So my family and I are proud owners of a fantastic Newfoundland dog.  We've been entertaining the idea of bringing a big friend for our Newf into the family.  I was looking on Kijiji for St. Bernards and came across this picture.  It put a smile on my face that I just can't get rid of  ;D.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-image.html?adId=588691031&image=7&enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

(If anyone can put this into this thread, I'd appreciate it)

Great video:

The joy this kid was feeling is awesome.

File this under "Captain of the Obvious", but Tyler Bozak is currently scoring on a 75 point pace, prorated of course.

Colour me impressed.  The cynics among us might say that playing with JVR and Kessel has that effect on people.  But, I think it's pretty hard to argue that the guy is doing a pretty good impression of a darn good hockey player.

Mod edit: Editorial title change

Time to usher in the 13-14 season with a new thread. 

I like this guy...

I've noticed a fair bit of guitar players on TMLFans, or at least it appears that way, and I thought you'd all get a kick out of this.  I'm a bit of a gear-head and am well aware of the "legend" surrounding Dumble amplifiers.  But this is just taking things to a WHOLE other level:

(sorry for the big link)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dumble-Overdrive-Special-Head-circa-1983/130984170464?_trksid=p2047675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555003%26algo%3DPW.CAT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D142%26meid%3D1190930121060948844%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D1076%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D151116980993%26

Corey Crawford signs for 6 years, $36M.  Yowza, that's a big number for a better-than-average goalie.  I'm not sure he'd be considered a top-10 goalie in this league, at least not yet, yet the Hawks have rewarded him with elite money. 

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=431002

One thing is for sure, Henrik Lundqvist is going to get PAID.

No sense dwelling on the past.  With respect to the Nutman, I think we'll look back at this Game 7 and see it as the a turning point for the organization.  I won't venture into what they're turning into, but it has the feeling of a definitive moment.

I hope not much changes for next year.  There has to be a few additions: veteran backup goalie, added toughness who can play in the top 6, and a strong, physical defenseman who isn't a puckhandling liability.  And Nonis needs to find a veteran or two to help roundout this lineup, non-negotiable.

I debated posting this to an established thread but decided that a) there wasn't exactly a good fit with existing topics and b) this was likely good enough on its own.

I'm not coming at this with any agenda or bias.  Personally, I found it heart-warming.  I'm sure that upon greater analysis there are plenty of ways to discredit what the author has written.  I have not wanted to do that.  I just wanted to post here because, getting to know the community over the last little while, I think some of you may enjoy reading this and find it interesting.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/10/07/proof-of-heaven-a-doctor-s-experience-with-the-afterlife.html

Watching the MLB Playoffs on the weekend, I came across my new favorite professional athlete name: Al Albuquerque.  Almost as good as Robbie Robertson.  It got me thinking of other great pro athlete names.  I always thought Ziggy Palfy was unique.  Glenn January, who plays in the CFL, sounds like a made up name to me. 

I'm curious, do you guys have any favorites?

I know that the "off-season shopping list" thing has been done to death, and the GM Thread has been speculating over what the Leafs may or may not do come July 1'st.  I wanted this thread to discuss whether through the JVR trade we're seeing Burke loosen his stance on the long-term contracts he's, at least verbally, eschewed in the past.  With 6 years left on his deal, JVR is the first Leaf under Burke's tensure to break through the 5 year max term.  For me, this fact creates optimism heading into the UFA period.

I think that Parise is a guy you blow your brains out for.  A leader, tenacious, skilled, seems to thrive in pressure situations.  I would support a 10 year deal at $7.5 - $8.0 per.  No doubt the Leafs will need to overpay to attract free agents, but Parise is the guy in my mind. 

How cool is this?

It was just supposed to be another Thursday night beer league game for The Colts at Canlan Ice Sports on the outskirts of York University.

But then Maple Leafs Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin walked into the dressing room, and the men couldn't believe their eyes.

"This is awesome. I love it. Being a lifelong Leaf fan and experiencing something like this is unbelievable," said Colt Bernard Grzinic. "It's a dream come true. So surprised."

The same excitement occurred across the hall where Leafs Colby Armstrong and Tim Connolly suddenly showed up to coach the Delta Force.

Instead of just another game in the Adult Safe Hockey League (ASHL), the match was transformed into a Toronto Maple Leafs game experience complete with Joe Bowen broadcasting the play by play for fans and announcer Andy Frost introducing each player as he skated onto the ice.
Link to the full Toronto Star article here:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1125647--maple-leafs-surprise-visit-shakes-up-beer-league-hockey-game

Nice bit of rumour-mongering by the Star today:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/1114520--are-the-flyers-interested-in-leafs-defenceman-luke-schenn?bn=1

Bit of a rehash of past speculation but seems to make some decent sense.  Was also mentioned by Brad May on Hockey Central last night.

For me, I do this deal without much thought.

I know it has been mentioned in other threads, but the Leafs' fourth line of Dupuis - Steckle - Brown is, for me, one of the highlights of this young season.  Steckle's performance has been well discussed, and to a slightly lesser degree so has Mike Brown's, but I've really been enjoying Phillipe Dupuis.  He's a great forechecker and can really lay the body.  Has some definite hockey IQ, defensively sound and skates well.  This easily represents the Leafs' best fourth line of recent years and, for me at least, represents a really exciting part of this year's team.

On an unrelated matter, Lombardi's speed is amazing.  I could not believe the amount of ice he was covering on one of the penalty kills last night where he seemingly hemmed in the Senators in their end all on his own.