Last night I posted a story about the upcoming New York Islanders vs New Jersey Devils game today and the implications that it has for the continuation of the Toronto Maple Leafs season into the playoffs.
I had heard and read hints that the New Jersey Devils were planning to sit many of their star players today in order to give them some extra rest prior to the playoffs since the game against the Islanders meant nothing in respect to either the regular or post season.
Well, things have changed.
Martin Brodeur holds the record for the most goaltender wins in a single season at 48, but as of last night he holds that record in tandem with Roberto Luongo. Who incidentally grew up a mere stones throw from the Brodeur home in St-Leonard, Quebec. Luongo and the Canucks play Phoenix tonight and I am sure that everyone is willing to bet that Vancouver will get Luongo the win.
That means Brodeur will lose his record to Luongo later today.
So Leaf fans, pray today and pray hard that Marty Brodeur's ego gets the best of him and he wants to play, and win, against the New York Islanders today in order to keep ahold of this NHL record. If he does, and they do, the Leafs make the playoffs. God help us all.
On a side note, this Leafs fan is pulling for the New York Islanders, the sooner we realize that this team will never be good enough to win the Stanley Cup and gut it in order to rebuild the better.
Why? Three words. 2009, Julian Tavares (Editors Note: His name is John Tavares, not Julian! Julian Tavarez is a relief pitcher for the Boston Redsox). By 2009 we need to be one of the worst teams in the League so that we have a chance at Tavares. Probably the most exciting prospect in the NHL since some guy named Sidney Crosby (or Evgeni Malkin, or Jordan Staal, or Alexander Ovechkin).
So, GO Isles GO!
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Leaf fans pray for Brodeur's swollen head
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Okay, I also hear Brodeur can tie Grant Fuhr's record of 79 games in a season today as well with a start. This would need to be verified, but I think it's true. However, to think the Leafs will do anything to rebuild the club if they make the playoffs is a little bit delusional. These guys have been consistent losers for the last 40 years now. We all know nothing's going to change this if they miss the playoffs or not. Who the hell cares when they're selling out the rink every night year after year. I do agree the players and coaches are all there to win, and the management up to a point. However, this is a business, and as far as businesses go, the Leafs and their multisport organization are doing quite well. Gut the team?, It's not going to change a thing. Why rebuild and rebuld again? The fans are sick of 40 years of rebuilding. A chance at Tavares doesn't gurantee anything. Besides, what good would he be with nobody to play with. The Leafs are one stroke of luck away from making the playoffs today. If they get there, anything can happen, as proven last season. Let's be realistic here. Not making the playoffs won't help or change this organization. It will only mean the fans get shafted once again. Go for it now, while the chance is there.
Things are getting a little bit confusing at this time of the year with so much happening in the NHL this weekend. However, Brodeur actually has 48 wins and Luongo has 47. If Brodeur doesn't play and Luongo does, there's a good chance Luongo will tie Brodeur for the record. If they both play and Brodeur wins, he'll own the record by himself no matter what Luongo does. This could be significant as it may be years before somebody comes close to it again. The Devils can also set a franchise record today with their 50th win if they beat the Islanders, however, if they lose, 49 wins is still a new record. A win by Brodeur would also give him 92 over the last two seasons, which would also be a new record for wins in back to back years, beating Bernie Parent's mark of 91.
What was proven last year? That for the first time in NHL history an 8th seeded team made it all the way to the playoffs and lost.
Oh, yeah, one little other piece of history, both of the teams that played in that Stanley Cup, missed the playoffs this year. First time in history that happened.
As for 40 years of futility, we have had that because they have never blown up the team and rebuilt.
Wake up and smell the golf course, the Leafs are out of the playoffs!
My point exactly. The NHL has so much parity, that these things can happen. Win a Cup one year and miss the playoffs the next year. There's no such thing as an upset in the league now as anybody is capable of getting hot and going all the way. That's not necessarily a bad thing. There's always going to be a few elite teams that pull ahead of the group while the others bunch up in the middle. In the NHL it's not too bad because the middle-of-the-pack teams are generally 500 or better hockey clubs. Compare that to soccer, where a league such as the English Premier has four top teams and the rest of them are mediocre at best. As for the Leafs, hahha where you been man? This club has done more renovating and rebuilding than Buckingham Palace for God's sake. The downfall has been brutal management and a serious lack of knowledge when it comes to recognizing talent and what it's worth. It would take a set of books to list all of the ridiculous moves this club has made over the years. Let's start with Stevie Sullivan on waivers, Jason Smith, and Dave Andreychuck for draft picks, Mathieu Schneider for Karpotsev and so on and so on.
The Leafs have never tried to rebuild. Trading away young talent for over the hill, oops I mean veteran players is not rebuilding.
Trading away proven veterans for prospects and draft picks is rebuilding.
When was the last time that the Leafs actually got a prospect in a trade instead of giving one away, can you say Brad Boyes for Owen Nolan? (wasn't it)? Or Brendan Bell for Yanic Perrault?
I've been watching for 27 years (well paying attention anyway, watching longer than that) and the Leafs have not tried to rebuild once. All they have done is spend money and young talent for other teams retread stars.
Other than Alexander Mogilny when has Mats Sundin ever had a legitimate 1st line winger? Jonas Hoglund? I would have happily traded him for a bag of pucks... minus the pucks.
Not one of the young Leafs is a legitimate 1st line winger. We are a team full of 2nd or 3rd line forwards with only Mats sitting at the top of the heap all alone.
Okay, let’s look at the moves the Leafs have made since last winning the Cup in 1967. These are what you’d consider to be rebuilding then, trading away veterans for draft picks and prospects? The Leafs have obviously attempted it but failed miserably because they wouldn’t know a talented hockey player if he bit the head scout in the ass. Let me know once you’ve stopped laughing. Some of the Leafs most infamous trades, which involve veterans for prospects here include: trading Jim Dorey for Pierre Jarry, Doug Jarvis for Greg Hubick, Dave Burrows and Paul Gardner for Kim Davis and Paul Marshall, Jim Rutherford for a fifth round draft pick, Pat Hickey for a fifth rounder, Vincent Tremblay and Rocky Saganiuk for Pat Graham and Nick Ricci, Dave Shand for Lee Norwood, Gaston Gingras for Larry Landon, Brad Maxwell for a fifth rounder, Al Secord for a fifth rounder, Mark Laforest and Tie Domi for Greg Johnston, Brad Marsh for an eighth rounder, Darren Veitch for Keith Osborne, Dave Hannan for a fifth rounder, Mike Foligno for future considerations, Yanic Perrault for a fourth rounder, Mike Ridley for Sergio Momesso, Mike Gartner for a fourth rounder, Larry Murphy for future considerations, Kirk Muller for Jason Podollan, Fredrick Modin for Cory Cross, and maybe the worst of all Darryl Sittler for Rich Costello and a second rounder. This is not to mention some brutal free agent signings such as Dmitri Khristich, trading for players who had retired such as Robert Svehla, and trading a young speedster like Russ Courtnall for John Kordic. We can also add mention letting Yanic Perrault go on waivers and then trading away a second rounder and a prospect like Brendan Bell to get him back for the last 20 games this season. It must also be noted that when the Leafs traded Perrault away one season, they only received a fourth rounder for him. As for Sundin, he had a couple of decent wingers in Steve Thomas and Gary Roberts. And what exactly get Toronto get in return for these two fine players? The answer is absolutely nothing as they weren’t resigned. If you’re going to try and rebuild the answer isn’t in trading away solid bricks for a mud hut.
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