Less talent isn’t the only thing new about this year’s edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It seems that the most hated team in the league has now become a team that even some long time haters can get behind.

Ron Wilson and his coaching staff deserve all the credit in the world for this team’s ability to not only play over their heads, but play a style of hockey that is fun to watch. Third period comebacks and five goal outbursts aside, Wilson has every Leaf playing hard, finishing checks, and most importantly; buying in to the system. It’s simple, if you don’t buy in to the system or aren’t pulling your weight, you will be enjoying popcorn and a pop in the press box. Wilson could care less if you’re Ian White or Jason Blake, anyone who wants to see ice time is going to have to earn it.

This is the first time in a while that I could honestly say that I love my Leafs. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been a die-hard fan and supported my team, but I can’t remember the last time I actually enjoyed watching them play. Leafs fans aren’t the only ones loving it this year, I have a couple close friends from rival teams that have admitted to actually liking the Leafs and the style they are playing this season. I think that says a lot about how much this team has changed in such a short period of time, especially when these comments are coming from fans of our Northeast division rivals.

Do I think we will make the playoffs this year? Hell no. One thing is for sure though; myself and a handful of former Leaf haters will absolutely love watching them try.

In a rare and somewhat shocking move, the New York Rangers insisted yesterday that Alexei Cherepanov’s death and the subsequent request to acquire a pick with the goal of replacing him was not in an effort to capitalize on his tragedy, but to receive fair treatment.

Cherepanov was the Rangers 1st round draft choice a couple years back, and his death rocked the hockey world hard, especially after young guns Luc Bourdon and Micky Renaud lost their lives too young and too soon this past summer.

Brian Compton from NHL.com has more on this, I’d make a nicer writeup, but I’m in a bad mood after a crappy Habs loss to TO tonight.

The New York Rangers are seeking compensation in lieu of the death of former first-round pick Alexei Cherepanov and have requested the 17th selection in the second round of the 2009 Entry Draft, according to local media reports.

“At this point, the League has taken no position on the Rangers’ request,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told the New York Post.

“The matter is in front of the League’s general managers, who will address the subject at their next meeting in March. It’s possible that the language of the CBA would need to be amended to address situations such as this one. If that’s the case, then we would need to negotiate that with the Players’ Association.”

Cherepanov passed away on Oct. 13 after collapsing during a game in Russia while playing for Omsk in the Continental Hockey League. He was 19 years old.

The team is citing Article 8.3 (b) in the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, which mandates compensatory selections be provided when teams are unable to sign first-round draft picks, according to the New York Daily News.

The question is with the one parenthetical phrase in Article 8.3 (b) that refers compensation for an unsigned first-round draft pick who is “… again eligible for the Entry Draft or becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent,” Rangers assistant GM Cam Hope told the Post. “That language was inserted to clarify that a team would be owed a compensatory pick even if they were to re-draft that player or sign him as a free agent.

“It seems now as if that phrase is unintentionally precluding the deceased from being included as eligible for compensation. We understand that this is a sensitive issue, but with all due respect to Alexei’s family and his memory, he is technically eligible to be drafted again next year.”

The Post reported that Rangers GM Glen Sather first addressed the issue at the League’s GM meetings in Chicago last month.

“We are not attempting to capitalize on a tragedy, but there would be no question regarding the Rangers’ right to a compensatory pick if Cherepanov had been revived and survived the incident and were on life support,” Hope said. “If an unsigned player sustained a massive injury on or off the ice, the drafting team would get a compensatory pick.”

The 2009 Entry Draft will be held from June 26-27 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Mats Sundin this summer continued, over and over to say he did not know where he wanted to play this year. Throughout the summer, he still could not make a decision. This continued into the fall, and to this very day and counting. Some Leafs fans are hoping he comes back to the Leafs, while some just do not really care anymore.

I am one of those who sort of cares about whether he comes back to the Leafs. He would help this team dramatically, but only in the short term. This team would definitely be a playoff team with the way they are playing. Grabovski is playing very well, Antropov is also playing up to his “top 6 forward” ability. Right now, the Leafs are around a 10th place team. They are better than last year with a better coach and a better, more defensively sound game. Sundin would lift this team into a playoff position. He gets 30 goals a year consistently enough, and even at his age did it last year.

The Leafs are one team that are still in the running for him, but who else would like him on their team? The answer would probably be every team, but the other two teams that still really want him are the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks put a mammoth $10 million a year for 2 years deal on the table on July 1st.  For Mats, I do not understand why he has not taken this deal yet. It is an amazing amount of money to play on a team that could make the playoffs, and with him could go kind of deep into the playoffs. Oh, and it’s $10 million a year. Who would not like to have that as their yearly salary.

The second team, as stated, was the New York Rangers. This team has come right out of the gate with one of the best records in the NHL, and second best in the Eastern Conference. I am not sure of the contract numbers of the deal, but the Rangers would be a great team for Mats to play for. Of the teams that still really want him, this team has the best chance at winning the Stanley Cup, something that Mats deserves so much. They have guys like Scott Gomez, Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky, a good young talent. Oh, and Lundqvist in net (who?). They are one of the most complete teams in the league, and as stated above, the best team of the three still in the running for Sundin.

Who do I think Mats will sign with? The most logical would be the Rangers. If he wants to win the Stanley Cup, the Rangers would be the best team to be a part of. He could, however, feel a bit of loyalty and come back to the Leafs. Or feel a pinch of money and sign with Vancouver. Only time will tell, and right now, it is a bit of a crapshoot to where he goes.

So this is my first blog, hopefully it doesn’t totally suck.

I think the first blog is definitely going to be the hardest to find something to write about, but I believe to have found a good subject.

First of all, I’m a goalie, I play for my HS team and I play for the Leitrim Hawks. now onto my point, my high school received a huge boost 2 games into our season when a kid by the name of German arrived from Russia and joined our team, our first game he had no goals, but neither did anyone else on our team, possibly because he is so much smaller then most people. He may not have scored but we noticed several things from him. He has mad dangles, amazing speed and his head is on a swivel. Our second game with him finished in a 4-4 tie, where he scored 2 goals, the first goal he just had good body position and the puck went off his leg and in. The second one he got a partial breakaway yet got haled down, but we received no penalty shot… because even while sliding on his front he managed to poke the puck through the goalies legs and in. I would have to say it wasn’t a fluke, cause he did that twice for us. He played 4 games I believe for us and scored 4 goals, and got 3 assists. However he can no longer play for us because his transfer agreement was signed and he is now playing for the AAA Jr 67s and because it is contact he cant play in our non-contact league. Let me tell you though, me and the starting goalie both noticed something in him, when he goes down on a full out breakaway, he doesn’t do much with the puck, he moves his body which throws you off way more. Keep an eye out for this kid to make an appearance in the OHL.

As well, I’m a sens fan and hate the Leafs, probably always will, but I love watching them now and I love how everyone gives 100%. More teams should implement the system Wilson has. Some players(Blake) need to work on not taking stupid penalties though, or in low scoring games the Leafs will get burned.

Also, regarding the goaltending situation in the NHL (I might focus a small section of each blog to this part), there is a huge problem, brutal teams have amazing goaltenders, so you dont really notice the skill, for example Vancouver, Columbus, LA, (labarbera is a good quality goalie), Atlanta. While talented teams have lower quality goalies or their stars are injured as in Ottawa(Gerber, Auld), New Jersey(Brodeur injury), Detroit(Osgood), Boston(Thomas, Fernandez), thats the reason some of the teams are not in playoff position, lack of a number 1 goalie. Look at some of the top teams, Montreal has Price, San Jose Nabokov, Buffalo Miller.

I’m going to finish my blog with a rumor. Supposedly Lehtonen is up for trade, because Atlanta wants Pavelec with them but want to keep Hedberg as a backup. Could Lehtonen and Kovalchuck be packaged to somewhere like New Jersey in exchange for picks and a young dman?