Asking some tough but fair questions about the Maple Leafs

I’ve enjoyed a lot about the Leafs in their first five games of the season.  Mike Kostka, though being maligned somewhat lately, has been a ...

What would you like the Maple Leafs’ identity to be?

I wanted to thank two recent guests on the growing "Leaf Matters" podcast.  Both Curt Snoddon from Blue Chip Prospects and Rob D...

Getting your thoughts in capsule fashion as we kick off training camp—and at last, a new NHL and Maple Leaf season:

This will be brief.  I’ve been thinking the past couple of days about the past week in hockey.  We’ve gone from a prolonged, baffling, infu...

Leaf roster assessment and preview, part II: the forwards

Yesterday, we looked at the back end—goaltending and the projected (in my eyes) defense corps. Today, let’s try to determine where we may si...

The NHL returns; looking at the Maple Leaf roster—tweaks, predictions and player ratings Part I: Today, the back end

Let’s assume (smiley face inserted here) the NHL "tentative" agreement is formalized in the hours ahead.  A season sho...

Jake Gardiner, predicting an NHL season will emerge, so 15 key Maple Leaf-related questions heading into camp

The healthiest thing for an older Leaf fans like mysef, in light of the CBA mess, is not to try and analyze  it any more—not that I ever rea...

5 things the Leafs are missing and need to deal with to be truly competitive when the lockout ends

Mid-way through the 2011-’12 season, the Leafs seemed to be trending not too badly.  Weren’t they even briefly in first place in their Divis...

We need some hope, so let’s look at 15 positives about the Leafs going forward

It’s easy to fall into the trap (especially, I guess, as Leaf fans) to look at the cup as half empty.  I’ve posted a fair bit lately about t...