Bryan McCabe

Qucik Hits:

-Salary is $7,150,000 (highest on the Team)
-Drafted with NY Islanders' 2nd round choice, 40th overall, in 1993
-Was aquired by Leafs from Chicago in exchange for Alexander Karpovtsev and Toronto's fourth round choice in 2001 Entry Draft (Vladimir Gusev) October 2, 2000.
-6'2 220lbs
-Born in St. Catharines, ON, Canada on 08 Jun '75
-Has been named to the 2003-04 NHL Second All-Star Team, the 1994-95 Memorial Cup All-Star Team, the 1994-95 WHL East First All-Star Team,the 1993-94 WHL West First All-Star Team, and the 1992-93 WHL West Second All-Star Team
-29-Jun-06 Re-signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs to a five-year contract.
-Is a Alternate Captain

STATS
GP G A PTS +/- PPG PPA SHG SHA GWG GTG PIM SH PCT
27 4 8 12 -4 3 6 0 0 1 0 35 51 7.8


Bryan McCabe has been one of the most feared offensive Defencemen in the league over the past couple of years. He is near the top of the chart over the past couple years for most points by a defenceman. He has a blistering slapshot which 99% of the time comes from a pass by Tomas Kaberle. Him and Kaberle have been one of the most deadly power play combos at the blue line and have connected one timers a few dozen times since the lockout.McCabe is an extremly aggresive player in the defensive and can log enormous amount of minutes when needed to and is one of the best power play defenseman in the league.He still needs to work on his defensive game and needs to stop taking bad penalties.

TSN Career potential: Top four Defenseman
Sportsnet Career potential: Top Four Defenseman

Justin Pogge

Quick Hits:

-Drafted With Toronto's 3rd round choice, 90th overall, in 2004
-6'3 183lbs
-Born in Ft. Mcmurray, AL, Canada on 22 Apr '86
-In 05-06 he won with the Calgary Hitmen 2005-06 the CHL Goaltender of the Year (Canadian Major Junior), the WHLs Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (MVP), WHLs Top Goaltender Trophy and was named to WHL East First All-Star Team.

STATS
GP W L T Min GA SA SO GAA Sv%
- - - - - - - - 0 .000

Pogge is considered to be the future Franchise netminder for the leafs and gave us a glimpse of his talent against the Edmonton Oilers in the preseason. The leafs have invested alot in Justin by trading another top tier prospect goalie in Tuuka Rask in exchange for Andrew Raycroft. He is well known for leading Canda Junoirs to Gold with a 6-0 record and a stunning 1.00 GAA. I truly have alot of faith in Pogge and will have a breakout year with the Marlies. I could see him being one of the top 5 goalies in the league down the road and leading this team in net for a long time.

Next Player:Going to the D Bryan McCabe

New Authour

Well if you havent noticed we have two people writing in this blog now. Argos123 and I will be writing about the leafs all year whether its a last place finish for the leafs or a stanley cup.

Roster Players:

Next: Bryan McCabe

Next Captain

Well as of right now, the capn of the maple leafs is Mats Sundin. I dont have a grudge against Mats but i think another guy on the team desereves the captaincy say like Tucker,McCabe,or maybe even Blake. Dont get all mad saying Mccaber doesn't desereve. He has heart and will do pretty much anything to win. He is constantly at the top of the team for points in a year finishing third last year and is not afraid to hit. I dont think I have to say why Tucker deserves to be captian. He may not be an allstar but he consistently puts up over 60 pts a year and this year I figure he'll have a career year. Tucker also is not afraid to hit, and I dont want any leaf bashers saying hes a whiner and stuff like that. Well have to wait until the end of the year to see who gets the captaincy IF Sundin leaves. Who do you guys think will be the next captain once Sundin leaves the leafs??

Pogger

This is my first blog so don't get all mad. First off I think Pogge should have gotten atleast one more start to try and prove himself. To me he played a hell of a game the first game, and shouldve had atleast one more chance. Should Pogge had been sent down or given a chance to make the big squad this year. Lets here your thoughts

Scott Clemmensen

Quick Hits:

-Salary is $450,000
-Drafted with New Jersey's 8th round choice, 215th overall, in 1997
-Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Toronto Maple Leafs to a one-year contract on July 6 2007
-6'3 205 lbs
-Born in Des Moines, IA, United States on 23 Jul '77
-Played for Boston College and was on Final Four All-Tournament and won Team Goaltending Leader Award (lowest goals-against)and was named to the All-Rookie Team

STATS
GP W L T Min GA SA SO GAA Sv%
- - - - - - - - 0 .000


Scott Clemmensen was being cheered by leaf fans 3 months before he even signed with them, why you ask, he was in net for the Devils and with a Devils win we go to the playoffs, well it didnt happen and the Devils get kicked out by our rival the Sens. Three months later Scott Clemmensen is a leaf. He will bring his experince of being a backup to Brodeur to the Leafs and Marlies and will probablly be mentor to Pogge. Clemmensen was probablly one of the best backups to come out of NJ in a while not saying his great but was better then the likes of JF Damphousse. Clemmensen is a great team player and is such big guy he lets the puck come to him, he needs to work more on his movement in the net and has to be more consistent will probablly be sent down to the Marlies this year or might sit in the press box as 3rd string goalie whatever JFJ and Maurice have in mind for him. It will be interesting to see how contributes to the team maybe like the Aubin of 05-06 even though Raycroft and Toskala are better than Belfour and Telliqvist.

TSN Career potential: Number 2 Goalie
Sportsnet Career potential: Number 2 Goalie

Next Player:Justin Pogge

Vesa Toskala

Quick Hits:

-Salary is $1,375,000
-Drafted with San Jose's 4th round choice, 90th overall, in 1995
-Was Aquired From the Sharks with Mark Bell for the Leafs 1st Round Pick in 2007, a second round pick in 2007 and a fourth round pick in 2009.
-5'10 195 lbs
-Born in Tampere, Finland on 20 May '77
-04-Jul-07: Re-signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs to a two-year contract extension.

STATS
GP W L GAA PCT SO EN GA SHA Starts
11 5 5 3.50 0.893 0 1 36 337 11


Toskala has had a medicore to horrible preseason but of course its just preseason and could emerge to his task and take this team by the reins and be a number 1 goalie. Him and Raycroft will platoon between Starting until one of them emerges as the number 1 goalie. I have high hopes for Toskala and so do the fans. If he plays poorly the fans and the media will defintly send him the message. The only thing that might change his game is that he went from a small market team to what i call the centre of the hockey media universe. He has played alot of international hockey but is not that big and has a hard time covering most of the net he has also made his fair share of spectular saves. He also has to be more consistent.

TSN Career potential: Number 1 Goalie
Sportsnet Career potential: Number 1 Goalie

Next Player: Scott Clemmensen

Andrew Raycroft

Quick Hits:
-Salary is $1,800,000
-Drafted with Boston's 5th round choice, 135th overall, in 1998
-Was Acquired from Boston in exchange for Tuukka Rask June 24, 2006.
-6'0 185 lbs
- Born in Belleville, ON, Canada on 04 May '80
-Former OHL Goaltender of the year and NHL Calder Trophy winner
-04-Jul-06: Signed a Contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs to a three-year contract.

STATS
GP W L GAA PCT SO EN GA SHA Starts
5 1 1 3.67 0.886 0 1 18 158 4




Raycroft in my eyes played way too many games last year and will probablly play alot less games this year. Raycroft has played alot better then Toskala in preseason but then again its preseason. Raycroft has good potential to be a number 1 consistent goalie. Raycroft never gets rattled after giving up a goal and has great attitude. But he is easily beat up stairs and gives up the odd soft goal.


TSN Career potential: Numer 1 Goalie
Sportsnet Career potential: Number 1 Goalie

Aftermath Leafs vs. Sabres 2-7

Well this wasnt an ideal game from the leafs but......Right off the get go they started taking penaltys and fell down 2-0 after one. It continued into the 2nd when they scored two goals in the first 1:12 but the tide seemed to change a little when the leafs came within two with two shorthanded goals coming from the hands of Kubina and Kilger. But the leafs couldnt keep the momentum when Derek Roy scored three staright goals (1 in the second and 2 in the 3rd). All in all it was a very poor performance from the leafs. Vesa was still shaky in net and needs to give a good performance against the Red Wings. I wish Tlusty would have had a better performance playing with Antropov and Sundin but that wasnt the case.

Next Game: Friday Air Canada Centre vs. Detroit Red Wings

Leafs Roster

I will be writing a blog about each player on the leafs roster from Antropov to Wozniewski even some players in the AHL like Robbie Earl and Justin Pogge enjoy!

First player: Andrew Raycroft

Who Should Fill Wellwoods Spot?

Hey this is my Blog on the Toronto Maple Leafs. I will write about anything about the Leafs either rumours, or lineup changes or pregame and post game comments and anything to do with the Leafs enjoy.