Aaauuuuggggghhhhh!

Rant warning: if you're looking for training updates/reports, come back tomorrow. This is a flat-out hockey rant, about everybody's favourite incompetent hockey organization, the money-sucking Maple Leafs. It's bad enough to be manhandled by the worst team in the league. It's bad enough to go 0-for-California. In an ironic twist, they also lost both ends of the back-up goalie battle. Last year's backup (JS Aubin) easily outplayed his replacement, "Shoot high" Raycroft. Then, hoping to reverse the revenge angle, Toskala went into San Jose, his team last year, and coughed up a 2-0 lead. Add to the the (alleged) rumours that the Leafs are shopping Jason Blake around the league, another classic example of a knee-jerk, buy high, sell low reaction. Who would want this stiff right now? Honestly now, though, does anyone expect any different from this directionless organization? They're now "headed" by a clueless, lame-duck general manager who, if possible, is now in even more of a no-win situation. He's in a position where he needs to win, and now, to keep his job. This collection has no chance at winning now. They're 28th in a 30-team league, and moving backward through the pack. The truest sign of lack of respect for this group around the league is the fact that opponents have consistently, regularly this year played the backup goalies against them. They keep playing backups and still can't do any better than 28th? Playoffs?!? Whatever.

Clearly this team needs to blow it all up and start building for two or three years from now. That would mean entertaining offers for the assets, including Mats Sundin, Tomas Kaberle and possibly Vesa Toskala. I've heard other names added to this list, like Alex Steen and Darcy Tucker. In reality, who's going to want to pay for any of that dead weight? The first three are tradeable, and probably in exchange for decent future-looking assets in return, but who's going to pull the trigger on those deals? Ferguson doesn't have the authority any more.

Last straw: Scotty Bowman was approached this summer to take over the hockey operation, and showed interest, but the morons in charge wouldn't give him complete control of the hockey operation, a la Bryan Colangelo.

It's time. Fire Ferguson and the whole coaching staff. Keep firing as far up the corporate ladder as possible. Go back to Bowman on bended knee and beg for him to take over this operation. Trade Sundin, Toskala and anyone else that anyone shows a mild interest in. Start the Stamkos Sweepstakes now. With any luck, they'll stay bad enough to bag Stamkos this year, and Tavares next year.

Until then, I can't watch this junk anymore.