Message from a friend

I'm jumpin ship. 33 years Norm! I can't take anymore. I've had it. The deal for Kessel was the final straw. We're destined to finish worst overall this year and while we have an amazing shot at #1 in the draft it won't matter. Boston gets the pick! Next years too! I'm done! This team is a joke!

- "Former" Leafs fan

He's had it. Can you blame him? This team has people all twisted up. Anyway the rest of Leafsnation soliders on.

Kaptain Kaberle?

1st - Defenceman Scoring
T10th - Overall Scoring
2nd in Assists
6th in Points Per Game

Oh, and in his postgame interview in Montreal he demonstrated a real connection with the media for the first time in a while. Maybe ever. It's not as though his English is that much better, it's just that there's a real confidence to him right now. Slapping the "C" on his sweater might disrupt his great play. Maybe his great play is begging for the opportunity? Either way, Kaberle appears to be the new leader of this team. "C" or not, the Leafs need their best player to continue to be that. Well, if Phil Kessel turns out just a bit better you won't hear me complaining.

Leafs captain: Kaberle or Stajan

Stajan's.. vocal.. intelligent.. a leader.. not a half bad player.. prob 25 to 30 goal guy
Kaberle's.. not vocal.. but intelligent.. defensive leader.. above average player.. 45-55 point guy

Both appear to have the respect of their comrades based on play and professionalism.

If a captain were named this season I'd go with either of the two. They've been in Toronto the longest and I don't like the idea of transplanting a captain from elsewhere. And really, time served should account for something. It's funny though, if I had my way over the summer neither Stajan nor Kaberle would've been a part of this Leafs team today. Things changed for me, they didn't for Stajan and Kaberle. So if the Leafs are fussy to make a captain happen, I believe it should come down to one of either two of the longest tenured members of the club.

Primeau F*** up?

Aside from that 2nd round pick there's little to laud in what's coming back from Calgary. What's Wayne Primeau going to bring that the other pugnacious, truculent sob's in Blue and White don't already? How many more characters does this unit need? A little more talent would've been nice. Not less. But that's the deal, Camille.

Again, that 2nd round pick - if used wisely - should provide value. Down the line.

Going back to Cotown, this Anton Stralman kid, could be the piece BB one day wishes he could have back. He's the kind of player some of us believed would thrive amongst the Leafs new and brutally improved blue line. With Tomas Kaberle gone to trade, Stralman was supposed to be the slick puck rusher, now with plenty of room to operate thanks to those gorillas backing him up. Thanks, BB. That idea's shot.

So does this mean Tomas Kaberle remains with the club? Sure hope not. I'm not a Kabby hater. I just don't think he serves much purpose for this re-developing group. He's too good to be here. Not good enough to stay. I suppose Kaberle can fill in for Stralman...in the meantime.

BTW -- "The Hook" with Norman James debuts at AM980.com this Friday at 8PM.

Deals and don'ts

Deal: Tomas Kaberle


Time to move on

What's the point in keeping him? The Leafs don't need him anymore. At least not where they sit on the pecking order these days. By the time they begin moving up, Kabby won't have much left. But there is something in his tank right now. Enough to fuel a pretty decent trade for a young forward. I'm hoping BB is just posturing when he says he expects Kaberle to be in the Leafs' line-up opening night.

Don't deal: Roy Halladay


Canada needs more Doctors

Sure, there's a point in trading him, but there's also a big upside to keeping him. The same upside he's been providing the Jays' desperate, diminutive, yet dedicated fan base for 11 years. The Jays are a stagnant franchise with essentially one reason the rest of the Major League baseball even gives a shit about what's going on North of the border. That's Roy Halladay. His name carries weight. His game is even heavier. If the Jays think they can re-group for another kick-at-the-can in 2010, they should consider keeping Halladay as their centre-piece. They can also deal him at next year's trade deadline if...or when...things fall a part again. Besides, JP Ricciardi probably won't be running the club this time next season.

What's the deal?: JP Ricciardi


Flyin' the coup?

JP does know his stuff, but he doesn't appear to have a passion for turning things around in Toronto. Many would rather someone with a fresh approach to Blue Jays baseball make the biggest decision in the history of the franchise. I'm one of them.

Kaberle is a goner

So how do you repay a coach that benches you for the entire first period? You crank out a Minus-3 effort over the next two frames. Hey, its the Tomas Kaberle way. At least these days it is. Remember when young Tom was one of the NHL's promising young puck movers from the blueline? Wonder where that guy went? Its not hard to tell this season's edition of Tomas Kaberle is pretty brutal. He's not moving the puck with any finesse, he has no confidence taking passes or when in shooting situations and worst of all he appears indifferent on the defensive end of things. He's become a liability on a team already full of them. Ah, but most aches and pains eventually go away. When Brian Burke finally gets his way so will this one. Kaberle is a goner before the trade deadline. As soon as he waives, so will we.