The Dubie strikes again!  Wade Dubielewicz was born in Invermere, BC and I think he hates Toronto.  He knocks us down every chance he gets. Mark Bell scored his second goal as a Leaf.  You may recall the $50 Mark Bell bet I have with my brother.  Last summer, after

Danger! Danger! Danger! Andrew Raycroft will be in net tonight when we play the Islanders.  Raycroft last started November 24 in a disastrous 5-1 loss in Phoenix. That's the game that triggered these 41 tears. My new best friend Vesa Toskala has been 7-2-3 since that game, but he can't

The Leafs haven't had much luck this road trip.  Vesa Toskala, or Tosky as I like to call him, has been brilliant, but goals have been few and far between.  We keep getting caught from behind, as we were yesterday, but this time we found a way to win. Pavel

It's deja vu all over again.  For the second game in a row, we got burned for a goal with less than a minute to play.  This time, we were left with no points to show for a solid effort. On the bright side, we're losing close games and getting

It would be easy to pin this blown opportunity on Alexei Ponikarovsky.  With the Leafs up by a goal with less than a minute to play, the puck was on Poni's stick and all he had to do was shoot it toward an empty Carolina net.  Instead, Cory Stillman picked

This could be an entry I regret writing, but with 8:00 remaining in the second period, Vesa Toskala is putting on a show.  It's damn fun watching a goalie stand on his head.  During the brief Raycroft era, nights like this were few and far between. He's only faced

We didn't just lose a game last night in Montreal, we lost Bryan McCabe for at least six to eight weeks, maybe longer.  He broke his left hand in three places.  A few weeks ago, I might have sarcastically deemed this a positive, addition by subtraction if you will.  But,

Vesa Toskala is quickly becoming the most popular guy in town.  He's been standing on his head lately and the Leafs are playing with renewed confidence.  It's a completely different team out there and a pleasure to watch. In his past seven starts, Toskala is 6-1.  What's most impressive is

We own the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Seriously, they're our beeatch.  We kick the crap out of them. We're 5-1-1 since that pathetic game against the Coyotes.  We're putting in a much better effort and actually looking like a team that might contend for a playoff spot.  Look for JFJ to

Mats, we need to talk.  It's about us.  We've been close for over a decade, you're our star and we love you, and it's because I love you that I want you to get out.  Go!  Jump on the QEW and head West young man. I know Nik Lidstrom and

Had the Leafs won their fifth straight last night, I was going to write the most amazing recap.  It was already brewing in my mind when we went up 1-0.  It was going to be the perfect blend of appreciation and celebration with just a dash of optimism and a

It took eight years, but Nik the Stik finally has another hat trick to throw on his resume.  He's already out of my doghouse, and now he has his first three-goal game of the decade. Watch out Boston... take heed Montreal... we're a-comin'.  That's four in a row, believe it

Wasn't Vesa Toskala fantastic?  That flurry in the third he handled with grace reminded me of vintage Belfour and Cujo.  And did I really see Wade Belak score a goal?  That was his first since 2003. Mats Sundin's assist on Nik Antropov's goal extended his record home-ice points streak from

My company's Christmas party was last night and there wasn't a single television in the restaurant.  Every so often I pulled out the Blackberry and checked in the Leafs and Raps.  It figured I'd miss Mark Bell's first goal as a Leaf.  Is it his first of twenty? Mats Sundin

The season is saved, everybody can keep their jobs, if it ain't broken, don't fix it.  Right? In all seriousness, it was a tidy little victory last night in Atlanta, but it was Atlanta and we'll need to stockpile these suckers if we're going to take a run at a

When I came into the bedroom after the shootout loss last night, my wife asked me who won.  I told her we lost again and she asked why I still watch.  She didn't see the point in watching a team that had no hope.  It reminded me of a day

The first sign your team is in disarray is when the most exciting action is off the ice.  When I think about the Maple Leafs these days, my thoughts aren't off Toskala glove saves or Wellwood dekes.  They're of the dysfunctional upper management, the inexperienced general manager and the coaching

I apologize for the inactivity here today.  As you might have guessed, with JFJ's dismissal imminent, I am frantically searching for Ferguson's replacement. My next interview is Dougie at 3pm...

Getting slammed by the Phoenix Coyotes last night has me feeling sad.  There's no other word to describe it.  It was only one game, but it seemed to symbolize a great deal more.  My hockey team, the franchise I've rooted for my entire life, sucks. This morning, when I sat

The Maple Leafs are in heaven now and we are here on their funeral. This is not the time for us to grieve the death of our 2007/2008 season but it's our time to celebrate the good times, like that 3-0 win over Ottawa and that 8-1 win over

Having just killed a four minute penalty and up 1-0 in the first, I thought to myself, they're playing well tonight. As usual, the lead slipped away and we lost our 14th game in 23.  We're 12th in a 15 team conference.  Just behind us are the Penguins and Sabres,

Welcome to the NHL, Tuukka Rask.  The better Rask played, the hotter JFJ's seat got.  It's only a matter of time now... Only moments after the final whistle blew on another blown opportunity I received an email from Mississauga Mike.  He was crunching numbers and shared a spreadsheet that showed

I fear Tuukka Rask won't just be a good NHL goaltender, he'll be great.  Rask, you'll recall, was traded to Boston by the Leafs for Andrew Raycroft.  I suspect we'll look back at that trade and cringe the way we cringe when we think about giving up Russ Courtnall for

Where did that come from?  What an efficient, well played game against the best team in the league.  Vesa Toskala posted his first shutout as a Leaf as we handed the Sens only their third loss of the season. Bryan McCabe and Tomas Kaberle looked good on the blueline, now