It’s just past the ten game mark for most of the teams in the NHL now.  Twenty teams have played at least ten games and the other ten are at nine except for the Coyotes who have played only eight.  The question is “What are the GMs thinking about at this point in the season?”

There’s different answers here for different teams especially in this “capped” era of the NHL.  If you’re Ken Holland you are certainly thinking alot differently than if you’re Garth Snow.  The difference is expectations.  Every General Manager has his own set of expectations for his club given the owner’s direction, budget, talent, and stage of building his team.  Hopefully all the organizations have the same goal and purpose, that being to build a hockey team that can win the Stanley Cup.  For some that goal is reachable this season.  For many others that goal is a futuristic dream that they are trying to envision coming to reality someday.

So if you’re one of the teams that has expectations of contending for the Cup in ‘09, then at this point you’re evaluating your roster on a daily basis.  You want to be better now.  You constantly ask yourself how you can strengthen a position that you and your coach feel is the weakest link in the chain.  Doug Wilson, Ken Holland, and Bob Gainey are at this point constantly talking to their coach and analyzing their strengths and more importantly weaknesses.  These teams all have legitimate shots at the Cup this year.

If you’re one of the teams that’s in a so called “rebuilding” phase, then you’re expectations are considerably lower.  Garth Snow, Dean Lombardi and Don Waddell are at this point, or should be, scouting young talent.  Yes they are also constantly evaluating their NHL roster but for different reasons.  They want to know who on their team can help them get to the next level, making the playoffs.  They also are evaluating their own young players to keep a handle on their development.  If a young guy is showing signs that he may not be what people thought he was going to be, you have to know early.   You’re always better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late.   And these GMs are also the ones that you’ll find scouting amateurs much more.  They need to be out looking for their future, since it’s really all they have.

Basically evaluating your roster and your prospects is a year round job for the GM.  At this time of year however you are getting the early reality of what you have and how far away you are from the ultimate goal, the Stanley Cup.

This is an issue that seems to be picking up steam. The fact that it gets under the beat reporter for the Leafs from 590 makes me want to write about it even more….

The issue, as you may recall is that the NHL doesn’t make it’s teams fully disclose the nature of player injuries as other leagues do, especially the NFL.

“This policy I agree with because far too often when accurately disclosing a player’s injury, opposing players will do everything they can to take advantage of the situation.”

Kelly Hrudey, a former goalie and current member of the media still believes the the NHL policy is the accurate one.

“Remember Oleg Tverdovsky? He was an up-and-coming, puck-moving defenceman that started his career in Anaheim in 1994. I believe early the next season, it was disclosed that Tverdovsky suffered from some sort of chronic foot ailment. To make matters worse, both feet were affected. Unfortunately we played against the Ducks shortly after this disclosure and I don’t think I’ve seen a guy get slashed more often on his feet in a game. It looked very painful and he certainly looked in great discomfort but because we knew about it, we tried to expose a weakness. I’m pretty sure he would have preferred not having the whole league know he had problematic feet.”

I have not doubt that this is true. I guess the question is why isn’t it such a problem in the NFL? The NFL is a more physical game.

As I said before, absent pressure on the league from real sources (IE Las Vegas or the US TV networks) nothing will change…

Read Kelly here

Dear Most Valuable Losers:

Yesterday, continuing a long-standing trend, another Toronto reporter took a cheap shot at Leaf fans. This time it was Howard Berger who called us “losers” but we’ve seem the same cookie-cutter article from virtually everyone who covers the team.

Quite frankly, we’ve had enough.

As fans, we believe that those most deserving of our praise and our scorn are directly involved in the game, whether it’s on the ice, in the press box or in the executive corridors. Fans don’t pencil in the starting five, make bad trades, or write the headlines of the day and shouldn’t be blamed (or praised) for the totals in the wins and loss column.

Hockey may be just a game but it’s also a passion. If you’re looking for passionate hockey coverage that offers insight and humour and you’re sick of being blamed for supporting a team you’re passionate about, you have a better option.

It’s time to leave the media superstars behind. There’s compelling, timely, wide-ranging content waiting just for you online in the Barilkosphere.

Many have found this better way of following the Leafs, but not every Leafs fan has been so lucky. Please send this message to your fellow Leaf fans via e-mail or postings on message boards and let them know that they do have a choice.

We hope you’ll join us here in the Barilkosphere and become regular readers.

• Pension Plan Puppets
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• Old Guys in Blue and White
• The Passion That Frustrates Us All
• Repressed Optimism
• Sports and the City
• Toronto Sports Media
• Wonderful World of Loser Domi

No, I haven’t forgotten about Happy Howie—the wheels are in motion.

Meanwhile…..

Interesting quotes form Cliff on the state of the Leafs 10 games in.

“It’s way too early,” he said. “We’re going to grow as a team and see how it goes. We have 72 games to play. We’re moving forward with a base of young players. We’re not looking for any opportunities to bring in any older, experienced players in here to help us take a run at a playoff run.” “The criterion of not going after the older players is something we’re sticking to,” Fletcher said. “Brendan has had a wonderful career and probably still has some good hockey left in him, but that counters what we’re trying to do.”

Of course the exception to this would be if the former captain who used to wear #13 decided he wanted to come back…

On the subject of D…..

“We haven’t had any injuries yet, but we probably will have some injuries. It’s difficult fitting nine pegs into six holes, but it’s a good problem we have. If there is an opportunity to move one of them for a good forward then it would make sense. But that’s not the case right now.”

Status quo on this Halloween Friday…..

More on Howie later

You can read Cliff here…

OK Leaf Nation, It’s time. It’s time we unite and demand that Roger’s fire Howard Berger. His latest blog is repugnant. It is time we demand better.

“An insatiable willingness to accept whatever garbage is tossed your way each year lines the pockets of the executives you purportedly “hate” [I see that word a lot in my e-mails]. No form of indignity is powerful enough to dissuade you from the uncontrollable love of your Blue & White. You bitch… and moan… and go insane over the always-accurate appraisals of the team in the media. Depending on the hour of day, you either castigate or lionize members of the hockey club — often the same player. The familiar disappointment of missing the playoffs on April 8th is washed away with delusional fantasies by April 9th. And, always, you are there to buy every ticket; purchase every jersey; watch every game on TV; lose your mind over every word written and spoken about the team [the part I like best], and generally cradle the habit you have no power to temper, let alone break. You are, by any measure, the most easily placated fans in all of sport — rivaled only by the zombie-like baseball fanatics on the north side of Chicago.”

This is the same guy who wrote such glowing things about the team only hours ago:

“For whatever it’s worth, the Maple Leafs have probably been the NHL’s surprise team of the first three weeks. And given what he is extracting from his players almost every night, Ron Wilson might be the best coach in the league to this point. He has pushed most of the right buttons with his line-up, and a change of dynamic in the dressing room has been effective. Wilson’s request that his players attack the opposition goal more aggressively has produced extraordinary results in the past four games, as the Maple Leafs have averaged roughly 40 shots per night. Toronto’s 4-3-3 record after 10 starts is more than acceptable, given the near absence of expectation; in fact, it seems almost spectacular.”

What happened? Did Howard have to sleep on the couch last night? Did someone get him drunk last night? Why, is he so late on the Forbes story? This is the same Howard Berger who wrote this right?Is it possible that Berger is schizophrenic?
“Knowledgeable? Where do I start? The celebration is already underway over the three-out-of-four games streak in October that may ultimately lift the team into its habitual 11th or 12th-place roosting in the Eastern Conference. What more could any devoted fan wish for? Face it… you just can’t control yourselves. And, the folks on Bay Street love you for it… so much so, that they refused to budget for playoff dates next spring at the ACC. I mean, why go down the same path of futility for a fourth consecutive year? Season-ticket renewals are dispatched after the Stanley Cup tournament concludes, prompting a wild stampede to the mailbox — cheques faithfully enclosed; interest about to accrue. The extra kick in the wallet from 100 percent renewals in early summer surely takes the sting off lost playoff gates, don’t you think? No wonder King Richard and Lucky Larry are indebted to you.
You ask for nothing, and give everything. What a perfect world some people live in.”

Howard, you are the one who was celebrating their start, remember the surprise of the NHL, Ron Wilson coach of the year? This world will be perfect when you are off the air. We can live with negativity, but you have crossed the line. Leaf Fans have spent too much time writing your cheques. Truth be told, we don’t like Cox or Simmons. They, however are not morally reprehensible. Howard, you are the antichrist. We won’t rest until you are gone… Then, when you are, what a perfect world we will live in.

Some media outlets are saying that AJ Burnett will make his decision to opt out prior to the baseball meetings on Monday. Tonight his agent is singing a different tune:

“I don’t anticipate us having made a statement on the issue once we arrive out there on Monday,” Braunecker said. “If indeed I’m going to be able to talk to other clubs about A.J., he’s gotta be a free agent,” Braunecker said. “Whether or not to do that is still to be determined … He’s going to have to make a decision either way so that we can begin negotiations in earnest with the Blue Jays or explore options with other clubs.”

So in truth, he is going to opt out. The question is, will he give the Jays the first (and only official) kick at the cat?

According to the Toronto Star’s Cathal Kelly he will…:

“The Toronto Blue Jays and general manger J.P. Ricciardi will have at least one day to woo pitcher A.J. Burnett once the general managers’ meetings begin Monday in Dana Point, California. ”

tick tick tick….

Let’s see what Elliot has to say tomorrow…

read the star here…

The CRTC started down the right path, but veered off, again. On the sports front, it has leveled the ground for TSN and Sportsnet. TSN is now able to offer regional programming ala Sportsnet. Sportsnet can now bid on National events ala TSN. Sounds fair enough right???

“Many elements of the CRTC decision were not explained adequately in a news release, television executives said. However, it is clear that the sports channels are protected from major U.S. services such as ESPN. They’re not coming into Canada.”

There is the veer that I mentioned. Look, this is the year 2008. We are just shy of 2009. It is time for the CRTC to take off the shackles and end this stupid protectionist policy. It is time to let Canadians aka the market decide what should be on and not the bureaucrats. We the people have to demand the best, instead we are getting force fed the Canadian. Who is right, in the end, the market will bear the truth.

As you know I travel south of the border quite often. I can tell you that while I prefer ESPN programming for certain things, their version of sportscenter won’t fly up here. Why? Simple, College sports (football and basketball) aren’t huge sellers in this market. The NBA/MLB/NFL and NCAA all play well ahead of the NHL on ESPN. That just won’t fly up here. Why the government can’t keep it’s hands off this issue is nuts. There are way more important issues for the government to be worrying about then what we get on our tv.

Life Long Buffalo native who makes regular treks up to Toronto to sit next to McCowan certainly knows where and how to take his shots:

“Lecavalier, who doesn’t know Hollweg except by reputation and has never had an incident or altercation with him, waited until he arrived in Toronto, the perceived center of the hockey universe, to speak his mind.”

Perceived, by whom is it only perceived out of curiosity? And if it isn’t in reality the center of the hockey universe where pres tel is, and why don’t you drive there to work????

“”Everybody knows when he’s on the ice what to expect,” Lecavalier told the assembled media prior to the Lightning engaging the Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. “Hollweg has done it many times. He’s a dirty player, he doesn’t respect anybody. I don’t know how he is off the ice, but on the ice guys don’t respect guys like that. You can play hard, but you don’t have to hit a guy from behind.” Hollweg has no redeeming qualities as a hockey player. He’s not known as a goalscorer, a defensive maven, a faceoff expert or even a character guy in the room. He’s a hitter and his reputation around the NHL is that of a one who hits from behind; intentionally and with little to no regard for the consequences.

Check the stats: In the first four years of his NHL career, Hollweg contributed a grand total of 12 points, a plus-minus figure of minus-26, and 326 penalty minutes. In his four games with the Leafs to date (he’s missed six via two three-game suspensions for hitting from behind, once in the preseason with another Blues player, Jay McKee, and again just days into the regular season with Pietrangelo). As of Oct. 30, Hollweg had no goals and no assists and is a minus four with 15 penalty minutes this season.”

As you know I can’t stand Hollweg. I think he is an embarrassment to the Leafs. Kelly isn’t however being truthful in his reporting. Dreger was on 640 last night talking about it and basically said that Vinny only answered the question here because it was the first time he was asked about it. No offense to our friends in the Tampa area but, this is a non story there, or anywhere but here to be honest. So to say that Vinny waited until he got here to say these things is disingenuous to say the least.

AJ’s agent told ESPN that AJ will decide whether or not to opt out of his contract with the Jays by Monday. Unless his agents are totally incompetent, his opting out is a certainty. AJ has nothing to lose by opting out and everything to gain.

Read ESPN here

Of course, we have to rely on ESPN these days for some decent journalism around the Buds…

“The one thing about Toronto, there’s always exaggeration, normally generated by the media,” Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher told ESPN.com this week.”

He is only wrong on one point…normally, I think he meant “entirely”

“In this market, we had a great game against Detroit, and [everyone thinks] there’s going to be a parade for God’s sakes,” said coach Ron Wilson, who is in his first season behind the Leafs’ bench. “Then we have two not-so-good games, and everybody thinks you’re never going to win a game again.”

That’s right, just read or listen to Happy Howie and his 90% breathern….

Said Peddie: “We set expectations very low, very legitimately. It wasn’t a phony thing. That was our expectation.”

And like Damien said this am, the question will be can the board keep their mitts off this thing all year…

“Before I took the job, Cliff sat me down and showed me all the holes in the lineup and told me they’d be young guys filling those holes,” Wilson recalled. “There were like six holes, blanks. He says, ‘Can you coach this team?’ I looked at it and I said, ‘Who’s filling in the blanks?’ And he says, ‘More young guys, maybe a few free agents, but mostly young guys.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, of course I can coach that team. In fact, I think it would be a real challenge.’”

A challenge it will be for sure!

“”Yes, I’ve bruised a few egos, and to be honest with you, they’re overinflated ones,” Wilson said. “I said at our first meeting of training camp that there won’t be any special treatment. Everybody will be treated equally. If you worked hard, you’ll play. You will decide your ice time, I don’t. I honestly believe that. And I’ve tried to be true to my word.”

hmmmm I wonder who “BLAKE” he is talking about?????

“”He’s making a statement,” Blake said. “Obviously, there’s no free passes. It doesn’t matter if you play 10 years or not,

I gues

s. You have to be ready to go every single night. There’s a message being sent around the locker room. You got to make sure you’re ready to play.”

You guess??? How thick are you??

“”They know that I will put anybody down,” Wilson said. “This isn’t like I’ve sat down superstars or anything like that; these guys, if they were playing for the Detroit Red Wings, might not even be in the lineup. And that’s the way I view this team. Everybody is going to have to work and pitch in. I think that makes it fair for everybody.

“I’m trying to create a positive culture for this team.”

It’s called perspective….a thing this team and the media that cover it badly need!

“You can’t tell a coach and a general manager who have had the winning records these two guys have had or, for that matter, a bunch of young men, ‘Oh, we want you to lose this year,’” said Peddie, whose hockey team last made the playoffs in April 2004. “You can’t do that. People say, ‘Tear up the team and make them lose.’ You just can’t tell them that. “We don’t want those players if they’re losers. We did what we thought was right.”

But what you can do is resist the urge to think that the team is better then it actually is and force management to make dumb deals because of it. That is what is left to be seen. This team should be sellers at the deadline….. We should be taking on younger players and more picks…No more deals for Aki Berg and the like…

Read ESPN on the Leafs here…