TorontoGM
Registered User
- Nov 10, 2005
- 278
- 1
It hasn't been an easy start to the HFNHL season for fans in Hogtown with the Leafs extending their loosing streak to now six games. The Leafs started the season with a 6-1 loss against the Devils but seemed to be comming around with only 1 goal looses against Calgary, Chicago and Montreal However, after the Senators delt Toronto a devastating 5-2 loss the team has seem to run into a brick wall with a 5-0 loss agains the Blackhawks on the road at the United Centre in Chicago. "I was really hoping that we could bounce back against that 5-2 loss against Ottawa yesterday but we couldn't pull it together tonight at all" Pat Quinn commented outsided the locker room after yesterdays game. "As a team it's been hard playing without Kozlov, but we need to find our rythm again without him. The most dissappointing aspect of tonights game was that we only made 18 shots on goal. We can't hope to win a game without reaching the net more, and I think we could do a much better job with that"
The reaction of fans are still somewhat mixed. The loss of Kozlov has been a strong blow for many fans who were hoping that he could carry the team to a respectable position in their division. When asked, one fan replied "How can the Leafs hope to ever win if they get rid of their top talent like Kozlov? I've got season tickets and this season is going to suck... what a waste of money!"
However, this opinion doesn't seem to be shared by the majority of Toronto hockey fans since attendance at the Air Canada Center is still high. This highlights one of the silver streaks found in the dark clouds covering the ailing franchise, and that is one of strong financial positioning. "Our team is fielding the lowest paid roster in the league right now and our projected revenues will still meet the league averages" The Leafs GM Abbas Chagani commented when asked about the state of the team. "I know it's been hard on the fans to watch this team loose but I think the majority of them realize that we're in a rebuilding phase and that this team has nowhere else to go but up. We've got some good rookie talent and that's where we're going to be focusing our energies. Kozlov is an unrestricted free agent next year and just didn't fit into that strategy" Toronto's strong financial position does seem to provide some hope for the team when the new team salary limits will be imposed next year along with higher minium salaries for rookies. Fans can only hope that next year while other teams will be struggling to get leaner, the Leafs management team can sign some free agents.
Only time will tell however, if the Leafs will be able to hold up until next year comes around. After 6 strait games lost the Leafs management must be worried about loosing their strong fan base. When asked the Leafs assistant GM Arif Jaffer commented "I think the fans know we're not going to be winning a lot of games this season but we're hoping that they'll come out watch some of the great rookie talent we have. Comrie, Gionta, Pontikarovsky and of course Vokun are great players with a great future in the NHL. Our fan's will recognize that and they'll want to watch them grow with the team." However with the leafs in the bottom of the league in both scoring and defence (and almost at the bottom in everything else) it will be long and hard road ahead.
The reaction of fans are still somewhat mixed. The loss of Kozlov has been a strong blow for many fans who were hoping that he could carry the team to a respectable position in their division. When asked, one fan replied "How can the Leafs hope to ever win if they get rid of their top talent like Kozlov? I've got season tickets and this season is going to suck... what a waste of money!"
However, this opinion doesn't seem to be shared by the majority of Toronto hockey fans since attendance at the Air Canada Center is still high. This highlights one of the silver streaks found in the dark clouds covering the ailing franchise, and that is one of strong financial positioning. "Our team is fielding the lowest paid roster in the league right now and our projected revenues will still meet the league averages" The Leafs GM Abbas Chagani commented when asked about the state of the team. "I know it's been hard on the fans to watch this team loose but I think the majority of them realize that we're in a rebuilding phase and that this team has nowhere else to go but up. We've got some good rookie talent and that's where we're going to be focusing our energies. Kozlov is an unrestricted free agent next year and just didn't fit into that strategy" Toronto's strong financial position does seem to provide some hope for the team when the new team salary limits will be imposed next year along with higher minium salaries for rookies. Fans can only hope that next year while other teams will be struggling to get leaner, the Leafs management team can sign some free agents.
Only time will tell however, if the Leafs will be able to hold up until next year comes around. After 6 strait games lost the Leafs management must be worried about loosing their strong fan base. When asked the Leafs assistant GM Arif Jaffer commented "I think the fans know we're not going to be winning a lot of games this season but we're hoping that they'll come out watch some of the great rookie talent we have. Comrie, Gionta, Pontikarovsky and of course Vokun are great players with a great future in the NHL. Our fan's will recognize that and they'll want to watch them grow with the team." However with the leafs in the bottom of the league in both scoring and defence (and almost at the bottom in everything else) it will be long and hard road ahead.
