Toronto Maple Leafs Olympic Break Season Overview.This season has been a mess in Leaf Nation right from the start. The Leafs lost their first 8 games which set the tone for how the season has gone so far. After 4 months, Leafs GM Brian Burke had seen enough and on the last day of January sent Matt Stajan, Nic Hagman, Jamal Mayers, and Ian White to the Calgary Flames in exchange for for All Star Defenseman Dion Phaneuf as well as forward Fredrik Sjostrom and prospect Keith Aulie.
Burke wasn’t done there, as later that day he sent Goalie Vesa Toskala, and Forward Jason Blake to the Anaheim Ducks for J.S Gigeure. The deals seemed to spark the Leafs, who looked like a much different team (which they were) when they shut out the New Jersey Devils at home on February 2 nd. They went on to beat the Ottawa Senators convincingly 5-0 on February 6, snapping the Sens 11 game winning streak in the process. Going into the Olympic break, the Leafs have lost their last 2, including being shut out 4-0 by St. Louis in their last game before the break. In what has been a season to forget for those in Leaf Nation so far, there is a glimmer of light since the moves Burke made in late January, and if Burke’s first moves are any indication, Leaf fans can expect the light to get a little brighter by the time the Trade Deadline comes and goes on March 3 rd . In other news, the Leafs acquired Jamie Lundmark off waivers from Calgary.
By:
Bill Burfoot
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