Leafs/Lightning Preview Nov 22nd 2011

It's turning out to be a dog fight for the division..  The Leafs are now fighting Buffalo and Boston for top spot in the North-East.  It's the Leafs own doing.  They have 4 wins in their last 10, and 4 of their 8 losses are against division rivals. 

So, last year, the Leafs were 0-3-1 against Tampa, being shut out twice in those 4 games by Roloson and Ellis once each.   Kessel has 13 points against Tampa in the 19 games that he has played against them.

Leafs are 2-6 in their last 8 and Tampa  4-4 in their last 8.

Leafs: 11-8-2 good for 1st in the North-East division (tied)
Lightning: 9-8-2 good for 3rd in the South-East

Looks like Lupul has a point per game pace for his last 34 games.  I dont think Lupul gets enough credit.  Since he came to the Leafs, Kessel has become more consistent.  In fact, since Lupul came over, Kessel has only been held off the scoreboard in consecutive games once!  His average point streak runs about 3.5 games, and his longest is 15 games (spread over the end of last year and beginning of this year).

Prediction:  Leafs 4-1 - Kessel, Frattin, Steckel, Phanuef

Leafs have to go with Gustavsson tonight, he deserves it the most.

BRichards

First, I would like to point out that the odds of BRichards coming to Toronto are pretty slim. The New York Rangers are on his short list of teams to go to, as well as The Tampa Bay Lightning, as he stated during the playoffs in an interview.

New York: The Rangers want him, and he wants them. They have the cap room to be able to get him. It really depends how badly they want him. If he is the guy they want, they will be the team to get him.

Tampa Bay: If they offer the right amount of money and right length, he will go there. This is his team of preference right now I believe. I think something in the 7mil range more than 5 years. If Tampa offers him that, he will pick them over any other offer.

Toronto: There is no doubt in my mind, that BRichards is exactly what the Maple Leafs need. He'd fit fine between Kessel and Lupul on that top line in Toronto that desperately needs a bonafide center. I will list the pros and cons of BRichards coming to TO.

Pros:

1. again, fits well with Kessel and Lupul. Unless there is 0 chemisrty between BRichards and the other two, this will just work!
2. Conn Smythe/Stanley Cup. This guy was the force behind the Cup drive for Tampa Bay. Named the MVP of the playoffs speaks for it's self. He shows up when he is needed the most!
3. BRichards is nearly a point per game player his career. I am sure with Kessel and Lupul on his line, he'd reach the 100 point plateau
4. does not require giving anything up out of the current system. No draft picks, no prospect, no roster players.
   

Cons:

1. He suffered a concussion last season in Dallas and missed a few games.
2. This is more like 1A. In the last 5 years he has missed 46 games with injury. It's not really that bad, only an average of 10 games a year, but still injured in each of the last 4 seasons. Could turn into a player who is always injured.
3. Big money. In order to get Brad to come to Toronto, the contract would have to be big and long. Upwards in the range of 8 mil+ per year, and at least 7 years, but probably 10 years.

In my opinion, this is the guy that the Leafs have always needed. The go to guy that can make the players around him better, especially the solo gun Kessel. BRichards comes to TO and Kessel gets 50. This is a no brainer Burke. Dish out the money, get this guy here, and slap #91 on his back. Oh, and MLSE... think about how many Richards jerseys you would sell!