Tampering Will Not Be An Issue With Leafs
May 14th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
PHILADELPHIA (May 14) — The evidence is mounting for those who are hoping to catch the Maple Leafs and/or Brian Burke in violation of the NHL’s strict tampering regulations. To wit:
*Burke has still not signed the long-term contract extension in Anaheim that was labeled “a formailty” back in December.
*The Leafs were quick to […]
Would Gretzky Give It All Up For The Leafs?
May 13th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
TORONTO (May 13) — In the unusual world of professional sports, where hypotheses often become reality, could the Toronto Maple Leafs be considering the most renowned and celebrated name in National Hockey League annals for their prime executive vacancy? There are no hard facts to boost the notion that Maple Leaf Sports & […]
Leafs’ GM Search — A Practical Look
May 11th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
PITTSBURGH (May 11) — Sometime in the next six weeks, a person of uncompromising merit will be named general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and will automatically spark visions of a Stanley Cup parade for the first time in more than four decades. That’s what the Leafs are telling us, anyway. The successful candidate […]
Leafs Looking Both Desperate And Naive
May 9th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
PITTSBURGH (May 9) — The Toronto Maple Leafs must believe they have a business plan in effect that will ultimately lure the NHL’s equivalent of Moses to their general manager’s chair. As we are discovering this week, however, the Leafs’ plan is virtually unprecedented in the annals of big-league hockey. In order to fulfill its […]
Spinning Wheel Still Stops At Anaheim
May 7th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
TORONTO (May 7) — It has been exactly two weeks since Brian Burke informed the media — and, cryptically, the Maple Leafs — that he’d be staying put in Anaheim for the final year of his contract as GM. Had the Ducks’ ownership provided Burke with even the tiniest loophole, he’d have been on […]
Oh, To Be Fabian Brunnstrom
May 7th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
TORONTO (May 7) — I blame it all on Pierre LeBrun. In fact, Pierre blames it all on himself. Sometime in February, LeBrun — after doing a bit of ground-breaking research — went on the Hockey Night In Canada “Satellite Hotstove” and told viewers about this kid in Sweden who might become a […]
Armstrong Keen On Leafs’ GM Job
May 5th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
TORONTO (May 5) — Based on Richard Peddie’s definition of a full-time general manager to run the Maple Leafs, Doug Armstrong scores highly. Based on qualifications for the job in the current-day NHL, Armstrong may be the best candidate — period – this side of Brian Burke. And, Armstrong wants the position. Badly.
“To me, Toronto’s the […]
It’s About Friggin’ Time, Mats!
May 1st, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
PHILADELPHIA (May 1) — “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”
With apologies to my friend, Rick Jeanneret, whose call of Brad May’s playoff overtime goal at Buffalo in 1993 is among the most famous in hockey annals, there is a brand new alert on the first day of May, 15 years later: Mats Sundin is getting married. Such […]
McDonald Anniversary And Other Notes
April 28th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
PHILADELPHIA (Apr. 29) — Can it really be 30 years ago tonight?
Any follower of the Toronto Maple Leafs currently approaching middle-age should easily recall where he or she was on Apr. 29, 1978. And the emotions that spilled into all parts of the city after the greatest single achievement of the Harold Ballard era. It was […]
Meehan Non-Committal About Leafs
April 27th, 2008 by howard.berger
By HOWARD BERGER
MONTREAL (Apr. 27) — Don Meehan, the most prolific hockey agent in the business today, has been touted by several of my media colleagues for the vacant general manager’s post with the Toronto Maple Leafs — the theory being that other agents have moved into management in recent years, so why not go […]
