Quick tour around on the night after a huge win vs the beast, Detroit Red Wings.

“I see people who I have always admired for their work within and on behalf of the union, good people who have worked together for a common, necessary and progressive agenda in a time in which the NHL has amassed more management power than any time since the 1960s, I see people like Ian Penny, Steve Larmer, Glen Healy, Eric Lindros and Chris Chelios cannibalizing one another, and I quite frankly couldn’t be more sad about it.”

is that cause your sources are soon going to be out of loop Larry? The biggest union topologist is sad??? does anyone care?

Still with Brooks, I love this gem?:

“I’m sorry, but Phil Kessel became Frank Mahovlich, when?”

Umm, right after you won your first Pulitzer. No seriously, who – no really, who is labeling Kessel the savior??? The media is way more gaga over Kessel then Leaf fan is…

You see this from Damien Cox?:

“Much of that is owed to Gustavsson, possibly a genuine Calder Trophy candidate. He’s a wall along the goal line and in 462 minutes of NHL play has yet to give up a soft goal.”

If any fan mentioned Calder and Gustavsson in the same sentence ,the fan would have been all over them.. No Cox is saying it himself????

No, i’ts not just Leaf fans who liked what they saw from Kessel so far:

“Kessel off and running
An absolutely electrifying season debut Tuesday for Phil Kessel in Toronto’s blue-and-white silks. Back from offseason shoulder surgery, he darted around the ice as if he hadn’t played a game since May (well . . .), and though he didn’t record a point, he landed a career-high 10 shots in a 2-1 OT loss to Tampa. Seven more of his shots were blocked. Leaf fans hadn’t seen that kind of excitement since the likes of Alexander Mogilny or Mats Sundin (makes one wonder when they’ll have a good Canadian-born lad work them into a lather). Frightening, though, to see the ex-Bruin transition toward the offensive end, with head down, and get smoked by a thunderous straight-on check from Tampa defenseman Mattias Ohlund in the first period. “Clean hit, he got me good,’’ said Kessel, who needed a couple of minutes in the dressing room to gather himself and return only slightly worse for wear (cut lip). Kessel’s play was far bolder and more relaxed than anything we saw of him in Boston – reminiscent of Joe Thornton’s first few games with the Sharks when Jumbo flashed unfamiliar speed and zeal in the offensive end. If that’s the Kessel the Leafs get every night, they’ll have the best bargain in the NHL, even at $5.4 million a year and the possibility of yielding the No. 1 draft pick to Boston next June. Thornton has continued to be pretty much the same player who infuriated Boston management. Kessel is young enough (22) to keep pushing the envelope, and it looks as if coach Ron Wilson will make him a permanent fixture on the left half-wall for power-play duty. His development, or stagnation, will be fascinating to watch.”

That’s from Kevin Paul Dupot. Hard to say anything after 2-3 games about the trade itself. We do know this, when he is on the ice, he is so far above and beyond the next best maple leaf that it’s scary.

From Simmons:

“The minute by- minute Phil Kessel updates, what he ate for lunch, how many shots on goal he had at practice, how many towels he uses, are a little much and a whole lot over the top. One word to remember people: Perspective …. ”

People??? umm who is reporting all Kellse all the time??????

“What a terrible hockey market Long Island is. The Islanders are actually winning games, John Tavares is contributing and the Isles still aren’t drawing”

I thought this was all about a lousy arena deal? I don’t remember the deispute about being much less than that. If the arena sucks, one can imagine how years of mismanagement would stop the fans from coming out. When you build the arena that is why people come right???

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/articles/2009/11/08/in_relief_role_raycroft_shows_the_canucks_that_he_still_has_the_goods/?page=full

Brooks is here

Kevin Paul Dupont is here

Simmons is here

More from London.

I didn’t see much from the Kessel debut, however I did see this:

Don’t know about his shoulder- but welcome back buddy- better keep that head up. From all accounts it sounds like the general consensus was that he by FAR the best forward on the ice for the Maple Leafs and that Matt Stajan shouldn’t be too comfortable with his place alongside Kessel.

Lebrun has as good an overnight review of the game as anyone else I have seen:

“The 22-year-old star winger was downright dynamite Tuesday night in his Maple Leafs debut, dazzling the home fans with his speed and skill and launching 10 shots on goal at the Tampa Bay net, more shots than Lightning stars Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis combined.”

Downright dynamite. I love it. In time a percentage of those will either end up in the net or result in assists for Kessel.

“The former Bruins star did everything but score on this night, launching 19 shots in total toward the net, seven blocked by Lightning players and two missing the net. The puck was following him around all night.

I’m stunned he looked this good after missing all of training camp, preseason and the opening month of the regular season, recovering from shoulder surgery and, oh, playing his first game with a new team and new linemates.

In just one game, you see what kind of dimension Kessel brings to a Leafs lineup essentially devoid of top-six, high-end offensive talent. Tampa’s blueliners were backing up in a hurry when Kessel wheeled out of his zone with the puck. He opens that much ice around him thanks to his sizzling speed.”

Kessel is the offensive threat that the Maple Leafs haven’t had since, well, since ummmm, Doug Gilmour maybe?????

The problem facing Kessel, Brian Burke and Ron Wilson is that there is only one Phil Kessel on the Leafs. This team is now 1-12. So despite what anyone is saying with respect to positive signs, things improving, they can’t hide from that record. They are 1-12. In terms of timing, the schedule is fairly favorable to the buds. They don’t play again until Friday when they travel to Carolina to take on Paul Maurices ever struggling team before taking on the Red Wings at the unfriendly ACC. The Burke’s bunch has 7 games to play before they hit the 20 game plateau, the time when GM’s take stock in what they have and what they need. Right now it is hard to fathom how Burke sees nothing but holes in his lineup. 1-12 speaks volumes and despite what some in the MSM are saying, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a long way to go should they wish to be playing meaningful games after the holidays, let alone be anywhere near a playoff spot.

I have to believe by the way, that barring injury, the Finger experiment is going to come to an end with the Leafs pretty soon. They can’t keep a guy making that much dough with the club and in the press box. It’s too much money to be blowing under the cap to not have him in the minors. If he is not good enough to play with this group as a top performer than he should be down on the farm.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia
Lebrun is here

First it was Stephen Harris in the Boston Herals siting unamed sources closes to the Bruins that something is imminant and now Damien Cox is suggesting that this has to end soon or Burke may pull the offer sheet out of his back pocket”

“In fact, sources indicate that if Kessel isn’t traded in the next 48 hours, the Maple Leafs may be prepared to lay down an offer sheet in order to bring the issue to a conclusion.”

“The Leafs are believed to have offered two first round picks and a second – more than the free agent compensation of a first, second and third – but could amend that to involve young players. Nazem Kadri, however, is out, and probably Tyler Bozak and Christian Hanson are too since GM Brian Burke knows future attempts to sign NCAA free agents would be damaged if he dealt either Bozak or Hanson just months after signing them.

Winger Viktor Stalberg or forward Jiri Tlusty are possibles, but the Bruins would likely view either as anything but a guaranteed contributor for this season. Tomas Kaberle, included in trade talks between the two clubs in June, now has an active no-trade clause again.

For the Leafs, waiting much longer carries with it the risk that other teams might suffer injuries and therefore join in the bidding. So the likeliehood is that this weekend will see Kessel either traded or tendered an offer sheet.

Kessel is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and won’t play until mid-November. But he should know the identity of his new team within days.”

Great blog post by Damien. Let the banter continue and the countdown officially begin….

@yyzsportsmedia