During these months of summer it really is difficult to find something fresh and other than Kovalchuk to write about so here is my effort to keep you interested in Leafs hockey even if the market is as boring as it ever was. It will also keep my mind from searching for any kind of news regarding the Leafs and Kaberle. What I’m really trying to say is sorry for the writer’s block. Every hockey team needs them, every hockey team has them (more or less). They are the people with special skills that differ from those of a normal hockey player. Skills which they use to perfection. In this one, I’ll examine the pugilist of the Toronto Maple Leafs and closely look at the skills that make him such a valuable asset to this team. Also I’ll examine the emerging trend of teams upping on toughness and grit by adding and paying top dollar to big guys that know how to use their fists.

Colton Orr is, at least in my book, the best pound for pound fighter in the NHL. He’s such a valuable asset on that fourth line. To better understand his value to his team it’s one can only look to the NY Rangers and what happened to Marian Gaborik last season. Dan Carcillo goaded him into a fight and pummeled him. There was no one on the Rangers team that could (or would for that matter – which kinda shows what the character of that team was and was the main reason why they overpaid for Boogaard) defend Gaborik in that situation. Whatever Sather says, that was the main reason they drafted Dylan McIlrath as their top pick in the 2010 NHL draft. That lack of toughness is also the reason they are going to pay him 6.5 million over the next four years. One of the biggest problems the Leafs had in recent years was the lack of an enforcer. Ok, Colton Orr is not exactly a heavyweight enforcer, because No1, and this is kind of important, given the chance, he can actually play hockey. Burke realizes the importance of toughness better than any other GM out there. He set out to build a belligerent, in your face hockey team and the prime candidate was this guy. Now, every team that comes up against the Leafs knows he will be on the ice. His importance grows with other teams following the same model. Edmonton’s kids will need protection as this will be their first year in the NHL and the Oilers ended up getting just that with Steve MacIntyre. It’s clear now, maybe more than ever, what kind of an asset Colton Orr really is. I’m just waiting for the moment some team decides to sign Georges Laraque. At this rate it’s bound to happen. Pittsburgh, for example, has Eric Godard who was a healthy scratch for most of last year, but I suspect he’ll see a lot more ice time this season.

As we all know, there are actually two main categories of pugilistic players – middleweights (Colton Orr, Cam Janssen etc.) and heavyweights (Georges Laraque, Derek Boogaard, Steve MacIntyre etc). Many would suggest that Colton really is a heavyweight. Well, the reality is, he is somewhat in between categories, but I list him as middleweight because his ability to outplay other typical heavyweight enforcers. If you ask me, it’s better for a team to have a middleweight who can play hockey than the a guy who’s main and only assignment is to fight. While watching Laraque play I often thought to myself, what is this guy doing on skates? Yes, I enjoy a good scrap, I also view it as a major part of the game but I also like when hockey players play hockey. It’s the whole point. So, what I’m saying is, it’s better to have one, two middleweights like Cam Janssen than paying Boogaard that kind of money. A middleweight (looking at the big picture) can sometimes score and contribute something other than intimidation and fear. With the addition of Mike Brown our forth line looks set and I’m really liking what Burke has done with it. With Brown, it has the speed, strength and energy and of the top of my head I would say there aren’t a lot of better fourth lines in the NHL right now. Put Zigomanis between them and you get a line that can win a multitude of faceoffs plus be an intimidation force every time it hits the ice. Orr’s flaws are not something that can’t be coached out. His biggest flaws include taking bad penalties and not possessing enough speed for a wing position in the NHL. But as long as he fights as he does (and we all remember those dear Ottawa games don’t we) I’ll love him as a part of our Leafs team.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak