The Official LEAFS NATION Hockey thread
- Thread starter Doc Holliday
- Start date
Joffery, just play hockey
http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/M...aught+social+media+scandal/6847896/story.html
http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/M...aught+social+media+scandal/6847896/story.html
Free agent shopping list
TORONTO - With free-agent shopping beginning Sunday, there’s no lack of centres and forwards for the Maple Leafs to peruse.
The problem is few of them are what the Leafs want to invest a lot of term and salary in, or the players have no particular interest in Toronto or joining a rebuilding team. Put Olli Jokinen in the former category and Zach Parise or Ryan Suter in the latter. That’s why general manager Brian Burke and a lot of peers are playing down their chances of being active this year.
There are renewed rumours the Leafs are going to approach warhorse winger Shane Doan, hoping as other teams do that he’s tired of the Coyotes’ constant battles to stay put. But he’s age 35 and has made the desert his home and will likely finish what he started back in 1996.
Moving down the list to more affordable options in the days after July 1, the Leafs could satisfy Burke’s lust for size by going after Paul Gaustad or Brandon Prust. Gaustad is a 6-foot-5 centre, though he didn’t have the desired impact after leaving Buffalo for Nashville. Prust, who was part of the Presidents Trophy-winning New York Rangers was already a Leaf according to Wikipedia on Thursday night.
A new enforcer will be in demand if Colton Orr remains off the main roster and UFA Jay Rosehill goes elsewhere. If the Leafs want to go a little cheaper, feisty former Islander P.A. Parenteau is available, as are two of coach Randy Carlyle’s former Anaheim pluggers, Travis Moen and George Parros.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/28/who-will-the-leafs-go-after-in-free-agency
TORONTO - With free-agent shopping beginning Sunday, there’s no lack of centres and forwards for the Maple Leafs to peruse.
The problem is few of them are what the Leafs want to invest a lot of term and salary in, or the players have no particular interest in Toronto or joining a rebuilding team. Put Olli Jokinen in the former category and Zach Parise or Ryan Suter in the latter. That’s why general manager Brian Burke and a lot of peers are playing down their chances of being active this year.
There are renewed rumours the Leafs are going to approach warhorse winger Shane Doan, hoping as other teams do that he’s tired of the Coyotes’ constant battles to stay put. But he’s age 35 and has made the desert his home and will likely finish what he started back in 1996.
Moving down the list to more affordable options in the days after July 1, the Leafs could satisfy Burke’s lust for size by going after Paul Gaustad or Brandon Prust. Gaustad is a 6-foot-5 centre, though he didn’t have the desired impact after leaving Buffalo for Nashville. Prust, who was part of the Presidents Trophy-winning New York Rangers was already a Leaf according to Wikipedia on Thursday night.
A new enforcer will be in demand if Colton Orr remains off the main roster and UFA Jay Rosehill goes elsewhere. If the Leafs want to go a little cheaper, feisty former Islander P.A. Parenteau is available, as are two of coach Randy Carlyle’s former Anaheim pluggers, Travis Moen and George Parros.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/28/who-will-the-leafs-go-after-in-free-agency
Leafs to bring HASEK to camp
Well, the Spanish Hasek not Dom. :lol:
http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs...r-alcaine-the-spanish-hasek-to-prospects-camp
Well, the Spanish Hasek not Dom. :lol:
http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs...r-alcaine-the-spanish-hasek-to-prospects-camp
POST REMOVED. This kind of post belongs in the Free For All thread, not here. Any repeat of this and you will be suspended. Again.
M8
M8
Last edited by a moderator:
Leafs Didn’t Just “Flirt” With Brodeur
by Howard Berger
TORONTO (July 5) – Several hours after the National Hockey League’s king of goaltenders re-signed with the New Jersey Devils last week, I spoke to one of the more prominent executives in the game and was told the following: “Howard, you should look into the negotiation between Martin Brodeur and the Maple Leafs. I can tell you with fairly good authority that Toronto came close to landing him as a free agent.”
While I was intrigued by such information, it didn’t astonish me. Within the previous hour, I had listened to a recording of Brodeur’s voice on Sportsnet in which he extolled Brian Burke and David Nonis for their determined, consummate attempt at acquiring his services. Though I’ve examined the Leafs with a critical eye this week, I’ll acknowledge, without equivocation, that Burke can be as persuasive and enticing as any GM in hockey once he settles on pursuing a player. It has long been double-B’s ace-in-the-hole and it largely impressed the NHL’s most decorated puck-stopper.
“I don’t want to characterize how close the Leafs were to signing Marty, but I’ll tell you this: If New Jersey hadn’t quickly stepped up with a two-year contract offer, all bets would have been off,” said agent Pat Brisson when I spoke with him earlier today from Los Angeles. Brisson, best-known as Sidney Crosby’s representative, would neither confirm nor deny that Leafs had promised two years; he conducts business quietly and professionally on behalf of his clients. It is, however, fairly common knowledge throughout the industry that Burke made it clear to Brisson – without hesitation – he would accommodate the two-year demand.
“The Leafs were aggressive and sincere in coming after Marty and I can guarantee you this wasn’t a leverage situation,” Brisson said. “I think most people know that Marty didn’t want to leave New Jersey; after all these years, he’s part of the furniture in the Devils’ office. But, when Lou [Lamoriello] wouldn’t go beyond one season – and July 1 was creeping up – Marty called me and asked what he should do. I told him very quickly: ‘You have earned the right, many times over, to sign for two more years and you owe it to yourself to see what else might be out there. It doesn’t mean you have to leave New Jersey. But, you should explore the market.’
“Believe me, that wasn’t easy for him,” Brisson stressed. “The mutual loyalty between Marty and the Devils has been remarkable. But, hockey is also a business.”
Brodeur, of course, has spent his entire 19-year career in New Jersey; he’s been the Devils No. 1 goalie since the 1993-94 season. During that span, he backstopped the original Kansas City Scouts to three Stanley Cup championships in eight years [1995-2003] and he appeared, this spring, in his fifth Cup final (at age 40), losing in six games to Los Angeles. On Mar. 17, 2009, at the Prudential Center in Newark, he earned his 552nd regular-season victory [3-2 over Chicago] to surpass Patrick Roy as the all-time NHL leader. Most remarkable, however, was the eclipsing of a record that no hockey observer thought possible: Terry Sawchuk’s 103 regular-season shut-outs.
That mark fell on Dec. 22, 2009 at the old Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh when Brodeur earned his 104th whitewash in a 4-0 triumph over the Penguins. Sawchuk had held the record posthumously for nearly 40 years – since Feb. 1, 1970, when he also blanked Pittsburgh as a member of the New York Rangers.
Though Brodeur may have entered free agency with a heavy heart, Brisson confirmed he did so with a full heart. “Once Marty made up his mind to look around, he was completely open to any possibility,” said the agent. “I think the Leafs were smart; they understood this right away and were genuinely determined to sign him. They got Marty’s attention very quickly. A couple of other teams were involved, but they had moving parts and were pursuing [Zach] Parise or [Ryan] Suter. Toronto was extremely focused on Marty. He liked the direction the Leafs were going and would have been happy to work with their young goalies. He enjoyed talking with Burke and Nonis.
“Again, it’s hypothetical to say what may or may not have happened. But, Marty signing in Toronto wasn’t at all beyond reason. I think the Devils quickly sensed the possibility they could lose their franchise goalie.”
Burke made it clear he felt the Devils would never allow such a circumstance and was proven correct when Lou Lamoriello stepped up with a two-year offer. “Obviously, that was something Marty wanted to happen, but there was no indication it would happen until it did,” said Brisson. “He took a pay-cut to stay in New Jersey; he wasn’t going to leave the Devils over a million dollars. But, that second year was a must. I can all but assure you Marty would have gone elsewhere – quite possibly Toronto – if the Devils had held out much longer.”
http://www.bergerbytes.ca/2012/07/leafs-didnt-just-flirt-with-brodeur/
by Howard Berger
TORONTO (July 5) – Several hours after the National Hockey League’s king of goaltenders re-signed with the New Jersey Devils last week, I spoke to one of the more prominent executives in the game and was told the following: “Howard, you should look into the negotiation between Martin Brodeur and the Maple Leafs. I can tell you with fairly good authority that Toronto came close to landing him as a free agent.”
While I was intrigued by such information, it didn’t astonish me. Within the previous hour, I had listened to a recording of Brodeur’s voice on Sportsnet in which he extolled Brian Burke and David Nonis for their determined, consummate attempt at acquiring his services. Though I’ve examined the Leafs with a critical eye this week, I’ll acknowledge, without equivocation, that Burke can be as persuasive and enticing as any GM in hockey once he settles on pursuing a player. It has long been double-B’s ace-in-the-hole and it largely impressed the NHL’s most decorated puck-stopper.
“I don’t want to characterize how close the Leafs were to signing Marty, but I’ll tell you this: If New Jersey hadn’t quickly stepped up with a two-year contract offer, all bets would have been off,” said agent Pat Brisson when I spoke with him earlier today from Los Angeles. Brisson, best-known as Sidney Crosby’s representative, would neither confirm nor deny that Leafs had promised two years; he conducts business quietly and professionally on behalf of his clients. It is, however, fairly common knowledge throughout the industry that Burke made it clear to Brisson – without hesitation – he would accommodate the two-year demand.
“The Leafs were aggressive and sincere in coming after Marty and I can guarantee you this wasn’t a leverage situation,” Brisson said. “I think most people know that Marty didn’t want to leave New Jersey; after all these years, he’s part of the furniture in the Devils’ office. But, when Lou [Lamoriello] wouldn’t go beyond one season – and July 1 was creeping up – Marty called me and asked what he should do. I told him very quickly: ‘You have earned the right, many times over, to sign for two more years and you owe it to yourself to see what else might be out there. It doesn’t mean you have to leave New Jersey. But, you should explore the market.’
“Believe me, that wasn’t easy for him,” Brisson stressed. “The mutual loyalty between Marty and the Devils has been remarkable. But, hockey is also a business.”
Brodeur, of course, has spent his entire 19-year career in New Jersey; he’s been the Devils No. 1 goalie since the 1993-94 season. During that span, he backstopped the original Kansas City Scouts to three Stanley Cup championships in eight years [1995-2003] and he appeared, this spring, in his fifth Cup final (at age 40), losing in six games to Los Angeles. On Mar. 17, 2009, at the Prudential Center in Newark, he earned his 552nd regular-season victory [3-2 over Chicago] to surpass Patrick Roy as the all-time NHL leader. Most remarkable, however, was the eclipsing of a record that no hockey observer thought possible: Terry Sawchuk’s 103 regular-season shut-outs.
That mark fell on Dec. 22, 2009 at the old Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh when Brodeur earned his 104th whitewash in a 4-0 triumph over the Penguins. Sawchuk had held the record posthumously for nearly 40 years – since Feb. 1, 1970, when he also blanked Pittsburgh as a member of the New York Rangers.
Though Brodeur may have entered free agency with a heavy heart, Brisson confirmed he did so with a full heart. “Once Marty made up his mind to look around, he was completely open to any possibility,” said the agent. “I think the Leafs were smart; they understood this right away and were genuinely determined to sign him. They got Marty’s attention very quickly. A couple of other teams were involved, but they had moving parts and were pursuing [Zach] Parise or [Ryan] Suter. Toronto was extremely focused on Marty. He liked the direction the Leafs were going and would have been happy to work with their young goalies. He enjoyed talking with Burke and Nonis.
“Again, it’s hypothetical to say what may or may not have happened. But, Marty signing in Toronto wasn’t at all beyond reason. I think the Devils quickly sensed the possibility they could lose their franchise goalie.”
Burke made it clear he felt the Devils would never allow such a circumstance and was proven correct when Lou Lamoriello stepped up with a two-year offer. “Obviously, that was something Marty wanted to happen, but there was no indication it would happen until it did,” said Brisson. “He took a pay-cut to stay in New Jersey; he wasn’t going to leave the Devils over a million dollars. But, that second year was a must. I can all but assure you Marty would have gone elsewhere – quite possibly Toronto – if the Devils had held out much longer.”
http://www.bergerbytes.ca/2012/07/leafs-didnt-just-flirt-with-brodeur/
Working with the best: Barb Underhill
TORONTO — The blonde-haired sprite makes it seem so easy as she twirls around on the ice, twisting and turning this way and that, carving perfectly tight circles like some knife-wielding chef.
She looks like a figure skater. And that is what she used to be. But now, Barb Underhill is wearing hockey skates, a pair of oversized gloves, and gripping a stick that has been chopped down to fit her 4-foot-11 proportions.
“It’s Kenny Ryan’s,” she says of the stick. “It was the smallest one I could find.”
The stick is just a prop. There are no pucks on the ice this morning. Just a fresh sheet of ice for Underhill, who was hired in April as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ power skating consultant, to show the new recruits at the organization’s prospect development camp what can be possible with a little belief and a lot of hard work.
It might not happen right away — “This is just a taste, she says — but the skating guru has a history of turning the flat-footed into the sure-footed. All she asks of her students is that they buy in, put in the work and not be afraid to look a bit foolish.
That last part seems inevitable.
While Underhill is a delight to watch as she gracefully glides around the ice, the players, in their bulky pads, resemble hippos trying to perform ballet. One catches an edge and nearly flies face forward into the boards. Another flails about like he has a bumblebee trapped inside his pants.
Awkward, clumsy, and a bit embarrassing — this is foreign territory for most here. But if you can get past the initial silliness of what seems like synchronized skating, Underhill has a way of unlocking the door to a career in the NHL.
“She is simply one of the very best in the business,” says Dave Poulin, the Leafs vice-president of hockey operations, who actually was a figure skater for seven years before switching to hockey. “She has taken the science of skating and broken it down to a very teachable form. The best indication has been the reception by the players. It has been both instant and extremely positive.”
A former world champion pairs skater, Underhill represented Canada at two Olympics with longtime partner Paul Martini. After her career ended, she worked as a TV analyst and participated in CBC’s Battle of the Blades. But with two hockey-playing boys and a husband who is co-owner of the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm, she found herself ditching the toe-pick for a hockey stick.
“I’d come out and study how they were skating,” Underhill says. “I’d think, ‘Why does he do that?’ So Dave Barr was the [Guelph] coach at the time and he asked me if I’d start working with the guys, and that’s where it all started. Right away, I could see these guys getting better.”
Eventually, NHL teams started calling. “Here’s a kid who’s got pretty much everything,” they would say, “but he’s not going to make the NHL unless he fixes his skating.” Her client list includes everyone from Matt Beleskey to Michael Del Zotto, from players who need a minor tune-up to those who need an overhaul of the entire transmission.
It is the latter from whom she gets the most enjoyment. Saved on her cell phone is a months-old message from minor-leaguer Mike Angelidis, who called to thank Underhill for helping him get his first call-up to the NHL after six long years.
“That’s the biggest reward when you see a guy who’s struggled with his skating and then suddenly his career takes off,” Underhill says. “You feel like you’ve played a small role.”
Brian Boyle is another success story. The 6-foot-7, 244-pound forward was a so-called “bubble player” before the New York Rangers sent him to work with Underhill. The first time she saw him skate, Underhill wondered what she was getting herself into. Boyle felt the same way after meeting someone who came up to his waist.
“It was difficult mentally the first two times that I saw Barb,” Boyle told the MSG Network. “And then the next time I saw her, the drills that she told me to do I could really feel a difference.”
Boyle went from scoring four goals and two assists in 2009-10 to scoring 21 goals and 35 points in the following season.
“When I was working with Brian Boyle, he called me halfway through the summer, and I said, ‘How’s it going?’ ” Underhill recalls. “And he said, ‘I’m not really sure if I’m doing it right, because I just don’t feel like I’m doing anything. I don’t feel like I have to work really hard.’
“And I said, ‘Are you beating guys? Well, then you’re doing it right.’ ”
The Leafs are hoping for similar success this season. The team, which employed former figure skater Dawn Braid in the past, had Graham Townshend as a full-time power skating instructor for the last four years. But the chance to work with the Toronto-based Underhill, who was listed in the 2011 edition of The Hockey News’ 100 most influential people in hockey, was too much to pass up.
Still, the Leafs will have to share Underhill. She is still employed by the Tampa Bay Lightning, where she played a part in helping their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, win the Calder Cup this season. No one is expecting the same results in Toronto, but if she can help Colton Orr get back into the NHL or improve Dion Phaneuf’s mobility, the Leafs will be a better team for it.
“I feel like I’m similar to a swing coach in the golf world,” she says. “Sometimes a little tweak or a little change in posture, something small can really make a huge difference. Usually what happens is they start to feel different on the ice.
“As soon as they look at me and say, ‘That felt really easy,’ I know that I’ve got them.”
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012...-barb-underhill-to-improve-prospects-skating/
TORONTO — The blonde-haired sprite makes it seem so easy as she twirls around on the ice, twisting and turning this way and that, carving perfectly tight circles like some knife-wielding chef.
She looks like a figure skater. And that is what she used to be. But now, Barb Underhill is wearing hockey skates, a pair of oversized gloves, and gripping a stick that has been chopped down to fit her 4-foot-11 proportions.
“It’s Kenny Ryan’s,” she says of the stick. “It was the smallest one I could find.”
The stick is just a prop. There are no pucks on the ice this morning. Just a fresh sheet of ice for Underhill, who was hired in April as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ power skating consultant, to show the new recruits at the organization’s prospect development camp what can be possible with a little belief and a lot of hard work.
It might not happen right away — “This is just a taste, she says — but the skating guru has a history of turning the flat-footed into the sure-footed. All she asks of her students is that they buy in, put in the work and not be afraid to look a bit foolish.
That last part seems inevitable.
While Underhill is a delight to watch as she gracefully glides around the ice, the players, in their bulky pads, resemble hippos trying to perform ballet. One catches an edge and nearly flies face forward into the boards. Another flails about like he has a bumblebee trapped inside his pants.
Awkward, clumsy, and a bit embarrassing — this is foreign territory for most here. But if you can get past the initial silliness of what seems like synchronized skating, Underhill has a way of unlocking the door to a career in the NHL.
“She is simply one of the very best in the business,” says Dave Poulin, the Leafs vice-president of hockey operations, who actually was a figure skater for seven years before switching to hockey. “She has taken the science of skating and broken it down to a very teachable form. The best indication has been the reception by the players. It has been both instant and extremely positive.”
A former world champion pairs skater, Underhill represented Canada at two Olympics with longtime partner Paul Martini. After her career ended, she worked as a TV analyst and participated in CBC’s Battle of the Blades. But with two hockey-playing boys and a husband who is co-owner of the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm, she found herself ditching the toe-pick for a hockey stick.
“I’d come out and study how they were skating,” Underhill says. “I’d think, ‘Why does he do that?’ So Dave Barr was the [Guelph] coach at the time and he asked me if I’d start working with the guys, and that’s where it all started. Right away, I could see these guys getting better.”
Eventually, NHL teams started calling. “Here’s a kid who’s got pretty much everything,” they would say, “but he’s not going to make the NHL unless he fixes his skating.” Her client list includes everyone from Matt Beleskey to Michael Del Zotto, from players who need a minor tune-up to those who need an overhaul of the entire transmission.
It is the latter from whom she gets the most enjoyment. Saved on her cell phone is a months-old message from minor-leaguer Mike Angelidis, who called to thank Underhill for helping him get his first call-up to the NHL after six long years.
“That’s the biggest reward when you see a guy who’s struggled with his skating and then suddenly his career takes off,” Underhill says. “You feel like you’ve played a small role.”
Brian Boyle is another success story. The 6-foot-7, 244-pound forward was a so-called “bubble player” before the New York Rangers sent him to work with Underhill. The first time she saw him skate, Underhill wondered what she was getting herself into. Boyle felt the same way after meeting someone who came up to his waist.
“It was difficult mentally the first two times that I saw Barb,” Boyle told the MSG Network. “And then the next time I saw her, the drills that she told me to do I could really feel a difference.”
Boyle went from scoring four goals and two assists in 2009-10 to scoring 21 goals and 35 points in the following season.
“When I was working with Brian Boyle, he called me halfway through the summer, and I said, ‘How’s it going?’ ” Underhill recalls. “And he said, ‘I’m not really sure if I’m doing it right, because I just don’t feel like I’m doing anything. I don’t feel like I have to work really hard.’
“And I said, ‘Are you beating guys? Well, then you’re doing it right.’ ”
The Leafs are hoping for similar success this season. The team, which employed former figure skater Dawn Braid in the past, had Graham Townshend as a full-time power skating instructor for the last four years. But the chance to work with the Toronto-based Underhill, who was listed in the 2011 edition of The Hockey News’ 100 most influential people in hockey, was too much to pass up.
Still, the Leafs will have to share Underhill. She is still employed by the Tampa Bay Lightning, where she played a part in helping their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, win the Calder Cup this season. No one is expecting the same results in Toronto, but if she can help Colton Orr get back into the NHL or improve Dion Phaneuf’s mobility, the Leafs will be a better team for it.
“I feel like I’m similar to a swing coach in the golf world,” she says. “Sometimes a little tweak or a little change in posture, something small can really make a huge difference. Usually what happens is they start to feel different on the ice.
“As soon as they look at me and say, ‘That felt really easy,’ I know that I’ve got them.”
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012...-barb-underhill-to-improve-prospects-skating/
Leafs find No. 1 centre?
Will try van Riemsdyk up middle
By Terry Koshan, QMI Agency
TORONTO - Randy Carlyle wants to see what James van Riemsdyk can do at centre.
The Maple Leafs coach said that, at this point, the plan is to give van Riemsdyk a long look at the position when training camp opens in September, provided there is no work stoppage.
“He’s a big man and we’re going to try him playing in the middle for us,” Carlyle said on Thursday as he returned to his Manitoulin Island cottage following the Leafs’ prospects camp at the MasterCard Centre.
“It’s always nice to have a 6-foot-plus centre in your top six. We feel there is an opportunity to explore him at centre.
“I have talked to him and he has asked for some video work.”
Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound van Riemsdyk had experience playing centre before he got to the NHL, at the University of New Hampshire and with the U.S. under-18 program.
In three seasons with the Flyers, van Riemsdyk primarily patrolled the left wing. There’s nothing that says van Riemsdyk will begin the 2012-13 regular season at centre, and general manager Brian Burke wants to upgrade at the position, reiterating this week that he is looking to make more changes via trade.
The Leafs roster includes centres Tim Connolly, Mikhail Grabovski, Tyler Bozak, David Steckel and newcomer Jay McClement, as well as Matthew Lombardi. If van Riemsdyk turns out to be a valuable addition up the middle, something is going to have to give somewhere, whether it is through trade or by switching a couple of players to the wing. And not to be forgotten is prospect Joe Colborne. Nazem Kadri’s future with the Leafs, if he is not traded appears to be on the wing.
McClement was signed on Sunday, and Carlyle had some influential input into the acquisition. The 29-year-old McClement spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career in the Western Conference with the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche, and Carlyle, as coach of the Anaheim Ducks, saw plenty of him.
To ensure no stones were unturned, Carlyle talked to former Leafs forward Alex Steen, a teammate of McClement with the Blues and a friend of Carlyle’s son, about McClement. Steen vouched enthusiastically for ex-teammate. McClement has been a stand-up player since his junior days with the Brampton Battalion, and Carlyle knows that bringing another dash of leadership into the room won’t hurt.
There were two integral reasons why Carlyle didn’t like coaching against McClement, who has established himself as one of the top penalty-killing forwards in the NHL.
“The first thing is his competitive level off the faceoff,” Carlyle said. “He’s so strong and has such a good stick. And secondly, he is a tireless worker. If you win the faceoff and get the puck down the ice, there’s 35 seconds gone (during a penalty kill).”
And, as Carlyle noted, when his Ducks teams would play against McClement, usually the Kingston native would be matched up against Ryan Getzlaf or Andy McDonald.
“That speaks volumes when people support him in those situations, to use him in a checking role against better players,” Carlyle said. “I really like the type of player he is.”
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2012/07/05/19956881.html
Will try van Riemsdyk up middle
By Terry Koshan, QMI Agency
TORONTO - Randy Carlyle wants to see what James van Riemsdyk can do at centre.
The Maple Leafs coach said that, at this point, the plan is to give van Riemsdyk a long look at the position when training camp opens in September, provided there is no work stoppage.
“He’s a big man and we’re going to try him playing in the middle for us,” Carlyle said on Thursday as he returned to his Manitoulin Island cottage following the Leafs’ prospects camp at the MasterCard Centre.
“It’s always nice to have a 6-foot-plus centre in your top six. We feel there is an opportunity to explore him at centre.
“I have talked to him and he has asked for some video work.”
Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound van Riemsdyk had experience playing centre before he got to the NHL, at the University of New Hampshire and with the U.S. under-18 program.
In three seasons with the Flyers, van Riemsdyk primarily patrolled the left wing. There’s nothing that says van Riemsdyk will begin the 2012-13 regular season at centre, and general manager Brian Burke wants to upgrade at the position, reiterating this week that he is looking to make more changes via trade.
The Leafs roster includes centres Tim Connolly, Mikhail Grabovski, Tyler Bozak, David Steckel and newcomer Jay McClement, as well as Matthew Lombardi. If van Riemsdyk turns out to be a valuable addition up the middle, something is going to have to give somewhere, whether it is through trade or by switching a couple of players to the wing. And not to be forgotten is prospect Joe Colborne. Nazem Kadri’s future with the Leafs, if he is not traded appears to be on the wing.
McClement was signed on Sunday, and Carlyle had some influential input into the acquisition. The 29-year-old McClement spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career in the Western Conference with the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche, and Carlyle, as coach of the Anaheim Ducks, saw plenty of him.
To ensure no stones were unturned, Carlyle talked to former Leafs forward Alex Steen, a teammate of McClement with the Blues and a friend of Carlyle’s son, about McClement. Steen vouched enthusiastically for ex-teammate. McClement has been a stand-up player since his junior days with the Brampton Battalion, and Carlyle knows that bringing another dash of leadership into the room won’t hurt.
There were two integral reasons why Carlyle didn’t like coaching against McClement, who has established himself as one of the top penalty-killing forwards in the NHL.
“The first thing is his competitive level off the faceoff,” Carlyle said. “He’s so strong and has such a good stick. And secondly, he is a tireless worker. If you win the faceoff and get the puck down the ice, there’s 35 seconds gone (during a penalty kill).”
And, as Carlyle noted, when his Ducks teams would play against McClement, usually the Kingston native would be matched up against Ryan Getzlaf or Andy McDonald.
“That speaks volumes when people support him in those situations, to use him in a checking role against better players,” Carlyle said. “I really like the type of player he is.”
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2012/07/05/19956881.html
TORONTO — It is a move that seems to smack of desperation.
In each of his three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, James van Riemsdyk never scored more than 40 points or took more than five faceoffs. But when the Toronto Maple Leafs’ training camp begins in September, he will be thrust into the spotlight as the team’s No. 1 centre.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be.
It is not like the Leafs have any other options. Since Mats Sundin left in 2008, the team has been looking for a replacement in the middle of the top line. But from Nik Antropov and Matt Stajan to Tim Connolly and Tyler Bozak, it has mostly been a revolving door of inadequacy.
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/07/11/james-van-riemsdyk-hopes-to-be-leafs-answer-at-centre/
The bottom feeding Leafs - having missed the playoffs in each of the last seven consecutive seasons - will try anything, it seems!
In each of his three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, James van Riemsdyk never scored more than 40 points or took more than five faceoffs. But when the Toronto Maple Leafs’ training camp begins in September, he will be thrust into the spotlight as the team’s No. 1 centre.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be.
It is not like the Leafs have any other options. Since Mats Sundin left in 2008, the team has been looking for a replacement in the middle of the top line. But from Nik Antropov and Matt Stajan to Tim Connolly and Tyler Bozak, it has mostly been a revolving door of inadequacy.
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/07/11/james-van-riemsdyk-hopes-to-be-leafs-answer-at-centre/
The bottom feeding Leafs - having missed the playoffs in each of the last seven consecutive seasons - will try anything, it seems!
Thanks for the article ghg, but it was a week late lol. I'm all for JVR giving her a go at centre, he's big, skilled and played the position until he was drafted. Worth a shot for sure!
Now maybe the habs can find a #1 big centre this season as well, oh wait, you have the 8 million dollar man, SCOTTY G! But, i suppose there are 2 things wrong with that scenario, 1. I said Big center and 2. I said a #1 center, my bad.
Now maybe the habs can find a #1 big centre this season as well, oh wait, you have the 8 million dollar man, SCOTTY G! But, i suppose there are 2 things wrong with that scenario, 1. I said Big center and 2. I said a #1 center, my bad.
Thanks for the article ghg, but it was a week late lol. I'm all for JVR giving her a go at centre, he's big, skilled and played the position until he was drafted. Worth a shot for sure!
Now maybe the habs can find a #1 big centre this season as well, oh wait, you have the 8 million dollar man, SCOTTY G! But, i suppose there are 2 things wrong with that scenario, 1. I said Big center and 2. I said a #1 center, my bad.
Zing!!!!!!!!!!!! gohabsgo OWNED AGAIN by Iggy!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Leafs rumoured to be after LA's Bernier; LA wants Frattin & more
by Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun
TORONTO - The Maple Leafs’ interest in acquiring Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier dates to at least the entry draft in Pittsburgh in June.
It might have waned at some point, but a source told the Toronto Sun on Wednesday night that the Leafs’ interest in Bernier has picked up steam.
Whether an actual offer has been made by the Leafs is not clear, but one name that has been apparently involved in trade talk is Leafs forward Matt Frattin.
Bernier recently said he wants out of Los Angeles, given the 10-year contract signed by Kings No. 1 netminder Jonathan Quick.
Bernier’s salary will represent a $1.25-million US hit against the cap in 2012-13, and he will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Leafs general manager Brian Burke said during a recent radio interview that he was not interested in acquiring a young goalie that was unproven. Bernier, 23, has played in 48 NHL games since the Kings drafted him in 2006.
But that doesn’t mean he has not been exploring the possibility behind closed doors.
Burke also has said that he is comfortable starting next season starting with James Reimer and Ben Scrivens in goal, but other times has indicated an interest in improving at the position with an experienced goalie.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/18/bernier-on-leafs-radar
by Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun
TORONTO - The Maple Leafs’ interest in acquiring Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier dates to at least the entry draft in Pittsburgh in June.
It might have waned at some point, but a source told the Toronto Sun on Wednesday night that the Leafs’ interest in Bernier has picked up steam.
Whether an actual offer has been made by the Leafs is not clear, but one name that has been apparently involved in trade talk is Leafs forward Matt Frattin.
Bernier recently said he wants out of Los Angeles, given the 10-year contract signed by Kings No. 1 netminder Jonathan Quick.
Bernier’s salary will represent a $1.25-million US hit against the cap in 2012-13, and he will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Leafs general manager Brian Burke said during a recent radio interview that he was not interested in acquiring a young goalie that was unproven. Bernier, 23, has played in 48 NHL games since the Kings drafted him in 2006.
But that doesn’t mean he has not been exploring the possibility behind closed doors.
Burke also has said that he is comfortable starting next season starting with James Reimer and Ben Scrivens in goal, but other times has indicated an interest in improving at the position with an experienced goalie.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/18/bernier-on-leafs-radar
Ranger signs with Toronto to much praise from higher-ups and Marty St. Louis
Paul Ranger has become something of an international man of mystery.
The one-time defenceman with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who walked away from the sport eight games into the 2009-10 regular season, has signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. That much we know.
Where exactly the soon-to-be 28-year-old defender fits into the organization and why exactly he retired so abruptly in the first place remains a mystery. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder has a contract with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and is currently working hard to get in shape. There is a chance he will attend the Leafs main training camp, assuming there will be a training camp, that is.
While the Leafs have a glut of NHL-quality defencemen in the organization, it is thought that if Ranger can return to form, he would be a legitimate candidate to secure one of the top six spots in the organization.
"He has been out of the game for personal reasons and sees an opportunity to get back into it and knows the environment we have created here and he feels this is an excellent opportunity for him," said Dave Poulin, the Leafs' vice-president of hockey operations. "This kid can play. I watched him skate yesterday and wow, he can fly. He had some personal challenges off the ice and he has met them and he feels he's in a good position to come back with an organization that is going to support him in every way possible."
Ranger basically disappeared after he walked away from the Lightning. One source told sportsnet.ca he was assured by the organization that it was not a substance abuse issue.
A sixth-round draft pick (183rd overall) by the Lightning in 2002, Ranger played four years in the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals and one season with Springfield of the AHL before graduating to the NHL. He played four full seasons with Tampa Bay and managed 18 goals and 92 points in 270 games. While his sudden retirement caught some by surprise, not everyone was shocked.
"The fact of the matter is he really didn't have a great passion for the game," the source said. "In fact he said many times that he was thinking of going back to school to study to do something else."
"I think that is much more normal with players than many might think," Poulin added, "but it takes courage to do it. He is a young enough man that he has an opportunity to come back and try."
The source also suggested that in the two summers before Ranger quit hockey, he underwent shoulder surgery that was difficult to battle back from. Also, he got off to a bit of a rough start in 2009-10, not playing to the level he was accustomed to. That said, nobody in the Lightning organization seemed to be panicking.
"He was a very good player for a few years," the source said. "In fact, when Paul was a rookie (then-coach John) Tortorella said he claimed that Ranger was the best in the NHL at making the first pass out of the defensive zone."
Former Lightning GM Brian Lawton tweeted Monday night:
Brian Lawton @brianlawton9 Congratulations to Paul Ranger for signing with TO. He is a terrific person that has a lot to give to the great game hockey is! #roadtoNHL
20 Aug 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite
"He's a great kid," Lawton told sportsnet.ca. "I was asked if I was surprised that he is going to give it another shot and I said absolutely not. I have been waiting for this day. I'm a little surprised it took him this long to come back. I hope it works out for him."
Lawton believes Ranger is young enough to get back to being a solid NHL defenceman.
"He was a great teammate; the other guys loved him," Lawton said. "He was well-respected and a hard worker. I expect if Paul is 100 per cent behind giving it all he's got that he'll play in the National Hockey League again and he'll be a top-four defencerman."
Asked if he thought Ranger can step back into the NHL after missing the better part of three seasons, ex-teammate Martin St. Louis said yes.
"There's no doubt," St. Louis said. "No doubt in my mind. When he was with us he was so good. He had so much potential. For a guy with Paul's abilities - he's a great athlete; a natural - I don't think it will be too hard for him. I'm happy for him that he's coming back."
Claude Loiselle, the Maple Leafs' assistant general manager, was also the assistant GM in Tampa Bay for a time when Ranger played there. Loiselle played a huge role in Toronto signing the big defenceman and hopes the story will have a happy ending.
"I knew the type of player he was and he's also a great kid in the dressing room," Loiselle said. "To us it is a good story to see him trying to get back on track. He's been out of hockey for two and a half years and starting off with the Marlies is a good way to get him back into the game. When he played with Dan Boyle, he was a pretty good player. When he's on his game he's a top-four defenceman who can move the puck. He's a smart player that can play the power play. When I spoke with him last week he was really excited about this."
Paul Ranger has become something of an international man of mystery.
The one-time defenceman with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who walked away from the sport eight games into the 2009-10 regular season, has signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. That much we know.
Where exactly the soon-to-be 28-year-old defender fits into the organization and why exactly he retired so abruptly in the first place remains a mystery. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder has a contract with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and is currently working hard to get in shape. There is a chance he will attend the Leafs main training camp, assuming there will be a training camp, that is.
While the Leafs have a glut of NHL-quality defencemen in the organization, it is thought that if Ranger can return to form, he would be a legitimate candidate to secure one of the top six spots in the organization.
"He has been out of the game for personal reasons and sees an opportunity to get back into it and knows the environment we have created here and he feels this is an excellent opportunity for him," said Dave Poulin, the Leafs' vice-president of hockey operations. "This kid can play. I watched him skate yesterday and wow, he can fly. He had some personal challenges off the ice and he has met them and he feels he's in a good position to come back with an organization that is going to support him in every way possible."
Ranger basically disappeared after he walked away from the Lightning. One source told sportsnet.ca he was assured by the organization that it was not a substance abuse issue.
A sixth-round draft pick (183rd overall) by the Lightning in 2002, Ranger played four years in the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals and one season with Springfield of the AHL before graduating to the NHL. He played four full seasons with Tampa Bay and managed 18 goals and 92 points in 270 games. While his sudden retirement caught some by surprise, not everyone was shocked.
"The fact of the matter is he really didn't have a great passion for the game," the source said. "In fact he said many times that he was thinking of going back to school to study to do something else."
"I think that is much more normal with players than many might think," Poulin added, "but it takes courage to do it. He is a young enough man that he has an opportunity to come back and try."
The source also suggested that in the two summers before Ranger quit hockey, he underwent shoulder surgery that was difficult to battle back from. Also, he got off to a bit of a rough start in 2009-10, not playing to the level he was accustomed to. That said, nobody in the Lightning organization seemed to be panicking.
"He was a very good player for a few years," the source said. "In fact, when Paul was a rookie (then-coach John) Tortorella said he claimed that Ranger was the best in the NHL at making the first pass out of the defensive zone."
Former Lightning GM Brian Lawton tweeted Monday night:
Brian Lawton @brianlawton9 Congratulations to Paul Ranger for signing with TO. He is a terrific person that has a lot to give to the great game hockey is! #roadtoNHL
20 Aug 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite
"He's a great kid," Lawton told sportsnet.ca. "I was asked if I was surprised that he is going to give it another shot and I said absolutely not. I have been waiting for this day. I'm a little surprised it took him this long to come back. I hope it works out for him."
Lawton believes Ranger is young enough to get back to being a solid NHL defenceman.
"He was a great teammate; the other guys loved him," Lawton said. "He was well-respected and a hard worker. I expect if Paul is 100 per cent behind giving it all he's got that he'll play in the National Hockey League again and he'll be a top-four defencerman."
Asked if he thought Ranger can step back into the NHL after missing the better part of three seasons, ex-teammate Martin St. Louis said yes.
"There's no doubt," St. Louis said. "No doubt in my mind. When he was with us he was so good. He had so much potential. For a guy with Paul's abilities - he's a great athlete; a natural - I don't think it will be too hard for him. I'm happy for him that he's coming back."
Claude Loiselle, the Maple Leafs' assistant general manager, was also the assistant GM in Tampa Bay for a time when Ranger played there. Loiselle played a huge role in Toronto signing the big defenceman and hopes the story will have a happy ending.
"I knew the type of player he was and he's also a great kid in the dressing room," Loiselle said. "To us it is a good story to see him trying to get back on track. He's been out of hockey for two and a half years and starting off with the Marlies is a good way to get him back into the game. When he played with Dan Boyle, he was a pretty good player. When he's on his game he's a top-four defenceman who can move the puck. He's a smart player that can play the power play. When I spoke with him last week he was really excited about this."
Congrats go out to Elisha and Dion
http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/09/04/elisha-cuthbert-engaged-to-leafs-captain-phaneuf/
http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/09/04/elisha-cuthbert-engaged-to-leafs-captain-phaneuf/
Leafs ranked worst team in all of pro sports
"The Toronto Maple Leafs are the worst team in professional sports,"
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/espn-r...rst-team-in-pro-sports-1.946851#ixzz25s33cpCO
"The Toronto Maple Leafs are the worst team in professional sports,"
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/espn-r...rst-team-in-pro-sports-1.946851#ixzz25s33cpCO
"The Toronto Maple Leafs are the worst team in professional sports,"
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/espn-r...rst-team-in-pro-sports-1.946851#ixzz25s33cpCO
I guess some needed more credible sources of information to believe what we have been saying for a longtime.
When has badmouthing the Leafs and making fun of them IN THIS THREAD not become a suspendable offense??
We've already been on this path, and GHG should know better since he's one person who got suspended (more than once) in the past for this infraction.
We've already been on this path, and GHG should know better since he's one person who got suspended (more than once) in the past for this infraction.
So, you only bang virgins? Then why are you on this board? :crazy: You would be drooling like a puppy dog if Elisha batted her pretty eyes your way, then again I am sure PK has the same effect on you.
PS.... Doc is correct, take this crap to the free for all thread and avoid yourself YET ANOTHER suspension.
PS.... Doc is correct, take this crap to the free for all thread and avoid yourself YET ANOTHER suspension.
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