So now all three of the teams involved in the Leafs trade from Sunday have played their first game all with the same common result. A 3-0 Shut-Out.
The Flames lost 3-0 to the Flyers.
Leafs won 3-0 over the Devils
Ducks win 3-0 over Panthers.
Let me tell you why…
Ducks: Get a speedy forward who could not make it in Toronto. He has skill, and heart but no talented players to play along with him. He should do well with the Ducks. As for Toskala, he’ll be okay as the back-up. No pressure. The Ducks called up another Leafs cast-off in Justin Pogge until Toskala gets to Anaheim.
Surprised and relieved that someone… anyone… was willing to take these 2 contracts and give us a goalie in return. Win-win.
Flames – yikes! Give up a top defenseman, and really tall young defenseman and a good penalty killing forward. In return they get 4 average players. Stajan is ok… at times. Hagman is, as described to me prior to him joining the Buds, a very good 2nd line or 3rd line player who excels when not being checked by the other team’s top players. White is a typical undersized / underrated defenseman who had unlimited potential and gets the job done. He was the Leafs #1A along with Kaberle. Jamal Mayers… Uh huh… Nuff said.
Then the Flames shipped out Prust an agitator and Jokinen a floater for 2 under achieving players in Kotalik (who was sent home by the Rangers) and Higgins who looks like he could use some premium time in the gym…
Leafs – Tempo set by Phaneuf and his hit and fight on his first or second shift. Reminds me of Wendel Clark in that there was a buzz on the ice when he was on. I like that. With Giguere in net it is a huge upgrade over any of the last 6 stiffs who have tended the Leafs net including; Raycroft, Pogge, the Monster, that kids in the farm they signed from the horrible Islanders… Joey something… Toskala and the list goes on. Knowing your goalie might actually make a save builds confidence right away. Sjostrom helped do that on the PK, and finally the young kids get to play in meaningful positions and I’m talking about Hanson, Kulemin, Stahlburg, Mitchell and Bozak. Finally a way to build from within.
The Urban Daddy KNOWS Sports Too 