Bluebud Laces ‘Em Up On The Twitter

Took some time away from the rinks, but I’m still chronicling my beloved blue and white. Posts are easier and faster on the Twitter, so find me there at: www.twitter.com/jbluebud. (Or, check the sidebar to the right.) Go Leafs Go!

Deep Blue, See?

Back after an extended holiday vacation. (Best Christmas presents: a new Stiga table hockey set in the standard Leafs vs. Detroit configuration, an extra set of Leafs players in their home blues and a bottle of white Testors clear-coat enamel. A quick coat of paint on the extra mini-Buds and the Bluebud household has been intra-squad scrimmage city since Boxing Day morning).

Here’s what I want to know following the undefeated start to the new calendar year: is there a deeper team in the NHL than the Buds? Consider who’s been missing during the Leafs’ recent burst into Eastern Conference playoff position:

Darcy Tucker, who remains tied for the league lead in power-play goals (13) even though he’s missed 6 games;

Kyle Wellwood, whose 31 points in 35 games would have him on the inside track for the Calder Trophy if he were a rookie;

Evgeni Malkin had honored his contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and Slovenia had a decent pro league to keep Anze Kopitar out of the NHL;

Michael Peca, who routinely has been one of the Leafs’ top 3-4 centres, and last but not least

Alexei Ponikarovsky, the team’s top Ukrainian-born player.

With holes this big in the side of the boat, it wouldn’t shock even the most ardent Leafs fan to see the vessel taking on water. Instead, The Good Ship BlueBud is steaming toward a pier in Playoff Harbour. (As this is typed, the Leafs are in eighth place in the East. Think the conference-leading Buffalo Sabres—who have already lost two games in 2007—are grateful the playoffs don’t start tomorrow?)

A Little (Much-Needed) Holiday Cheer

It’s been a tough week for the Leafs; here’s hoping the Christmas respite did them some good (or at least stemmed the injury tide!). Meantime, here’s a little diddy to cheer up the faithful, courtesy of YouTube:

AlexanderSteen.com

The following was submitted via NHL.com’s feedback page earlier today:

December 22, 2006

To Whom It May Concern:

Seasons’ Greetings! I am writing on the subject of the league’s very innovative NHL Player Sites network promotional feature that is included at the top of every official NHL team and league Web site. I have followed closely the expansion of the network from its well-deserving original member, the oft-overlooked Sidney Crosby, to the current venerable lineup of Ed Belfour, Raffi Torres, and Kevin Weekes.

While the choices made thus far deserve nothing but accolades, I would like to submit a site as consideration for the next addition to the NHL Player Sites network:

http://www.alexandersteen.com/

Following are several reasons why I believe Alexander Steen and his AlexanderSteen.com Web site would be a stellar addition to the NHL Player Sites network:

Alexander is a young, fast-rising star-in-the-making with arguably the league’s most recognized and respected organization, the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs (13 if you count the two won by the Arenas and St. Pats).

In his two seasons on the club, Alexander has quickly established himself as one of the two best Swedish forwards on the team.

Alexander’s versatility epitomizes the type of values that the NHL embraces. For example, last year, he scored 18 goals and was a regular offensive force. This season, he has embraced a defense-first role with dogged determination, as evidenced by his recent run of 27 straight games without scoring a single goal.

Along with father Thomas, he is part of the first Swedish father-son team to score goals in the NHL.

The site loads very, very quickly.

Alexander and his site have broad appeal to the vibrant NHL fan base in Canada. Not only does Steen play for the country’s most celebrated and beloved franchise (the 11-/13- time Stanley Cup Champion Toronto Maple Leafs), but his site also comes in a Canadian version, available at http://www.alexandersteen.ca.

In closing, thank you in advance for giving careful consideration to my request to have Alexander Steen’s AlexanderSteen.com added to the NHL Player Sites network.

Sincerely,

Johnny Bluebud
Proprietor
http://bluebud.wordpress.com

P.S. — If you ever expand the network to include retired players, I urge you to consider the very informative and content-rich www.tiedomi.com.

P.P.S — I also see you have an Affiliate Sites network. I believe www.hockeyfights.com would be a strong addition there.

Greatest Ever To Wear Sweater #42

This is the first in a series of Leafs Lists compiled exclusively for BlueBud readers and global hockey fans around the world. This particular edition may generate a bit of controversy, as the holder of the #1 slot has skated just 117 games in a Leafs sweater at this writing. However, ol’ Johnny Bluebud isn’t afraid to go out on a limb–after all, what better way to get close to them there “Leafs”, right? Without further ado, then, here is the BlueBud’s official ranking of:

The Greatest Leafs Ever To Wear Sweater #42

3. David Cooper
2. Kevyn Adams
1. Kyle Wellwood

This #42 is #1.

Let’s Make A Deal!

In central Alberta, everybody hates Joffrey and the Oilers need a veteran defenseman.

In. T.O., two co-future Norris Trophy winners (Tomas Kaberle and Bryan McCabe), and two rising future superstar backliners in the making (Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo) mean that the Buds probably could afford to part with a certain veteran blueliner. Meantime, up front, the right side is populated with more left wings and centres than natural right wingers.

Allow Johnny Bluebud to toss out a kill-two-birds-with-one-puck solution. That’s right, we’re talking a good old-fashioned, man-for-man swap: one J. Lupul for one H. Gill.

What the Oilers give up in age and potential, they more than get back in…size!

Silver Lining A-Plenty

Okay, so last night’s tilt vs. Florida wasn’t exactly a perfect 60 minutes of hockey from the Toronto perspective. From the mug-is-half-full side of the bar, however, the positives are as easy to spot as empty seats at a Blackhawks home game. A sampling:

The Leafs, who had every reason to pack it in after being down 6-1 after two, checked their guts and took the third period, 2-1, out-shooting the Panthers 18-10 in the process.

Jean-Sebastien Aubin boosted his season save percentage .001, to .883, with nine saves on 10 shots in the final frame.

Carlo Colaiacovo potted his second goal in four games since making his season debut, putting him on a 25-goal pace for the year. (For perspective’s sake, 2005-06 Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom had a mere 16 goals.)

Just a thought: Considering Colaiacovo’s Orr-esque pace and continued excellence of Messrs. Kaberle and McCabe, it’s conceivable that this season, for the first time ever, the NHL will have to award the Norris Trophy in thirds.

Wellwood, Steen Seek Streaks

Leafs sophomores Kyle Wellwood and Alexander Steen hit the ice tonight vs. Florida looking to extend a couple of streaks.

Wellwood is on a four-game points run (3g, 5a). With a point against the Panthers, he would tie his career-best streak of five straight games in the scoring column, set Oct. 8-14.

Meanwhile, Steen will look to continue his run of consecutive games without a goal, which currently stands at one. Steen, clearly taking his 2006-07 role as a bottom-six, penalty-killing forward to heart a year after potting 18 goals as a rookie, had a career-best 27 game goal-less streak snapped last Friday vs. Carolina.

Let’s see, Mahovlich-Lindros-Gartner…

Still time to chime in on ESPN’s “Top Line of All Time” voting, where you assemble trios from a pool of 50 forwards and submit them as “your top line of all-time.” Thankfully, the “experts” (ESPN’s word) that assembled the pool saved Leafs fans some headaches. No need to agonize over Darryl Sittler vs. Teeder Kennedy vs. Syl Apps at centre–they’re not among those offered up by The Worldwide Leader. (Thankfully, though, a formidable 1-2 punch of Doug Gilmour and Eric Lindros are there to satisfiy T.O. fans’ needs down the middle.)

Penguins fans have no such luck–ESPN is forcing them to choose between Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby on a top line.

And woe the poor fans of Le Grand Club. Habs backers must weigh a list that includes both Richard boys, Jean Beliveau, Howie Morenz, Dickie Moore, Guy LaFleur, Boom-Boom Geoffrion, Yvon Cournoyer, and even Bob Gainey. At least they don’t have to fret finding a slot for Guillaume Latendresse….

Eyeing Sittler’s 916

Mats Sundin garnered much coverage as he skated by Dave Keon on the Leafs’ all-time scoring list this week with a three-point night at Carolina Friday. (He also got career goal no. 508 in that game, surpassing Montreal centre Jean Beliveau on the all-time list and officially putting an end to that debate once and for all.)

Not to be out-done, Sundin’s linemate Kyle Wellwood continued his torrid pace. In Saturday’s 9-2 pasting of the Rangers, Wellwood potted a trio and added two helpers for a career-high five points, giving him an ice-melting 8 points (3g, 5a) in his last four games. That surge has pulled him to within 840 points of Darryl Sittler’s all-time Leafs mark of 916 career points. If he maintains his 2006-07 pace of .91 points per game and avoids major injuries, Wellwood would surpass Sittler sometime in the second half of the 2016-17 campaign.