Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | yesterday
from William Houston of Truth & Rumours, It seems stupidly arrogant and self-defeating for a sports writer to ridicule his readers, to tell them in so many words that they’re a bunch of dopes. Why would you want to knock the people you hope will read your column? But there he was, David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail, sneering at the Toronto Maple Leaf fans and heaping scorn on them from a...
atHome Top Story (Free subscription) | 11/21/2009
He might be safe as Brian Burke's choice for U.S. team, but the pressure's on for coach Ron Wilson to start delivering wins in Toronto, writes Damien Cox.
Toronto Mike's Blog (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009
Enough is a enough. We jumped out in front 3-0, coughed that one up and blew a 4-2 lead in the 3rd. Ian White then scored with 30 seconds remaining, but the Leafs couldn't hold the 5-4 lead. Erik Cole scored with three seconds left to force overtime. The Monster did his best Tosky impression in the shootout, and the rest is history. We couldn't hold a 3-0 lead against the worst team in the NHL. The...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 11/19/2009
More photos » by Karl B DeBlaker - AP MON-STER! MON-STER! MON-STER! Browse more photos » 13 days ago these two teams met in Toilet Bowl I and the Leafs emerged victorious on the back of some great goaltending by Jonas Gustavsson and a game-winning goal by Jason Blake. A fortnight later and the two teams are ready to reprise their roles as neither one has been able to shed the anchor that...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 11/18/2009
After 19 games in 1990-91, the Leafs were 2-16-1 and had lost six straight. If we granted points this year the way they used to be granted, the Leafs would be 3-15-1 and they've lost four straight, so it's probably time to revisit my earlier thoughts about how this year is so much less depressing than that one. By this time, Doug Carpenter had been fired, John McIntyre had been shipped out for Mike...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 11/13/2009
PPP Joins Fab and Kats for Stick Work The two fine gentlemen that run Maple Leafs Hot Stove's new podcast were kind enough to tape my thoughts about the Leafs last night. It's a bit distorted because they had some audio problems and my cell phone blows. On the bright side, thanks to Chemmy my intro music is f*cking boss. We discuss my favourite topics: Toskalol, Gustavsson saving this team, Ian White...
Down Goes Brown (Free subscription) | 11/13/2009
OK, hold up one finger for every winning season. On Saturday night, the Leafs will host the Calgary Flames. In keeping with the club's new Mandatory Pre-Game Ceremony policy, the game has been designated "80's Night". Much like the recent Maple Leafs 90s Night , 20 former players will be honored during the pre-game skate. Fans can vote on their favorites from the decade by visiting a page...
From The Rink (Free subscription) | 11/12/2009
More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP Browse more photos » "The hitting in the game is great, but every once in a while you have to sit back and say, ‘That hit may be legal, but is there something wrong with it?' The only issue I have is when the player is vulnerable, there is a blindside hit and the only contact is made to the player’s head. "If there are three or four...
The Huffington Post (Free subscription) | 11/12/2009
TORONTO — The NHL is getting closer to making a recommendation about how to reduce hits to the head. The league's 30 GMs and their assistants wrapped up meetings with a discussion of the issue Wednesday and decided to formulate a small committee to take a closer look at it before they get together again in March. At that time, the group could make a recommendation to the competition committee...
Down Goes Brown (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009
The NHL's discipline policy has been in the news again lately. We've seen various incidents involving Alexander Ovechkin, Mike Richards, Curtis Glencross, Colton Orr and others, not to mention the OHL's season-long ban to Mike Liambas. And as always, the NHL's suspension decisions have been criticized. It's the usual refrain: discipline is handed out haphazardly, almost randomly, and there doesn't...
Pension Plan Puppets (Free subscription) | 11/09/2009
More photos » by NATHAN DENETTE - AP What can I say? I'm neewwwww here! Browse more photos » The Toronto Maple Leafs won the Hall of Fame game 5-1 as they used their forecheck and a determined defense to stymie a Detroit Red Wings team that had seemingly turned a corner. The Chris Osgood that had posted a .976 sv% over his last three games was replaced by the one that had a sub-.900 sv%...
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 11/09/2009
from Randy Youngman of the OC Register, Is Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere on his way out of town? If so, all signs point toward Toronto. The rumors that were rampant in the offseason and then dissipated in training camp have resumed in earnest.... Giguere (0-2, 3.65, .895) is winless in four games this season and currently is recovering from a strained groin muscle. Giguere, 32, makes $6 million...
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 11/08/2009
from Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe, (Craig) Anderson, a former Bruins property, is the primary reason why Colorado entered last night as the top-ranked team in the NHL (26 points, 2 more than Pittsburgh and San Jose, who met late last night). The 28-year-old native of Park Ridge, Ill., is 11-3-2 with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage. For the first time in his career, Anderson...
TML Fan Fury (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009
Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson is slowly working his way into the hearts of Leaf fans as he slides side to side with his arms moving and his head up looking ready for every shot that comes his way. The time is relatively early but the Monster has posted a record of 2-2-3 with a goals against average 2.84 and save percentage of .908 and is set to play in his first back to back games in his...
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
from Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun, Now that the all the hype and hoopla are over, here are 10 things we learned about Phil Kessel last night from his Maple Leafs debut—one for every shot he had on net. 1. In recent weeks there have been suggestions that the deal to bring Kessel to the Maple Leafs for two first-rounders and a second-round pick might be one of the worst in franchise history....
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