Game recaps, an update on Jordan Eberle and the latest on the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Flames.
Roberto Luongo salutes Vancouver fans following a video tribute to his years with the Canucks.
THE VANCOUVER SUN: The Vancouver Canucks and their fans welcomed back former Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, who backstopped his Florida Panthers to a 3-1 victory.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks got some welcome news yesterday, as defenseman Dan Hamhuis (groin injury) is reportedly ahead of schedule in his rehab and could return to action much sooner than expected.
OTTAWA SUN: Jarome Iginla scored twice to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-2 drubbing of the Ottawa Senators. Bobby Ryan and Mark Stone were the Senators’ goal scorers.
WINNIPEG SUN: The Winnipeg Jets fell 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes, marking their fourth loss in their last five games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Though defenseman Zach Bogosian returned to the lineup for this game, the Jets were still missing defensemen Tobias Enstrom, Jacob Trouba, Mark Stuart and Grant Clitsome, as well as winger Evander Kane. Those injuries are starting to catch up to the Jets.
TORONTO STAR: Dave Feschuk believes the slumping Maple Leafs need peer pressure in the form of an “in-house policeman-in-charge” to hold players accountable.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not a bad idea, though there’s nobody on the roster right now who can fill that role. It has to be a player who everyone in the room respects, maybe even fears a little.
EDMONTON SUN: Oilers winger Jordan Eberle has seen an uptick in his goal production, with four in as many games.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: The recent drubbing received by the Montreal Canadiens at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning was the latest round in what could be a growing rivalry between the two clubs.
CALGARY SUN: With Flames backup goalie Karri Ramo currently sidelined, goalie Joni Ortio has been called up.
Feschuk…reinventing the wheel, building the better mousetrap.
I think they need D and a center more than peer pressure.
As to Lyles point I think that could have been the thinking behind bringing in Komarov Robidas and Polak (this years version of Bolland Clarkson and Gleason as far as leadership, toughness and respect)..not sure thats worked out yet, at some point they should try talent.
Couldn’t stand to read Feschuk’s article. While Kessel could have handled the question better it was a cheap shot question that smacks of tabloid journalism. I’m not a Kessel fan but how was he supposed to answer a question that was basically an insult. What is amazing is how the press rally around the reporter. Kessel is right, so many of the journalists are idiots.
Amazing how they never ask questions to Nonis like that “heyDave its been 6 years you have been part of rebuilding this club and you have changed just about every player on the team and now they are capped out and still bad…dont you think this could be youre fault?” and they never asked Randy questions like that “its almost been 3 years of losing now why dont you maybe change the lines around a bit? Are you the reason they suck?”…funny never hear those questions from Dreger Simmons Cox MacLean Wilson Feschuk Kyper Healy and a tone of the other talking heads…maybe because they know its awful tough to get a scoop (or another job) from the hand that feeds you if you do and its easy to sit back and question things like leadership and attitude…
So you’re suggesting that only the GM and coach be held accountable for the attitude and effort put forth by the players?
Carlyle’s style may be outdated, but he and the coaching staff know how the game needs to be played – to suggest that them giving the players the wrong game plan is the reason for our lack of success is ridiculous. It comes down to hard work and effort from the players- which they clearly don’t put forth.
Nonis signed a couple of bad deals, but what would you have suggested he do with Phaneuf and Kessel instead? Would you have traded them last season? Clarkson was highly sought after and took less money to sign with Toronto than other teams. He may be overpaid, but he is the least of our worries in terms of character.
Roman Polak said it all the other night – some players aren’t interested in putting in the hard work that is required to play team defense, and are only interested in the offensive aspect of the game. Who do you think he was referring to?
The highest-paid player on a team that refuses to buy into a team game and play defense is going to be held accountable by the fans in a hockey-mad market like Toronto. Phil could have taken the high road and given a typically boring answer like he usually does, but he instead chose to act like a baby.
Although the question might be ridiculous, the media are asking question on behalf of the fans. I personally believe that the fans that pay Kessel’s $8MM contract deserve some answers when he puts for zero effort in the defensive end.
I agree tml the coach and gm can only do so much the players on the ice just aren’t getting it done no communication and just no work ethic in there own end besides the goalie
Ok then Ill put it to you this way…If the players are all bad attitude no work ethic guys why would you sign them to these long term big ticket deals? Its fine to hold players accountable to a point but Nonis has been there 6 years and signed all these lazy unaccountable plzyers to big deals…where is that question…hey Dave its been suggested zkessel is a bit of a coach killer why would you sign him to an 8 year deal???? Where is that conversation in the media?
That question has been asked – guess what the answer is… “we feel that we have the personnel in the room to be successful – we know they’re capable of it, but it’s about execution”… same BS as every other question.
At least this time they went to the problem themselves, being the players, and posed the question.
Quite frankly, this team is CAPABLE of playing defense – anyone in the NHL is capable of playing D, it’s a question of whether or not they will. Kessel could be a 200ft player and score 25-30 goals a year and the team would be far more successful than it is today with him scoring 35.
I’m not saying Kessel is the only player with this mentality, but am rather using him as the best example of it.
Then would it not lead you to believe the GM doesnt have the answers? If what you say is true? Did they do it in a “press comfrence” or did they do it just oit of the blue on a bad day? How was the question termed? Like an insult? Point being The media has a feild day with the team…and make it all about the lazy player (who is paid to score goals and produce points, which he has done inspades)
If what you say is true snd “they wemt straight to the issue” which is the plsyers…who is responsible for the players there? Who is responsible for those bad contracts? Dave is
Again not saying thzt there are not some accountability issues in the room because yes there is but again that only goes so far. Its acceptable as an excuse to a point, at some point if you have the same issues, (for years) the guy responsible for the issue not being solved is the guy behind the bench and the guy in the press box.
of course mgmt. is at fault too but when you have a grinder in polak saying ” there are guys in this locker room you just cant talk too ” there is a problem in the dressing room and I think even you can realize who these guys are that just aren’t listening
And finnaly what I am suggesting is now Ramdy has been held accountable (finnaly) as of yet Dave hasnt, amd I am blown away as to the reason for this…I dont think the Leafs are bad because of Phils attitude…I think the Leafs are bad because of alot of reasons. I think they are built wrong the coach was too bullheaded to really change anything, I think they lack talent I think they lack NHL level D men I think tho they added some depth in the bottom of the lineup but its overpriced, I think they lack top 6 guys that are physical with some size, Winnik is a start possibly Panik but they have been given littleoppertunity yes they could use some more accountability but it jas to be guys that have some skill and can contribute not broken down or spare part guys… I think the majority of the Leafs problems much the same as the Oilers and Sens starts above the guys on the ice.
If Phameuf and Kessels are such cancers in the room (I domt think they are) You dont sign them to max deals…that is the last thing you do. You move them they at that poi t last year are firly easy trades last year of contract top line type player even 8f there are some questions are going to have value. What differemce does it make if their attitudes are that poor that you cant replace them? Why would you try and keep them for 7 more years? You are talking in circles. Tje team is in bad shape as any team would be with a guy like Bozak as a 1 C who is terrible defensivly playing between 2 other players who are terrible defensively, that have been coached for the better part of 3 years to dump pucks in and give the puck back to the other team. There are only 2 or 3 D men on the team that crack even a bads teams top 6 and its debatable if any of them are more than a 2 or 3 at best. It doesnt matter if its Colton Orr or David Booth Panik Aashton or whoever on youre 4th line if the 4th line is plsying 3 or 4 mins a night, the depth isnt helping or going to produce, besides Winnik and even thats a stretch up to this point there is no size or anything zphydical outside Kadri that can play in the top 6 against teams best players or cycle pucks….so many reasons beside attitude for being bad…good news is looked like Horachek was mixing things up a bit more.
kessle is a cancer in that room shticky as much as you don’t want to believe it truth hurts! you can say I have no proof that he is and I will say you have no proof that he isn’t but a guy that makes 8million a yr has never scored more than 37 goals and is constantly a minus player doesn’t play on the pk yells at his teammates and admits he doesn’t train hard in the summer? what does that tell his teammates?
Never scored more than 37 goals??? and has only 173 points in his past 163 games…ya youre right thats awful. What a bum so lazy most players would easily put up 200 points in thst time. Youre nuts.
lmao your such a homer! pacioretty at 4.5 scored 39 last year and plays the pk! take the rose colored glasses shticky seriously its getting old the only reason you don’t say hes a cancer is cause hes on the leafs any other team you would be cutting him up! yes he gets a lot of points explain why is a minus all the time? don’t you think your highest paid player should maybe throw a hit try backchecking maybe even block a shot? cmon man your insane
Like I said before.
When Ottawa fired their coach I did not see.
1. Reporters attacking players with useless, abrasive questions that served absolutely no purpose but to antagonize.
2. Former coaches going on air to air their poison over the current roster. (I’m guessing Wilson isn’t getting a job again in the NHL so he has become jaded and giving his two sense. The Toronto sport media is all to eager to jump on that and give him air time.)
3. Former players coming on with absolutely no basis to do so and airing poison of current roster players. Idiotic that a news organization would give a person like that air time. Oh yeah it isn’t news.
I am also amazed at how blind the public are to this propaganda campaigne of those in the media who think they know what is best for the leafs and are doing all this to hope to publicly pressure the leafs to make moves. (i.e. trade Kessel and Phaneuf)
I am also amazed at how the blind the public is to the fact that the sport media in Toronto will bash the team for no more reason than self interest. They may not even mean anything they say but do it for ratings. If they trash the team the thousands of leaf haters love to hear and jump on board and tune in, the Leaf lovers tune in and jump on board to defend their team. If they only wrote good articles they’d lose their leaf hating readership and ratings. (aka money)
I am not a Kessel fan, maybe a bit of a hater, but like to think the hate isn’t worth the effort.
Anyway, it was a stupid question. Are you difficult to coach? Ask the coach that question. Like asking a print reporter, Is your work difficult to read? You ask the reader.
Build them up and tear’em down. It is not real reporting, just headlines without substance.
Quite honestly, I don’t think Feschuk expected anything but what he got out of that situation. I think he wanted to see how Phil would handle it. Phil could have and should have taken the high road but instead poured gas on the fire by handling it the way he did- his response gave a small glimpse into the character of the individual, in my opinion.
We can sit here and blame the media all we want, but this isn’t a good hockey team because they don’t work hard – it’s that simple. Continuing to harp on the media for being too hard on the players is just more background noise and ignores the real issue, which is desire and work-ethic amongst the players
Hey TML, “We can sit here and blame the media all we want, but this isn’t a good hockey team because they don’t work hard – it’s that simple.” If the team on the ice isn’t getting it done, why not go after who puts the team on the ice and shouldn’t they change the players on the ice if they aren’t getting it done? Is it all Kessel’s fault?
Exactly its not like this is new…
not sure why he was supposed to take the high road. just because a guy works for a newspaper means he has the right to ask a stupid offensive question and player should kiss his a$$ in response? if someone asked you why you sucked at your job would you be polite and try to answer honestly and without offending? Kessel handled it better than I would have. He also handled it better than Kypreos, O’Neill or Healey would have when they were players. Kessel gets a hard time for not talking to the media, but why should he want to talk to them? Stupid question that got the response it deserved.
As per Lu in Vancouver, what is with the media drivel about his return and on tsn1040 sport/rock/joke radio, yesterdays poll was whether to retire his number. The media in Van is as much as joke as in Toronto. Guy hasn’t even retired yet. Wanted out of Vancouver and the media wants to idolize him.
When your spouse leaves you, do you say we had some great times and even though it is over, I am going to put a picture of them over the mantle? Losing any respect I have had with the big outlets.
Lyle, you are great, keep it going.
I kinda like Ferraro and Mike Smith as analysts and a few reporters in Canadian markets but how come all the rest seem to be tabloid type reporters and the analysts are all goalies McLennan Healy Weeks Millen (a strange breed to say the least) and guys who have repeated head trauma like ONeill Ward Kypreoss Cherry? Maybe the lack of variety has something to do with it…Which I guess is why I like this site, its just a gathering of articles and info for the most part from all over and good commentary that doesnt usually seem to have any real bias for the most part or ulterior motives. Read the articles from all overthe place in one spot and decide for your self… and argue amongst ourselves.
Schticky, you have no heart, no grit and no hockey IQ….sorry, was channeling the Toronto star there. this is why I like this site as well, 99% of the people who comment are respectful and just arguing their point. And it’s a great place to keep up with the whole league, being in southern Ontario all the press is Leafs, while I am a leafs fan it’s good to see news from around the league.
Right on Shticky.
I get annoyed with the tabloid stuff, it is as though the media has to make a story out of everything and lead the discussion, instead of just presenting the facts and background and letting the fans figure it out.
If a gm gets fired, they want to play matchmaker. When Linden was hired as pres hockey in Van, they wanted him to hire Quinn as a consultant, made a nice story, they just didn’t investigate further to find out he had health issues.
Hey Guys! Total agreement in your assessment of this site. I don’t always post, but reading everyone’s posts is an enjoyable part of my daily routine. Those who don’t see this site in the same light as us should have a gander at what passes for insightful followers on the Star or Sun postings sections on their sites. Just a lot of bullying, name calling and overt threats in my opinion. Perhaps we owe a special tip of the hat to Lyle for his diligence in keeping this site respectable.
Thanks for the kind words, and thanks to everyone for making this worthwhile!
Your right about that in regards to the bizarre media in Vancouver. M twin brother lives in Vancouver and we talk of this at length. It is astonishing how they ran a goalie out of town. It began by Luongo taking the team to game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Having a shut out in the series. (he might of had two I can’t remember) The team scored 7 or 8 goals in total that 7 game series and they decided to drum Luongo out of town.
Was one amazing train wreck to watch that, Luongo affair. But that is way in the past now.
Way in the past? By the reception Lu received last night, it never happened. 😆
It was that idiot Gillis that told Lou they were going to go with Schnieder as #1 then couldn’t pull a trade, then that other idiot Torts started Lack instead of Lou in the outdoor classic. These are the two major incidents that soured hm on Vancouver. He had a good relationship with the fans and the media.
Lots of idiots running the show. Didn’t Gillis at one point say he wouldn’t ask those with NTC’s to waive? In the off season, when Schnieder was traded, didn’t FA go to Florida to tell Lu he was #1? It appeared Torts was going off the reservation by starting Lack for the winter classic… Still not sure who hired Torts. Maybe Lu could have handled it better too. Gong meet show.