So the parodies of the NHL's playoff commercials (which are pretty awesome) keep coming. Along with the "What if Fraser wasn't blind" as seen below, we have a new entry

And Dennis Wideman gives me slight hope that I could still make the NHL as a shootout specialist

The Future of Everything Blue and White

So I can't lie, I was one of the people who got excited at the beginning of the year. I was one of those individuals yelling "LEAFS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!" after a great preseason.

Oh how times have changed....

We can stand here and point the finger in a million different ways, whether it be Vesa Toskala, Jason Blake or any other of the million things that went wrong for the Leafs, but let's just move on past that. Then came, January 31st, and the two deals that Brian Burke pulled off had much of the hockey world asking "Wait, they're actually going to agree with that?" Both deals were absolute shenanigans, with Anaheim and Calgary giving away key parts of their team for a bucket of pucks and maybe a few Mcdonalds coupons in return. 

The Leafs very quickly found themselves with a possible future captain in Dion Phaneuf, a penalty kill specialist in Fredrik Sjostrom, a Conn Smythe winning goalie in J.S. Giguere, and a blue chip prospect in Keith Aulie (Did we mention he is 6'6'). So where does this leave the Leafs now?

Well for any fans who are just getting used to the players on their team (David Aird), get ready for a massive mix up. The Bozak, Kessel, Kulemin line will stay in tact, but you know Brian Burke will be doing work this summer. With no real draft picks and a free agent pool that the Leafs will not be dipping into, the trade looks like the only option Burke has. But who is available? Well here are a few rumours running around lately.

#1- Patrick Sharp or Kris Versteeg. Everyone knows that Chicago has MAJOR cap issues, and will be looking to offload this offseason. Sharp and his $3.5 million cap hit seems like the most likely candidate, but I wouldn't mind Versteeg either. Speculation even had a deal for Sharp coming to Toronto back in December, but nothing came of it. The only problem with that deal is that Toronto only has defensemen to offer in a deal, and Chicago is pretty heavy on those already. Unless we are going to offer another first round pick.....

#2- Restricted Free Agents- Two names really stick out in this category that would fit into Brian Burke's philosophy: Bobby Ryan and Milan Lucic. Apparently Ryan is much more available than Lucic, as he isn't happy in Anaheim and wants to step out of the shadow of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, and Anaheim only has 2 defensemen under contract next year. The Leafs happen to have lots of extra defenders (coincidence?)

#3- Tomas Kaberle- He could end up pretty much anywhere near draft time. Rumour has him going to Washington for Tomas Fleischmann, prospect Karl Alzner, and a draft pick. I think we can do better than that.

The bottom line is that the Leafs will be again much different going into next year, the who is going to be very interesting to follow. As for the rest of the NHL, their offseason will be very influenced by their playoffs or finish to the season. Only 2 things seem to be obvious..

#1- Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak will be traded from Montreal. Where you might ask? Philadelphia is pretty much a given, cause they haven't had a true #1 goalie since.....1997?

#2- Ilya Kovalchuk- Won't be going to Calgary as everyone seems to think he will be. Why? People actually watch hockey in Calgary. Kovalchuk apparently hates the media pressure of a hockey crazy market, so expect him to go to a franchise struggling for money and looking for a boost to their franchise. (What's up Florida, Tampa Bay, and Dallas?)

Kerry Fraser...

Paying tribute to the worst referee of all time, Mr. Kerry Fraser.

Also to my fellow Leaf Fans, let's be honest here, we wouldn't have beaten Montreal in the finals. Roy was too good that year.

Rick Nash... enough said

Here goes nothing....

So here we go, what is a hockey obsession has turned into a blog and a little bit of extra info for those that want it. My nickname of Pierre McGuire can just grow a little bit for those that know me. If I can get some more people contributing, this might extend to a few more sports. 

So what is up with hockey right now? Besides my beloved Leafs just playing out the string with a few signs of life for next year, not very much interesting is going on. In one of the most boring playoff races I've seen in years, all 16 teams seem to be set for the upcoming playoffs. The only teams that seemed to be making a push have completely choked (way to be Calgary, if the Phaneuf trade wasn't a white flag to this season, I don't know what is) and let's be honest, Atlanta in the playoffs sounds like the punch line of a really bad joke. Just a few things to watch out for going into the playoffs.

#1- How easily Washington wins the east. This is going to be a cake walk

#2- How the former powerhouses in the West pull together come playoff time (Get your act together Chicago/San Jose)

#3- The Phoenix Coyotes. Are they for real? (I don't think so)

#4- The Detroit Red Wings. Been to the last 2 cup finals, if they get the goaltending from Jimmy Howard, look out!

#5- The Vancouver Canucks. All Canadian olympic fans know how good Luongo can be, now can he carry a team that has quietly been VERY good

One other thing to note, I saw on yahoo that Bill Daly, Deputy Commissioner of the NHL (Idiot #2) has stated that a deal has been reached in principle with a Toronto based investor Dave Thompson to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move them back to Winnipeg if a deal is not reached to keep the team in Glendale. Let's GO JETS!!!!

Going to leave you with a wicked little video of the Sedin twins. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvzvWGTz0kk

Talk the (very busy) future of the Leafs and the Playoffs soon