CrashingTheGoalie

by Chris Gudgeon

Two players – one the Leafs’ newest, the other, its longest serving — just might hold the key to Brian Burke’s long-term job security.

Tonight marks Phil Kessel’s debut in a Leafs uniform.  How many goals will it take for Leafs fans (and ownership) to forget that Burke mortgaged a good chunk of the future to get Kessel into Blue and White?  Twenty-five?  Thirty?  That’s the ballpark.  The good news: he’s got the speed and skills to do it.  More important, Kessel will have to make an impact right away or else team moral, which is about as low as it can get, will disintegrate completely.

Meanwhile, Tomas Kaberle’s ascension into the hockey stratosphere could not have come at a better time for Burke.  Playing the best hockey of his – or, for that matter, any leaf defender since Borje Salming – career means that Burke will have a valuable commodity come Trade Deadline 2010.  Barring serious injury or complete collapse (he is a Leaf, after all), Burke should be able to command a significant package of high draft picks and promising youngsters for Kaberle . . . and buy back some of the good will lost in the Kessel deal.  In the meantime, look for K² to rack points up as the Leafs good power play gets even better.

courtesy of frozenleafs.com

And one more thing . . .

Is this the end of the road of Vesa Toskala as a Leaf, he of the 5.13 goals-against average and .836 save percentage?

Possibly, but don’t count him out.  Toskala is a notoriously slow starter, who always manages to turn things around (usually, after the playoff are almost out of reach, and he no longer has anything to lose).  Don’t be surprised if a new, improved Toskala emerges sometime this spring, and helps (almost) salvage this season.  Then get ready to wave goodbye: Toskala’s contract with the Leafs expires at the end this season, and there is no chance on Earth of Burke (or any other Leafs GM) resigning him.