Leafs Recall Stalberg and Hanson
February 27, 2010 by Darryl
Filed under Latest Leafs Updates
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced the recall of forwards Viktor Stalberg and Christian Hanson from the AHL Marlies. Hanson has previously appeared in 10 games for the Leafs this season registering 1 assist and 8 penalty minutes.
Stalberg who made the big club out of training camp has recorded 2 goals and 1 assist in his 19 games with the Leafs this season.
Saturday News: Canada Prepares for Showdown with U.S.
February 20, 2010 by RobDM
Filed under Daily Round-Up
Team Canada’s men’s hockey players had a day off yesterday, but will be back at work today in preparation for Sunday’s much-anticipated tilt against the United States. The winner of the showdown will finish atop the Group A pool in the preliminary round.
Leafs goalie Jonas Gustavsson made 17 saves in Sweden’s 4-2 win over Belarus yesterday.
Here are the hockey headlines in the news this morning:
Vancouver 2010
- Sidney Crosby linemates create a puzzle Toronto Star
- Trio of European stars hopes to skate into a golden sunset Toronto Star
- GM Place ice panned by Yzerman Toronto Sun
- Monster victory for Sweden Toronto Sun
- Intense Canada-U.S. hockey rivalry ready for centre stage Toronto Star
- Adversity the breakfast of champions CBC.ca
- A loss to the US might not be a bad thing CTVOlympics.ca
- Gretzky predicts Canada over Russia for gold CP
- Meghan Agosta the new face of Canadian women’s hockey Toronto Star
- Full hockey coverage at CTVOlympics.ca CTVOlympics.ca
Leafs News
- Hockey hero Paul Henderson battlig cancer Toronto Star
- 43 blunders that have haunted the Leafs (series – Feb. 20) Toronto Sun
- 43 blunders that have haunted the Leafs (series – Feb. 19) Toronto Sun
- 43 blunders that have haunted the Leafs (series – Feb. 18) Toronto Sun
- 43 blunders that have haunted the Leafs (series – Feb. 16) Toronto Sun
Marlies News
- Joey MacDonald helps Marlies edge Stars 2-1 Toronto Star
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Tuesday news: Canada’s gold medal quest begins
February 16, 2010 by RobDM
Filed under Daily Round-Up
Today marks the day that Canadian hockey fans have circled in their calendars since the men’s Olympic team skated off the ice in Torino, Italy with a seventh place finish in 2006. The red-and-white maple leaf-crested squad built by executive director Steve Yzerman takes to the ice for their first tournament game at the 2010 Olympics, facing off against Norway at Hockey Canada place in Vancouver (7:30pm ET).
Read more in today’s edition of Blue and White Beat
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Blue And White Beat: Canada’s gold medal quest begins
February 16, 2010 by RobDM
Filed under Blogs, Blue And White Beat
Canada’s gold medal quest begins
Today marks the day that Canadian hockey fans have circled in their calendars since the men’s Olympic team skated off the ice in Torino, Italy with a seventh place finish in 2006. The red-and-white maple leaf-crested squad built by executive director Steve Yzerman takes to the ice for their first tournament game at the 2010 Olympics, facing off against Norway at Hockey Canada place in Vancouver (7:30pm ET).
Roberto Luongo, whose club team the Canucks place on the same ice surface 41 times a year, will get the nod in goal this evening.
Projected lines:
Nash-Crosby-Bergeron
Staal-Getzlaf-Perry
Toews-Richards-Iginla
Marleau-Thornton-Heatley
Morrow
Defence pairings:
Pronger-Weber
Niedermayer-Boyle
Keith-Seabrook
Doughty
Backup goalies:
Brodeur
Fleury
***
The trash talk started weeks ago between Canucks’ teammates Luongo and forward Ryan Kesler. The two men are on opposite sides of the heated and historic Canada-USA rivalry which is set for yet another collision course on Sunday, February 21.
Boosted by last month’s American victory at the World Junior Championship, Kesler quipped “It was a good win. It was even better beating the Canadians because they’re pretty cocky when it comes to hockey.”
“Was he playing there? I don’t think so!” retorted Luongo. “We’ll see, when it comes down to the real deal, what happens.”
Using Luongo’s reasoning, Kesler’s jab is better directed at the third member of Canada’s goaltending trio behind Martin Brodeur, namely Marc-Andre Fleury. Kesler played on the 2004 Team USA World Junior team that upset Canada in the gold-medal game.
***
This Day In Leafs History:
On Feb. 16, 1999 the Leafs made a trade with the Vancouver Canucks. The transaction makes for a great trivia question, “In between the time that Toronto played its last game at Maple Leaf Gardens and first game at Air Canada Centre, which player did the Leafs trade, and who did they get in return?” The answer is provided below.
***
Leafs at the Olympics:
Jonas Gustavsson – Sweden
Niklas Hagman – Finland (since traded to Calgary, after named to roster)
Tomas Kaberle – Czech Republic
Phil Kessel – United States
Ron Wilson, coach – United States
Brian Burke, general manager – United States
Named to team, but will not play because of injury
Mikhail Grabovski – Belarus
Mike Komisarek – United States
***
Leafs Notes:
While Dion Phaneuf is clearly the cornerstone of the January 31 trade between the Leafs and the Calgary Flames, the contributions of Fredrik Sjostrom should not be overlooked. The native of Fargelanda, Sweden has blazing speed and has been a fine complement to Rickard Wallin. A perennial doormat for the fans due to his lack of production, Wallin scored his first goal in nearly six years on Feb. 5.
As a result of the blockbuster deal in which Matt Stajan and Ian White were two of the Toronto players shipped to Calgary, the last of the draft choices that the Leafs had on the roster of the 2003 World Junior Championship team have departed from the club. The junior squad that won a silver medal in Halifax also had Brendan Bell (traded to Phoenix, now with Columbus), Kyle Wellwood (signed with Vancouver as a restricted free-agent) and Carlo Colaiacovo (traded to St. Louis).
The third acquisition of the Leafs-Flames trade, Keith Aulie, suffered a shoulder injury during Friday’s Marlies game in Manitoba and could be lost for the season. In an article in today’s Toronto Star, Marlies coach Dallas Eakins compared the play to the ugly Kurtis Foster-Torrey Mitchell incident in March 2008, when Mitchell and Foster raced for the puck on an icing, with Foster breaking his leg.
Still with the Marlies, forward Andre Deveaux has been suspended indefinitely by the AHL after throwing a roll of tape at a fan who allegedly directed racial slurs at him.
Trivia Answer:
Eleven years ago today, the Leafs traded forward Darby Hendrickson to Vancouver in exchange for defenceman Chris McAllister.
Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca
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McKenzie: Leafs claim Jamie Lundmark on waivers
February 13, 2010 by RobDM
Filed under Latest Leafs Updates
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports via Twitter that the Leafs have claimed centre Jamie Lundmark on waivers from the Calgary Flames.
Lundmark, 29, has played parts of the last two seasons with Calgary, and has also played for the NY Rangers, Phoenix and Los Angeles in 280 career NHL games.
He has four goals in 9 points in 21 games played with the Flames this season.
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Saturday news: Burke thanks supporters following son’s death; Leafs shutout in St. Louis
February 13, 2010 by RobDM
Filed under Daily Round-Up
On Friday evening Leafs president and general manager Brian Burke went public for the first time since the passing of his son Brendan last week. A visibly-shaken Burke expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support from teammates, media and fans in the wake of the tragedy.
On the ice, the Leafs were shutout 4-0 in St. Louis in their last game before the Olympic break. Ex-Leafs Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo each had a point.
In AHL action, the Toronto Marlies lost 5-1 to Manitoba.
Here are the headlines of stories relating to the Leafs and the Marlies in the news this morning:
Brendan Burke: 1988-2010
- Brian Burke: Feb. 12, 2010 MapleLeafs.com
- Brendan Burke honoured Toronto Sun
- Grieving Burke humbled by outpouring of support Toronto Star
- United States GM Burke thanks team for support CTVOlympics.ca
Leafs News
- Leafs start break too early Toronto Star
- Leafs switching gears Toronto Sun
- Leafs Replay Toronto Sun
- Maple Leafs enter break on a low National Post
- Blues clobber Maple Leafs The Globe And Mail
Marlies News
- Moose crush Marlies Toronto Sun
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