It’s back! We’ve waited longer than any of us expected (okay, that’s not entirely true) but the Maple Leafs finally return to action tonight in Montreal, against the hated Canadiens.

Here’s five keys to the Leafs making the postseason (or at least challenge for a spot) in this Reader’s Digest* version of the NHL:

* Due to its size, the U.S. uses the slogan “America in your pocket” for Reader’s Digest. Maybe Gary Bettman and the owners should adopt the slogan “NHL in your pocket” up here in Canada.

1) Goaltending

This is the key to any hopes the Leafs have of making some noise come playoff time.  And believe me, this will remain the case, regardless of if Roberto Luongo turns up or not.

Obviously if the Canucks backup does come to Toronto, the team automatically becomes a more solid contender.  At least for a season or two anyway, before his skills diminish due to his advancing age and fans start moaning about how the Leafs gave up way too much for a guy who still has eight years left on his contract.

However, lets work on the assumption Luongo won’t be here at some point, meaning we’re looking at the combo of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens for the next 14 weeks.  Despite all the concerns, I’m okay with that.

In my humble opinion Reimer, he of the permanent smile, should be the starter.  Despite what happened to him last season after his head injury, Leafs Nation is hoping he can revert to his form of the 2010-11 campaign, when he went 20-10-5.

In fact, regardless of how realistic this is, that record would translate to 62 points over the course of a 48-game season, easily enough to make the playoffs.  We can only hope Reimer’s undoubted potential comes to fruition.

There is a case for Scrivens, who performed better during this ‘Mini Me’ version of training camp, which has to count for something.  However, the ceiling is higher with Reimer, who, at 24, is actually two years younger than his rival for the starting spot.

Assuming Reimer does start, Scrivens shouldn’t fret.  Despite Randy Carlyle saying he plans to stick to one goaltender as much as possible, Scrivens should still gain invaluable experience during an intense and compact season that includes nine back-to-backs.

Whoever does end up starting, we can only hope there won’t be too much chopping and changing.  Otherwise this will mean one or both of the goalies are performing inconsistently, resulting in the Leafs struggling as a whole.

2) Nazem Kadri

With Matthew Lombardi traded to Phoenix and the Leafs dropping various unsubtle hints to let Tim Connolly know they don’t want him anymore, the door has effectively been opened for Nazem Kadri to make his mark.

While not quite as polarising as the likes of Dion Phanuef and, dare I say it, Brian Burke, Kardi still encourages opinions that span the spectrum.  Depending on who you ask, he’s either lazy and inconsistent, or just hasn’t been given a prolonged opportunity to establish himself yet.

Whatever people may think of Kadri, most are convinced he has the offensive talent to succeed in the NHL.  It’s actually his defensive play that causes more concern and is an area where he will have to work harder.

To be fair, it should be remembered the 2009 seventh overall draft pick is still only 22.  As such, to call this a make or break season for Kadri is a bit rash, and indeed short sighted.  However, it will still be in his best interests to show more of his undoubted talent this season to help convince Carlyle he’s worth keeping him around.  Actually, talking of Carlyle…………

3) Randy Carlyle

Is this a no-brainer?  Who knows, but I’m fascinated to see how Carlyle deals with the Toronto media over the course of an intense 12 weeks.  Last season the former Anaheim coach got a free pass after taking over a team that was already in freefall.

So far, the early signs are promising.  Carlyle has been open, honest and even witty at times, despite having to deal with media scrums on a par with those normally associated with playoff hockey in Toronto.

(Please feel free to take a minute here to reminisce……………………….)

Okay, are you ready to continue now?  Obviously, dealing with the press after practice sessions during a shortened training camp is one thing.  The real test will come when the Leafs have their first losing streak of the season.  (And you know it’s coming sooner or later.)

Hopefully the media and the fans will give Carlyle the chance to do his thing.  Even factoring in the talent (or lack thereof) on the roster, the team figures to benefit most from his expertise on the defensive side of the puck. Plus, the guy is a proven commodity with the pedigree of a Stanley Cup win.

What’s that?  So is Brian Burke?  Errrr, okay.  Moving swiftly on…………

Click here for part two.

If you have any questions, email me at: paul.taylor@bluetoro.ca

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• By paul.taylor
• January 19, 2013
• Comment

I freely admit we don’t spend nearly enough time catering to our female audience (all three of them.)  As such, in an attempt to appease the fairer sex*, this article’s  for you.

* I’ve never understood that phrase.  Women are much more vindictive, calculating and vengeful.  And that’s just to each other.

Cosmopolitan has put together their 2013 list of the hottest players in the NHL and to say it is contentious would be an understatement.  Now I’m no expert on these type of matters, but you know something has to be up when Phil Kessel makes the list for the Leafs.  I would have thought Joffrey Lupul was a shoe-in.

(Just in case any female Leafs Nation fans are wondering, Kessel replaced Mikhail Grabovski, who made the list last year.  Make of that what you will.)

Other NHL players to make the top 30 include the Canadiens Carey Price, Evander Kane of the Jets, Dennis Wideman from the Flames  and the Canucks Ryan Kesler, one of the few lucky ones to retain his place from 2012.

Apparently the list was put together by Cosmpolitan’s readers, but whoever’s responsible I think it’s best to leave it to some of the comments submitted in response to sum up the general feeling:

Did blind women put this list together?

SERIOUSLY? Brian Boyle is hot because he is sweaty? Who wrote this, a 15-year old intern? Google Henrik Lundqvist. Unless they left him out on purpose, to spark this outrage and debate, it truly astonishes me that Henrik was left out. What a joke. I mean, men even admit Henrik is hot…

Please never attempt to ‘write’ about hockey again. You’re way out of your element Cosmo.

Did you only show them pictures of men in helmets and masks? Because that’s the only reasonable explanation I’ve got for this list.

Kessel? Hartnerll? Jagr? Is this a joke? 

Ok I really have to know… what blind, obviously not a hockey fan, delusional chick put this mess together?!?! Major FAIL! Next time Cosmo, find an actual hockey fan girl to do this…. they may actually know the hot guys in the NHL.

Holy beer goggle list, Batman!

In light of the uproar over this list, we decided to ask regular Blue Toro contributor ‘Danielle from Brampton’ for her thoughts:

I’m gobsmacked that Kessel made the list, what’s that all about?  Joff certainly isn’t my cup of tea…. Grabo is short. Really short. So he is ok for midgets little people.  As is Mike Camalleri.

Carey Price looks like he has confidence issues.   But if you’re up for reassuring him daily, why not.

Ryan Kessler made the list twice??? Whaaat! He totally looks like he’d take the last biscuit and not apologize or replace it!  So I guess what they say is true…. Girls love a bad boy!

So there you have it, the women have spoken.  Here’s the link again to the article, in case you feel the need to add your two-cents worth.

Photo credit: @carterbaxter79

• By paul.taylor
• January 17, 2013
• Comment

Despite Brian Burke’s final press conference on Saturday, it still isn’t entirely clear why MLSE fired him…………(thinking)…………..Okay, fine, I think we all know the reasons behind it.  I guess more to the point, why was he fired now, so close to the start of the season?

It’s believed Burke’s refusal to consider trading for Roberto Luongo was the final straw.  He felt the price was too high and in all honesty, I can appreciate this assessment.

If rumours are to believed, one scenario involved Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and a second round draft pick going to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Luongo, which is way too steep.  Especially for a 33-year old goaltender with ten years left on his contract.

In any event, we’ve managed to get hold of some of the documentation Burke used in his presentation to the board, to show why they shouldn’t acquire Luongo.

First, here’s one of a number of pictures Burke displayed, to prove Luongo has problems with his hand-eye coordination:

Second, Burke attempted to pass off the following photo as a close-up shot of Luongo, to help emphasis his advancing age:

And finally, I believe this was the shot that ultimately cost Burke his job when he offered it as evidence of how one-sided any such trade would be, with the bear representing the Canucks and Louongo symbolising the MLSE board:

Photo credits: @RobertoLuongo_1, @meyers_eric & @NotBobbyLu

• By paul.taylor
• January 14, 2013
• Comment

A report in the Toronto Sun suggests that a trade sending Roberto Luongo to the Maple Leafs is a done deal and will be announced on Thursday, following the ratification of the new NHL collective bargaining agreement.

The Vancouver Canucks will reportedly receive in exchange Tyler Bozak, Matt Fratin and a second round pick in the upcoming NHL draft.

That being said, would Roberto Luongo, on his own, propel the Leafs to become a playoff team and possibly a cup contender?

With the kind of struggles both our goaltenders went through last year, starting in January, it surely can’t hurt.  Bobby Lu has averaged 37 wins during his six year in Vancouver.  I understand that the Leafs and the Canucks are different teams, but he is a proven winner and a solid goalie.

On top of it all, he doesn’t take up that much cap space at $5.3M per season and he is signed for the rest of his career.

With a proven top line in Kessel, Lupul and most likely Grabovsky this year, together with a solid second unit that includes James Van Riemsdyk, Tim Connolly and Matthew Lombardi or Clarke MacArthur, Toronto’s offence can fill the net.

The defensive squad, lead by Dion Phaneuf and John-Michael Liles, is nothing exceptional, but a goaltender like Luongo can make an average defence look pretty good.

The Leafs become a playoff team the moment Roberto Luongo enters that locker room and puts on the blue and white.  Probably not a cup contender yet, but once you enter the playoffs, you never know. Just ask the New Jersey Devils and L.A. Kings.

Let’s just wait and see if that trades actually pans out first though.

• By Manny Frag
• January 9, 2013
• Comment

Currently working in public-relations, our insider has maintained various contacts during his years employed within different areas of the Toronto sporting industry.

According to the latest information coming from our sources in Toronto, the trade rumours surrounding Roberto Luongo may be about to become more intense.

That’s because Brian Burke and the Maple Leafs have apparently rejected the L.A. Kings approach regarding the acquisition of backup goaltender Jonathan Bernier.

Previously, it had been reported that the Maple Leafs were interested in Bernier as far back as June.  The risk of such a trade would also have been minimal, given that Bernier will become a restricted free agent this summer.

The decision to decline the trade for the talented but inexperienced goaltender represents a major turnaround in the Leafs thinking and gives the clearest indication yet of the urgency and pressure on the franchise to return to the postseason for the first time since 2004.

It is this same urgency and pressure that now has Burke firmly focused on Luongo, despite his advancing age and the length of his contract.  Ultimately, the Leafs GM knows that if his team is going to finally return to the playoffs, he would rather have the experience of the veteran Luongo as opposed to an unproven young goalie.

Photo credit: D. Sheehan – http://mayorsmanor.com

• By T.O.I.N.S.D.R.
• January 8, 2013
• Comment

Looks like the Toronto sports memorabilia shops are convinced Roberto Luongo will join the Maple Leafs, once the lockout is behind us.

The Score posted the above picture on their Instagram account, showing Bobby Lu’s #1 jersey in the white and blue of the Leafs. Not only did they post a very interesting picture, but they asked an equally mind teasing riddle. Would you buy a jersey of a player who is expected to be traded even before the trade is confirmed ?

I sure as hell wouldn’t.  I have enough problems finding jerseys to buy of players that won’t change teams again in the near future!  I really don’t see myself buying a jersey of a player who isn’t even on that team yet.

To be honest, I’m not even sure NHL regulations permits the sale of this type of merchandise.  I mean, it’s probably legal, but it still takes a lot of guts to buy such a jersey.

• By Manny Frag
• December 3, 2012
• Comment

Since our Pacific rivals recently got eliminated in 5 little games versus the LA Kings, here are some funny pictures of the Vancouver Canucks, and in perticular, Roberto Luongo.

• By Manny Frag
• April 25, 2012
• Comment