During the last couple of weeks there has been much talk of the dreaded CBA re-negotiation that’s bound to happen in two years time. That might seem a long time now, but you can already see its ugly head peeking on the horizon with the recent Kovalchuk/NJ versus the league mini war. So, what’s the deal? With recent Hockey News articles and some NHL site writings one might think that another lockout, let’s call it lockout v2, is about to take place when the current CBA (collective bargaining agreement) expires. I’m not quite sure that will be the case. Anyways, I’m just here to state my reasons why there is not that much reason to panic as some would have you believe. For those of you that are not that well acquainted with how the league functions economically or don’t have much knowledge about labor bargaining and unions I’ll try to keep this as simple as possible.

Let’s start by addressing the Kovalchuk dispute. My main point here is that it wasn’t the contract that stirred the waters. It wasn’t the obvious cap circumvention that pushed the NHL to revisit and finally reject the 102 million, 17 year deal. No, it was all about seizing the moment. The moment for what? Well, let me explain. Ilya Kovalchuk was, at the time, the biggest free agent to hit the market. All eyes were on him signing and the size of that monster deal. When it finally happened, it was the perfect opportunity for the NHL to show their cards, strength and bargaining position. All the cameras were watching, all the lights flashing and the NHL showed just how much power they held. To prove my point, I’ll just take any of the following examples, Henrik Zetterberg’s 12-year, $73 million contract extension with the Red Wings on January 28, 2009. The deal which is the longest and most lucrative in franchise history, it just wasn’t so close to the CBA deadline to be considered quite the example. What about Bobby Lou? The Canucks had signed Luongo to a 12-year contract extension worth $64 million for a $5.33 million annual salary cap hit. The front-loaded deal, which will expire by the time Luongo is 43 and includes a no-trade clause, sees him make $10 million in 2010–11, then approximately $6.7 million annually through to 2017–18, $3.3 million and $1.6 million the subsequent two seasons, before tailing off to $1 million for the final two years. What about Marian Hossa, Chris Pronger and their deals? Ok, I’ll admit the fact those are indeed shortened and shrewder versions of the circumvention that NJ tried to pull on the league, but without using the double standard are still circumventions of the salary cap. Last but not least, is a 100 million, 15-year deal and a cap hit raise of around 600 000 that much more satisfactory for the NHL to be considered legit? Let’s not be silly. Granted, both the NHL, NHLPA plus the Devils can now claim that there is not legal basis on which either side can prove that Kovalchuk wouldn’t play out the contract in NJ, because after all 42 is not 44, and it’s not entirely impossible for the player like Kovalchuk to play until the end of the contract. But is it probable? That’s the foggy part. The problem about this is, if the NHL rejected the second Kovalchuk deal they would have to investigate all the aforementioned deals. And that’s really a big process, especially before training camps. I am claiming that the whole feather strutting by the NHL was done for one major thing – improving the negotiating position before the new CBA negotiations. In order to accept the newly proposed Kovalchuk contract the NHL negotiated the calculation of value of long-term deals that extend past a player’s 41st birthday differently so there will be no cap benefits past 40 for any player who is signed. So in other words, the NHL turned a blind eye to the deal to get that exclusive benefit in the current CBA. The only way I can be persuaded otherwise, that this whole charade wasn’t just leverage making, is if NJ suffers a cap penalty before the start of the year. But if that were to happen, it would be a slap in the face to the Devils considering Chicago, Vancouver etc. suffered no such ill will. Whatever happens, one thing is certain, this is how much the new CBA means. A whole lot.

This has been a VERY long introduction, and I hope you’re still reading. The lockout was probably the worst and best thing ever to happen to NHL hockey. It was a good thing because it enabled parity, more competitiveness, revenue sharing and the implementation of a fixed cap. Greed was almost out. It was bad because, well, it’s kind of obvious isn’t it. The current CBA needs fixing, that much is certain. If a player wants to earn 1.2 mil. he must ask for a paycheck of 1.4, 1.5 mil. because of escrow. Small market teams still have trouble filling their rinks which makes revenue sharing kind of unfair to teams that really make a profit. It’s basically rewarding teams like Atlanta for not getting people in the building which is absurd. It’s still more positive than negative, as with the result of revenue sharing (yes it is sometimes absurd, but it also enables teams like Nashville, a good competitive team with a lousy market, to survive) but it could use some fixing. Fixing it, however, doesn’t mean stopping play.

The NHL and the NHLPA know that the league made some incredible strides forward. Ratings have rivaled the NBA on more than one occasion and it’s looking more and more like hockey is becoming that third sport in the USA. That’s mostly due to the advancements the sport has made in becoming a more open, attacking game with calls and penalties that benefit a talented hockey player. Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri, Phill Kessel. Those are all examples of a fast new breed of superstar that, while restricted and held in the older NHL, now has a chance to thrive and entice the crowd. Chicago winning it all last year sparked an all new appreciation of Original Six teams. The increased interest is also a byproduct of a pair of hockey’s own Michael Jordans – Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and the growing rivalry between the two. With all that happening it’s highly doubtful that the league and the players’ association would jeopardize the emergence of the game of hockey with another cruel stoppage of the world’s greatest league. I think the fan base wouldn’t be so tolerable the second time around. Ok, there are fans like yours truly, fans that would wait until judgment day to watch a game of NHL hockey, but casual fans might wonder why follow a league that has a tendency to be put on hold every 5-6 years when there’s perfectly good baseball, soccer, basketball and football to be seen. Furthermore, it is wise to consider that the majority of players in the NHL are not Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin or Ilya Kovalchuk. Most of them are not superstars. Think of it like this, how many players play the 4^th line in the NHL? A lot. And how much money do they make? Not a whole lot, at least not compared to the aforementioned superstars. Could they really afford to be out of work for one whole year, maybe more? Maybe. How about moving the wife and kids to Europe for a short stint? Yes it’s all well and good until it’s Novosibirsk during winter time. And as long as it isn’t a long stint. That’s all well and good but there is still a question of bargaining. I’m not saying in won’t happen. I’m just saying that with all the paranoid writing out there, there isn’t that much reason for concern. The players and the NHL want the show to go on, they are basically at least ok with the majority of the current CBA which in words of both parties just needs tweaking. And like I said, tweaking doesn’t necessarily mean instant doom for those appreciative of the game of hockey.

PS I already published this on Proplay Magazine (http://proplay.ca/WP/), and I agree it has nothing and everything to do with the Leafs as the fate of the NHL is a fate all teams will share. So I think this topic is really important for all to hear and voice their opinions. We, as fan bases, can’t directly influence the new CBA negotiations, but we can certainly be heard. I for one don’t want my NHL to go to hibernation, don’t believe it will, but it is still a very real possibility.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

Things have certainly been interesting for the last couple of days. Antti Niemi has finally found a team willing to take him on, which is kind of surprising since Philly, SJ, NYI, Ottawa and Edmonton had some long lasting questions to be answered in net. Edmonton is in particularly good shape since their goaltender showed he’s all ready for the new season. The Bulin Wall that almost was. A shaman once said that drunk driving cures back issues. At least now he has time to focus for 30 days. A certain rival team has struggled to sign the anointed one, namely Carrey Price which is even more surprising than Niemi’s homelessness. They dealt Halak, so a sane person would think that he would repay them by signing whatever deal they threw at him, even if it was a bag of peanuts. But, the player, or rather his agent realized his position of power being the only true starting goalie they had and stalled the deal. Way to go Habs, great judging of character. Petty rivalry jabs aside, Ilya Kovalchuk saga has finally come to an end. One can really feel that the start of the season is almost upon us, especially with hell freezing over.

But, all is not over, or so it would seem. Word is, NJ is actively shopping Travis Zajac, and it’s no surprise. With a new deal, which has been repaired to suit the needs of the now ballsy NHL and with a slightly less obvious circumvention of the cap the Devils got their man. But with him might come a high price tag. 6.650.000 cap hit aside, this also means that the NHL might take further action to penalize the team that so blatantly tried to cheat. I’ll forget Roberto Luongo, Marian Hossa and Chris Pronger for a moment and try to focus on the really important stuff. If there indeed is a cap penalty in the Devils future Travis Zajac could be really useful for the Leafs, I just don’t see a way to get it done. Kaberle sure as hell won’t be in the deal cause NJ is looking to offload cash, not bring in 2 mil. more. And if Kabby’s not in the deal, the question of return value is raised. What could we possibly offer to NJ for Zajac? Bozak plus Caputi. Could work, but it’s a stretch.

Savard rumors haven’t exactly receded either. Why don’t we get him? It’s still a valid question, especially with Kaberle’s dad all packed in the newspapers. The answer would be rather simple. Burke does not see Savard as a vital rebuilding cog, not with his advanced years and concussion issue. The skill level has never been a question. There was also never any doubt that Savard would instantly help this team a lot. But is it smart in the long run? Probably not. As far as this writer is concerned, let’s give a decent run to our young guys, Bozak and Kadri. If all else fails, there’s always next year’s free agent crop. Brad Richards, Patrice Bergeron, Alexander Semin, Michal Handzus and Tim Connolly. Not a bad bunch. I for one don’t want to wait, but I also don’t want for us to hastily trade our assets for a guy that is on a  downswing of his career, as good as he might be. If we could get him cheap, as a kind of salary dump on Boston’s part, I’m fine by it. Like a Savard Kaberle swap of some sort. But I doubt that would happen, since Marco Sturm is on long term IR which reduces Boston’s cap woes at least for now. Also, Peter Chiarelli would really look bad if he traded Savard just after his no trade clause kicked in. So, that door is pretty much closed.

Everything is pretty much set, the pieces are in place. It’s time to get moving, enough of the boring trade rumors which lead to frustration, it’s time to get ready for training camp. To hell with all the Zajacs, Savards and Ryans. I for one can’t wait for Kadri. He has gotten much bigger and stronger (15 pounds and counting) while keeping his speed and stride. That’s pretty much everything the management wanted him to do, and if he plays like he did in last year’s camp, we’re in for a treat.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

Well, lately some news have indeed surfaced regarding our favorite blue team. Unfortunately, the news aren’t related to trades, Leafs getting stronger or anything positive really. It all started when Kaberle’s dad supposedly told a Czech newspaper that he doesn’t believe his son will play for the Maple Leafs for the entire 2010-11 NHL season. This doesn’t come as much a surprise to many, since having a big portion of the cap spent on our defensive core and not having enough top six forwards still signals trade. Trade which we have speculated for over half a year now seems inevitable. So what is this about? Every Kaberle interview that I’ve seen or heard was with a loyal tone and regret when asked how he would feel about leaving Toronto. So why this sudden change of heart? I’m not one to speculate too much so I’ll try to keep this short.

Is Kaberle’s father taking over his career? Well no, probably not. In fact, highly unlikely. Kaberle is well in his thirties, he’s not a young man capable of bowing down to his father’s every word. It is not really conceivable that his father would have a bigger impact on his career choices now than what he had earlier in his career. Rumors have it, and people who follow the team have felt, that Kaberle’s relationship to Wilson indeed hasn’t been of the highest quality and they are probably right. But why would Kaberle change his mind just after his no trade clause kicked in again? Why not before? I mean if the relationship between him and Wilson was sour, it was sour for a long time, and yet Kaberle sounded like he wanted to stay? My first guess is that this is a typical example of sports media blowing things said in a normal interview out of proportion. My second one is that Wilson and Kaberle are using this convenience to repair their relationship publicly for the good of the team. Yes, trade is still an option but the price for a disgruntled employee is slightly lower then it would normally be. Is that the reason Burke didn’t receive a top six player offer for Kaberle? We can’t know, it’s just speculation. If every piece of information is true (which is rarely the case) then Wilson has to convince Kaberle that he’s truly wanted, and not still here just because Burke couldn’t trade him. That can be a really difficult task facing the fact that we have a lot of money tied down on our defensive corps and something still has to be done.

To conclude, this is either a coup for Burke to save face if he indeed trades Kaberle (which works both ways then) or a very clever move by the management in order to clear the air for what looks to be a promising season. Either way, I like it, as long as grown ups do the talking.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak



Ah, here we are, that point that every hockey fan hates to see. Nothing. Is. Happening. But, I’m glad to say that the worst is probably behind us. The Leafs are bound to make some more moves as time moves on. Starcraft 2 and Mass Effect 2 are good distractions from hockey but let’s face it, it doesn’t even come close. So what do you do? You get up every morning thinking ok, this is the day, the day that your favorite blue team makes a eye popping trade. Instead, Kovalchuk hasn’t signed yet. Kovalchuk’s deal isn’t finalized. Arbitrator still undecided. No blue in sight. The question becomes not who, cause I think most of you will agree, we have exhausted all the possible options, but rather when. This will be a short overview of the situation the Leafs are in right now.

I mean, if Kaberle is indeed going to be traded, Burke is probably waiting for the last good defenceman in Willie Mitchell to get signed and then we’ll probably see a move if there is going to be any. And what about the devil you know? Well, after some serious thought, in the end I’ll stay undecided on the matter. If Kaberle stays, well that would give us a defensive corps that can rival almost any team in the league. If he goes, well, I’m counting on Burke to not give him away for peanuts. Our top six forwards, yup, better than last year, but still not top notch. A lot is riding on Nazem Kadri to step right in and take his NHL spot, but my guess is a stint in the AHL is probably a wiser move. Versteeg, Armstrong and Mueller are good additions but Versteeg is the only one I would call a strong asset. With or without Kaberle, our defense remains strong along with our goaltending which I addressed in my earlier article. One thing is certain, any trade the Leafs make is going to be made in order to boost the top six and maybe add some offensive depth. Aside from that, we can only speculate. Burke already said he’s not interested in a No1 center which might be a coup to get one. Although, until that happens I’m inclined to believe him. That must mean Kadri is close, which is a really good thing. But imagine this scenario: What if Bozak doesn’t repeat his performance from the end of last year (there is no reason why he wouldn’t though)? Will the load be too much for Kadri then, if indeed he makes the team and sticks around? I always like to look to Sam Gagner. The kid is an awesome player and I have no doubt he’ll end up being a really good NHL player, but this is what you get for throwing him into the lions den too early.

We’re really close to being a competitive team so I suspect this year is the breaking point for Wilson. If Burke gets that one top six guy, the Leafs Nation will expect success. There won’t be any more wiggle room, no excuses. That’s what’s scary about it. All this time, probably since we lost Sundin, us fans have found a way to justify losses. We are rebuilding, we don’t have proper management, we don’t have the players to succeed. All that changes now, we have the players, we have a captain again and we have Burke at the helm. It’s time to show the world why 70.78% of it is covered in blue.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

Winds of change are blowing through the NHL. Once mocked and ridiculed teams such as Florida, Atlanta, Edmonton and the Los Angeles Kings are now looking fresh and ready to compete. Similar changes have taken place in Tampa where the biggest move was Steve Yzerman, who by taking over the GM position, offers instant credibility to the Bolts franchise. Looking back at the last 10 or so years (not to get overly depressed), there’s nothing to suggest why we should be talking those teams down. For the Maple Leafs, success has been rare and far apart. So, where does this leave the Blue and White? Are we a part of the big shift of power that is going to hit the NHL in the next couple of years or are the Leafs just a rock too hard to be moved by the wind? In this article I’ll compare the Leafs with other franchises that I view as the most capable of future NHL success and are also in the midst of a rebuilding process. Details down below.

EDMONTON OILERS

A proud and storied franchise slumped to a level at which it is marked as one of the least desirable places to play in the entire league and which free agents look to avoid like a life threatening disease. More recent examples being Danny Heatley and Chris Pronger. Heatley refused to waive his NTC for a move to Edmonton, while Pronger bolted as soon as he got the chance. Actually, he created the chance by demanding a trade. Then came Big Sexy, Mr. Sheldon Souray. It’s sad that a franchise that once boasted maybe the best team in NHL history with players like Gretzky, Messier, Anderson, Fuhr, Coffey etc. suddenly couldn’t satisfy Sheldon Souray. In recent years, Edmonton was more famous for it’s losses and player/management wars than Stanley Cups, and their player development was at it’s all time low. But, all that seems to be changing with Tambellini and crew taking a more careful approach this time around. They have to, with expectations of a fan base only second to our own at an all time high (ok maybe not all time, but rather since the Gretzky years). Boasting talents like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi Svensson, talents that will grow together, and that have a chance to become a really tight nit group because the similar stages in their development and the young look of the new Edmonton Oilers. While their talent pool is probably deepest in the league, they are still missing key pieces of the rebuild. A top defenseman, a younger NHL starter goaltender and a top line center. Ryan Whitney and Ladislav Smid are two good defensemen, coupled with Tom Gilbert, Kurtis Foster make a decent top 4 group but there is still a feeling that a top NHL defenseman is needed. That top guy could possibly be Sheldon Souray but it’s highly unlikely he’s ever going to have the same impact as during his previous years, and it’s extremely likely he’ll be traded for some spare parts. Goaltending is a big question mark since Devan Dubnyk and Jeff Deslauriers are not really No1 material (maybe Dubnyk, but he has yet to show it, although the character is there) and future of star goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who was acquired last season is clouded by back injuries. They lack a veteran presence and will be looking to add it during this offseason. As far as the forward group is concerned, goalscoring and assists will be up to those kids mentioned above, with the biggest contribution coming from the oft injured and supremely talented Ales Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff and the overpaid, oversized winger Dustin Penner. Sam Gagner has great passing ability but he has to prove he can produce at the NHL level (although he is still extremely young) and players like Gilbert Brule, Andrew Cogliano will probably play some part in the rebuild. Their new coach, Tom Renney, is a solid NHL coach, and the staff includes Pat Quinn, as the senior hockey adviser, assistant coaches Kelly Buchberger & Wayne Fleming, President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe and GM Steve Tambellini. While often stigmatized as hasty and rash, I’m willing to give Lowe and Tambellini the benefit of the doubt, their competence assessment depending on the future of the young trio. I don’t doubt Quinn for a second.

ATLANTA THRASHERS

Atlanta has made some great moves in acquiring Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien and the rest of the Chicago corps, they have finally put a respectable GM in place (Rick Dudley) and are not looking like a complete train wreck. Also, as a kind of side effect to the whole Kovalchuk trade and the recently completed NHL draft they have some great prospects in Patrice Cormier and Alexander Burmistrov. A core of solid defensemen led by Tobias Enstrom and Zack Bogosian is looking really promising after a breakout season Enstrom had last year. Other notables include recently acquired Brent Sopel, Ron Hainsey and Johnny Oduya. They plugged a big hole recently, by adding solid No1 goaltender Chris Mason who’s coming off a good season for St. Louis. The guy is a team player and is perfect to either hold down the fort by himself or share the load with up and coming Ondrej Pavelec. They have a solid, although not spectacular group of forwards. Good checkers in Cormier, Eager and Ladd, two very good evolving power forwards in Byfuglien and the guy who was most famous for knocking out Matt Cooke last season, Evander Kane. To me, the guys on Atlanta are not superstars, and they don’t need to be, but what they do have is a perfect top six, bottom six ratio. They have two good top six centermen in Antropov and last year’s surprise package in Rich Peverley coupled with good young scoring wingers in Brian Little and Niclas Bergfors. When you add Clarke McArthur, Todd White and excellent prospects like Cormier, Burmistrov and Telegin you have yourself a young and hungry hockey team, one that will only improve as years go by. The GM change from Don Wadell to Rick Dudley is a welcome and positive sign for Thrasher fans, it’s also the biggest plus as far as the offseason is concerned. The rest of the staff remains questionable. For this season at least, the franchise seems capable of making a postseason run.

FLORIDA PANTHERS

The Panthers have a really good chance to be a good NHL team for years to come. Florida has taken a route that’s similar to the Thrashers and Blues. Solidifying the defense, with a top notch goaltending talent in the player pool, and one already an established and quality NHL goaltender they are ready to build for the future from the back end. Jacob Markstrom is currently rated as the No1 goaltender in the world that’s not playing in the NHL. That will soon change. And when it does, the Panthers will have to decide what they are going to with Tomas Vokoun. But, that will remain kind of a bittersweet concern of GM Dale Tallon who has still time to decide what he wants in return for Vokoun. Depending on next season’s free agency, as well as this year’s lack of interest for high profile goaltenders I suspect it won’t be as much as he’s hoping for. The Panthers have have also drafted well according to their team needs. They are one of the big winners of the 2010 NHL draft with tough defensive prospect Erik Gudbranson and a possible steal of the second round in John McFarland. With a trade that sent Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell to Boston, the Panthers made sure their defensive core is set by getting a good puck moving defenseman in Denis Wideman. The new look defense looks really good, especially if Gudbranson adapts quickly. Brian McAbe is a guy we all know and Dimitry Kulikov oozes potential. Similarly to Alanta, there is not a bunch of big names up front, but with players like David Booth and Stephen Weiss there is plenty to build around. Other helpful cogs might be Michael Frolik, Michael Grabner, Steve Bernier who all haven’t come close to hitting their prime. Players like Chris Higgins, Cory Stillman and Steve Reinprecht still have something to offer. There is also the “small” fact that the team’s new owners seem to really care about hockey, the team and the community which in turn creates an atmosphere of something really positive that’s bruin in Florida.

LOS ANGELES KINGS

Well, Kovalchuk or no Kovalchuk it’s hard to deny the Kings are miles away for the Leafs in terms of the rebuilding process right now. Going after Kovalchuk only proves my point even further. Of all the teams mentioned in this article, the Kings are probably in the best potion concerning the rebuild, as long as they don’t go too crazy after Kovalchuk. What do they have? Well for starters, they have a goaltender with 39 wins last season in Jonathan Quick. They also have an even better goaltender who’s about ready for the big time in Jonathan Bernier who is/was btw the best goaltender in the AHL. Their defense is very close to being cup ready, but they do need another top 4 puck moving defenseman. Other than that, no problem. Drew Doughty is probably the best 20 year old defenseman since Bobby Orr, and strangely I really don’t feel I’m exaggerating too much here. Jack Johnson isn’t bad either. You can always count on Rob Scuderi to grind it out. They also have some prospects coming in to fill some bottom roles. Oh yeah, the forwards. Well, simply put, they have a legitimate NHL superstar (that much is clear by now, even if you don’t watch many Kings games) in Anze Kopitar. Ryan Smyth, their Leaf coveted hard hitting captain Dustin Brown, Wayne Simmonds, faceoff beast Jaret Stoll, injury prone but good winger Justin Williams and Michal Handzus round up an already impressive group, even without Kovalchuk. Now add him to the equation. And best of all, they’re young. The average age of the core group of Doughy, Quick, Bernier, Brown, Kopitar, Simmonds  and Johnson is just 22.2 years of age. All that without taking highly touted prospects Brayden Schenn and Brandon Kozun into account. Their coach, Terry Murray, although not exactly my first choice for coach of the year, proved he was exactly what the doctor ordered and with the careful approach of their GM Dean Lombardi you can be sure this is one well run team. If they do get Kovalchuk, Jack Nicholson just might have to switch to hockey.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

We have some pieces in play, sure. Dion Phaneuf, Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak, Jonas Gustavsson, Nazem Kadri, Kris Versteeg and Luke Schenn. Those are the main building blocks. Komisarek, Kulemin, Gunnarsson are the next most important assets while JS Giguere, Francois Beauchemin are going stay in TO for a relatively limited period. Accordingly, their main assignment is to fill in the blanks for the time being and teach younger guys how to be NHL players. Ideally, I would like the management to add some veteran depth at some positions, especially the center. Our core seems solid enough, but a lot is based on the assumption that either Nazem Kadri, or Tyler Bozak will end up being that No1 NHL centerman for the Leafs. I’m not doubting Kadri’s talent or Bozak’s NHL readiness, but I’d like to have a guy who would help them develop and teach them to play the position in the NHL. That No1 center would hold down the fort until the kids reach their full potential and would give us more depth throughout the first 3 lines. I feel really confident about our blueline corps especially with Komisarek’s due return. Yes, he wasn’t exactly stellar for the first part of his career with the Leafs, but seeing his training habits and work ethic I suspect that he’ll be much better next season. That is also based on the fact that, unlike last season, he’ll have help dealing with guys on the back end. Giguere and Gustavsson look really solid as a goaltending tandem which would suggest the area that needs most improvement is up front. While we’ve all noticed some big and positive changes in some players towards the end of last season, questions still remain. Can Bozak and Kulemin continue with that level of play for an entire season? Will Kris Versteeg play like a top six forward in the Leafs uniform? Will Jonas Gustavsson emerge as a No1 NHL goaltender? How will Nazem Kadri react to the pressure put on him by the Toronto media and Leafs Nation? Will Dion Phaneuf make a good captain? Is Phil Kessel a 45-50 goalscorer in the NHL? My answer to almost all those questions is a positive one. Can Bozak and Kulemin continue with that level of play for an entire season? Why not? Bozak has battled mononucleosis earlier last season and, finally healthy, he showed why Burke tried so hard to sign him. Kulemin had only just completely adapted to the NHL level and his forechecking work as well as corner battles and work ethic have been in a steady climb since he came into the league. There is no reason why that can’t continue. Will Kris Versteeg play like a top six forward in the Leafs uniform? He played like a top six forward on the bottom six Chicago line. Will Jonas Gustavsson emerge as a No1 NHL goaltender? He has the size, the agility, the work ethic and a really good mentor. How will Nazem Kadri react to the pressure put on him by the Toronto media and Leafs Nation? That one I really don’t know. What I do know is this kid has the drive and a will to learn. That, coupled by his skillset is a dangerous combination. Dangerous for teams facing the Leafs in the future. Will Dion Phaneuf make a good captain? Well the impact he had on the dressing room, plus the fact that he earned the captaincy in such short notice suggests he’ll not only be good, he’ll be perfect. Is Phil Kessel a 45-50 goalscorer in the NHL? Get him on a line with the right centerman and I’m sure he’d come close, but to tell you the truth, I’d be happy with him hitting 40 on a regular basis which he’s more than capable of. I’m also really happy with the level of sandpaperness that Burke has added to this team. Mike Brown and Colton Orr will be a terrifying tandem, and Colby Armstong is no slouch either. At 3 mil. he might be a tad overpaid, but his checks won’t be any lighter. Size and some scoring on the top two lines remains an issue, as does some veteran leadership. While I’m not ecstatic about having Ron Wilson as a coach, I’m also not ready to hang him out to dry. I’ll only be prepared to judge him AFTER he has had a season to coach a respectable NHL team. That said, I think our GM is one of the best in the game. He might not be patient, he might not be conventional, but he knows how to get the job done.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

Recently, actually since I watched TSN’s segment “Why not Canada?”, I’ve caught myself thinking about hockey markets in general as well as the possibility of the NHL relocating or expanding (less likely) a team to Toronto. Now, keep in mind that this is primarily an outsider’s view on the situation but that could very well make it an objective one. As I already pointed out in my previous article for Leafspace, I absolutely agree with the fact that experiments conducted by Gary Bettman and the NHL with non viable USA hockey markets were an utter and complete failure (with the possible exception of the Dallas Stars and more recently the Nashville Predators – those markets/teams indeed still struggling with financial issues but managing to have on ice success). So, while do I sympathize with hockey fans in Atlanta, there is always the greater good for the game of hockey to keep in mind (The article is called Homeless Hockey and can be found here). And, that’s just my humble opinion, hockey can only thrive in a real hockey market with passionate fans and media, corporate support. That said, I don’t really think it would be wise to have another team in the Toronto area. Read on.

Well, there are basically three main points to my theory. The first and most obvious one would be the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs are a hockey institution. Not only that, they are Canada’s team, one rich in history (realistically one of two Canada’s teams alongside the hated Habs – don’t bash me now people) and quite possibly one of 5-10 major sports brands in the world. Why not Canada argues that the corporate structure and the market viability in the greater Toronto area could fit not 2 but 2 and a half teams. I would argue that while the financial background indeed exists, it would be quite hard to get people to fall in love with another team rather quickly, even with all the love for hockey that is part of a culture. The question is how would people react to another team in Toronto? Would the Leafs revenue be split in half? Would the population of Toronto suddenly find itself actually choosing a new team instead of the Maple Leafs? I really don’t think so. T-Shirts, team jerseys, hats, sales of such items can only be a substantial source of income if a large fan base actually exists. The time needed to generate that fan base, and the fact that people really love the Leafs (full stands with much less than stellar success prove that point) make it really hard for a team to thrive in that particular area. With that assumption, one can argue that money generated by that team and or fan base would be significantly smaller than the one generated by the Toronto Maple Leafs and Leafs nation.

My second question is why would the NHL want to put another team in Toronto when markets such as Winnipeg, Quebec City or even Hartford seem viable and have been waiting for the NHL to come calling for a really long time now? Quebec City, for example, possesses all the attributes to make a great home for another NHL team. The much improved economy and a presence of a media mogul as a potential owner of the team makes the idea even more appealing to Gary Bettman. Plans to build a new, publicly funded 4.000.000 dollar arena are also in motion just to further aid their campaign. Also, as all of you probably know, the city already homed an NHL team – The Quebec Nordiques. Gary Bettman publicly announced if the NHL was looking to expand or relocate, the first choice would be cities, areas and fans that previously had a chance to witness NHL hockey, only to see their hearts crushed when the teams got relocated. I for one wouldn’t mind the Leafs having another Canadian rival to measure against, plus I’m sure many of you wouldn’t like for someone, a lifelong Leafs fan, a friend, to suddenly cry: “I’m a Toronto Albatross fan!” – the thought itself is a disturbing notion.

For my last point, I would like to talk how a change such as this would impact the Leafs. Yes, research has shown that a city like NY, that has 2 hockey teams (Islanders and Rangers), 2 baseball, basketball, football teams (Yankees, Mets/Knicks, Liberty/Giants, Jets) and an MLS team (Metrostars) hasn’t had the revenue of each individual team reduced by other sports teams in that market. Comparison between NY and Toronto was the second main point of the Why not Canada segment dealing with Toronto’s capability of housing two NHL teams. The Islanders were founded in 1972 and the Rangers in 1926. The Rangers are an original six team so it really seems like a very reasonable comparison when dealing with the potential 2 team package in Toronto. However, given how hockey is beyond a reasonable doubt the No1 sport in Canada, and seeing how the Leafs are ingrained in the hockey culture as well as in the mindset of Torontians I suspect it would be a much different story here. There are two possible outcomes, either the Leafs fan base gets split in two, which is highly unlikely (after all, if I didn’t believe that, what kind of a fan would I be?) which creates less money for the Leafs franchise, or more likely, the new franchise doesn’t get nearly enough revenue because people won’t give in in following the Leafs. I’m basically talking about mindsets here, but given how Canadians love hockey, and the demand for NHL (Leafs) tickets, it would be hard to imagine the empty arena of a newly founded Toronto team. Either way, as a Maple Leafs fan, I’m not happy with the outcome.

How do you feel about a second team in Toronto? Feel free to comment.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

Well, I’m sure all of you had some dreams about who you’d like to see in a Leafs uniform. Me too, but this isn’t about those players. It’s about being mildly realistic in my pursuit of players that wouldn’t make you a material for institutionalization if you mentioned them in the same sentence as a Maple Leafs jersey. Also, those are the players nobody talks about very much, they are not the center of the NHL universe like a certain Russian player who shall remain nameless. I think they deserve at least an honorable mention, so I’m just putting it out there.

Kyle Okposo – Absolutely love this kid. I think about him as a second coming of Jarome Iginla (not at all based on his appearance). He has a really wicked shot, plays a tremendous two-way game and is not shy about dishing out hits. His work ethic is off the charts plus he’s a much better skater than Iginla. He would be a perfect complement to our second line (although he is a first line NHL player already, no doubt about it). Imagine a line with him, Kadri and Versteeg. The addition of this caliber of player would indeed solidify our two lines and would make them both equally dangerous. The kid also plays with a ton of emotion. Not gonna happen. Hey I never said this was a completely realistic article.

Wayne Simmonds – Before we signed Colby Armstrong I thought this was the player Burke was aiming for. A really nice surprise for everyone that watched any of the Kings games last year. Big, physical kid with lots of energy, that can also put the puck in the net. He was also really solid defensively and created loads of space for Kopitar when the two got paired up. Funny thing, he even played some PP minutes and took the most of those chances. He is also a regular on the penalty kill.

Saku Koivu – Just to stick it to the Habs. Give him the C to make them more red than their hockey sweaters. I’m just kidding. Or am I?

Rene Bourque – Hey maybe Burke can trick Sutter into another one of his trademark trades. Rene Bourque is big, he can get really hot for a really long time, and my guess is, if he played on a team with more goalscoring acumen, he could really thrive. Bourque also has speed to burn and isn’t afraid of getting into those dirty areas to score. Boy would Burke love him. He was the player that impressed me the most in a rather disgraceful season for the Flames.

James Neal – A player that’s only coming into his own at the NHL level has already impressed with two very good seasons. 155 games played, 51 goals and 41 assists for 92 points. Neal is also big with a goalscorer’s shot. His tendency to win corner battles would be a big asset to the Leafs.

Tyler Seguin – You can’t have your cake and eat it too. His name is wierd anyway. Says Xterratu.

David Booth – The best player on the Florida Panthers. Wait, is that even a compliment? Well, based on what the Panthers management has done lately, it will soon become one. Booth is a tenacious forechecker that can score at will. Having barely watched Panthers games thought the years I was blown away when I first saw him playing. To me, he is in the same category as Zach Parise. This will come to light soon enough, as soon as next season.

Mike Modano – Whooooooooaa. Didn’t expect that one, did you? Why not? He’d be affordable (cheap), he would bring veteran leadership to the team that’s lacking in that department, he would teach the young players how to play the center position in the NHL and he’s ready to accept a checking line role. On top of that, the legend of US hockey can still put up some points.

Gilbert Brule – Is an animal on the forecheck. Besides the obvious fact he’s arbitration friendly, he has great setup skills and really good hands. He dishes out punishing checks from time to time and is really aggressive. When talking about his NHL production, he has only gotten his feat wet as far as his potential is concerned and isn’t likely to get many opportunities to shine in the new look Oilers with Horcoff tied down and Gagner finally ready to make an impact with superior wingers.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard – Yup. I know. The concussion. He might never be 100% and I’d be only in favor of him in a Leafs jersey if and only if he’s healthy. But when he is boy, he’s some kind of player. He can play either wing or center, can dangle and has top tier vision. His trade value is probably decreased because of the whole concussion thing. What? I’m just saying.

Scott Hartnell – I hate his guts. And his hair. He looks like Carrot Top. But that’s one of the reasons I’d like him on our Leafs team, cause like you know, a player you hate the most on the opposite team, is a guy you’d love to have on your team. His checks are nasty, he plays dirty and he can score a ton of garbage goals cause he always seems to be in the right place at the right time.  Also, he bites people’s fingers.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

As much as this isn’t directly related to the Leafs anymore, it still kind of is. Ilya Kovalchuk is a fantastic hockey player. Wait, let me rephrase that, Ilya Kovalchuk is a great offensive hockey player and a superstar goalscorer. In his 8 NHL seasons and 621 games played, the tallied 338 goals and 304 assists (642 points). That puts his NHL average at about 1.03 points per game. He is a fantastic skater who possesses great stride, speed and is one of the most influential powerplay performers I have ever seen. That’s mainly due to his offensive instincts and a superior shot that is easily one of the best in the game, if not the best. That said, would I want him on our team? My answer is plain and simple, my answer is no. And here is why.

Burke is a smart man. I love the fact he distanced himself from all the Kovalchuk talk long before all of this insanity started. He knew that this guy wasn’t going to be easy. I get contract demands, free agency leverages, negotiation and playing hardball. I really do. What I don’t get is trying to make yourself look bigger than the league and asking for insane money AND term. Kovalchuk is asking Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin money. And Vincent Lecavalier money, but that’s another matter entirely. Not to stray too far away from my point, Lecavalier wasn’t an unrestricted free agent in an open market when signing that deal, he also wasn’t to blame for trying to make the most of having incompetent management that almost ruined the entire franchise. All in all, Lecavalier only tried to do it once. Just to get back on track here, is Ilya Kovalchuk Alexander Ovechkin? I get how it would be unfair to compare him with a centerman of Crosby’s caliber, so a winger it is. The only possible winger with which Kovalchuk’s value is comparable at that. Since we’ve already looked at Kovalchuk’s stats, let’s take a peek at Ovechkin. In his 5 NHL seasons he has totalled 396 games, 269 goals with 260 assists for 529 points. A 1.34 PPG. All that aside, Ovechkin is a better, more dynamic goalscorer that has a bigger overall influence on a game. His intensity, overall defensive play (although that has room for improvement) is better than Kovalchuk’s total package. His plus minus, which, if not looking at the whole picture can indeed be attributed to him playing on a better team most of his career, is much better. About the plus minus, looking at Ovechkin’s first two seasons in the league, it’s not as if the Caps were a powerhouse back then and you can compare those stats to the relatively successful seasons the Thrashers had, by doing this they basically end up even. For example, I’ll compare his 2006-07 season in which the Thrashers made the playoffs, to Ovechkin’s first and second season. Now keep in mind that by this time, Kovalchuk is an already established NHL player, while Ovechkin is a rookie or a guy with one year of NHL experience. In 2006-07 Ovechkin was -19, while Kovalchuk was -2. Next year Ovechkin was +28. Kovalchuk was -12. In his rookie year (2005-06) Ovechkin was +2, Kovalchuk was -6. To sum it all up, in those three seasons, Ovechkin was +11, Kovalchuk -20. Well, I guess it’s not all that even. All that based on stats from the years in which the Thrashers had their best team in history, while the Caps were, well, at the start of building a new look for their franchise. And to top it all off, Ovechkin hits, actually destroys people and is built like a Russian tank. He is perfectly suited for the North American game. As for Kovalchuk? Well, I think I remember a hit. It’s kinda foggy but it happened. I’m sure. Ok, now that we have established that Ovechkin is a better player than Kovalchuk (which is basically clear to any person that knows anything about the game of hockey) how do we proceed? Ah yes, character.

From a neutral’s perspective, Kovalchuk played GM Don Waddell and the Atlanta Thrashers. He himself stated in a interview which I personally heard, with my own healthy ears, that his first option was to stay in Atlanta hours before him being traded to the Devils. Don Waddell reportedly offered 12-year, $101 million and seven-year, $70 million contracts, both of which Kovachuk turned down. Turned down you say? Atlanta was his first choice. Yes I too would turn down my first choice, especially if they offered me the kind of money you can’t spend in one lifetime. Ok yeah I would if it really wasn’t my first choice (oh you, you caught me lying there didn’t you) orrrrrr I wanted to play for a Stanley Cup contending team and I was only telling the story of my heart warming love for Atlanta to ease the fans who loved me for so many years. All 10 of you guys deserve my respect. Let’s get serious. Ok he wanted to play for a contending team. There is nothing wrong with that. So he got traded to the Devils. We all know how that ended. Suffice it to say there wasn’t a Stanley Cup in the story. So, third time’s the charm eh? He didn’t want to try in Atlanta, things didn’t click with NJ and before we knew it, we had probably the most influential UFA ever hit the open market. First in line, the LA Kings. Allegedly, the Kings did everything they possibly could to land the superstar scorer. The deal offered was reportedly the most Kings could offer without jeopardizing the future of the team in Drew Doughty, who still has to be locked up long term. He turned them down. Then, out of the blue, the Internet was flooded with news reports linking Ilya Kovalchuk to the NY Islanders. Rumor was the Isles had an offer that could well be in the 10-year, $100 million range. If that were the case, I’d rank it even beyond the Lecavalier contract nonsense, but I highly doubt it would happen. If it were to happen though, I suspect it would be around 9, 9.5 mil max. That’s not the point. My question is this, why would Ilya Kovalchuk want to turn down an offer from a legitimate Stanley Cup contender (LA Kings), only to sign for around as much for a rebuilding team not unlike the Atlanta Thrashers, who btw, after the GM change, are looking really promising? I guess only Kovalchuk knows the answer to those questions, all I know is that I don’t want that kind of character (pun intended) in our Leafs’ dressing room. I only hope he cares for the Cup more than the extra million, and if so, he’ll re-sign with NJ or LA and try for it. He’ll earn my respect then, be it a respect for a total and utter character. He might be, like Lou Lamorello says, a hard working, team player, but after all this, who can believe him?

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

What constitutes as a perfect fit? Is it the chemistry with the linemates, matching voice in the locker room, or capturing the spirit of a given team? I guess it’s a little of everything. Whatever the main ingrident is, I’m pretty sure Marc Savard would be just that on our current Leafs roster. I’d like to start by addressing the trade rumors surrounding Savard. The main rumor is that he’s going to be traded to the Leafs for something other than Tomas Kaberle. Let’s speculate shall we.

First off, it probably doesn’t matter how deep Boston is at center, or how badly they want to get rid of Savard’s cap hit, they won’t just trade their (still) top line center for peanuts. Nikolai Kulemin should be a part of any deal, and your guess is as good as mine as to who goes with him. Could be Carl Gunnarsson (although I would hate that) or Viktor Stalberg, Mikhail Grabovski (I could live with that). So in trading away those two guys (presumably Gunnarsson because Boston dealt away defensemen Sobotka and Wideman recently and Kulemin) the Leafs get to keep Kaberle as a bargaining chip for future trades. I’m guessing the best fit here would constitute a perfect trade for a needed position without having to give away our top assets. That’s one way of putting it. Kaberle can then be either re-signed (which I’m not totally against – they guy has been a cornerstone of the organization for a very long time and I respect him because of it) or dealt for some much needed size and strength on our top two lines. If the deal does in the end include Kaberle, which would address one of Boston’s prime needs right now, it’s still a great deal for both teams. With our without Kabby, our defensive corps would stay strong with the likes of our newly promoted captain Dion Phaneuf, supreme physical package of Mike Komisarek, Luke Schenn and Francois Beauchemin. Goaltending is set with JS Giguere and Jonas Gustavsson in nets. And now it gets interesting.

The major impact that this potential deal could have on the Leafs offense. Phil Kessel and Marc Savard created magic during the 2008-2009 season. They know each other extremely well and would probably have instant chemistry. Savard could help with the development of our young centers Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadri teaching them what it takes to play the position in the NHL. I’m only getting to the good part. Marc Savard is 32 years old. That means that even with the concussion (which I’m not really worried about) he can still play 2-3 years of top notch hockey. He remains one of the three best passers and playmaking centers in the National Hockey League behind only Sidney Crosby and Joe Thornton. Adding to that, Savard’s presence would only entice other FA’s even more, it would signal a making of a contending hockey team in Toronto. To me, building a franchise starts at the center position. Yes, defense and goaltending  is really important, but my opinion is that one can find solid defensemen and goaltending easier than a No1 center.

Marc Savard is by far the best player the Leafs could hope to acquire this offseason (with Marleau being re-signed by SJ). Yes Kovalchuk is an elite player, and yes, it’s not like 50 goalscorers simply fall from the nearest tree, but like I said, I view the center position as the more important franchise building asset. And the Leafs are trying to do just that. Rebuild. So it’s fair to say that by getting Savard we would still need to add size cause this guy doesn’t exactly cause a shade. But that’s fine. There is size aplenty in the free agency, there just isn’t enough skill and passing ability. I really hope we can get this done. It would not only get us a first legitimate first line center since Mats Sundin, but it would set the tone for Burke’s free agency deals. And there are guys like Frolov, Zherdev and even Kovalchuk to mingle with.

Mislav “Xterratu” Jantoljak

Rumor

Bob McKenzie and Nick Kypreos of TSN and Sportsnet respectively have reported that Leafs GM Brian Burke and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli will begin talks on the possibility of sending Marc Savard to Toronto.  Both report that any deal including Savard would not include Kaberle, as it is believed the Bruins may be willing to take so-called “spare parts” in order to unload Savard’s contract.

My Analysis

Marc Savard to the Toronto Maple Leafs is very much a possibility at this point in time.  It seems that the Bruins are hoping to move forward with their three young centers (Tyler Seguin, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci) and it also seems the Bruins are worried about Savard’s health issues mixed with his lengthy contract.  Acquiring Savard is a risk given his age and current health status as well as contract, but should he return to form then it would be a huge reward and steal for the Leafs.

A similar situation would be Jason Blake, who signed with the Leafs in 2007 at the age of 34.  Blake’s first two seasons matched his previous numbers, though this past season, in the third year, his production began to severely decline.  Should Marc Savard come to the Leafs he would be 33 once the season starts, and theoretically be able to continue prime production for another three seasons.  Also, given the fact that the final three years of Savard’s seven-year deal pay him a combined 2.5M, Savard’s contract would suddenly become very easy to ship to a low-budget team, bury in the minors, be bought out, and there’s always the possibility that Savard could retire before then.  Marc Savard is only a four-year commitment, and it’s safe to assume he can continue his elite production for at least another three years.  Just my two cents on why the Leafs should pull the trigger on any deal sending Savard our way for spare parts.

Acquiring a first-line center without giving away our greatest trade chip is another positive, and opens others avenues for Tomas Kaberle (such as dealing him for a winger with size as previously speculated).

This could get real interesting real quick, stay tuned.

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