Leaf fan
Growing up a Maple Leafs fan has been a bitter struggle. Growing up in a state of a Leaf-induced euphoria only to be twisted and torn in the grip of Harold Ballard's bitter maniacal fist. The childish whims of the owner crushed the hearts and hopes of millions of Leaf fans throughout the dark ages of the 1980's. The timely death of the tyrant at the end of the eighties promised of a return to the old glories of the fabled franchise. A new phoenix must rise from the ashes of the old. But it was a false dawn. The old series of turmoil and pain gave rise to a fresh set of painful circumstances.
It had all started brightly enough...a revamped team good enough to reach the semifinals in succesive years in the early nineties. Only to be denied by the Great One. An uncalled high stick that cut the Toronto tailsman Gilmour above the eye. The OT winner scored by the Great One himself when he should have been serving his penalty that went uncalled. It was all downhill from there.
The inspired signing of Curtis Joseph, the best goalie in the league, who won most of T.O's games singlehandedly, was followed by his shameful neglect as he was allowed to slip away uncontessted to free agency. The lack of respect shown to the classy veteran was nothing new to the franchise. Big mistakes were made when they dealt icons Gilmour and Wendel Clark away...only to be compounded further as they were brought back washed up and old.
The downward spiral continued as big names from the past were re-introduced to the Leaf franchise. Hated enemies Ken Dryden and John Ferguson Jr. were introduced to Leaf fans as saviours. Dryden of course the Hall of Fame goaltender and Ferguson being the son of the ex-Hab enforcer of the 60's. What kind of franchise invites their most hated rival's alumni to run their team? The answer of course is a franchise that is run by greed and corruption with no ties to the past. One that cares only about money and how to sponge as much as possible from their team. The most despised group in the history of the world. The Ontario Teacher's Union.
How the retirement fund from this evil heartless corporation became the most powerful figure in Toronto sports is anyone's guess. But it has, and it dictates the flow of funds thru and out the franchise, and it has no vested interest in a competitive team, just to make as much money as possible off of the Maple Leafs.
But lately it has begun to feel the sting of backlash of bad publicity from frustrated fans, and more importantly, the team's sponsors. Nothing pertrubes an evil empire like bad press as it often is followed by falling revenue. Something had to be done to switch public opinion to garner the Leafs favorable publicity again. Which explains how I enter the story.
I had been giving my nightly rant on the phone-in session of the local sports radio show. I explained to both listeners how much I hated Pat Quinn and his team selection policies. About how he always seemed ready to play under achieving tired veterans in favor of hardworking energetic kids. Just how many years was Nik Antropov going to be allowed to live off of his supposed 'potential'? I signed off with a lengthy diatribe about the evilness of the Montreal Canadians, finished my 23rd beer of the night and went to bed.
I was awoken the next morning at the ungodly hour of nine AM by the incessant ringing of the phone. Blearly eyed I groggily reached over to answer it,"What the _ do you want?"I barked. A small dose of civility crept into my voice as I realised it could very well by my employment counselour calling or my sobriety counselour or even worse, my girlfriend,"Honey?"
"This is a nameless, faceless, and therefore blameless, peon from the Ontario Teachers Federation calling, will you accept the charges?"asked the operator.
Why not I thought, Ma Bell was cutting off the phoneline for unpaid bills on wednesday anyway. This would give me a chance to personaly rip into a small portion of the evil empire."Gladly."
"Hello Mr.Blue Meanie, this is the aforeto mentioned person that you acquiesced to talk to in your previous statement."
"Hi nameless, faceless, blameless peon."I said.
"You can call me Mr.Peddie."
Gulp. The chairman of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I was starting to sober up.
"I caught your views on the radio last night,"he continued,"Very illuminating. I liked the direction your drunken rant was taking. And more importantly, it seems a large percentage of the drunken bums that support our evil empire...I mean, our loyal fanbase, did too."
"Wait a minute,"I said, as I slowly clued in to someone's idea of a pratical joke,"If this is Mr.Peddie, why are you calling me collect?"
"The federation doesn't allow the Maple Leaf offices outgoing phonelines or internet, it cuts down on expenses and increases productivity. and I'll be damned if I'm paying for this call on my personal cell phone bill."
darn! It was Mr.Peddie!
"The reason I'm calling is to offer you a job as general manager and powerless figurehead in charge of hockey operations here at Air Canada Centre."
"Why me? you're probably asking yourself. Well our research shows that you're a lazy drunk, which should fit well into the culture here. You have no wife or agent that will be asking for perks all the time. You have no life or outside interests outside of the Maple Leafs. When we pull out more funding from the team, you will be a handy scapegoat for the declining on-ice product."
"We're going to introduce you as hockey's equivalent to the recent trend in major league baseball. Nerds in management! Or in your case, drunken doughnut munching cheap seat sitting unemployable lout! You will be our Billy Beane or J.P. Riccardi. We have your book, Moneypuck, already written and poised to go onto the bookstore shelves as soon as your hiring is announced. We just have to slap your name on the cover. Of course, all proceeds go to the retirement fund of the teachers union, but you'll be famous! And we'll have another new source of revenue!"
"Alright,"I said,"I'll do it!"
"Good," he said,"We expect you to hitchhike here by Wednesday, and bring a sleeping bag, it gets cold on the streets of Toronto in September."
Here is my first long-winded go at a story-thread...
Forum rules
Data Editing Forum: Editing the game, databases or saved games. Home of the EHM Editor and the EHM Assistant.
Game Add-ons Forum: Database projects, graphics and sounds. Any discussion which does not relate to editing databases or saved games.
Game Knowledge Discussion: Attributes, coaching, drafting, scouting, tactics and training/practice.
Rosters Forum: Discussion relating to all database and roster projects for Eastside Hockey Manager.
Technical Support: Difficulties, crashes and errors when installing or running the game (and nothing else). Any issues relating to the TBL Rosters must be posted in the TBL Rosters forum. Questions about how to install add-ons must be posted in the Game Add-ons Forum.
General EHM Chat: Anything relating to Eastside Hockey Manager 2004 / 2005 / 2007 / 1 which does not fall within any of the other forums.
Please carry out a forum search before you start a new thread.
Data Editing Forum: Editing the game, databases or saved games. Home of the EHM Editor and the EHM Assistant.
Game Add-ons Forum: Database projects, graphics and sounds. Any discussion which does not relate to editing databases or saved games.
Game Knowledge Discussion: Attributes, coaching, drafting, scouting, tactics and training/practice.
Rosters Forum: Discussion relating to all database and roster projects for Eastside Hockey Manager.
Technical Support: Difficulties, crashes and errors when installing or running the game (and nothing else). Any issues relating to the TBL Rosters must be posted in the TBL Rosters forum. Questions about how to install add-ons must be posted in the Game Add-ons Forum.
General EHM Chat: Anything relating to Eastside Hockey Manager 2004 / 2005 / 2007 / 1 which does not fall within any of the other forums.
Please carry out a forum search before you start a new thread.
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
Part deux
Leafs fan
I was pulled from the bar on the Friday morning, drinking away the remnants of my welfare check. Five hundred bucks just isn't enough to last a whole month! Here it was the third of September, and I was just about destitute again. Oh well, time to break-in somewhere and grab a TV to sell.
"Blue Meanie! We've been searching every dive in Toronto for the past two days looking for you!"Mr. Peddie exclaimed as he grabbed my arm and dragged me from my barstool,"Come on, the press conference is starting!
As we entered the abandoned warehouse that someone in Leaf's management had found to hold the press conference in, I heard the disgruntled murmurings of the members of the press that had gathered to hear the latest news.
"Is that smell coming from him?"One whispered, frantically clutching his nose with one hand, and pointing my way with the other.
"I think so,"stammered another,"And look at the glazed over simpleness in his eyes, I think he's one of those mentally retarded adults that win trips from one of those grant-a-wish foundations."
"You mean we came all this way for another one of those feel good publicity stunts?"said yet another,"I'm going to rip into them tomorrow in my column for making me miss my round of golf for this!"
"Quiet down! Quiet down!"shouted Peddie."This'll be short and to the point."
"I'd like to introduce to you all, for the first time, the new GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Blue Meanie!"
That's all I heard, as the effects of my three day drinking binge, living on the streets of Toronto, took its toll on me, and I finally passed out.
I awoke two days later, lying on the floor of the equipment managers room as he stood there sharpening skates.
"Where am I?"I asked.
"Training camp,"he said,"Boy, were you ever out of it. You missed everything!"
"What do you mean?"I asked,"Oh..and fer fecks sake, get me some water...and scotch!"
"Ferguson Jr. quit!"the trainer rambled on,"I guess he didn't understand what Mr.Peddie and the teacher's union meant when they explained to him that you were a powerless figurehead and that he was till in charge. Too many shots to the head as a pro I guess..."
"That was his dad,"I said,"Not him."
"Hey, who's telling the story here, you or me?"he demanded.
"All right,"I sighed,"Go on."
"And Mr.Peddie and the federation boys haven't been around either, which is really unusual! There's talk of them organizing another teacher's strike. The mother of all teacher's strikes!"
"So Pat Quinn is running everything then?"I asked,"Not that I really care, just get me that drink."
"Man! You really are clueless! Quinny had a lobotomy years ago. You think a sane thinking man would have done all the things he's done in the past few years? He's even more of a puppet than you were!"
"Than I am,"I corrected absentmindedly,"Why haven't the players noticed that their coach is a brain dead zombie?"
"You are naive,"the skate sharpener continued,"Don't you know by now, that the pair of skates I'm currently holding has more brains than most pro hockey players do...combined?"
"So who's running the show?"I asked.
"You."he answered triumphantly, and ran off to get me my drink.
I carefully pulled my beard from the remaining chunks of puke embedded in the carpet and surveyed my new domain. I had arrived at last as the GM of the greatest team in the world, The Toronto Maple Leafs. Time to get drunk!
I was pulled from the bar on the Friday morning, drinking away the remnants of my welfare check. Five hundred bucks just isn't enough to last a whole month! Here it was the third of September, and I was just about destitute again. Oh well, time to break-in somewhere and grab a TV to sell.
"Blue Meanie! We've been searching every dive in Toronto for the past two days looking for you!"Mr. Peddie exclaimed as he grabbed my arm and dragged me from my barstool,"Come on, the press conference is starting!
As we entered the abandoned warehouse that someone in Leaf's management had found to hold the press conference in, I heard the disgruntled murmurings of the members of the press that had gathered to hear the latest news.
"Is that smell coming from him?"One whispered, frantically clutching his nose with one hand, and pointing my way with the other.
"I think so,"stammered another,"And look at the glazed over simpleness in his eyes, I think he's one of those mentally retarded adults that win trips from one of those grant-a-wish foundations."
"You mean we came all this way for another one of those feel good publicity stunts?"said yet another,"I'm going to rip into them tomorrow in my column for making me miss my round of golf for this!"
"Quiet down! Quiet down!"shouted Peddie."This'll be short and to the point."
"I'd like to introduce to you all, for the first time, the new GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Blue Meanie!"
That's all I heard, as the effects of my three day drinking binge, living on the streets of Toronto, took its toll on me, and I finally passed out.
I awoke two days later, lying on the floor of the equipment managers room as he stood there sharpening skates.
"Where am I?"I asked.
"Training camp,"he said,"Boy, were you ever out of it. You missed everything!"
"What do you mean?"I asked,"Oh..and fer fecks sake, get me some water...and scotch!"
"Ferguson Jr. quit!"the trainer rambled on,"I guess he didn't understand what Mr.Peddie and the teacher's union meant when they explained to him that you were a powerless figurehead and that he was till in charge. Too many shots to the head as a pro I guess..."
"That was his dad,"I said,"Not him."
"Hey, who's telling the story here, you or me?"he demanded.
"All right,"I sighed,"Go on."
"And Mr.Peddie and the federation boys haven't been around either, which is really unusual! There's talk of them organizing another teacher's strike. The mother of all teacher's strikes!"
"So Pat Quinn is running everything then?"I asked,"Not that I really care, just get me that drink."
"Man! You really are clueless! Quinny had a lobotomy years ago. You think a sane thinking man would have done all the things he's done in the past few years? He's even more of a puppet than you were!"
"Than I am,"I corrected absentmindedly,"Why haven't the players noticed that their coach is a brain dead zombie?"
"You are naive,"the skate sharpener continued,"Don't you know by now, that the pair of skates I'm currently holding has more brains than most pro hockey players do...combined?"
"So who's running the show?"I asked.
"You."he answered triumphantly, and ran off to get me my drink.
I carefully pulled my beard from the remaining chunks of puke embedded in the carpet and surveyed my new domain. I had arrived at last as the GM of the greatest team in the world, The Toronto Maple Leafs. Time to get drunk!
-
archibalduk
- TBL Admin Team
- Posts: 20373
- Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:44 pm
- Custom Rank: Seaside + Fruit Juice Mode
- Favourite Team: Guildford (EPL) / Invicta (NIHL)
- Location: United Kingdom
- Contact:
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leafs fan
I stumbled from the equipment room floor across the hall to the medical office, thinking that maybe I could find some rubbing alcohol to tide me over until I could find a liquor store or an open bar.
As I threw open the door to the medical office I stumbled to the floor as a pair of strong hands reached out and steadied me.
"Hey...watch...out."said a strangely familiar voice. I looked up into the grizzled features of my arch nemesis Pat Quinn.
I quickly regained my composure."Hi Pat."I blustered quickly,"I'm your new boss, The Blue Meanie."
"Hey...that's...great..."he stammered,"If...you...are...looking...for....the...rubbing...alcohol...I...just...finished...it."
I looked deep into the eyes of the man that I had held responsible for all the recent short-comings of my beloved Leafs. All the loathing and hatred I had held for the man slowly melted away. It surely wasn't this man's fault, who had become the shadow of the genius he had once been. The architect of the Vancouver Canucks and Team Canada championship teams wasn't residing inside that empty shell of a man anymore. That man was obviously lying somewhere in a surgeon's garbage, the victim of a lobotomy ordered by the ontario teachers union retirement fund.
"We,"I emphasized,"Have a lot of work to do to prepare for the upcoming season Pat."
I had no idea how long my reign at the Leafs would last before Peddie or some other Evil Empire's puppet would put an end to my overhaul of the Leafs franchise. I had to work quickly and I needed to coax every last bit of brain power out of Quinn's butchered brain to do it. I couldn't do it without his pre-surgery knowledge and I had to harness what was left of the genius inside Quinn.
We quickly worked out a system where Pat would give me the benefit of his wisdom on each pertinenent non-playing staff in the organization. For every staffer he didn't feel was up to the task he would grunt, for ones he thought were passable he fell asleep or stared off into space when I mentioned their name. It took a whole day to get his opinion on the ten non-playing staff attached to the organization.
However Pat would be of no help on introducing new staffers as his brain could no longer process and store new information. It soon became apparent why he had played veterans constantly as they were the only ones his partial brain would reconise.
So I set out and hired new scouts and revamped the scouting system in place and hired several new assistant coaches, all the while looking over my shoulder for the omnipresent Federation to shut down my progress and return me to figurehead status. But mysteriously, Peddie or his cronies never appeared.
Next, Pat and I sat down and decided who to invite to training camp. He invited twenty old veterans to the camp to fill it out. Old campaigners like Brian Holzinger, Bates Battaglia, James Patrick and Mike Eastwood accepted inviatations to the camp. I could only guess that he reconized their names from his pre-surgery memory. What help more veterans would be to the creakingly old Leafs roster was anyone's guess.
The next moment was the one that I was most frantic about. Pat Quinn welcoming the players back at training camp. I just couldn't believe that professional players wouldn't reconize that their head coach was little more than a empty shell.
I needn't have worried. The players, to a man, were held rapt by his stumbling stammering talk. They didn't see anything wrong with the man, in fact, they treated him like a hockey demi-god. I guess replacing Pat wouldn't be necesary after all, perhaps the old boy could be of some use to me and the Leafs.
All this work I had been doing for the Leafs had seriously cut into my drinking time. I hadn't had a drink in over a week! At least the shakes were starting to subside a little.
I stumbled from the equipment room floor across the hall to the medical office, thinking that maybe I could find some rubbing alcohol to tide me over until I could find a liquor store or an open bar.
As I threw open the door to the medical office I stumbled to the floor as a pair of strong hands reached out and steadied me.
"Hey...watch...out."said a strangely familiar voice. I looked up into the grizzled features of my arch nemesis Pat Quinn.
I quickly regained my composure."Hi Pat."I blustered quickly,"I'm your new boss, The Blue Meanie."
"Hey...that's...great..."he stammered,"If...you...are...looking...for....the...rubbing...alcohol...I...just...finished...it."
I looked deep into the eyes of the man that I had held responsible for all the recent short-comings of my beloved Leafs. All the loathing and hatred I had held for the man slowly melted away. It surely wasn't this man's fault, who had become the shadow of the genius he had once been. The architect of the Vancouver Canucks and Team Canada championship teams wasn't residing inside that empty shell of a man anymore. That man was obviously lying somewhere in a surgeon's garbage, the victim of a lobotomy ordered by the ontario teachers union retirement fund.
"We,"I emphasized,"Have a lot of work to do to prepare for the upcoming season Pat."
I had no idea how long my reign at the Leafs would last before Peddie or some other Evil Empire's puppet would put an end to my overhaul of the Leafs franchise. I had to work quickly and I needed to coax every last bit of brain power out of Quinn's butchered brain to do it. I couldn't do it without his pre-surgery knowledge and I had to harness what was left of the genius inside Quinn.
We quickly worked out a system where Pat would give me the benefit of his wisdom on each pertinenent non-playing staff in the organization. For every staffer he didn't feel was up to the task he would grunt, for ones he thought were passable he fell asleep or stared off into space when I mentioned their name. It took a whole day to get his opinion on the ten non-playing staff attached to the organization.
However Pat would be of no help on introducing new staffers as his brain could no longer process and store new information. It soon became apparent why he had played veterans constantly as they were the only ones his partial brain would reconise.
So I set out and hired new scouts and revamped the scouting system in place and hired several new assistant coaches, all the while looking over my shoulder for the omnipresent Federation to shut down my progress and return me to figurehead status. But mysteriously, Peddie or his cronies never appeared.
Next, Pat and I sat down and decided who to invite to training camp. He invited twenty old veterans to the camp to fill it out. Old campaigners like Brian Holzinger, Bates Battaglia, James Patrick and Mike Eastwood accepted inviatations to the camp. I could only guess that he reconized their names from his pre-surgery memory. What help more veterans would be to the creakingly old Leafs roster was anyone's guess.
The next moment was the one that I was most frantic about. Pat Quinn welcoming the players back at training camp. I just couldn't believe that professional players wouldn't reconize that their head coach was little more than a empty shell.
I needn't have worried. The players, to a man, were held rapt by his stumbling stammering talk. They didn't see anything wrong with the man, in fact, they treated him like a hockey demi-god. I guess replacing Pat wouldn't be necesary after all, perhaps the old boy could be of some use to me and the Leafs.
All this work I had been doing for the Leafs had seriously cut into my drinking time. I hadn't had a drink in over a week! At least the shakes were starting to subside a little.
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leafs fan
Training camp came and went pretty well as expected. Quinn grunted monosyllabically at the players and I watched from the press box as they were put through their paces. The team looked solid and only minor tinkering seemed to be needed to give the Leafs a solid chance at a run for the Cup.
After each scrimmage and exhibiton game, Quinn would grunt enthusiastically in favor of the veterans and try to persuade me to send the youngsters down to the farm. I could see his point, as we had a pretty solid bunch of veterans and neither of us could see the use in having kids up for fourth line roles or 22 or 23rd man positions on the club. Five minutes a game in the NHL wouldn't develop a player as fast as 25 min a game in the AHL.
As often happens in training camp, personnel decisions had to be made and some players had to be sacrificed for the good of the team. This was my long awaited chance to get rid of Leafs I had long hated. Aki Berg, Antropov, and Ponikarovsky, were all on the list for the chopping block.
But hockey is a funny game, and the first head to roll was one of my personal faviroutes, a player I had often wished would get more of a shot with the Leafs, Karel Pilar. I always offer a player the minimum role on the squad if I'm not positive he'll play a major impact, and Pilar was not impressed with the role he was offered. He refused any further negotiations and so I felt obliged to deal him to where he was wanted.
As it happened, a player I had long admired, and one that I felt could anchor my second defence pairing became available. Phoenix dangled David Tanabe in front of me and I snapped him up. The price was somewhat steep as I sent Pilar and 3 4th rd picks to the Coyotes for him. But I was happy, as I felt my defence was somewhat weak and Tanabe could offer me valuable minutes on the second powerplay unit.
The trade enabled me to get rid of Aki Berg and I shopped him around the league. The offers poured in, but I could realise no more than a 4th rounder for the defender. Aki went to Buffalo, and I rid myself of a player that I had an irrational dislike for. Too erratic or too soft or just an underachiever...whatever the reason was, I was just happy to be rid of him.
I finished off my preseason tinkering when I threw down a 7th rounder on the Sen's defender Filip Novak. I had always liked the player and I felt he had potential and a good size. He quickly cleared waivers and found himself in the AHL.
Two of the training camp trialists were signed on. Defenceman Brad Brown was signed as a seventh depth defencemen as I felt he could fill in at a pinch and give a regular rest to the regulars, and I would rather have a veteran sitting out half the season then a youngster. Steve Webb was also signed as he performed well and I remembered his contributions in the playoffs a few years back for the Islanders against my Leafs. Both were signed to two-way contracts and Webb quickly cleared waivers and was sent down to the minors.
Nathan Perrot and Clark Wilm were also sent to the A, (when every team was clearing their guys on waivers), in an attempt to give me greater flexibility and not lose them to waivers later on in the year. They cleared just fine.
Despite Quinn's incessant grunting I kept two youngsters with the squad for the opening of the season. Carlo Colvaccio played his way into the second defence pairing as I liked his offensive potential and Matt Stajan played too well to be sent down. His quality at left wing ensured that he would get quality minutes as well as wasted ones playing behind my top three centres.
So the opening day roster looked like this:
SG- Eddie 'the Eagle' Belfour - I planned to ride the Eagle as much as I could, maybe 60-70 games...
BG- Michael Tellqvist - I had always like him, but my scouts and staff were not as high on him as I had hoped...
1st D pairing - Bryan McCabe + Tomas Kaberle -A no brainer, they were the best two I had, and I like to keep my pairs together, even on special teams.
2nd D pairing - Carlo Colvaccio + David Tanabe - Bit of a surprise, a youthful pairing, and my second PP unit...
3rd D pairing - Ken Klee + Khavanov - Two solid veterans, nothing flashy here...
7th D - Brad Brown - free agent pick-up, solid veteran...quite happy to play part-time...
Top D sent down - Bell, White, and Kronwall, would all have been disapointed to be sent down, victims of the numbers game, but they're all young and there is always lots of injuries in a long season.
1st Line - Jeff O'Neill - Mats Sundin - Marius Czerkawski - a flashy unit playing a passing style, I just hope they mesh...
The other lines are in a continual state of tinker...all I know for sure is that Jason Allison is my second line C, Lindros
my third, and Stajan my 4th. Tucker and Kilger are guaranteed time on the Left with Ponikarovsky, Stajan, and Webb filling in. The Right side is no less settled with Domi and Belak and Antropov still defining their roles, with Perrot and Steen looking for icetime too.
This shows the flexibility I earned by sending down Webb and Perrott to the minors as I can now 'yoyo' them between the Nhl and Ahl with impunity, (without fear of losing them on waivers), until they play in ten games or thirty days in the Nhl.
Steen due to his age can go up and down too without having to clear waivers. So now for tough home and home series I can bring out the muscle and then play the skill on regular nights.
With so many elder statesmen on the club I'm in fear of overworking them, (leading to injury), so I have all lines rolling every night until the last 5-10 minutes in a close game where I'll shorten the bench to 3 lines, made up of the best performers on the night. In a blowout, I give my lesser players a chance to shine heaping the minutes on them and conserving my stars.
We finished the preseason winning every game except for a blowout loss in Ottawa.
There were many youngsters disapointed to start the year in the minors but Steen, Wellwood, et al. would get their chance as I'm sure we'll have an injury crisis at some point this year with all the vets with injury-filled pasts crowding the roster...
Ponikarovsky and Antropov's future is largely dependent on the team's form...if we do well and they do well they might still be Leafs at the turn of the year...if not, they'll likely get a one-way ticket to Colombus...
Training camp came and went pretty well as expected. Quinn grunted monosyllabically at the players and I watched from the press box as they were put through their paces. The team looked solid and only minor tinkering seemed to be needed to give the Leafs a solid chance at a run for the Cup.
After each scrimmage and exhibiton game, Quinn would grunt enthusiastically in favor of the veterans and try to persuade me to send the youngsters down to the farm. I could see his point, as we had a pretty solid bunch of veterans and neither of us could see the use in having kids up for fourth line roles or 22 or 23rd man positions on the club. Five minutes a game in the NHL wouldn't develop a player as fast as 25 min a game in the AHL.
As often happens in training camp, personnel decisions had to be made and some players had to be sacrificed for the good of the team. This was my long awaited chance to get rid of Leafs I had long hated. Aki Berg, Antropov, and Ponikarovsky, were all on the list for the chopping block.
But hockey is a funny game, and the first head to roll was one of my personal faviroutes, a player I had often wished would get more of a shot with the Leafs, Karel Pilar. I always offer a player the minimum role on the squad if I'm not positive he'll play a major impact, and Pilar was not impressed with the role he was offered. He refused any further negotiations and so I felt obliged to deal him to where he was wanted.
As it happened, a player I had long admired, and one that I felt could anchor my second defence pairing became available. Phoenix dangled David Tanabe in front of me and I snapped him up. The price was somewhat steep as I sent Pilar and 3 4th rd picks to the Coyotes for him. But I was happy, as I felt my defence was somewhat weak and Tanabe could offer me valuable minutes on the second powerplay unit.
The trade enabled me to get rid of Aki Berg and I shopped him around the league. The offers poured in, but I could realise no more than a 4th rounder for the defender. Aki went to Buffalo, and I rid myself of a player that I had an irrational dislike for. Too erratic or too soft or just an underachiever...whatever the reason was, I was just happy to be rid of him.
I finished off my preseason tinkering when I threw down a 7th rounder on the Sen's defender Filip Novak. I had always liked the player and I felt he had potential and a good size. He quickly cleared waivers and found himself in the AHL.
Two of the training camp trialists were signed on. Defenceman Brad Brown was signed as a seventh depth defencemen as I felt he could fill in at a pinch and give a regular rest to the regulars, and I would rather have a veteran sitting out half the season then a youngster. Steve Webb was also signed as he performed well and I remembered his contributions in the playoffs a few years back for the Islanders against my Leafs. Both were signed to two-way contracts and Webb quickly cleared waivers and was sent down to the minors.
Nathan Perrot and Clark Wilm were also sent to the A, (when every team was clearing their guys on waivers), in an attempt to give me greater flexibility and not lose them to waivers later on in the year. They cleared just fine.
Despite Quinn's incessant grunting I kept two youngsters with the squad for the opening of the season. Carlo Colvaccio played his way into the second defence pairing as I liked his offensive potential and Matt Stajan played too well to be sent down. His quality at left wing ensured that he would get quality minutes as well as wasted ones playing behind my top three centres.
So the opening day roster looked like this:
SG- Eddie 'the Eagle' Belfour - I planned to ride the Eagle as much as I could, maybe 60-70 games...
BG- Michael Tellqvist - I had always like him, but my scouts and staff were not as high on him as I had hoped...
1st D pairing - Bryan McCabe + Tomas Kaberle -A no brainer, they were the best two I had, and I like to keep my pairs together, even on special teams.
2nd D pairing - Carlo Colvaccio + David Tanabe - Bit of a surprise, a youthful pairing, and my second PP unit...
3rd D pairing - Ken Klee + Khavanov - Two solid veterans, nothing flashy here...
7th D - Brad Brown - free agent pick-up, solid veteran...quite happy to play part-time...
Top D sent down - Bell, White, and Kronwall, would all have been disapointed to be sent down, victims of the numbers game, but they're all young and there is always lots of injuries in a long season.
1st Line - Jeff O'Neill - Mats Sundin - Marius Czerkawski - a flashy unit playing a passing style, I just hope they mesh...
The other lines are in a continual state of tinker...all I know for sure is that Jason Allison is my second line C, Lindros
my third, and Stajan my 4th. Tucker and Kilger are guaranteed time on the Left with Ponikarovsky, Stajan, and Webb filling in. The Right side is no less settled with Domi and Belak and Antropov still defining their roles, with Perrot and Steen looking for icetime too.
This shows the flexibility I earned by sending down Webb and Perrott to the minors as I can now 'yoyo' them between the Nhl and Ahl with impunity, (without fear of losing them on waivers), until they play in ten games or thirty days in the Nhl.
Steen due to his age can go up and down too without having to clear waivers. So now for tough home and home series I can bring out the muscle and then play the skill on regular nights.
With so many elder statesmen on the club I'm in fear of overworking them, (leading to injury), so I have all lines rolling every night until the last 5-10 minutes in a close game where I'll shorten the bench to 3 lines, made up of the best performers on the night. In a blowout, I give my lesser players a chance to shine heaping the minutes on them and conserving my stars.
We finished the preseason winning every game except for a blowout loss in Ottawa.
There were many youngsters disapointed to start the year in the minors but Steen, Wellwood, et al. would get their chance as I'm sure we'll have an injury crisis at some point this year with all the vets with injury-filled pasts crowding the roster...
Ponikarovsky and Antropov's future is largely dependent on the team's form...if we do well and they do well they might still be Leafs at the turn of the year...if not, they'll likely get a one-way ticket to Colombus...
Last edited by The Blue Meanie on Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leaffan
Toronto's runaway start to the season was derailed by an injury to key rookie defenceman Carlo Colvaccio. The hapless blueliner was felled by a torn ACL in the Leafs tenth game, a 4-6 home loss to the NY Isles. The youngster is expected to be out for four months recuperating from surgery.
The rookie had been enjoying a fantastic start to the campaign with 4 points and a plus 8 rating after being paired with David Tanabe who was off to an equally impressive start with 7 points and a plus 5 rating.
The Leafs had steamrolled through the early part of the NHL schedule with an impressive seven wins, and two OT losses, before dropping the decison to the Isles; (largely as a result of giving up five PP goals to the potent Islanders powerplay.)
The Leafs top line of Mats Sundin, Czerkawski, and O'Neill have led the way with a combined 22 goals and 39 points. Allison and Lindros have chipped in with 8 points a piece, and the supporting cast is led by Tucker, Stajan, and Antropov with five points each.
The top defence pairing of McCabe and Kaberle have combined for 15 points, and the third pairing of Khavanov and Klee have held an impressive + 10 combined plus/minus rating.
Belfour hads been impressive in eight starts, (up until the Isles loss), and Tellqvist has been impressive in two relief
starts.
A Bos...5-5...Shootout loss
H Ott...4-1...win
A Mtl...4-2...win
A Fla...5-2...win
A TB....3-2...win, Tellqvist start
H Phil..3-3...Shootout loss, Tellqvist start
A NJD...6-4...win
H NJD...4-2...win, Ponikarovsky 4 points after three game benching...
A NYI...5-2...win, McCabe inj. 1 week
H NYI...4-6...loss, Colvaccio inj. 4 mos
Leafs GM, Blue Meanie is said to be scrambling for a replacement for the injured Colvaccio, with Novak, Brown, and White, who have all appeared for the Blue and Whites's already this season in the mix, along with Brendan Bell, Woscienzki, Kronwall, and Wade Belak.
"It'll be tough to replace Carlo, but I'm hoping we have a replacement for him already here in the organisation."said the Meanie,"I just hope we don't have to break up our already established pairs of McCabe/Kaberle and Khavanov/Klee to do it."
Looks like the Leafs are staring down an slippery steeping slope...
Toronto's runaway start to the season was derailed by an injury to key rookie defenceman Carlo Colvaccio. The hapless blueliner was felled by a torn ACL in the Leafs tenth game, a 4-6 home loss to the NY Isles. The youngster is expected to be out for four months recuperating from surgery.
The rookie had been enjoying a fantastic start to the campaign with 4 points and a plus 8 rating after being paired with David Tanabe who was off to an equally impressive start with 7 points and a plus 5 rating.
The Leafs had steamrolled through the early part of the NHL schedule with an impressive seven wins, and two OT losses, before dropping the decison to the Isles; (largely as a result of giving up five PP goals to the potent Islanders powerplay.)
The Leafs top line of Mats Sundin, Czerkawski, and O'Neill have led the way with a combined 22 goals and 39 points. Allison and Lindros have chipped in with 8 points a piece, and the supporting cast is led by Tucker, Stajan, and Antropov with five points each.
The top defence pairing of McCabe and Kaberle have combined for 15 points, and the third pairing of Khavanov and Klee have held an impressive + 10 combined plus/minus rating.
Belfour hads been impressive in eight starts, (up until the Isles loss), and Tellqvist has been impressive in two relief
starts.
A Bos...5-5...Shootout loss
H Ott...4-1...win
A Mtl...4-2...win
A Fla...5-2...win
A TB....3-2...win, Tellqvist start
H Phil..3-3...Shootout loss, Tellqvist start
A NJD...6-4...win
H NJD...4-2...win, Ponikarovsky 4 points after three game benching...
A NYI...5-2...win, McCabe inj. 1 week
H NYI...4-6...loss, Colvaccio inj. 4 mos
Leafs GM, Blue Meanie is said to be scrambling for a replacement for the injured Colvaccio, with Novak, Brown, and White, who have all appeared for the Blue and Whites's already this season in the mix, along with Brendan Bell, Woscienzki, Kronwall, and Wade Belak.
"It'll be tough to replace Carlo, but I'm hoping we have a replacement for him already here in the organisation."said the Meanie,"I just hope we don't have to break up our already established pairs of McCabe/Kaberle and Khavanov/Klee to do it."
Looks like the Leafs are staring down an slippery steeping slope...
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leaffan
it had been an eventful first two months in my career as GM of Leaf hockey and I was now staring down at my first real crisis. A season defining injury to my top defense prospect.
To compound my situation, Mr. Peddie had finally tracked me down to the space between the heating ducts above the Air Canada Centre that I had been living in.
"Been looking for you, Meanie,"he growled."You have a lot of nerve spending Ontario teacher's pension fund on scouts and staff for a hockey team."
"How...how...how...did you find me,"I stammered.
"Are you kidding me? We knew you were here a month ago...the federation knows everything."he said,"Besides, I just followed the trail of empty rye whiskey bottles up here, not to mention the stench."
"You try getting Sundin out of the shower,"I said,"Then we'd see how clean you'd be.
"Whatever Meanie,"he dismissed,"You're on thin ice, one more screw up and I'll get some other clown to do your job."
"Hey wait a minute,"I said defensively,"We're top of the league, the fans are ecstatic, we're selling merchandise like never before, and my book, Moneypuck, is a top seller."
"Your book?..."he said menancingly.
"Well...my name is on the cover."I said,"And anyways, the strides we've made financially have more than offset any additonal staff salaries I've incurred."
"You couldn't possibly fire me now,"I continued,"I've become a valuable asset to the ontario teachers pension fund."
He considered me for a minute, and then smiled,"You're right Blue Meanie, you are now an asset of the federation, and will be treated as such...just like Quinn."
A chill ran through my bones as I considered the ramifications of what he had said. I was one slump away from...gulp...a full frontal lobotomy!
But I had other matters at hand for the moment. I had to find a replacement for Carlo Colvaccio. Who would have guessed he would have become such an integeral part of the Maple Leafs if only given the chance! I had to talk to Pat Quinn.
"Belak."
"What?"I answered,"Wade Belak? C'mon Pat, I like the guy too, he always works his butt off, and sticks up for everyone, but still..."
"Belak."nodded Quinn.
"C'mon Quinn,"I said,"the guy has the talent of a rhino on skates, just like he plays...I can't put him on a powerplay unit!"
"Belak."said Quinn.
"That's your answer for everything!"I complained,"You've been playing the guy for years despite a complete absence of talent!"
"Belak,"mumbled Quinn.
I sighed and took a long pull from my beer. Working so closely with Quinn was causing me to start to drink heavily again. I liked Wade too. There would always be a place for a guy like that on my team, I admired a lot of his qualities. To put him on fourth line right wing was one thing. He wasn't a danger to score, but he worked hard and kept the opposition honest. To give him serious minutes on defence, could only cruely expose his shortcomings as a player. I believe in finding a player's strength and designing a system around him where he can flourish. I didn't see that happening for Wade Belak on defence.
"Okay Pat,"I began,"McCabe is going to be out for one more game before coming back, maybe we should pair Kaberle up with Tanabe for the next game to see how they combine together."
"Belak."Quinn brightened.
I continued,"Then maybe we could pair Brown with White as an experimental 3rd defence pairing, and reward one of them with a spot after McCabe comes back?"
"Hmmm..."said Quinn,"Belak?"
"Don't worry Pat,"I said,"Wade's spot is safe on the wing."
Quinn smiled widely."Belak!"he bellowed.
"But that really doesn't address our problem of a number 3 defender,"I sighed,"And I'd like to keep our current pairs together. What do you think Pat?"
"Antropov."he said slyly.
it had been an eventful first two months in my career as GM of Leaf hockey and I was now staring down at my first real crisis. A season defining injury to my top defense prospect.
To compound my situation, Mr. Peddie had finally tracked me down to the space between the heating ducts above the Air Canada Centre that I had been living in.
"Been looking for you, Meanie,"he growled."You have a lot of nerve spending Ontario teacher's pension fund on scouts and staff for a hockey team."
"How...how...how...did you find me,"I stammered.
"Are you kidding me? We knew you were here a month ago...the federation knows everything."he said,"Besides, I just followed the trail of empty rye whiskey bottles up here, not to mention the stench."
"You try getting Sundin out of the shower,"I said,"Then we'd see how clean you'd be.
"Whatever Meanie,"he dismissed,"You're on thin ice, one more screw up and I'll get some other clown to do your job."
"Hey wait a minute,"I said defensively,"We're top of the league, the fans are ecstatic, we're selling merchandise like never before, and my book, Moneypuck, is a top seller."
"Your book?..."he said menancingly.
"Well...my name is on the cover."I said,"And anyways, the strides we've made financially have more than offset any additonal staff salaries I've incurred."
"You couldn't possibly fire me now,"I continued,"I've become a valuable asset to the ontario teachers pension fund."
He considered me for a minute, and then smiled,"You're right Blue Meanie, you are now an asset of the federation, and will be treated as such...just like Quinn."
A chill ran through my bones as I considered the ramifications of what he had said. I was one slump away from...gulp...a full frontal lobotomy!
But I had other matters at hand for the moment. I had to find a replacement for Carlo Colvaccio. Who would have guessed he would have become such an integeral part of the Maple Leafs if only given the chance! I had to talk to Pat Quinn.
"Belak."
"What?"I answered,"Wade Belak? C'mon Pat, I like the guy too, he always works his butt off, and sticks up for everyone, but still..."
"Belak."nodded Quinn.
"C'mon Quinn,"I said,"the guy has the talent of a rhino on skates, just like he plays...I can't put him on a powerplay unit!"
"Belak."said Quinn.
"That's your answer for everything!"I complained,"You've been playing the guy for years despite a complete absence of talent!"
"Belak,"mumbled Quinn.
I sighed and took a long pull from my beer. Working so closely with Quinn was causing me to start to drink heavily again. I liked Wade too. There would always be a place for a guy like that on my team, I admired a lot of his qualities. To put him on fourth line right wing was one thing. He wasn't a danger to score, but he worked hard and kept the opposition honest. To give him serious minutes on defence, could only cruely expose his shortcomings as a player. I believe in finding a player's strength and designing a system around him where he can flourish. I didn't see that happening for Wade Belak on defence.
"Okay Pat,"I began,"McCabe is going to be out for one more game before coming back, maybe we should pair Kaberle up with Tanabe for the next game to see how they combine together."
"Belak."Quinn brightened.
I continued,"Then maybe we could pair Brown with White as an experimental 3rd defence pairing, and reward one of them with a spot after McCabe comes back?"
"Hmmm..."said Quinn,"Belak?"
"Don't worry Pat,"I said,"Wade's spot is safe on the wing."
Quinn smiled widely."Belak!"he bellowed.
"But that really doesn't address our problem of a number 3 defender,"I sighed,"And I'd like to keep our current pairs together. What do you think Pat?"
"Antropov."he said slyly.
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leaffan
It was now Dec.2/05, and I was faced with many difficult personnel questions concerning my current Leaf's squad.
Recap
The day after McCabe had come back from his 3 game injury, (in early Nov.), Tomas Kaberle separated his shoulder against the hated Habs; putting him out for two months. This left my LD periously thin, with my top two out, (incl. Colvaccio.)
Many different combos were tried out to fix the crisis in defense, and were finally settled on. McCabe and Brendan Bell now anchor the first unit, (Bell having survived a [i]very[/i] difficult adjustment to the NHL, but he has become quite prolific and is now often my highest average rating).
Tanabe and a very surprisingly versatile/solid Khavanov comprise the second unit. Khavanov has in particular, become [i]the[/i] pleasant surprise of the campaign, filling every hole he is asked to, admirably.
The third unit has become a bit of a concern with Ken Klee having auditioned a variety of partners. Kronwall was dismissed after 7 games as he appeared a little too green yet for the NHL, and Novak has been performing capably for the past few games; but he has yet to instill any confidence in me or the rest of my staff despite respectable ratings.
In other D news, Ian White has attracted quite a lot of interest around the league after his 3 game cup of coffee with the Leafs. Carolina offered Erik Cole and Florida has offered Huselius. Both players would fill a hole for the Leafs but I rejected both offers and countless others I received from other NHL teams. I keep trying to substitute Wozniewski, (another rated D prospect), plus additional incentives, but I have been rebuffed repeatedly. With all the interest swirling around White, I've brought him back up and will try him on his off D to see how he takes to it.
I finally accepted that there was little too choose between Brad Brown and Wade Belak and tried to send Brown down to the AHL; he was snapped up by the Wild immediatley. No great loss, though he was a capable 7th D-man.
On the forward lines, my 1st line has stopped producing with any great regularity and will finally be split up.
Domi and Belak are consistently my two lowest rated players and have such found their roles reduced. Domi now plys his skills on the 4th line and Belak, (to Quinn's dismay), finds himself watching avidly from the pressbox on most nights.
Antropov is in real danger of receiving a bus ticket out of town and has such been given one more month in an increased role to get his act together. I'm still in hopes I can recreate the Legion of Doom line with Lindros...
Stajan is struggling as he is finding it increasingly hard to play 4th line C and 2nd PP LW. It might be too much to ask of the youngster and he'll be receiving a more defined role over the next month in a bid to get him rolling. If he doesn't, I'll let him find himself in the AHL for the rest of the year.
Ponikarovsky and Kilger could be doing better, but I'm reasonably happy with them as I'm not expecting a great deal from the pair. A new LW with a bit of a scoring touch is what I really need!
In other tidbits, Kukemberg enjoyed a 6 game tryout with the club in a limited role and didn't perform too badly, he gave way only recently to Jeremy Williams as I looked for more of a scoring player, (ie. 2nd line), as Domi and Belak slowly played themselves out of their jobs, and I suddenly had a plethora of fourth liners.
In the AHL, JS Aubin has been on fire and recently won player of the month for November. Belfour and Tellqvist are starting to look over their shoulders a bit, as they have played adequatley, but rank 30th, (or worse!) in Sv pct.
After 24 games, my D crisis/experiments, have taken their toll. We have 12 wins, 8 losses, and 4 SO losses; good for only 10th in the East! We rank 2nd in goals for avg. and 21st in GA avg. The powerplay pct is sixth in the league @ 19.7%, and the PK has crept up to 20th, (after spending much of the year at 28th), @ 81.6% .
In player stats, Sundin ranks 29th in the league with 23 pts, with his former linemates, (ONeill & Czerkawski), right behind him on 22 pts each. (After ten games, Czerkawski was leading the league with 13 pts). In league news, some 26 yearold winger from Anahiem is winning the rookie scoring race!
It was now Dec.2/05, and I was faced with many difficult personnel questions concerning my current Leaf's squad.
Recap
The day after McCabe had come back from his 3 game injury, (in early Nov.), Tomas Kaberle separated his shoulder against the hated Habs; putting him out for two months. This left my LD periously thin, with my top two out, (incl. Colvaccio.)
Many different combos were tried out to fix the crisis in defense, and were finally settled on. McCabe and Brendan Bell now anchor the first unit, (Bell having survived a [i]very[/i] difficult adjustment to the NHL, but he has become quite prolific and is now often my highest average rating).
Tanabe and a very surprisingly versatile/solid Khavanov comprise the second unit. Khavanov has in particular, become [i]the[/i] pleasant surprise of the campaign, filling every hole he is asked to, admirably.
The third unit has become a bit of a concern with Ken Klee having auditioned a variety of partners. Kronwall was dismissed after 7 games as he appeared a little too green yet for the NHL, and Novak has been performing capably for the past few games; but he has yet to instill any confidence in me or the rest of my staff despite respectable ratings.
In other D news, Ian White has attracted quite a lot of interest around the league after his 3 game cup of coffee with the Leafs. Carolina offered Erik Cole and Florida has offered Huselius. Both players would fill a hole for the Leafs but I rejected both offers and countless others I received from other NHL teams. I keep trying to substitute Wozniewski, (another rated D prospect), plus additional incentives, but I have been rebuffed repeatedly. With all the interest swirling around White, I've brought him back up and will try him on his off D to see how he takes to it.
I finally accepted that there was little too choose between Brad Brown and Wade Belak and tried to send Brown down to the AHL; he was snapped up by the Wild immediatley. No great loss, though he was a capable 7th D-man.
On the forward lines, my 1st line has stopped producing with any great regularity and will finally be split up.
Domi and Belak are consistently my two lowest rated players and have such found their roles reduced. Domi now plys his skills on the 4th line and Belak, (to Quinn's dismay), finds himself watching avidly from the pressbox on most nights.
Antropov is in real danger of receiving a bus ticket out of town and has such been given one more month in an increased role to get his act together. I'm still in hopes I can recreate the Legion of Doom line with Lindros...
Stajan is struggling as he is finding it increasingly hard to play 4th line C and 2nd PP LW. It might be too much to ask of the youngster and he'll be receiving a more defined role over the next month in a bid to get him rolling. If he doesn't, I'll let him find himself in the AHL for the rest of the year.
Ponikarovsky and Kilger could be doing better, but I'm reasonably happy with them as I'm not expecting a great deal from the pair. A new LW with a bit of a scoring touch is what I really need!
In other tidbits, Kukemberg enjoyed a 6 game tryout with the club in a limited role and didn't perform too badly, he gave way only recently to Jeremy Williams as I looked for more of a scoring player, (ie. 2nd line), as Domi and Belak slowly played themselves out of their jobs, and I suddenly had a plethora of fourth liners.
In the AHL, JS Aubin has been on fire and recently won player of the month for November. Belfour and Tellqvist are starting to look over their shoulders a bit, as they have played adequatley, but rank 30th, (or worse!) in Sv pct.
After 24 games, my D crisis/experiments, have taken their toll. We have 12 wins, 8 losses, and 4 SO losses; good for only 10th in the East! We rank 2nd in goals for avg. and 21st in GA avg. The powerplay pct is sixth in the league @ 19.7%, and the PK has crept up to 20th, (after spending much of the year at 28th), @ 81.6% .
In player stats, Sundin ranks 29th in the league with 23 pts, with his former linemates, (ONeill & Czerkawski), right behind him on 22 pts each. (After ten games, Czerkawski was leading the league with 13 pts). In league news, some 26 yearold winger from Anahiem is winning the rookie scoring race!
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
"Blue Meanie! You suck!"
It was a typical Maple Leaf home game, and the ficke Leaf fans were letting me have it. We had just squandered another 2 goal third period lead and the paying customers were not thrilled.
In only one month I had gone from the toast of the town, to avoiding irate swerving taxis as I walked downtown. My book that only a short time before was leaping off the shelves was now being burned at mass gatherings. And Mr. Peddie couldn't be happier.
"Not so easy is it?"he greeted me when he finally hunted me down to my new nest underneath the Air Canada Centre ice surface.
"Its not really my fault,"I said,"We've had some crucial injuries and-"
"Easy now,"he interrupted,"Don't you see it doesn't really matter. Look at the stands each game, we're still sold out.
Those braying morons out there would still come if we lost every game of every year. You think if I wanted to win I would have grabbed some drunk caller from a radio show to run this squad? Or a half-brained coach?"
"No."he smiled,"You're doing your job just fine, Blue Meanie. As long as those idiots out there hate you, they're not angry at the union, which is good for business. Don't sweat it. I don't expect you to do anything but be a handy scapegoat at the end of the season."
With that, he turned on his heel and walked off. I was left all alone with my empty bottles and overhead coolant pipes.
Quinn was no longer of any solace to me either. He had retreated further into himself after I reduced Belak's role on the team, and he no longer seemed to reconise me. I shuddered to think of how he would take the inevitable trading of his 2nd faviroute, Antropov. It was getting very lonely at the top.
It was a typical Maple Leaf home game, and the ficke Leaf fans were letting me have it. We had just squandered another 2 goal third period lead and the paying customers were not thrilled.
In only one month I had gone from the toast of the town, to avoiding irate swerving taxis as I walked downtown. My book that only a short time before was leaping off the shelves was now being burned at mass gatherings. And Mr. Peddie couldn't be happier.
"Not so easy is it?"he greeted me when he finally hunted me down to my new nest underneath the Air Canada Centre ice surface.
"Its not really my fault,"I said,"We've had some crucial injuries and-"
"Easy now,"he interrupted,"Don't you see it doesn't really matter. Look at the stands each game, we're still sold out.
Those braying morons out there would still come if we lost every game of every year. You think if I wanted to win I would have grabbed some drunk caller from a radio show to run this squad? Or a half-brained coach?"
"No."he smiled,"You're doing your job just fine, Blue Meanie. As long as those idiots out there hate you, they're not angry at the union, which is good for business. Don't sweat it. I don't expect you to do anything but be a handy scapegoat at the end of the season."
With that, he turned on his heel and walked off. I was left all alone with my empty bottles and overhead coolant pipes.
Quinn was no longer of any solace to me either. He had retreated further into himself after I reduced Belak's role on the team, and he no longer seemed to reconise me. I shuddered to think of how he would take the inevitable trading of his 2nd faviroute, Antropov. It was getting very lonely at the top.
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leaffan
December came and went and with it came the high flying Toronto Maple Leafs. The conclusion of the month saw the buds 2nd in the East with a stellar record of :
39 GP...22 Wins...13 Losses...and 4 Shootout losses...138 Goals for...and 129 Goals Against....good for 48 pts
The Leafs are the proud owners of the leagues most potent offense and best powerplay at 22.6%
They are the not so proud owners of the worst defensive record in the NHL with the worst penalty killing unit @ 76.0%
Jeff ONEill is 8th in league scoring with 43 pts and 22 goals...Sundin and Czerkawski are in the top twenty as well with 39 pts apiece.
Lines for the month were:
ONeill-Lindros-Antropov
Tucker-Sundin-Williams
Ponikarovsky-Allison-Czerkawski
Kilger-Wilm/Stajan-Domi/Belak
D Pairs
Bell-McCabe
White-Tanabe
Khavanov-Klee
December came and went and with it came the high flying Toronto Maple Leafs. The conclusion of the month saw the buds 2nd in the East with a stellar record of :
39 GP...22 Wins...13 Losses...and 4 Shootout losses...138 Goals for...and 129 Goals Against....good for 48 pts
The Leafs are the proud owners of the leagues most potent offense and best powerplay at 22.6%
They are the not so proud owners of the worst defensive record in the NHL with the worst penalty killing unit @ 76.0%
Jeff ONEill is 8th in league scoring with 43 pts and 22 goals...Sundin and Czerkawski are in the top twenty as well with 39 pts apiece.
Lines for the month were:
ONeill-Lindros-Antropov
Tucker-Sundin-Williams
Ponikarovsky-Allison-Czerkawski
Kilger-Wilm/Stajan-Domi/Belak
D Pairs
Bell-McCabe
White-Tanabe
Khavanov-Klee
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leaffan
December has been quite the eventful month for me and Quinn. The line shakeup has challenged the team to perform and they have responded brilliantly with ten wins and 5 losses over the period.
Sadly though, there is still lots to be concerned with. Various tinkering with the penalty kill system resulted in
encouraging results for a game or two but then we would quickly revert back to form. I was fast running out of ideas to cure our defensive ills. I had one last brilliant idea up my sleeve. So I summoned Quinn.
"Pat,"I said,"Go tell the Eagle I'm unhappy with his play...in fact, go give him an official warning concerning his poor
performance."
Quinn wandered off to grunt at Belfour as I basked in the wisdom of my decison. It had to be the netminders fault...everyone else had good ratings, (except Tellqvist of course). There was nothing wrong with my tactics, just poor netminding was letting the squad down. I was confident that Eddie would accept the challenge for what it was and that it would spur him onto greater heights.
I was soon searching around the league for a new tender as Mr. Belfour reacted in a most unprofessional manner to my gentle spurring. He said he was unhappy; he was a veteran dammit and deserved more respect! Who knew that the Eagle was such a prickly pear?
Needless to say, Tellqvist took the next couple of starts until his lax conditioning let him down and I was forced to let Mr. Attitude back in goal. I searched frantically around the NHL for a replacement, but the Pens with Fleury, Detroit with Howard, and Carolina with Denis(early season trade), were most unreasonable with their demands. I can only hope Belfour gets happy again before the playoffs! Hmmm...maybe a whore or two would loosen him up...
I'm also excited with the news out of Edmonton suggesting that Ryan Smyth is up for grabs. I'm currently trying to seduce the Oil with a collection of flotsam and jetsam for our missing piece of the puzzle. Heading my list of castoffs is Nik Antropov, who, despite playing the entire year on the first or second lines, has the grand total of 13 pts! I am still reluctant to deal the player though, as his combo of size and skill is very seducing...I'd hate to deal him and have him turn into a Steve Sullivan or Brian Bradley, (Leaf castoffs that went on to star status). Maybe I shoud try him at centre...
I did manage to pull the trigger on a deal for a young Philly D prospect who was much sought after around the NHL...Alexandre Picard became part of the leaf organisation in return for G Justin Pogge and a 2010 4th rder. I was assured by my team of synchophants that Pogge was a marginal prospect at best and that Picard was a future regular. Time will tell, I guess.
Matt Stajan has played himself into the AHL with a string of mediocre performances and Clark Wilm eagerly takes his place on the fourth line, providing a lot more spark and hopefully a little penaltykill acumen. Tie Domi, has played worse and worse as the year wears on, and has proved the old axiom quite accurate. Thirty-six year old enforcers are of no darn use! Wade Belak has been the happy recepient of his minutes...
Tomas Kaberle has returned from injury and I have quite happily reshuffled my defensive pairs...Tomas is back with McCabe, Bell and White have played so well that they have earned the second pair status, and for now, Khavanov is linked with Tanabe on the third. Poor Ken Klee finds himself on the outside looking in...
Mystified by our lack of success at defending I wandered down to watch practice. I'm a very infrequent observer as I like to let Quinn take care of such particulars, but I went, hoping it would give me some insight into our problems. We didn't play especially offensive hockey, and we didn't play high risk hockey, I couldn't understand why our defensive record was so poor.
Until I took in 'practice'.
Now, I don't pretend to be a tactical genius, I don't hoard revolutionary practice drills in a secret notebook, and I only have a rudimentary understanding of the physics concerning skating. But, I feel I have a certain laymans understanding of the terms, conditons, and aspects that make up a healthy hockey club and what you should have in place so your team can prosper.
One of those 'terms' has to be actually conducting practice. I don't want to get into the whole blame game and who should have made sure that practices were held in a orderly and timely fashion with a specific purpose. Its always easy to point fingers and suggest that maybe the coach has to be told to hold practice. But if a coach doesn't hold practice and manage the roster in game, what exactly does he do? Anyway, I'm hoping that the situation has been rectified and I hope that Quinn now understands the need for him and his assistants to actually hold practice. They get a month and if results don't improve, I may find myself doing that chore too.
December has been quite the eventful month for me and Quinn. The line shakeup has challenged the team to perform and they have responded brilliantly with ten wins and 5 losses over the period.
Sadly though, there is still lots to be concerned with. Various tinkering with the penalty kill system resulted in
encouraging results for a game or two but then we would quickly revert back to form. I was fast running out of ideas to cure our defensive ills. I had one last brilliant idea up my sleeve. So I summoned Quinn.
"Pat,"I said,"Go tell the Eagle I'm unhappy with his play...in fact, go give him an official warning concerning his poor
performance."
Quinn wandered off to grunt at Belfour as I basked in the wisdom of my decison. It had to be the netminders fault...everyone else had good ratings, (except Tellqvist of course). There was nothing wrong with my tactics, just poor netminding was letting the squad down. I was confident that Eddie would accept the challenge for what it was and that it would spur him onto greater heights.
I was soon searching around the league for a new tender as Mr. Belfour reacted in a most unprofessional manner to my gentle spurring. He said he was unhappy; he was a veteran dammit and deserved more respect! Who knew that the Eagle was such a prickly pear?
Needless to say, Tellqvist took the next couple of starts until his lax conditioning let him down and I was forced to let Mr. Attitude back in goal. I searched frantically around the NHL for a replacement, but the Pens with Fleury, Detroit with Howard, and Carolina with Denis(early season trade), were most unreasonable with their demands. I can only hope Belfour gets happy again before the playoffs! Hmmm...maybe a whore or two would loosen him up...
I'm also excited with the news out of Edmonton suggesting that Ryan Smyth is up for grabs. I'm currently trying to seduce the Oil with a collection of flotsam and jetsam for our missing piece of the puzzle. Heading my list of castoffs is Nik Antropov, who, despite playing the entire year on the first or second lines, has the grand total of 13 pts! I am still reluctant to deal the player though, as his combo of size and skill is very seducing...I'd hate to deal him and have him turn into a Steve Sullivan or Brian Bradley, (Leaf castoffs that went on to star status). Maybe I shoud try him at centre...
I did manage to pull the trigger on a deal for a young Philly D prospect who was much sought after around the NHL...Alexandre Picard became part of the leaf organisation in return for G Justin Pogge and a 2010 4th rder. I was assured by my team of synchophants that Pogge was a marginal prospect at best and that Picard was a future regular. Time will tell, I guess.
Matt Stajan has played himself into the AHL with a string of mediocre performances and Clark Wilm eagerly takes his place on the fourth line, providing a lot more spark and hopefully a little penaltykill acumen. Tie Domi, has played worse and worse as the year wears on, and has proved the old axiom quite accurate. Thirty-six year old enforcers are of no darn use! Wade Belak has been the happy recepient of his minutes...
Tomas Kaberle has returned from injury and I have quite happily reshuffled my defensive pairs...Tomas is back with McCabe, Bell and White have played so well that they have earned the second pair status, and for now, Khavanov is linked with Tanabe on the third. Poor Ken Klee finds himself on the outside looking in...
Mystified by our lack of success at defending I wandered down to watch practice. I'm a very infrequent observer as I like to let Quinn take care of such particulars, but I went, hoping it would give me some insight into our problems. We didn't play especially offensive hockey, and we didn't play high risk hockey, I couldn't understand why our defensive record was so poor.
Until I took in 'practice'.
Now, I don't pretend to be a tactical genius, I don't hoard revolutionary practice drills in a secret notebook, and I only have a rudimentary understanding of the physics concerning skating. But, I feel I have a certain laymans understanding of the terms, conditons, and aspects that make up a healthy hockey club and what you should have in place so your team can prosper.
One of those 'terms' has to be actually conducting practice. I don't want to get into the whole blame game and who should have made sure that practices were held in a orderly and timely fashion with a specific purpose. Its always easy to point fingers and suggest that maybe the coach has to be told to hold practice. But if a coach doesn't hold practice and manage the roster in game, what exactly does he do? Anyway, I'm hoping that the situation has been rectified and I hope that Quinn now understands the need for him and his assistants to actually hold practice. They get a month and if results don't improve, I may find myself doing that chore too.
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leaffan
I'm gonna abandon this for awhile and start on the first challenge with the Capitals...
Managing the Leafs is no less frustrating than cheering for them!
If nothing else I got a greater appreciation for Quinn now
I'm currently mired in another slump, mid January..
I picked up Maarkanen, (he's not the goalie salvation I thought he might be), and I got Tomas Surovy on waivers from Pittsburg...
Just having a crisis of motivation/creativity to come up with an interesting storyline...will pick it up later
I'm gonna abandon this for awhile and start on the first challenge with the Capitals...
Managing the Leafs is no less frustrating than cheering for them!
If nothing else I got a greater appreciation for Quinn now
I'm currently mired in another slump, mid January..
I picked up Maarkanen, (he's not the goalie salvation I thought he might be), and I got Tomas Surovy on waivers from Pittsburg...
Just having a crisis of motivation/creativity to come up with an interesting storyline...will pick it up later
-
E5150_ca
- All-Star
- Posts: 1013
- Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 2:56 am
- Custom Rank: PrO Canada!
- Location: Toronto
That line about the whores was great!
I'm loving this story, too bad about you putting it on hiatus. I also have tried managing the Leafs, and I know what a chore it can be at times.
I look forward to seeing you in the challenge, I just finished the '06 entry draft myself, but I'll be slowing down alot over the next few weeks to let everyone catch up.
I'm loving this story, too bad about you putting it on hiatus. I also have tried managing the Leafs, and I know what a chore it can be at times.
I look forward to seeing you in the challenge, I just finished the '06 entry draft myself, but I'll be slowing down alot over the next few weeks to let everyone catch up.
-
archibalduk
- TBL Admin Team
- Posts: 20373
- Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:44 pm
- Custom Rank: Seaside + Fruit Juice Mode
- Favourite Team: Guildford (EPL) / Invicta (NIHL)
- Location: United Kingdom
- Contact:
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
leaffan
The middle of January...just another typically depressing time to be a Toronto fan. Nights spent, pointlessly cheering on a team of overrated veterans, many of whom I can't stand. I had the winter blahs and I had them big-time. I avoided the Air Canada Centre as much as I could, as the mere sight of Bryan McCabe had me retching into the gutter.
I had finally been chased out of the arena for good by the maintenance staff who had tired of cleaning up my many nests scattered throughout the building. I had tried using the many homeless shelters in the city for my bed; but had been ruthlessly shown the door at each when my identity as GM of the Leafs was discovered. I was reduced to seeking accomodation in the underground, (TTC), keeping one step ahead of the street gangs and civic workers who loitered there.
I had inheireted a team of old ancient hockey players on the downside of their career...six months into my managerial career I still had that same team. The Eagle couldn't stop a beachball, my enforcer thought he was a hockey player and refused to fight, my veterans were too old, and my kids were too young. The next season would soon be upon me, and I knew I couldn't possibly re-sign my top 3 players and fit them under the cap. Lindros, Czerkawski, and Allison would all too soon be my opponents as my remaining squad got older and older. I'd be lucky to finish 29th in the next season.
I had spent the last two weeks crawled up inside of a bottle, willing the pain to end. But it was of no use. I came out and everything was still the same. I was a failure. I had failed every seven yearold Leaf fan who had hoped and prayed that this year would be diferent. That a miracle would descend onto Carleton Street. That the Buds would once again reclaim their rightful place untop of the NHL hierachy. That we would win the Stanley Cup.
I saw now that it had all been a fool's dream. An unforgivable farce. The very idea that a team captained by Mats Sundin, and goaltended by a 48 yearold, would ever amount to anything but failure was tantamount to blasphemy on the altar of professional hockey. I had no excuses.
I had been blessed with the most loyal fanbase in the history of pro sports; whose dedication promised that the money would always be there to improve the team. I had been blessed with a lobotomised coach, who would weakly acquiesce to my every whim and idea. I had been blessed with a ghostwritten bestseller...(no matter that it had only been for the briefest of times). I had lived rent free in a major city for six months!
And I had returned nothing.
In a drunken haze, I caught myself dialing the radio call-in lines to blast the management of the Leafs...(who picked up Surovy on waivers and declared him a saviour? What kind of drunken idiot)...only to hang up when I realised I had noone else to blame now. I could only look square in the mirror...at the John Ferguson Jr. I had become.
It was time to alter the course of this rudderless ship. Time to seize a path and take it ruthlessly. Time to change. Time to take out the trash.
The middle of January...just another typically depressing time to be a Toronto fan. Nights spent, pointlessly cheering on a team of overrated veterans, many of whom I can't stand. I had the winter blahs and I had them big-time. I avoided the Air Canada Centre as much as I could, as the mere sight of Bryan McCabe had me retching into the gutter.
I had finally been chased out of the arena for good by the maintenance staff who had tired of cleaning up my many nests scattered throughout the building. I had tried using the many homeless shelters in the city for my bed; but had been ruthlessly shown the door at each when my identity as GM of the Leafs was discovered. I was reduced to seeking accomodation in the underground, (TTC), keeping one step ahead of the street gangs and civic workers who loitered there.
I had inheireted a team of old ancient hockey players on the downside of their career...six months into my managerial career I still had that same team. The Eagle couldn't stop a beachball, my enforcer thought he was a hockey player and refused to fight, my veterans were too old, and my kids were too young. The next season would soon be upon me, and I knew I couldn't possibly re-sign my top 3 players and fit them under the cap. Lindros, Czerkawski, and Allison would all too soon be my opponents as my remaining squad got older and older. I'd be lucky to finish 29th in the next season.
I had spent the last two weeks crawled up inside of a bottle, willing the pain to end. But it was of no use. I came out and everything was still the same. I was a failure. I had failed every seven yearold Leaf fan who had hoped and prayed that this year would be diferent. That a miracle would descend onto Carleton Street. That the Buds would once again reclaim their rightful place untop of the NHL hierachy. That we would win the Stanley Cup.
I saw now that it had all been a fool's dream. An unforgivable farce. The very idea that a team captained by Mats Sundin, and goaltended by a 48 yearold, would ever amount to anything but failure was tantamount to blasphemy on the altar of professional hockey. I had no excuses.
I had been blessed with the most loyal fanbase in the history of pro sports; whose dedication promised that the money would always be there to improve the team. I had been blessed with a lobotomised coach, who would weakly acquiesce to my every whim and idea. I had been blessed with a ghostwritten bestseller...(no matter that it had only been for the briefest of times). I had lived rent free in a major city for six months!
And I had returned nothing.
In a drunken haze, I caught myself dialing the radio call-in lines to blast the management of the Leafs...(who picked up Surovy on waivers and declared him a saviour? What kind of drunken idiot)...only to hang up when I realised I had noone else to blame now. I could only look square in the mirror...at the John Ferguson Jr. I had become.
It was time to alter the course of this rudderless ship. Time to seize a path and take it ruthlessly. Time to change. Time to take out the trash.
-
archibalduk
- TBL Admin Team
- Posts: 20373
- Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:44 pm
- Custom Rank: Seaside + Fruit Juice Mode
- Favourite Team: Guildford (EPL) / Invicta (NIHL)
- Location: United Kingdom
- Contact:
-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
Some trade that didn't go through or what?-
The Blue Meanie
- Prospect
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:36 pm
I made a billion trades because I was concerned that no one wanted to resign at the moment and I didn't want to lose them to unrestricted free-agency...
I ended up with an older shittier more expensive team with no money left to resign restricted free agents...
The whole point of the story was to be 'realistic'...well...as much as I could given the story thread....
I just got frustrated...I was in ninth and either on a winning streak or a losing streak every eight games...
I couldn't keep playing with a team with 14 new guys acquired at the trading deadline...
My computer 'crashed' and I felt much better...
I ended up with an older shittier more expensive team with no money left to resign restricted free agents...
The whole point of the story was to be 'realistic'...well...as much as I could given the story thread....
I just got frustrated...I was in ninth and either on a winning streak or a losing streak every eight games...
I couldn't keep playing with a team with 14 new guys acquired at the trading deadline...
My computer 'crashed' and I felt much better...