Blue And White Beat: Visor discussion heats up once more.

The hockey headlines have been inundated over the past several months with the same mantra:

“The NHL needs to protect its players. The league isn’t proactive enough in taking measures to maximize player safety.”

Of course, the talk has been all about head shots and concussions.

However, the topic could just as easily be regarding visors. And, in the wake of the horrific injury to Vancouver Canucks’ forward Manny Malhotra – lost for the rest of the season including playoffs – the debate over mandatory face protection is sure to return to the front burner.

Malhotra was struck in the left eye with a puck that deflected off Colorado Avalanche defenceman Erik Johnson’s stick. As much as the Canucks will feel the loss of their third-line centre and leading faceoff man, any permanent vision loss suffered by Malhotra would be far more devastating.

The injury to Malhotra occurred just days after two Leafs players were fortunate enough to escape potentially serious consequences involving their eyes.

In the March 10th loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Mikhil Grabovski scored a rather unconventional goal as the puck went in off his visor. After the game, Toronto coach Ron Wilson said “Thank God he was wearing a shield, which everyone should be doing just for that play there.”

His words could not have been more prophetic.

Just two days later in the Leafs’ win over Buffalo, Tim Brent came perilously close to losing his left eye after being clipped with an errant high stick from Sabres forward Tyler Ennis. The incident prompted Brent to don a visor from now on.

Brent’s change of heart isn’t unique. Former Maple Leaf Brad May, now a broadcaster with Leafs TV, was playing his final NHL season last year with Detroit when he was accidentally struck in the eye by the stick of teammate Jason Williams.

A visor-less player for all but the final six months of his career, May’s close call prompted him to wear a shield.

“If (wearing a visor) was mandatory, then there wouldn’t be a decision, there wouldn’t be a choice, ” May told TMLfans.ca in November 2009, shortly after the near-catastrophe. “Obviously when somebody gets hurt because they’re not wearing one, now it’s like he made the wrong choice.

“That’s like saying not wearing a seat belt, you’re going to be safer. In some cases that’s true. But, seat belts are there for the right reason, as would be visors. But in more cases than not, the visor is going to help, no question.”

A visor saved Mikhail Grabovski.

The lack of one almost disabled Tim Brent.

The hockey community can only pray that the vision returns for Vancouver’s Manny Malhotra.

Let’s also hope that the NHL has the vision to mandate player protection to prevent needless tragedies.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca

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Blue And White Beat: Playoff run post-mortem

Unless you’re the guy who was parading in front of the Air Canada Centre with a tin foil Stanley Cup last week, you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that Toronto’s playoff drought is headed for a sixth straight year.

Even with the Leafs’ convincing 5-2 win over slumping Boston on Saturday night, not even the ghost of Bill Barilko – whose sister was on hand for a ceremony honouring the 60th anniversary of that famous song-worthy goal – can resurrect any post-season hopes.

As the club embarks on its final stretch of games to close out 2010-11, the annual blame game begins to take shape; a rite of passage that has become as regular as the return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano at this time of year.

“It’s Ron Wilson’s fault. The players have stopped playing for him.”

Really? But the team has gone 19-12-6 (.594) starting with New Year’s Day in Ottawa.

“Well, then how could he start J.S. Giguere on Thursday in Florida? The players only play well for James Reimer.”

But, didn’t Reimer start last Monday in the drubbing at the hands of Tampa Bay?

“Well then, it’s Brian Burke’s fault. The Kessel trade backfired. His moves haven’t been very good.”

My feelings on the Kessel trade were made clear about a year ago, and my stance hasn’t changed. The overestimation of defencemen Mike Komisarek and Brett Lebda were errors in the Leafs GM’s judgment. However, last year’s swindling of Calgary (the second such heist of that city in twenty years) that is making Dion Phaneuf look like a throw-in, in addition to Keith Aulie, is Burke’s cornerstone move for the franchise.

The additions of Joffrey Lupul plus prospects Jake Gardiner and Joe Colborne leave Toronto fans reasons to be optimistic about the future. The wild cards are in whether Reimer, and Clarke MacArthur, can repeat the success they’ve exhibited this year.

No, the players didn’t quit on Wilson. Yes, they appeared to mail – nay Fedex – two points against both Florida-based teams in the past week.

Rather than dissect how the playoff race has turned against the Leafs, the suggestion is that Occam’s Razor is sufficient; the simplest explanation is most often the correct one.

The team just hasn’t been good enough to compete for the privilege of playing in the playoffs.

This column stated last July that the team was not playoff-bound (although an incorrect prediction was made that the Leafs would be well out of the race by January).

When your team is 24th out of 30 in both goals scored, and goals-per-game, you’re not going to win a lion’s share of games unless your defence is phenomenal. So when you’re in the bottom six in both goals against, and goals-against-per-game, your team shouldn’t be making any bookings beyond the first week of April, other than the first tee.

For the rare optimist who allows a sliver of hope for post-season hockey in Toronto when the target range of eighth place is within sight – say six points or fewer – I’m reminded of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

The Leafs fan is King Arthur standing outside the castle, wanting access.

The castle, supposedly guarding the Holy Grail, represents the eight teams in the Eastern Conference vying for the Stanley Cup.

And King Arthur has to absorb the verbal insults from – you got it – the French soldier (that one was for you Habs fans).

So let’s put things in perspective one more time. The Leafs have to win 7 of their 9 remaining games to finish with 88 points, the same number that both the Flyers and Canadiens had last year to sew up the last two Eastern seeds.

Six of Toronto’s last nine games are on the road, where they are 2 games under .500 on the season.

The schedule includes four teams ahead of them in the East: Boston, Buffalo, Washington, and Montreal. Not that the calibre of opponents has any bearing on the end result (remember Florida, or the Islanders?)

To King Arthur, or rather the delusional Leafs fan – do you still think a miracle will happen? I thought not.

Now, as the French soldier said. “Go away, or I shall taunt you a second time.”

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca

Follow TMLfans.ca on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tmlfansrob

Blue And White Beat: Quick start will be key to victory over Sabres

In order to recall a game that has the same degree of playoff implications as tonight’s matchup at Air Canada Centre between the Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres, you have to turn back the calendar almost four years.

On the second-last day of the 2006-07 season, Toronto edged Montreal 6-5 in the same rink, eliminating their hated rivals. Unfortunately for Leafs fans, Islanders goalie Wade Dubielewicz lifted his team to a shootout the following afternoon to clinch the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

It would have been interesting to ask any of the players from that 2007 Leafs team to compare the mood prior to that game to the atmosphere at this morning’s game-day skate.

However, none of those players, or the coach, or the general manager, is with Toronto anymore.

Instead, it’s up to the present-day roster to reverse the trend of falling behind that they have exhibited during their three-game slide if they have any hope of closing the gap between them and the Sabres, who are six points superior in the playoff race.

“Tonight’s obviously going to be the biggest game of the year,” said former Buffalo forward Clarke MacArthur, who sits just one goal shy of 20 on the year. “We’ve got to come out of the gates better.

The Leafs have given up the first goal of the game in each of their last three outings, with various team members causing a miscue leading to the deficit. Consider Carl Gunnarsson’s horrific turnover to Chicago’s Marian Hossa, followed by Tim Brent’s faceoff loss led to Zenon Konopka’s marker against the Islanders. Throw in Mike Komisarek’s early game ejection for boarding Daniel Caricillo in the game against the Flyers – who quickly capitalized via Andrej Meszaros’ point shot through James Reimer’s five hole – and the blame is equally distributed.

“Both teams really need the points,“ observed Reimer “I think we need them a little more than (Buffalo). I hope that adds a little desperation to our game, and a little more drive and determination to get the (win).”

If there’s any shred of evidence that the Leafs can build immunity to the “Buffalo flu”, it was exhibited in their 2-1 victory at HSBC Arena on February 16, their first victory on the other side of the Peace Bridge in over two years. With the Sabres holding a 9-1-0 edge at ACC over the past 10 outings, tonight would be an opportune moment for Toronto to snap their malaise.

“I think that does a lot for our confidence,” said Joffrey Lupul, whose most recent assist came in that outing. Lupul stressed the importance of not allowing defending Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller to get into a groove tending the Sabres net.

“If Miller gets into one of those zones where he’s comfortable and seeing the puck and we’re making things easy on him, he’s one of those guys that can stop 40-45 shots.”

Leafs coach Ron Wilson place emphasis on his team finding the sense of urgency that his been lacking during this mini-slump that followed a streak of nine games with at least a point. “The word will be ‘urgency’. You have to play with a sense of urgency. Either two or three guys, or any individual, can’t be caught making a mental mistake.

This is all about focus and eliminating mistakes.”

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca

Follow TMLfans.ca on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tmlfansrob

Blue And White Beat: Mitchell was the odd man out

Brian Burke made all his big moves prior to Monday’s trade deadline.

With the preceding days seeing Tomas Kaberle, Francois Beauchemin, and Kris Versteeg moved for Joffrey Lupul, draft picks and prospects, the day itself was rather anti-climactic for Toronto.

The lone Leafs transaction was the departure of forward John Mitchell to the NY Rangers in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick in 2012. Mitchell was immediately assigned to the Connecticut Whale, the Rangers’ AHL affiliate.

The move ends a three-year period of underachievement for the 26-year-old native of Oakville, Ontario. While injuries limited Mitchell’s season this year to just 23 games, he found the back of the net just twice, and was deemed expendable – being place on waivers in the second week of February.

“I didn’t speak with Burkie or Ron (Wilson) at all before I left,” said Mitchell. “I just talked with Dave Nonis. They were trying to make trades, and guys were coming off injured reserve and stuff like that. It was just one of those things. It’s tough coming back from a knee injury. You never want to do that and I’ve had to do it two years in a row.”

Despite his best efforts, Mitchell never found his groove in Toronto with the big club, being passed on the depth chart by fellow AHL Marlies teammates Darryl Boyce and Joey Crabb.

Without a doubt, his biggest success within the tenure of the Leafs organization came during the 2008 Calder Cup playoffs when the Marlies made a surprising run all the way to the AHL final four. Mitchell led all Marlies scorers with 8 goals in 19 games.

However the success at Ricoh Coliseum never found its way to Air Canada Centre. Mitchell tallied just 20 times in 159 games in a Leafs uniform.

Often, it was a case of Mitchell unable to hit the net with his otherwise powerful shot.

Other times, it simply appeared that he didn’t have the extra drive.

“He’s got to dominate here,” observed Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, after Mitchell scored his only goal of the current AHL season on February 18 against Hamilton. “I think he’s still trying to find his way a little bit. He’s got to lead in so many different areas of the ice. I’m not sure if he’s been fully committed to it yet.

“I know he’s trying. But sometimes it’s tough when you come from the NHL to the American League. The pace is different, and players are in different spots on the ice. But I think he’s trying to find his way.”

For the former Leafs 2003 fifth-round draft pick, the way is now in the Rangers organization.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca

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Blue And White Beat: Muskoka Five era ends with Kaberle trade

You remember the “Muskoka Five” don’t you?

They were the most widely discussed quintet to reside in Ontario since five daughters were born to a family named Dionne, in Callander.

Mats Sundin, Bryan McCabe, Darcy Tucker, Pavel Kubina and Tomas Kaberle were all roster players for the Leafs at the 2008 NHL trade deadline. With all of them having no-trade clauses in their contracts, the group came to epitomize the ineptitude of then-general manager John Ferguson Jr.

Kaberle represents the last link to that group. To put the overhaul of the Leafs roster of the past three years into perspective, consider that Nikolai Kulemin didn’t play an NHL game until the following season: 2008-09. Today, he is the longest tenured Toronto player with 209 games under his belt.

Prior to yesterday, the Leafs returns for those assets had been marginal to disastrous:

• Sundin was lost to unrestricted free agency, eventually signing with Vancouver
• McCabe was dealt to Florida along with a fourth-round pick for Mike Van Ryn. When a guy is injured more often than Carlo Colaiacovo, you’re in trouble.
• Kubina along with Tim Stapleton were shipped to Atlanta for Garnet Exelby and shortly-tenured Leaf Colin Stuart (packaged to Calgary four weeks later in a deal for Wayne Primeau). To be fair, this deal can’t be evaluated solely on the assets exchanged as it was a salary dump so that the Leafs could clear cap space to go after Francois Beauchemin, who they eventually signed.
• Darcy Tucker was bought out for the remainder of his contract, or $6 million paid out over a six-year term to not play for Toronto. There’s a new twist on Lotto 6/49’s “Imagine The Freedom” tag line.

None of the players were able to be moved at their peak value.

Not even Kaberle extracted the highest return that the Leafs could have gotten; think back to 2008 when Flyers forward Jeff Carter and a first-round pick were offered in return for the savvy puck-moving blueliner only to have Kaberle to exercise his no-trade option.

Nevertheless, it was the player’s prerogative, so this column won’t rush to be judgmental.

Instead, congratulations go out to Kaberle on the opportunity to play in the playoffs for the first time in six NHL seasons. The Bruins probably won’t win the Cup, but they should make it to at least the second round, when Kaberle last suited up in a playoff game before the Flyers’ Jeremy Roenick ended the Leafs season in overtime in 2004.

Credit also goes to Brian Burke for acquiring – at the minimum – a first-round pick and a prospect for Kaberle.

The first round pick isn’t as high as either of the two that Toronto surrendered as part of the Kessel trade. And 21-year-old defenceman Joe Colborne may never excel at his position to the extent that Carter does at his.

But when you compare the return for Kaberle against what the Leafs got for any of the other members of the Muskoka Five, you have to be at least content, if you are a Toronto fan.

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Colborne couldn’t make it to Toronto in time for Friday night’s Marlies game against Hamilton, but he did address a small group of reporters at Ricoh Coliseum afterwards. I asked him what he remembers about his former University of Denver teammate Tyler Bozak:

“We got to be linemates for most of my first year and he’s such a prolific player and great skater and I love playing with him,” said Colborne. “We’ve been talking about three or four times a day. He’s just been giving me tips and he’s so excited. I’m looking forward to meeting up with him again and maybe being a linemate with him in the future.”

Link: Colborne’s introduction to the Toronto media

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I still have the ticket stub from Kaberle’s first game in the NHL, a 2-1 win for Toronto over Detroit at Maple Leaf Gardens on opening night in 1998. There were also two debuts that night; Pat Quinn behind the Leafs bench and Curtis Joseph in goal.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca

Follow TMLfans.ca on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tmlfansrob

Blue And White Beat: Burke injects youth into Leafs blueline

For the second consecutive year, Leafs general manager Brian Burke has engineered a transaction well in advance of the NHL trade deadline. And for the second time in as many years, the long-term benefit of Toronto’s acquisitions may be linked more strongly to the prospect, rather than the established player, received in the deal.

When Burke swapped Francois Beauchemin back to Anaheim in exchange for Joffrey Lupul, 20-year-old defenseman Jake Gardiner and a conditional 2013 draft pick, there was no question as to which of the players heading eastward would immediately occupy a Leafs roster spot. The 27-year-old Lupul is in his seventh NHL season with three 20-goal seasons to his credit. After a back injury limited Lupul’s play last year to 23 games, Burke will be looking for the Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta native to regain the scoring flash from the winger’s career-best 28-goal campaign in 2005-06, which was played under Burke’s tenure with the Ducks.

However the wild card in this transaction is Gardiner, a 2010 World Junior champion with Team USA and a third year blueliner with the University of Wisconsin Badgers. Not yet legally able to drink a beer in his birthplace of Deephaven, Minnesota, Gardiner has 33 points in 32 games this season as of Saturday’s games, and possesses excellent skating ability.

While it’s premature to predict whether Gardiner, a former first-round draft choice, will replicate his scoring prowess from the back end at the NHL level, his introduction into the Leafs organization gives the club another under-24 prospect that includes current AHL Marlies Korbinian Holzer (age 23), Simon Gysbers (23) and Juraj Mikus (22).

As part of the retooling of the Leafs blueline on Wednesday, Burke made a roster move to recall Keith Aulie from the Marlies. Standing at a towering 6-foot-5 and having enjoyed a 12-game stint with the Leafs earlier this season, Aulie showed the poise of a veteran in his return to the NHL on Thursday night in which he battered the opposing the Devils on the way to being credited with seven hits in a 2-1 Toronto defeat.

For much of the game Aulie was paired with captain Dion Phaneuf, who was the focus of the blockbuster trade made just over a year ago between the Leafs and Flames. When Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Ian White and Jamal Mayers were moved, the deal was contingent on Burke’s stipulation that Aulie be included in the package of assets coming to Toronto.

At a ripe 21 years of age, Aulie has the potential to quickly move up the Leafs defensive depth chart, particularly if Tomas Kaberle find his way out of Air Canada Centre as expected. “He’s a big guy that moves really well,” assessed Phaneuf. “I’ve played with lots of guys, and he definitely did a really good job out there. He can really play and be a force at this level. He didn’t look like he was out of place at all.”

Phaneuf may have been anointed with the Leafs captaincy, but it’s not inconceivable that Aulie will evolve to be the more effective player of the two.

It will be interesting to compare the pair of defenders, particularly when Aulie reaches Phaneuf’s current age of 25. At that point, hockey pundits may be referring to the January 2010 Leafs-Flames player exchange as the ‘Keith Aulie Trade’ rather than the ‘Dion Phaneuf Trade’.

Similarly, the challenge for Gardiner is to prove himself as more than ‘just a throw-in with Joffrey Lupul’.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca

Follow TMLfans.ca on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tmlfansrob