Toronto Maple Leafs

So I thought I would touch upon the Maple Leafs situation since they still are one of my favourite teams no matter how bad they've been. I am really unsure where to start here as this team has been analyzed to death by the local media. I guess I'll begin with a general overview of what I think about the operation and the state of their talent pool.

As everyone knows the team is owned by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, which is run by the Ontario teacher's Pension Plan. Also, as everyone knows this is part of the problem as it's believed that a sports teamed owned by an organization only has profits in their agenda and not owning a winning team. Everyone knows this, everyone believes this and in my personal opinion it's the truth.

That's not to say the organization wants a losing team. That's not to say they've purposely put out bad teams year after year which is absurd. Therein lies the problem of this team. They just keep shooting themselves in the foot every year and mistakes are compounded with worse mistakes and what you end up with is one of the worse teams in the league.

It's frustrating as a Leafs fan. It really is. But it's a sports team, I'm a sports fan and that's part of the fun. It's supporting a team even though they reek. This team isn't hopeless. They've got some assets in Phil Kessel, Nazem Kadri, Tomas Kaberle and... well to be honest, that's about it. The team is still handcuffed by no-trade clauses and Kaberle is one of them. Good thing, bad thing? Probably good since the Leafs would probably trade him away for a bag of magic beans.

To make things more depressing, Burkey traded away the first round picks for the Leafs for the next two years in order to attain Kessel. Didn't think it was a good deal when they made the trade. Still don't. Just wait till Boston makes those picks... that's really turning the knife after they've stuck in into leaf fan's guts. Kessel is a good player despite a history of being a jackass in the locker room. He's done the Leaf's a lot of good since he's returned. Problem is, people seem to think that he's a franchise type player like Crosby or Ovechkin. If you think this, check your temperature cause you're sick, delusional or both. Two first round picks get you the chance of getting a Crosby or Ovechkin type player. It may not. You might end up with nothing but having the chance to is very important especially for a franchise in the dumps.

I don't need to show you examples of this but lets just do it for fun since the Leaf's brass have pissed away their picks and justified it by saying they can do better with Kessel then with 2 first round picks(2 first rounders from a crappy team mind you, meaning probably top 5).

1. Sidney Crosby: Team Captain, Stanley Cup Champion, Scoring Champion, NHL MVP

1. Alex Ovechkin: Team Captain, team has been elevated to top team status, Scoring Champ, NHL MVP

1. Patrick Kane: High powered scorer, big part of group that brought the Hawks back to respectability. Calder Trophy winner

1. Marc Andre Fleury Stanley Cup Champion

2. Eric Staal: Team Captain, Stanley Cup Champion, All star game MVP

2. Evegeni Malkin: Stanley Cup Champion, Scoring Champion, Playoff MVP

Even having a chance at this type of player makes a huge difference. Just from the hope it brings to the fans. It changes their mindset and gives them hope for the future.

They do have a bit of hope though and despite all these hurdles I see the Leafs being a good team in the next three years.

Reason for optimism:

Kessel
Kardri
Hanson
Bozak
Stalberg
Blacker
DiDimenico