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With the free agent system the way it is does Burke's stubborness to sign free agents to long contracts hold him back from acquiring players he could?

blog: http://www.tmlfans.ca/blogs/6368-burkehandicap

I personally don't believe he does for the reasons outlined in this blog I contributed to tmlfans: http://www.tmlfans.ca/blogs/6314-dont-believe-burkes-hype but it begs a scary question, would Burke draft a defenceman who tore his ACL over the consensus number one pick? Not to knock Rielly, after reading up on him I think the kid has some serious potential but really?

I'm applying to construct and manage a facebook page for Paparartzy.com and I need to get my own facebook fan page to look good in order to do it. It would really help me land this gig and advance my career goals if you guys like the page. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Beautiful-Chaos/347090975303424

I'll be posting funny photos I find as well as links to articles on my blog. Thanks in advance :)
/shameless promotion

So there is a viral movement to make Joseph Kony infamous and catch him has sprung across the the internet over the last couple days.  Who is Joseph Kony you ask?  Watch this video to find out:

Kony is the leader of the LRA or Lord's Resistance Army.  A group operating in Africa that abducts children and trains the boys to be child soldiers and girls to be sex slaves.  It is estimated that over 30 000 children have been abducted in the groups history.

So a couple days ago the charity group invisible children made a video that has gotten 20 million views and counting in an effort to make it important to the U.S government to hunt and kill Joseph Kony.  April 20th 2012 there are plans to plaster major cities with Kony posters. 

Now you know who Kony is, what do you think of the movement? 

[McPwnage GDT Record 7-5-2]

(25-16-6) Ottawa Senators vs Toronto Maple Leafs (22-17-5)

The Ottawa Senators are one of the NHL's top-scoring teams, but were shut out for the first time this season in their last game.  They could have a good chance of getting back on track in the opener of a six-game road trip in Toronto.  The Senators try to bounce back from their first regulation loss in three weeks Tuesday night when they face Maple Leafs backup goaltender James Reimer, who hasn't enjoyed much luck between the pipes lately.

Toronto coach Ron Wilson has decided to go with Reimer in goal after starting Jonas Gustavsson for the last six games. Reimer, who hasn't played since New Year's Eve, is 0-1-1 with a 4.11 goals-against average in his last three starts.

McPwnage GDT Record 7-5-2

[McPwnage GDT Record: 7-4-2]

(22-15-5) Toronto Maple Leafs vs Buffalo Sabress (18-19-5)

full preview: http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2012011302

A four-game winning streak has boosted the Toronto Maple Leafs' hopes of finally reaching the playoffs for the first time since the NHL's season-long lockout in 2004-05.  A home-and-home sweep of sputtering Buffalo would hurt the Sabres' chances of joining them.  After shutting out the Sabres earlier this week, Toronto can open a 10-point advantage over its Northeast Division rival if it posts another regulation victory Friday night in Buffalo.  Seeking to bring the NHL postseason to Canada's largest city for the first time since 2004, the Maple Leafs (22-15-5) have jumped to seventh place in the Eastern Conference after sweeping a four-game homestand to begin 2012.  It's been nearly five years since they last won five in a row, although they'll have to end a three-game road skid to match that feat.

McPwnage GDT Record: 7-4-2

[McPwnage GDT Record: 7-4-2]

(18-18-5) Buffalo Sabress vs Toronto Maple Leafs (21-15-5)

Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul may be the best one-two scoring punch in the NHL, and that's key to the Toronto Maple Leafs' success and optimism.  Scoring tends to be at a premium for the Buffalo Sabres.  Lupul and Kessel will try to extend their scoring streaks as the surging Maple Leafs host the punchless Sabres in the opener of a home-and-home set Tuesday night.  Kessel has 24 goals and 48 points to rank second in the NHL in both categories, while Lupul isn't far behind with 19 goals and 47 points.  That success is a big reason Toronto (21-15-5) is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference as it tries to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.

McPwnage GDT Record: 7-4-2

I took the myers-briggs personality type test today and I am really getting obsessed with it.  I am supposedly an intj which means introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging.  There are 16 different types introverted vs extroverted, intuitive vs sensing, thinking vs feeling, judging vs perceptive.  If you go on youtube you can find videos explaining your personality type and posting funny pictures of your personality type.  Mine are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oigq8u_aW54
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkaQYmqk_ho

so what personality types are you?: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

I'm trying to get used to twitter and I was wondering who everyone follows?  I mean besides the leafs/hockey guys since they have already been covered. 

twitter.com/chaoszbeautiful (my blog is called my beautiful chaos)

[McPwnage GDT Record: 5-4-2]

(25-13-1) Detroit Red Wings vs Toronto Maple Leafs (19-15-5)

Jimmy Howard's reliable play has made it easy for the Detroit Red Wings to keep starting him. Jonas Gustavsson is hoping to develop into that kind of goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs.  While Gustavsson will try to earn another start, Howard will go for his 100th career victory and league-best 25th this season Saturday night at Air Canada Centre.  Howard has started 30 of the past 32 games for the Red Wings (25-13-1) and has one of the best goals-against averages in the league at 1.99. He's won 20 of his last 26 games.  Howard and the Red Wings, though, have had their troubles on the road this season. Detroit has won 12 straight at home but is 10-11-0 away from Joe Louis Arena, and Howard has alternated losses and wins in his last eight road contests.

McPwnage GDT Record: 5-4-2

I want to get an A put on my phil kessel jersey since he is now the assistant captain but I have no idea how to get this done.  Does anyone know a good place in Toronto that isn't too expensive? 

We used to have this before the forums went down so right now is a good time to bring it back.  Post all Brian Burke related media in here, for starters thoughts on Burke's outburst at the NHL today. 

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=384292

my take is somebody call a waahhhhmbulance, burke is crying because he wants the game played trukulantly when the game is evolving out of that and he is going along with it because he has to. An enforcer is no longer nessecary, a pest maybe we have Armstrong when he isn't spending the entire year on the IR. As for accountability players stick up for each other all the time. Seriously disapointed in burke for these comments

[McPwnage's Leafs GDT Record: 4-4-2 82 points]

(19-15-5) Winnepeg Jets vs Toronto Maple Leafs (19-15-5)

full preview: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2012010521
The Toronto Maple Leafs made a New Year's resolution to clean up their much-maligned penalty-killing unit.

The Maple Leafs' special teams were stellar in their first game of 2012, an effort they'll look to build on Thursday night against a Winnipeg Jets team that scored a pair of power-play goals against them on New Year's Eve.  Toronto (19-15-5) opened January on Tuesday with an impressive 7-3 win over Tampa Bay. Joffrey Lupul led the way with a goal and three assists while Phil Kessel scored his 22nd goal in the Leafs' highest-scoring game since a 7-1 victory over the Lightning on Nov. 22.  The Leafs killed all five of Tampa Bay's power plays, including a 5-on-3 disadvantage. It was an encouraging performance for a team that came in last in the league on the penalty kill at 72.3 percent.

McPwnage's Leafs GDT Record: 4-4-2 82 points

in my defence I wanted to post all of the GDT's at the beggining of the season when the Leafs were winning but Leafaholic beat me to 4 of them so thats like 8-4-2

(17-17-3) Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs (18-15-5)

full preview: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2012010321

The Tampa Bay Lightning are still out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, but they've been working their way back in.  The Toronto Maple Leafs need to improve their penalty killing or they could keep heading in the opposite direction.  The Lightning go for a season-high fourth consecutive victory when they try to extend their point streak in Toronto to eight Tuesday night.  A game from advancing to its second Stanley Cup finals last season, Tampa Bay (17-17-3) closed out 2011 in 12th place in the East with 37 points - four back of 10th-place Toronto (18-15-5).

that sinking hopeless feeling you get when you look at the team, where it is, and how we stack up to the other powerhouses.  Still horrible anti clutch the penealty kill despite scrapping and replacing the entire team. 

Since Reimer and the leafs went on that trailblaze at the end of last season and we started so well but with at 4-6-3 record dropped out of the playoff picture that feeling is back.  I can't ignore the fact the Leafs can't kill penealties if their lives depended on it. 

Maybe I'm just really depressed and I'm ignoring the signs of hope but it is looking like our saviour James Reimer is not who we thought he was. 

I was 14 the last time the Leafs actually made the playoffs.  Looking at the depression and anxiety thread and seeing how many other people suffer from depression and anxiety like me the Leafs hopelessness significantly adds to my anxiety and depression as pathetic as that sounds it is true. 

How do you deal with this?

(18-14-5) Toronto Maple Leafs vs Winnepeg Jets (18-14-5)

Leafs have to close out the year on a positive note or else they will fall out of a playoff spot. 

(16-11-3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs Buffalo Sabres (15-12-3)

full preview: http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/preview.htm?id=2011020462

Maple Leafs: Reimer locked in a goaltending duel with Cam Ward of Carolina earlier this week, and after both sides played scoreless hockey for over 55 minutes, Tim Connolly put Toronto on the board by tipping in a Clarke MacArthur shot with 4:14 remaining. While the Hurricanes would come back and force OT on a late goal by Alexei Ponikarovsky, that just set the stage for Connolly to come through again just 44 seconds into the extra period.

"I think he's played really well and he's done all the things that we thought he could do," coach Ron Wilson said of Connolly, who spent the past eight seasons with the Sabres before signing as a free agent. "And it doesn't matter who he plays with, he's going to try to make those people around him better and I think he's done that."

Sabres: This is the finale of a five-game homestand, and Buffalo might be looking forward to hitting the road for a while. The Sabres only have one win on this current stretch at First Niagara Center and are an uninspiring 6-9-3 in their own building this season (they were also credited with a "home" win for beating the Ducks in their season opener in Helsinki, Finland). They led the Senators by a goal heading into the third on Tuesday only to suffer a 3-2 overtime defeat in a game in which they also lost forward Ville Leino to a lower-body injury.

"We've been nowhere near good enough at home all year," said goalie Ryan Miller, who finished with 41 saves. "I don't think it's time to panic, but it's time to build the game that we need to be competitive and be a playoff-caliber team."

[NHL Preview Link]

(12-12-1) New Jersey Devils vs Toronto Maple Leafs (15-10-2)

NHL Preview Link

After absorbing a 2-5-1 run through November, Toronto appeared to turn the corner near the end of the month when it won three of four, a streak that included 7-1 wins over Tampa Bay and Washington, two teams the Leafs could be battling for a playoff spot later this season. But the back-to-back losses against the Bruins gave the Leafs an 0-4-0 record this season against their division rival as they headed into New York for a Monday night affair against the Rangers.

Against the Blueshirts, Toronto raced out to a 3-0 lead with League scoring leader Phil Kessel's two assists pacing the offense. The Rangers managed to cut the lead to 3-2 by the end of the second period, but an empty-net goal from David Steckel and 12 third-period saves from Jonas Gustavsson allowed the Leafs to preserve the 4-2 win.


Matchup Comparison Link

Projected Leafs Lineup

Projected Devils Lineup

Brodeur vs Reimer projected starters

On Line Streaming Links to Try
FirstRow link
OurLeafs link
HockeyWebcasts link
NHL Snipers link
AM640 Radio Broadcast link

[NHL Preview Link]

(14-10-2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Rangers (15-5-3)

full preview: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2011120513

The New York Rangers were posting mediocre results when they lost their home opener to the Toronto Maple Leafs nearly six weeks ago.  They're now among the hottest teams in the NHL, and that's especially true at Madison Square Garden.  The Rangers look to extend their longest home winning streak in 21 years Monday night when they face the Maple Leafs.

New York (15-5-3) went 3-2-2 during a season-opening seven-game, three-country road trip before falling 4-2 to Toronto (14-10-2) on Oct. 27, getting outshot 26-14 in the final two periods. The Rangers followed that up with a 5-4 shootout loss to Ottawa in Manhattan two days later.

Since then, they're 12-2-0 to move among the best teams in the league, and success at home is playing a major role. New York has outscored opponents 26-10 to win seven in a row at MSG, the team's longest run there within a single season since winning the first eight home games of 1990-91.

NHL Preview Link

Matchup Comparison Link

Projected Leafs Lineup

Projected Rangers Lineup

Gustavsson vs Lundqvist projected starters

On Line Streaming Links to Try
FirstRow link
OurLeafs link
HockeyWebcasts link
NHL Snipers link
AM640 Radio Broadcast link

(13-8-2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs Anaheim Ducks (6-12-4)

full preview: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2011112725
Joffrey Lupul is one reason why the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to play well despite an increasing number of injuries.

Lupul will face one of his former teams Sunday night when the Maple Leafs look to win their third straight and send the Anaheim Ducks to a seventh consecutive loss.

Toronto has a chance to close a four-game road trip with a winning record, even as its depth continues to be challenged. The Maple Leafs (13-8-2) defeated Dallas 4-3 in a shootout Friday for their third win in four tries following a three-game skid.

Leafs Lineup:
Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
MacArthur - Connolly - Kulemin
Crabb - Colborne - Frattin
Rosehill - Dupuis - Orr

Phaneuf - Liles
Gardiner - Schenn
Holzer - Franson

Gustavsson (starting)
Scrivens

Ducks Lineup:
Ryan - Getzlaf - Perry
Cogliano - Koivu - Selanne
Hagman - Maxwell - Smith-Pelly
Beleskey - McMillan - Gordon

Lydman - Fowler
Beauchemin - Sbisa
Brookbank - Guenin

Hiller (probable)
Ellis

full preview: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2011111019
The St. Louis Blues are playing with a renewed confidence, having shut down a Western Conference power in coach Ken Hitchcock's team debut.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' confidence level seems to be wavering a bit following a second straight lopsided defeat.  The Blues try to build on an impressive win Thursday night when they host the suddenly struggling Maple Leafs.

Sitting in 13th place in the West 13 games into the season, St. Louis (7-7-0) fired Davis Payne on Sunday and replaced him with the 59-year-old Hitchcock. The Blues responded to the wake-up call, defeating Central Division-leading Chicago 3-0 on Tuesday in the opener of a five-game homestand.

Leafs Lines:

Forwards:
Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
Frattin - Steckel - Lombardi
Brown-Dupuis-Crabb

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Liles - Komisarek
Gardiner - Schenn

Gustavsson
Scrivens

Blues Lines:
Sobotka - Backes - Oshie
D'Agostini - Berglund - Stewart
Steen - Arnott - Langenbrunner
Grachev - Nichol - Reaves

Colaiacovo - Pietrangelo
Jackman - Shattenkirk
Cole - Polak

Halak
Elliott

full preview: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2011103014
Clutch scoring and late-game dramatics have the Ottawa Senators on their longest winning streak in two seasons.  Another meeting against Phil Kessel(notes) and the Toronto Maple Leafs may be the toughest test yet for the surging Senators.

Ottawa attempts to extend its winning streak to six games by quieting the NHL's top scorer and the Maple Leafs in a meeting of provincial rivals in the nation's capital Sunday night.  Ottawa (6-5-0) has won five in a row for the first time since a six-game winning streak from March 22-April 1, 2010.

Leafs Starting Lines:
Lupul - Connolly - Kessel
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
Lombardi - Bozak - Frattin
Brown - Steckel - Dupuis

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Schenn
Liles - Komisarek

Gustavsson
Scrivens

Sens Starting Lines:
Greening - Spezza - Michalek
Foligno - Zibanejad - Alfredsson
Winchester - Da Costa - Konopka
Condra - Smith - Neil

Phillips - Rundblad
Kuba - Karlsson
Cowen - Gonchar

Anderson
Auld

Leafs Scoring Leaders:
Phil Kessel - GP:10 G:10 A:8 P:18 +6
Dion Phaneuf - GP:10 G:2 A:9 P:11 +7
Joffrey Lupul - GP:10 G:5 A:6 P:11 +5

Sens Scoring Leaders:
Jason Spezza - GP:11 G:7 A:8 P:15 -1
Milan Michalek - GP:11 G:7 A:6 P:13 -1
Erik Karlsson - GP:11 G:1 A:11 P12 -4

Probable Starters:
Jonas Gustavsson (3-2-0) GAA:3.85 SV%:.890
Craig Anderson (6-2-0) GAA:3.66 SV%:.880

Pittsburgh Penguins @ Toronto Maple Leafs 7:00pm
Carolina Hurricanes @ Philadelphia Flyers 7:00pm
San Jose Sharks @ New York Islanders 7:00pm
Anaheim Ducks @ Nashville Predators 8:00pm
New Jersey Devils @ Dallas Stars 8:00pm
Washington Capitals @ Vancouver Canucks 10:00pm

full preview: http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview?gid=2011102001
Phil Kessel is tired of talking about how he struggles against the Boston Bruins.  He's certainly doing just fine for the red-hot Toronto Maple Leafs this season.

The NHL's top scorer, Kessel looks to continue his torrid start Thursday night when the Maple Leafs open a four-game trip against his former club.

Kessel spent his first three seasons in Boston (2-4-0), and led the Bruins with a career-high 36 goals in 2008-09 before being acquired by Toronto (4-0-1). He's struggled to show that scoring punch for the Leafs when facing the Bruins, notching two goals and four assists in 12 meetings.

Leafs Lines:
Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
Frattin - Lombardi - Kadri?
Brown - Steckel - Dupuis

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Liles - Schenn
Gardiner - Komisarek

Reimer
Gustavsson

Bruins Lines:
Lucic - Seguin - Horton
Marchand - Bergeron - Peverly
Pouliot - Kelly - Caron
Paille - Campbell - Thornton

Chara - Boychuck
Sidenburg - Corvo
Ference - Bartkowski

Thomas
Rask

Leafs Scoring Leaders:
Phil Kessel GP:5 G:7 A:5 P:12 +7
Joffrey Lupul GP:5 G:4 A:3 P:7 +7
Dion Phaneuf GP:5 G:1 A:5 P:6 +8

Bruins Scoring Leaders:
Tyler Seguin GP:6 G:1 A:4: P:5 +3
Rich Peverly GP:6 G:3 A:1 P:4 +2
Brad Marchand GP:6 G:2 A:2 P:4 +2