Maple Leafs: Time to Pay the Piper

The Leafs have some things to think about going into the off-season. The biggest being who they will add to the Defence. And who is going to be the second goalie? A lot of questions it will be interesting for sure.

Taylor Hall?

There was a lot of speculation about the Leafs kicking tires on Taylor. Taylor is a dynamic power forward; he would bring a lot of hustle into the Maple Leafs' lineup. He would make a great addition to any team, including the Leafs.

The Backup Goalie

With the departure of Freddy from the nets, the Maple Leafs will be looking for a replacement. They have a lot of options, as there are a lot of goalies who are going to test the market. The one that I would like to see the Maple Leafs get is Linus Ulmark. Linus was outstanding for the Sabres last year. Without him, the Sabres might not have won a game. 

The Defence

Dougie Hamilton tops the list for sure. I do not expect the Leafs to play in the Dougie sweepstakes. Hamilton has said that he does not want to play in Canada. Even if he did, there is the thing called a cap. If I were GM (thank goodness I am not), I would like to see the Leafs get Brandon Montour. Brandon would bring some added offence, but his defensive play would be coveted.

Last but not least, the Draft is coming; who will the Leafs pick? 

Second Round

57 Logan Mailloux - Defense

Steady defensive dman keeping opponents at bay.

Fifth Round

153 Oliver Suni - Right-Wing

Power forward with some scoring toughness.

Sixth Round

185 Justin Gill - Centre

Playmaking centre. 

A Bitter Pill

The New York Islanders played their hearts out last night in Tampa. The series was a war. The loss was a heartbreaking defeat, no other way of putting it. Being so close for the last two years is so frustrating for Islanders fans. But there is a lot to be proud of looking ahead.  

The Fourth Line

The fourth line might well be one of the best fourth lines in the League right now. There is no group of players with more heart than Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck. They never give up, no matter the score. Their model is kicking butt and taking names. They live and die Islanders hockey; they represent everything which is Isles fans. 

Defence 

The defence is the team's heart. Without the defenders, the Isles are not in the top four in the NHL. The heart and soul of the defence is Adam Pelech; he might very well be the best stay-home defenceman. He was a rock on what was the best defence in the NHL.  

There will be some tough decisions made by the Isles this off-season. One thing for sure is Sorokin, Pelech, and Beauvillier are staying. That is a no-brainer.

The problem is, will the Isles be able to keep Casy Cizikas? I hear all the Isles fans standing up and yelling yes. I love the guy, but there comes a time when reason has to kick in. Does he fit into the cap? We all would love for Casey to be an Islander forever, but hockey is a business, and it has to make financial sense for both sides. 

Draft picks

Players that I think the Isles could draft:

Round 3

Jayden Grubbe - Right Wing

Round 4

Cameron Berg - Centre

Round 5 

Nikita Parfenyuk - Defence

Round 6 

Daniil Sotishvili - Right Wing

Round 7

Jere Virolainen - Centre

Matthews, Take a Bow

Auston Matthews has scored 41 goals in 52 games. I worked out in my big head, and that comes out to a 65 goal season. I in no way used a calculator. That is my story and I am sticking to it. Clearly, one could make an argument for Mathews being the second-best player in the League.  Matthews is the first Maple Leaf to win the Rocket Richard Trophy.  

Matthews has one of the best snap shots in the League. Watching his one-timers is poetry in motion. His hockey IQ is off the charts. He knows how to get to the net and he knows what to do when he gets there. His strength is his wrist shot, which has been deadly all season. What makes his wrist shot is the quick release — he gives opposition goalies no time to react.  

I have heard the naysayers' arguments about his accomplishments. The North division is weaker, making Matthews' record not as good. But in the real world, both the Sens and the Canucks have more points than the Sabres and the Devils in the East division. They also have more points than the Kings, the Ducks, or the Sharks. The North Division had less scoring than the East division. Look at the goals-against. The North Division averaged 2.96 goals against, compared to the East division 2.99 goals against—making Matthews' record stand by itself. 

I stand by my argument that Matthews is one of the best players in the League. He is a highly skilled puck handler and a pure sniper. His numbers prove that. 

Randy

Farewell to the Nassau Coliseum

 

I often get emotional when I say goodbye to old arenas. The Nassau Coliseum is no different. Even though I have never been to the old arena, I still marvel at its mystique throughout the years.  I even remembered my nickname for the arena being The Stadium That Mike Bossy Built. That was my unique nickname for the Nassau Coliseum.  

Everyone has their memories of the Nassau Coliseum. I want to share mine, even if I didn't grow up to be an Isles fan. 

January 24, 1981

One of the best snipers of all time, Mike Bossy, scored 50 goals in 50 games. That feat itself is amazing. Mike was so consistent with one of the quickest releases on a wrist shot. But the thing I remember most was, of course, the dance.

May 24, 1980

Bobby Nystrom was sent in by John Tonelli to capture the Stanley Cup over the Islanders. First of all, Bobby Nystrom should have been known as Mr. Clutch. The guy knew how to score big-time goals. The shot was heard worldwide, a classic memory for the old barn. What a terrific setup by Tonelli—a perfect touch pass. 

May 17, 1983

My third memory was the Stanley Cup Finals when the Oilers reached the final against the Islanders. The Oilers were pretty much the talk of the town. The Isles outworked the Oilers in the series, taking advantage of Oilers youth, and completed the sweep on May 17, 1983, in front of the screaming lunatics at the barn. 

All I can say is here is to all the memories. Cheers.

Randy

Leafs Key Deals at Deadline

Another trade deadline has come and gone. Approaching the dealing, the Leafs needed a top-six forward and an insurance goalie. Their other priority was an extra defenseman for depth. And maybe an extra forward. How do I think they did? Here are my thoughts.

Reily Nash

Reily is a typical fourth-line banger who can bang with the best of them. A character guy who leads the team by example. You can never go wrong with having a Reily Nash on your team.  

Nick Foligno

Nick's best asset is his versatility. You can fit Nick anywhere in the lineup. He will fit in anywhere from the fourth line up to the first line. There is no task he won't do. And he will stick up for his teammates. He will have the Maple Leafs' backs. His greatest strength is protecting a lead; he is a beast in their end.

David Rittich

Nicknamed BSD (Big Save Dave), Rittich will give the Leafs every chance to win. A solid but spectacular goalie who gives you a chance to win everything. In Calgary, there is a lot of pressure to win. They can't afford to give up a bad goal. In Toronto, Rittich doesn't have to be perfect; his teammates will bail him out. All he has to do is be steady, which he has been for the Flames for years.

Ben Hutton 

Ben is essentially a fill-in dman. The Maple Leafs have been fortunate their back end has primarily healthy this season. The acquisition of Hutton will cover them if they are not. Ben is a stay-home dman who will fill in nicely as a number five or six when he is needed. Nothing flashy, but he does not have to be.

Islanders Options

Everyone knows that Lou is looking for a replacement for Lee. When you lose a player like Lee, the rest of the team has to pick it up a notch. The only weakness with this team is the offensive side of the game. However, Wahlstrom is taking over as the team's sniper. I have to admit; I am beginning to like this kid.

So who would you look at if you were the General Manager of the Islanders? Here are my thoughts if I were the General Manager. The Islanders have plenty of cap on LITR Boychuck and now Lee. So money is not an issue. I am not sure that I would bring anyone on the ice. If it is not broken, why fix it? For argument's sake, I will give you my top three picks.

Kyle Palmieri

Kyle is a dependable forward who can pitch in. He is a goal scorer with experience. He knows what it takes to win the game and he gets the job done. He is a pretty good stick handler and passer. He will fit right in with the Isles. 

Taylor Hall

Taylor has done more than struggle this year. He has been awful. The Isles will be relying on his best friend, Jordan Eberle, to bring him out of his slump. Combine that an urge to win the Stanley Cup, and Hall should be fine. Taylor has brought it in the past, including receiving an MVP award; he is capable of coming back. He is an outstanding power forward who would be a perfect fit with the Islanders. 

Connor Garland

The Isles may have to outbid the Leafs. Connor is a solid, no-nonsense hockey player. Nothing fancy. He gets the job done and moves on to the next task. He is a solid player with a great attitude. Connor is working on his career. He works hard and gets the garbage goals. Garland will be a solid player. 

Randy

What are the Islanders Doing Right?

The Islanders may very well be one of the best teams in the League. The orchestrator of this success is, of course, Barry Trotz. What makes Barry so efficient is that he is extraordinarily detail-oriented. A coach's job is to put a player in a position to succeed. Every player on this team has strengths and weaknesses. Barry leverages them to get the best out of every player.

What is so special about this team is every player believes what the coach is saying. No matter how minimal the task, it has to get done. The Islanders are one of the hardest-working teams in the NHL. The 'never say die' attitude starts with the leaders. As much as it pains me to say it, this begins with Anders Lee. I don't hate Anders Lee. I was not too fond of the term of the contract. Right now, though, he might be the unsung hero of the well-oiled machine we call the Islanders.  

If the puck is in the corner, Lee is in there like a bloodhound. If there is a problem in the dressing room, he is the first one to get it settled. He never lets his eyes off the prize, the Stanley Cup. If there is a definition in the NHL dictionary for 'garbage goal,' it has Anders Lee's photo beside it.

The progress of Noah Dobson is remarkable; he is not the same defence-men he was last year. He has such poise. He no longer panics in the defensive end. Yes, he deserves a lot of credit, but part of the praise for his composure belongs to Andy Greene. Andy Greene continues to mentor Dobson into being an outstanding all-around defenceman. 

Final Word

A devoted Islanders fan was recently praising the talent of Oliver Wahlstrom. I often hear his one-timers compared to Alex Ovechkins. I am not there yet, but I concede there is some truth to that. What should make Isles fans excited is that Wahlstrom is so expert at finding the right spot at the right time for his one-timers. His hockey IQ has quadrupled in this last year. He has learned to think ahead. Oliver and Pageau are beginning to get to know each other's moves and gel as a team. Wahlstrom has the tools to become an explosive forward as long as he listens to his coach.

Randy