2010/2011 Leafs Schedule!

New Leafs Schedule released.

Find it here http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/schedule.htm

Highlights include;

Home opener - Thu, 7 Oct 2010 Canadiens @ Maple Leafs 7:00 PM

Will Kessel finally play well? - Thu, 28 Oct 2010 Maple Leafs @ Bruins 7:00 PM

Taylor Halls first visit? - Thu, 2 Dec 2010 Oilers @ Maple Leafs 7:00 PM

Stajan vs Phaneuf - Thu, 16 Dec 2010 Maple Leafs @ Flames 9:00 PM

Burke's old team - Thu, 20 Jan 2011 Ducks @ Maple Leafs 7:00 PM

Stanley Cup Champs - Sat, 5 Mar 2011 Blackhawks @ Maple Leafs 7:00 PM

Last game of the regular season - Sat, 9 Apr 2011 Canadiens @ Maple Leafs 7:00 PM

Playoffs???

It's Official

Dion Phaneuf is now officially Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs!

Leafs Announcement!

New Leaf Captain!

TSN is reporting that Dion Phaneuf will be named Captain next week, as early as Tuesday!

Report Card - Tyler Bozak

Name/Position – Tyler Bozak/C
Height/Weight – 6'1"'/195 lbs
09/10 Games Played NHL – 37 Goals - 8 Assists - 19 Points – 27 Plus/Minus – minus 5 08/09 Games Played NCAA – 41 Goals -18 Assists - 16 Points – 34 Plus/Minus – N/A
Salary/Cap Hit - $875, 000/$3.725 Million

Analysis - Tyler Bozak was a player that a number of teams wanted to sign last year. He had a great season at the University of Denver, and was considered close to NHL ready. Some people even claimed that he was the equivalent of a first round pick.

When Tyler chose the Leafs, it allowed the team to have significantly more depth at the centre position.

He was expected to challenge for a roster spot, but was outplayed in pre-season by Viktor Stalberg. He then faced a number of injuries (including H1N1!), missing playing time with both the Leafs and the Marlies.

Cap issues also limited Bozak's playing time, until Burke was able to clear some space in that big late January shake up that brought Phaneuf.

When Bozak finally did get into the lineup, he tore it up. He finished 11th in rookie scoring, despite playing half as many games as other players.

If you pro-rate Bozak's points to 82 games he leads all rookies!

Tyler Bozak - 37 games 27 points (82 games 60 points)

Matt Duchene - 81 games 55 points (82 games 56 points) (finished 1st among rookies)

John Tavares - 82 games 54 points (finished 2nd among rookies)

Granted, there are some things we have to take into consideration. We don't know if Bozak could have kept up this pace through the whole season, and he is 3-4 years older than the players listed.

Overall, I think we can consider this season a success for Tyler Bozak. If he continues to develop like this, we can have a solid top 6 centre for years to come.

There is one thing to remember, the sophomore slump has hurt many great players, so limit your expectations for next year.

Grade A (a great rookie season!)

Report Card - Dion Phaneuf

Name/Position – Dion Phaneuf/D
Height/Weight – 6'3"'/215 lbs
09/10 Games Played – 81 Goals - 12 Assists - 20 Points – 32 Plus/Minus – plus 1
08/09 Games Played – 80 Goals -11 Assists - 36 Points – 47 Plus/Minus – minus 11
Salary/Cap Hit - $7 Million/$6.5 Million

Analysis - Dion Phaneuf had a disappointing year in Calgary. He was not playing like a 7 million dollar defenceman should play like. He had gone from the toast of the town, to the team scape goat in about a years time!

But Dion was really able to turn it around when he came to Toronto. He instantly added sandpaper, and leadership to the team. His vocal "encouragement" was obvious from the first game, and he backed this up with strong physical play.

Phaneuf is a player hand-picked by Brian Burke to lead this team. Burke has always had a strong number one defenceman to lead his team (Jovanovski, Pronger) and Dion will fill that position.

In recent days, both Brian Burke, and Ron Wilson have hinted at making Phaneuf Captain next season, and we can expect that to happen in the next month (a unveiling of the Leaf's modified jersey will come in the next few weeks, where another announcement is expected as well...).

Overall, Phaneuf is a great fit, will be a great mentor to other Leafs defencemen like Luke Schenn, and may be the one to lead this Leaf's team to playoff victory! (ok, this last statement may be a bit premature ;)

Grade - B plus (if Dion can put up a full season of strong play, he will be bumped to an A!)

Colts Head Coach Hawerchuk

Had a chance for a quick interview with the Barrie Colts new head coach Dale Hawerchuk.

Barrie Colts have a new head coach!

The Barrie Colts have a new coach!

Former NHL star and Hockey Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk will take the position left void when Marty Williamson left last week.

UPDATE - RELEASE FROM THE COLTS!


BARRIE COLTS INTRODUCE NEW HEAD COACH
DALE HAWERCHUK BECOMES FIFTH HEAD COACH IN CLUB HISTORY


Barrie, ON- The Barrie Colts junior hockey club is proud to announce today that Dale Hawerchuk will be taking over as the team’s Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations.

“We’re excited to have Dale joining our team. To have someone of his caliber taking over as head coach is very exciting for the team and for the community,” stated Howie Campbell, President of the Colts organization. “We had a very long list of candidates for the job, but Dale is the best fit for our organization and for our team. We’ve shown that we’re committed to putting a winning team on the ice in Barrie and Dale shares that passion,” added Mr. Campbell.

Hawerchuk was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. As a junior in his rookie year, he was the playoff MVP and led the Cornwall Royals to a Memorial Cup Championship. In his second year in junior, he scored 81 goals and 183 points and led the Royals to their second consecutive Memorial Cup title. He was named a QMJHL First Team All-Star, the Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year, and Memorial Cup MVP.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this team,” said Hawerchuk. “With my experience as a player at the pro level as well as my recent experience as owner and director of hockey operations of the Orangeville Crushers in the Ontario Junior A league, I think I bring some relevant experience to the Colts organization. I’m also really happy to be part of this community. Barrie is a great hockey town with great fans. I’m anxious to get started,” Dale went on to add.

Hawerchuk was drafted 1st overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1981, and became the youngest NHL player in history to reach 100 points (a record since broken by Sidney Crosby in 2006), and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year. He went on to play 17 years in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers.

Dale played for Team Canada in the 1987 Canada Cup, and was named Canada's MVP with a goal and two assists in the decisive third game of the Finals against the Soviets.

Dale announced his retirement from the game following the 1996–97 season at age 34. He retired with 518 goals, 891 assists and 1,409 points, placing him 17th on the career NHL points list.

Report Card - Fredrik Sjostrom

Name/Position – Fredrik Sjostrom/LW
Height/Weight – 6'1"'/220 lbs
09/10 Games Played – 65 Goals - 3 Assists - 8 Points – 11 Plus/Minus – minus 2
08/09 Games Played – 79 Goals - 7 Assists - 6 Points – 13 Plus/Minus – minus 11
Salary/Cap Hit - $750,000/$750,000

Analysis - Fredrik Sjostrom came over from Calgary in the Dion Phaneuf trade.

He is a player that Leafs management (Cliff Fletcher) specifically targeted. A former first round pick that is very quick, he made an instant impact on the Leaf's lacklustre penalty kill.

Although never developing the offensive prowess you would expect from a first round pick, he is a player who has great skill, is strong on the puck, wise defensively and fantastic on the penalty kill.

Sjostrom reminds me of another player the Leafs once had, in Jiri Tlusty. A player with great speed, and skill, but can't seem to put those abilities together to score goals.

He is a great addition to the 3rd line, and will continue to help the club's special teams.

Grade - B plus (just a few goals shy of an A).

***SJOSTROM HAS VERY FEW VIDEOS AS A LEAF, SO HERE IS A NICE GOAL FROM HIS TIME IN CALGARY***

Report Card - Wayne Primeau

Name/Position – Wayne Primeau/C
Height/Weight – 6'4"'/225 lbs
09/10 Games Played – 59 Goals - 3 Assists - 5 Points – 8 Plus/Minus – minus 1
08/09 Games Played – 24 Goals - 0 Assists - 4 Points – 4 Plus/Minus – minus 3
Salary/Cap Hit - $1.4 million/$1.4 million

Analysis - Wayne Primeau was brought in last year to add some veteran leadership to the bottom 6 of the roster.

In the 18 years that Primeau has been a full time NHLer, he has never been known as a goal scorer. His top output was with San Jose in 03/04 with 9 goals, and 20 assists. His role on the team was clearly defined from day 1.

Primeau did have some success this season, at one point teaming up with Kulemin and Stempniak to provide a very effective 3rd line. He filled his spot well, but as the Leafs move forward they are better served with a quicker, younger player in that position (Hanson or Irwin will likely fill the void).

Primeau isn't signed past this year, and likely won't have his contract renewed by the club.

Grade - C plus (played his role, but did nothing to keep him around).

Report Card - Viktor Stalberg

Name/Position – Viktor Stalberg/LW
Height/Weight – 6'3"'/210 lbs
09/10 Games Played – 39 Goals - 24 Assists - 22 Points – 14 Plus/Minus – minus 13
08/09 Games Played College (Vermont) – 55 Goals - 18 Assists - 27 Points – 46 Plus/Minus – plus 11
Salary/Cap Hit - $715,000/$850,000

Analysis - Viktor Stalberg is a Leafs draft pick that seemed to come out of nowhere. Drafted 161st overall in 2006, Stalberg looked to be a long term project that likely wouldn't make the NHL. He was playing in Sweden when picked by the Leafs, and decided to take the U.S. College route to develop.

In 2008/2009, Viktor nearly doubled his point production in the NCAA from the year prior. He was a Hobey Baker finalist (see link; given to best player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association for Men's Hockey).


Stalberg amazed people early this year. He tore up the pre season with 6 goals and 3 assists in 8 games. His blinding speed and big size allowed him to drive the opposition wide, than drive the net. The early production earned him a roster spot with the big club to start the year, but that is when the production stopped. He wasn't creating the same chances, and wasn't using his speed.


Stalberg was leveled by Volchenkov, and suffered a mild concussion thus ending his early season splendor.


As he got back into the lineup later in the year, Stalberg got back to using his speed, and was an effective 2nd/3rd line player.

He was on pace for 20 goals if he had played the whole season, and impressive stat for a rookie.


If Stalberg can continue to use his speed to drive towards the net, we could have a great second line player for years to come!

GRADE - B plus (great showing, keep improving!)

Report Card - Rickard Wallin

Name/Position – Rickard Wallin/C
Height/Weight – 6'2"'/195 lbs
09/10 Games Played – 60 Goals - 2 Assists - 7 Points – 9 Plus/Minus – minus 7
08/09 Games Played SEL – 55 Goals - 18 Assists - 27 Points – 45 Plus/Minus – plus 7
Salary/Cap Hit - $800,000/$800,000



Analysis -Rickard Wallin is a player that doesn't really fit Brian Burke's system.


He is not skilled enough to play in the top six, yet not physical enough to play in the bottom six. He was a smart defence forward, but failed to turn the smart plays into scoring chances.


A leader for his team Farjestads in 08/09, Wallin tagged along with Gustavsson as they joined the NHL last year.

Wallin had played in North America in the past (Jumping between Minnesota and their farm team from 2002-2005) but never developed into a consistent NHL player.


Although he wasn't expected to be a top NHL scorer, he was expected to be able to get a little more than 9 points.

Wallin has decided to head home next season, and has resigned with Farjestads.


Grade - D plus (more was expected).