Welcome back, Mr. Matthews and yeah, that other guy

Austin Matthews came back in style, didn't he? Wow. He didn't look like he has lost a step. He was terrific last night setting John Tavares up on the powerplay. He was fully engaged throughout the game.  He was outstanding on the powerplay; his skating was right up with the best of the team.

Talking about the powerplay, they clicked three times. They were highly effective, especially on Tavares' first goal. Everyone on the ice touched the puck before John scored. The powerplay was playing on all cylinders with  tic-tac-toe passing. There is no defence against that.  If they continue with their play on the powerplay, they will never be out of the game.

Still, the defence is scary at times, allowing too many 2-on-1's. Toronto still has to tighten up in their own defensive zone. The forwards have to come into the zone and eliminate the cherry-picking. I am sorry, but winning begins in their own zone. It is fun to watch, but can they score five goals every game?  What happens when they run into a hot goalie?

How much do Marner and Matthews get? Can the Leafs afford them both?  Obviously, the Maple Leafs don't want to lose either one. That is why it is vital for the team to try to start the negotiation as fast as they can. Everyone knows that sooner or later they have to decide who stays and who goes.

Don't forget Reilly. He is working on a career year. He can't keep up the pace, can he?  I believe he will probably get the highest point total for a Toronto Maple Leaf defencemen.  Right now, he has to be in the Norris trophy conversation. And if he is, this is going to be another headache for the Maple Leafs.

The Leafs have the final say on Nylander's contract.  How much is the offer? This is pure guesswork, but I suspect it will be around $6.9 million for a five-year contract. The three-year bridge deal is probably a little over five mil. They are taking all offers from those who are interested in the speedy forward. This does not mean they are trading him, they are just exploring all of their options.

Randy

Review of Stirring Up Murder

Erin has always felt something was missing when it comes to her family. Now, out of the blue, she has found out she has a half-sister. Does Erin dare look for her?  Or does she decide that she is happy and her life is complete?  Her life is progressing, her business is growing, and she has a wonderful man in her life in Terry Piper.  Why should she make an effort to look for this half-sister?

But Erin has always wanted a family to call her own. Call it whatever you want, but Terry calls it crazy. Much to Terry's disapproval, Erin goes ahead with a search of her half-sister.

Meet Charley, soon to become the bane of Erin's life. Charley is involved with the wrong crowd and begins to bring Erin down with her. Charley finds herself on the wrong side of the law and in trouble with the one family you don't want to be on the wrong side of. The Dyson family owns the town and controls everything. No one else seems to care whether Charley is guilty or not. Anyone who wrongs the Dysons ends up with a lot of enemies.

Enter Erin, Charley's good luck charm, or maybe we should say sucker. Erin has every reason to walk away and I can't think of any reason not to.  When this stranger half-sister asks, Erin jumps in with both feet. But Erin's urge to be accepted might be her downfall. As the police gather more and more evidence, Erin digs a bigger and bigger hole for herself.  Vic, Terry, and Willy try to dig Erin out of the mess, but she's in pretty deep.

This entertaining mystery has more turns than you can keep up with. Who can Erin trust? Even her friends think she has joined the wrong team. Has Erin's desire to be loved and accepted gone too far?

A terrific whodunnit that will keep you on your toes trying to figure out the guilty party.  This book will draw you in with the mystery and keep you with its intrigue.

You can find Stirring Up Murder and more at P.D. Workman's website.

Randy

Leafs keep moving on

Apparently, the Leafs have to pick some up after their BAD game in Boston.  But there are some positives, so let's concentrate on those.

1. Nazem Kadri

Kadri has picked up his game and is beginning to put the puck in the net. Kadri is stepping it up because he has to. Like it or not, he is second line centre.  He must continue to be the pest; other than him, there is no muscle in the Leafs line-up.

2. John Tavares

John is the leader at this time and is beginning to show his worth as he has upped his game with Marner.  It couldn't have come at a better time. The Leafs need John to be the guy who delivers the mail. So far, John has been the mailman. Scoring his tenth just recently, he is averaging more than a point a game. John is also improving in the defensive zone. He might very well be the most complete player in his career.

3. Morgan Rielly

Morgan is the best defencemen on the Leafs. He has refined his offensive game. With his seven goals and fourteen assists, he is working on a career year.  He has figured out one key ingredient: knowing when to pinch in. He is a great asset to the Leafs. He and Gardener have really improved on getting the puck up to the forwards.

4. Nylander Update

Unfortunately, there is no update on Nylander and they are running out of time to get the team together. There is no shortage of teams interested: Stars, Canes, Flyers, and especially keep an eye on the Kings. The Leafs want a young number two dman, and that limits the number of teams they can deal with. That leads me to think the Canes lead the way.  I have been told that the Leafs really want Jaccob Slavin. He is an excellent young dman who can be there for a long time. The only other team who might have a dman who interests the Leafs is the Flyers, who have quite a list of young dmen to entice the Leafs.

5. Auston Matthews

Matthews was apparently on the ice in LA. He might be back in six weeks. The Leafs have hung in there. It is vital that they get the second seed so they host the first round. I have pretty much conceded the division to the Bolts. The Leafs have to make sure they get the number two spot so they have a chance to win the first round and earn the right to go to Tampa Bay.