TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
They can always score. Mats Sundin, strangely unloved by Leaf fans, is a prototype number-one centerman. Alexander Mogilny has breath-taking skill. Owen Nolan managed 29 goals in a bad-back year. Gary Roberts is a hound dog. Antropov, Renberg, Domi, Tucker... the Maple Leaf look good on the wings, though defensive enthusiasm is often lacking.
The blue line is where it gets ugly. Brian McCabe, who could please no one last year, should continue to improve. After that, there’s Tomas Kaberle, Brian Marchment, a few futures and a handful of guys who wouldn’t make most teams.
But Toronto has never been big on defense anyway, always preferring to let the goaltender work for his money. Ed Belfour earned his last year, and probably should have claimed a share from his team mates, so often did he bail them out. He saw a ton of shots and put up one of his best seasons ever.
Update: September 10 - The Leafs add the slower but still gifted Joe Nieuwendyk. It's another aging addition to an aging team, but Nieuwendyk, Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov represent an improvement over last year at center.
September 27 - Toronto's defense is bolstered by the signing of Ken Klee. The eight-year veteran led Washington with a plus-22 rating last year while playing 23 minutes per game.
Trouble: Even with McCabe, who will miss the start of the season with a knee injury, the defense is no match for Philadelphia's or New Jersey's. Belfour turns 39 in April.
On the Spot: The Leafs need plenty of big goals from Mogilny. If he falters – as he occasionally has during his career – there’s big trouble on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The Forecast: Much depends on good health and new general manager John Ferguson, Jr. Pivotal players - Roberts, Nolan, Belfour - grow old and brittle. If injuries pile up, if Belfour slips, if half-assed backchecking continues, if young surprises do not emerge... disaster looms. But a little luck and a couple of sensible trades might land the Leafs near 100 points again.
The Call: Fifth or sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Who's In:
Defenseman Bryan Marchment (free agent from Colorado)
Who’s Out:
Defenseman Glen Wesley (free agent to Carolina)
Defenseman Robert Svehla (retired)
Defenseman Phil Housley (unsigned free agent)
Defenseman Jyrki Lumme (contract bought out)
Defenseman Anders Eriksson (contract bought out)
Right winger Paul Healey (free agent to New York Rangers)
Right winger Jonas Hoglund (unsigned free agent)
2002-03 Regular Season Numbers:
Payroll:
$54,329,200, 7th overall
(Hockey News, November 15/02. Bonuses not included.)
- Record: 44-28-7-3 for 98 points.
- At home: 24-13-4-0.
- On the road: 20-15-3-3.
- Finish: 9th overall, 4th in Eastern Conference, 2nd in Northeast Division.
- Goals for: 236 (2.88 per game), 8th overall.
- Goals against: 208 (2.54 per game), Tied for 10th overall.
- Goal differential: Plus-28, 9th overall.
- Power play: 17.5 percent, 11th overall.
- Penalty kill: 86.9 percent, 3rd overall.
Goaltending:
- Ed Belfour, 62-37-20-5, 2.26 GAA, .922 SV PCT, 7 SO.
- Trevor Kidd, 19-6-10-2, 3.10 GAA, .896 SV PCT, 0 SO.
- Mikael Tellqvist, 3-1-1-0, 2.79 GAA, .895 SV PCT, 0 SO.
Leaders:
- Scoring: Right winger Alexander Mogilny, 73-33-46-79.
- Power play points: Center Mats Sundin, 75-16-13-29.
- Game-winning goals: Alexander Mogilny, 9.
- Ice time: Defenseman Tomas Kaberle, 24:50 per game.
- Plus/minus: Tomas Kaberle, plus-20.
2002-03 Playoff Numbers:
- Round One: Lost to Philadelphia 4-3.
Goaltending:
- Ed Belfour, 7-3-4, 2.71 GAA, .915 SV PCT, 0 SO.
Leaders:
- Scoring: Right winger Alexander Mogilny, 6-5-2-7.
- Power play points: Defenseman Tomas Kaberle, 7-1-1-2
- Game-winning goals: Three tied with 1.
- Ice time: Tomas Kaberle, 30:03 per game.
- Plus/minus: Defenseman Jyrki Lumme, plus-4.
