What a joke...Mccabe is so much better than Markov

The leafs are a superpower in the East this year.

actually i meant this year...Leafs will be fighting for the top of the conference..while the habs and carolina struggle for 10th

Here is the official Toronto Maple Leafs 2007-2008 preview...Provided solely and exlusively by the person you all love to hate on here the wonderful and talented Serge..Owner of the AHL Mustangs and the FCHL YAHOO Mustangs...Serge also is the self proclaimed prop betting Champion of North America...On to the Preview.
Here is where I see the projected lineup to look like come preseason and where I think the scoring lines will end up...

Line 1....Alexei Ponikarovsky [b]Mats Sundin Nik Antropov

Line 2... Darcy Tucker Kyle Wellwood Jason Blake

Line 3. Mark Bell Matt Stajan Alexander Steen

Line 4. Bates Battaglia John Pohl Chad Kilger

Extra Forwards
Tony Salmelainen
Kris Newbury
Jeremy Williams
Boyd Devereaux
Defenceman

Tomas Kaberle
Bryan Mccabe
Pavel Kubina
Ian White
Carlo Colaiacovo
Hal Gill

Fighting for a spot
Wade Belak
Andy Wozniewski
Anton Stralman
Staffan Kronwall
Jay Harrison

Goalies

Vesa Toskala
Andrew Raycroft

Scott Clemmensen
Justin Pogge
Thats the projected lineup....Now I will go into detail where I see every major player ending up
MATS SUNDIN .....Mats had another Sundin like year last year...Mr consistensy put 76 pts last year...Sundin will have another good year and if he stays healthy will put up better numbers with the deeper lineup. Maurice will shuffle the lines and look for Sundin to click with Blake sometime throughout the year.and definetely lots of PP time...Sundin will get 30 goals and 85 pts

JASON BLAKE......Of all the free agents that were signed on July 1st Blake had the most goals last year..Blake ended up finishing 10th in league scoring with 40 goals playing for a much less talented forward core in New York...The shoot first Blake(9th in shots in the NHL) seems to be a perfect fit for the pass first Kyle Wellwood...Maurice will no doubtly try these two and they have the potential to be a very dangerous duo...Gretzky Kurri, Hull Oates and now Wellwood and Blake...Lot of people have doubted Blake's one year wonder status...Look for Blake to prove everyone wrong..A great additon to this team....Blake will score 45 goals and 80 pts

KYLE WELLWOOD....Wellwood was having a great year until a groin injury pretty much ended his season...Most players usually blossom in their 3rd years and here is Wellwood's chance. Another thing to remember is Wellwood will be a restricted free agent next year and is looking for a big salary increase from the $950000 contract he currently has. Maurice has said he will increase Wellwood's ice time considerably and look for Wellwood to have a huge year playing his natural centre position. With a proven goal scorer in Blake and a gritty tough guy in Tucker this line should produce huge numbers...if he stays healthy look for 20 goals 55 assists from Wellwood.

DARCY TUCKER Darcy was on his way to another career year until a foot injury limited him to only 54 games...He still put up 24 goals and was a big part of the Leafs offense...Clicked last year on the PP with Wellwood and Sundin...Look for him to get a lot PP minutes with Blake and Sundin...If he can stay healthy another big year is likely from Darcy..Prediction 28 goals and 35 assists....

Alexei Ponikarovsky Pony as he is affectionately called by his mates and the media had a second straight 21 goal season playing mostly with Sundin and Antropov...at 6 4 6 4 and 6 6 this was one of the largest lines in the league and created tons of scoring chances down low leading to a solid year by Pony....A late bloomer the 27 year old is poised to repeat and improve on last year ..25 goals and 25 assists

Nik Antropov Antropov has frustrated Leaf fans for years with his potential and not much to show for it...However last year he did manage to put together a career best 18 goals..The thing with Antropov is he has averaged only 58 games over the last 3 years....The key here is to stay healthy and a 20 goal season is within reach....Prediction 20 goals 23 assists

Matt Stajan Another promising youngster on the roster ...In a limited role managed to put up 39 pts which was a career high. The 23 year old Stajan goes into restricted free agency and would like to put up some good numbers. Has shown a lot more defensive responsibility as of late and is a solid 3rd line player...Look for a 40 -50 pt season from Stajan

Alexander Steen The son of NHL regular Tomas Steen is also a RFA in 2008. Showed signs of brilliance in a 3 month stretch where he put up 26pts in 27 games. Could make a huge leap forward if he can show some more consistency...Unfortunately will be limited in ice time and will not get any PP time as he is low on the depth chart with the Leafs improving at the forward position...Look for a potential 20 goal season from Steen.

Mark Bell Bell has had the much documented off ice problems and looks to turn his life around in Toronto...Took back to back bad beats as first he was sentenced to 6 months in jail and then Gary Bettman suspended him for 15 games..Hopefully he will come back healthy and with a lot to prove and will fit in nicely with the blue and white offense...Look for 23 goals from Bell in a shortened season.

Bryan Mccabe Along with Tomas Kaberle, Mccabe gives the Leafs a one two punch on defence which a lot of teams in the NHL dont have. Mccabe followed up his career year two year ago to a very solid 15 goal 57 pt season...He lives off the PP and look for him to rack up even more pts as the Leafs forward core has improved. Needs to stop taking needless minor penalties and play a smarter defensive game....Look for Mccabe to put up 17 goals and 65 pts.

Tomas Kaberle Also put up solid numbers with 11 goals and 47 pts...One of the best puckhandlers in the league and responsible for a solid transition game the Leafs will employ. Great combo with Mccabe on the PP...Should put up similar numbers from last year...

Pavel Kubina Struggled to live up the $20 million 4 yr contract he was signed to...Does possess offensive skills as he had 17 goals two years ago...Wont put up huge numbers however look for him to improve from last years 7 g 21 pt output....
Some young players to watch on the blueline are Ian White , Carlo C and Steffan Kronwall....The leafs are very deep at this position and have several young guys that can step in like they did last yaer.
GOALTENDING

VESA TOSKALA The Leafs immensely improved the goaltending situation with the trade that brought Toskala to the ACC....With the opportunity to prove himself as a number one goalie and a solid backup to push him, he has found the right situation in Toronto.

Andrew Rayrcoft Look for Raycroft to be given every opportunity to claim the starter role. Maurice will go with the hot hand and its a good problem to have two solid goalies to rely on...
JFJ did a great job in the off season to make this team competitive again. Admittedly his previous mistakes handcuffed him slightly(Kubina's 5 million) however he rebounded right back with a solid trade and a great free agent signing in Blake. The LEafs are in position not only to get back to the playoffs after a 3 year absence , however should be able to challenge for the Eastern Conference which is pretty wide open....The Leafs who in recent years have been criticized for drafting poorly have a few solid prospects waiting in the wings. Justin Pogge is the future goalie and guys like Stralman,Tlusty,Williams are poised to step in and continue to carry on the Leafs powerful tradition. A lot still has to go right in 2008 for the Leafs to win the Cup, however they are in a position to challenge for it.

screw you..at least i make predictions and back them up..

moron

And we enjoy your predictions as buffoonish as they may be at times.

Just because Carolina has 3 pts more than the Leafs doesnt make them better..The Leafs are the superior talented team...That has had tough break after tough break...

Sundin to the Habs...no way, you don't have anything worth the trade

I love the 'self claimed prop betting champion of North America' line

can someone tally up serge's prop bets and find out what he's losing? he's lost 50 to me already and is on the hook for at least $140 more....

protest sent to moderators...I am awaiting resolution.

Yeah, I'm gonna let Bob and Gov deal with that one tomorrow.

I'm prolly biased.

He won't leave. LOL!!!!!

try me...I think you crossed the line..thread dedicated to personally attack is against rules of the forum..

We await the decision that was passec over by Mr Zacher...Bobby or Govy will decide the fate of the future.

I love the 'self claimed prop betting champion of North America' line

can someone tally up serge's prop bets and find out what he's losing? he's lost 50 to me already and is on the hook for at least $140 more....

This is, by far, the funniest thread I've read in a long time

I'm new so I dont know about the long time part but DEFINITELY is a funny thread.

well if this thread isnt locked up by 4pm eastern today...this will have been my last post ever on this forum

good luck to all of you and all the best.

That reminds me what ever happened to Montreal Est?

I, uh, took care of that little problem.

well if this thread isnt locked up by 4pm eastern today...this will have been my last post ever on this forum

good luck to all of you and all the best.

Damn. I will miss you serge! Go LEAFS!

Over/Under on time it takes him to return?

well if this thread isnt locked up by 4pm eastern today...this will have been my last post ever on this forum

good luck to all of you and all the best.

bump

the standings only matter after game number 82...Do you know that our lineup is going to get stronger starting tomorrow...

yes his name is Kyle and his name is Mark...

LOL

you are really pissing me off ....

Are you gonna leave again?

for 2 days

If you havent noticed the NHL and Gary Bettman and its employees would like to see the Leafs fail...

- salary cap...BAD for the Leafs
- penalties..night after night its apparent the refs have it in for the Leafs
- injuries...Bettman has a mole in the Leafs dressing room that causes the players to get injured, and if already injured the injury lasts longer.
- overall its just a conspiracy against the Leafs

we will persevere dont you worry....

I am really looking forward to the power play with Tucker,Mccabe and Wellwood....No more excuses now

FYI...I know you refuse to be a "serge" but you wont have the feeling of accomplishment I had tonight which is miniscule to the ultimate goal..

bump

They did nothing to improve the team..They made a trade that shocked everyone, HUET doesnt make sense.

Thats my whole argument..Most GMs traded their UFAs that they believed they wont keep, or extended them..Gainey did NOTHING....Its impossible for him to keep most of those players...They are in trouble.

Dale is the owner of the Canadian Gothic..Bad team that cant catch the Mustangs.

Here are the final standings for the 2008-09 AHL season.