Nazem Kadri Drafted by the Maple Leafs
Published June 26, 2009 @ 20:10 in Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Nazem Kadri with the 7th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

From Hockey's Future:

History

2006-07: This was Kadri's rookie season with the Kitchener Rangers (OHL). In 62 games, the center recorded 22 points (7g+15a), adding another two assists in nine playoff games.

2007-08: Kadri improved on his numbers from last season, netting 25 goals and another 40 assists in 68 games with Kitchener (OHL). He excelled in the postseason as well, recording 26 points (9g+17a) in 20 playoff games.

2008-09: Kadri was traded to the London Knights, netting 25 goals and 78 points in 56 games for that club. He put up another 21 points (9g+12a) in 14 playoff games. Scored a goal for the West at the OHL All-Star Classic. Appeared in the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game.

Talent Analysis

Once projected as a sure-fire top-10 selection, Kadri's draft status dropped significantly during the regular season, but began to climb back with a strong playoff performance. Offensively gifted and showing a greater appreciation for the defensive side of his game, Kadri could be a wild card in this draft. Teams picking in the latter-half of the lottery may look to scoop him up based on his offensive potential. However, he could just as easily slide into the high teens, early 20s based upon questionable scouting and combine results.

It's fitting the Leafs would draft a player with Lebanese ancestry during Pride weekend. (joke removed b/c it sucked) Welcome to the microscope, Nazem. Henceforth you shall be known as Nazem the Dream.

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2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Leafs Style
Published June 26, 2009 @ 10:42 in Toronto Maple Leafs

It's NHL draft day, so I'll be following the action with regards to how it impacts my beloved Maple Leafs.

Rumour has it Boston is offering Phil Kessel for Tomas Kaberle and our 7th over all pick. It's highly likely Kaberle will be moved today, and Brian Burke is known for draft day drama. This should be fun.

Stay tuned, I'll cover any Leaf moves right here.

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Former Leaf to be Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame
Published June 23, 2009 @ 14:36 in Toronto Maple Leafs

The Hockey Hall of Fame will unveil this year's selections in about an hour, but I have the exclusive. And it gives me great pleasure to announce that a former Maple Leaf is among the four newest members.

The four players selected today are Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and former Leaf defenceman Brian Leetch.

Brian Leetch joined the Leafs on March 4, 2004, and here are the only statistics we Leaf fans care about.

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2003–04	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		15	2	13	15	10		13	0	8	8	6

Congratulations to former Leaf Brian Leetch on your induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame!

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The Justin Pogge Era Ends in Toronto
Published June 9, 2009 @ 11:18 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I think The Sun buried the lead. They're reporting that the Leafs are done with Cujo, which I assumed was pretty obvious. Curtis Joseph is 42 years old. Several paragraphs deep into the Sun article is this little bombshell.

Burke has suggested that if Gustavsson, widely considered the best goaltender outside of the NHL, signs elsewhere, he will replenish the goaltending position via the draft or free agency, which begins July 1. It's expected that the Leafs won't retain restricted free agent Justin Pogge, one time the franchise's so-called goaltender of the future.

In April, I wrote Killing the Culture of Entitlement Means Pogge Has To Go in which I called Burke's shot. In hindsight, that entry was so totally awesome and accurate, I'm going to reproduce it below.

I'm as guilty as anyone. Justin Pogge was awesome during the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championship, and ever since we've been waiting for him to assume his role as Maple Leafs saviour. Here's the entry I wrote in January 2006 in which I opened with the following line. "I have seen the future of Toronto Maple Leafs hockey, and his name is Justin Pogge."

I have a great relationship with the Marlies PR people, and when I told them I wanted to meet Justin Pogge and ask him some questions, they quickly made it happen. He was the only Marlie I wanted to meet. Who wouldn't want to meet the future of Toronto Maple Leafs hockey?

I was there during the low points and the high points. It's been a roller coaster ride with peaks and valleys. When I learnt he was benched for the final playoff game of the season in Winnipeg, I responded with this tweet.

Pogge didn't get the start tonight.... it's Munro starting for the Marlies in the Peg. Whoa, methinks the Pogge era has grinded to a halt.

For the second season in a row, Greg Gilbert passed over Pogge at playoff time. Pogge's NHL record this season was abysmal. There's a reason we picked up Gerber... Pogge isn't anywhere close to being an NHL starting goaltender.

I want to believe, I really do, and that's the problem. There's a culture of entitlement with this franchise that Ron Wilson and Brian Burke are working hard to destroy, and that means Pogge has to go. I hate that this has to happen, but it's for the best.

It's time to get Jonas Gustavsson to compete with Vesa Toskala for the Leafs spot. James Reimer is ready to play with Adam Munro with the Marlies. The Justin Pogge era has indeed ground to a halt.

I'm going to miss rooting for Justin Pogge at Marlies games. My son is going to be devastated. I sincerely hope he catches on with another team and makes us rue the day we let him go.

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Down Goes Brown! Down Goes Brown!
Published June 8, 2009 @ 21:10 in Toronto Maple Leafs

Down Goes Brown isn't just the handle of a great Maple Leaf blogger I borrow gems from periodically, it's also a great call by Joe Bowen back in 1992 on The Fan 1430. Sylvain Lefebvre took on Rob Brown and "Down goes Brown! Down goes Brown!" was born.

Here's the video with that great audio.

A previous entry about Down Goes Brown (the blogger, not the Bowen call) currently ranks #21 when you Google Down Goes Brown.

If I played this right, this entry will now be found in the top five. Down Goes Down Goes Brown!

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Kerry Fraser Day
Published May 27, 2009 @ 10:10 in Toronto Maple Leafs

A glove tap to Down Goes Brown for this one. It was 16 years ago tonight that Kerry Fraser blew the call that cost us Leaf fans a berth in the Stanley Cup finals. I wrote about it over six years ago (man, I've been blogging a long time) in an open letter to God.

What exactly do you have against my Toronto Maple Leafs? Why to you use your omnipotent power to crush us at every opportunity? You tortured us with the Harold Ballard regime, forcing me to grow up in a decade almost completely void of playoff victories. Then, when everything lined up perfectly for a Habs-Leafs Stanley Cup Final in '93, you gave The Great One yet another break and used your mighty power to blind the refs as Gretzky clearly high-sticked Gilmour. We deserved to win that night. You made sure it didn't happen.

Here's that non-call we'll never forget.

DGB has a great picture we can print and hang on our cubicle walls today. Happy Kerry Fraser Day!

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Peter Zezel, Dead at 44
Published May 26, 2009 @ 19:17 in Celebrity Death Watch, Toronto Maple Leafs

Peter Zezel was 44. He was a key contributor to Toronto's dramatic playoff runs in 1993 and 1994, during which time he embraced the role of checking centre, relentless penalty killer and face off specialist alongside linemates Bill Berg and Mark Osborne.

For more of my thoughts on Peter Zezel, go here.

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Peter Zezel Provided Energy, Changed Momentum
Published May 26, 2009 @ 14:05 in Toronto Maple Leafs

There are reports today Peter Zezel will be taken off life support today after a long battle with a blood disorder. He's only 44 years old.

I first got to know Zezel as a member of a rather likable Flyers team that included guys like Tim Kerr, Brian Propp, Dave Poulin, Pelle Ekland and Rick Tocchet. I've grown to hate the Flyers, but in '86-'87, I rooted for them, and Zezel was a big reason why.

We traded long-time Maple Leaf Al Iafrate to Washington to bring Peter Zezel to Toronto, his second time playing here after suiting up for the Toronto Marlboros before beginning his NHL career. Heck, Zezel could have played for the Toronto Blizzard, as they drafted him into the North American Soccer League. Peter Zezel ended up playing here from 1991 to 1994, potting 50 goals and adding 78 assists in 207 games. I'll always remember Zezel for one play against the Minnesota Stars in 1993.

The details are sketchy, as they're off the top of my head, but here's what I remember. It was an important game for the Leafs, led by Pat Burns with Felix Potvin between the pipes and Doug Gilmour, Dave Andreychuk and Wendel Clark leading the offense. We were down by a goal against Minnesota when Zezel refused to lose possession of the puck. With sheer force and intensity, he fought off a few Stars and kept the puck on the boards. This went on for what seemed like forever but was probably closer to 10 seconds. Then, Zezel found a teammate with a great pass and the game was tied. We went on to win in overtime and I always saw this play as the season's momentum changer. We were a different team after that win, and we'd eventually get within a win of the Stanley Cup final.

Zezel never gave up. Our hearts and thoughts are with his family today.

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If Chicago Wins: A Worst Case Scenario Reviewed for Leafs Fans
Published May 17, 2009 @ 12:05 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I'm not going to sugar coat this. The Chicago Blackhawks are 8 wins away from winning the Stanley Cup. That result would be devastating for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Allow me to explain...

Leaf fans are often taunted with the year 1967. That's the last time we (yeah, I wrote "we") won the Stanley Cup. Only one NHL team can claim a worse drought, and that's the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks haven't won since 1961. Sure, they've made it to the Stanley Cup finals since then, but they haven't hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup in 48 years. That somehow comforts Leaf diehards who have only suffered for 42 years.

But, those Blackhawks (who used to be Black Hawks), are 8 wins away. If they win it this year, we'll be in an unmatched stretch of futility.

And if that's not depressing enough, below are the active teams who haven't played in a Stanley Cup final since 1967. One of these teams is not like the others.

• Toronto Maple Leafs
• Atlanta Thrashers
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• Minnesota Wild
• Nashville Predators
• Phoenix Coyotes
• San Jose Sharks

Extreme hopes are born from extreme misery. Go Leafs Go!

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The Leafs Are The Best: Song + Video = AWESOME!
Published May 14, 2009 @ 21:09 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I'm toggling between both game sevens. Carolina is leading Boston and Detroit just beat Anaheim. The Leafs haven't been seen in over a month, so naturally I'm singing along to "The Leafs Are The Best".

In the early 90s, when Pat Burns was behind the bench, Wendel Clark was wearing the C and Doug Gilmour was setting up Dave Andreychuk, the Leafs recorded this novelty song and filmed this awesome video. I rediscovered it today when @DownGoesBrown dropped the link in a tweet.

He says it's the greatest thing in the history of the Internet. I'd take that one step further. I'd say this is the greatest thing in the history of the world.

The Leafs Are The Best!!!!1!!1!

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