Pension Plan Puppets

Luongo or Luongstop?

2012-05-25T11:00:30Z

After Steve Yzerman's Luongo-centric comments on a Tampa radio station, you just knew Mr. Roberto would be back in the Leafs cooler talk. Here's Mike from VLM on why he doesn't want Luongo:

My reasons are not based on advanced stats or any of the other neat stuff that likely "proves" the long-time netminder is actually one of the best in the business. I know Luongo is one of the more talented goaltenders in hockey. I’m aware he was the guy between the pipes when Canada won the Olympics in 2010.

I just don’t believe he is the right—or best—fit for the Maple Leafs right now.

Even if we set aside his gargantuan salary, which still has, what, ten years to go on it and at a really big number—I view him as damaged goods.

Why you ask? Head on over to get the whole story.

Links

Burke, Carlyle, and the Top 6 Bottom 6 Model

All are stupid.

The 10 Most Annoying Hockey Fans

Yes, he's on there. Yup, him too.

While the Men Watch; A Terrible Idea

2012-05-24T14:02:02Z

To get a different perspective and take on yesterday's news that CBC has picked the While the Men Watch blog for coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals, we turn to Heather. You can follow her on Twitter; @fergus30.

Being a Leafs fan is not easy, as many of you know. Being a Leafs fan is harder when you’re trying to buy a t-shirt with your teams logo and you’re sold something like this.

The segmentation of female sports fans is not new, but with the news yesterday that a sports blog titled While the Men Watch has been picked up by the CBC to provide hockey commentary, this issue has come up once again. Because of this, I was approached to share my opinion about it on this handy dandy blog. Hello!

First off, let’s look at this blog. While the Men Watch is basically two women who provide live commentary of sporting events. Their commentary intends to "keep women entertained during football, hockey, basketball, baseball games and more". The fact that this blog was picked up resulted in a huge outburst of opinion and commentary online. What I’d like to do in this blog post is breakdown some of the problems that I see with the CBC picking up and funding their commentary during the Stanley Cup finals, as well as some problems with the reactions to their blog in the greater hockey community as I observed it on Twitter.

Let me preface this with the statement that I am in fact, a female hockey fan, and that sometimes, I watch hockey with the intention of staring at Sidney Crosby’s butt, critiquing Ron Wilson’s tie choice or deciding whether or not I actually think PJ Stock is attractive or not (my current verdict: no, but this changes weekly). Surprisingly, I also watch hockey because it is a fast paced, complex and fascinating game, and a true demonstration of athleticism, team work and drive which I find compelling.

The fact that I even felt the need to include that prefacing paragraph really hits on the biggest problem with being a female sports fan. As my good friend Emily (@emilydawnlove) stated on Twitter:

I'm frustrated by the perpetuation of the idea that I am a woman first & a sports fan second. Men are not identified as 'male sports fans'.

Perhaps it is the fact that being a female and a hockey fan is a novelty that makes this practice so widespread, but the greater problem here is that as a female hockey fan, a female hockey fan is defined as female first and hockey fan second. The writers of While the Men Watch perpetuate his stereotype and this is the greatest folly of their endeavor, not, as I would like to argue, the way that they watch hockey.

So, let’s break down While the Men Watch. First off, the name in itself is problematic. While the Men Watch reflects an attitude that men watch the sports while women... do something else. Is not watching what these women are doing, even if they are only watching to, as they describe, provide "their own version of sports commentary that women actually want to hear?" Also, the generalization that all women (not just all female hockey fans, all women) actually want to hear about which coaches need a makeover, or which hockey players are the hottest is a huge generalization to make. Not to say that this generalization is not made often, and even not made often within the media environment. These types of segmentation of female attention to an issue aren’t new - female sections of newspapers and websites are common, and these types of segmentation only serve to signify that female issues are not worthy of attention from men, and that what women are interested in are of a different value than the rest of the news. This, indeed is the greater problem here.

Now, let’s talk about the issue that the CBC has seen it necessary to fund this blog and their commentary, while they currently keep only two female hockey commentators on staff, Cassie Campbell and and Andi Petrillo, who many have pointed out are often kept to the sidelines of Hockey Night in Canada. What I see as the greatest problem with the CBC funding this blog is not the content that it provides, but the fact that the CBC has not seen a need to spend some of their budget on fostering and building a base of female commentators/bloggers/opinion writers. A great point was made to me earlier by Karina (@gottabe_KD):

Cassie Campbell has excellent insight into hockey and was never given the time to develop her colour voice in the way that men at CBC have been able to - for example Kevin Weekes was brutal when he started but is good now. Instead, Campbell was switched to player interviews where her insight is absolutely wasted.

At this point, with the pick up of While the Men Watch, the CBC is perpetuating the largest problem with being a female sports fan (that you are a female first, and fan second) and not working to build a network of hockey entertainers and commentators that are also coincidentally, female.

Which really is the main point I’m trying to make here. The kind of fandom that these women are catering to exists! It’s a huge market and for a lot of female hockey fans, blogs like this one provide a space for them to talk about what draws them to the game (whether that be Sidney Crosby’s butt - which, let’s be honest, could sell ice to people living in Alaska - or the pros and cons of the butterfly style) in an environment where what they are interested in is not mocked or ridiculed for being "proper" sports fandom, or the "right" way to watch the game. These blogs are comfortable spaces for these women to talk about hockey and what they enjoy about it without being ridiculed or made to feel uncomfortable. The idea of having a "right" or "correct" way to watch a form of entertainment is absurd, and though it is perfectly valid for someone to prefer to read about hockey stats instead of speculation on whether Steven Stamkos or Jonathan Toews is hotter, (BTW, Toews, all the way) this does not make this type of hockey fandom "lesser" or "wrong."

Which hits upon an issue with how the blog was responded to in online communities - yes, there is a problem with the fact that the CBC felt the need to pick up this blog ahead of fostering female talent in commentary, but focusing on the fact that what these women are writing about is not "right" or "good" fandom ties into the greater problem of being a sports fan who is female - that you are female first, and that this fact apparently makes others think it’s ok to judge how you watch hockey or if you’re truly a "real" fan at all. As a publicly funded broadcaster, the CBC has a responsibility to focus on values that are important to the country as a whole instead of resorting to cheap parlor tricks to get people to watch their shows and click on their links. Focusing on values that are important to the country as a whole includes providing interesting commentary on hockey from both male and female content providers, and focusing on showcasing and encouraging all forms of hockey viewership.

On a side note, if this is the kind of coverage you don’t think that the CBC as a publicly funded network, should provide, you can file a complaint here.

Marlies & Devils

2012-05-24T11:00:36Z

Naturally, I'm pleased with the outcome of the Toronto Marlies game. The Marlies have moved to 3-1 in their series, and the fact that Ben Scrivens had a shutout is the cherry on top. Check out the Game In Six here. There are several recaps of this game available for your perusal today, but I'll feature Jeff Veillette's version from Marlies HQ above the jump:

Tonight’s game was a crucial one, to say the least. Win it, and the Marlies have three swings at locking up the series and advancing to the Calder Cup finals. Lose it, however, and it suddenly becomes a best of three. This was a game of huge importance, and one that they’d have to carry on without Nazem Kadri or Mike Zigomanis. In their place came Colton Orr and Josh Engel, meaning a different dynamic was to come of the team tonight. The shots were few, but the effort was there, and the Marlies walked away victorious, one game closer to a finals berth.

The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils series is probably a more divisive issue amongst Leafs fans, but I count myself among those cheering for ol' Martin Brodeur and the team that underachieved for two full seasons. It's never been clear to me why this group couldn't be among the league's elite teams with all the talent they have, and I guess I'm not as smitten with Henrik Lundqvist as others are. Go underdogs! Check out In Lou We Trust for a good recap.

If I'm not mistaken, if the Devils make it to the Cup Finals, this will be the first time in 30 years that a team seeded 6th or lower in their conference will win it all. Of course, the 1-2-3 rule is partly to blame for the Devils coming in 6th.

Jump for more.

Leafs Links:

2012 Calder Cup: Colborne Finally Scores but More to the Story
He hadn't scored in 31 games! Joe Colborne, you were due. Story from Kyle Cicerella.

NHL Entry Draft 2012: Should the Leafs Trade Up to #1?
Darren K at Blue Chip Prospects says 'yes'.

Scrivens makes 30 saves, Marlies blank Barons to close in on AHL final
WOOOOOO! This recap from the CP via the Globe & Mail.

How a boring hockey game is like a colonoscopy
It can be difficult resisting the use of the word "butthurt" when discussing this article by Danny Gray at The Leafs Nation. Ok, so this one's not technically Leafs-related, but you can see the relevance.

They don’t have to be Leafs—but what players do you have a good old-fashioned "rooting interest" in?
Michael Langlois admits to cheering for individual players on other teams. I guess that's forgivable.

The Justin Schultz Sweepstakes - The Favourites
Where does Wisconson star defenseman Justin Schultz end up signing? Jeff at Angus Certified has a few thoughts.

Other Links:

Trendspotting
The latest offering from Tyler Dellow is another good piece.

Very High Dreams: Making the NHL from Non-Elite Hockey Countries
Ellen Etchingham's latest work stems from an interesting anecdote about Anze Kopitar.

Backhand Shelf Podcast
The latest from Pizzo and Bourne.

You Live And Die By The Shot Block
Dirty Dangle loves a blocked shot.

Gretzky talks horse racing, hockey and about divided loyalties
So what is Wayne Gretzky thinking these days? Eric Duhatschek has his side.

CBC to air alternate commentary for women during Stanley Cup finals
This is an interesting move by the CBC. Is this patronizing or pandering? Both? Article from Michael Oliveira with the CP at the Globe.

Devils squander three goal lead but score late in third to take Game 5
This recap is from Roy MacGregor at the Globe.

Wednesday’s Three Stars: Devils fourth line steps up; Watch Prust dive
Harrison Mooney has a video clip for you at Puck Daddy.

Abnormal Psychology and Leafs Fandom

2012-05-23T11:00:46Z

via blogimages.thescore.com

Originally posted over on Reddit Hockey, the Backhand Shelf sheds some light on the psychology of being a Leafs fan and how it might drive one to drink. Bottoms up to Brian Burke!

Links after the jump.

Leafs Links

The Value Behind 35

Why keeping our 2nd rounder is better than shipping it out.

Brian Burke in Toronto: His Five Best Transactions

Agree? Disagree?

Scouting Report

Jason Gregor chats with HockeyProspectus' Mark Edwards.

Are the Leafs Better Than They Were a Month Ago?

Does the team still have Komisarek, Lombardi, Armstron, and Connolly? Then no.

Other Links

Martin Brodeur vs. Henrik Lundqvist: An In-Depth Comparison

DGB ditches his normal humor for a more analytic look at hockey.

Why Signing a Veteran Goalie May Not Help

2012-05-22T21:01:58Z

Entering this off-season, it was obvious the main weakness of the Leafs has yet again been goaltending. Despite praise worthy statistics in the back half of the 2010-11 season from James Reimer, leading to a nice RFA contract for the young starter in waiting, the Leafs net was anything but solid in 2011-12. Adding a free agent or trading for a veteran may seem like the right thing to do.

The Anaheim Ducks have just signed Viktor Fasth of the SEL to a 1 year, $1 million, 1-way contract, basically hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with the Swedish National Team netminder and MVP of the World Championships and SEL from 2010-11. The Leafs were hoping for the same in recent years when they signed up European UFA goalies Jonas Gustavsson, Jussi Rynnas and Mark Owuya.

This past year, Gustavsson again received the majority of starts for the Leafs, and while he improved over his previous season, his totals were still far down the NHL rankings for goalies with 30+ gp. In fact, amongst goalies with 90+ gp over the past three NHL seasons, Gustavsson ranks 37th of 38 goalies in SV% with a .900. The only goalie with worse numbers is Columbus Blue Jackets starter Steve Mason, who has an .899 SV%.

Ben Scrivens is parlaying the starting gig with the Marlies into a decent stretch, and has been one of the top goalies in the AHL for two years running. Unfortunately this really only prepares him for life as an NHL backup in the immediate future, as taking over the reins as an NHL starter directly from the AHL isn't necessarily guaranteed to work out for the best either. James Reimer's situation is testament to the speed bumps that can occur along the way.

This dilemma has led to many (if not all) Leaf fans fervently advocating for a veteran solution to be brought in and backstop the Buds to a playoff spot. Unfortunately we've been down this road before and there's little to no guarantee that this will provide a solution to the Leafs problem. Follow after the jump for a bit of a dissection of this situation.

So the Leafs options are to trade or sign a veteran goalie to either act as a back up or split starts with Reimer in the upcoming season. The veteran would need to be both a steady hand and a guiding influence, possessing poise, exuding an aura of calm. Unfortunately very few of these goalies exist, and virtually none will be available via trade or as a free agent on July first.

First I did a a bit of number crunching to explore the connection between a goaltender's save percentage one season and their save percentage the following year. Towards this goal, I collected the statistics, since the 2000-01 season, of every goalie aged 25 or older who played more than one NHL season of 15 or more games. I then plotted and determined the correlation between subsequent seasons as shown below:

The R² coefficient of determination works out to 0.0824912289, which for a sample size of 411 goaltender seasons means we can assert that slightly more than 8% of the variation in seasonal save percentage for any goalie starting 15 or more games is attributable to their work in previous seasons. In other words - just because a guy put up good numbers last year, we really shouldn't assume he'll do so the following year.

So adding a goalie on the basis of his numbers THIS past season doesn't make a lot of sense, as we're basically rolling the dice. In fact, career even strength save percentage is a much better predictor of future performance, particularly in netminders who have faced over 5000 shots on goal. The best route is thus probably to find a guy that isn't over the age of 38, who is coming off of a down year, but has had solid career numbers to this point, particularly at even strength.

To that end, let's take a look at goalies who are over the age of 25 that have played 40 or more games combined in the past 3 years and posted a decent career SV% while facing over 5000 shots on goal.

45 NHL goalkeepers over the age of 25, and under the age of 37, have played 40 or more games in the last 3 seasons, and of that group 35 of them have maintained a SV% of .905 or better - with one of those being JS Giguere, whom the Leafs cut loose to free agency prior to this past season. That leaves 34 goalies to explore as potential options. The following table ranks those 34 goaltenders by their ES SV% since the 2006-07 season, alongside Reimer and Gustavsson (whom you will all hopefully note sits dead last on the chart):

Player	Tm	GP	W	L	T/O	GA	SA	SV	SV%	GAA	SO	MIN	ES SA	ES SV%
Tim Thomas	BOS	159	87	48	18	348	4691	4343	0.926	2.28	19	9158	8030	0.931
Roberto Luongo	VAN	183	109	51	19	420	5245	4825	0.920	2.37	13	10651	8430	0.930
Henrik Lundqvist	NYR	203	110	72	20	442	5827	5385	0.924	2.22	23	11965	9170	0.929
Tomas Vokoun	TOT	168	70	73	18	402	5133	4731	0.922	2.54	17	9502	8420	0.929
Pekka Rinne	NSH	195	108	56	22	437	5599	5162	0.922	2.34	18	11204	5897	0.928
Jonas Hiller	ANA	181	85	69	19	448	5374	4926	0.917	2.62	11	10263	5660	0.927
Kari Lehtonen	DAL	140	72	50	15	342	4132	3790	0.917	2.48	7	8279	7147	0.926
James Reimer	TOR	71	34	24	9	187	2108	1921	0.911	2.83	6	3959	1728	0.926
Ilya Bryzgalov	TOT	196	111	56	23	465	5640	5175	0.918	2.41	21	11559	8006	0.925
Jaroslav Halak	STL	103	53	33	14	226	2729	2503	0.917	2.24	13	6041	4668	0.925
Antti Niemi	TOT	167	95	47	19	381	4542	4161	0.916	2.37	19	9650	3784	0.925
Craig Anderson	TOT	185	95	67	17	486	5696	5210	0.915	2.75	12	10592	5768	0.925
Niklas Backstrom	MIN	157	67	64	20	395	4497	4102	0.912	2.62	9	9057	7365	0.925
Josh Harding	MIN	59	22	24	4	147	1673	1526	0.912	2.80	3	3155	2505	0.925
Jonathan Quick	LAK	130	70	43	16	267	3494	3227	0.924	2.08	16	7690	5300	0.924
Ryan Miller	BUF	196	106	61	23	465	5850	5385	0.921	2.44	16	11412	9200	0.923
Jimmy Howard	DET	183	109	49	19	428	5175	4747	0.917	2.40	11	10715	4299	0.923
Evgeni Nabokov	TOT	113	63	34	13	271	3340	3069	0.919	2.47	5	6572	6291	0.922
Miikka Kiprusoff	CGY	214	107	74	27	507	6010	5503	0.916	2.43	14	12519	9637	0.922
Jean-Sebastien Giguere	TOT	100	36	37	14	243	2658	2415	0.909	2.66	5	5476	5306	0.922
Mike Smith	TOT	131	64	42	18	319	3807	3488	0.916	2.59	11	7378	5112	0.921
Corey Crawford	CHI	115	63	36	13	277	3087	2810	0.910	2.51	4	6614	2635	0.921
Cam Ward	CAR	189	85	72	28	485	5927	5442	0.918	2.66	9	10957	8934	0.920
Devan Dubnyk	EDM	47	20	20	3	118	1380	1262	0.914	2.67	2	2653	2461	0.920
Scott Clemmensen	FLA	84	31	25	15	200	2274	2074	0.912	2.68	3	4477	2961	0.920
Ray Emery	TOT	73	38	22	5	177	1889	1712	0.906	2.66	3	3985	3428	0.920
Marc-Andre Fleury	PIT	199	115	58	15	464	5282	4818	0.912	2.44	7	11389	7775	0.919
Jose Theodore	TOT	132	67	34	21	327	3817	3490	0.914	2.64	5	7428	5974	0.918
Jason LaBarbera	PHX	53	18	20	7	124	1474	1350	0.916	2.63	2	2826	2738	0.917
Martin Biron	TOT	67	29	26	6	172	1804	1632	0.905	2.73	3	3782	5025	0.917
Chris Mason	TOT	114	51	42	12	286	3003	2717	0.905	2.77	5	6189	5489	0.916
Marty Turco	TOT	87	35	33	14	238	2514	2276	0.905	2.87	5	4980	5895	0.916
Brian Elliott	TOT	93	38	37	13	224	2523	2299	0.911	2.58	12	5218	3782	0.915
Al Montoya	NYI	51	18	16	10	135	1417	1282	0.905	2.82	1	2874	1263	0.914
Brent Johnson	PIT	62	29	18	6	140	1504	1364	0.907	2.61	1	3216	2633	0.912
Andrew Raycroft	TOT	50	19	18	1	110	1187	1077	0.907	2.82	3	2343	3417	0.907
Jonas Gustavsson	TOR	107	39	45	15	292	2913	2621	0.900	2.98	5	5883	2404	0.907

Amongst the 30, here is the list of goalies who may or may not intrigue the Leafs as veteran options:

Tomas Vokoun

UFA after his 1 season experiment in Washington. He is a reliable veteran, who would immediately stabilize the Leafs netminding situation. Unfortunately he would cost a large premium to bother signing in Toronto. Also - based on his contract with Washington, it seems fairly obvious he is in "win now" mode, and the Leafs don't necessarily meet that description.

Roberto Luongo

Obviously a potential candidate with a huge amount of experience that would improve the team drastically. He has a lot of baggage, and playing in a major media market not work out well for him given his tribulations in Vancouver. Either way, this is going to keep being discussed until he gets moved.

Miikka Kiprusoff

Ageless wonder in Calgary, who unfortunately can't seem to get them to the playoffs. Not sure he'd have any more luck in Toronto, and he seems to alternate good and bad seasons. He's also getting close to that magical 38 year where Goalies seem to drop off a cliff statistically... not sure I'd be interested at his price tag either way.

Jason LaBarbera

Cheap backup option with numbers comparable to Biron and Theodore. He's backed up and played alongside Jonathan Quick and Mike Smith in his most recent stops in Los Angeles and Phoenix respectively, so he wouldn't be the worst signing in the world. He hasn't played a lot but his numbers are respectable. Definitely worth a look.

Scott Clemmensen

Similar to the aforementioned LaBarbera, though slightly better ES SV% numbers and play in New Jersey and Florida may make him a bit more expensive. He also has a history with the Leafs organization playing alongside Justin Pogge the last time the Marlies made a significant Calder Cup run. Not sure he'd be interested in playing in Toronto, but he's worth inquiring about.

Josh Harding

Harding's numbers are eerily similar to those of James Reimer. Even the lower shot count implies he may be far from a sure thing. His SV% of .912 over the past 3 years, is very marginally better than Reimer's .911, and they have almost identical ES SV% numbers too. Not sure why we'd bother adding him if he's just going to be a carbon copy of the guy we've already got. Particularly when Scrivens is waiting in the wings.

Tim Thomas

Thomas is unlikely to be moved by Boston, and even if he is traded, he isn't likely going to Toronto. That being said, he'd immediately improve the situation in net for the Leafs, and would free the Boston net up for Tuuka Rask. I don't think Chiarelli plans on moving him, but never say never.

Nobody has asked for my personal opinion on this, but it's my article so I'm going to give it - I wouldn't sign or trade for any of these guys. I personally think Scrivens is more than viable as an NHL backup. I think the type of goaltending the Leafs need to seriously contend is far more expensive than they can afford to go out and "buy".

Even with the most significant names on this list, there's zero guarantees it improves the situation drastically. Unless they can add a big name I don't see how this whole situation improves a lot over Reimer - who I think is due for a bounce back year at any rate.

If the Leafs can ship out significant boat anchors from their perspective then I say go ahead - make that Komisarek for Luongo trade - but otherwise this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I know this may find some disagreement in various corners, but hey, that's the point of the comments section right? Let me know what you think.

Devils Top Rangers

2012-05-22T12:43:09Z

Yes, the New Jersey Devils thoroughly frustrated the New York Rangers last night, and won the game 4-1. I have to say that I'm surprised at how entertaining this series has been, given that I don't particularly care about either team.

In any event, here's a recap from the Globe & Mail to get you started this morning.

12 Highlights from the Leafs' season

From Michael Langlois

Scouting Report

From Jason Gregor at The Leafs Nation

NHL Entry Draft Rankings

From Blue Chip Prospects

Stupid Is as Stupid Posts

2012-05-21T11:00:29Z

Some say that we here at Pension Plan Puppets Heavy Industries and Pug Manufacturing LLC have a reputation of being rather harsh, and justifiably so. We don't take kindly to bigots, homophobes, and Habs fans and we let them know it. However, the one groups we despise more than any other is those who insist on posting inane trade proposals. Now that's not to say that good trade proposals can't be debated, they should, but when you get up into "Malkin to the Kings" territory well, we going to call you an idiot.

Ladies and gentlemen it is my pleasure to introduce to you HFBoards user Arik Kristal, creator of perhaps the stupidest and most convoluted series of trades I have ever seen. Behold the idiotic:

let me start off by stating I am not saying any of these trades would happen but rather what I would try and accomplish if I had the chance.

To Anaheim - Grabovski & Blacker
To Toronto - 1st in 2012 (6th overall) & Rights to Justin Schultz

To Edmonton - Gunnarsson, ANA 1st in 2012 (6th overall) & 2nd in 2012 (35th overall)
To Toronto - 1st in 2012 (1st overall)
......

To New York I - EDM 1st in 2012 (1st overall via TOR)
To Toronto - 1st in 2012 (4th overall) & Nelson

- Brock Nelson is a physical center who is projected to be a good 3rd line center with potential to be a 2B type center. Toronto desperately needs a good hitting with scoring upside centerman to play third line minutes.

That's right, when you boil it all down it's Grabovski + Blacker + Gunnarsson + our 2012 2nd rounder for the 2011 4th overall pick and some plug named Brock Nelson.

You would read this and think, "Ho boy, this kid's off his rocker!" and you're right, and you're also wrong. For you see, this is merely a smidgen of the overall grand scheme that Mr. Arik Kristal has devised. The whole, long idiotic trade rant can be found here. May God have mercy on your Hockey IQ.

Links after jump.

Leafs Links

Maple Leaf Blog World Filled with Quality, Respect—and Companionship

Mike at VLM gives some love out to the other members of the Barilkosphere. If you've been living under a rock for the past ever, go read his blog on a daily basis. It'll change your life.

Other Links

Russia Wins 2012 World Championships

Hooray for Nikolai Kulyomin.

IIHF president content to wait for NHL to make a decision on Sochi

Well duh.

Marlies miss huge opportunity

2012-05-19T11:00:27Z

After a dominating performance on Thursday night in Oklahoma City, the Marlies and Barons met again last night for game two. Unfortunately for Toronto, the roles were reversed as OKC netter 5 goals and tied their Western Conference Finals series at one game apiece. Jonas Gustavsson got the start in net for the Marlies.

Here are some links:

The Leafs, the NHL, coaching vacancies, and the playoffs

A new collection of thoughts from VLM

Should the Leafs give up on Colby Armstrong?

They should have done it yesterday

Bergevin remains tight-lipped about next Canadiens coach

God I hope he doesn't speak French

Should the Oilers trade Nail Yakupov?

YES!!!!!