Game 17 vs Buffalo Leafs win 3-0

Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres
Toronto wins 3-0

Steve says:

Hey Buffalo...who's yer daddy?!!!

suh-weeeet game! I can't believe I am saying this but the Leafs played a near flawless defensive game!..and a lot of it had to do with McCabe...Holy frik! Even Raycroft played a great game. Nice save at very key times...something you cant usually say when describing Raycrofts play.

Maybe Tucker and McCabe saw something from up in the press box for the last little while and passed it on to the rest of the guys....oh wait ...I know what it is...

They probably said "Hey Leafs...play some frikking basic defense and we can win some games"

I loved how the 3rd checker on the forecheck stayed in the high slot all game long taking away the passing lanes, creating turnovers and...the thing I was most excited about...there were always... ALWAYS 2 defence back.

I dont care if the trap is boring hockey..

IMO, until we start piling up some wins...play that trap...

nice work...hope we can keep it up against the Rangers.

Pre-Season: Game 2

Chris says:

For those of you keeping track at home, our Pre-Season stats are 1 win and 1 loss. Of course no one is breaking out the champagne quite yet. A 3 – 2 win against the Coyotes, a team widely expected to make a run for the bottom, is hardly conclusive proof of anything. But we here at Hockey Talk are eternal optimists and even a win at a glorified game of shinny has us dreaming of the Cup.

I’m feeling good so far about the Sundin-Blake line. I think having a 40 goal scorer on his flank will go a long way to relieving some of the pressure he must feel to carry the line as well as creating a double scoring threat. Last night seems to bear that out.

Goal scorers last night? Blake, Steen and Kilger.

Here’s to 2008.

Steve says:
That's a bit better boys...The Sundin-Blake combo is starting to look really good, but damn we have got to stop giving the puck away (Gill, I'm looking at you).
although Gill had 2 helpers in the game, he also did a tape to tape pass right onto a phoenix players stick....
I mean, come on,...that's basic stuff we are dealing with here...Don't pass the puck to the other team.
If you lose the puck in a battle on the boards, OK
If you lose the puck scrambling in front of the net, OK (not great but OK)
BUT
If you are in your zone and you PASS it to the other team, NOT OK!
We need to work on D still, but it should come with time....and Raycroft looked shaky in the last minute, but had much better rebound control for most of the night. The go ahead goal scored by Phoenix was , yup you guessed it , short side glove hand!..dude...practise using your glove ...PLEASE!!!!

so, overall I'd say that was a below average game, with some moments of offensive greatness against a mediocre team.
We will need to do better against other teams.
but a win is a win...I'll take it....and yes, I am wearing the Blue and White today!

blue and white game

Steve says:

argh...whole post just disappeared..so now you get the short form version...
saw the blue and white game
Liked:
sundin-Blake combo....great passing and playmaking
Dis-liked:
Toskala and raycroft leaving the net and being so bad with stick handling the puck
also, the Defense barely cleared rebounds

also heard that Sundin tweaked his wrist catching a Darcy tucker pass...hope that doesn't bite us in the ass later...

and as a side note...i heard a fight broke out at the Sens intersquad game...idiots....

Chris Says:

Say it loud now, "Sens Suck!"

Goalie moves

Steve says:


Emery re-signed with Ottawa...word on the street is that L.A. wanted Emery, but would look to Raycroft should Emery re-sign...now that that has happened (3 years @ 9. something stoopid mill), what can L.A. offer us....? and is it a good idea...I think perhaps not...some competition and less games played this season could be a positive thing for Raycroft...that and a new catcher!

Chris says:

Ahhh. Here we go. Apologizing for Raycroft. I have nothing against the guy but after his inaugural season with the Leafers I no longer feel secure with him anchoring the net. I've lost faith in him and that says a lot.

Where Rayzor falls short, in comparison to other recent Leaf goalies, is that the man is only as good as his team. If the D in front of him is porous you never felt that he would make up the difference. Cujo and Eddie were not the be all and the end all of Toronto goalies but occasionally, when the chips were down and the rest of the team were playing ragged, they'd steal a game by completely stonewalling the other team.

I've never felt that presence or seen that brilliance from Raycroft.

Steve says:

and steal a game or 2 is what teams need these days. I think that Toskala can certainly steal a few games for us...and maybe this will be what Raycroft needs...he is young still...so I am willing to give him another season...but if his glove hand still looks week a few weeks into this season..trade him!

OR...if we can get Peca back, we should lose Raycroft to open up cap space to allow that to happen...unless Peca signs for 1.5m...which is a possibility....

Scott Clemmensen (and then there were three)

Chris Says:

So. We've signed Scott Clemmensen.

Which means we've got three goalies now.

If this keeps up pretty soon we'll be icing a squad of goaltenders for every game.

Clemmensen was the guy NJ put in net last year for the last game of the season, instead of Brodeur. He's the guy who cost the Leafers a playoff spot. Now he may cost Raycroft his job.

Granted Clemmensen is on a two way contract which means he could find himself backing up Pogge in the Mariles. But I think it's pretty obvious that the Leafs goaltending sitch is far from played out.

Because in my eye now we've got one starting goalie, one backup and and one third wheel.

One of these things is not like the other...

Steve says:

I'm pretty sure that Clemmensen is Marlies bound...putting Raycroft in the minors would not only kill his career, but also lose serious $ value for the guy.
No, ... if anything happens in our nets between now and Oct., it will be a Raycroft trade and maybe a Cujo signing.

Chris Says:

Woah. Where did I say we were going to stick Raycroft in the minors? Would his contract even allow it?

No, Raycroft is slowly being delievered the not-so-subtle message that his time with the organization is over.

Toskala's New Contract

Chris says:

So the Leafs have resigned Toskala to a two year extension on his current contract.

Just in time for Pogge to take over the reins.

Which means, by my count, we've got one to many starting goalies. At best, we're in a platooning scenario with Toskala and Raycroft splitting the duties. Realistically? Someone is warming the bench.

I think the Leafs are going to give Raycroft a very short leash this year. The first goalie to go on a hot streak has won himself the starter's role and the other guy is officially backup. I think this may be the Leaf's way of letting him know his days are numbered. Great White Hope in 06, Yesterday's man in 07.

S'gotta be a tough blow when you're dealing with million dollar salaries and the prestige of being a number one starter.

They jury's out for now. I haven't seen Toskala play enough to make a call on him either way. But I do know that I watched Raycroft let in enough soft goals over the stretch to wear my loyalty to him pretty thin.

Steve says:

Raycroft will be traded. We will get rid of his 2mil cap hit and replace him with Cujo at 800K.
If JFJ keeps Raycroft around, it will be a mistake. That's way too much to pay a bench warmer, and with Toskala in place, that is exactly what Raycroft will be.
Cujo has expressed an interest in returning to Toronto even if it means a reduction in salary. As much as I don't like Raycroft, his #'s are slightly better than Cujo's and when it comes down to it, that means more. The fans want Cujo. His price is better. He has experience. But I can't help but wonder if Raycroft is designed to be a platooning goalie. Maybe we just played him too much last year.
I don't think we'll get the chance to see..I bet he'll be gone by summer's end.