By all the news currently circulating, you can tell we’re about to have four of Toronto’s professional sports teams competing at the same time.  And yes, in some cases this means quite literally.  For example, if the Marlies are still playing at 7:30pm on January 26th, they will be in action simultaneously with the Maple Leafs, Raptors and Rock.

I suppose I should be happy about this except it now means I’m going to have to work harder than normal, something which I’m sure my old school teachers will confirm is a bit of an issue for me.

Anyway, what a weekend it’s been: The Rock started their campaign for a record-breaking seventh NLL Championship with a two-game sweep in Alberta, training camp finally opened for the Maple Leafs and the Raptors won on Friday against the Charlotte Bobcats but then gave up a 20-point lead (the fifth biggest in franchise history) en route to losing yesterday versus the Milwaukee Bucks.

And to complete a hectic few days: the Marlies got caught in a fierce snowstorm in St Johns on Friday before splitting two games with the Ice Caps while Toronto FC attended the MLS Combine in Florida minus their new manager, who is still playing in England.

Right, lets get to the mailbag:

Q. Will all this lockout shenanigans out of the way, just answer me one question: How are the Maple Leafs going to do this season?

Danielle – Brampton

Q. What are your realistic expectations for the Leafs this season? Happier with a playoff spot and first round exit or a top three draft pick?

Andrew - Toronto

A. I thought it best to kill two birds with one stone here and answer the questions together. Until the team is set, I don’t know how analytical I can be about this. Oh, who am I kidding?  When you grow up with the nickname ‘Part-time Taylor’ it’s fair to say in-depth analysis isn’t exactly your forte.

Even if we assume the roster will likely be similar to last season, which team are you going to get?  The one that was in a playoff position 53 games into the campaign? *  Or the one that suddenly started freefalling so dramatically that Tom Petty asked for royalties?

* If you pro-rata the Leafs 62 points at that point over the rest of the season, they would have finished with 96, good enough for seventh in the conference.  This is what I like to call the ‘if my Auntie had balls she’d be my Uncle’ argument.

If we take into account the answer may even be somewhere in the middle, then you’re likely going to have to put up with annoying people telling you the Leafs are ‘the only team not to make the playoffs since the last two lockouts’ for the foreseeable future.

I want to believe the success the Marlies have had during these last two seasons can offer some encouragement, but being a good player in the AHL doesn’t necessarily translate to success at the NHL level.  It’s one hell of a step up.

Also, there are so many questions that need a positive answer to increase the Leafs chances of a successful season:

Will Phil Kessel’s partnership with Joffrey Lupul continue to blossom? Will James Reimer recover the form he showed before his injury early last season? Will Tim Connolly have an injury-free campaign? Will Nazem Kadri be given a sustained run in the team to finally prove himself?  When will Jake Gardiner return from his concussion?  Will fans start realising Dion Phaneuf is still a good player even though he’ll never live up to his contract?

And so on.

To be honest, I’ve been against the Roberto Luongo signing all along, wanting the team to just play out the season and try and get a decent draft pick.  (According to The Hockey News, my friend and the guy who sits at the bar in my local, there’s some pretty darn good prospects in this year’s draft.)  However, after reading back over the previous few paragraphs, I think I’m changing my position.

I don’t want to come across as desperate or anything, but at this point I’m dying to see the Leafs make the playoffs, even if they do only qualify in eighth spot and get their ass kicked. (Trademark Brian Burke 2012)  After all, did you know they’re the only team not to make the playoffs since the last two lockouts?

Part two to come later.

Photo credit: @TeronMatton_1

• By paul.taylor
• January 14, 2013
• Comment

Despite Brian Burke’s final press conference on Saturday, it still isn’t entirely clear why MLSE fired him…………(thinking)…………..Okay, fine, I think we all know the reasons behind it.  I guess more to the point, why was he fired now, so close to the start of the season?

It’s believed Burke’s refusal to consider trading for Roberto Luongo was the final straw.  He felt the price was too high and in all honesty, I can appreciate this assessment.

If rumours are to believed, one scenario involved Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and a second round draft pick going to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Luongo, which is way too steep.  Especially for a 33-year old goaltender with ten years left on his contract.

In any event, we’ve managed to get hold of some of the documentation Burke used in his presentation to the board, to show why they shouldn’t acquire Luongo.

First, here’s one of a number of pictures Burke displayed, to prove Luongo has problems with his hand-eye coordination:

Second, Burke attempted to pass off the following photo as a close-up shot of Luongo, to help emphasis his advancing age:

And finally, I believe this was the shot that ultimately cost Burke his job when he offered it as evidence of how one-sided any such trade would be, with the bear representing the Canucks and Louongo symbolising the MLSE board:

Photo credits: @RobertoLuongo_1, @meyers_eric & @NotBobbyLu

• By paul.taylor
• January 14, 2013
• Comment

It looks like Phil Kessel is facing a lot of pressure to prove himself heading into this season and I don’t mean because Brian Burke, the guy who brought him in, has just been fired.

No, the pressure in question comes from a member of his own family.  Everyone knows siblings can be competitive at the best of times, but Phil’s sister, Amanda, is setting one heck of a challenge.

Not only is she more attractive (admittedly not much of a stretch) but she’s also currently on a tear for the Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s ice hockey team.

After being voted WCHA Rookie of the Year in her fresh(wo)man season, Amanda led the team with 80 points last season and finished fourth nationally in points per game.

However, this season Ms. Kessel has taken her game to another level altogether.  I think this tweet from Chris Peters, editor of unitedstatesofhockey.com, is pretty self-explanatory:

Amanda Kessel (Phil’s sister) scored 4 goals tonight and now has 60 points (29-31) in 20 GP for Minnesota’s 21-0 women’s hockey team. Woah.

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) January 12, 2013

To be fair, Phil had a pretty darn good campaign himself last year, finishing with 82 points.  However, with a shortened 48-game season to contend with, he might have to finish with at least 82 points again to avoid his sister having sole bragging rights in the Kessel household.

Photo credits: @PhilKesselFan81  & http://icehockey.wikia.com

• By paul.taylor
• January 13, 2013
• Comment

We now present probably the best video clip you’re likely to see today that doesn’t involve some form of an attractive woman:

The only thing that surprises me is that I stumbled upon the above clip via the official Maple Leafs Twitter feed.  As part of the MLSE media empire, aren’t they meant to be a bit more professional than this?  Aren’t big corporations supposed to act with a little more class?*

It’s like a board of directors deciding to fire their GM and President just before the most important part of the year, seemingly oblivious to all the negative publicity they’ll receive………………

* And before anyone says anything, Blue Toro isn’t exactly a big media business. Yet.  (Hey, we’ve got to remain positive here!)  As such, there’s no onus on us whatsoever to act more professionally and with even an ounce of class.

• By paul.taylor
• January 13, 2013
• Comment

In amongst all the commotion surrounding the decision of MLSE to fire Brian Burke, one extremely important question remains unanswered: What will happen to Burkie’s Dog House?

Unfortunately, I think I found out the answer, proving once more that time stands still for no man:

I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly going to miss eating Burkie’s Poutine and Bacon-wrapped dogs.  I’m not sure how I’m going to cope……………(thinking)………………Actually, I know it’s a bit of a radical concept, but maybe I could just carry on buying poutine dogs from the same eating establishment!

Who know’s, I might even be able to save myself a bit of money if they’re no longer branded as ‘Burkie’s Dogs’?  (Yeah right, who am I kidding!)

Photo credits: @AlanClough & @YYZ_RAPS_FAN

• By paul.taylor
• January 11, 2013
• Comment

Well, after a one-week hiatus to recover from the festive holidays, we’re glad to announce the return of Blue Toro’s top pictures and stories of the week.  And what a week it’s been.

We most probably have enough storyline to put together two editions, but let’s not get too carried away.  It is Friday after all.  No prizes for guessing where we’re going to start though…..

1) Still reeling from the shock of Brian Burke’s firing, the Toronto public and media have to deal with another unexpected announcement as MLSE President and COO Tom Anselmi introduces the Maple Leafs new President and GM:

2) Meanwhile, Brian Burke responds accordingly as the full realisation of what just happened begins to dawns on him:

3) And as the commotion surrounding the decisions to sack Paul Mariner and fire Brian Burke continue to reverberate, MLSE set their sights on the next target:

4) Actually, speaking of Mariner’s sacking, MLSE announced that his replacement would be Ryan Nelsen.  However, it turns out the New Zealander is still under contract with EPL club QPR and he may well miss the MLS combine, Superdraft and start of the season.

Fortunately, Nelsen is already experimenting with some ideas to help him keep in contact with Toronto FC during his absence:

5) As Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III recovers from surgery to repair the LCL and ACL in his right knee, rumours abound that he might have actually sustained his original injury away from the football field:

6) The NFL season may be over for RG III and the Redskins, but the Falcons are still in contention to win their first Super Bowl.  Tight end Tony Gonzalez gives quarterback Matt Ryan some helpful advice ahead of this weekends divisional playoff game against the Seahawks:

7) For the first time since 1996, Major League Baseball will have no inductees entering into the Hall of Fame.  This comes as no surprise when word leaks out about the identity of one the new voters:

8 ) The Blue Jays are currently embarking on their third annual Winter Tour.  Here’s Jose Bautista, Aaron Loup and Brett Cecil speaking to the media:

Cecil, in particular, doesn’t look too enthused about the whole situation. To be fair though, he has just remembered he’s in Winnipeg.

9) Just days after Carmelo Anthony’s confrontation with Kevin Garnett, the Knicks swingman concedes that there might have been some truth in what was said after all:

10) And finally, it’s fair to say the Raptors have enjoyed quite a relaxing week in comparison to other sports franchises in the Toronto market.  Mind you, it helps if you have an apartment in a high-rise condo, complete with an outdoor swimming pool and a stunning view:

Obviously, we’re not recommending you attempt to imitate Amir Johnson.  No matter how mild this winter’s been, it’s still pretty cold out there.  Enjoy your weekend.

• By paul.taylor
• January 11, 2013
• Comment

Never a Dull Moment: Brian Burke didn’t achieve success in Toronto but he left his mark with some memorable sound bites.

• By ed
• January 10, 2013
• Comment

Without doubt, the last 19 hours since the Maple Leafs officially announced their decision to fire Brian Burke has been a whirlwind.  It’s reasons like this why I love writing about the Toronto sports scene.

In fact incidents such as what happened yesterday have reinforced how grateful I am that Blue Toro gave me the opportunity to share my views in a public forum.  As such, I feel compelled to give my two-cents worth on the Burke dismissal, including the part Blue Toro played in the original rumours that started back in June.

First, let me state for the record I don’t believe MLSE should have fired Brian Burke at this time.  I personally respect the man’s integrity, actually enjoy how curt he can be with people and love the work he does in the community.  For me, he deserved one last opportunity to make the postseason.

When Blue Toro first broke the news that Burke’s firing was imminent, I had not yet started writing for them.  However, like many others, I was drawn towards the story.

It was fascinating to witness the frenzy that surrounded the original article, as it eventually took on a life of its own.  It got to the point where various members of the Toronto sports media, including Bob McKenzie and Pierre Lebrun, felt compelled to publicly play down the rumours that Burke would be fired.

What intrigued me most was how much hatred (rightly or wrongly) Blue Toro received from the general public, which also reinforced how much passion there is for the Leafs in this city.

However, regardless of this, I was still shocked by the venom directed at Blue Toro.  While anyone is quite entitled to question the decision to make the story public in the first place (various details regarding Burke had actually been circulating throughout the hockey and media world several weeks in advance), the fact remains that rumours like this get published by the media (sport and otherwise) all the time, some true, some not.

In fact, what was ironic was that as members of the media came forward to shoot down the credibility of Blue Toro’s original story, they actually highlighted the issue more.  For example, Steve Simmons made more reference to Burke’s marital problems than Blue Toro’s article ever did.

Furthermore, whereas at the time Simmons slammed the rumours as ‘ludicrous’, his latest column, published yesterday, makes for interesting reading.  Amongst other things, he now admits that one of his sources told him in June that Burke would not manage another game for the Leafs.

Regardless of the debate over how much of what Blue Toro reported was correct, or how truthful other members of the media were being, what cannot be disputed seven months later is that Brian Burke is now out of a job and something about it doesn’t quite add up.

For example, Pierre Lebrun reported yesterday that he had spoken to a member of the MLSE board, who stated categorically that the Roberto Luongo situation had nothing to do with Burke’s firing.  And yet, other reports (rumours dare I say?) indicate that when Burke decided the asking price was too steep for Luongo, this was the final straw for MLSE.  Certainly, Burke’s decision to not go for Luongo would not, on it’s own, be enough to result in his firing.

If MLSE are to be believed when they say the Luongo situation had nothing to do with Burke’s departure, then why fire him now?  Does this mean the decision to let him go had been in the works for some time?  Did Burke’s conduct grate on the board over a period time behind the scenes, whether it be his strong, stubborn personality, or the rumours surrounding his private life or even just his use of profanities?

Also, if MLSE do not believe Burke is up to the job anymore, then why not also get rid of the rest of the front office? To a man, pretty much all of them were hand picked by Burke himself.  If you no longer have confidence in Burke, then how can you be comfortable going forward with what is basically his staff?

Without doubt, the timing of the firing is stunning. There are so many questions to be asked: Why now, four days before training camp is about to open and with the season starting just one week later?  Was it decided that nothing would be done until after the ownership change took place over the summer?  Did the NHL lockout delay MLSE announcing their decision for some reason?

Overall, the silence from MLSE is deafening, with the exception of Chief Operating Officer Tom Anselmi.  However, answers are needed from the board.  In a matter of days, Maple Leaf fans have gone from looking forward to the new season, to being angry and confused.

For what it’s worth, while people may question my motives, everything I have written in this article is my own objective viewpoint, regardless of whether I represent Blue Toro or not.  And in that respect, I leave MLSE with this piece of advice: Just come out and be honest about why you fired Burke.  Goodness knows, the last thing you need is anyone spreading any more rumours.

Photo credit: @KarushPetwear

• By paul.taylor
• January 10, 2013
• Comment

In order to improve the Maple Leafs and eventually take them to the level of “Cup Contenders” the new general manager Dave Nonis needs to address some urgent needs in the near future.

Here is what should be on the ‘To Do List’ of the Maple Leafs new GM.

No.1. Goaltender:

First of all, the Leafs need a no.1 goaltender. James Reimer is not a reliable goalie who can win over a long period of time. In the NHL, the success of a team usually relies a lot on having a dominant goaltender.

The issue could be resolved in a couple of days, as the Leafs are reportedly the front runners in the Roberto Luongo sweepstakes. If the Leafs can’t land him, they will need to fix the problem in a hurry, because they will never win constantly with Reimer.

As our own T.O. Insider reported earlier this week, the Leafs are apparently not interested in L.A. Kings backup Jonathan Bernier. Hopefully it was just Brian Burke who was against the idea of acquiring him, because I believe he would be a perfect fit for Toronto. He is young and has vast potential. Without a doubt, he will be a solid starter in the NHL before long.

First line centre:

Dave Nonis also needs to acquire a centre to play alongside Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. Grabovski is an excellent second line pivot, but cannot lead a team. In order to become a respected team, the Leafs need to get stronger at the centre position. A few options will be available at the end of the present season as many top centres will become free agents.

The Leafs will most likely not contend for the Stanley Cup this year, so I suggest Nonis stays patient in this regard. We have enough draft picks and prospects, so why not try and get a big forward in the free agents season?

Previous Stanley Cup winners:

Finally, the Leafs need to get two or three players who have won the Stanley Cup in the past, and know what is needed to get there.

A bit like the L.A. Kings did with veteran Rob Scuderi, who won the Stanley Cup previously with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and played a very important role along the way.  Another good example from the Kings is Dustin Penner.  He has a reputation of being lazy, but in the playoffs Penner was one of the most consistent players and played his heart out day in day out.

I know it is easier said than done, but in essence, this is what the Leafs need to do to improve and compete with the best over the next two or three seasons.

• By Manny Frag
• January 9, 2013
• Comment

Seems like Bob McKenzie was wrong last June about the Brian Burke firing rumours. That’s rare. Also, ESPN Pierre Lebrun spoke with COO and president Tom Anselmi and he notes that Roberto Luongo did not play any factor in Burke’s firing. “There’s more to it than that”, says one NHL team executive. “It was a decision of the board”.

Anyway, let’s move on from Brian Burke. Former Canuck Dave Nonis is the new GM and just as Joffrey Lupul tweeted “This changes absolutely nothing for our players. We are focused- ready to go for day 1 of camp and that will not change.”

• By T.O.I.N.S.D.R.
• January 9, 2013
• Comment