will be the real deal when he arrives in Toronto. He dominated the RSL last year, scoring 27 goals, and has a scary combination of speed and power that is nearly impossible to counter.

Robbie Earl – The 22-year-old left wing will be one of the big guns in the AHL this year as he continues his progression from the college game. Earl had just 30 points last year in 67 games with the Marlies, but showed the ability, in glimpses, to produce at a much higher level. He will be expected to show more consistency this year.

Dale Mitchell – The Leafs’ first pick in June, selected in the third round, is an intriguing mix of power and skills. Playing deep in the shadow of phenom John Tavares in Oshawa of the OHL, Mitchell still managed 43 goals and 80 points in 67 games last season.

Tyler Reugsegger – Returning to the University of Denver this year, this smallish center is quickly climbing up Toronto’s depth chart. He had 34 points in 40 games as a freshman and really opened some people’s eyes. He also had a very strong camp for Team USA at the U-20 evaluation camp in August.

X Factor

Mark Bell – The Maple Leafs hope that Bell can overcome his off-ice problems – including a 15-game suspension – to become the power forward he was developing into a few years ago. In his final two seasons with Chicago, which ended in 2006, Bell had posted back-to-back 20 goals seasons and back-to-back 100-penalty minute campaigns. The Leafs would certainly welcome that combination of physicality and hands into their lineup.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

farzamk

George Armstrong sits in the stands sipping a coffee and admiring the fitness of the skaters on the first day of on-ice Toronto Maple Leafs workouts.

He's 77 now and is a part-time scout for the team.

"Training camp was a lot different in my day because we came to camp to get into shape and they come to camp in shape," says the last man to captain the Leafs to the NHL championship -- way back in 1967.

He'd sure love to see the drought end.

"I can't say we're going to win the Stanley Cup but you can always hope," he says. "Stranger things have happened."


Jason Blake feels that the Maple Leafs can compete for the Stanley Cup on a nightly basis.

Leafs fans will hope that free-agent pickup Jason Blake repeats the 40-goal season he had with the New York Islanders, and that rookies such as Jiri Tlusty emerge to challenge for positions.

"It was nice to get out there with the guys," Blake said after his first practice with his new teammates. "It was a good skate."

Mats Sundin is the only Leaf to score 40 goals in a season in the last 10 years. He got 41 in 1997 and again in 2002. Lately, the team has craved a top gunner. So, the arrival of Blake is an important development. He'll likely play on a line with Sundin, too, which potentially gives Toronto the big-impact unit up front that it has lacked.

"Hopefully, it happens," said Blake. "Chemistry is a big deal with linemates and I'm sure we won't have a problem with that.

"I've played against Mats for years and the one thing that impresses me is that he's so big and strong. I probably got under his skin a few teams. If I get a chance to play with him, it'd be a great opportunity."

Blake got a US$20-million, five-year contract from the Leafs, but he insists he doesn't feel any added pressure to produce goals because of it.

"It's the same game, the same puck," said the 34-year-old Minnesotan. "It's a new beginning for me.

"I'm just trying to embrace it. I'm excited to be here."

He wants to be a complete two-way player and not just a shooter, he said.

"Everybody wants me to score but everything starts from the defensive zone on up," he said. "Hopefully, I can get better at it each day."

Tlusty also hopes to get better each day. The 19-year-old Czech was Toronto's first pick, 13th overall, in the 2006 entry draft and he spent most of last season being coached by former NHL defenceman Craig Hartsburg with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

"He helped me so much," said Tlusty. "I learned lots of new things about North American hockey and life. It was a good year for me."

He couldn't speak English at camp a year ago.

"I just sit in dressing room looking around without talking," he recalled. "It was hard for me.

"Now I can speak with somebody. I feel more comfortable."

Fellow-Czech Tomas Kaberle has taken Tlusty under his wing.

"We are from same town," said Tlusty. "I feel better if he's here.

"It's good for me. I have to sometimes talk to him in Czech language."

More than 50 pros are split into three groups for 90-minute sessions on Ricoh Coliseum ice and head coach Paul Maurice blows his whistle while GM John Ferguson and assistants including Doug Gilmour assess the talent with watchful eyes.

Equipment dealers set up their wares on tables and Andrew Raycroft tries out some new goalie sticks while Alexei Ponikarovsky samples helmets.

Ricoh Coliseum staff wheel in carts of bagels and jugs of juices. The arena on the CNE's lakeshore grounds is brrrr, cold.

The biggest thing is that we want to compete for the Stanley Cup on a nightly basis. The season is so long. Some teams start off great but maybe don't play great around Christmas time. We want to compete every night. If we can do that, I'm not saying how far this team can go but I like our chances.
-- Jason Blake

Armstrong reappears in a downstairs corridor and munches on a muffin. Some of the Leafs he'd been watching have been in skates for weeks. When he was a young pro, he couldn't skate before camp because artificial ice was rare.

"We never even got on the ice in summer time," he said. "And somebody tries to say hockey was better then than it is now? Crazy, eh?"

Players didn't make the big money shovelled out now so Armstrong worked surface jobs at a Sudbury region mine during his first 10 years in the NHL.

Time marches on.

"I love going to games," he says of his task of scouring OHL cities for prospects and reconnecting with former teammates and opponents. "I see lots of old-time hockey players, and the older we get the better we were."

He chuckles.

Blake's expression turns serious when he's asked to predict the outcome of Toronto's season.

"It all started today," he replied. "No one said we're going to win the Stanley Cup.

"The biggest thing is that we want to compete for the Stanley Cup on a nightly basis. The season is so long. Some teams start off great but maybe don't play great around Christmas time. We want to compete every night. If we can do that, I'm not saying how far this team can go but I like our chances.

"I wasn't here last year but you can sense disappointment about last year. Guys are excited. There's a good vibe in the room and around the guys. I'm not one to make predictions but as long as we're competing on a nightly basis we should do alright."

There's always hope.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

farzamk

Advantage Margin: -17
Only eight teams allowed more power-play chances than the Leafs. Toronto was plus-10 at home, but allowed 27 more opportunities on the road, where they surrendered 52 power-play goals.

Even-Strength Goals Margin: +19
Mats Sundin was the only Leaf to have as many as 20 even-strength goals. But of the 11 Leafs who had at least 30 points, only Darcy Tucker (-11) had a negative plus-minus rating.


Special Teams Goal Margin: -27
The Leafs’ special teams weren’t very special: Not only was Toronto 27th in penalty-killing percentage, the Leafs surrendered an Eastern Conference-worst 90 power-play goals and scored just three shorthanded goals, tied for the fewest in the League. Defensemen Hal Gill (11) and Bryan McCabe (10) were in the box for a lot of those power-play goals.

Category Rank
(Conference / NHL)
2006-07 Points 91
(9th East/18th NHL)
Change From 2005-06 +1
Home Points 47
(10th East/19th NHL)
Road Points 44
(8th NHL/15th NHL)
Goals by defensemen: 51
The tandem of McCabe (15) and Tomas Kaberle (11) give the Leafs a lot of firepower on the blue line, especially on the power play. Kaberle had only two PPGs, but rang up 28 assists with the man advantage.

Goals by forwards: 203
Sundin (27-49-76, just one goal in his last 20 games) is still the focus of the offense at age 36. Adding Jason Blake (40 goals with the Islanders) adds scoring and much-needed speed to one of the NHL’s slowest teams.

Overtime Record: 8-4-7 (OT: 4-4, SO: 4-7)
The Leafs paid for their struggles in shootouts with a playoff berth. They lost a pair of shootouts to the Islanders in a nine-day span in February, and those missed points wound up being the difference between a playoff date with Buffalo and an early summer vacation.

Times Scored First/Record: 41 (Record: 27-10-4)
The Leafs’ .659 winning percentage when scoring first was only 20th in the League. They were 19th (.319) in the 41 games in which the opposition scored first, earning only 33 points..

Best 06-07 Number: 165
Goals scored by the Leafs when playing 5-on-5, tied with Florida for second in the Eastern Conference. The Leafs were +16 in scoring at full strength, but minus-28 in all other situations.

Worst 06-07 Number: 57
Shots on goal by Sundin in the Leafs’ last 12 games, none of which went into the net. Sundin had 12 assists in those games, but didn’t score a goal. The Leafs went 6-4-2 in those games and finished one point short of a playoff berth.

Scheduling:
The Leafs have a great chance to get off to a fast start with eight of their first 10 games at the Air Canada Center before playing six of seven on the road. But the holidays won’t be fun: Toronto is on the road for its last five games before Christmas, then goes to Long Island and Philadelphia on Dec. 26-27.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

farzamk

The preview was from nhl.com.

Anyways my prediction is the leafs will make the playoffs based on inferential statistics and a logical estimate. They've improved their offense, replaced their big PK guy with a more reliable (injury wise) player, improved their goaltending, and hopefully something will spark in the defense.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

subby13

http://www.hockeyforum.com/guideline...nes-rules.html

Dude, I appreciate that you're sharing the article so that we can all enjoy it, but was it really necessary to spread the whole thing over 7 posts? A link would've done the job .

farzamk

Dude, I appreciate that you're sharing the article so that we can all enjoy it, but was it really necessary to spread the whole thing over 7 posts? A link would've done the job .[/quote]

Ya well I realized that after and made a link in the NHL Forum for all other team previews.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell