Worrying signs

There have been some disturbing trends with the Maple Leafs lately. Do we blame the offence for the lack of scoring of late, or is the defence just weak?

I personally think it is a little of both. Or is it the system?  It sure seems like the Leafs go into this defensive shell and take their foot off the gas pedal.  They seem to be afraid of making mistakes with the lead.  When you play like you are trying not to lose, that is what happens — you lose.   The Leafs have to play like they are tied or behind all the time.

The lack of being able to put a team away is very puzzling. Think of about the offence the Leafs have on the roster. There's this Matthews guy, and then there is JVR, Nylander, and many more.  The tightness on the sticks has to loosen up. What do I mean? The Leafs have to go back to the basics.  Go to the net, shoot more, and most important, want it more than the other team.

If this game were based on talent, the Maple Leafs would one of the best teams in the league.  But it isn't. It is based on heart and hard work. The Golden Knights are the proven example of that. There is no other team that outworks the Knights.  The Leafs have to get back to hard work. Defense first and the offence will take care of itself. They have to work as a unit and not as individuals. Lately, the Leafs have had too many me's and not enough we on the roster.

I am looking at  Kadry and Bozak here. They have to become the leaders of this team. They have to start working. Take out the garbage.  There can be no passengers on this team. The Leafs have to realize that they can't win on their looks; it will take hard work. There are no easy wins in this league. The time for playing is now.

Andersen was right in speaking out on this team.  The Leafs have taken to many periods off, especially in the third.  It is time to stand up and start working as a unit. Boy, I'd give anything for some muscle right now.

Randy

Book Review Gluten-Free Murder

Erin is looking to clean the slate and starts over.  When she comes to Bald Eagle Falls to open a specialised bakery in her Aunt Clementine's old shop, is she in over her head?

Erin has to come to grips with a suspicious death in her bakery. The most ornery woman in town is the victim. There is no shortage of suspects, including herself. In fact, some would say she is the most significant prospect. Erin will learn what everyone already knows — that there are many secrets in this small Amercian town.

Full-time baker and part-time detective, Erin often butts heads with Officer Terry Piper. Erin's top priorities are to clear her name and find out the truth, and she is willing to do almost anything to get it done. She soon hires new assistant Vicky, and together they make Officer Piper's life more interesting! Not only does Terry have to find the killer, but he spends almost as much time telling Erin and Vicky to stay out of the investigation. Then there is the fact that just maybe the killer might be a little testy about getting caught.  You will not be able to put this book down, with all the twists and turns this murder mystery takes.

Trying to open a business is hard enough without trying to figure out who she can trust, including her assistant Vicky. Life in this small town is more than Erin bargained for; what has she gotten herself into?

A terrific cozy whodunnit you won't be able to put down.

Leafs Update

You have to be quite happy with the Leafs' play of late. There is still the worrisome play in the defensive zone. We still need that fourth or fifth dman that I have been barking about for the last little while.

The game in Colorado had some positives.  The Leafs never quit. Every time the Avs scored, the Leafs scored. The secondary scoring came through for the Leafs with Martin and Polak each getting a goal. So we got a dose on Pickard's debut in Colorado.  Pickard was not bad, and the Leafs might very well put him on showcase for the teams who are shopping for a backup goalie. Or in the Islanders situation, any goalie.

The Leafs showed heart in the contest. They still have a problem with defensive zone coverage. On the bright side, the Leafs are searching long and hard for another veteran defencemen. We do have Bozak, Marner, and JVR for bait, all of whom have been rumoured to be available. They continue to tell teams that Kadri is not.

The price of defencemen is going right now is JVR plus. At this moment, the Leafs are not willing to go that high. Yes, Marner is there, but the Leafs really want a quality dman in return. They would prefer JVR or Bozak as part of the package.  Overall, things are going quite well, but the Leafs have to keep an eye on the surging Bruins, they cannot let up.  Curtis McElhinney continues to be on the sidelines with an upper-body injury, so the Leafs will get a look at Pickard.