TRON IV: FutureLeafs Attack!

Not sure what that title is supposed to mean... but let's talk about the Maple Leafs again.

Show of hands: Who likes what they see so far from the Leafs? Ah, just what I expected. Everyone's hand is in the air... wait... you in the back, why isn't your hand up? What the hell is your goddamn damage buddy? You got a problem or something? You wipe that shit-eating grin off your face, or so help me god I'll wipe it off for you!! Who are you? You aren't supposed to be in here!! Guards! Seize him!

Very well, let us move on...

The main difference I see between last season and this season is that the Leafs are competitive in every game. They have had a chance to win each and every game so far this season, and if not for their continuing hapless shootout efforts, they could conceivably be 5-1. And that first game against Ottawa was much closer than the 4-1 score might indicate. If not for Martin Gerber's first period heroics that game could have been 3-0 Leafs after 10 minutes of play. In any case, the Leafs are currently sitting at 3-1-2, with wins over the Sens and the Flames. And holy mackerel, did you see that game against Calgary? Wild. Sundin, as I have said before and will say again, is a GOD. There can be no doubting his deification now. His shorthanded, OT, hat-trick goal, the 500th of his career, was nothing short of magic. How do you score against Kipprusoff from there? How? Well, when you are a God, with all the usual powers that accompany Godhood, you just do. But I digress...
As I was saying, the Leafs appear to be better prepared for each game they play, something that was not evident last season. Granted the season is early, and there are a bunch of young guys who still need to prove themselves over the long grind of a full season, but if you are competitive in every game, you have a chance to win every night, you are on the right track. Raycroft has been excellent so far. He's looked calm and composed, has made some terrific saves at key times, and seems to be more like the goalie who captured the Calder Trophy 3 years ago. This is good news. Furthermore, Kyle Wellwood is somehow tied for 5th in league scoring with 8 points. More good news. Sundin has continued where he left off at the end of last season, and is on pace for nearly 300 shots on goal, something he has done only once in his career. Darcy Tucker has finally found a comfortable spot on the wing and is scoring goals instead of bitching to the refs. OK, he still bitches to the refs, but not so much. I briefly met Tucker in a Subway restaurant once, just before the lockout season, at Bayview and Davisville... he's a pretty small dude in person, but good christ I wouldn't pick a fight with that guy for anything. I think he might have secret crazy powers, like maybe eye-lasers, similar to legendary Superman foe General Zod.

Anyways, so far so good in '06. Paul Maurice has them competing every single night, and that means they have a chance to win every single night. Now, we all know they won't win every single night, and the New Jersey game clearly showed that the team will still have lapses and still has some holes, but at least they play hard every, single, night.

If you have finished dealing with my previous posts, you may now deal with this.