Fantasy Hockey - Seed of Chucky

[Hot Mustard]

I'm moving up, boys! This week looks nice too - the top four teams face each other, giving me a chance to gain more ground.

[Flubber]

Leafs off to nearly identical start as last season, believe it or not

By Pierre LeBrun
The Canadian Press—Toronto

At first glance, it’s a somewhat startling revelation.

The much-improved Toronto Maple Leafs, with 26 points in 20 games thanks to an impressive 11-5-4 record, are only two points ahead of last year’s pace at the quarter pole.

‘‘Really?’’ defenceman Tomas Kaberle said when told of the numbers Friday.

Indeed, Pat Quinn’s Leafs last season got off to a similarly strong start at 11-7-2 through 20 games. It’s what happens next that will matter most.

‘‘We can’t have that losing streak like we had in January last year,’’ Leafs centre Matt Stajan said Friday after practice. ‘‘We can’t go in a funk like that. We have to keep winning hockey games. But it’s a different team here ...

‘‘I don’t see us going into a funk like we did last year,’’ he added. ‘‘I think if that happens we have the guys in here that can lead the charge and pull us out of any trouble we get into.’’

All indications point to this year’s version of the Leafs not falling apart this time around. The continued overhaul by GM John Ferguson has been a positive one, building a younger team with faster legs and more balance. Not to mention better defence and goaltending.

‘‘Our makeup is quite a bit different,’’ said veteran Leafs winger Darcy Tucker.

‘‘I think you look at a guy like Michael Peca (signed in the off-season) and his leadership for starters.

‘‘I just find that when we do not play as well as we wanted to, there’s a level of intensity that our team takes on that we didn’t have last year.’’

Case in point, Thursday night’s 2-1 overtime loss at Boston. The Leafs didn’t have their ‘A’ game but found a way to get a point in the standings — a key ingredient in succeeding in the parity-driven NHL.

That’s exactly what first-year head coach Paul Maurice is trying to build into this hockey club. The kind of basic elements that over the long haul of an 82-game season should help avoid the kind of mid-season disaster that struck down last year’s team, an 1-8-2 stretch from Jan. 10 to Feb. 3 .

That can’t happen again.

‘‘I don’t think there’s any guarantees that it won’t,’’ Maurice said in his usual honest style.

‘‘... (But) I like a lot of what we’re doing. I think the foundation is slowly beginning to be there.Every team is going to go through that (losing) stretch, how long that stretch goes usually in my mind depends on how solid your foundation is, your basic game. So when we walk into the dressing room after dropping three in a row we say: ‘We got to get back to this.’ To our game.

‘‘I think we’re building a foundation that will help us get through those times but there is never a guarantee.’’

Now I don't really believe the Leafs will tank like last year but it is interesting that this "great start" this year is so similar to their start last year. Meanwhile the Flames are on a 6 game tear after a slow start (Last year they did an 8 game win streak)

Are there any of the other teams for whom this season is looking like a rerun?

[Asher]

IIRC Edmonton had a strong start last season as well, then sucked it up with lots of awesome losing streaks.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
IIRC Edmonton had a strong start last season as well, then sucked it up with lots of awesome losing streaks.

C'mom Asher-- if you want to slam Edmonton you need to hit at this years edition-- Its really tough to do anything but laugh when you slam Edmonton's season last year when you consider their playoff run

[Flubber]

Oh and nice to see Vancouver win although considering the opposition was Chicago AND that Vancouver scored 2 goals or less for the 8th time in 9 games, I think there are still a fair number of concerns.

[Flubber]

I know I am looking forward to Calgary at Edmonton tomorrow night. It should be a great game. The Flames have won 6 in a row while the Oil have 3 games in a row.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Flubber
C'mom Asher-- if you want to slam Edmonton you need to hit at this years edition-- Its really tough to do anything but laugh when you slam Edmonton's season last year when you consider their playoff run

Their playoff team was fundamentally different than their regular season team, which is fundamentally different than their current team.

[joncha]

Originally posted by Flubber
Oh and nice to see Vancouver win although considering the opposition was Chicago AND that Vancouver scored 2 goals or less for the 8th time in 9 games, I think there are still a fair number of concerns.

Time to plan the parade route.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by joncha


Time to plan the parade route.

If you mean for the Lions OK--

[Asher]

Denis is the WORST GOALIE EVAR!!!!!

[mrboo123]

Originally posted by Asher
Denis is the WORST GOALIE EVAR!!!!!

Oh come on... he is better than me!

[Asher]

I doubt that.

[Asher]

Blatant non-call followed by potentially GWG Oiler goal.


Also, Playfair.

We were having two lines putting great pressure on. Playfair's answer? Hell, combine them! mix it up! minutes later...bam.

[Sparrowhawk]

The Battle of Alberta comes up with a victory for the good guys again!!





The fight between teh kids should get interesting tonight, too bad I have them both on ignore!

/me

[cinch]

Woo-hoo!

That felt good.