How Will the Leafs Recover Offense?
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded away Ian White, Jason Blake, Matt Stajan, Jamal Mayers and Niklas Hagman accounting for 38 percent of their offense. What will the team do to replace the four missing forwards?
Categories: Eastern Conference, NHLHS Features, Northeast, Toronto Maple Leafs, Trade Rumors Tags: Brian Burke, Fredrik Sjostrom, Ian White, Jamal Mayers, Jason Blake, John Mitchell, Matt Stajan, Mikhail Grabovski, Nazem Kadri, Niklas Hagman, Nikolai Kulemin, Rickard Wallin
The Sellers: Toronto Maple Leafs
The Sellers is a weekly column presented by NHLHotStove that will discuss all the rumblings and situations surrounding the teams that will most likely miss the playoffs. Heading into the March 3rd trade deadline, keep an eye out here for the bottom eight to ten teams in the league that will be known as “sellers”.
Brian Burke stepped into the Maple Leafs organization promising to build a contender. His theme of truculence has not paid off. The Maple Leafs currently sit in 14th place, nine points out of a playoff position.
Categories: Deadline Speculation, Eastern Conference, NHLHS Features, Northeast, The Sellers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Trade Rumors Tags: Alexander Steen, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Brian Burke, Carlo Colaiacovo, Francois Beauchemin, Garnett Exelby, Jamal Myers, Jason Blake, Jonas Gustavsson, Lee Stempniak, Matt Stajan, Mike Komisarek, Mike Van Ryn, Nik Antropov, Phil Kessel, Rickard Wallin, Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vesa Toskala, Wayne Primeau
Lunch with Brian Burke
Earlier this afternoon, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke discussed numerous topics on Leafs Lunch – Leafs Nation Edition with Dennis Bayak. With the Leafs playing much better than their winless start, they may make some noise during the trade deadline or as Burke alluded to before it.
Personally I have always admired Burke’s honesty in discussing his teams. He usually gives his fans a perspective on what he plans to do while playing his cards close to the chest. The GM of the 2010 Team USA program also announced he will release the roster on Monday, December 28th.
Lets break down some of the topics discussed.
On the State of the Team
- Thinks the playoffs are realistic and notes the team work ethic has been great to date.
- Reemphasized not winning their first seven games really hurt their chances of climbing the standings.
- Would like to see both goalies healthy and in rhythm. Wants two weeks with both Jonas Gustavsson and Vesa Toskala healthy so he can assess the situation and rely on one of them down the stretch.
Categories: Around the League, Eastern Conference, Northeast, Toronto Maple Leafs, Trade Rumors Tags: Chris Didomenico, Jacob Muzzin, Jason Blake, Jeff Carter, Jiri Tlusty, Jonas Gustavsson, Luke Schenn, Matt Stajan, Nazem Kadri, Niklas Hagman, Nikolai Kulemin, Phil Kessel, Philippe Paradis, Rickard Wallin, Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vesa Toskala
Nylander Clears Waivers, Minor Signing & Trade Rumors
A few things going around the league. Nothing huge on the trade front as can be anticipated. Most rumors or big deals will not materialize until at least February when we have clear cut buyers and sellers.
- Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun reports the Leafs self-imposed trade deadline has come and passed. Earlier in the year, notably before the return of Phil Kessel, Toronto was expected to have a major fire sale. At this point, I would expect a smaller move along the lines of the Lee Stempniak trade after the period of immunity passes.
- Former NHL head coach Pat Burns says “Vincent Lecavalier will be traded this season.” The article by Vincent Destouches of Corus Sports covers the entire story in which Burns mentions the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers as interested parties. Despite the ties the former coach has to the NHL community this seems like more like speculation than inside information. The 29-year-old is due a whopping $7,727,273 cap hit through 2020 so any deal will have to involve a number of moving parts. The former first overall pick projects to score 16 goals and 68 points.
Categories: Atlantic, Eastern Conference, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Northeast, Pacific, Phoenix Coyotes, Southeast, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Trade Rumors, Washington Capitals, Western Conference Tags: Bob MacKenzie, Calgary Hitmen, Corus Sports, Lance Hornby, Lee Stempniak, Michael Nylander, Michael Stone, Pat Burns, Phil Kessel, The Toronto Sun, TSN, Vincent Destouches, Vincent Lecavalier, WHL
Michael Leighton, Jeremy Reich Placed on Waivers
Bob MacKenzie reports, via Twitter, both of these players have been placed on waivers.
According to Chip Alexander’s Canes Now starter Cam Ward is expected to play Wednesday making the Leighton expendable to the team. In parts of three seasons with Carolina the 28-year-old held a line of 8-12-0-2 averaging a GAA of over three. With other established backups such as Joey MacDonald and Steve Valiquette passing through waivers earlier in the year I would expect there to be few takers on the veteran.
In other news the New York Islanders also placed 30-year-old Jeremy Reich on waivers. The Craik, Saskatchewan native did not play a game for the Isles and has six points over 99 career NHL games with the Bruins and Blue Jackets. He was originally drafted in the 2nd round by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.
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-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com
