Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 11/22/2009
from Darren Dreger of TSN, On July 1st, the Toronto Maple Leafs may have as many as 17 free agents to contend with, and 11 of those players will be unrestricted. For many teams this would be considered a horrendous challenge. The Leafs look at it as a great opportunity. The corps of the 11 unrestricted free agents includes Alexei Ponikarovsky, Lee Stempniak, Matt Stajan, Vesa Toskala, Garnet Exelby,...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 11/01/2009
More photos » by Graham Hughes - AP Damn that Komisarek. He's such a trai-eight-or. Kudos Montreal on spreading the message. Browse more photos » Moral victories are great and all but it sure would be good to rack up some actual victories. The Leafs played a good road game but were once again torpedoed by the man in the toothy mask. Since it's not Halloween we can dispense with the horror...
Toronto Mike's Blog (Free subscription) | 11/01/2009
I normally don't recap Leafs games until the morning after, to gain a little perspective, but I need to write this recap tonight. I hate the Montreal Canadiens. I hate the franchise, but mostly I hate the fans. With the Habs leading 4-2 late in the third period, the fans started singing "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye". This wasn't the clinching game of a playoff series, this was a early...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 10/31/2009
The last time the Leafs made the trek to Montreal they picked up a future NHL superstar. The time before can be seen above and it featured the complete dismantling of the Habs by Nikolai Kulemin - Mikhail Grabovski - Alexei Ponikarovsky . Tonight will be the first time that Mike Komisarek will return to the Bell Centre as a Maple Leaf. He'll likely get booed which is funny considering how much they...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 10/27/2009
More photos » by Lori Shepler - AP about 3 hours ago: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Alexei Ponikarovsky, of Ukraine, left, and Mikhail Grabovski, of Germany, (84) celebrate Grabovski's goal in the first period against the Anaheim Ducks in a NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Lori Shepler) Browse more photos » Commence victory celebration. Hagman, you're...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 10/24/2009
More photos » by Luis Alvarez - AP Journeyman goon Alex Ovechkin was today banned for five games for slew footing Ross Trophy candidate Rich Peverley. Browse more photos » That's right kind folk of the Barilkosphere, it's opposite day here at PPP Amalgamated Heavy Industries. Why undertake such a Ben Onerous task, you might say? Frankly, we've been looking forwards and doing things the...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 10/21/2009
More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP Poni make goal. Browse more photos » I'm going to try and find positive things to write about on the Maple Leafs this week. Here's number one. This year the Toronto Maple Leafs have been outscored 14 - 32 in their first seven games. Despite that Alexei Ponikarovsky is a +5. Here's your gold star for the first 8.5% of the season Alex, keep it up.
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 10/14/2009
from Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail, Here’s the thing about the Maple Leafs’ close-to-historically – and for some of you no doubt hysterically – lousy start to the season. Forget about the Phil Kessel trade, at least until the guy takes a shift. Kessel? Draft picks? Lottery picks? The Leafs’ crisis is much more immediate than that. Mike Komisarek, who started to hear...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 10/13/2009
More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP Luke Schenn and Matt Stajan wonder if they can leave Vesa Toskala in NYC. Browse more photos » Yesterday On October 8th (I wrote this post originally on the 9th) James had a piece looking at where the money was spent by the top five teams last year . Robot Godzilla previously took a look at how the Leafs' spending on defencemen, forwards, and goalies...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 10/09/2009
Leafs Practice Lineup - Oct 9 Check this out: Here were the lines from Friday's practice: Alexei Ponikarovsky - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin Niklas Hagman - Matt Stajan - Lee Stempniak Jason Blake - John Mitchell - Jamal Mayers Jay Rosehill - Rickard Wallin - Colton Orr Francois Beauchemin - Tomas Kaberle Mike Komisarek - Ian White Luke Schenn - Jeff Finger Garnet Exelby Vesa Toskala - Joey...
Toronto Mike's Blog (Free subscription) | 10/02/2009
Game one is in the books and it was a lot of fun. It doesn't get much closer than this. Komi had a rough first game in blue and white, helping his former team squeeze one out. Matt Stajan had two goals, and Alexei Ponikarovsky added the other one for the Leafers. My kid says Tosky played okay and we should all give him a chance. He also told me The Monster doesn't look nearly as scary with his helmet...
Toronto Mike's Blog (Free subscription) | 10/01/2009
The Leafs open the 2009-10 regular season tonight against those hateful Habs. I can't wait. Here's our opening night roster. Forwards Jason Blake Mikhail Grabovski Niklas Hagman Phil Kessel* Jamal Mayers John Mitchell Colton Orr Alexei Ponikarovsky Wayne Primeau Jay Rosehill Viktor Stalberg Matt Stajan Lee Stempniak Rickard Wallin Defence Francois Beauchemin Garnet Exelby Jeff Finger Tomas Kaberle...
TML Fan Fury (Free subscription) | 09/29/2009
After reading many previews on the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight and watching some videos on sports sites I've decided to write another blog tonight with 30 predictions for the 2009-10 season, also on an inspirational note I would just like to congratulate Theo Fleury for a great story its just to bad he couldnt have taken it a bit further all the best to him as he continues his recovery. 30 Toronto...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 09/28/2009
This may seem like a moment from "The Emperor's New Clothes" but I assure you Vesa Toskala or a reasonably performing facsimile is in net. View full size photo uploaded September 27, 2009 This is your gameday open thread for the final preseason game. We'll see Viktor Stalberg tonight but Christian Hanson has been sent to the Marlies, Nazem Kadri has been cut and sent to the London Knights,...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 09/24/2009
by Darren Calabrese - AP Nasty Nazem has a posse. View full size photo uploaded September 23, 2009 That's right, the Leafs will be playing the Sabres and Justin Pogge won't be in net which changes the over under on Leafs goals against from 5.5 to 2.5. Lineups are after the jump. Commenting has been going great in the game threads, pretty good discussion until a fight or a goal when things go crazy...
Videos