NHL

Toronto Transit uniform flap reaffirms Canadiens rivalry

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: August 20, 2013

When it comes to the rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens, there is no offseason or out of bounds. That’s why when Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) workers were presented the plans new Habs-colored uniforms, the reaction was predictable – no sir, they did not like them. And not only did the...

NHL

Roberto Luongo cameos in Canucks fans’ tribute song

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: August 14, 2013

Vancouver Canucks fans are trying to mend the relationship between veteran goaltender Roberto Luongo and the club through song and it appears as though the veteran netminder is doing his part to let bygones be bygones. Luongo has a short appearance in a song called “Big Old Goal,” a video produced by NHL blogger Harrison...

NHL

Flyers, Lecavalier help Briere, Horton in free agent market

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: July 4, 2013

The NHL free agency open market kicks off Friday and while there will surely be a flurry of deals to analyze, the biggest of those reportedly already went down when the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms with former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier. While no less than 12 teams were rumored to be interested...

NHL

Beantown Beatdown: Leafs Lose in Game 7 OT to Bruins

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: May 14, 2013

It was going so well for The Toronto Maple Leafs — beyond expectations. In their first playoff series in nine years, they led the Boston Bruins by three goals in the third period in Game 7 of their matchup. Yes, the Leafs gave up goals at 9:18 and at 18:38, but all they had to...

NHL

Toronto Mayor Ford Supports Leafs with Blue and White Day

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: May 6, 2013

Nine years and two days. That’s how long Toronto has waited to watch their Toronto Maple Leafs play a playoff home game, so it’s no surprise the city is bursting with excitement ahead of tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins at the Air Canada Centre. Earlier today, mayor Rob Ford declared Monday to be Blue...

NHL

NHL East Playoff Preview: Final Pairings

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: April 29, 2013

The seedings in this conference went down to the last day of the season. Ottawa’s 4-2 road victory in Boston helps the Montreal Canadiens win the Northeast Division, and the two teams will face each other in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Here is a look at that and the other three series...

NHL

Leafs Fan: Make CN Tower Biggest Playoff Goal Light

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: April 23, 2013

Toronto is abuzz with the Maple Leafs heading to the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2004 – so much so that one fan has started a petition to turn the CN Tower into the world’s biggest goal light. Scott Booth has a petition circulating that would have the CN Tower light up red...

NHL

Questions Remain for the Playoff-Bound Leafs

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: April 22, 2013

OK, Leafs fans, you can breathe out now: Toronto is in the NHL playoffs for the first time in nine years. But even before the “second season” starts, some questions remain. For instance, should they rest their top players or should they carry on and try to grab the best playoff spot possible? Their schedule...

NHL

Rumour Mill In Overdrive as NHL Trade Deadline Approaches

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: April 1, 2013

Let’s get this out of the way first: because this story was posted after noon on Monday, this is not an April Fools prank. There is also no joking around when it comes to discussing the National Hockey League trade deadline at 3 PM Eastern time on Wednesday, April 3. Between now and then, all...

NHL

Maple Leafs Beat Bruins, On Track for Playoffs

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: March 26, 2013

Could Toronto’s long wait be coming to an end at last? The Maple Leafs toughed out a shootout point over the Bruins in Boston last night, keeping their hopes alive of a first post-season appearance in nine years. Nobody can claim that Toronto is the best team in hockey right now, or will be come...

NHL

NHL Saturday Give and Go: Bruins to Beat up on Flyers

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: March 8, 2013

HNIC NHL Odds, Preview and Predictions Like it or not, the Boston Bruins are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference almost halfway through this shortened NHL season. Habs fans, sit down. Leafs supporters, let’s be serious. Pittsburgh, get a goaltender already. Most days, I’d rather go through a Jersey Shore marathon than subject...

NHL

Talk Increasing of Maple Leafs As a ‘Legit’ Playoff Team

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: March 7, 2013

They haven’t seen post-season action since 2004, or held a Stanley Cup since 1967. But the Toronto Maple Leafs are earning more accolades, and observers inside and outside of the NHL are saying the Blue and White are definite playoff contenders. Take Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien. He knows how to cajole a Cup-winning...

NHL

Coach Randy Carlyle Warns Leafs After Sabres Fire Lindy Ruff

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: February 21, 2013

Sabres Visit Toronto With New Coach Buffalo Sabres management sent its players a major message yesterday by firing Lindy Ruff and Toronto Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle has his players on notice. The Sabres visit the Maple Leafs tonight with Ron Rolston taking over behind the bench on an interim basis. Rolston was in his...

NHL

Scrivens Superb in Leafs’ Net with Back-to-Back Shutouts

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: February 19, 2013

Anyone out there who might have been worried about whether Ben Scrivens could carry the load as the main goaltender of the Toronto Maple Leafs can rest easy. The 26-year-old registered his second consecutive scoreless performance Monday night in a 3-0 whitewashing of the Panthers in Florida. Scrivens hasn’t let a puck hit the back...

NHL

Hockey Analyst Adds Fuel to Luongo-to-Leafs Rumours

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: October 19, 2012

The lack of NHL games certainly isn’t stopping the NHL rumour mill. On Friday, Sportsnet.ca analyst John Shannon posted an opinion column where he repeated what he said Wednesday night during a discussion on the Hockeycentral TV program shown on Rogers Sportsnet: he has heard “from a reputable source” that current Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto...

NHL

More NHL Teams Rumoured for Canada After Lockout Ends

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: October 16, 2012

On Tuesday, the National Hockey League put forward an offer to the players’ association containing a 50/50 split in revenues. What’s even more intriguing was a report on speculation that the league could be ready to announce two expansion teams for Canada when the two sides finally shake hands on a collective bargaining agreement. No,...

NHL

Your Team Probably Doesn’t Suck As Badly As the Leafs

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: September 9, 2012

The Toronto Maple Leafs organization was one of the original franchises in the National Hockey League long before the marketing concept of the “Original Six.” They’ve been around since 1927 as the Maple Leafs; before that, they were known as the Arenas (1917-19) and the St. Patricks (1919-27). They used to be good, having won...

NHL

Maple Leafs Fans Still Waiting for a Blockbuster Deal

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: July 26, 2012

This is an off-season? There’s been much activity in the National Hockey League lately: for instance, this week the Nashville Predators decided to retain their cornerstone defenceman and captain, Shea Weber, by matching the 14-year, $110-million offer sheet issued to him by the Philadelphia Flyers. That follows the Minnesota Wild’s dual shocker in early July...

NHL

Reports Say Luongo Favors Only Florida In Trade Talks

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: June 25, 2012

Writer Thomas Wolfe titled one of his novels “You Can’t Go Home Again.” If the rumors are to be believed, Roberto Luongo is trying to disprove that notion. A few days after the Vancouver Canucks were knocked out of the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Los Angeles Kings, the netminder said he would waive...

NHL

NHL: 2012 Entry Draft Will Be Critical For Leafs GM Burke

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: June 19, 2012

It’s been four years since the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Brian Burke to be their general manager. Since then, Leafs Nation has had to put up with a lot of losing, and their team remains untroubled by post-season appearances. After more than 650 regular-season games since 2004 and no playoffs to show for them, this...