Leafs Send Down Stalberg

Yesterday, in preparation for tonight's game in Buffalo, the Maple Leafs called up Jiri Tlusty and sent down Viktor Stalberg and Joey Mac to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.

I understand sending down Joey MacDonald. He didn't win when he started and with Vesa healthy, there was just no space left for him with the team. I also understand calling up Tlusty. A first round pick in 2006 (13th overall), Tlusty has shown flashes of talent at the NHL level but has failed to produce consistently. Last year in the AHL, Tlusty was fantastic and produced at a point per game level. He has continued to produce in the AHL this year and he could be taking a step in the right direction.

I do not understand sending down Stalberg, however. He looked fantastic in the preseason and, despite his lack of production, he has been receiving plenty of minutes and has been a good player for the Maple Leafs. If he was playing on the last line and not getting any playing time, I would understand. Since he has been playing, I think he should be allowed to work on his game at the NHL level instead of sending him to play against a weaker level of competition.

Tonight is Toronto vs. Buffalo. Here are a few key points I think will lead to success for the Blue & White.

1. Defence, defence, defence! The Leafs have seen Jonas Gustavsson make big saves over and over. Now, it's time for the defence to step up and lighten his workload. Against a quick, skilled team like Buffalo, it is important to make them work to the outside and keep them from using their quickness to cut into the slot. Toronto needs to use their size and strength on the backend to grind the Buffalo forwards against the boards and make them tired. This will slow their forecheck and create more opportunities on the breakout for the Leafs forwards.

2. Discipline. The penalty kill has slightly improved, but is still a huge liability for the team. What is a good way to neutralize this weakness? Stay out of the box! It is almost impossible to stay out of the penalty box for the entire game, but a good team can limit the time they spend a man down. Don't take dumb roughing penalties after the play and DO NOT take penalties while in the attacking zone!

3. Momentum. Toronto has played well in two straight now and needs to come out strong. They need to set the tone and carry the momentum they have built up forward into the HSBC Arena. Toronto has been taking a lot of shots on goal and creating chances. They need to continue that and force Ryan Miller to play a perfect game.

If the Leafs can focus on these key points, then tonights game should be a fun one.

Leafs lose, but...

The Leafs lost to the Dallas Stars in overtime, but they were the better team for the entire game. Dallas managed to take advantage of a powerplay and some lucky bounces to keep pace with the Leafs until the extra frame.

Despite losing the game, Leafs fans have to be happy with the effort and determination that was seen on the ice. If Toronto had come out and looked flat like they have against New York and Washington, then any momentum acquired by winning on Monday night would have been long gone by this morning. By putting in a spirited 60 minute (and more) performance against a good Dallas team, the Maple Leafs have built more momentum.

Jonas Gustavsson made some huge saves in the second and third period and looks to be the real deal. As soon as pucks stop going in off of teammates and taking wierd hops, his stats will begin to reflect his level of play.

Several other Leafs played well. The defence as a whole has improved. Beauchemin continues to make some poor decisions, but he has limited his mistakes and started to play a more simple and effective game. Lee Stempniak scored on the powerplay and seemed to generate a few other chances. Nik Kulemin had two goals and he was fighting hard for the puck. Even the much maligned Jason Blake had a strong 3 point game.

Next up in Buffalo on Friday at the HSBC Arena. Toronto and Buffalo always put on a show, so I can't wait to see it!

Tonight is the Night!

The Maple Leafs lost on Saturday but they played one of their best games of the year. Roberto Luongo and the Canucks did just enough to beat the Leafs, but the Leafs were the better team for the majority of the night.

Now, against a struggling Anaheim team and with "The Monster" between the pipes, tonight is the night that Toronto picks up their first win. If the Leafs want to get anything out of this season, the turn around has to happen NOW.

Here are three reasons why I think tonight Toronto picks up the first win of the season:

1. "The Monster". Gustavsson looked good in his only full game of the season against Ottawa and could be the solution in goal for the blue and white. Toronto has desperately needed a consistent, steady hand in goal. Outside of Saturday, Joey MacDonald was not that and Vesa Toskala has has a nightmare start. Gustavsson will be the goaltender that helps this team climb out of this early hole.

2. Momentum. The Leafs lost last night, but they did a lot of good things. If they hadn't taken all of those penalties to start the game in Vancouver, they would have likely won.

3. Anaheim is struggling. The Ducks have lost three straight, including a very poor performance on the weekend against the improved Blue Jackets. Just like the Maple Leafs, the Ducks have struggled with somewhat poor netminding and I think tonight their struggles will continue.

If Toronto can just stay out of the penalty box, the chances are good that they will win the game tonight.

Well...

I was hoping that, if I waited, I would have something good to say about the Leafs.

I was wrong.

Instead, I was just dissapointed again by a team that just doesn't want to compete for sixty minutes. At home against the New York Rangers, the Maple Leafs looked very good in the firs period. Although they ended the period down by a goal, they were controlling the play and limiting their mistakes. They continued to do this until half way into the second period. After seeing Henrik Lundqvist play so well for 30 minutes, the Leafs must have just given up?

It is very disheartening to have a full week to dwell on this loss. The team has just been awful in every game this season outside of the opener against Montreal. Yes, goaltending has been a major issue. However, the whole team has just played weak.

Where is the competitive spirit? Where is the drive and determination to win?

Maybe...just maybe if Gustavsson returns and makes a few big saves for this team, there will be a response. Maybe.

One Last Chance...

Vesa Toskala is a lucky man. Despite his poor play this season, the injury bug has given Toskala another chance to show all of us Leafs fans that he can be our goaltender.

Jonas Gustavsson looked good in the loss to the Senators. I feel that Toskala would be on the bench watching tonight if Gustavsson could play, but a groin injury has sidelined "The Monster" for the time being.

I have been a supporter of Vesa Toskala since his arrival from San Jose two seasons ago. He was good in his first season as a Maple Leaf. Last season, however, was a bad year for Toskala. Whether he was injured or not, Vesa did not give the Leafs the goaltending neccessary to be a competitive team on most nights. Now, with his injuries healed, Toskala has looked even worse. The goal he allowed in Washington to Ovechkin was terrible. A similar goal was scored on Saturday night by Matt Cooke.

Sure, the rest of the team has not been at there best so far. Despite that, Toskala has done nothing to prove himself capable of being a #1 goaltender in the NHL. Without your goaltender making the early save for you, it is impossible for a team to get any momentum. And without any momentum, winning a game in the NHL can be impossible.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let's start with the bad here. Toronto wasted a strong defensive game. Ottawa had a good amount of shots on goal but a good portion of those chances were from the outside and the point. Beauchimen and Komisarek were calm and limited their mistakes. Toronto did not show the toughness that we were promised in the offseason by Brian Burke, but they did a good job defensively.

The ugly part was the offence. Maybe the Leafs were focusing too much on the defensive side of the game or maybe it was just Ottawa doing a good job themselves. It doesn't matter. The Leafs failed to generate much of an attack, only scoring the one powerplay goal.

Jonas Gustavsson would qualify as the good. He stopped 26 of 28 and looked solid. The two goals against him were one that should not have counted and a penalty shot. Pretty good for his first start of the year.

Still, the Leafs ended the game with a loss and are still looking for win #1. This Saturday they play the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toronto will need to be at the top of their games to win on the weekend.

Is it time for "The Monster"?

The questions surrounding Vesa Toskala and the Leafs goaltending situation were not answered on Saturday night when the Capitals scored 6 and dominated for most of the game. The play of the defence was pourous and terrible. Once again, Mike Komisarek continued to make a home in the penalty box while Francois Beauchimen looked out of place. It wasn't the terrible play of the defence that set the tone early in the game, however.

The goal by Alex Ovechkin scored just 77 seconds into the contest set the tone for the entire game and deflated a Leafs team that entered the game looking to make up for a dissapointing loss in Game 1. All of the blame for this goal falls at the feet of Vesa Toskala. Yes, Ovechkin is the best scorer in the league. However, the wrist shot he took from 40 feet out was not a difficult save. Toskala let in 3 goals in the first period and was pulled from the game.

Gustavvson did not look amazing, but looked better then Toskala on Saturday night. With a date with the Senators set for tomorrow night, the question is this - Is it time for "The Monster" to make his first NHL start?

I think now is the time to give Gustavvson a start. If everything goes well, Gustavvson will put in a good performance and help the team pick up two points. I also think it could help Toskala to show him that he is replaceable. If Gustavvson does not perform, then Toskala gets another shot in the crease.

It doesn't really matter who starts in goal, though, if the Leafs defence does not get their act together.