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Big guns step up for Leafs

TIM WHARNSBY

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 12:30 PM EST 25/03/08

Maurice believes the five no-trade players and Toskala have provided momentum for playoff push ...Read the full article

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  1. Howard Citrin from Canada writes: Last year, when the team was making the playoff drive, didn't Sundin go scoreless in 20 games?

    I'd say they are better without him.
  2. George E. Porgie from Canada writes: Best that Mats gets 100 percent healthy before he plays again. Will be a good character test for this team to carry on at their recent high level of performance if they are to become a possible playoff participant.

    Seems to me that a few seasons back a similar situation occurred when Mats returned after an injury and the other players sagged badly. (A mental sag!)

    Stajan is right....too many others rely on Mats to carry this team. Time for everyone to pull together and get the job done.
  3. Doktor David from London, Canada writes: An open letter to The Captain...

    Mats, you are a great player and the team has recently done well with you and even without you. Get healthy, stay healthy, 100% healthy.

    It has been said that when a great light leaves the room that others step out from the shadows. It is about time this team played like a team.

    They will welcome you back with open arms, no doubt; but, this is now everyone else's time to shine.

    A loyal fan... Cheers!
  4. D K from Canada writes: Must have left for vacation already....calling in sick.
  5. Wendel Clark from Canada writes: Sundin's sure helped the Leafs this year.
  6. Robert Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: The Leafs have actually been playing better without Sundin in the last few games... They look more like a T-E-A-M as they did when Alyn McAuley filled in for an injured Sundin a few years back...

    Coincidence?
  7. Doktor David from London, Canada writes: Robert/Halifax - you bet - '02 playoffs - that was such a wonderful team to watch... then horrible as they played "...yay - Mats is back - let him do it..." Hopefully they have it figured out this time...

    Cheers!
  8. JM Work from Canada writes: Good move on Sundin's part. Why risk further injury? The Leafs may keep winning. Only problem is that the Leafs do not control their own destiny and need to many teams to keep losing.

    The season will end with a thud. It will be another year where the Leafs do not make the playoffs.

    The focus will then shift to next year and how to improve this team.

    Sundin should rest his injury. He needs to be healthy so he can secure a contract somewhere in the NHL.
  9. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: How about instead of playing for the team they are each playing to save their individual sorry a**es?
  10. Rob C from T.O., Canada writes: I honestly think if there were 90 or 92 games in the schedule, the Leafs would make the playoffs and the sens might well be out.
  11. dan avey from Germany writes: I think we are doing the best thing possible right now considering our position , trying to look like a team that has some heart , we have a lame duck Gm and the leadership of this team made up there minds long ago that they were going to ride out the storm no matter what , with the ultimate goal being to attract a quality Gm and and then look at our prospects with the draft and trades , the winning streak now is just gravy and can do nothing but inprove our chances with this goal, I would hope that everyone would realize Matts is hurt and at his age he probaly won't be a factor this year , if he was to rent himself out he would be expected to be 100% which he is not , it's sad the man scores 500 plus goals for us and he is treated so poorly by the fans that write these comments ...... lets go leafs who knows next year could be our year .
  12. George Lucas from Canada writes: Of the 5 players that stayed probably Brian McCabe did not have a choice as Cliff Fletcher said, since there was no interest in him.
    If the other players had left they would have vastly improved the Leafs down the road because teams are willing to overpay at the trade deadline date. Sundin alone would have brought an excellent package of draft choices and prospects.

    They were looking after there own interests, which they have a right to do. I wonder though, if older players start to avoid, if possible, playing in playoffs to prevent wear and tear and extend their careers. That is one of the reasons they refused trades to Cup contenders. If that theory is correct, and I was a player near the end of my career, I would try to get traded to Toronto, because you do not have to worry about the playoffs.

    You have to admire the way the team is now playing, but this is the 3rd year in a row this has happened. It is very unlikely they will make the playoffs and that seems to be the Stanley Cup for this organization now. Let's go for 8th or 9th place.
  13. The Middle Finger ..I.. from Canada writes: Big guns? More like pea shooters.
  14. Proud Canadian from Canada writes: Rob C. There are only 82 games in the schedule. Too bad your team didnt figure that out earlier!!!!!!!!
  15. Bill M from Canada writes: Most teams strive to win the Stanley Cup. The Leafs strive to snivel into the playoffs, just to get a couple of extra home games to fill the coffers of MLSE.
  16. f c from Canada writes: Besides Mats and Vesa, there is allot of wasted salary. Yes, they are playing better now - when the pressure is off. Where were they all year long? Where were they in thebegiining and middle. Too little too late. They have a spit's chance in hell of getting in. I would li=ove top see it....but I think the fat lady has already sung. Find a way and get some trades done. This team needs 3-5 years to rebuild. Get younger, get faster and get bigger. Oh ya, most importantly, find players that wantt o earn their money all year long! Such a disgrace!
  17. Kevin Cochrane from Clear Lake, Manitoba, Canada writes: Heh-heh, knew you guys couldn't read that line from Maurice stating that mayhaps a lot of their woes earlier was due to the media circus that is Toronto. That's what got them in this mess, this continual operation of the team by the speculative media in the Big Smoke and all that goofiness was just a distraction and from there into the trade deadline when every twit with a laptop musing in any Toronto rag about who their going to get when they trade Sundin. Guess what? The media got their replacement GM, what did it get them? NOTHING. When the dust settled and the scribes retreated into their respective holes after doing their annual rite of damage then the team started winning again. Does anyone even notice this or care? Probably not.

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