Sometimes this season, I think I can click my heels 3X, say "there's no place like home" and suddenly, the Leafs will be a winning team.  But instead, I wake up to reality where we have the worst team since I started following the Leafs, noone can decide whether the cupboards are well stocked or bare (I think they're about halfway stocked), and it's unlikely we can turn any of our existing players into decent future assets.  So, it's back to watching childhood movies for me, and wishing reality was more like Hollywood.

I'm not the only one who has Wizard of Oz on the Brain.  Here's Loser Domi with Ask Lee Stempniak.

Yes.  It is that bad.  TML Fan Fury breaks down the Leafs' record month by month since the lockout and comes to the conclusion that the Leafs are going through their worst month.

Ah, some hope!  Hawerchuck put together some stats about when NHL players actually hit their peak.  It seems we were a couple years off on the age.  Maybe Kessel won't be on the downslope of his career by the time we're competitive.

The Monster is enjoying his time in Toronto.  Really?  Heh, this guy is easy to please.  Anyways, I hope he sticks around for a couple more years.  For a reasonable price.

I'm sure we've all been enjoying the great coverage on the Leafs that James Mirtle's been providing us.  Unfortunately, our gain may be the blogosphere's loss.  Here's James' State of the Blog.

Some of that Leafs coverage from James: The Leafs are frustrated.  Oh, and there's a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs.

In all the rage about the Burrows/Auger debacle, the fact that FSN Pittsburgh managed to trick the NHL into missing a goal was swept under the carpet. Broad Street Hockey has some concerns, and suggestions for the league. I know, I was shocked that a Flyers fan could be this logical as well. But don't worry, this doesn't mean we have to stop the Go Flyers! jokes.

And I leave you with one more link about changes in the NHL.  Brandon from Defending the Big D did an article about what the NHL needs to do over the next decade if it wants to be successful.  It makes for very interesting reading.

PPP Inserts:

Death may have come to town but it still hasn't been able to claim Zambonic Youth (despite visual evidence to the contrary) as Godd Till revisits his high school years with some angst and Kids In The Hall.

Bloge Salming finds some interesting b-roll from the team's photoshoot.

From The Branches