LEAFS TRADE - JAN. 31/10

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made another gutsy move, much like the Kessel deal, by acquiring defenseman Dion Phaneuf, Fredrik Sjostrom and Keith Aulie for Matt Stajan, Nick Hagman, Ian White and Jamal Mayers. Stajan, Hagman and White were listed in the top 5 point-getters for the Leafs this season, Stajan with 41 pts, Hagman with a team-leading 20 goals and 33 points, and White with 26 points on the back-end.

So far, Phaneuf has been having a career low season, with 10 goals, 12 assists, and a +3 rating, the only consistency is his penalty minutes (49), but they have been mostly minor penalties. White has 9 goals, 17 assists, and 29 penalty minutes with a +1 rating. Similar? I think so... Phaneuf has a better track record, but has struggled this year, most notably being left off the Team Canada Olympic roster. Brian Burke has taken a huge gamble on this one. Like the Kessel trade (giving up possibly either Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, or Cam Fowler, plus 2011's 1st rounder), Burke has put faith before reason.

Although near the same age, Phaneuf has been a key part of the Flames for longer than White has been an impact player in the NHL. However, White, 25, still has many years to develop and in my opinion, and has been one of the most consistent players for Toronto's back end this year, next to Tomas Kaberle.

And we're only comparing these two players there - lets not forget Hagman and Stajan, both huge contributors to the Leafs power play and first-hand scoring this year. With them gone, a massive onus will be put on Phil Kessel - Oh, wait, there already has been, and Kessel has produced the mere equivalent of a secondary scorer (17G, 16A, -4). This may however allow young guns in Tyler Bozak and Viktor Stahlberg to get a chance to prove themselves, but I still have a major concern as to where Toronto will produce their offense for the remainder of the season with these key contributors traded away.

Mayers is a decent 4th liner able to contribute an average of 10 points per season plus a few handfuls of fight majors, but he asked for a trade and was no significant loss to the Leafs. I'd be surprise if he even cracks Calgary's roster for consistent playing time.

My next question is, what will the Leafs have left to trade for some offensive power?

I called it with the Kessel trade, that it was not as great as everyone built it up to be, and that the Leafs would still lack a superstar sniper. Burkey is really risking his neck on this trade, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, Phaneuf will be an assest, but the Leafs should still be looking for someone who can score goals, and they have traded almost everything that other teams might be interested in away.

One person I know who will like the deal is Pierre McGuire - he will now get to say "Dion Phaneuf" on a much more regular basis, along with his classic "that's a double Dion!" line.

Where Burke did a fine job today was acquiring J.S. Giguere for Vesa Toskala and Jason Blake. Originally the Leafs were supposed to get a 1st round pick out of the deal as well, but I guess the Ducks decided to learn from Burke's move with Kessel to not give away a 1st rounder on something that isn't a sure thing. (Although the Ducks do have two 1st round picks this year, one from Philly).

Giguere wants to play, and he will not get his wish in Anaheim. He could step his game up and become a starting goaltender for the Leafs, and is certainly worth giving up Toskala for. The BEST move out of the deal is dropping Jason Blake and his 4 Million/year contract. Wow, I can't believe a team would actually take that off the Leafs' hands. Blake was a secondary contributor, and although he scored 50 goals with NYI a few years back, it pains me every time I see Blake take the puck to the net on his own. He is the best I have seen at hitting the crest on the goalie's sweater.

Maybe this huge free-up in cap space will lead to Burke's next big move - signing soon to be free agent Ilya Kovalchuck... ?

- Jeff Blay

jeff.blay@hotmail.com

Marco Insam: A Profile on the Niagara Ice Dog's Forward

By: Jeff Blay

2009-11-24

For one Italian athlete, his dreams were never to play World Cup Soccer. Instead he spent most of his childhood lacing up his skates, taping his stick, and stepping out onto the rink. With hopes of one day playing professional hockey, 20-year-old Marco Insam is one step closer to his dream. Picked up by the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs, the Selva Gardena native is one of the few Italian-born players to make it into North American competitive hockey.

Insam was born in the small town of Selva Gardena in Northern Italy, and grew up around ski resorts and hockey rinks, and began taking skating lessons in kindergarten. His father was strongly involved in hockey with the Italian National team as well as the Olympic team, and moved his family to Milan as he took a General Manager/coaching position for a team located there. Marco’s decision to take hockey seriously was largely due to his father’s passion for the sport. Marco remembers hanging around the rink as a little kid when his father was coach of the National team. He grew up admiring the older Italian players, and dreamed of one day playing along side them representing his country.

Marco put in a solid effort as a young player in Italy, and made the choice to move to Canada to improve his hockey skills when he was only15. Marco attended a private school in Saskatchewan called the College of Notre Dame where he excelled on and off the ice, making his dream become reality.

Marco played for Italy in the U-18 world juniors, three times in the U-20 world juniors, and when he was just 18-yeard old, he made the senior team for the Quebec City World Tournament.

“It is a great experience to represent your country in the sport of hockey,” said Insam. “I got to play with a lot of old friends from back home, and it was nice to see them again.”

Insam said it was a difficult decision to leave his family at such an early age, but he now knows he made the right one. According to Insam, it is a complete different level of hockey in North America. It is home to the best junior leagues in the world (the CHL) and Marco hopes to play competitive hockey in North America as long as he can. Marco continues to get the support of his family from back home. His parents watch the IceDogs games over the internet, and his father still gives him tips about his play.

“It is really important to have the support of my parents and family,” he said. “I would not be here without them.”

Insam travels back to Italy at Christmas and over the summer, but comes back to Niagara in June to work out with teammates at the team facilities. His support here in Canada comes from his billets (the people who house him in Niagara during the IceDog’s season), his teammates, and in particular, the parents of teammate Reggie Traccitto.

“I am really close with Reggie and his parents,” said Marco. “They always help me out when I’m having a tough time, and give me good advice and support off the ice.”

Marco has enjoyed his tenure in the CHL, and says he could not have asked for a better organization to be apart of in the IceDogs.

“The IceDog organization really spoils us,” he said. “The new coaches this year are really good; a lot of them had experience in the NHL, so they really know their stuff.”

Being 20 years of age, Marco is in his last eligible year as an OHL player (otherwise known as an over-ager.) He plans to take his future career in hockey day by day, but his main goal is to stay in North America to continue his hockey career.

-30-

The Dangerous Side of the Good Ol'Hockey Game

http://issuu.com/humberetc/docs/20091119-humberetcetera/19

Ex St. Catharines Falcon Riley Sheahen an 'A' player in 2010 scouting report

St. Catharines native and ex hometown hero with the JR. B Falcons, has caught the eye of top scouts in the NCAA portion of the scouting report.

A short feature on NHL.com read:

"The American college hockey season is just getting underway, but there already have been a few standouts.

NHL Central Scouting's list of players to watch includes Notre Dame freshman center Riley Sheahen. Rated an 'A' player by Central Scouting, the 6-foot-1, 202-pound center has 2 goals and 7 points in 11 games.

Last season, playing with the St. Catharines Falcons of the Ontario Hockey Association's Golden Horseshoe League, he had 27 goals and 73 points."


Congrats to Riley, and lookout for the soon to be 18 year-old hometown kid to be up in the show in a few years. He is projected to go in the first round.

- Jeff Blay

Stefan Della Rovere: Candidate for World Juniors Team Canada Captain?

A majority of the Canadian World Junior team has been lost to the NHL, or over-age.

John Taveres, Jamie Benn, Evander Kane, and possibly Alex Pietrangelo are all up in the show. PK Subban is playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the AHL, and will not be returning to the World Juniors.

So that leaves only a few vetern junior players to lead team Canada. Ryan Ellis, Cody Hodgson, and of course, the talk of last years tournament with his big hits and gutsy play, Stefan Della Rovere. New additions in Brayden Schenn, Taylor Hall, Luke Pither, and Nazim Kadri just to name a few, all make for great possibilities in leaders, but I'd like to take a long shot and go with the underdog in Della Rovere.

What a beauty this kid is. Suffering a shoulder injury in the Washington Capitals camp, he missed the first couple games of the OHL season with the Barrie Colts. But upon his return, he has proved once again his leadership is valued on and off the ice for the Colts, and there is no question why the organization has place the 'C' on his chest once again.

Now with 21 games played, the physical forward has recorded 8 goals and 9 assists, with a + 7 rating, and lets not forget the 42 penalty minutes.

Some would criticize him to have taken "stupid" penalties in the last World Junior Championship. But the team still won, didn't they? And people seem to forget that after some of those big hits, Canada scored. Della Rovere is always good to let out a scream or a big smile to his bench after crushing one of his opponents, and I have no doubt that any of his teammates on the gold medal winning team last year would agree that he is an asset to the team.

He is known as a voice in the locker room, on the ice, and a relatively skilled player for the amount of physicality he shows in his play. Although world hockey tournaments are more known as a finesse type of game, I still believe that this gutsy kid shows promise and would make a great leader. I'm sure my wishful thinking of him wearing the 'C' for Canada this year will be widely questioned, but I am quite sure that he will at LEAST end up with an 'A'.

Only time will tell.

- Jeff Blay