William Nylander impressing Maple Leafs fans

William Nylander heard the “Go Leafs Go” chant at the Air Canada Centre after he scored the game-winning goal in Sweden’s 5-2 victory over Czech Republic on Boxing Day.

He also noticed the round of applause he received when his name was announced a few moments later.

“That was amazing,” said Nylander following Sweden’s opening game at the World Junior Hockey Championship. “It’s a great feeling when you are sitting there on the bench.”

Welcome to Toronto, William.

As the Toronto Maple Leafs first round pick (8^th overall in the 2014 NHL draft) he will be the focus for Leafs fans as the tournament opens with Group B (Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Switzerland and Czech Republic) playing games in Toronto.

The 5-foot-11, 170 pound forward scored a goal and created many other chances for Sweden throughout the game, giving Leafs fans a glimpse of what the future could hold.

“It felt good,” said Nylander. “First of all, our team played well after the 2 pre- tournament games. We got a good start to the tournament.”

He comes into this event having been a key offensive performer with MODO in the Swedish elite league, where – as one of the youngest players on a struggling team - he is second in scoring with 19 points in 19 games (8 G, 11 A).

“We have been getting better now,” said the 18 year-old. “We are starting to win games so it’s been a slow start, but getting going now.”

Nylander has excelled on the international stage before. He has represented Sweden on U-17 and U-18 teams.

At the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, Sweden took gold as Nylander had 2 goals and 8 assists.

If the first game here at the Air Canada Centre is an indication, Nylander will again be an offensive catalyst for Sweden.

The message from Leafs management to Nylander has more to do with off the ice, than work on it.

“Just growing and getting bigger. Working out in the gym and focusing on that stuff.”

His slight frame took a punishing blow early in the 3^rd period when the Czech Republic’s David Nemecek hit him hard into the boards. Nemecek got a 2 minute checking to the head penalty, and a 10 minute misconduct. Nylander returned to the game and said he felt fine afterward.

Wearing number 21 (Borje Salming wore that number with the Leafs) wasn’t lost on Nylander who said he didn’t pick the number – it was assigned to him – but he wasn’t going to say no.

“Of course not,” smiled Nylander.

“He has enough talent and hockey sense to play as a first-line centre in the NHL,” said a scout taking in the game, impressed with Nylander’s “pace of play.”

“You come here you want to play your best, and obviously show you are one of the top players,” noted Nylander.

“Playing in the world championships, you are pretty excited. Being in Toronto makes you even happier and more pumped.

Playing at the Air Canada Centre isn’t lost on him, either.

“I think it’s a great place, a really cool place to be.” 

Rinat Valiev has no problem playing in William Nylander's shadow

He’s the other Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick at the World Junior Hockey Championship, yet Russian defenseman Rinat Valiev isn’t getting much love – or notice – from the Air Canada Centre crowd.

He appears to be fine with all the attention on William Nylander.

The Maple Leafs 2^nd pick last June (3^rd round, 68^th overall from Kootenay Ice) is just thrilled to be playing at this event in a place he hopes will be his NHL home one day.

“It means a lot for me,” said Valiev, following Russia’s 3-2 loss to Sweden Monday. “I like it here. It’s a huge dream. I’m so excited to play here.”

Valiev left his Russian home of Nizhnekamsk (1,000 kilometers east of Moscow) when he was 17, to play in the United States Hockey League with the Indiana Ice.

He has spent the last 2 seasons with the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League. He was hampered by a knee injury last season and has shown he is fully healed now. Before he joined the Russian team, he led the Ice defensemen in scoring (5 G 20 A in 23 games).

His strong play in the playoffs last season for Kootenay (1 G, 13 A in 13 games) left an impression with the Leafs. After he went undrafted in 2013, the Leafs made him their next choice after Nylander last June.

“He was exceptional (in the playoffs) especially in the first round when they upset Calgary,” said Leafs scouting director Dave Morrison at the draft. “We really liked him all along and then we saw that. This is a guy with a big heart and all the intangibles we look for in a player.”

“To see Rinat on the ice in the last few seconds of a game (as he was in the game against Sweden), killing penalties at key times, we couldn’t be happier,” said Steve Staios, the Leafs Player Development Advisor, following the game against Sweden.  

“He’s a terrific kid,” added Staios a veteran of 1,001 NHL games. “He wants to be a player. There’s a lot of upside. I like the way he moves on the ice. He’s a good first passer. Fundamentally he’s sound.”

The 6-foot-2, 208 pound Valiev signed an entry level deal with Toronto in July. While Staios doesn’t like to make comparisons, Valiev’s play reminds some of another former Leaf blueliner Dmitri Yushkevich.

 “He’s in a good place in Kootenay,” said Staios. “They rely on him heavily. It’s been a steady progression for him.”

The 19 year-old Valiev is quick to credit Staios for helping him out prior to the season. Staios spent a few days with Valiev and worked with him on the ice.

“Steve Staois is helping me a lot,” smiled Valiev. “He came to Kootenay and he showed me a lot of things; skating movement, shooting the puck, stuff like that.”

Valiev is excited at the prospects of facing Ice teammate Sam Reinhart – “hopefully in the final” – at this event.

During the game against Sweden, the Air Canada Centre crowd cheered loudly during a highlight montage of William Nylander (Toronto’s 1^st round pick last June). Valiev didn’t notice.

“I didn’t really hear that. I was trying to focus on the game.”

“He’s a good player (Nylander had 2 assists in the game) and before the game coach told us to play hard against him, I know that.”

Maybe one day, Valiev will get his due in Toronto.

Leafs trying to turn back the clock

Is Dave Nonis in denial? Does he REALLY think the 2012-13 Maple Leafs – a team that blew THAT lead against Boston – should be in some way reunited?

Or is he just going with guys he has a history with, knowing they can’t get the job done and will at the end of the day miss the playoffs making it possible – POSSIBLE – the Leafs would have a shot to draft Connor McDavid?

Interesting times for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the General Manager.

First, let’s look at what has happened this off season. The Leafs have lost David Bolland, Jay McClement, Mason Raymond and Carl Gunnarsson.

They have added former Leafs Leo Komarov and Matt Frattin and acquired defenceman Roman Polak and Stephane Robidas.

As Bugs Bunny once said, “this is being saved?”

“The compete level that we had two [seasons] ago, I think was at or near the top of the league,” Nonis said Tuesday. “We got more out of our players – the coaches did, the players themselves did in terms of pushing each other – than we did last year. No question about it.

“Some of the players that were here [for that run] will help us get that back. Or [in Robidas’s case] have a history of doing that. That was a focus for us.”

The Leafs still have $7 million to spend to reach the cap.

I would suspect players like Stuart Percy (defence), Josh Leivo (forward) and David Broll (forward) will be given every opportunity to make the jump from the American Hockey League to the NHL next season.

They won’t cost a bunch and will be motivated to prove they deserve to be in the NHL.

It is also going to mean more playing time on the blueline for the likes of Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly.

But does Nonis REALY believe the core group of players – a group that was behind a collapse against the Bruins in the May 2013 playoff game and last year’s late collapse as well – can finally turn it around this season?

It’s hard to argue with what James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail wrote this week, looking back at the 2012-13 team:

What is rarely mentioned is that that group became progressively worse as that lockout-shortened half season went along, getting outplayed and hemmed in its own zone more and more as the months wore on and the system issues sunk in.

The 2012-13 Leafs outshot their opponents 29.9 to 28.6 in January but were outshot by six per game in February, five per game in March and a ridiculous 10.5 per game in April prior to that fateful series with the Bruins.

They had several great games against Boston; they had a lot of lousy ones against everyone else.

It’s forgotten now, but they very nearly frittered away that playoff berth, too. If not for James Reimer’s .930 save percentage and Phil Kessel’s 18 points in 12 games, the Leafs’ April of 2013 would have been remembered for yet another ugly collapse instead of the month where they finally clinched a long-awaited playoff spot.

(And that doesn’t even get into that team’s extremely high shooting percentage, which was doomed to regress had the season been longer than 48 games.)

It sure seems Nonis is trying to recapture the magic from that lock-out shorted season thinking that can be duplicated over the course of a full season.

Unless of course Nonis sees what many of us see – a team that will be hard pressed to make the playoffs and the collapses that this organization has become familiar with are more the norm than the exception.

If that’s the case than Nonis may be the smartest man in the room: He didn’t overspend this offseason, while appearing to go younger ensuring another missed playoff season.


And a chance to be in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes.

Olympic videos from Sochi

While this is late, I figure it is better late than never! LOL.

Here are some interviews I did while working with Yahoo Canada at the Sochi Olympic Games.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/slopestyle-ski-bronze-medalist-kim-192808985.html (An interview with bronze medalist Kim Lamarre)

http://www.frequency.com/video/dara-howell-on-her-gold-medal/149435891/-/5-1122926 (An interview with gold medalist Dara Howell)

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/gilmore-junio-shows-true-olympic-204038991.html (An interview with speedskater Gilmore Junior)

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/patrick-chan-takes-home-silver-150014413.html (Elvis Stojko and I discuss Patrick Chan's silver medal)

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/future-nhl-olympics-170807908.html (A look at the future of NHL'ers at the Olympic Games)

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/canada-hopes-defend-olympic-gold-183818540.html (A preview of the gold medal men's hockey game)

Tyler Bozak having career season

Reimer trying to remain positive during tough stretch

James Reimer was hoping to make a good impression in front of friends and family in his home province on Saturday.

“We felt it would be the decision to let a guy play in his hometown,” said Randy Carlyle of his decision to start Reimer against the Jets on Saturday, in what would be Reimer’s 4^th start in 16 games.  

In the end it turned out to be the wrong move. Reimer struggled allowing 4 goals on 19 shots. The first shot he faced trickled behind him.

The rest of the game wasn’t much better.

Reimer’s poor outing continued a trend that has been apparent over the last month – and as a result any hope of regaining the number one job in the Toronto goal may have disappeared.

“Obviously for myself, you want to find a way -whether it’s the second, third or fourth one to keep it to find a way to make those saves,” Reimer said after the game.

“The first two goals were goals that I thought were scored in the middle of the net and those are tough ones,” said Carlyle. “He came out in the 2^nd period and made some big saves – made a stop on breakaway – and battled hard for our hockey club. And then the next 2 goals, it was more mercy, cause one was a deflection and the other was post and in, and we needed a little bit of a change.”

Playing time may be hard to come by as the Leafs don’t play back to back games until March.

“It’s tough when you get in there and you don’t have a good game,” admitted Reimer. “It doesn’t sit well. Obviously it’s harder if you don’t play. I mean if you can get back right in there and prove yourself again. In a case like this where things aren’t going that way it makes it a little tougher.”

It has been a poor month for the Maple Leafs netminder. He started 4 games and was pulled once, while sporting a save percentage of .865 in January.

In fact his save percentage has dropped each month – along with Randy Carlyle’s confidence in him.

Reimer had a .949 save percentage in October, it fell to .916 in November, and dropped to .909 in December.

It has become abundantly clear that Carlyle has more trust and confidence in Jonathan Bernier, who has made a career high 32 starts this season.  Reimer has started 22 games.

"Your end goal is to be the guy and you want that, but you've got to focus on everyday what I need to do so that that can happen," said Reimer. "It's like I want to win the Cup, but it's not like every day I hit the ice I'm going to win the Cup. I want to win the Cup, but when I hit the ice it's what do I need to do to be the best I can be. And if you focus on that everyday then eventually the Cup will come.”

"Same with this (situation). It's obviously something you want. It's something you really want. But you've got to focus on a lot smaller goals."

A year ago, Reimer battled with Ben Scrivens for the starter’s job and in the end won the job. In a lockout-shortened season, Reimer finished with the eighth best save percentage on the league (.911) and helped the Leafs get into the playoffs.

This year has not only been a struggle physically, but also a mental challenge for him.

"It's 105 per cent mental, I think, this game," said Reimer. "It's all about trying to be in the right mindset and trying to stay positive and knowing that when you have the extra time to work on stuff that's what you've got to do. You've got to work your butt off so that when you get the nod you're as prepared as you can (be)."

He knows his long-term future in Toronto isn’t guaranteed. He’s a restricted free-agent after the season. Bernier has another year on his deal.

"I feel like I'm becoming a better person for it or at least I hope so," he told reporters of the experience this season. "I feel like I'm battling and grinding and trying to do everything I can. As far as I know if you're doing that then that's all you can do."

David Bolland isn't close to returning to Leafs lineup

All you have to do is watch David Bolland skate the last few days to know he isn’t close to returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup.

Each twirl on the ice this week has come with a familiar sight – a pained look of frustration and hurt on the 27 year olds face.

Yes David Bolland is back on the ice – for the first time since suffering a partially torn tendon on his left ankle in November 2 after Vancouver forward Zack Kassian accidentally cut him – but he is not ready to play in a game anytime soon.

“Who knows,” said Bolland, asked when he expects to return to the lineup.

And when he does return, Leafs fans would be wise to temper expectations. It will be a while before the “old” David Bolland returns.

To say the rehab process has been difficult would be an understatement.

“When you’re watching and you’re off the ice, it does screw with your head a lot mentally,” he said before Toronto hosted Montreal at Air Canada Centre. “I think when you cut a tendon it’s a big deal. You never know. You have that in the back of your head – when you’re going to come back and what’s going to happen – and you do get a little mentally broken down.”

He has been re-learning how to pivot and cross over on his skates.

"It’s not fun, it’s gruelling,” said Bolland.

“You think some days you can push and then you push it too much and you set yourself behind,” he added. “You’re just hurting yourself. I think for myself it’s being patient.”

Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle said on Saturday, Bolland won’t return to the lineup until he is 100 percent healthy.

“We can’t afford to take any type of risk with this type of injury,” said Carlyle. “We all know that it’s a tough one to come back from – it’s a long tedious process – and specifically where it was and the tendon that was injury. It’s pretty dramatic.”

With Bolland in the lineup, the Leafs won 10 of the first 14 games of the season. Without him, the team hasn’t been as tough to play against.

And when Bolland does return, Leafs fans will have to brace for the fact he won’t be the same player – right away- if ever.

Leafs playing better - can they keep it up?

“That ending would have been great last spring.” Joe Bowen, Toronto Maple Leafs play by play voice.

Moments after the Maple Leafs won in Boston on Tuesday night, Joe Bowen – with his voice hoarse – screamed at the top of his lungs to his television audience “that ending would have been great last spring.”

Yes, last spring still haunts the Maple Leafs. But it may not any longer, after a victory in Boston Tuesday night.

After the game, Randy Carlyle took a deep breath, exhaled and told the media what many fans were thinking.

“Hopefully it bleeds some of the demons out of us.”

It may have been just another regular season game in January. But for the Toronto Maple Leafs it was more than that. It could be a boost of confidence this team has been sorely lacking.

With a number of players fighting the flu, the Leafs showed some resiliency, heart, and determination.

Playing the Bruins - everyone remembers what happened last year in Boston, failing to close out game 7 of the first round of the playoffs despite a 4-1 lead in the middle of the 3rd period - has never been easy for Toronto. 

The win last night was Toronto’s first regular season victrory in Boston since March 2011.

“It almost felt like it was the playoffs again and this time we came out on top,” said Jake Gardiner. “It’s just too bad it wasn’t last year that it happened.”

It was just Toronto’s third regulation time win on the road in the last 15 road games.

A week after it seemed the Leafs had reached a season low, the team has now won back to back games and finds itself back in a playoff position (although you get the feeling that will be changing constantly the rest of this season).

“Better efforts, that’s for sure,” said Carlyle when discussing the play of the team since last week’s dreadful 6-1 loss to Carolina. “We’ve raised our compete level and we’re going to have to continue to do that to get points. The most frustrating part for our hockey club has been that we haven’t been able to achieve that with any consistency.”

Jonathan Bernier was big for the Leafs, making 38 saves including 15 in a third period that had the feel of a playoff game.

“It’s not easy to come in this building, especially what they went through last year losing in Game 7,” said Bernier. “It shows a lot of character for the team to come here and win it.”

“I thought we reacted in good way. It was fun.”

There were other positives for the Leafs as well. Tyler Bozak had a pair of goals and an assist in the victory and now has 17 points in his last 14 games helping to solidify that top line.

Phil Kessel has seven points in his last three games. James van Riemsdyk has five points in his last three games. 

Peter Holland returned from the minors providing a solid 11 minutes of ice-time, as the Leafs look for some offensive production on the 3rd and 4th lines. While Jay McClement - who Carlyle feels has played "way too much" in recent games - was back to playing 11:51, after games in which he was playing 18 to 19 minutes.

The Leafs have been battling themselves, the opposition and a flu bug over the last few days, making the victory that much sweeter.

“We’ve had up to 8 players went through that the last three days, hopefully it doesn’t get to the coaching staff….or the media,” smiled Randy Carlyle.

Yes, Randy Carlyle smiled. For one night anyway, he had reason to.

Maple Leafs continue to struggle

This is as low as it has been all season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

An embarrassing 6-1 loss to Carolina on Thursday highlighted all that is wrong with the Leafs, a team that now sits out of the playoffs for the first time all season.

They have lost three straight games – to teams below them in the standings (Rangers, Islanders and Hurricanes) – while being outscored 18-5 and being outshot by an average of 10 shots a game during the stretch.

It doesn’t seem to matter what they do – make a move to bring in defenceman Tim Gleason,  bench Paul Ranger and Jake Gardiner, turn to James Reimer in goal – nothing is working.

They don’t look interested. They have little confidence. They are playing without any aggressiveness or tenacity.

The Toronto Maple Leafs look lost.

It is eerily similar to March of 2012, when Ron Wilson was fired and Randy Carlyle brought on board.

At that time General Manager Brian Burke said it was like an “18 wheeler going right off a cliff.”

When Wilson was fired, the Leafs were in a 1-9-1 funk and had fallen to 12^th in the eastern conference.

Fast forward to this season and the numbers aren’t much better: In the last 24 games, the Leafs have just 2 – that’s right 2 – regulation time wins. If not for a bunch of shootout victories the Leafs would be in more dire straits.

The Leafs right now find themselves in 10^th place in the eastern conference, just one point ahead of Ottawa (5-3-2 in the last 10) and two points up on the New Jersey Devils.

“First thing we didn’t do was move our feet, cause we stood around and watched,” said Leafs Coach Randy Carlyle following Thursday’s loss. “Nobody has an answer right now. We aren’t engaged in the hockey game to a level to give yourself a chance at success.”

“We’ve stated it numerous times, that we’re not happy with our compete level, night in and night out,” noted the head coach. “That’s what we’ve been pushing for.”

This is a trend that has been evident not only in the last few games – but for months now.

"I think the talking has to stop," said Jay McClement following Thursday’s loss to Carolina. "We've talked all year all about all these things and we're just not getting the job done. Nothing seems to be changing. We're just still very inconsistent with our efforts. Something's got to change. I think we've done so much talking, we just need a little more action."

“Two of the last three games we get blown out – that’s not acceptable,” added McClement.

Randy Carlyle played an instrumental role in roster changes this season – most notably the decisions to part ways with Clarke MacArthur and Mikhail Grabovski.

MacArthur has 15 goals in Ottawa, Grabovski 12 goals in Washington this season.  

It was Carlyle who felt his team had to be harder to play against – so moves were made to bring in David Clarkson (who has 3 goals in 32 games) and David Bolland (who has been injured since early November).

The Maple Leafs have allowed a league worst 36.4 shots on goal a game. The penalty kills is 27th in the league. 

While Carlyle has been unable to get more out of Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner, two young players who have seemingly taken steps backward this year.

Under Carlyle, the Leafs have received little production from their 3^rd and 4^th lines. Against Carolina on Thursday, enforcer Colton Orr played just 33 seconds.

Since November the Leafs have been outscored 102-69.

General Manager Dave Nonis has been supportive of Carlyle to this point.

The question is, for how much longer?

Gleason looks forward to being a Maple Leaf