poor leafs

[kosydar 0]

Caught Alfie with his head down. One of the biggest open ice hits I've seen this year, but it was clean. Alfie had a few more shifts, but left the game. He also has the Leafs only goal so far.

I flipped over from RDS at the end of the Habs period...just as the scuffle was being broken up after the hit. I like Bell. I bet he comes out of all his injury problems and his turmoil to come this summer and has a great season next year.

I really like Bell. He plays the type of game that I really enjoy watching, and a type of game that the Leafs need. He was never given a real good chance this year. He played only 3 or 4 games on the top line, and then was regulated to 4th line duty. In the past couple of games hes been on the first/second line, and has put up around a point a game. Hopefully next year is better for him.

[kosydar 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H16SViiCd_8

[Trudy14 0]

Good clean hit by Bell. How did Alfie hurt his knee though? And what happend to Bell that made him sport the full cage? I don't follow the Leaf's.

[mrusse01 0]

Good clean hit by Bell. How did Alfie hurt his knee though? And what happend to Bell that made him sport the full cage? I don't follow the Leaf's.

I think it was Malone on Pittsburgh, broke Bell's orbital bone in a fight earlier in the year. Bell missed like 35 games.

I don't really know what to make of Bell, I kind of like his style, but for the first 33 games he played this year he had 2 goals. I don't care where you play, he needs to score more than that. I also like the fact that he throws the body around, but he got dusted several times this year in fights culminating in a vicious injury that cost him nearly half the season. By any measure he is wildly overpaid at 2.5 million, but with all that being said I think he is a far from the biggest problem on the team, so I suspect to see him back next season. I just get the feeling he's one of those guys who you always think is going to be better than he is, and it just never turns out.

As for the hit, I thought it was awesome. Nice to see that little weasel finally get his clocked cleaned. It shows the class of the Senator franchise to hear them roundly suggest that it was a knee on that play...you've got to be fucking kidding me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7e5kjOMzIc&NR=1

Look at the 14 second mark of that video...does that show Heatley kicking Tucker?

[QandA 0]

I odn't get how it's his knee, he skated off fine. Usually when your out for 'weeks' you'd think it'd be a bit more painful, and a struggle to skate?

[kosydar 0]

Good call on Heatley. I loved how once he was in the penalty box he would talk to Tucker, but as soon as they were out he shied away. My lip-reading may not be great but I even thought I caught a "fight me"coming from his mouth in the box. Its funny seeing Heatley get into it with Tucker and come away looking like the classless one.

And I love reading that Fisher is bitching about the hit being dirty because Bell is wearing a birdcage. I'm sorry but if you had a choice to either play with a cage on after being hurt for two months or not play at all, what would you do? Not to mention Fisher wears a visor to begin with so we all know his answer. Because he wears a cage should he not be able to hit anyone?

[mack 44]

Suck it, Ottawa. Even if they're not outing the Sens themselves in the playoffs they can screw it up for them.

[QandA 0]

Bell's never worn a visor, obviously he's wearing a cage cause he has to. Fischer has nothing on him, he wears a visor. I guess I just reitterated Kosy's words. Alfredson mgith wanna learn how to throw pucks at the other teams captain from the press box now.

Edit: And that "thing" covering Heatley's face, is almost at the same level as a cage.

[mrusse01 0]

Fisher is a real class act. Chirping an injured guy for wearing a cage.

You know Bell is the kind of player who would never throw a hit like that without the added security of a cage.

[mack 44]

Heatley chirping anyone and trying to be tough is hilarious. Like what could he possibly do to him? He could offer Tucker a ride, but no one's going to be dumb enough to accept that.

[hyprlte 0]

i like how the sens complain about how dirty the bell hit was...Can they say Chris Neil???

[RadioGaGa 162]

i like how the sens complain about how dirty the bell hit was...Can they say Chris Neil???

That's the exact point TSN just made.

[Eazy_b97 1]

There's a few issues from last night. One of the clip, which isn't clear, seems to show Heatley kicking Tucker

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=237026&lid...s=topStory_main

Maurice is fired.

[ktang 34]

I guess that the timing for this announcement isn't too bad, with the longer break between the conference semis and the conference finals.

Would a defensive-oriented transition style, à la Devils trap, work in Toronto? or would the fans and owners complain too much, e.g. Vancouver?

[Law Goalie 147]

Apparently, and I'm going on apocrypha here, the entire coaching staff is gone: Maurice, the assistants, the goalie coach... everybody except the equipment guys. Presumably, they needed someone left over to actually clean house after they clear the house.

edit: Given that they were on record as saying that Maurice would be decided by the incoming GM, it seems likely that they're now looking at a guy who wants both the GM and coaching jobs - and looking closely enough to send Maurice walking before announcing the new guy.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Apparently, and I'm going on apocrypha here, the entire coaching staff is gone: Maurice, the assistants, the goalie coach... everybody except the equipment guys. Presumably, they needed someone left over to actually clean house after they clear the house.

From the article:

Assistant coach Randy Ladouceur has also been let go.

Don't know about anyone else.

My boss jsut told me that he heard they are close to announcing a new GM as well...possibly today?!?!?!

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Barry Melrose to the rescue!!!!

What about Pat Burns. If he has a good showing as an assistant with Canada, would he be in the running. Didn't he win the Adams 3 times?

[mack 44]

I love him simply for the fact he choked Mathieu Schneider.

[mrusse01 0]

If they don't announce a GM within the next couple days, who has been already involved in this decision to can Maurice, then I really have no idea why they'd do this now.

[Law Goalie 147]

I could see Acton hanging around, maybe, and they'd be utterly stupid to let McKichan go (he's Mitch Korn's protege, for god's sake), but I think in the end they're looking to make a point by clear-cutting.

[mrusse01 0]

Who's making this decision though? It's mind boggling.

I guess it is kind of a courtesty to Maurice to let him go now opposed from two or three months down the road, but if you're thinking along those lines, why not just fire him right after the season was over? Did it really take them this long to 'evaluate' the situation?

What a complete clusterfuck of an organization, I really don't know why any player in their right mind would want to play here now.

Looks like Acton and McKichan are sticking around at least.

[habsfan87 0]

Wow I know they had terrible success under his regime but I truly thought he was a great coach, especially in that market. Very interesting news, I can't see him being job-less very long. Sorry if this is a stupid question but why if Nonis got fired by the Canucks, why must they ask permission to speak to him? Is it a contract thing? None the less at least they're talking to someone

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Wow I know they had terrible success under his regime but I truly thought he was a great coach, especially in that market. Very interesting news, I can't see him being job-less very long. Sorry if this is a stupid question but why if Nonis got fired by the Canucks, why must they ask permission to speak to him? Is it a contract thing? None the less at least they're talking to someone

The term the media uses is "fired". I believe the actual term the teams use is "relieved of his duties as Coach/GM/medicine man" therefore still obliging himself to the organization until the expiration of the contract. I know when the caps "fired" hanlon he was reassaigned to the scouting staff, and had to ask for (and received) permission to be an assistant coach with belarus for the world championships.

Say the Flames or another division rival wanted to hire nonis, the nucks could legally block that, as he is still on their payroll. However, if he gets offered the Florida job, they will likely let him go, as it's out of conference and off the books.

They would likely let him go wherever, but they still hold his contract

[habsfan87 0]

I figured it was something like that, thanks for clearing that up