Can't Stop The Bleeding

I really like this picture because out the guy in the background holding up the sign CBS (can’t, beat, sabers) and how true it is, early in the week the Leafs had a two goal lead going into the third period and ended up losing in overtime and if it wasn’t for Andrew Raycroft the game wouldn’t have gotten to OT.

Defensive woes continue to hurt the Toronto Maple Leafs, for the second time in a week the Leafs had a two goal lead going into the third period and ended up losing. Last night they had the Blackhawks beat and then they gave up and allowed Chicago to climb back into the game and eventually winning.

Maurice needs to shake up his defensive units and fast, now if I were in his shoe’s here is what I would do…

Unit 1
Kaberle and McCabe

Until 2
Kaberle and Kronwall

Until 3
Gill and Walser or Stralman

Goodbye to Ian White and Andy Wozniewski, only in the short term because they’re both really fighting the puck right now.

Bob Hartley Fired

Well it only took six games to have the first coach fired in the NHL this year. Atlanta Thrashers bench boss was let go after the team had another pathetic effort losing to the Flyers last night 4-0. The Thrashers are still the only team not to register a point this season going 0-6 and the writing was on the wall for Hartley, now with Hartley gone GM Don Wadell will take over behind the bench on an interim basis as he tries to save his job. Since coming into the league in the 1999-2000 season, the Thrashers have made only one playoff appearance and one division title and both were last year.

Nice Goal McCabe...

Hey McCabe the net is at the other end! What a crazy game leafs nation got so see that night, the Leafs were up 2-0 going into the third period and then it was a sea saw battle the rest of the night. Now Toronto had the lead in the game four different times in game so one would think that if you have a lead four times in the final period you should be able to win the game but we are talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs here who right now probably have one of the worst defence units around.

Here is how much the Leafs top six are making:

$7,150,000.00 - McCabe
4,250,000.00 - Kaberle
5,000,000.00 - Kubina
$2,075,000.00 - Gill
$500,000.00 - Wozniewski
$750,000.00 - White

But the player last night that stuck out most and for good reason was Toronto's whipping boy Bryan McCabe, McCabe almost scored on his own net in the third period clearing a shot away from the net and then we all know what happened in overtime as he rifled the puck past Andrew Raycroft with 3.7 seconds left in overtime. Since McCabe signed that signed a five-year, $29 million, no-trade, no-movement contract in late June of 2006 McCabe has been just brutal. McCabe is also one of the top paid defenseman in the league just making over 7.1 million and by far the highest paid on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Congrats Mats!

A big congratulations to the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs Mats Sundin, Sundin set two team records against the New York Islanders on Thursday night. Sundin now holds the team record for most goals with 390 and points with 917 both records were held by Darryl Sittler.

Sundin’s record setting goal was not a pretty one but it counted as Sundin attempted a pass to Jason Blake but the puck bounced off the skate of Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt and past Wade Dubielewicz at 9:54 of the third period.

The crowd of 19,319 and Sundin’s teammates stood, cheered and banged the board with their sticks. An interesting fact about Sundin is that over the past 10 seasons he ranks fourth among all NHL players with 334 goals and 787 points

Another Cheap Shot

GM Place in Vancouver has become the home in the NHL for cheap shots. First was Marty Mcsorley hitting Donald Brashear in the back of the head with his stick, Mcsorley got a total of 23 games (including playoffs) In October of 2000, a jury found McSorley guilty of assault with a weapon and was sentenced of 18 months probation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-sSoF40e30

The second incident and probably the most famous one was Todd Bertuzzi and his punch that knocked out Steve Moore, Big Bert got the remaining of the season which was 13 games and the playoffs which was 7 more games and like all players missed the following season because of the NHL lockout. In 2004 Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to assault after arranging a plea bargain. He was given one year’s probation and a conditional discharge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz9RE9RGrVY

Last night was the latest incident involving Ryan Kesler and Flyers enforcer Jesse Boulerice. With the game out of reach and some tough physical play Boullerice took things way to far skating into the flyers zone and trying to knock all of Kesler’s teeth out. This is what Kesler had to say after the game "I didn't see him coming and he just took my head off," Kesler is looking for a long suspension just like the 30 games Steve Downie got (20 NHL and 10 AHL)

The 29 year-old Jesse Boulerice has ran into legal trouble in the past while playing in the OHL, it was charged with assault to do great bodily harm after hitting Guelph Storm forward Andrew Long in 1998.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Y3x0mr_Ik

This Weeks Three Stars

Second year centre Paul Stastny was the NHL's first star this week after collecting four goals and four assists in the first three games.

Mike Comrie of the New York Islanders was the second star after recording four goals and two assists.

Nashville Predators goalie Chris Mason was the third star after putting up great numbers including two wins with a G.A.A of 0.50, one shutout and a .984 save percentage.

Other News and Notes...

The Ottawa Senators sold out the Scotiabank Place for the 22nd straight time, including last years playoffs.

Sean Avery is out of action for close to four weeks with a left shoulder injury and Johan Franzen is also going to be out close to four weeks with a right knee sprained.

A pair of defenceman were signed today with the New York Islanders signing Bryan Berard to a one year deal and the Flyers locked up Rory Fitzpatrick with a one year deal, Fitzpatrick has played for five other NHL teams including Montreal, St. Louis, Nashville, Buffalo and Vancouver. The greatest player of all time

Wayne Gretzky is selling off some of his personal items to benefit two local schools

Blake's Battle Off The Ice

Hockey was put on the back burner this morning when the hockey world found out that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jason Blake has been diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. This is a form of blood cancer which is a slow growing cancer of white blood cells. Almost 500 of these cases are diagnosed each year in Canada. Jason Blake signed a five- year deal worth $20 million dollars on July 1st, He ranked 10th in the NHL last year scoring 40 goals for the New York Islanders and finished the season with 69 points.

Jason is currently taking a pill on a daily basis that has been proven to controlling the cancer and will continue to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs this year, Blake has two points in the first three games for the year for the Leafs.

Salary Cap, What's That?

Here is the list of all players in the NHL that are making over $4.5 Million this season. Why did we have a lock out again?

Forwards

Thomas Vanek, Buffalo, $10 million
Daniel Briere, Philadelphia, $10 million
Scott Gomez, N.Y. Rangers, $10 million
Jaromir Jagr, N.Y. Rangers, $8.36 million
Brad Richards, Tampa Bay, $7.8 million
Patrik Elias, New Jersey, $7.5 million
Ryan Smyth, Colorado, $7.5 million
Chris Drury, N.Y. Rangers, $7.1 million
Jarome Iginla, Calgary, $7.0 million
Marian Hossa, Atlanta, $7.0 million

Defencemen

Kimmo Timonen, Philadelphia, $8.0 million
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit, $7.6 million
Zdeno Chara, Boston, $7.5 million
Bryan McCabe, Toronto, $7.15 million
Ed Jovanovski, Phoenix, $7.0 million
Wade Redden, Ottawa, $6.5 million
Chris Pronger, Anaheim, $6.25 million
Sheldon Souray, Edmonton, $6.25 million
Rob Blake, Los Angeles, $6.0 million
Brian Rafalski, Detroit, $6.0 million

Goaltenders

Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago, $6.75 million
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver, $6.5 million
Jose Theodore, Colorado, $6.0 million
Marty Turco, Dallas, $5.7 million
J.S. Giguere, Anaheim, $5.5 million
Olaf Kolzig, Washington, $5.45 million
Thomas Vokoun, Florida, $5.3 million
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey, $5.2 million
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose, $5.0 million
Rick DiPietro, N.Y. Islanders, $4.5 million
Manny Fernandez, Boston, $4.5 million

More 2007/08 Predictions

Individual and Player Predictions

Biggest surprise teams: Flyers and Kings
Worst teams: Coyotes and Islanders
Best record overall: Ottawa
Worst record overall: Coyotes
Rookies to look out for: Devin Setoguchi and Jonathan Toews
Sophomore jinks: Jordan Staal and Anze Kopitar
Biggest free agent bust: Scott Gomez
Biggest come back year: Mark Bell
Who will win the Peter Forsberg sweepstakes: Flyers, Avalanche or Sharks
First coach fired: Guy Carbonneau or Ron Wilson
First GM fired: Don Waddell

Award Predictions

Presidents Trophy – Ottawa
Prince of Wales Trophy – Ottawa
Clarence S. Campbell – San Jose
Art Ross – Sidney Crosby
Calder Trophy – Jonathan Toews
Conn Smythe – Patrick Marleau
Selke Trophy – Rod Brind’Amour
Norris trophy – Nicklas Lindstrom
Lady Bing – Pavel Datsuyk
Lester B Pearson – Sidney Crosby
Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy – Alexander Ovechkin
Vezina Trophy – Roberto Luongo
Jack Adams – Brent Sutter

My NHL 2007/08 Predictions

Standings – Western Conference

1. San Jose Sharks

2. Calgary Flames

3. Detroit Red Wings

4. Anaheim Ducks

5. Minnesota Wild

6. Colorado Avalanche

7. Vancouver Canucks

8. Dallas Stars

9. St. Louis Blues

10. Los Angeles Kings

11. Nashville Predators

12. Chicago Blackhawks

13. Columbus Blue Jackets

14. Edmonton Oilers

15. Phoenix Coyotes

Standings – Eastern Conference

1. Ottawa Senators

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

3. Carolina Hurricanes

4. New York Rangers

5. Buffalo Sabres

6. New Jersey Devils

7. Toronto Maple Leafs

8 . Philadelphia Flyers

9 . Atlanta Thrashers

10. Boston Bruins

11. Tampa Bay

12 . Florida Panthers

13 . Washington Capitals

14 . Montreal Canadians

15. New York Islanders

More to come tomorrow...