Notable Quotable of the Day

"I've always been a guy that's worn his heart on his sleeve and I'm not going to lie to you - it was hard to leave Toronto. My heart was in the right place when I played there but I'm here in Denver now so I really appreciate the group of guys here."

- Darcy Tucker's thoughts on his former team the Leafs, as he gets set to play against them for the first time as a member of the Colorado Avalanche.

Notable Quotable of the Day

"Pucks were supposed to be bouncing in more than they were bouncing out and I don't know, I kind of found it the other way around. It all depends on the angle that you shoot it on. The posts and the crossbar all funnel in towards the net but you have to be kind of shooting straight on from the net in order for it to work."

- Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Mitchell on the NHL's failed attempt to increase scoring with a new slimmer, angled post design. Read more about the net experiment in Toronto here.

Grabovski Goes Crazy

Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Mikhail Grabovski has been suspended three games by the NHL for abusing an official.

The incident stems from Thursday when the Leafs took on the Montreal Canadiens and lost 6-2. Sorry, just had to get in that score. One more time for good measure, the Habs beat the Leafs 6-2. That feels so fun to say.

Grabovski, a former member of the Canadiens, was getting attention from Habs fans and players all night long at the Bell Centre. Any time he touched the puck Habs fans started booing, and any time there was a whistle or a scrum against the boards Habs players made sure to get in an extra shot or rough up Grabovski a little more than usual.

It all came to ahead late in the third period when Grabovski seemingly had enough and decided he wanted to fight with fellow Belarussian Sergei Kostitsyn.

The refs weren't going to allow it and immediately got in between the two. This didn't sit well with Grabovski who after being knocked down on the ice by the linesman, got up and pushed the linesman and then kicked some snow at him. The horror!

Grabovski was immediately given a game misconduct and sent off the ice, much to the delight of the Bell Centre crowd who gave the former Habs prospect the send off they thought he deserved. Grabovski made some hand gestures to the fans, which included waving, peace signs, and what appeared to be the middle finger for just a few seconds.

Though I should say I have no prove he did give the one fingered salute as it was very brief. When I was watching the game live, I paused my dvr and rewinded and watched in slow motion, frame by frame over and over again. But I couldn't really tell.

Do I really care if he did it or not and am I offended by it if he did? No of course not. I just like to start controversies. Especially when they involve Leaf players. Speaking of, I might just happen to know of a juicy story involving Tomas Kaberle and a group of midgets. Or I believe they like to be referred to as "little people." Though Kaberle is a tall guy so maybe it was just normal sized people, but compared to him they look like "little people." Well that makes my story considerably less juicy doesn't it?

Here's full video of the Grabovski vs. Linesman vs. Kostitsyn incident...

Notable Quotable of the Day

"The boos weren’t too bad out there. I got it much worse when I played here. It was fine.”

- Florida Panthers d-man Bryan McCabe on the reaction from Leaf fans upon returning to Toronto. McCabe spent seven seasons with the Leafs. Some good, some bad.

Notable Quotable of the Day

“I was pretty nervous before they dropped the puck, but once they dropped the puck, it was just another game. I’m just glad I got this one over with.”

- Toronto Maple Leafs rookie goalie Justin Pogge on the nerves that came with playing in his first career NHL game, a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.

Jennifer Leaf Hewitt

It looks as if Leaf Nation can add a very famous and beautiful fan to it's ranks. Which is a big difference from their usual mouth breathing, band wagon jumping fans who only hang Leaf flags out of the windows of their Honda Civics when they're winning.

Celebrity gossip website TMZ had a story/video on their site about actress Jennifer Love Hewitt and how she was helping out the homeless during American Thanksgiving. They had some paparazzo follow Hewitt out to her car while she was unloading her bags and blah blah blah.

While I was watching the video, something seemed very familiar. At first I thought it was just because I see her image daily in my Jennifer Love Hewitt shrine that sits next to my bed. But that wasn't it. Then it donned on me. She's wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs hat!

Noooooooo!!!!!!

The sweet, beautiful, and talented Jennifer Love Hewitt is one of them? A member Leaf Nation? How could I have been so wrong? I guess that shrine to her is coming down.

In related news, is anybody looking for a lock of Jennifer Love Hewitt's hair? Because I won't be needing it anymore.


[Source]

Notable Quotable of the Day

"I am really excited that Brian is able to get this straightened out, if it is true."

- Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson on reports that Brian Burke has officially become the new President and GM of the Leafs after weeks of speculation.

Maple Leafs Most Valuable

Forbes Magazine has released their annual list of the most valuable NHL franchises. And for the third straight year the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the list. Interestingly enough, the Leafs have missed the playoffs for three straight years. Coincidence? Yeah, it actually probably is.

The Leafs are estimated to be worth a whopping $448 million, which is an increase in value by 9 percent from last year. They were easily valued ahead of the New York Rangers in Forbes' annual rankings. The Rangers are worth $411 million.

Third on the list were the Montreal Canadiens at $334 million, followed by the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings ($303 million) and the Philadelphia Flyers ($275 million).

But the biggest increase in value was made by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who made the Stanley Cup finals last spring and boast stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (that sort of thing usually helps). Pittsburgh is worth $195 million, up a whopping 26 percent.

Stinking up the joint at the bottom of the list were Columbus ($157 million), the New York Islanders ($154 million), and Phoenix ($142 million). The Coyotes were the only team to go down in worth, by 3 percent.

Interesting stat for all your stats nerds, according to Forbes the average team value was $220 million. By comparison, the average for NFL teams this season was $1 billion.

Forbes also points out that the 2007-08 season was the National Hockey League's most successful since Forbes began tracking team values 10 years ago. Fueled by higher ticket prices and a stronger Canadian dollar, revenue increased 13%, to an average of $92 million per team, while operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, ed. note: Huh?) rose 48%, to $4.7 million per team.

So the strong Canadian economy jacked up league wide revenue and two of the top three most valuable teams are Canadian. But you know what, I'm going to put on Gary Bettman hat and say that it's still a pretty dumb idea to put more teams in Canada. *Note the sarcasm.*

To see what each team is valued at, check out forbes.com/nhl

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Morning After Meltdown: Toronto Maple Leafs

Not much is expected from the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, and I think we found out why after watching their 6-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

The season started out on a promising note for the Leafs, with a surprising win over defending Cup champs Detroit. But the clock struck 12 on the possible Toronto cinderella story when Montreal came rolling into town.

Anyone who lives in Ontario hears the Leaf management always advising fans not to expect too much this year. And if they put in the type of performance that they did Saturday night all season long, it's easy to see why.

The Leafs looked totally helpless, out of place, confused, out worked, and as if they didn't even belong on the same ice as the power house Habs. It looked like an exhibition game between an all star NHL squad and an AHL team who just got back from an long, exhausting bus trip.

So congratulations Toronto Maple Leafs! Out of everyone in the entire NHL, you sucked the most last night to win the Morning After Meltdown!

Gentlemen, Start Your Zambonis!

Technically the regular season started last weekend when the Rangers, Pens, Sens, and Bolts played some games in Europe. But tonight is when we start playing for keeps!

Yes, tonight the regular season gets underway here in North America when the Detroit Red Wings host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7pm et on CBC in Canada, and Versus in the US and A.

It's always nice to finally have the season start but tonight it will be especially sweet to see the Red Wings raise their 2007-08 Stanley Cup banner in front of all those Leaf fans who made the treck from Southern Ontario down to the Motor City. At least it will remind Leaf fans what it's like to see one of those raised. You sometimes forget certain events after 41 years.

McCabe Shipped To Florida

The much anticipated trade involving Bryan McCabe to the Florida Panthers has finally become official.

The Leafs have shipped the overrated and overpaid defenseman as well as a 2010 4th round draft pick to the Panthers in exchange for much better and much cheaper d-man Mike Van Ryn.

The long rumoured deal was held up while the Panthers waited for the Leafs to pay a $2 million bonus due to McCabe on Sept. 1.

Offense was hard to come by for McCabe in 2007-08, as he scored five goals and added 18 assists in an injury-plagued campaign that saw the St. Catharines, Ontario native miss 22 games with a broken hand. He also became a scapegoat for Leaf fans after committing some high-profile defensive blunders, including an own-goal in overtime to hand the Buffalo Sabres a victory early in the season.

McCabe will join former Leaf teammates Wade Belak and Chad Kilger down in Florida. Hey, maybe they should consider re-naming the Panthers to the Land of the Misfit Leafs.

Source

Leafs To Honour Two From The "Glory Years"

1993 was a glorious year for Toronto sports. The Blue Jays won back to back World Series championships, the Raptors were only a year away from debuting in the NBA, and the Toronto Maple Leafs made it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Yes it was good times for Leaf fans, as they were just getting out of the Harold Ballard era and this was their first taste of success. If by success you mean losing in the Conference Finals to Wayne Gretzky's LA Kings.

Leaf Nation talks about that fateful year even to this day. Never letting us Hab fans forget about how close we were to losing the Stanley Cup to the Leafs. We Hab fans just smile and nod because why crush the dreams of the mentally challenged?

If you live outside of Southern Ontario, or "Leaf Nation" as some - not me - refer to it, then it's hard to understand what that team led by Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark and backstopped by Felix Potvin mean to fans of the Leafs. And that's because rarely ever do you see a fan base of any team so mercilessly honour a team that achieved nothing.

That trend will live on into 2008-2009 as early Monday, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) announced that they will be raising banners to honour both Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark in two seperate ceremonies this season.

Now for most teams, raising banners means retiring numbers. Of course the Leafs manage to screw that up as well. Neither Clark's 17, nor Gilmour's 93 will be retired, but rather they will have a banner with their name and picture raised to the rafters of the ACC, honouring all of their "achievements."

Yes, honouring two players who never helped the Leafs win anything, who aren't even worthy enough to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. God, are they ever a sad organization.



Source: MapleLeafs.com

Doing Business With The Enemy

Has hell frozen over? Are monkeys flying? Are pigs flying out of various people's butts?

I ask this because bitter rivals, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs have made a trade. It's the rarest of rare to see these two teams work together and get something done. It would be like if the Red Sox and Yankees made a trade in baseball. Perish the thought!

The Habs traded German forward Mikhail Grabovski to the Leafs for the rights to 2008 fifth round pick Greg Pateryn and a second round pick in 2010.

"Mikhail had tremendous success at the most recent World Hockey Championships," said Fletcher in a statement. "He has great upside and we will look for him to contribute for us right away at the centre position."

It was rumoured on internet message boards that Grabovski would head to the Leafs as compensation if Montreal was able to sign Mats Sundin. When that didn't happen by July 1st, Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher got on the phone and tried to figure out another way to land Grabovski.

Though he is pretty unknown to Leaf fans, as a devoted Habs fan I have of course seen Grabo play many times both in Montreal and in Hamilton. Fletcher was right in his statement that he does have tremendous upside. But he's pretty far away from making any sort of an impact unless he's playing in the AHL. He's speedy but makes a lot of bad passes, and is very physically weak and gets pushed off the puck very easily.

The one thing I do like about this trade is that Montreal got more for Grabovski in Pateryn and a 2nd round pick than they did when they traded Cristobal Huet back at the deadline. Oh trusty Leafs. Always making bad moves and overpaying for things.