Random Q & A

Will Ron Wilson's defense-first system work?

Yeah, I think it will, actually. When Paul Maurice came and proclaimed he was going to play the grind-your-ass-off style that worked for him in Carolina, he didn't have the guys to do it (did anybody realistically expect guys like Stajan, Steen, and O'Neill can keep the puck along the boards as Big Beast Chara has his way with the each of them?) But this time around it seems like Fletcher has brought in enough defensively sound (read: offensively challenged) players to help Wilson impose his way upon the team. Even if it means having to endure some ugly hockey this year, I think in the long run this has potential. Build a defensively sound system, then bit by bit add a little offensive flair... provided whoever succeeds Fletcher plays his cards right, of which I am justifiably cynical about.

What's there to look forward to this season? Everybody knows the Leafs aren't going anywhere.

True enough. When even the team's own boss comes out and admits the squad is full of third line ragtags, you know it won't be a season ending in a blaze of glory. But interestingly enough I find this season more intriguing than the last one, when they simply went through the motions, told everyone who was willing to believe that they were trying to contend, and signed Jason Blake-- when any keen-eyed observer knows, even from just a glance at the paper lineups, that they weren't going nowhere. This year, however, there are quite a few things I'm interested to see pan out-- will Steen/Stajan finally rise to the occasion and jump to the top two lines? How will Antropov hold up holding the scoring torch? Will we see the nothing-to-write-home-about Hagman or the really bad Hagman? How many times will the phrase "3.5 million" follow the name "Jeff Finger" in the papers?

See? It ain't all bad. But just in case it is, there's still the new HD screen above centre ice to look forward to. I hear it's snazzy. Here's a suggestion for the marketing department to drum up the hype: Crystal Clear Crappiness!


When will Ron Wilson have his first meltdown?

Ooh, tough one. I guess when he catches sight of my buddy Jermaine F.

Guess the next captain.

If we believe the papers and Wilson ends up with a rotating system, I suppose we won't find out for a long long time. To be honest, I've always liked Kaberle, which isn't always an easy thing to say around these parts. He's got a calm presence on the ice, which is quite hard to find, and besides, as the longest serving Leaf I think he automatically merits consideration. The problem is that, as Merv rightfully pointed out to me when I brought this up, it's a blurry line between "calm presence" and being, pardon our language, a pussy, passive, or worse, indifference. Besides, he might not stick around until the next captain is appointed.