Coming Into January

The Maple Leafs started the 2011-2012 regular season red hot. Game after game, Toronto Maple Leafs tickets got harder to find. Led by the third rated offense in the league, the team found itself well within the top eight playoff positions coming into December. As with any rebuilding team, however, depth proved to be a problem when injuries started to hit key players. While no stars were taken out, strong role players Tyler Bozak, John-Michael Liles and Colby Armstrong were all put on injured reserve. Liles and Armstrong were the most troubling because of concussions that could hold them out for extended periods.

All of this led to a rough December and the Leafs staggered to a 4-9 record. This dropped them out of the playoff positions in the East. With numerous off days over the holiday season, Leafs tickets holders hoped that their team would rest and then get back to its winning ways. They surely did and Leafs tickets started getting harder to find once again.

January Games

January saw the Maple Leafs go 4-2 heading into tonight’s game against the red hot Ottawa Senators. The Leafs results revealed a hot start to January followed up by a two game blip.

January 3:  5-4 home win over Tampa Bay

January 5:  4-0 home win over Winnipeg

January 7:  4-3 home win over Detroit

January 10:  2-0 home win over Buffalo

January 13:  3-2 loss at Buffalo

January 14:  3-0 home loss to New York Rangers

Positives

The weakness of the Maple Leafs all season has been its defense. Led by Dion Phaneuf, recently named the most overrated player in the league, the defense gives up boatloads of goals at 3.1 a game and are even worse on power play defense where opponents convert at staggering 25.8 percent. During January, however, the team posted no less than three shutouts in the first 6 games. This left them with a 1.5 goals against average for the first two weeks of January, a huge improvement. While the Leafs are unlikely to continue posting shutouts, dropping the goals against average by even a half a goal is a huge improvement. If you bought your Leafs tickets already, you should feel safe to know that this team should be a force to be reckoned with the rest of the year and in the playoffs.

Negatives

The biggest negative hanging over the team happened when Brian Burke announced that he intends to make major moves before the trade deadline. This seems to have unsettled the team as players wait on pins and needles to see if they will be moved. Many suggest that Burke will make big moves for the stars of his former team, the Anaheim Ducks. Getting players like Ryan Getzlaf will not be cheap and that means many of the current Maple Leafs could end up in Anaheim on a last place team. That’s enough to unsettle any team, which is something you want to stay away from. We would like to see that the players are 100% focused on the game and entertaining those that bought Leaf tickets that night, rather than wondering if their name is up on the chopping block.

Moving Forward

Time waits for no one and that includes the Maple Leafs players. Their recent winning ways have them a single point out of a playoff position. The coming schedule is busy with 5 games in 8 nights before six days off at the end of the month over the All Star Break. A good run can get the team back into a playoff position. A bad one can drop them farther back behind other teams trying to make the playoffs. All and all, that makes it an important week for the team. Make sure you buy your Leafs tickets now, so that you can cheer this team on to victory.

Original Outlook

The Maple Leafs have had a rough decade of losing. Ownership realized as much and brought in uber GM Brian Burke to rebuild the team a few years back. The old names were out and a youth movement devoted to physically imposing players began. Burke had run this type of program successfully in both Vancouver and Anaheim, so even the impatient Toronto fans and press were willing to wait for results. Well, they had to wait…and wait…and wait.

Fortunately, after three years out of the playoffs, the Maple Leafs are playing well and looking like legitimate contenders. The team currently is 18-14-4 and sit second in the Northeastern Conference and sixth overall in the Eastern Conference, a position good enough to qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today. Enough progress has been made that head coach Ron Wilson just received a four year contact extension. Fans are excited that the team has kept their head coach and hopefully they will renew their leafs seats for the next 4 years as well.

Offense

Brian Burke is known for building big, strong defensive teams. Given this, it is a bit of a surprise to find that Toronto is an offensive juggernaut. The team is scoring 3.1 goals a game, the seventh best mark in the league. It is also fourth best in the league on the power play with a 21.1 conversion rate. All of this scoring is due to the dynamic duo of Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul who have been on the ice for 41 percent of all the goals scored by the Maple Leafs. The rest of the offensive has no stars, but contributes as it may.

Defense

The Toronto defense has been offensive in two ways. The first is a bad thing as the team isn’t just bad on defense, they are horrible. Toronto ranks 26th in the league in goals allowed, giving them up at a rate of 3.2 a game. As hard as it is to believe, the defense is even worse on the power play where the Leafs let the opposing team covert at a horrifically bad 27 percent, nearly the worst in the league. What is the problem? It really is a team effort. The forwards aren’t great at getting back, the defensemen are average and the goaltending scares nobody. This is something they will have to work on in the future if they want to continue selling out of Leafs tickets.

Is there a silver lining? Yes. The defense may be poor at stopping goals, but they are fairly good at producing them on the offensive end of the ice. Dion Phaneuf has 5 goals and 22 points for the fourth most points on the team. John-Michael Liles is right behind him with 4 goals and 21 points. The Maple Leafs have to score a lot of goals most nights if they hope to win. Fortunately, their defensemen are able to help with that if nothing else.

Improvement Needed

There is little doubt the Maple Leafs have come a long way this season, but the area the team needs to improve in is no secret – defense! Look for Burke to be active at the trade deadline. He needs to find players who can help in the defensive zone, particularly on the power play. If the Maple Leafs could tighten things up on the blue line, they could be a real force. Will that happen this season? We can only hope.

Outlook

Look for the Maple Leafs to continue to be an offensive force and defensive farce that hangs right on the edge of qualifying for the playoffs. With the demise of other perennial playoff contenders like Washington, I think the Maple Leafs have a good chance of squeezing in to the playoffs. Will they go anywhere once there? Not a chance. Teams that rely on one line for their offense always get shut down in the playoffs and there is no reason to believe the Leafs would meet any different fate. Still, Leafs fans should feel very excited that their team appears to be respectable again with a future that could be very, very bright. Be sure to buy your Leafs tickets early to support them in their quest for a Stanly Cup Finals.

Meek Inherit First Place

The Toronto Maple Leafs are often described as the New York Yankees of the NHL. Perhaps. One area where the Leafs have differed is the fact they haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967. After years of mediocrity and outright laughable performances, the team turned to Brian Burke to build a winner three years ago. Burke has done it pretty much everywhere he has been, so the choice seemed sublime.

Well, Burke is doing it again in Toronto, even if the fans have had to suffer through a few brutal years while the young talent developed. For their patience, Leafs tickets holders can now rejoice in the fact the team is now sitting in first place in the Northeast Division, one point ahead of the Boston Bruins who were last years Stanley Cup Champions.

Will Injuries Derail The Leafs?

Every up and coming team in the NHL suffers from the same problem- a lack of depth. The Leafs are facing this very situation now. The loss of Matthew Lombardi, Mike Komisarek, Mikhail Grabovski, Tim Connolly and James Reimer will test any teams fortunes. While one can argue that as long as Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul are playing, the team should be fine, there is no doubt that these injuries put pressure on the team to continue to sell out of Leafs tickets.

As expected, the accumulated injuries resulted in the Leafs posting a dismal 1 win, 4 losses and one overtime loss record over six games in the middle of November. The team simply lacked the depth and talent to overcome the loss of so many players who were getting regular shifts. Fortunately, most of the players returned in the last week of November and the team immediately posted three straight wins. Fans were beginning to worry about their team as Leafs ticket sales slowed at the beginning of this month.

Of the injured, only Mike Komisarek with a broken arm and James Reimer with a concussion are serious. As for Komisarek, the loss isn’t crushing because the Leafs have some young depth on the defensive line and now give those players extended time to see if they are worth anything. Still, the loss of Komisarek for eight weeks is not a good thing.

Reimer’s injury could be a bit more difficult to handle as the elbow he took in the Canadians game looked pretty bad. One needs only look at the roughly 10 months that Sidney Crosby missed with a concussion to know there is no real way to predict when Reimer will be back. Reimer is a solid player, but not critical to the Leafs fortunes moving forward. Look for them to hold him out of games until they are absolutely sure he is ready to go.

Foreshadowing

Will any of these injuries poke a hole in the bright balloon that has been the Maple Leafs season? I doubt it. Brian Burke knows this is the year he shows the Leafs fans his plan is working. If injuries become a problem, you can bet he will be on the phone seeking trades to make sure that people stay interested  in purchasing Leafs tickets.

The Leafs are once again off to an amazing start. They are currently ranked number two in the Eastern Conference with nineteen points and they are one of the best teams on home ice with an impressive 5-1-1. However, their road game could definitely use some improvement. They are only 4-3-0 on the road.

Head Coach, Ron Wilson was not surprised by the results of last Saturday’s loss to the defending Stanley cup champions, the Boston Bruins. The Leafs were blasted 7 to 0. The Bruins controlled virtually every aspect of the game.  Toronto is a young team, and Wilson was concerned that his group of players would be caught resting on their laurels. Despite his endeavors to try and keep the team focused, they were unable to compete against the more disciplined and experienced Bruins. Those that purchased Leafs tickets for that night expected more from their team.

The Florida Panthers are not a team to be taken lightly. They are in eighth place in the East, with fifteen points and most of those points have been earned on the road.

Ron Wilson has stated that he is going to put Jonas Gustavsson in net against the Panthers. This is not surprising, considering the poor performance Ben Scrivens put in during the loss against the Bruins. Although, the loss certainly does not rest squarely on his shoulders, Scriven’s play was less than stellar. He was pulled from the game after letting in five of Boston’s goals. The Panthers will most likely be starting Jose Theodore. However, the back-up goalie in this game will be Scott Clemmensen.  Scott is returning to the line-up following knee surgery. His return to the game was highly anticipated by fans. Fans hope that they can show their support by purchasing Leafs tickets to the next game.

The Florida Panthers will be in top shape for the game. They are presently one of the healthiest teams in the NHL. However, they will still be without newly acquired Mikael Samuelsson, who is still recovering from surgery. The same cannot be said of the Leafs who will be going into the game without Tim Connolly, who is suffering from an upper body injury, which occurred in the game against Boston. Those that have already purchased Leaf tickets feel that it will be will not be an easy win for the Leafs.

The Leafs will also be without goalie James Reimer, who is on the injured reserve list with, what is being called, concussion like symptoms. Also missing from the line-up will be Captain Colby Armstrong. Colby is out with a high ankle sprain and has been placed on the injured reserve list.

Leaf fans have been given a lot to cheer about this season. In terms of overall points, right winger, Phil Kessel is currently leading the league with twenty-one points. Joffery Lupul is not far behind with sixteen points.

Come Tuesday, Leaf fans will all be poised on the edge of their seats to see how their team is going to respond. They are all wondering if this young squad will be able to bounce back, or if they will lose their confidence and fade-out the same way they did last year.

Although, 21-year old Gardiner is a long shot to be part of the 23 man roster on opening night against Montreal, he has opened a lot of eyes during training camp and the preseason.  He has logged several minutes of play at times and his game has been near-perfect. Furthermore at a game on Saturday, he added his third assist of the preseason in four games. According to GM, Brian Burke, Gardiner is not guaranteed a spot on the roster just yet. “He still has things to improve in his game particularly in his own end”. “He is definitely a factor now”.

As for Gardiner, each game is a step closer but he doesn’t feel the pressure whatsoever. The beauty of it is that Gardiner knows he is making it difficult for management to keep him or not. Management knew he would eventually make an impact but not that early. With long time Leafs defense man Tomas Kaberle now gone to Boston and Noe to Carolina as a free agent, Gardiner reminds Leafs management of the mobility Kaberle used to bring on ice.

Despite the lack of defense man openings, Gardiner with his stellar play has made an impression on head coach Ron Wilson. “He’s really made a pretty impression on all of us.” said Wilson. he’s been our best defense man pretty much every game so we have to continue looking at him.” “He’s an explosive guy that does smart things with the puck at high speed.” said President and GM Brian Burke.

As for Lombardi, he missed 80 games last season, victim of a concussion. He was cleared earlier in the week to practice with full contact. Lombardi who skated since August as part of his recovery, may be ready for the opening game on October 6th. Depending on the progress in practice, he may be able to play one exhibition game against Detroit. “With Matt in the lineup, he brings another element of speed.” He’s like the roadrunner out there” said head coach Ron Wilson.  “We like his speed and also his experience.” added the head coach.

The management doesn’t like it either. Ask if Brian Burke likes to go through the same cycle every season and also off season. He would rather concentrate on contract renewals and development of his young players. Looking at the future, it looks bright. Young players are emerging such as defenseman Jake Gardiner, Hobey Baker award finalist Matt Frattin, Nazem Kadri and goalie James Reimer. Reimer proved last season he could be counted on which triggered the departure of seasoned goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguère.

The Leafs in recent years did well with their young players and the draft something President and GM Brian Burke also believes firmly. they also hold in the AHL eventual NHLers such as Joe Colborne and Jesse Blacker. Also emerging from the ranks, right winger and power forward Tyler Biggs drafted 22nd overall in 2011 and Memorial Cup All-Star team member Stuart Percy from Mississauga. Percy was recently returned to his junior team but look for a quick stint in junior.

In view of this season’s roster, there has to be optimism. The talent is definitely there but the team will need to stay healthy first and show consistency. the last two seasons Toronto embarked on a 8 eight games losing streak and that caused the setbacks in each of those seasons. The arrival of Tim Connolly as a free agent may prove to be the shot in the arm Phil Kessel needs to have to put points on the board and potentially have a career season. Combined this offensive power to Mikhail Grabovsky’s gaining in maturity, the signs of a breakout season for Clarke MacArthur and Nikolai Kulemin, the Leafs may have a very solid top 6.

There is no doubt the defense corps of the Leafs can hurt many teams. They are big, strong and love to hit and pound their opponents. last season, “the old” Dion Phaneuf resurrected from February when was able to put points on the board while playing solid defense. Phaneuf who came from the Calgary Flames in a blockbuster deal in 2009, will undoubtedly be the kingpin of the blue line for the Leafs supported by experienced player such as John-Michael Liles acquired from the Colorado Avalanche and matt Lombardi coming back from concussion. Add to the mix, big Mike Komisarek and Toronto’s defensive brigade is solid. The only factor may be mobility and that’s where Liles, speedy Lombardi and prospect Gardiner may add a nice balance to the mix.

Is this team capable to make the playoffs? It sure is now, there is depth at every key positions and the remaining question is between the pipes. If Reimer can pull a successful season and a performance like he displayed at the World’s last Spring; there is no reason why the “White and Blue” can’t make the playoffs.

Ron Wilson has one of the most impressive coaching careers in the game of hockey. Last season, Ron was able to achieve his 600th career win as a head coach in the NHL. With a total 619 NHL victories, he is well on his way to having the most victories as head coach in the NHL.  There have only been six other coaches who reached this amazing mark.

The international hockey scene is no mystery to Ron Wilson. In 2010, Ron helped the United States hockey team captured the silver medal. Before this, he helped the 1996 US hockey team win gold medal at the World Cup of Hockey.

Ron Wilson was born in Windsor, Ontario on the 28th of May, 1955. Ron’s family moved to the States when Ron was 12, which is why Ron has dual citizenship. His ties to hockey are well established, both his father and his uncle were coaches of the Detroit Red Wings. As a young man, Ron was a member of the Maple Leafs and also played for team USA.

Behind the bench Ron brings his own style of coaching. One of the things that Ron expects from all of his players is accountability. No player is exempt from this. If you are not producing on the ice, you can expect to be sitting on the bench. This is something that has rarely been seen in Toronto, and has some fans questioning Ron’s methods.

One of the unique things that Ron brings to the team is his high tech approach to the game. Ron uses every available piece of equipment to give his team the edge. From computers to tablet PC on the bench, he can instantly outline new strategies during the game. Ron defiantly uses everything he can to get the win.

For those fans still in doubt, take a good look at the teams that Ron has been able to guide to the playoffs. In 1998, as head coach for the Washington Capitals, Ron was able to reach the cup final. He was the first coach for the expansion team, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. With Ron at the reins this team was able to reach the conference final in a mere four years.

What can Toronto Maple Leaf fans look forward to this season? Over the summer the team has not been idle. One of the biggest changes will be behind the bench. Head coach Ron Wilson and general manager Brian Burke have enlisted the talents of Scott Gordon and Greg Cronin. These two new assistant coaches, coupled with Ron’s innovative leadership skills will make for an exciting season. The Toronto Maples Leafs are ready to hit the ice fighting and provide fans with the kind of season that will make them proud.

The “blue and white” mostly enjoyed their success in the past, mainly in the 1940′s and 1960′s. They also enjoyed some success in the 1930′s, when the Maple Leafs Garden was inaugurated, but always lost in the finals. Their main accomplishment in the 1940′s was the dynasty under general manager Connie Smythe and head coach “Hap” Day when they won four consecutive championships defeating their eternal rival Montreal Canadiens and the Detroit Red Wings each on two occasions. Led at the time by famous Bill Barilko for his determination and Syl Apps for his scoring touch, the Leafs were needless to say, the best team in the NHL. It was the end of a great era when Smythe stepped down from his position of general manager in 1955 and it appeared the team never really recovered.

The success of the Toronto Maple Leafs was resurrected when new faces appeared at the end of the decade. Such faces like: Carl Brewer, Johnny Bower and newly hired coach Punch Imlach had a direct effect on the team’s success when they met Montreal in 1960 for the Stanley Cup. This was the sign of a great period for the Leafs as they went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1962, led by great players such as: Dave Keon, Andy Bathgate, Frank Mahovlich, Red Kelly and Tim Horton. Toronto’s last cup was won in that decade when they beat Montreal in 1967. They haven’t won the cup ever since.

The 1970′s and 1980′s saw the Leafs, led by Darryl Sittler their captain, have mixed amount of success with some years making the playoffs and some not. Sittler, who still owned the record set for most points in a game with 10 was their leading scorer and offensive weapon. Sittler went on to have a brilliant career despite the lack of stability in the front office. Many of those deceptions were orchestrated and led by then owner, Harold Ballard who would run the team with an iron fist.  The first Swedish player to ever play in the NHL, defenseman Borje Salming played in that era and was considered one of the best at his position.

The 1990′s saw the Toronto Maple Leafs regaining an identity and credibility in the NHL.  Led by general manager Cliff Fletcher, a veteran hockey executive, the Leafs made some key roster moves by acquiring fan favorite Doug Gilmour from the Calgary Flames, and bringing head coach Pat Burns from the Montreal Canadiens.  Also with goalie Grant Fuhr followed by Felix “the Cat” Potvin, the Leafs were solid between the pipes. Their 1992-93 season, where they totaled 99pts was the best season ever in points accumulated at the time. The Leafs lost in the conference finals against the Los Angeles Kings and Wayne Gretzky. The 1999-2000 season saw the Toronto Maple Leafs in their new arena named the Air Canada Center accumulate 100 points their best ever total and their first division title in 37 years.

In this past decade, the team was able to run on all cylinders under Pat Quinn as general manager and coach. The team did well in the regular season but seemed to lack that final push in the playoff. Led at the time by Toronto great, Swedish-born player and captain Mats Sundin, the Leafs were a force to be reckoned with. In 2006-2007, they accumulated 91 points and ever since that season have been out of the playoffs or near miss.

Brian Burke was named general manager in 2009 and was tasked to rebuild this team, which was going nowhere with the objective of bringing the ultimate prize. He hired Ron Wilson and Toronto with a lopsided trade acquired from the Boston Bruins, Phil Kessel in exchange for two first round picks at the NHL draft. Although Kessel was an excellent player, many thought it was costly for the Leafs and Burke had to rebuild this team to bring a supporting cast for Kessel. The Leafs have missed the playoffs for the last six years and the loyal Leafs fans are hoping this year they will get their ticket to the 2012 playoffs and be on their way to rewrite history again..

Being an Ottawa Senators fan, it pains me to admit that Toronto Maple Leaf fans are among the most loyal fans in pro sports.  It doesn’t seem to matter to them how much their team struggles or how few games they win.  Over the past few years the Leafs haven’t even made it past the first round of the playoffs, if they even made the playoffs at all.

So why is it that this franchise still manages to sell out every home game they play?  Some say it’s fan loyalty, some say it’s marketing, some call it magic.  Me?  I honestly don’t know what the secret is.

I do know that the average fan probably couldn’t afford Leafs tickets to a game even if they could get one.  The last time I checked, the cheapest seats in the house sold for $80.00 plus.  In fact, many fans travel to Ottawa, Montreal, and Buffalo to see their team play because it is cheaper than buying tickets to the home games.

I have been to an Ottawa Senator’s versus Toronto Maple Leafs game at Scotia bank Place, and I can say with a fair amount of certainty that when Toronto plays in Ottawa, over half the house is cheering for the visiting team.  Ottawa fans don’t like it, but that’s just the way it is.

So if the average fan that can’t afford Leafs ticket in Toronto, then who is buying the tickets?  That’s a very good question.  You see Toronto is a very trendy city.  People with any money at all feel the need to constantly impress their colleagues and friends whenever they can.  So the theory is that most of the ticket holders these days are white collar, upper management sorts of people with the money to spend on the seats.  To be honest, I’m not sure I believe that theory.  I think that Toronto fans are so darn loyal they’ll spend money they don’t even have on a ticket if the opportunity to buy one is presented to them.

So how does a team that has performed so poorly over the past decade still manage to sell out every night?  It’s simple.  The Toronto Maple Leafs are not just an NHL franchise, they are an institution.  They have been around since the very beginning, one of the original six.  People don’t cheer for the Leafs because they love the team, they cheer for the Leafs because they’ve been raised to do so.  They cheer for the Leafs because their great great great grand pappy said so.  They cheer for the Leafs because it’s all they know.

As a fan of their biggest rival, I have to hate them for that.  As a fan of the game itself, I admire it.

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We’ve got tickets available for all the Leafs games this upcoming season, including the pre-season games. We make a point of securing tickets for even the most in-demand games so that you can have a shot at watching every game live. As real Leafs fans ourselves, we know the value of watching a live Leafs game, and we’re more than happy to share that opportunity with you.

So if you’re looking for Leafs tickets with the lowest prices and the best seats in the house, then we’ve got exactly what you’re looking for. Feel free to check back for any updates or contact us for inquiries. Just remember, Leafs tickets sell faster than hot cakes and you’ll need to be quick on your feet to take advantage of this great deal.