NHL exhibition schedule comes out tomorrow. Always exciting ( ). This time with so many new faces, it may actually be. So many players, so few jobs, could be interesting. Also perhaps the Buds have a couple of surprises for the loyal fans….

I am not sure if anyone saw this, I know I didn’t but it’s a great quick clip of the Monster’s trip to Toronto. If others had shown it I apologize, I didn’t see it. It’s awesome- check out the wicked shirt Cliff is wearing!

It’s kind of fascinating to see how the folks in Dallas are reacting to the Monster’s selection of Toronto over Dallas. Couple of intersting articles on that subject today, any Stars fans reading this feel free to chime in on what’s real and what’s, well you know….:

First, the NY Times:

“In today’s Dallas Morning News there is an article headlined “Swedish Goalie’s Snub Stings Dallas Stars.” In it, The Morning News’s Mike Heika tells of anger and disappointment among Dallas hockey fans, and blame pointed at the new G.M. Joe Nieuwendyk. “The shine was off the apple for many Stars fans,” Heika writes, “who littered message boards with doubts about where Nieuwendyk is steering this ship.” Such a reaction is nothing short of astonishing. Even if they were not aware of the admiring comments Gustavsson had made about Toronto and the Leafs in the weeks leading up to his decision, how much chance did Stars fans think there really was for a Swedish player of Gustavsson’s caliber to choose Dallas over Toronto?”

First and foremost let me say one thing, and I don’t mean to be condescending at all, if Dallas fans are pissed that the Monster didn’t sign there, I think that is awesome. No, really, I think it’s hard enough in non-traditional markets to get people excited about players who are there, if folks are pissed about those who aren’t than that is terriffic. I am not going to shit on Dallas as a market, that’s not what this is about. I think it’s great that people there care about a relatively unknown prospect(outside of Toronto anyways). I also think that it’s great that fans are upset with Nieuwendyk for not landing him, for the same reason. Maybe it’s too harsh, but hell I can tell you a lot of hockey markets where the fans don’t care what the hell the GM does or doesn’t do! Personally, I don’t think you make that quick a judgment on the guy but….

“Just as important, there is the question of the elephant in the Dallas Stars’ room: their owner, Tom Hicks, is on the verge of financial meltdown. He took out hundreds of millions in loans that he has been unable to repay to buy half of Liverpool F.C., and now he must take league handouts to meet payroll for his baseball team, the Texas Rangers. Two weeks ago Hicks shut down his sports marketing company, and although he says he intends to keep operating the Stars and their rink, what aspiring player would voluntarily choose to enter so uncertain an economic situation?”

I am not entirely sure that Jonas could have cared less about that. I mean his agent may have, but does a 24 year old actually take that into consideration?

“Gustavsson is a different case altogether. He is already an iconic figure in Sweden, the “Monster” whose flawless netminding led Färjestad to first place in the Elitserien and the playoff championship. He is a big star, looking for a place to be a bigger star. And a hockey player seeking that kind of spotlight goes to a city like Toronto.”

I would love to believe that, but history certainly doesn’t show that. Hell, ask the press in this town where people want to sign and it isn’t Toronto.

“That’s why Gustavsson nixed San Jose fairly early in the bidding process; it didn’t feel to him like that much of a hockey locale (Ontarian Brian Campbell felt the same way after he was dealt there from Buffalo and got out after only four months). And Gustavsson found Colorado in complete organizational disarray, having just fired the entire management and coaching staffs. That left the Stars and Maple Leafs, and when Gustavsson’s Dallas suitors trotted him out to a Texas Rangers baseball game and had him throw the first pitch, that probably sealed it. Ten to one he went back to his hotel room for a Web search of airfares, Stockholm-to-Pearson Airport.”

Now clearly I am an idiot. I didn’t see the forest but for the trees. I asked where the Leafs were going to take Jonas and whom they were going to have meet with him when in fact Burke had the right plan, stick to hockey. The kid wants to play hockey the other shit isn’t going to matter.

“Back in Sweden, everyone was clamoring for Gustavsson to join the Leafs. In the Stockholm daily Aftonbladet on June 28, columnist Mats Wennerholm wrote an article whose promo blurb went like this: “The choice is simple, Jonas: in Toronto, you can become immortal. I would not hesitate a second. It’s the perfect club.”

I don’t doubt the opinions where there, again I don’t think they played any factor at all in his decision. The times goes on more about the financial problems of Hicks and how that is going to make like tough on Joe N. That may be true, but, and call me naive I just don’t see that as a deciding factor in Jonas’s decision.

Now Dallas’s own color commentater Daryl Reaugh had this to offer on his blog:

“But lets get back to the unsubstantiated feedback I’ve dug up in regards to the Stars courtship of Mr. Gustavsson. (TMZ has nothing on me) Word has it that he wanted to come to Dallas. His girlfriend and the Stars Fabian Brunnstrom’s squeeze are best friend’s. The organization, as we all know, is top notch. The goals are championship ones. The city is vibrant. The climate is terrific (except maybe in late July and August). And the opportunity going forward would have been his for the taking. However, now days the player doesn’t always make the final decision. Agents and “representatives” carry a lot of weight. Many of them have their clients best interests at heart, but also their own. Perhaps his reps saw hockey-mad Toronto as a better location for all involved – including themselves? Perhaps.”

Now, this is entirely plausible. Again, I am not buying it. Jonas took a long time. I know, I wrote too many posts about his decision. The tour, the meetings, the times, the waiting. I think he did this on his own and I think he had his own reasons. Agents may give advice and may make suggestions. However a good agent wouldn’t push a kid like this. That’s how you end up with no clients. Push a kid in his first deal and you won’t do his second. The player is the boss, the agent works for the player and not vise versa. Could I be wrong? Of course.

As I am writing this i see the Raptors have pulled off a trade, from the good folks at Yahoo Sports:

“The Mavericks and Raptors recruited the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies to help facilitate the deal. The Raptors will get Hedo Turkoglu in a sign-and-trade deal with the Magic rather than signing him outright. They also will receive forwards Devean George and Antoine Wright from the Mavericks.

Marion will receive a five-year, $40 million contract from the Mavericks.

Stackhouse will go to the Grizzlies, who will waive him. Only $2 million of Stackhouse’s $7 million contract for next season is guaranteed.

Toronto sends a trade exception to Orlando. The Mavericks also will receive forward Kris Humphries from the Raptors.”

DL will have coverage in the am.

So let me get this straight, Steve McNair’s girlfriend killed him (allegedly), his wife didn’t know about it and Lenny Dykstra’s gone bust. I mean really. REALLY!!! What the hell is this world coming to? You know what I say, collectively speaking no dumber animal on the planet than the professional athlete!

Jeff Blair has some good insight tonight on trading Roy:

“The cold reality is that Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay is the face of an injury-riddled team with a .500 record. He’s owed about $20-million through 2010 by a franchise with the sixth-lowest attendance in the major leagues this season. And so, general manager J.P. Ricciardi is listening to offers for baseball’s premier workhorse starting pitcher. In fact, he already started listening before saying so publicly. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim GM Tony Reagins sounded out Ricciardi about Halladay’s availability before the weekend, according to the Los Angeles Times. Ricciardi’s statements to the media came as no surprise to Halladay.”

This is no shocker. Releasing of BJ is no shocker either. JP inherited albatross contracts and he will leave the next GM with the same thing. To those who love JP, I promise this, if, when he trades Roy he includes either Vernon Wells or Alex Rios in the deal or both then he will have done a great job. If he can’t trade Roy and get a shitload he is a shitload!

“The dream is over. The club has an interim president and chief executive officer (Paul Beeston), ownership that no longer operates on the whim of one man (the late Ted Rogers) and a more corporate M.O. than before. The club faces a revenue crunch this year and going forward, will be saddled by the lengthy and expensive contracts given to under-performing outfielders Vernon Wells and Alex Rios. In addition, while the Jays cut loose relief pitcher B.J. Ryan yesterday, they owe him the remainder of $12-million in 2009 salary and another $10-million next year. Ricciardi must be thinking about moving third baseman Scott Rolen – whose trade value hasn’t been this high in years – as well as Halladay. Wells and Rios could only be dealt to a panicked and well-heeled buyer (hello there, Omar Minaya). Whether Ricciardi is the guy you’d want to make a big deal is moot – a Halladay transaction would owe as much to the input of assistant general managers Alex Anthopoulos and Tony LaCava. The guess here is manager Cito Gaston gets a say, and in that case third baseman Howie Kendrick would come to Toronto in any deal with the Angels.”

These are the dark days for this franchise folks. Blair is painting an ugly picture. Maybe that is why he has taken on other beats other than the Jays!

Insert tv sitcom joke here:

“Tyler Bozak, Christian Hanson and Viktor Stalberg thought they had seen the last of living in a college dormitory after they each decided to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs two months ago. But the three 23 year olds have agreed to live in a similar arrangement this summer. On June 1, the top three Toronto prospects moved into a west-end apartment near the Leafs’ practice facility in order to diligently prepare for their first pro season.The idea of the three spending the summer together in Toronto to train under the watchful eye of the NHL team was hatched by the Leafs’ brass. The three youngsters were more than willing to partake in the plan, but rather than living alone, they decided to band together and share living quarters. The average day for the three includes an early morning workout with new Leafs strength and conditioning coach Anthony Belza, and they undergo constant counselling on the proper nutrition. In fact, Bozak and Hanson – with the other prospects at the camp – watched a firsthand cooking display by a chef the other day at the Air Canada Centre. “Of course, we learned about the right foods to eat, but I also learned that it doesn’t take that long to prepare a meal that is good for you,” Bozak said. “I may not be able to chop an onion as quickly as the chef did, but I can get it down to a few minutes.” The three have the afternoons and evenings off to become accustomed to their new surroundings. Bozak and Stalberg are avid golfers, joined a club in nearby Milton and often the pair of five handicappers find themselves engaged in competitive matches against one another. (Stalberg admitted he hasn’t beaten Bozak on many occasions).”

Cue the laugh roll! That gem also from the Globe and Mail.

More tomorrow on what should be another fun day!

TSM

nytimes is here
Blair is here

Im sorry, but last year when outlets had sources in Sweden close to Mats Sundin, I thought we learned our lesson about just how dumb that sounded…. I mean, come on…..

Leave it to Howard to kick of this years rumor season with his own sources in Sweden, at this stage I may need to launch SwedenSportsMedia.com to keep up on all the hockey rumors….

“One of my trusted bird-dogs from Sweden has spoken with the people representing Jonas Gustavsson, and he is convinced the Maple Leafs stand an excellent chance of landing the free agent goalie.”

I know he is using the bird dog thing in jest…

The good news, is that for the most part Howard doesn’t usually report dead wrong rumors. If someone is chirping in his ear and he is reporting it he has a fairly decent track record. His problem is, in my opinion that he just doesn’t break any scoops anymore….Guess it’s only a problem if you think that’s a key part of the job….

““Originally, it was thought that Jonas would take his time making a decision, but it sounds like he was really blown away by the Leafs,” the source insisted. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he chooses Toronto rather quickly. The sense I get is that Brian Burke put together a plan that did an excellent job of convincing Jonas about the opportunity with the Maple Leafs. Apparently, he really liked the city as well. So, I think the Leafs are right at the front of the line among teams pursuing him, though he hasn’t yet indicated which way he’ll turn.”

Funny thing is then, that not much has changed since the reality tour. Most handicappers were saying that this was for the Leafs to blow and if Howie is right they haven’t so far.

The best part to me anyway is that the Monster seemed to have been more impressed with the substance of hockey as opposed to the other stuff he was shown elsewhere:

“the Leafs’ pitch was more hockey-centric than those from other clubs, particularly Dallas, which apparently did everything except allow Gustavsson to fire rubber bullets from the sixth floor of the old Texas Schoolbook Depository Building. “The Stars really went all out for Jonas, and he likes the people in their organization, especially [new GM] Joe Nieuwendyk,” I was told. “They took him to many different events and you probably heard that he was introduced to (former U.S. president) George W. Bush. But, the Leafs were a bit more focussed in their presentation. They stuck to hockey, and the potential future for him to be the No. 1 goalie on an improving team.”

That’s a very good sign if he ends up here. At least we know he is here for the right reasons.

We shall see if Howies track record stays intact or goes down…50-50 on this one..

TSM

You can read howie here

Well, Jonas The Monster Gustavsson arrives in the Big Smoke today for the last stop on his reality tour. Here’s hoping Burke has his Sunday’s Best on and a hole host of impressive things to do as in other cities The Monster has been wined and dined. Get a load of what The Monster took in Dallas according to Damien:

“was wined and dined by the Stars and the team’s new GM, Joe Nieuwendyk. He threw out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers game in Arlington, had dinner with Dallas captain Brendan Morrow and even met former U.S. President George Bush at the ballgame.”

I hope that MLSE’s own George Costanza has an equally impressive plan for the kid. While what the team does to impress him shouldn’t really matter, it will be impossible for him not to take those type of things into consideration. Now a GM could say that he doesn’t want a player to come to his team only because he was wined and dined and shown the bright lights of the city…but we won’t go there. So here is my question to you.. If you are Brian Burke, what do you do when The Monster hits the red carpet today, what is your three day itinerary?

TSM

So Brian Burke goes postal on Brady and Watters and when you listen to the interview you are left with the impression that something had Burke riled up before he even picked up the phone to do the interview. So of course, inquiring minds want to know what got him so pissed off. Well, it says here that Burke is antsy. All around the league shit is happening and like in the Rod Stewart song, “there’s none for me”. Burke can see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, the start of his time to shine, but it is still 3 weeks away. Teams are making coaching changes, he isn’t about to do that. Teams are making GM moves, he isn’t going to do that. Teams are signing superstars to long term deals, he can’t do that. Burke’s hands are tied by mother time and there is nothing he can do about it. It’s frustrating to me as a fan, it’s got to be driving him nuts. I mean how many times can you call a fellow GM and say, you ready to deal yet?? It was one thing a month ago, now the clock has turned June and well, it’s still hurry up and wait time.

Add to that the fact that Joe Nieuwendyk is gone, he still hasn’t landed the Monster and Burke is going to be cranky. Anyone else notice the quote from him yesterday that he is certain Nonis will be gone next off season??? Interesting comment given the fact that Burke has already allegedly deny one team the right to speak to Nonis this off-season. NHL contracts end later this month so Burke will have to decide what he is doing with the likes of Jeff Jackson and the rest of his management team and scouts, so that should be interesting too. It says here that there will be changes in that department in addition to the countless roster changes Burke is going to make.

Is it me, or does Gary Bettman become less and less likable each time he either appears publicly or speaks publicly. I have made my position clear. Bettman is a bold faced liar. He looked the public in the face and said things that were totally false about the state of one of his teams. He may have had reasons for doing so, but a liar he is nevertheless. Therefore, each time I hear that voice, I turn the channel. I bought it once, I don’t buy it this time.

So, Bettman was on with Richie Rich MacLean and Jack Armstrong yesterday afternoon. He, once again got off easy. A caller today, I am told called MacLean and Armstrong and voiced his displeasure with their “weak” questioning of the commish especially on the whole honesty issue. So, the hosts apparently got very defensive and basically made the point that they weren’t going to bring someone on of Bettman’s stature and call him a liar. The caller, I am told, didn’t take that answer well and was persistent to the point where the call ended with the hosts saying, sarcastically that they would be sure to have the caller in studio the next time the commissioner is on the air. So, here is my take. Good radio hosts know how to do the dance. Don’t slam a person when he is off the air and kiss their ass when they are on it. You lose credibility when you do that. Mccown used to be famous for it. He would bash the hell out of someone off the air and then when they came on treat them like they were the best of friends. In this instance, MacLean should have given the Commissioner the opportunity to discuss why he lied to the public. I understand that you don’t invite someone into your home and call them names, but you have to have some integrity. I didn’t hear the call, it isn’t on the website. Whomever you are caller….good on you.

Speaking of callers, who was the dipstick who called Brady’s show and suggested that it was high time Burke got fired??????? When asked for a name to replace Burke, Einstein for Etobicoke said anyone from the Detroit organization! You wonder why some of these guys hate to take calls…

MacLean, by the way was LOVED when I lived in Miami back in the day. People were genuially upset when he left. Bill Torrey(I love how the papers still refer to him as the architect of the New York Islander Stanley Cup Teams- like he hasn’t done anything since!) was around in those days and certainly will be calling Doug for a chat about the vacant Florida job. I wonder if the powers that be at the Fan could be any happier at the prospect of Maclean going back to his role as GM?

Credit to Damien for not pulling down his blog post of yesterday morning suggesting that perhaps the Canadiens were going to go out of the box with a Russian head coach. It hit my RSS reader well after the Jacques Martin story broke.

Hope you all liked the TSM take feature we started today, look for more stuff like that in the future. Also, Dan’s basbeall chat was awesome- if you haven’t listened to it yet you should.

TSM

Word is that Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Executive is now the head hauncho in Dallas. Joe nieuwendyk is the new GM of your Dallas Stars. This ends the two headed monster GM reign that saw Sean Avery land in Dallas.

More on this later

TSM

Greg Brady’s portly buddy is up to his old tricks again…. Look what the moron wrote today:

“Toronto GM Brian Burke was pounding his chest after signing college UFAs Tyler Bozak (Denver) and Christian Hanson (Notre Dame). The Leafs might want to keep expectations low. On April 1, 2006, Burke signed Cornell G David McKee for Anaheim and gave him a huge signing bonus. He is currently with the Bakersfield Condors in the ECHL.”

Now, ask your self this, when did Burke pound his chest? Everything he said about these guys was that he wanted to sign 3-5 of them in hopes 1 would make it. He has said they were high on the players, but how well they did would be up to each player. He didn’t guarantee success. He said that he hated the fact that the Leafs were a viable option to the college players (because they could offer the players a good chance to crack the lineup unlike many other teams) and he hoped it was the last time this would happen. Even more so, Burke heaped praise on Joe Nieuwendyk for signing many of these players.

Bruce, there are lots of places you can take shots at the Leafs and Burke. Here’s an idea, try stick to reality, people may actually think you are credible unlike the heap of crap you usually write. How’s that Chris Pronger to Toronto rumour doing these days? You know the one you pounded your chest for breaking???? Yeah that one.

You can read more (if you so dare) of Bruce’s work here

Kudos to the folks at kuklas Korner for finding this awesome article in the London Free Press:

“Burke was the speaker for the Engaging Insights Speaker Series held in conjunction with the London Convention Centre and the London Chamber of Commerce. He spoke in front of about 200 people. What he did say from a hockey standpoint is that he expects the March 4 trade deadline to be a busy time in the NHL in general, that he was offered a trade Tuesday and his staff spent yesterday looking into the player offered in terms of his character; that 10 days ago a team called offering him one of the Top 5 picks in the draft for defenceman Luke Schenn; that he believes whoever goes to the microphone in the NHL draft this summer will pick London Knights John Tavares as the No. 1 pick; and that he expects defenceman Tomas Kaberle to remain a Toronto Maple Leaf. Burke wouldn’t give out any information about the potential trade but that “we’re really looking at the player.”

We should be able to eliminate a few teams from the list of where this mystery player may currently play. Burke and Nonis know Anaheim and Vancouver fairly well. Joe Nieuwendyk knows Florida. That leaves 26 possibilities . Think about it though. How many players do you think this management team needs to spend a day researching? Unless of course the guy is in Europe or the minors.

“Burke’s reaction to the trade offer for Schenn . . .”It was a short conversation,” he said. “I asked him ‘you want me to trade a Top 5 pick, someone who might eventually be able to play, for an 18-year-old who is playing 22-minutes a game right now?’”

Not that I wouldn’t trade Schenn, but it would have to be a great offer. No one right now can gurantee the number one pick. My bet is that the offer came from Tampa. I don’t know that, but that is my guess.

“”I haven’t made massive changes anywhere I’ve gone,” said the former general manager of the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. “We’re still trying to assess who can do things . . . We haven’t made that determination yet.”

That’s an odd statement by Burke. He has been here for several months already. The team has been through as many situations as imaginable, except the playoffs. The staff has been under his direction for several months as well. In any event he has less then 2 weeks to figure it out.

You can read the free press here

The Fan has the Raptors game- not sure if McCown is on, if so, should be he and Brunt with a roundtable..

On 640:

440 Ron Francis
510 Joe Nieuwendyk
540 Bob “The Bear Cowan”
610 Dreger/Morrison
630 Jonas Siegel
640 Dr. Paul Echlin, Chair of the 2009 Hockey Concussion Summit in London, Ontario

Let me make this perfectly clear, there is no one player who I have more respect for then Steve Yzerman. I lived in Detroit before the Wings went on their run. I saw what the guy went through. I remember when their was a rumor that Scotty was going to trade him to Ottawa. He was a phenomenal leader and an amazing captain.

He also has done an admiral job learning the ropes in management. The reviews have been without exception very good. The job he has done on the international stage has been superb. He will be an NHL GM one day. By the sounds of it, he even knows that to do so he may have to leave the one NHL franchise he has been with his entire life. I can tell you that when the happens, I will root for him. I like him that much.

Now, to the news of the day. If the Leafs management team had announced last spring, tomorrow or next spring that Steve Yzerman was the next GM of the Leafs, MLSE would be absolutely roasted for the choice. Newsflash here folks, the critics would be right. This franchise is not in the position to hire a guy with NO experience running an NHL franchise. Hello?????? we just went through this mess. The Leafs don’t have the ability for someone to learn on the job. They current ownership group blew that with JFJ. You know it, I know it and media knows it too.

Does that mean that Yzerman won’t be the next coming of Lou Lamoerello? Of course not. He may be the next best GM ever to walk the face of the earth. The Leafs can’t appoint him as GM in the same way they can’t hire Joe Nieundyk as the next GM, or Doug Gilmour as the new coach. That ship has sailed for now. So word that MLSE chairman said the Leafs wont hire Yzerman as the next GM is not a shock nor is it insulting. Oh and by the way, someone new at a job in sports is by definition a rookie. When Yzerman gets his first gig as a GM, he will be rookie GM Steve Yzerman. He will be allowed to and expected to make Rookie GM mistakes. It is no slight in calling him a rookie with respect to a GM role. He has never had a GM position, so his first one will be his rookie season.

Listening to Watters and Brady today was insulting to those of us with an IQ over 10. Wilbur can’t even describe his current status properly. He keeps calling himself a disgruntled employee. Hey Wilus, they fired your ass. You aren’t an employee and you were never disgruntled. You are a bitter former employee, with an axe to grind. No more, no less. It’s funny, down the dial Gord Stellick is also a former employee who was fired, his brother was also once a Maple Leaf employee. It’s funny how different his tone is. He is balanced, he criticizes when required but always balanced.

Brady is a shocker. The guy just came from Detroit. He was on the morning show on their own version of the Fan (WDFN). He had no problems only yesterday rejoicing in the firing of Matt Millen. Arguably the worst GM in recent sports history. Millen for those of you who don’t know was hired by the Detroit Lions seven years ago to serve as president and gm. Millen was a phenomenal player. After a storied career, he became a very good broadcaster, arguably one of the best in the business. As a GM, he was a total disaster. He made rookie mistake from the minute he took control until the time he was fired. Seriously, no joke. How Brady, who spent hours bashing the hell out of Millen can turn around and bash Tanenbaum for not wanting to hire a rookie GM is astonishing. Damien Cox was forced off primetime sports because his negativity combined with McCowan’s created an “unlistenable” product. The powers that be should learn from that. When he started Brady was a hell of a lot more balanced then Wilbur. He should go back to that form. I had some respect for him then, but very little now.

When the Leafs hired JFJ, the media bashed this shit out of them:

“When he took the job after the axing of Gerry McNamara in February, 1988, [Gord Stellick] was no more or less qualified to run an NHL club than John Ferguson Jr. is today.”

That was what Damien Cox wrote the day before JFJ was hired. At least JFJ had been the GM of an AHL team. Yzerman hasn’t, to the best of my knowledge done that. All the usual suspects bashed them for not taking Neil Smith, a more experienced GM. Do you think hiring a rookie GM this time around would be received any better especially given the JFJ fiasco?

Gotta love some of the meathead comments on this story in the Globe:

” D Man from Canada writes: You have to be kidding me. He doesn’t want a “rookie” . Stevie Y is in the top 5 most knowledgeable hockey people out there, and get so much respect around the league. If the next hire will be in place for 5-10 years, he would seem to be the perfect fit – a guy with instant credibility in the game that can grow stronger with the organization. Another indication that the leafs are going no-where with the upper level guys they have in place.”

The top 5 most knowledgeable hockey people out there…sorry, can’t stop laughing

“Dave The Rave from Ottawa, Canada writes: This is the kind of supercilious statement one can expect from the suits at MLSE. Enough said.”

What the hell does that mean?? Anyone impressed by the 10 cent word?

I think these are the same Einsteins who call in after games!

Question of the day for all of you out there….

Yankee stadium is perhaps one of the greatest historical buildings in sports history correct? How is it that the building will be demolished in less then a month without much fuss and the old Maple Leaf Gardens remains vacant, 10 years after the Leafs moved? Is Yankee stadium at the very least not equal to the Gardens in terms of historical significance or are our priorities just a tad bit screwed up????

I thought so….

I just said to someone the other day how nice it has been since Cliff arrived to not have to hear Toronto’s greatest hockey mind Richard Peddie give us his 2 cents on the ways of the hockey world. I guess then I tempted fate and caused someone like our good pal Lance Hornby to get some nuggets from old Dickie.

and I swear I am not making this up:

“Cliff has made us a younger team and I’m looking forward to meeting (top draft picks) Luke Schenn and Nikolai Kulemin this week at the prospects camp. Sometimes, it’s a sixth-rounder and not a first-rounder that surprises you. But we want to hold on to our young guys.”

“I really like hiring Ron Wilson and both Cliff and I agreed a while ago that Joe was one of the best (newcomers) anyone could get. I think we have one of the deepest front office teams now.”

“But of course, it all depends on what happens during this season.”

I feel so much better now knowing that Richard is actually going to meet Luke Schenn and Nikolai Kulemin. Is he going to get pictures with each to add to his infamous collection in his office? Or just stick with autograhs?

His quote about being surprised by sixth rounders as opposed to first rounders is the work of sure genius.

I am also happy to hear that he and Cliff decided on Joe Nieuwendyk I mean given his track record of hiring guys……

Clearly from Richard all the way down to Joe, the Leafs are now the deepest front office ( I hope you can sense the sarcasm cause I am laying it on pretty thick!)

As for his last comment, what depends on what happens during this season? Come on Richard, we all know very few are really going to be judged based on what happens this season. Cliff has done what others before him wouldn’t (or couldn’t). If this teams competes hard most nights irrespective of outcome, the team will have improved dramatically.

Do us all a favor, stick to what you are REALLY good at, making your bosses lots of money. Let the sports people do what they do best, worry about the on ice/court product…please.