Tavares Bid

If this actually worked it would be pure genius.

Some are saying it's an illegal move, but I don't see how. He's free to sign an AHL contract next year, and the Leafs can't stop him from going to whatever team drafts him if he so chooses.

Ultimately it doesn't guarantee he'll ever play for the Leafs, but the genius in it is that there really is no downside risk for MLSE. Let's say he takes this deal with the Marlies. If he is eventually drafted by another NHL team and skips town, then so what - it's not as though Toronto had any shot at getting him by normal channels anyway. And the money certainly doesn't matter - with the salary cap the Leafs have more money than they know what to do with since they can't spend it all. Not to mention that while he was here the Marlies would be darn entertaining.

But, let's say it did work out. Let's say Tavares loves playing in Toronto and builds a positive relationship with MLSE - all the while making way more money than he would anywhere else. If he then decided to stick around it would be a hockey coup of biblical proportions.

Don't underestimate this kid. He's the next big thing. And the thought of him playing for his home town team could be the most exciting news in Leafs Nation for a decade.

Bizarro Toronto

A protest to support raising taxes?

Feels like the "Bizarro World" Seinfeld episode.

You've got to be kidding...

...this would be funny if it weren't downright scary.

Afghanistan Poll

Here in Canada we are rather regularly inundated with polls asking how we feel about the mission in Afghanistan.

Interesting that somebody finally thought to ask the citizens of Afghanistan how they feel about it. I suspect most people may be surprised by the results.

In a week where there already seemed to be no end to the good news for Stephen Harper here is one more cherry on the Conservative sundae.

The Sky is Not Falling for the Blue & White (Well, at least for the Leafs)

I had the (mis)fortune of attending the Leafs-Canes game last night. To be blunt, the Leafs played terribly. One of the worst games I have ever seen. That said, I have two comments:

1) The Toronto media and fans need to take a breather. The sky is not falling. It's game 4 of the regular season. Every team gets slaughtered now and then. Last year in game 2 of the regular season the Leafs wasted Ottawa 6-0 - not exactly representative of how the Senators would do for the rest of the season. Furthermore, it's not as though the Leafs have had 4 bad games. The first two against Ottawa - a tough rival to say the least - were one-goal contests we could just as easily have won. And the other game was a win against Montreal.

2) Fans need to stop booing in the ACC. If the Leafs are being destroyed, I understand if you don't cheer or want to leave. But don't boo. Not only is it unsportsmanlike and feeds the problem of Leaf fans turning on eachother, it certainly doesn't show the players that the city is behind them. The Leafs are human too, and it doesn't do much for team confidence to hear their own fans turn against them.

Ah yes, not to be forgotten - it's election day. More comments on that later when we see how the other Blue & White team do....