Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke sent pugilist Colton down to the AHL to play with the Toronto Marlies on Thursday, and with him, a message that all is not well in the NHL, at least not according to Burke. Burke spoke to the media Thursday, airing out what he feels is a total lack of accountability by the “rats” in the league. “If you want a game where guys can cheap shot people and not face retribution, I’m not sure that’s a healthy evolution,” Burke said Thursday. “The speed of the game, I love how the game’s evolved in terms of how it’s played. But you’re seeing where there is no accountability, this is the byproduct… is people running around that won’t back it up.” Burke’s comments come at a time when the NHL is making a huge transition

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke has pulled the trigger on another deal with the Anaheim Ducks. This time Burke has sent Luca Caputi to Anaheim for former second round (35th overall) pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Nicolas Deschamps. Injuries and a lack of fit with the Maple Leafs organization have conspired to deflate whatever opportunities Caputi might have had with the Maple Leafs of late. Known as a gritty player with some marginal scoring punch, Caputi has been a victim of the Maple Leafs strong depth at the AHL level, forcing him to watch countless players get their shot with the big club while he continued to tough it out with the Marlies. Truth be told, Caputi has been out of the loop for quite some time, having last played for the big club for a

With his club struggling to earn points and question marks about the overall toughness on his team, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager placed forward Philippe Dupuis on waivers on Monday and got the good news that both Mike Brown and Mike Komisarek are on the mend. With Dupuis on waivers (he’ll be sent down to the Marlies should he clear), recent call up Darryl Boyce will likely assume Dupuis’ meager minutes. Signed as a free agent, Dupuis did little while in the Blue and White, posting zero points in 30 games and failing to bring a measure of improvement to the Maple Leafs penalty kill, which is ranked 30th in a 30 team league. Toronto went a paltry 4-6-3 in December, resulting in the teams slide in the Eastern Conference standings from playoff team to tenth in the East. The

Just shy of 40 games into the 2011-12 season and the Toronto Maple Leafs are exactly where many pundits thought they would be. For some, it was in a playoff position—which the Maple Leafs are. For others, it was fighting for a playoff spot—which after tonight’s tilt against the Winnipeg Jets, might just be where the Maple Leafs are. Either way, as good as the Maple Leafs have been, what it amounts to are results that are just a little north of mediocre. Case and point, the average NHL team has earned about 41 points. Through 37 games, the Maple Leafs have earned 41 points! So, what will it take for the Maple Leafs to have a successful 2012? For some, a successful season will only be so should the Maple Leafs make the playoffs. For others, a successful season

The Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in what can only be called the battle of two struggling clubs. Toronto and Carolina enter tonight’s tilt with identical 4-4-2 records in their past ten games, with Toronto dropping four of their past six games, while Carolina has lost three of their past five games. For Toronto, a win against the Hurricanes would go a long way in solidifying their playoff hopes. The Buds started their current three game road trip by dropping a 5-3 decision to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night, putting the Leafs dangerously close to dipping below the playoff threshold in the standings. As it stands right now, the Maple Leafs sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference  just one point ahead of the Winnipeg Jets (who they will play on Saturday night

With just two games to go in the 2011 schedule for our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs there is a lot to be thankful for and yet, there is a lot of concern growing. First, a look at what the Leafs Nation is thankful for. After 36 games played the Maple Leafs currently sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, good enough for a playoff spot. Now, sixth place is hardly epic, but it is a great improvement upon seasons past, which is why we are all so grateful. Keep in mind, there is only nine points separating first and eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, with just three points separating sixth from tenth. Make no mistake about it, it is officially crunch time, and the Maple Leafs know it. Phil Kessel continues to dominate the score sheets, posting