[imported_shookem]

With Kubina, Kaberle and Colaiacovo all banged up is anyone worried about the Leafs D?

I know it's only preseason but we all know in TO it's never too early to start picking apart the team.

Is the team just being safe with these guys or are they still affected by lingering injuries?

What do you think?

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Yes.

Just last night, Staffan Kronwall went down too, so there's another one down to injury. :dunno: It turns out that it was just a sprain, but they haven't said much of the extent of it. I don't think he'll be out for too long.

I heard Kaberle's and Kubina's weren't too serious, and that they should be back for the season.

A real shame about Carlo Cola and Kronwall though. Colaiacovo was likely a shew-in for one of the spots, and when he wen't down I thought for sure that Kronwall will get one.

White should be in for sure, but it looks like Bell will be taking the spot Cola or Kronwall would have had. I haven't seen Bell play much last year and I heard he's doing well, but I'm not sure if he was at the level the other 2 d-men were at. Both seemed NHL ready, especially Colaiacovo who showed a very solid all-around game last season.

I'm sure 1 of them were likely to be bumped out for sure with Ian White almost already having a roster spot solidified (doing everything right and having a Right-Handed shot), but I didn't expect both out.

In the end, they'll have to fight for their roster spots, and unless one of them returns and has electrifying comeback soon, they'll have to wait until one of the younger players stumbles (or goes down to injury) before they get their shot again.

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

Survivor: Blue line

Injuries may decide who makes Leafs
By MIKE ZEISBERGER -- Toronto Sun

John Ferguson pulled no punches when asked about the ailing state of his wafer-thin defence corps last night.

"The competition for the jobs may turn into the survival of the fittest," the Maple Leafs general manager said bluntly after seeing his team skate to an impressive 5-1 pre-season victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Just two hours earlier, Ferguson had watched young Staffan Kronwall writhing in pain on the Air Canada Centre ice after sliding awkwardly into the boards. The towering Swede was helped to the dressing room where he was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle.

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - Hockey NHL - Toronto: Survivor: Blue line....

 

[imported_shookem]

I just hope the big guys are ready to go by Oct 4.

I've got Kabby and McCabe in my hockey pools!

It should give someone a real good chance to step up and take someone else's place in the lineup. Who do you think will step up?

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

On defence, Ian White should be good like he was last season.

Either Jay Harrison or Brendan Bell will probably get what I think should have been either Carlo or Kroner's spot, Bell has got the inside edge so far though.

On offence, John Pohl and Bates Battaglia should be getting some spot... hopefully. Suglobov might edge out Antro, but Antro's been on the team for a while. I really don't know there.

Rayzor's got the starting role right now (PM said), but Telly and Aubin are taking a real run at him. They were both stellar in their games.