Thanks to Greg Brady for posting this on Twitter tonight as I wouldn’t have seen it. Irrespective of what you think of Martin Brodeur’s play the other night, I don’t think anyone got overly personal with him. I mean everything I read was pretty respectful, noting what an incredible career he has had, stating that he absolutely had to make the Olympic team etc. This article, which I can only suspect was written by Damien Cox, there is no author attribution is way off side and one can only assume it has too much to do with Damien’s personal relationship with Brodeur. Cox on twitter took a shot at anyone criticizing Brodeur Sunday night stating that they “don’t understand the game”. This article goes beyond:

“Martin Brodeur doesn’t feel like he was lied to. Just blamed unfairly, and undoubtedly disrespected by head coach Mike Babcock.

Not only did Babcock call out Brodeur for his play in a 5-3 loss to the United States on Sunday, he then told Roberto Luongo he would be in goal for the qualification match against Germany a few hours after the game but waited to deliver the news to Brodeur, the winningest goalie in the history of the sport, until before practice on Monday.”

What’s odd about that is that there isn’t a quote from Brodeur in the piece at all!

“So it’s gold or bust with the Vancouver Canucks netminder, a sizeable risk given that outside of some fine work at the world championships the 30-year-old has never defined himself as a winner.

Now’s his chance. The last time Luongo had a chance to step forward an assert himself as Canada’s top netminder he coughed up the bit in the deciding game of last year’s playoffs for the Canucks and surrendered seven goals to the Chicago Blackhawks.”

Ok, Brodeur is your buddy, but really, is he so low that he would want someone taking shots at Luongo? I mean did Luongo do anything wrong here?

‘Babcock better be right on this or he deserves to be roasted on the spit of Canadian hockey opinion for all the unhelpful waffling he’s done on this issue.”

Wow. No, really Wow. Hypothetically speaking, Luongo pitches a shutout tomorrow, Canada doesn’t score and the German’s win 1-0 in a shootout. Should the spit we spinning because of this choice? Come on! These guys are professionals. No, Brodeur didn’t let in any Toskala’s but still, he had to know the possibility of getting replaced was real.

“For reasons he declined to explained, he then gave the opening start against Norway to Luongo.

In the next game, Brodeur’s brilliance saved Canada in the shootout against Switzerland, and Babcock praised the veteran for his play and his leadership. But after the loss to the U.S. on Sunday, Babcock identified Brodeur as the problem, saying “tonight was a night we’d have liked to have been better in that area.”

Wasn’t Babock in the wrong then for pulling Luongo in favour of Brodeur for the Switzerland game? I didn’t hear the entire Babcock session after the game, but I don’t think he threw Brodeur under the bus at all. Did he say that they would have preferred to be better in net? Yes. Isn’t that true? I mean, wouldn’t Brodeur have preferred to have been better in net? Hell Cox’s article in today’s Toronto Star sang the praise out of Ryan Miller. Wouldn’t we have preferred that it was Brodeur’s play we were all yapping about today? Ooops, I mean in the positive not the negative.

“None of this had to happen. Babcock could have announced in Calgary that it was time for the youngsters to take over and anointed Luongo and Fleury as the two goalies, with Brodeur in reserve.

Failing that, he could’ve made it clear once in Vancouver that Luongo would be the starter Again, that would have been an entirely defensible strategy.

Instead, he dithered, and in so doing has made the country’s national goaltender the lightning rod for all criticism about the team.”

Sorry, I’m not buying that. Brodeur earned his spot. Played well, or was “brilliant” in his last game vs. Switzerland. So he didn’t have a great game last night. if Babcock goes back to him and he has another off night then what? Babcock has three good alternatives. One of those guys is a future hall of famer. Babcock has the right to be undecided in net and chose to ride the hot or not goalie. If Brodeur pitched a gem last night, do you think he wouldn’t ride him going forward? How can we be surprised that given the performance last night it be so wrong or so surprising that a change is coming?

“But by making his goaltending choice a game-by-game proposition, Babcock has created great uncertainty where stability was necessary.”

I don’t know, I would rather Babcock rides his guys based upon his gut feeling. Not based on history, not based on bias, but on who he feels should be in net. Babcock needs to choose the guy who he thinks gives him the best shot at winning each game. I sense there is too much bias in this article.

The article is here

After a full week off and the “reset button” pushed, the Leafs look to get win #1 on the road against Roberto Luongo and the Canucks.  Tonight starts the first of 7 games against teams that combined, have a winning percentage of 41%.  Definitely a different level of competition than their first 7 games who combined for a winning percentage of over 60% including the hottest teams in the league.

Tonights Leafs Line-Up

Forwards
Ponikarovsky Grabovski Blake
Stalberg Stajan Hagman
Mitchell Wallin Stempniak
Mayers Primeau Orr

Defence
Kaberle Komisarek
Beauchemin White
Exelby Schenn

Goalies
MacDonald
Reimer

LT

That collective shudder you just heard throughout the OHL is the surprising return of the 2008-09 Player of the Year, Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Batallion.

Tabbed by many, including TheHockeyNews.com, as a Calder Trophy contender heading into the season, Hodgson continued to show the lingering effects of the bulging disc he suffered in the off-season and did not impress in Canucks camp.

This is Christmas come early for a struggling Batallion squad that has stumbled out of the gate to an 0-3 start to the season after reaching the OHL finals one year ago. Interestingly, Brampton began the year in disappointing fashion last season as well, starting out 2-6 before turning the season around.

Hodgson’s return also marks another entry into what will be a fascinating OHL scoring race. With Nazem Kadri (London Knights) previously being sent down by the Leafs to join Taylor Hall (Windsor Spitfires), Tyler Seguin (Plymouth Whalers), Eric O’Dell (Sudbury Wolves), and Luke Pither and Alexander Burmistrov (Barrie Colts), Hodgson will be in tough to claim the OHL scoring mantle from John Tavares.

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?

Sometimes a sign says it all. Coors, the brewer of perhaps the worst beer every made (Old Milwaukee and Steeler included) is running a that campaign throughout British Columbia. I didn’t realize folks in BC had a Toronto complex, must be something new since Sundin hung out in Whistler instead of practicing with his teammates over the all star break.

Yes, this is true, yes i know that we didn’t “send” Sundin to Vancouver, YES this is tongue in cheek (all but the ad part).

photo from Mike Boon’s photostream at Flickr.

Here’s your bikini of the day from bikinibeat.org:

On Fan 590 Tonight- thanks to Mike S.

- Open phones with McCown in the first hour

- Co-host at 5:05 is Bruce Arthur

- Former cyclist Steve Bauer on the Tour de France

- Blue Jays interim CEO Paul Beeston

- Bob Young, owner of the Hamilton Tiger Cats

- Jeff Blair of the Globe & Mail on baseball

- USA Today sports television critic Michael Hiestand

On 640 with Brady and Watters:

4:40 – SHANE O’BRIEN – CANUCKS DMAN

5:10 – DEWAYNE DEROSARIO – TORONTO FC

5:40 – SCOTT VAN PELT – ESPN GOLF ANALYST

6:10 – TIM THOMAS – BRUINS GOALIE

6:40 – GOLF DOCTOR W/ TERRY M.

6:45 – DAVID NAYLOR

I switched back and forth quite a bit tonight on the drive home. Watters, Brady and Dreger was good. I have to say though, that Jeff Blair is growing on me as a co-host for Mccown. It is no surprise then that his article tonight on the Leafs, is your homework. We live in a hockey crazy market where the hiring of a new stickboy is big news. Some times we need to take a deep breath and relax, gain some perspective. Blair’s article tonight does that. I was talking to LT earlier when word started to circulate that Rick Nash may re-up with the Blue Jackets before becoming an UFA. There was panic in our brains as we started to try to figure out what the hell Burke would do if that were to happen. No Sedins, no Nash…P A N I C Truth is, we all now this is going to take time. Burke has just started, so let’s all breathe.

“Brian Burke owes Mike Gillis a debt of gratitude. In re-signing Henrik and Daniel Sedin, the Vancouver Canucks’ general manager might have saved Burke from undoing much of the good he did in a half-year as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.”

I think the take away is that Burke has a plan and the Sedins would have been a quick fix. I hate to say it, but the renovation not rebuild that Bill Watters refers to all the time.

“But the twins are also a dynamic that makes Wilson’s job a little more difficult at a time when the Maple Leafs need to be as light as possible on their organizational feet.
The Sedins are not a bad gambit for a team on the cusp of a Stanley Cup, but a club like the Maple Leafs, which is gosh-how-many years away from realistically contending, would be better advised not to get locked into too many complicated situations.”

I know the argument, you add the Sedins and you should be closer to contending. Problem is the spare parts aren’t there just yet. Not by a long stretch.

“So don’t beat up Burke over “losing out” on the Sedins. Day 1 of free agency went pretty well. Colton Orr is a booty call for a guy like Burke. Mike Komisarek and Garnet Exelby mesh moxie with the physical aspects of their games and most importantly ensure that when Tomas Kaberle is moved, those minutes will be divvied up among defencemen with an NHL pedigree. Minutes are hockey’s version of innings pitched.”

I think that’s right. Players are assets, Move them around to maximize value and return. That isn’t always easy to do. The other key that Blair doesn’t mention is giving kids the minutes they need to become seasoned. Schenn played a lot last year because he was able to do so in an environment where he could afford to learn, to make mistakes. I say it all the time, you can’t suck and blow. It’s hard to grow kids when you are expected to win every night.

“Komisarek will be useful to the Maple Leafs while they’re rebuilding and when (if) they are contending. He is precisely the kind of player who stays healthy and has a skill set that will ensure he does not become surplus to requirements for this management team. And his contract is hardly onerous, especially if the salary cap stays north of $50-million (all currency U.S.) in 2010-11 as some now expect instead of falling as low as $46-million to $48-million.”

I think that is yet be seen, but no this isn’t a head scratcher as other deals have been.

“You can debate all you want about whether Burke over-reached going into the draft when he said he wanted to get John Tavares. I thought it was good, clean fun, a no-autopsy, no-foul thing. It was apparent from Burke’s face during the draft that Brayden Schenn was the player he wanted, and my sense is that for all the nudge-nudge, wink-wink with the Sedins and that flight to Stockholm, Burke’s target all along during the free-agent season has been goaltender Jonas Gustavsson.”

We won’t know the answer to that until at least Burke is gone. I am having a hard time thinking he jumped on a plane over to see the Sedins only to then learn they weren’t available. We have been sold that he tight with these guys, there agent had to have known he was getting on a plane if the intent was to sell them on the leafs. Gustavvson signs here, it was a trip well worth it. If not, the prices of beers at the ACC will go up a quarter to pay for it. Scuttlebutt is that if he wanted Brayden Schenn he could have had him for Kaberle.. Hard to believe if he is peddling Kaberle now that he didn’t get Schenn.

“That’s how Burke ought to be judged this summer: depth on defence and in goal, something that gives his team a chance to steal a few games while it gets a better read on the likes of Tyler Bozak and Christian Hanson. Don’t pay attention to what Burke says. Pay attention to what he does.”

Bingo, perspective. Enough said.

TSM

Follow me on twitter at @yyzsportsmedia

Blair is here

“

Jeopardy answer, three guys who have never eaten in my kitchen!

The post was going to start with how things were pretty tame today, financially speaking until all hell broke out and the dumb money started to flow. All and all it has been a wild free agent frenzy. Contrary to what hockey’s most famous prognosticator predicted, there were far more than 15 moves today. Teams were busy with a capital B. It may not have been the flood of activity that some predicted, but rather a constant dribble and then a huge dinner time rush and it’s been steady all night.

No, I don’t work for Twitter, but I can tell you that it was the tool of choice at the 2nd annual TSM NHL FA pool party. There is nothing out there that can keep you connected with more info in one place.

The day started with the Lightning making a big splash, Ohlund for silly money and term. Have no fear though, once the bolts cowboys go belly up this deal will be someone else’s problem. Word also broke that the Sedins were not in play as they took the Canucks money and ran.

Funny thing about that was that we later learned that Mr. Burke has jumped a plane to meet with the boys in Sweden the minute the clock struck 12:00 over here:

“Burke, you see, flew overnight from Boston to Frankfurt and then on to Stockholm today with bold, ambitious plans to make a face-to-face offer to Henrik and Daniel Sedin today in Sweden but was thwarted in the final minutes before the free agent season opened when the identical Swedish twins signed new five-year deals averaging $6.1 million per season just before noon EST with the Vancouver Canucks.

When Burke’s flight hit the tarmac in Stockholm, he got that bad news, and found that defenceman Mattias Ohlund, another potential free agent target, had signed with Tampa Bay.

Armed with lots of MLSE money and acres of precious salary cap space, Burke targeted the 28-year-old identical twins – Henrik is six minutes older than Daniel – as his No. 1 free agency priority. All signs suggested the Sedins would try free agency, but a last ditch offer by Vancouver GM Mike Gillis on Monday apparently was enough to meet their demands.

The Leafs probably would have been willing to go higher on salary, perhaps as high as $7 million per twin, but the talented brothers clearly wanted to stay on the west coast and opted not to entertain other offers.”

Ouch…all the way there and to walk away with ….

“The Leaf GM, meanwhile, could now use the trip to take another shot at convincing Swedish free agent goalie Jonas Gustavsson, who is at home in Sweden right now, to join the Leafs.

“That is going to be an exercise in persistence,” said Burke, who has made two trips to Europe in the past three months to try and convince Gustavsson to pick the Leafs over the Stars, Avalanche and Sharks.”

Ah yes, when in Rome…..

So no Sedins to help make a quick fix now what?

Well, his first move was signing Colton Orr. Who clearly has the truculence that Burke has spoken of wanting on many occasions. Why do I like this deal? Simple, 4 years, 1 million per. In the grand scheme of things it’s irrelevant. No one will ever say, OH the contract they gave Orr, what an albatross! For what he is, it’s a good deal.

“- Gotta love Brian Burke. His first signing is Colton Orr, giving the fighter a four-year deal worth $4 million. He immediately gives the Leafs the heavyweight Burke needs. Wonder what this does to the market for Chris Neil? It’ll take all of one shift for Orr to become a fan favorite in Toronto.”

That from Craig Custance.(As for Neil, stupid term and money).

Damien who is enjoying strawberries over in London dropped a minor bombshell on twitter in saying that not only had the Leafs signed Orr- but they also had traded (yes, past tense) Pavel Kubina… Talk about Tweet and Beat..

Well it took several hours, but later it was revealed that indeed Kubina was off to Atlanta and the rights to Tim Stapleton to the Atlanta Thrashers, for hard-hitting defenceman Garnet Exelby and youngster Colin Stuart. This move dumped about $2 million off the bud’s books and ads a fairly nasty defenceman to the roster.

Perspective is a wonderful thing. The Atlanta papers headline screamed, Thrashers Acquire Standout Defenceman. Now how many here would say that about Kubina? The Atlanta take on Exelby:

“Exelby, 27, played all six of his NHL seasons with the Thrashers after they selected him in the eighth round of the 1999 draft. The fan-favorite defenseman appeared in 59 games last season with seven assists.
“I’m disappointed to have to trade one of my favorite players in Garnet Exelby,” Waddell said. “He did everything we’ve ever asked of him. … When you make a deal and get a good player, you have to give something good back.”

Then, several minutes later it was announced that Burke dipped a bigger toe into the free agency pool, coming home with Mike Komisarek. It’s a 5 year deal worth 4.5m per year against the cap. According to TSN the deal also”includes a limited no-trade clause. Every September, Komisarek will be asked by Toronto to submit a list of 12 teams he would accept a trade to. This will allow Toronto to control his contract in the event things don’t work out the way both sides anticipate they will.

USA Today’s Kevin Allen listed this as one of the day’s best moves:

“Brian Burke signs Mike Komisarek to be one of the foundation blocks of the “new look” Toronto Maple Leafs. He was born to play for Burke. He’s a big shutdown defender who will fight and use his size and strength.”

A league executive told me tonight that Komisarek is good. This a move that will gets lots of play (hey it’s Toronto!) but Komisarek is a bit overrated. He is better than Finger for sure, but not as good as the hype.

The Globe’s take so far:

“So instead Burke signed hard-hitting rearguard Mike Komisarek and moved out veteran defenceman Pavel Kubina and his team-high salary of $5-million (all currency U.S.) in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers for rugged blueliner Garnet Exelby.”

This, right now leaves the D as follow:

Kaberle/Komisarek
White/Schenn
Exelby/Finger
Stralman

Word is around tonight that Van Ryn won’t back next season in one way or another, hence his omission.

Where to now? Wel, several guru’s tell me that while the Kessel/ Kaberle talk haven’t formerly restarted they would be stunned if that deal doesn’t get done in the near future. The leafs do need someone to score some goals, I have heard the name Chad LaRose a couple of times and the Canes have said the are ready to move on from him. I still think he will pick up forward toughness to match his d toughness. He has lots of coin to spend and said he will spend it.

Are we better today? No idea, we certainly are a different team for sure. Tougher and still can’t score goals.

Wild day, that ends with the teammate killer not making up his wind and sticking the Sens with a 4 million bonus payout. Gotta love the character of Danny Heatley.

More tomorrow for sure

TSM

follow me on twitter at @yyzsportsmedia

craig custance is here
AJC is here

Kevin Allen, USA Today’s longtime hockey guru, and one of my favourite hockey writer’s lists the hockey rumours that he doesn’t believe are true. He doesn’t list our beloved Maple Leafs anywhere but has a couple that have implications for the blue and white. Kevin doesn’t believe that:

“That the Vancouver Canucks will let the Sedin twins leave town as unrestricted free agents. They seem to want to stay there and even from my desk two time zones over I can see there is a deal that can be made. It’s going to come down GM Mike Gillis’ creative ability to give them the superstar contract while giving himself some flexibility to sign other players. I feel strongly that it’s going to get done”

PLEASE LET THE CANUCKS SIGN THE SEDINS!

Kevin also doesn’t believe that:

“Jay Bouwmeester will end up in the Western Conference. Eastern teams appreciate more what Boumeester can do, and many teams are looking for the premium defenseman to have on the ice against players like Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin or Alex Ovechkin.”

I would so much rather see him come here.

t-minus 11 days till Burke makes a splash of some sort. Cue the rumours- good ones only PLEASE.

For right now, I will take, please let Kevin Allen be right on the these 2!

TSM

Let’s assume Burke could sign them for $5.5m each a year for 4 years. Would you do it?