The Leafs are young, and that’s great. They have some skill, but the talent level is hardly over-whelming. We are now talking about a team and an organization that has, as its central ambition this season, making the Eastern Conference playoffs. That's a pretty low bar.As a modest objective in a non-hockey market, that would be nice. And it’s OK, I suppose, even in Toronto, given the team has not been in the playoffs for 8 seasons.But Burke will soon be entering his 4th year on the job. His much un-desired—and often publicly stated—"five year re-build" (that is, he has said many times he did not have the patience to spend five years building the team) will now, in fact, be the very best he can hope to achieve.So now comes the real challenge. Expectation here have been so crippled, so minimal, that making the playoffs with a young, hard-working team will satisfy us, it seems. But how long can that last?
Leafs Links
Remaking The Leafs' Penalty Kill
What would be the impact of serious improvements? And who's going to be on this unit?
Maple Leafs Rally to Beat Senators
The book is out on Robin Lehner. Go glove high.
Can the Maple Leafs Make the Playoffs in 2012?
Maybe?
As Jonathan Willis points out, Mike Brophy is a tard.
Boston, the Worst Sports City in America
Yep. Has to be true right?
Other Links
The NHL's Most Interesting Names: 1940s Part II
Harry Dick. lol.
Tips for Dominating Your Fantasy Hockey Draft
Some members of PPP wish they had read this before we drafted last night.
Homophobic Slurs a Habit That's Hard to Break
Burke quoted as saying hockey culture needs to change.
Puck Buddy's weighs in on the Avery-Simmonds incident.
Gay Rights Group Wants Simmonds to Apologize....
Despite his incessant plea that he didn't say "faggot" and the NHL apparently believing him, thus giving him no fine.
Shanahan Sets Right Tone with Lenghty Suspensions
Hopefully this acts as a deterrent, otherwise it's going to turn into a gong show.
