In a season that has already seen the Toronto Maple Leafs have to endure long-term injuries to starting goaltender James Reimer and forwards Tim Connolly and Colby Armstrong, the announcement that both Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur were injured during last nights 3-2 shootout loss to the Phoenix Coyotes has more than a few fans of the Blue and White concerned. MacArthur left Tuesday night’s tilt after the second period with what is being reported as an upper-body injury, while Grabovski left the ice late in the third period after a collision at centre. While there is no word on either players’ status for Thursday nights game against the Nashville Predators, one has to think if Grabovski and MacArthur (two thirds of the Maple Leafs second unit) are out of the lineup they’ll be hard-pressed to earn the win. In

In between making appearances in Afghanistan and the Pride Parade Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke has been busy attempting to improve the Blue and White. Thus far, Burke has added centre Tim Connolly, forward Matthew Lombardi and defenseman Cody Franson via free agency and veteran defenseman John-Michael Liles via trade. While none of Burke’s acquisitions add up to a Brad Richards signing, there is reason to believe the Maple Leafs have been upgraded, at least on paper. Don’t get me wrong, with Lombardi and Connolly’s health concerns both players could end up on the shelf for parts of the season, that said, if these two guys manage to play the better part of the 82-game season the Leafs should show considerable improvement up front. As a member of the Buffalo Sabres, Connolly earned a 45.9% success rate in

All the hoopla over Brian Burke visiting troops in Afghanistan doesn’t seem to be hurting the Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances of landing a couple of pieces to their 2011-12 roster. Saturday, Brian Burke and the Maple Leafs signed free agent centre Tim Connolly to a two-year, $9.5 million deal, Today, Burke and Company acquired centre Matthew Lombardi and defenseman Cody Franson from the Nashville Predators in return for defenseman Brett Lebda and forward/prospect Robert Slaney. The deal also calls for the Maple Leafs to give up a fourth round draft choice contingent upon Lombardi playing 60 or more games over the next two seasons. The Predators will give the Maple Leafs a fourth rounder should Lombardi fail to play 60 or more games. Signed as a free agent by the Nashville Predators last summer, Lombardi suffered an early season concussion,

With my Eastern Conference playoff predictions out of the way, it’s time to set my sights on the Western Conference. Parity is alive and well throughout the NHL, but nowhere is it more apparent in the Western Conference where the difference between fifth and tenth place was just five points. Looking at the four Western Conference matchups there is not much to choose between most of the teams, that said, a few favorites should emerge, with the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings garnering a lot of attention from poolies and fans alike. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at the first round matchups and how it should all pan out. (1) Vancouver Canucks Vs. (8) Chicago Blackhawks Given the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks have ended the Vancouver Canucks playoff drives in each of the past

With the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff hopes looking slimmer and slimmer with every day that passes, the focus for many Maple Leaf fans has been next season. In order to avoid a similar fate (likely missing the playoffs this season), the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to have to do a couple of things differently in 2011-12. First, as I pointed out in an article last week, the Maple Leafs must avoid extended losing streaks. The Buds got off to a great start this season winning four straight, giving Maple Leafs fans hope that maybe this was the year the Buds would make the playoffs. Unfortunately, an eight game losing streak in late October and early November put the Blue and White behind the eight ball, from which they will likely not recover from. Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian

Three weeks and one calender month into the 2010-2011 NHL season, we’ve already begun to be able to pick out the surprises and disappointments of the year. Teams like Buffalo and New Jersey, two top-ranked teams from the Eastern Conference last season, have both struggled to get going and posted a combined 0-8-2 home record, while franchises such as Montreal, Boston, and Tampa Bay have burst onto the stage with a combined 20-7-2 record. Meanwhile, in the West, Nashville, Edmonton, and Dallas started out strongly but have faltered lately, while, on the other hand, youthful squads such as St. Louis, Colorado, and Los Angeles have already begun to prove their legitimacy. But how does the NHL look from a divisional standpoint? Which five-team groups have been the toughest to play in so far, while which divisions have struggled despite their