Jumbo Joe might be a ghost buster
I realize Joe Thornton has come to Toronto in hopes of winning Lord Stanley’s Cup. I only hope he is aware that the Leafs are a cursed team. Last year, it was the curse of the Zamboni driver. We had the curse of the Tuukka Rask trade for Andrew Raycroft, and let’s face it, anything Harold Ballard touched turned to sawdust. What will be this year’s curse?— Scot L.
The Leafs haven’t even lost a game yet. The season shapes up in their favour. None of the Canadian teams have a great winning history over the past five years or so. Someone’s going to win the division. So why not Toronto? Ghosts, curses, Zamboni drivers and all. I’ve been sitting on this for a while ’ cause I figured I’m probably one of a very few that cares about it, but I have to say it. It really bothered me about a month ago when Kyle Dubas emphatically defended and agreed with Kevin Cash for pulling Blake Snell in Tampa’s last World Series game. To me, that is an incredible insight into exactly how he views things, and I don’t think you’re going to win championships very often if you’re that closed- minded and can’t adapt to a brilliant moment like that. Secondly, I believe people are sleeping on Ottawa too much this season. I believe that if Matt Murray gets back to even close to form they are going to surprise a lot of people. And if they get off to a fast start in a shortened season before the other teams figure it out, then they might surprise and come a lot closer to a playoff spot than people think, or maybe even make it.
— Craig McC.
I know I’d have let Snell pitch to one more guy, but I don’t mind Dubas’s answer: Trust what got you there. If you lose playing your way, so be it. If you lose because you abandoned your way, that’s entirely on you. Tampa got as far as it did because of its system; the Dodgers won because they
were the better team. As for Ottawa, I’m inclined to agree, although I may have less faith in Matt Murray than you. Ottawa won’t be an easy out. And if they have a team’s “number” this year — that is to say, if they match up well — that team will live to regret it. Last year, only the Oilers among teams now in the North Division had a losing record to the Senators, losing the only game they played. Montreal went 3- 0- 1, Toronto 3- 0- 0, Winnipeg 2- 0- 0, Vancouver 1- 0- 1, Calgary 1- 1- 0. Ottawa managed 10 points in 14 games. I think they will be better.
It is difficult to project who will be made available in the expansion draft some time in 2021 given the upcoming season will tell us a lot, but what else is there to talk about! Who do you see being made available and will the Leafs protect 7- 3- 1 or 8- 1? It sure will be great not having to protect Nick Robertson/ Rasmus Sandin/ Timothy Liljegren!— Bill L.
Ilya Mikheyev is also exempt. You’re right that we’ll have to wait and see what kind of season they have before we can be sure, but I’d say Travis Dermott, Justin Holl and Pierre Engvall are the most likely suspects to be dangled in the expansion draft. Dermott has already been asked about it in scrums this week. Alex Kerfoot could be there, too, though I doubt it. The no- brainers — from a pre- season point of view — are Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, T. J. Brodie and Jake Muzzin ( and Jack Campbell, unless Frederik Andersen signs an extension). That’s four forwards, three defencemen and a goalie. So they could go either way. In my mind, they only protect eight skaters and a goalie if Dermott has a fantastic season. He’d be the eighth skater. If Zach Hyman signs an extension, he’d be protected ahead of Dermott, so then you probably go 7- 3- 1, adding Kerfoot to the protected list and maybe a young guy you’re high on. ( Joey Anderson? Adam Brooks?) Remember, they also have to expose players who hit certain requirements in terms of combined games played this season and last season and being under contract. Among forwards, Engvall needs to play two more games, Travis Boyd 26 more.
Send your hockey questions to askkevinmcgran@ gmail. com.
We reserve the right to edit for length, clarity and punctuation
Scan this code to read more of Kevin McGran’s Breakaway Blog mailbag