Leafs Acquire Fabian Brunnstrom

The Maple Leafs have acquired right winger Fabian Brunnstrom from the Dallas Stars in exchange for prospect Mikhail Stefanovich.

The 25-year old Brunnstrom has 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) and 16 penalty minutes in 37 games with the AHL’s Texas Stars. He is a former internet sensation who was pursued by over 25 NHL teams after tearing up the Swedish Elite League during the 2007-08 season.

Brunnstrom began his career with a bang by scoring a hat trick in his first NHL game. After posting a 29-point rookie campaign, he has bounced around between the Stars and their affiliate in Texas. In 99 career games, Brunnstrom has 19 goals and 40 points.

Heading to Dallas is 21-year old center Mikhail Stefanovich, who began the season with the Toronto Marlies, but was loaned to Minsk Dynamo of the KHL. He has only 1 goal in 15 games this season after going pointless in two games with the Marlies. The 6-foot-2 forward was once touted as a potential top six forward with finishing abilities, but his development has stalled in the Leafs organization.

At first glance, the trade appears to be fairly even for both teams in terms of player output this season and overall potential. Both players are capable of being serviceable NHL’ers, but some wonder if Stefanovich will ever return to North America, so this deal could end up paying long term dividends for Toronto.

Brunnstrom has one season left on his contract at $675,000 before becoming a restricted free agent next summer. Stefanovich has two more years remaining on his deal at $775,000 per year.

Kaberle Notches Four Assists in Rout of Thrashers

Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin and Clarke MacArthur each scored a pair of goals in the Leafs 9-3 routing of the Atlanta Thrashers at the Phillips Arena Friday night. Kris Versteeg and Colby Armstrong also added tallies, while Tomas Kaberle notched four assists from the backend.

Tobias Enstrom opened the scoring on a wrist shot past Leafs goaltender James Reimer for his eighth of the season. Toronto tied the game at 9:43 of the first period when Versteeg snapped his 12th from the top of the circle and went far side on Ondrej Pavelec.

Mikhail Grabovski extended his goal scoring streak – 12 goals in his past 14 games – late in the second period by tucking in his 16th at the side of the Thrashers net on the power play to give the Leafs a 2-1 advantage heading into the second period.

After a slow start to the season and injury troubles, Colby Armstrong has finally regained his form at the mid-point of the season. He buried his fifth of the season, with assists from Versteeg and Kaberle.

Armstrong’s goal was the beginning of the Leafs offensive supremacy over the Thrashers in the second period. Toronto scored five goals within a six-minute span, including three on the man advantage. Nikolai Kulemin finished off his 14th and 15th goals, respectively, with one coming on the power play. MacArthur also had two goals with the extra man and added an assist on Grabovski’s second goal.

Ben Eager received a match penalty for deliberate injury by sucker punching Armstrong in the Leafs defensive end when the Leafs were leading 5-1. On a negative note, Armstrong left the game and did not return. It gave the Leafs a five-minute power play and jumpstarted their dominance over the suddenly not-so ‘Hot’lanta. Eager took an astounding 17 minutes in penalties throughout the game.

Phil Kessel fired a wrist shot between the legs of Chris Mason – who was inserted into the game in relief of Pavelec – to put the Leafs up 9-1 early in the third period.

Atlanta pushed back in the third period with goals by Patrice Cormier and Andrew Ladd. However, it was far too late for any sort of comeback. Cormier sniped his first career NHL goal past Reimer at 14:09 on a turnover by Dion Phaneuf in the defensive zone. Ladd’s goal was his 14th, with assists from Bryan Little and Niclas Bergfors.

Francois Beauchemin recorded his second straight multi-point game with two assists. Carl Gunnarsson, Mike Komisarek and Tyler Bozak also tallied helpers.

The Thrashers outshot Toronto 44-34 overall, including a 20-6 advantage in the third period. Reimer turned aside 41 saves in another impressive appearance by the rookie. He is making a strong case to replace Jean-Sebastien Giguere as the Leafs backup goaltender to Jonas Gustavsson.

Toronto will have a well-deserved two-day break before taking on the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center on Monday night. The Leafs conclude their current four-game road trip next Saturday against the Calgary Flames.

Leafs Singing the Blues in Shootout Win Over St. Louis

The Toronto Maple Leafs looked to snap a four-game losing streak at home tonight as they welcomed the St. Louis Blues to town. It was the first meeting between the two teams since February 12, 2009 and the Blues first visit to Toronto since October 13, 2008. St. Louis has won the last two games by a combined score of 9-4.

Neither team is known for its offense, especially considering the Blues only have two players who have scoring in the double digits in goals. Both teams exploded for 10 goals in total, including the shootout winner by Tyler Bozak.

Phil Kessel regained his early season form with two goals on the night, while fellow forwards Kris Versteeg and Colby Armstrong had a goal and an assist each, and defenceman Francois Beauchemin had a pair of assists.

Armstrong opened the scoring 15 seconds into the game after Versteeg’s wrist shot deflected off his back. The goal won’t be appearing on the highlight reels anytime in the near future, but it gave the Leafs the early start that they have been struggling to accomplish this season. Darryl Boyce was also credited with an assist, to give him two helpers on the season and three points in total.

The Blues responded just three-and-a-half minutes later when ex-Maple Leaf Alex Steen fired a low, quick shot past Jonas Gustavsson for his team-leading 14th goal of the season.

Later in the first, David Backes built on the Blues lead by capitalizing on a rebound for his 11th goal of the season and second point of the game at 9:46. Matt D’Agostini created the play that led to a glaring rebound by Gustavsson.

Mikhail Grabovski continued his excellent play by sniping his team-leading 15th goal and his 10th goal in his past 13 games. Fellow forward Clarke MacArthur dished the puck to Grabovski in the slot to earn his 20th assist

The offense came in droves as Versteeg and Kessel scored within two minutes of one another midway through the second period to continue the Leafs hard fought comeback over St. Louis.

Armstrong won a battle behind the Blues net and set up a well-positioned Versteeg, who was untouched in the slot. Following Kessel’s goal, Jaroslav Halak was pulled after surrendering four goals on 20 shots. Backup goalie Ty Conklin — who stopped 11 of 12 Leafs shots in the contest — came in to relieve Halak.

The goaltending chance didn’t stop the Leafs’ offensive outburst. Kessel scored his second of the game and 16th of the season on a breakaway by snapping the puck under Conklin’s arm. Kessel has seven points in his past five games and his two-goal effort gives him the sole possession of the team lead.

Leafs coach Ron Wilson emphasized that the Leafs needed to built a multiple goal lead heading into the second intermission, so they could avoid suffering another comeback at the hands of sloppy third period play.

In a comeback reminiscent of the Team Canada breakdown last night at the World Junior Championships, the Leafs surrendered three goals — from Brad Winchester, Eric Brewer and Matt D’Agostini — in a seven minute span to force overtime.

After regulation, the Blues outshot the Leafs, 44-31. After a scoreless overtime, St. Louis took a 2-1 lead in the shootout on goals by Steen and Brad Boyes. Grabovski tied it with a spinorama move that will surely be talked about and replayed for days to come. Timely saves in the shootout by Gustavsson on D’Agostini and Boyes, along with goals from Versteeg and Bozak lifted the Leafs to their 15th win of the season.

Despite the meltdown in the third period, the Leafs had a strong start to tonight’s game and received balance scoring from all of its forwards. Luke Schenn and Mike Komisarek were solid on defence, with consistent physical play and shot blocking throughout the game. The Leafs managed to be physical without taking any undisciplined penalties as Dion Phaneuf took the Leafs only penalty of the game when he was called for hooking at 4:48 of the second period. Gustavsson looked shaky at times and appeared to fight the puck, but he stepped up when it mattered in the shootout.

Toronto flies out tonight following the game to Atlanta for a meeting with the Thrashers Friday night. The Thrashers won the last meeting between the two teams, 6-3, on December 20th in Toronto. Wilson has yet to announce his starting goaltender for the game.

Teams Lining Up for Versteeg

Speculation regarding Kris Versteeg's future with the Maple Leafs organization came in to question Saturday, when CBC insider Pierre Lebrun reported during the second intermission that Leafs management had received a “hard offer” for the young forward that forced them to strongly consider pulling the trigger.

Brian Burke declined the rumoured offer, but he has told other teams what was included in the initial trade proposal to determine the level of interest and market value for a player of his ilk. He is also putting feelers out to see if another team will exceed the shot-down deal and sweeten it for Toronto.

Burke told members of the Toronto media on Sunday that “We’re not shopping him.” But that doesn’t mean that other teams aren’t interested. It is believed that the Atlanta Thrashers and Florida Panthers have also expressed their interest in acquiring Versteeg, according to ESPN.

Both teams are looking to upgrade their offense in hopes of gaining ground in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Atlanta currently sits in sixth in the east with 48 points in 42 games, while the Florida Panthers are only five games back with 38 points.

Atlanta and Florida have something very interesting in common, which could further propel rumors that Versteeg could be headed to either city. Both teams are managed by former Chicago Blackhawks executives, where Versteeg played last year.

Dale Tallon, the former Blackhawks GM holding the same position in Florida now, brought Versteeg to Chicago in a 2007 trade with the Boston Bruins. He gave him an opportunity to play in the NHL, after leading the Providence Bruins in scoring a year earlier.

Tallon has seen his progression from a one-time AHLer, all the way to a bona fide top six forward and Stanley Cup champion. The Panthers have some intriguing assets that could be offered up to Toronto, including the likes of David Booth and Toronto native Stephen Weiss. Considering the Leafs are seeking a number one centre, Weiss is a potential candidate to fit the bill. Weiss has more potential than Versteeg, so the Leafs would likely have to include one of their high end defensive prospects from the Toronto Marlies to make a deal happen.

The Atlanta Thrashers have more pieces in play which could interest the Leafs, including Niclas Bergfors, who has been on the trade block for several weeks.

Versteeg, who has 23 points in his past 26 games, is not likely to be traded by the Leafs. Although Burke has let it be known that he is open for business and willing to accept an offer if it blows him away. Versteeg is a very skilled, versatile winger who can inject offensive into a contending team.

At only $3.08 million, there are at least a dozen teams who are lining up for Versteeg. If the right price comes across Burke’s desk, the Leafs will pull the trigger and help restock the cupboard with prospects who can compete for roster spots down the road. If that doesn't occur, he will be an integral role in the Leafs mix of top six forwards during the rebuilding process.

Bruins Defeat Leafs 2-1 in Original Six Matchup

The Maple Leafs returned home to the Air Canada Centre tonight to face off against Original Six rival Boston Bruins. Toronto was looking to record its second consecutive win for the first time since December 14, 2010. Boston was coming off a disastrous 7-6 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

Each team traded chances in the first period, with quality goaltending from both teams shutting the door through the first half of the opening frame. Leafs’ goalie James Reimer made a superb sliding save on Bruins forward Michael Ryder early in the first to keep the score tied at zero.

Mikhail Grabovski opened the scoring at 14:08 of the first period after Luke Schenn fired a backhand past over the Bruins defence to spring the streaking Grabovski on a breakaway. He made no mistake by fooling Tuukka Rask on a nice move, before sliding the puck through his legs.

Nathan Horton tied the game at one at 7:56 of the second period after receiving a pass from Dennis Seidenberg and snapping a wrist shot from the slot over the shoulder of a screened Reimer. It was Horton’s 12th goal of the season and first of two points in the game.

Toronto outshot Boston 11-7 through the first period, but the Bruins dominated the Leafs in the second with a 17-8 advantage. Marc Savard was accessed with a roughing penalty at 10:35 of the second period, which Boston managed to kill off. Savard returned the next shift and one-timed his second goal of the season from the point, with assists from Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic.

Reimer was solid in defeat, stopping 31 of the 33 shots he faced, although Rask had the slight edge in net with 36 saves. The 23-year old continued his dominance against the Leafs over his career.

The Leafs defence trumped their Bruins counterparts in blocking shots with a 28 to 16 block edge. Toronto also edged the Bruins in shots with 37, compared to the Bruins 33.

Toronto’s record falls to 14-20-4 after tonight’s loss. They still sit in 13th place with 32 points in 38 games. They Leafs continue their homestand on Thursday when they host the St. Louis Blues, in their first matchup of the season. The Blues defeated Toronto 4-0 in their only meeting last season.

Leafs Victorious In the Nation's Capital

The Leafs began the new year on a positive note with a convincing 5-1 victory over their division rival Ottawa Senators Saturday night. Looking to erase memories from a disappointing year in 2010, Toronto received balanced scoring from its top two lines and excellent goaltending from an inexperienced freshman in James Reimer.

Clarke MacArthur opened the scoring at 1:57 of the first period, by launching a slap shot from the right circle over Senators goalie Brian Elliott. MacArthur capitalized on a rebound generated from a Tomas Kaberle point shot.

Tyler Bozak gave the Leafs a 2-0 lead midway through the first period on his sixth goal of the season. Phil Kessel started the play at the blueline in the Leafs zone after Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson coughed up the puck while entering the zone. Kessel forced a 3-on-2 break and initiated a skilful setup with line mate Joey Crabb.

Three minutes later, Bozak built on the lead with his seventh of the season and second of the game. It was the first multi-goal game of his young career. Joey Crabb and Phil Kessel were credited with the assists. The newly recalled Crabb has four points – all assists – in five games with Toronto this season. Kessel’s assist gives him 11 on the season, along with 14 goals. It was his sixth multi-point effort of the campaign and second time in the past three games.

Elliott was pulled from the Senators net after three Toronto goals within a span of 13 minutes in the first period. Mike Brodeur replaced him in his first appearance with the Sens this season. That did not stop the powerful Toronto attack, which posted two more goals in a two-and-a-half minute span in the second period.

Darryl Boyce banged his first career NHL goal past Brodeur on a rebound from Kris Versteeg. The 26-year old Boyce has only played in three games over his career, notching two points. Despite his injury troubles this season, Boyce earned a call up after Mikhail Grabovski was absent due to his expecting girlfriend.

“It’s just such a weight off my shoulders”, said Boyce. “I didn’t come in here expecting to score goals, but it’s just simple things like shot on net, drive the net, pick up a rebound, it was great.” When asked about playing with linemates Kris Versteeg and Colby Armstrong, Boyce said, “They are great guys to play with... Made it real easy out there.”

Luke Schenn scored his second goal on a point shot that beat Brodeur along the ice. There was traffic in front of the net, which fazed Brodeur on the play. Tomas Kaberle and Nikolai Kulemin earned helpers on the goal.

An ongoing feud between Colton Orr and Chris Neil throughout the game set the scene for a scrap between two hard-nosed players. Orr and Neil squared off at 12:26 of the third period, with the decision going to Orr after unloading a series of right fists on Neil. Both players received a 10-minute misconduct and were ejected from the game.

Senators powerplay quarterback Sergei Gonchar notched his fifth of the season with a solid one-timer from the point on the man advantage, with Erik Karlsson and Daniel Alfredsson getting the assists.

The Senators outshot the Leafs 33-31, including 22-11 through the final 40 minutes. Reimer stopped 32 shots in his first appearance. Of those shots, 26 were even strength, while six were on the powerplay. He came within one save of recording his first shutout in his first career start in front of friends and family in attendance. Brodeur turned aside 12 of 14 shots after relieving Brian Elliott, who only had four saves in the first frame.

“It’s one of the best games I’ve been us play since I’ve been here”, Reimer said after the game.

The Leafs will tangle with the Boston Bruins on Monday night at the Air Canada Centre, in the third meeting of the season between the two teams. Jonas Gustavsson is likely to get the start in net, while Phil Kessel will look to get on the scoresheet against his former team.