Mike Toth taught us all that he knows more than any woman employed as a sports broadcaster, and well look where that landed him. So, pardon the expression in the title. No offense intended.

So, if your at all like me, you listen to your fair share of sports radio, you read the dailies and if you are reading this then I can assume you are reading the blogs too. Additionally, you pile on a few hours of television nightly, a game here or there a highlight/news show etc. You are, as they say, tuned in.

As I have written here lately, the problem with the current status of the Toronto Maple Leafs is that no man’s land isn’t a great place to be if you are covering the team or looking for a story/topic to report on. Take today for example, the big news of the day was that Ron Wilson was unhappy with the stupid penalties the Leafs took against Tampa Bay. No shit Dick Tracy. Jolly Jonas had it in an article of his, on the air and his twitter, Happy Howie Berger had it on the Fan, hell next to charity events for Haiti it was the new of the day.

My question for you is this. In the absence of anything meaningful to discuss, what do you want your scribes to cover? Should they be covering other teams? other leagues, other sports or taking on different angles. If we are willing to accept that the Maple Leafs aren’t newsworthy by virtue of them not being the least bit of interest, what should those who cover them talk about?

For me, I have lots of questions. First and foremost, and this isn’t a knock on the guy, but I am curious what a GM does in the NHL from training camp till the trade deadline. I mean o NHL GM’s have a message board like hfboards.com where they post rumours etc? What have there been so far this year, 4 trades, of which, what, 1 was of any significance? How many times can you call fellow GM’s and say, you trading anyone? Everytime there is a rumor at all the first thing a GM says is “I haven’t even talked to that team in a over a month”. There are only 30 teams in the damn league, if you aren’t talking to each 1 at least 1x a month, then what the hell are you doing?

Second question is for the coaching staff, how do you prepare your team for a meaningless battle? The whole world knows the season is meaningless, each game is becoming more irrelevant with the passing of every day, so how do you keep guy motivated. What the hell are you doing in practices at this stage of the season? Is it preparing for next season already?

Personally, I would like to see some technical information that we don’t usually get to see. What is a GM watching for when they are in press box, what is a coach thinking as his team takes another too many men on the ice penalty…you know the inside stuff that we don’t get ot hear or read about. I think the MSM should be trying to find the nuisances that we don’t get anywhere else. There are no more scoops. There are no traders, so there are no more rumors. Why not get us some real stories that are actually interesting.

What, do you want to read/listen about?

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Change clearly is in the air. Let’s see:

First the Maple Leafs. How many contracts are expiring at year’s end? How many players currently on the roster do you expect to be here for training camp next year? No matter what is being said publicly, if the Leafs continue at the same clip as they are right now for the rest of the season, there will be tremendous pressure to change the coaching staff. The only thing that could make that easier for Burke is if the US Olympic team shits the bed for what is perceived as coaching errors.

Toronto Blue Jays. Good, bad or indifferent, AA is going to overhaul his roster too. Does that mean they will be any better? Who knows. Beeston and company aren’t exactly instilling confident feelings in me, that’s for sure. From my perspective, it’s pretty damn telling when trading Roy Halladay is seen as a positive thing if only for the the hope that there will be multiple usable assets coming in return. Add to that the fact that this will be Cito’s last season as manager and well, change is coming. We may have a better idea of how fast this coming Monday when the annual derby of players begins.

Toronto Raptors: Oy! No, really, Oy! Brian Colangelo’s boys lost their 5th in a row tonight and it was UGLY. How ugly, they gave up 146 points! Ummmm, wasn’t the plan to keep Bosh here to place him in a winning environment???? The only reason the seseason isn’t a total disaster so far is that there are worse teams in the league right now (thank god for the NJ NETS). The Raptors are 7-13 after 20 games, 8 games back from the leader in their division and are in second place!! At this pace change will have to be considered by Colangelo and soon. Chris Bosh- who has been on fire so far this season put up 2 points tonight.

Toronto Argos: 3 and 15. I am not going to pretend that I know the first thing about this team. I do know that their owners aren’t going to put up with the results they have seen in the last couple of years. A product like this won’t sell anywhere near the tickets they are hoping to sell regardless of where the team plays.

Fan 590: William Houston broke the news today that Nelson Millman is leaving the station that he built for greener pastures at Sportsnet. While Houston correctly says that any rumored change is merely speculation one has to think that it’s better than a 50:50 bet. In the past couple of months Millman has had to terminate some long time employees including Norm Rumack. Millman is a people person. He likes and supports his team. Change wouldn’t come easy with him still at the fan and it is likely to be easier for a new person to make changes that Nelson would rather not make. The challenge for whomever the new boss is will be talent location. This isn’t exactly a market full of young talent. Getting rid of any of the current on air personalities is easy. Finding better alternatives in this market right now will be more difficult. Either way, anyone not named Mccown should be worried at the Fan.

Houston also mentioned that Steve McCalister has left the Globe and Mail to run Yahoo Sports Canada’s sports team. That is fascinating. For the first time an internet portal in this country is taking sports seriously. Be certain to keep an eye on that change.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the health of Maple Leafs goalie Gustavsson. While there is lots of speculation out there right now, it is just that. In either event there will be a change in net and let’s hope that he is okay soon not for hockey sake but for his own health.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

One game by itself doesn’t say a whole hell of a lot does it? So I am not going to hit the alarm or panic button as many of the Toronto media suggest we nutty Leaf fans do. However, watching tonight’s game was like going in back in time to when the Maple Leafs were coached by Paul Maurice. They looked totally disinterested in the game, unprepared and unwilling to do whatever it took to win. From my seats at the ACC, it was a sad effort by the blue and white to say the least.

A couple of weeks ago, a Boston Red Sox pitcher plunked Adam Lind with a pitch. The next night Roy Halladay plunked David Ortiz. Payback, the code or whatever else you want to call it. You hit one of ours, we hit one of yours.

Brian Burke said his teams would have: “Proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence” there wasn’t evidence of that tonight.

Viktor Stalberg get laid out by Anton Volchekno and who payed him back???????? I mean every kid who ever played hockey knows that when one of your guys gets hit, someone goes after that guy or another skill guy on the other side. It’s just the way it works. Doesn’t mean you have to kill someone, or injury them. Rosehill, Exleby, Orr, Komisarek were all in the lineup tonight- none delivered. The guys who Burke identified as the plumbers clearly left their plungers at home tonight.

From the stands, and it is one game, 2 things were very evident. First, their is a leadership void so far. The Leafs still lack an identity. They still don’t have the one guy who can pick them up and put them on their backs. They don’t have the guy who can throw the big hit and get them going. Second, for whatever reason, Luke Schenn is wound up sooooooooooooo tight. No idea why but it looks like he is feeling the stress big time. He is clearly fighting the puck, and a result he is turning it over repeatedly.

My overall take away. Despite a lengthy training camp, the new guys aren’t yet comfortable and the team doesn’t yet have leaders. Until those two issues are addressed, it’s going to be difficult to win games like tonight. With Stalberg out, we really had no offensive spark. Gustavsson played well enough to win. The Leafs did look very comfortable in front of him, way more so than in front of Toskala.

A trend? A pattern? Time to panic? No… Something to keep an eye on? ABSOLUTELY. As I said when they acquired Kessel, the pressure on Ron Wilson just got amped up a notch or three. A few more efforts (or lack there of) like tonight and, well you know…..

By the way, little TSM had the time of his life. He soaked it all in and can’t wait to go back. He, of course wants to see the Penguings play the Leafs next time. Anyone interested in a road trip to Pittsburgh???

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

From Raptors.com, here is video of the team’s scrimmage in Ottawa this weekend. You get six minutes of the best highlights and it’s worth a look.

For a nice recap, see this piece from Arsenalist of Raptors Republic.

-DL

(Note: The previous picture, depicting Kanye West, a banana and a watermelon, has been deemed offensive, and thus removed. I hope this new picture offends only Kanye West…which was my, and Sonny’s, original intention)

Here’s another video on this Thursday morning.

Courtesy of Raptors.com, it’s a funny moment from Toronto Raptors training camp, as newcomer Sonny Weems ends rookie DeMar DeRozan’s media session with a Kanye West imitation. The interview session itself reveals pretty much nothing, so I’d recommend scrolling to the end. Weems seems like a funny guy, and DeMar gets a good laugh out of it.

So Mats’ agent couldn’t convince him to come back for another year. I guess JP’s kids aren’t going to get that play structure this year after all. So the end of a brilliant career officially begins. Or does it? Don’t get me wrong, it was a brilliant career. The talking heads will most certainly fill the hours today already asking questions about his Hall of Fame eligibility/selection etc. The question that really should be asked today is do we believe him. I mean, defend the player all you want. How he left Toronto, the whole no trade clause “thing” if nothing else can’t instill an ounce of confidence in the words he chooses to use right? I have written here before that Mats lied. When he said you have to be there from the beginning of training camp and then signed with Vancouver way after, it was a in complete conflict with what he said when he refused to waive his no trade clause(which he had EVERY right to do). Mats lovers around the world claimed that he changed his mind (which he also has every right to do). So at the very least, Mats has the penitence to change his mind, at the worst is a liar.

Either way, it says here that we should bank on at the very least rumblings on his return. You already know what the stories will say. Apparently, the goats in Sweden are telling sources that Mats is disillusioned with retirement, that he has started skating in earnest and is talking to no less than 6 stanley cup contending teams, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The question isn’t if the rumours will hapen but when. We all know they will appear on at least one website. The question is will he “change his mind” again. I suspect right around the time of the Olympics we will start to hear the drumbeats. You know when visa bills post Christmas start to arrive. That’s likely the time his agent will start calling Mats and saying, are you sure you are retired?? I can probably get us, I mean you a couple million prorated for the rest of the season!

Kudos to Mats on a great career. Hell yes he will enter the hall of fame. I just don’t believe it’s time to call it over just yet. I mean a man can change his mind right?

It’s amazing how everyone interprets how things are said. I watched Brian Burke’s media scrum today with resepct to Phil Kessel. I walked away thinking he is either going to trade for him or if he can’t he is going to sign him to an offer sheet. Multiple media outlets had a completely different interpretation. For the record, here is what Brian Burke said:

“Well, I am not sure what is going to happen next. Everyone knows we reacquired a draft pick. Puts us in a position to effect the chain of events with certain players, It’s kind of a day to day thing i don’t know what the next step will be there, it’s clear to everyone we are trying to upgrade our forward group and we will see what happens”

Question from a media member: “Are you ready to make an offer to Phil kessel?”

Brian Burke “We are not going to do that right now, that isn’t the plan right now. I haven’t talked to Peter Chiarelli.(Boston Bruins GM) since I acquired the pick, I did speak to him before I acquired the pick so he knew what I was going to do. …. I don’t contemplate an offersheet on Phil Kessel at this time.”

The headline from the Globe and Mail, curotusey the Canadian Press “Burke denies Leafs pursuing Kessel ” the byline from the story “GM quashes rumours team is putting together offer sheet for 21-year-old Bruins forward” The first paraggraph “Toronto Maple Leafs fans hoping to see Phil Kessel in blue and white are probably out of luck. Leafs general manager Brian Burke quashed rumours Tuesday the Leafs were set to put together an offer sheet for the 21-year-old forward. Kessel, a restricted free agent, remains unsigned as the Bruins prepare to start training camp this week.”

Similarily, Citytv had the same tone in their report on the story tonight.

Now, the National Post takes a different read from the exact same media scrum!:

Headline: “Leafs’ Burke wants to land Bruins’ Kessel”
From the story:

“General manager Brian Burke confirmed Tuesday that he is once again trying to pry restricted free agent forward Phil Kessel from the Boston Bruins. The 21-year-old, who was close to being traded to Toronto earlier this summer, would likely address some of the questions about the Leafs’ offence. But actually getting him into a blue-and-white jersey could involve more than a simple player-for-player transaction.”

When I worked in the IHL, the GM of the team I worked for always used to say to the beat writer who covered the team, there are multiple ways to interpret the same thing, if a team ties 4 and a row and then loses a game, are they winless in 5?????

Yes Burke said he didn’t plan on signing Kessel to an offer sheet. Hello people, what is he supposed to say? If he wanted to end this discussion he would have told all that would have listened that he has no interest in Phil Kessel. He didn’t say that. Why not? Because, he WANTS Phil Kessel. One, there is no reason to say that he is planning on making him an offer. Why tip your hat??? If he says he is going to do that, why wouldn’t another team who is interested jump ahead of him if for no other reason than to drive up the price? Also, the easiest thing for Burke to do would be to make a trade. Why tip his hat publicly to Boston? Burke didn’t lie, he said he isn’t planning on doing it and he doesn’t know what will happen next. Hell, he may have said to Boston, if we don’t get a deal done by October 1 I may just sign him. Who knows. To jump off the deep end and say, that’s it Burke isn’t getting him is a tad bit irresponsible.

TSN offered up an angle similar to that of the National Post.

Meanwhile, happy Howie, Howard Berger chimes in with a few thoughts of his own:

“But, if Chiarelli were able to dump, say, Michael Ryder’s $4 million pact on the Leafs – while obtaining a first-rounder from Burke – it would make abundant sense for him to trade Kessel to the Blue & White. Burke has implied, on several occasions, he’d be willing to assume a “bad” contract in the right deal. And that, in all likelihood, represents the tone of the Toronto-Boston negotiations right now.”

So the Maple Leafs would acquire Michael Ryder and Phil Kessel for Toronto’s #1 pick??? Interesting to say the least. Berger isn’t usually the go to guy on rumours these days as he doesn’t report them much anymore (must be because he doesn’t watch too many hockey games on tv). In his defense, this is more of a suggestion than a rumor, but given names involved it certainly is worth mentioning. From my perspective, I would sooner do this than some of the reported offers out there. I have no problem taking salary back. Burke has let it be known that there is plenty of room on the farm for under-performing, overpaid veterans. Although I don’t think it’s reasonable, I would prefer that the pick be lottery protected. That is to say that if the Leafs are in the lottery that the pick moves to next year.

Stan Fishler offers a third party observation on Keseel:

“* Phil Kessel still isn’t a Bruin, and the feeling we get is that GM Peter Chiarelli would be just as happy to unload the lad while his value is high. That, of course, presumes that Pistol Pete gets a decent return.”

That doesn’t sound like a guy with HUGE market value to me…..

Kevin Paul DuPont chimes in:

“One way or another, it now appears a fait accompli that Kessel will get his money, but likely not from the Bruins.

With a minimum of three teams bidding, Chiarelli is in a position to play them off one another in an attempt to better the offers. Burke, though, with that second-round pick, could short-circuit all trade talks by dropping a lucrative offer sheet on Kessel at any hour. Chiarelli’s only option then would be to bid Kessel adieu or match the contract, which in turn would prohibit Chiarelli from trading Kessel for the entire 2009-10 season.

It’s that overriding threat that could force Chiarelli’s hand now, encouraging him instead to cut a quality deal with either the Predators or Rangers, or perhaps another club, rather than essentially be dictated terms by the Maple Leafs.

Both the Predators and Rangers have quality prospects that make a Kessel deal feasible. If that’s the case, much like when the Bruins flipped Glen Wesley to Hartford 15 years ago, the club swapping for Kessel no doubt would insist the Bruins first sign him and then make the trade.

Otherwise, just as the Bruins right now are vulnerable to an offer sheet, another club could acquire Kessel’s Group 2 rights but still risk losing him to an offer sheet for the same three draft picks.”

Brian Burke wanted John Tavares. He didn’t get him. He wanted the Sedins. He didn’t get them. He wanted other players, he didn’t get them. I am going to say that Burke is going to land Kessel. I am not sure if he is going to trade for him or sign him, but I think Burke lands the guy he wants.

Globe/CP story is here
National Post is here
Berger is here
Boston Globe is here

Just got back from the Blue Rodeo concert and it was awesome. Lt rocked and rolled through the entire show and sang every word! The opening act as many of you suggested was really good too.

Rookie camp is almost up on us and there are two players I think that will garner the most attention in both rookie camp and the full training camp. The Toronto Maple Leafs first round pick Nazem Kadri has, unfairly, in my opinion huge expectations simply because of the season Luke Schenn had last season. As a result of Schenn making the team last season, expectations for Kadri will be high. I know the answer is simply that just because Schenn made has no bearing or reflection of Kadri. I do know about expectations though in this town, and people I do believe will feel let down if he isn’t good enough to make the team. The right answer is that he should play wherever it affords him the best opportunity to develop. Opinions on that will be far and wide. Where does leave him, I don’t know, but I am betting that he doesn’t make the team. I would be less surprised to see him back with the London Kinights than I would to see him a Leaf. That would really surprise me.

In the same vein is the question of the young goalie Gustavsson. He is older, more mature, but he too has never played in the NHL. Goalies also tend to take longer to develop. If Gustavsson bombs out of the gate, how long do they let him stay with the big club and not play? How soon do they send him to the minors? How much of that is based on the play of Vesa Toskala? If Toskala is no better this season than he was last, will that put added pressure on The Monster? I really hope not. In an ideal world, the growth and maturation of Gustavsson should be totally unrelated to that of the rest of the team and or Vesa Toskala. He should be afforded every opportunity in training camp to make the team. If he struggles then he should go down and get his game minutes in. Will that happen? Time will tell. In both cases the pressure on both kids will be immense. The pressure on Burke will be equally as high. Not trading away picks and prospects at the draft was Burke’s first test. Not rushing his kids will be his second.

On the topic of the Maple Leafs, it is very quiet out of MLSE after the report of no official team representative at Ted Kennedy’s funeral last week. Silence tells me that, unfortunately, there is no good explanation for the absence and that the good ship Maple Leaf screwed up. The appearance of not caring in this matter is hard to ignore. The silence on the matter is deafening too. Let’s hope that if it is true, that no one from the team was there, that it was a total 100% mistake and that the will admit so publicly.

So, Paul Kelly is on the hot seat already in the NHLPA? This has to be a joke right? How is it possible that the NHLPA can be this dysfunctional. Again, if it is true, and they are really thinking about replacing Kelly, then I have the perfect replacement for him. David Miller. Yes the Mayor of Toronto would be perfect to serve the NHLPA. He has done such a wonderful job as Mayor of the City of Toronto, i feel that we Torontonians should swallow hard and suffer by letting him go and run the NHLPA. If not Miller, Glen Healey would be an awesome choice! If you are sensing a little bit of sarcasm it’s because I am laying it on pretty thick!

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Editors note, I thought that if kadri made the leafs and lost his junior eligibility he could go to the marlies. I was wrong.

The headline in the National Post is almost laughable: “Agent says Sundin’s NHL future will be decided soon” doesn’t that sound familiar? I mean this must be very hard on Mats, especially after last summer, he hasn’t been mentioned at all this summer. I mean after the summer of Mats last year he must be very jealous of Dan Heatley this summer.

““I’m going to talk to him about his future when I get there,” said Barry, of Calgary-based CAA Sports. “Hopefully, I’ll get a good idea where he’s at. He wants to hear about what Vancouver has to say. He really enjoyed his time there last season. He loves the city and the team.”

hahahahhahahhahaha

Barry must still be laughing all the way to the bank on the commission Mats paid him for half the season last year. I am sure he is going to “talk to him”. “Hey Mats, why not go for another 4-5m this season, hahahahhah”

The best part of the article:

“Barry said Sundin has received serious inquiries from “four or five” NHL teams, including the Canucks.”

SERIOUS….

Not just inquiries, but SERIOUS inquiries….

I’m thinking J.P took a look at his home and said, you know, I could use a new deck, let’s call Mats and see if he wants to play again this year..

In all seriousness, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Mats takes until December to decide where he is going to play. I mean he is getting married. Then there will be a honeymoon and clearly he won’t be ready for training camp. So, in December he will decide which team he will play for. Why retire? Just don’t come back to Toronto

You can read the awesome article in the National Post about Mats Sundin’s impending decision on where to play next year here.

Our man LT likes to check in a few times a week with the same question, “Did Burke land Marleau yet?” Clearly, LT wants Marleau. The news that the San Jose Sharks have stripped Marleau of his captaincy has lead to rampant speculation that Marleau will be dealt by the Sharks. So the question is twofold, one, do we want him? and two, do we have the assets to get him.

The answers are as intriguing as the questions themselves. Burke seems to be after high character guys. Does the fact that he is losing his captaincy mean he is not a high character guy? Does losing his captaincy make him less desirable? There are lots of high character guys who aren’t captain material. Hell, I wrote yesterday that Tomas Kaberle is, by all accounts a high character guy but by no accounts is he captain material. In my opinion, the only reason we want him is if Ron Wilson wants him. It’s one thing to be a GM in the league and covet or admire a player on another team. It’s different to have coached a guy. If Ron Wilson wants him, than that is good enough for me too. He puts up good numbers and is only 30.

Now, more interesting is do the Maple Leafs have the assets to get him. The obvious answer is yes they do. They coud pile up enough of (or all of) their young talent and throw in draft picks (Tom Kurvers trade ring a bell) to trade for him. The real question is, how marketable is a guy who has just been stripped of his captaincy? I mean how does Doug Wilson sell high on a guy who he in essence has just humiliated? Whether or not the move is justified or not, stripping a player of this honour can’t be viewed positively on the part of the player. I don’t care how it is sold, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it’s still stripping the player of one of the highest honors in the game. So what is the price for a guy like this right now?

All intriguing questions as we inch closer to training camp.

I have to admit, the more I have thought about it today the more I have really started to believe that Burke should find room for Chelios in this franchise. I think it would be a move of pure genius to land him. One way, two way, what ever way. Bring him here to be a role model and a mentor. I hear Ken Holland interviewed today, and as brutal an interview as it was, he said that the one thing that makes the Red Wings special is that when kids finally make the roster (they are so deep they don’t have to rush their prospects) they sit in the locker room in stalls next to guys like Steve Yzerman and Chris Chelios and learn how to be professional hockey players. They learn how to prepare, how to workout, the work ethic, how to eat etc. This is exactly why Burke should offer Chelios something unique to come in and teach these young kids how to be pros.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia