NEWS OF MAPLE LEAFS
Last Update:
Friday September 22, 2000 11:26PM EST
Wednesday September 20 2000 Corson, Joseph stay at home
Forward Shayne Corson and goaltender Curtis Joseph are not expected to accompany the Maple Leafs when they depart for a three-game swing through Western Canada, general manager/coach Pat Quinn said last night.
Joseph strained his groin during informal workouts last month and has yet to dress in an exhibition game. Quinn, who made the decision concerning his star goaltender after consulting with the Leafs medical staff yesterday, said Joseph could join the team midway through the trip, which features stops in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver tomorrow, Friday and Sunday respectively.
Glenn Healy, Jimmy Waite and Jamie Hodson are the goalies scheduled for the trip.
Corson last night was scratched for the second consecutive game with flu-like symptoms.
"He needs time to regain his strength," Quinn said. "Besides, we're not even sure if it is infectious."
Also on the limp is winger Sergei Berezin, who suffered a groin pull during Toronto's morning skate yesterday.
Berezin tested the injury during the pre-game skate last night, but decided to be cautious and sat out the exhibition game against the Vancouver Canucks.
The injury is not believed to be serious.
Tuesday September 19 2000 Karpovtsev issue gets more complicated
The Alexander Karpovtsev issue has taken another confusing twist.
Should the free-agent defenceman sit out the entire NHL season in his contract dispute with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team will likely move to bar Karpovtsev from becoming an unrestricted free agent.
All of which means Karpovtsev's agent, Mark Gandler, would find himself once again embroiled in an arbitration case over the status of one of his clients. The case would actually pit the NHL, representing the Leafs, against the NHL Players' Association, representing Karpovtsev.
The Leafs, armed with what they believe was a precedent-setting case two years ago, claim they would have a legitimate case for preventing Karpovtsev, 30, from becoming an unrestricted free agent. He has one year to go before meeting the NHL's requirements for unrestricted status.
"Our interpretation is that upon the expiration of his contract (Karpovtsev) qualifies for Group III status at age 31," Leafs executive Bill Watters told the Toronto Star. "But if he doesn't have a contract, the expiration of the contract clause is gone."
Gandler maintains Karpovtsev's case would be just as strong based on the wording of the collective bargaining agreement.
"I have no doubt in any way, shape or form that Alexander would be an unrestricted free agent," said Gandler, who recently lost an arbitration case in an attempt to make Ottawa Senators holdout Alexei Yashin a free agent. "If you look at the CBA, it's as clear as a whistle."
Monday September 18 2000 An emotional farewell
A crowd of about 3,000 visited Maple Leaf Gardens yesterday afternoon before the doors closed for a two-year facelift.
There will be a 5,000-seat hockey rink in the Gardens' future, but most of the seats -- the greys, greens and many blues -- will be gone, replaced by several storeys of condos, restaurants and shops.
The Leafs moved out of the 69-year-old landmark 19 months ago, but the memories of 11 Stanley Cups and events such as wrestling, boxing and rock concerts that drew millions to Carlton St. will remain.
"I really wanted to be here," 82-year-old Hockey Hall Of Fame historian Tommy Gaston -- who was at the Gardens on opening night, Nov. 12, 1931 -- said yesterday. "I'm really going to miss it."
The Leafs dressing room was a favourite stop yesterday before it gets modernized for the team's return to its practice facility in 2002-03. The ice was out, but the Zamboni and other artifacts were on display, while vintage music and Paul Morris goal announcements were played on the loudspeakers.
"There was a nice, emotional feel to the day," Leafs president Ken Dryden said.
Saturday September 16 2000 Hoglund still playing on Leafs first line -- for now
Jonas Hoglund may keep his spot on the Toronto Maple Leafs' first line.
Since the signing of free-agent left-winger Gary Roberts, the understandable assumption was that Hoglund has skated for the last time on Mats Sundin's flank.
But on Tuesday, when Toronto hosts Vancouver in an exhibition game, Hoglund will get another chance at the top line as the right-winger on Sundin's line. Roberts will play the left side.
While it's foolhardy to read too much into early pre-season line combinations, coach Pat Quinn clearly isn't tinkering with that threesome to kill time.
Quinn stressed Friday that this is still "experimentation time" but he also made it clear that, apart from how the playoffs ended, he was pleased with how Sundin and Hoglund clicked last season. And he's seriously considering keeping them together again this season.
"That's exactly the position (Hoglund) might end up back in. You'd have to say that in spite of us not getting past New Jersey, it was a pretty successful year for those two," Quinn told the Toronto Star.
Hoglund played on the right side in Thursday's 4-3 exhibition win over Edmonton and has played that wing in the NHL with both Montreal and Calgary.
Friday September 15 2000 Shaking hands not throwing fists
Wendel Clark has once again joined the Maple Leafs.
But this time he'll be shaking hands, not throwing fists.
Although an official job title has not been established, the former Toronto captain will fill an ambassador role for the team, sources told the Toronto Sun. An announcement is expected shortly.
Clark's duties were outlined Thursday during a meeting with Maple Leafs officials. Although a few details need to be ironed out, it is known that Clark will be in the public eye representing the team.
Clark will serve as a spokesman in the community, visiting schools and public venues, and will work with Maple Leafs alumni on various projects.
Clark also will work with the corporate sector and visit patrons of the private boxes at the Air Canada Centre.
The Maple Leafs are putting together an itinerary for Clark, who tearfully retired this past off-season after a playing career that dates to 1985 when Toronto selected him first overall in the NHL entry draft.
Clark, approached before the Leafs-Edmonton Oilers exhibition game Thursday night, said retirement hasn't sunk in.
"There really hasn't been much of a difference," he said. "The only difference is that I didn't have to fast during August in preparation for training camp. I could pretty much eat what I wanted."
Thursday September 14 2000 Ballard's hidden gems dusted off
Like King Tut, Harold Ballard kept his treasures well hidden.
Only now, in the final days before Maple Leaf Gardens begins a transformation to a condo/retail/practice rink project, have the last artifacts from Ballard's one-time castle been uncovered.
Officials with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. recently found a motherlode of memorabilia in long-ignored corners of the 69-year-old building. Dusty pictures, plaques, posters, books and clippings from the Ballard era of 1970-90 have been retrieved, as well as club documents and monuments from the glory days of the club.
The late Ballard had purposely hidden or discarded much of the vintage stuff during his stormy tenure. Among the items were oil paintings of Gardens founder Conn Smythe, a young Queen Elizabeth, player contracts and paystubs going back 50 years, a scale model of the failed Gardens' expansion and in a battered suitcase, the famous Santa Claus suit Johnny Bower wore at team parties.
"It was fun going through various places to see what would pop out next," Tom Anselmi, senior vice-president, business for MLSEL, said.
"You never knew if this stuff would've grown legs through the years and disappeared. The frame on the Smythe picture (a gift from fellow directors in the mid-50s) is worth about $1,000 itself."
Anselmi said the 4-by-5 foot Smythe portrait, found crated in the Gardens' boiler room, likely will be hung in the hockey team's directors lounge at the Air Canada Centre. He said if any truly personal items of Ballard, Smythe or Conn's son and Harold's late partner Stafford are found, they would be offered back to the families. Some of former sound man/announcer Paul Morris's ancient electrical equipment also was retrieved, as well as familiar Gardens' touches such as the NHL emblems used for the out-of-town scoreboard.
The late Gardens' publicist Stan Obodiac loyally documented Ballard's numerous appearances in Toronto newspapers, now fading scrapbooks.
Some of the finds will be on display this Sunday when the Gardens holds its final open house between noon and 4 p.m. An auction of some of the memorabilia, as well as a few thousand of the famous seats, will be held in late November.
The Gardens will be turned over to Penequity Management Corporation before Christmas and work will commence on the two-year project, including a revamped 5,000-seat practice arena for the Leafs.
Thursday September 14 2000 Perreault back on blades
Like a child waiting to rip open presents on Christmas morning, Yanic Perreault is having trouble keeping his patience.
But patient he will be, the veteran centre vowed yesterday.
Perreault took a significant step in his rehab from knee surgery when he practised with a number of his teammates Tuesday morning. It was the first time Perreault took part in an organized on-ice workout since he went under the knife April 20 to repair medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee.
"For my first full practice, it went pretty well," Perreault said yesterday. "I didn't really think about the knee. It was just nice to take some shots and get my timing back."
Despite being ahead of schedule in his rehab, Perreault shot down speculation that he might be ready for game action when the Leafs open the 2000-01 regular season against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 7 at the Air Canada Centre. Instead he continues to aim for Oct. 20 -- exactly six months after he had surgery.
"The most important thing now is to make sure the knee doesn't swell up," Perreault said. "I want to be certain it has strengthened pretty good and doesn't slow me down.
"I'm still not ready for any one-on-one drills and any physical contact, for sure. That's at least two weeks away, if not longer. You want to be sure you don't have to worry about (the knee).
"You can't beat nature, but at least it's nice to be able to skate with no pain."
Chris Broadhurst, the head athletic therapist of the Leafs, said the team is taking a cautious approach, even if it appears on the surface that Perreault is making significant strides.
"From a rehab standpoint he has done very well for himself," Broadhurst said. "He may be ahead of the original projections in terms of skating but the graft needs time to fully strengthen.
"The biggest thing with Yanic right now is that he feels he can do a lot. We just can't jump the gun on the natural healing time that is needed."
As the Leafs held their final two practice sessions at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium yesterday before breaking camp and heading back to Toronto, Perreault concentrated on his off-ice training, riding the stationary bike and building up his endurance.
Leaving their week in Kitchener in the rear view mirror, the Leafs kick off their pre-season schedule tonight against the Edmonton Oilers at the Air Canada Centre. The contest is the first of nine exhibition games for the Leafs, who will finish the pre-season Oct. 1 against the Detroit Red Wings at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton.
The NHL has ensured teams won't saturate their pre-season lineups with rookies whom the majority of fans have never heard of. Regulations dictate that teams must dress at least 10 players who participated in 30 or more regular-season games last season for each pre-season contest.
Monday September 11 2000 Blackhawks and Maple Leafs considering swapping defencemen
The Blackhawks may soon be talking trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the teams considering swapping defencemen.
Reports out of Toronto and Chicago say the Maple Leafs will contact Mike Smith, the Hawks' manager of hockey operations, in hopes of trading disgruntled defenceman Alexander Karpovtsev.
Toronto's talks with Karpovtsev, a restricted free agent, broke down over the weekend and the 31-year-old defenceman returned to his native Russia on Sunday.
Smith said Sunday he has not talked to Toronto about Karpovtsev, who would fit into the Hawks more mobile system this season. But Smith left the door open to such a discussion after he sees how his Hawks look further into training camp.
"I've said I'd like to upgrade our defence so I would be pretty open-minded," Smith told the Chicago Sun-Times. "But I'm not going to change our team until I see what team we have."
Toronto probably would want a defenceman in return, likely Bryan McCabe, who, like Karpovtsev, led his team in average ice time per game last season.
Karpovtsev, 31, who will be an unrestricted free agent next season, reportedly turned down a three-year contract that would have paid him between $2.5 million and $2.8 million per season. He also turned down a one-year offer of $2 million.
Monday September 11 2000 Karpovtsev says forget it
Alexander Karpovtsev is back in the U.S.S.R., while the Maple Leafs are back to Square 1 with his contract.
Although the club set a deadline of 6 p.m. today for Karpovtsev to accept its one-year offer, the defenceman already had rejected it Saturday night and followed through on a planned flight to Russia from New York yesterday at 3 p.m.
It's believed the offer was for $2 million US, while Karpovtsev's agent, Mark Gandler, confirmed that the sides were about $100,000 or less apart before talks hit a wall.
"If that figure breaks a (rich) team such as the Leafs, so be it," Gandler said last night.
"I thought Alexander and I already went to the bare bones on this. It's now a matter of principle. Alexander stands on his achievements."
Leafs assistant to the president Bill Watters said talks were cordial. But he said he would not raise his offer, which he called substantial.
"We would make him our highest-paid defenceman along with one other (matching Dmitry Yushkevich's $2-million US salary)" Watters said.
Sunday September 10 2000 Cujo cautious with groin
Nothing would scare the Maple Leafs more than a long-term injury to goaltender Curtis Joseph.
Joseph revealed yesterday that he has skipped scrimmages at training camp because of a groin problem.
"I hurt it last week when I was working out (with Toronto-area NHLers)," Joseph said as he left the Kitchener Auditorium on Day 2 of practices. "We're trying to stay on top of it and make sure it doesn't get any worse."
Club therapist Chris Broadhurst diagnosed the injury as a strain and said Joseph was getting treatment in the days leading to camp.
"Everyone is being really cautious with this," Broadhurst said. "He can do some practising, but I think it will be a couple of days before he gets back into live action."
If anyone thinks there's no risk of a goalie getting hurt at camp, just ask Jamie Hodson. The junior from Brandon, Man., was flattened when defenceman D.J. Smith drove Gary Roberts into the net in the morning scrimmage. Later, Shayne Corson hammered Lance Galbraith into the net, dangerously close to slight Russian stopper Vladimir Kulikov.
Broadhurst already is busy, supervising the recovery of centres Yanic Perreault and Nik Antropov, both restricted to light skating as they come back from knee surgery. The pair arrives at the arena at 7 a.m., in advance of the camp hordes, to work with assistant coach Keith Acton.
Broadhurst also is monitoring injured defenceman Bryan Berard, who is in Kitchener visiting teammates. Broadhurst is working out a general conditioning program for the 23-year-old Berard, whose right eye was severely damaged in a game six months ago tomorrow.
Friday September 8 2000 Old buds in new duds
What to wear?
The Maple Leafs might need extra time to decide, and find extra closet space, as they unveiled new-look sweaters yesterday for the 2000-01 NHL season.
The 73-year-old club has challenged tradition by adding silver to the famous blue and white, applying it on a new TML shoulder patch and to highlight streamlined sweater numbers.
The club has also brought back the 1963 jersey with its classic Leafs logo and a laced-up collar, to be worn in 10 games against NHL original-six clubs.
The new sweaters are likely to get a mixed reaction, but that likely won't stop the stampede of buyers at Christmas.
"It's probably the right amount of silver," goaltender Curtis Joseph said of the new duds. "It's not too overbearing. It looks classy."
Thursday September 7 2000 Karpovtsev talks go on
Alexander Karpovtsev won't be in Toronto today for the start of training camp, but his agent is here and talking.
Mark Gandler flew in yesterday from New York for a two-hour contract meeting with Maple Leafs assistant to the president Bill Watters. They will huddle again today.
"The gap has been closed," Watters said of the contentious bargaining for the Group 2 free-agent defenceman. But Watters refused to say which side had blinked.
At one time Gandler was seeking $3.5 million US a season and when the Leafs came in about a $1 million short, he angrily put Watters "on suspension" while his client worked out in Russia. The Leafs have offered contracts for one year and three years, the latter worth about $7 million US.
Watters termed yesterday's talks "a pleasant restart" and hoped the matter might be settled by next week.
Karpovtsev has returned from Moscow to his off-season home in suburban New York. Watters said the Leafs, in the spirit of making a deal, would not threaten fines while Karpovtsev is out.
It's believed Gandler also might be here to talk to the NHL Players' Association about his star client Alexei Yashin's contract beef with the Ottawa Senators.
Thursday September 7 2000 Leafs begin quest for Cup
Last time the Maple Leafs were glimpsed, they were slinking out of the Meadowlands, held to an embarrassing six shots, bounced from the playoffs by the New Jersey Devils in six games.
The series spoiled a 100-point NHL season, and threw up another roadblock to the Stanley Cup that had been just seven wins away in 1999.
So, for the second consecutive season, spring begins in September for the Leafs, who begin building for the playoffs as of today.
Here's what to expect at training camp, which gets under way with medicals for 65 players in Toronto and moves to Kitchener for workouts tomorrow:
GOALTENDING
It would take a major injury or some other calamity to knock team MVP Curtis Joseph from the No. 1 job. Glenn Healy's new two-year contract ensures the 38-year-old backup will play 20 to 25 games.
The Leafs want to see what junior-aged Jamie Hodson, Jean-Francois Racine, Sebastien Centomo and Vladimir Kulikov can do, but those goalies would have to dazzle to alter the plan of using Jimmy Waite and Mike Minard with the AHL farm team in St. John's. Future star Mikael Tellqvist remains in Sweden.
DEFENCE
Still weak on puck movement and power play, the Leafs seek a fleet-footed type to replace Bryan Berard long-term and Alexander Karpovtsev short-term.
Assuming Karpovtsev signs a contract and comes back, he'll be in the starting four with Tomas Kaberle, Dmitry Yushkevich and Danny Markov. Then the Leafs have to decide whether to promote youngsters, such as Dmitri Yakushin, D.J. Smith, Peter Reynolds or Petr Svoboda, or go with the toughness of free agent Dave Manson, Gerald Diduck, Cory Cross and Chris McAllister.
The fine play of Reynolds, Svoboda and Allan Rourke at the rookie tournament should spice up camp.
LEFT WING
All eyes are on the first line where Gary Roberts is expected to succeed where Fredrik Modin and Jonas Hoglund failed at crunch time.
Sergei Berezin will be no worse than second line, though Pat Quinn's desire to get a more nasty team could see Shayne Corson and Darcy Tucker featured prominently. Hoglund did have a career-high 29 goals last season but won't get that on a checking line.
RIGHT WING
It's another test for Steve Thomas to hold his place on the top line, with no shortage of bigger players on deck.
Dmitri Khristich has a lot to prove, though he was given benefit of the doubt last season because of a groin injury. A centre, left winger or farmhand could take at least one job, leaving Garry Valk and Tie Domi fighting for fourth-line work.
CENTRE
Sundin could get 100 points but his true test will come in the playoffs. Nik Antropov and Yanic Perreault should be available near the start of the regular schedule, but if it comes to those two and Igor Korolev for No. 2 and 3 centres, the Perreault-as-trade-bait plan could be revived.
Quinn says a number of camp experiments will be conducted, perhaps Corson as No. 2 centre, Sundin at left wing or brothers-in-law Corson and Tucker as linemates.
Fourth-line centre as well as spare forward could be a scramble between hard-luck Alyn McCauley, Jeff Farkas, Adam Mair or a camp dark horse.
WILD CARDS
G Hodson (missed most of last season with reconstructive knee surgery), D Svoboda (chosen 35th overall in 1998 draft), F Jeff Farkas (impressed in playoffs last year at wing, could play centre), F Don MacLean (leading scorer at St. John's), F Luca Cereda and F Lance Galbraith (five points each at the rookie tournament).
Friday September 1 2000 Berard set for next step
Although Bryan Berard was making plans to resume skating this week and has the okay to join dryland training camp with the Maple Leafs, any talk of his return remains premature as he recovers from a serious injury to his right eye.
"The bottom line is still time and God's will," Berard's mother, Pam, said yesterday from the family home in Woonsocket, R.I., after the defenceman was given clearance to skate.
After almost six months of operations and waiting on the part of the Berards and the Maple Leafs, New York specialist Dr. Stanley Chang told the defenceman this week his eye likely won't get any better or worse. Berard has not returned reporters' calls this week.
"He's set to find out if he can play or not," agent Tom Laidlaw said.
The odds are heavily against Berard, 23, who told the Hockey News recently that he would like to try for a comeback attempt by mid-season. As well as adjusting to life with one good eye, his overall conditioning has suffered in the months since the injury.
The March 11 accident in Ottawa, in which the right eye was struck by Senators forward Marian Hossa's stick, left Berard without an iris to filter sunlight or brightness. He can distinguish light from dark but it's believed he has extremely limited sight with the eye.
"He has to adapt to playing without depth perception," Laidlaw said.
That will be a tremendous challenge in the fast-paced National Hockey League.
But Berard, who would be required to wear a visor, won't be denied his quest to try. He was expected to begin skating in the next couple of days. He has done some off-ice stick-handling through the summer.
Even if Berard shows himself to be competent on the ice at some stage this season, there is still a National Hockey League rule that won't allow a player with less than 3/60ths vision in either eye to play.
"Once we get there (if Berard gets as far as practising full time) we have to decide whether we will challenge it (legally) or not," Laidlaw said of the rule.
Maple Leafs general manager/coach Pat Quinn said yesterday that Berard would be welcome to resume dryland training with the club when the main camp gets under way late next week, provided club doctors give approval.
But Quinn appeared leery of letting Berard participate in any on-ice drills, citing the possible danger of injury to Berard and other players.
Berard hasn't been around his teammates since the injury, except for a quick visit to the Air Canada Centre dressing room during the playoffs last spring.