Toronto Maple Leafs Offseason

Offense
What happened to the Leafs offense this offseason? Well we added Colton Orr, Rickard Wallin, Colin Stuart, and drafted Nazem Kadri. We lost Jeremy Williams, will probably not resign Brad May...and well, that's it. Wallin adds leadership, Orr is a goon, and Kadri has the potential to be a first line scorer. And everyone complains that the Leafs need a goal scorer, how so? They ranked in the top 10 throughout the league last year in goals for, but why might you ask did we finish out of the playoffs? Because of shotty goaltending, defence, and no sandpaper. TML has improved on all three aspects this offseason, so with the addition of a leader in Wallin (former Captain of Farjestad in SEL), and Colton Orr to protect our more...fragile...players, we may actually see a semi-successful Toronto team, they may actually push for a playoff spot.
Look to see Grabovski, Bozak, Hansen, Tlusty, and Blake all make an impact on the Leafs this season...Blake, trade bait?
Defense
So this aspect is hard to detail, or I'll need to write a novel. Toronto added Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, and Garnet Exelby. They lost 5 million dollars cap space and Pavel Kubina. Obviously the most improved aspect on the team this offseason, especially since they are yet to part ways with All-Star Tomas Kaberle. None of these defensemen are puck movers, except Kaberle, so, Toronto parted ways with one defensive defenceman, who got points only because he didn't have a team going out there and getting points, and picked up three stay-at-home D-men. Not bad. The only problem that can be foreseen is the now over-crowded blueline...lets try this...
Kaberle-Komisarek
Schenn-Beauchemin
Exelby-White
Van Ryn-Finger Strahlman-Frogren
Odd men out...that's FOUR!! two of which could arguably be top four d-men...
Goaltending
Bye-Bye CuJo, bye bye Gerber, bye bye (the potential of) Pogge...helloooo MONSTER...Jonas Gustavsson, yes we won the sweepstakes for the Monster. Another big improvement here, but still is a bit of a question mark. Toskala: will he be healthy by season start? Will he refain his old form? Or will he be a Trevor Kidd? Monster: Unproven...
And what can we get for Justin Pogge? Maybe a young unproven forward?
Major Changes
Defense, loss of Kubina, addition of those other d-men...SANDPAPER, TML is probably now the toughest team in the league. Theyre going to be spending a lot of time in the sin bin, but many will walk away injured, and approach the team with caution.
Improvements Still Needed
Scoring. TML needs a first line centre, and a goal scorer. We have about 8 second line forwards, but no one that will make a major impact. TML remains captainless, we need a Sundin calbre leader. Too bad Koivu signed with Minnesota...
Other
Goaltending Coach change: Francois Allaire...arguably the best goalie coach in the world. Many other front office changes (Poulin, minus-Nieuwendyk)...
...Toronto will finish between 7-10 in the East....

First Post in a While...NHL Offseason Changes 2009

So here we are, just over two months from preseason, and just over three months from regular season. July is ending, with very little summer, and I'm already thinking nonstop about the upcoming season. Many teams have made drastic changes, to just name a few: The Leafs, Canadiens, Chicago, Islanders, and Rangers...
...Pittsburgh lost Gill, Detroit lost Hudler and Hossa, Chicago lost the Bulan wall, and Toronto lost Kubina.

So I want to be the first to make a prediction on the upcoming season. Starting today I will make a post for each team in the NHL. Offense, defence, goaltending, major changes, improvements still needed, and other, and I'll even post my prediction on league standings and such...here's the list of all 30 teams, after I post an analogy of a team I will change the colour so that it's known I've done it. I may even post a link to it eventually.

Eastern Conference

Northeast Division
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ottawa Senators
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres

Southeast Division
Carolina Hurricanes
Washington Capitals
Atlanta Thrashers
Florida Panthers
Tampa Bay Lightning

Atlantic Division
Pittsburgh Penguins
Philadelphia Flyers
New York Rangers
New York Islanders
New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Columbus Blue Jackets
Nashville Predators

Pacific Division
San Jose Sharks
Phoenix Coyotes
Los Angeles Kings
Dallas Stars
Anaheim Ducks

Northwest Division
Vancouver Canucks
Calgary Flames
Edmonton Oilers
Colorado Avalanche
Minnesota Wild

Gustavsson=Hasek

I was watching a YouTube video of crazy saves by Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson. I see similarities between him a Dom Hasek...a lot actually. Watching this video, watching The Monster making all these ridiculous saves, he's floppin' around-like Hasek-and these saves don't necessary look like pure skill, but more like extreme agility and luck-like Hasek.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that I must add, Hasek was, well, the Dominator, and if Toronto, Dallas, Colorado, whoever, gets The Monster, I think they've picked themself up a future Dom Hasek.

Phoenix Coyotes

TSN has reported that Judge Renfield Baum will be making a decision on the fate of the Phoenix Coyotes later today. And while some fans in Phoenix are already carving a headstone for their 'yotes, some are waving a white flag, and Hamilton hockey enthusiasts are rejoicing in optimism, I honestly think they are not going to move. I recently went onto HFboards and expressed my opinion on the Coyote's page, I have read more into the team, the fans, and the support, and I genuinely feel guilty for expressing such pessimism for their team.
Regardless, this is me saying, that the team will stay in Phoenix. MLB, NBA, and NFL are all against the move, as are NYC governors, NHL governors, and NHL owners. Even though the move may be nothing but beneficial to the league, and to the revenue of the NHL, Judge Baum has endless documents supporting the NHL, and just as endless a supply of reasons to keep the team in Phoenix.
All he has in favour of the Hamilton move is a positive outlook on the financial situation of Balsillie and his potential future team in Hamilton. And even though that usually is enough supporting documents to merit a relocation such as this, he has the whole sports world supporting the Coyotes cementing their feet permanently into Glendale.

Phoenix and the NHL vs. Hamilton, Balsillie, and Moyes

Update on the Battle between Balsillie and the NHL

So I'm a regular participant in hfboards, a big fan at that. Anyway, I decided to check out the Phoenix Coyotes thread and see if they had any update on the legal proceedings. There is no update there, but I found something just as interesting...
HFboards was featured in a few newpapers and television stations outlining its sudden popularity among hockey fans, and on top of that, the internet itself is powerful in its own self. So, what I'm getting at here is fans surf the net, and fans go on HFboards too. There was a thread on a petition to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix, I went to the site where this petition is, out of pure curiousity. Thus far, since its start April 30, 314 people have signed the petition. Thats barely enough people to fill one section at jobing.com Arena. Jim Balsillie has rounded up over 150,000 supporters on his relocation of the team to Hamilton.

BIG f-ing Difference!

And why does Bettman still want to support this team? They can't even get 400 people wanting to keep the team! In addition, a recent poll conducted by the Coyotes team in Glendale showed a 72% support of residents on the move out of Phoenix. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU BETTMAN?! Seriously, this has nothing to do with Phoenix being a "viable" market for hockey, thats pure b.s. there is an underlying message in Bettman's plea to keep the team in Arizona, and it just keeps pointing to his hatred of Canada!

So my message to you Mr. Gary Bettman: Swallow your patroitic anti-canadian "pride" and give this team up to Balsillie, no matter what you do, you're proving to be a failure at everything, and you're certainly not gaining much approval from hockeys biggest fan base; Canada.

This post rules out my chance of making the NHL.

$400 Millions dollars? Well! That's just pocket change!

Jim Balsillie vs. NHL: Control of Phoenix Coyotes:

$212 million to purchse; $100 million relocation fee; $100 million indemnity fee: Toronto & Buffalo. That's OVER $400 million dollars to bring the Coyotes to Hamilton...well supposedly what Daly and Bettman are going to propose to Balsillie.

The RIM founder and former CEO had said following Tuesday's proceedings that he would back out of his bid if the relocation fee was a preposterous amount. All these "taxes" almost double his initial bid.
And what is the media EVERYWHERE (not just Toronto and southwestern Ontario) saying about this?
I have yet to read one article or see one report stating that the doubling of his bid for extra fees is preposterous...People think he's actually going to do this?!
I mean, sure he's a billionaire, but if he's only worth $1 billion, then after checking out his shopping cart, he's sold half his worth! For what?! A 'potential' $400 million franchise!?

No.

The Leafs are a $450 million franchise. They have nearly a century of team history behind them, records up the wazoo, the second most Stanley Cups in NHL history. No one, except maybe Montreal and/or Detroit can ever come near that worth in the NHL.
I don't doubt the Hamilton...let's say Steel Cats...Hamilton Steel Cats...(or maybe a return to the Hamilton Tigers?)...would be a successful franchise, and don't doubt my enthusiasm to have them there (it is there), but I honestly think that $400 million dollars is a LITTLE steep, even for a billionaire.
Regardless of all this, Balsillie has yet to comment on the proposed amount, leading the media to believe-and of course report-that good ol' Uncle Jim is willing to dish that dough out.

Location, location, location...TORONTO TORONTO TORONTO

Toronto Legacy? Hamilton Coyotes? Vaughan (Insert name here)?

The greater toronto area, with a population of a mere 5.5 million people has suddenly become a very hot property in the NHL. Just today, an independent intrepreneur by the name of Andrew Lopez has made a proposition for another NHL team in Toronto. This is the third bid in just over a year for Toronto...
He's released a team name! The Toronto Legacy...
...now truthfully, it's probably an empty bid. The NHL may let it happen within the next five years, but MLSE will not. Larry Tanenbaum has bluntly released a statement claiming his territory, and if someone tries to nudge their way in, he will take them to court, and then the team will probably never come to fruition.

It is without a doubt that southern Ontario probably has the biggest population of hockey fans AT LEAST in North America, but with Lopez's bid of a 30,000 seat arena, in addition to the 18,000 at the ACC...that's nearly 50,000 tickets needing to be sold 41 times a year. AND that's just the regular season...that's including neither postseason hockey, nor preseason hockey!

It would be great for the bid to go through and be successful, with me being a Toronto resident myself, but it's not going to happen, sorry Mr. Lopez.