A sentence that begins with the words “If I ran the Toronto Maple Leafs…,” carries the same probability as “I just learned to split an atom with my Swiss Army Knife…”

That said…

IF I ran the Toronto Maple Leafs I wouldn’t be the least bit afraid of risking my first-round draft pick.

Hear me out.

Brian Burke moved a package that would (heavy emphasis on would) include Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton to land Phil Kessel in a trade with Boston. I get that. Would I do something similar?

Well, if I ran the ...

The Maple Leafs hit Saturday’s game against the Rangers with a 2-2-0 record and if there is any conclusions to be drawn from the first week of the regular season they are few and far between. That said…

1.    Yes, everyone plays the same schedule but if you are looking for clues on bi-polar play start with the schedule on your kitchen fridge. Thursday’s game against the Islanders was the Leafs fourth in six nights. The Islanders, by contrast, hadn’t played since Monday. Hockey players can be ready to play after eight ...

Nazem Kadri reacts after scoring against the Buffalo Sabres.

I don’t get the Nazem Kadri thing.

Kadri has been the Leafs best player over the Leafs first few games.

He turned 22 three months ago. He is the Leafs youngest player, three months younger than elder statesman Jake Gardiner.

I don’t know where the Nazem Kadri narrative was stolen. Maybe the answer is in Don Cherry’s unflagging support for Kadri which was fuelled by Cherry’s intense disdain for Ron Wilson. Kind of a chicken and egg thing there.

It’s probably because the first four ...

Scotty Bowman smiled a tight little smile when asked about Randy Carlyle.

“Firm,” he said. “He’s firm. He makes the players produce and he makes them responsible. Plus, he has them working in the right system.”

There are few more lasting endorsements than hockey’s all-time winningest coach finding you properly stern.

It should come as no surprise, I suppose. The Old School Randy Carlyle, the one who scoffs when reporters ask about a practice that lasts longer than an hour, the one whose actions suggest a disregard for soothing feelings, that guy is ...

Dion Phaneuf will start the season on left defence.

The Toronto Maple Leafs open their season tonight in Montreal. By coincidence, I see 10 storylines.

The Marlies factor. Friday was the best day in the history of the Toronto Marlies.  Of the Leafs 23 players, eight (Colton Orr, Ben Scrivens, Leo Komarov,  Nazem Kadri, Mark Fraser,  Mike Kostka, Korbinian Holzer and Ben Scrivens) played significant roles for the Marlies this season or last under coach Dallas Eakins. “Dallas was a huge influence,” said Fraser. “The responsibility, the ice time, the compliments, ...

Leafs GM Dave Nonis said he remains on the hunt for a veteran goalie but only if the price is right.

Leafs GM Dave Nonis spoke to the press, Friday after finalizing the roster. Here are some of his remarks.

On sending Morgan Rielly back to junior:  “Morgan played pretty well in a short camp but he wasn’t given any opportunity to play exhibition games. We need to get ready to play and it’s pretty tough to put an 18-year-old player in the lineup without seeing him play against NHL competition. ...

You watch Morgan Rielly and you see what’s there: the stride, the intuitive passing, the blocky body that should allow him to hang in and fight through the congestion near his own crease.

It took Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle to note what wasn’t there.

“I had the conversation with Morgan about getting him to play more of his game,” Carlyle was saying after a spirited scrimmage, Wednesday.

“I asked him what his strengths were. He said his number one thing was skating. I said ‘I don’t know if we really saw you ...

Leaf fans, you don’t need another goalie.

Maybe not ever. Certainly not now.

The Maple Leafs have 74 days between Saturday’s debut in Montreal and the April 3 trade deadline to find out whether they need to replace James Reimer.

I’m pretty sure they don’t.

When healthy, James Reimer had a 24-10-6 record. That’s not bad.

What you have in Reimer is a goalie who excelled when he was healthy but sank while he was hurt. If James Reimer had never returned to the ice after being smacked in the crease by Brian Gionta ...

Brian Burke, shown in an earlier press conference, said he was never going to change his personality.

Brian Burke said goodbye the way he said hello.

He did not offer excuses and then pointed out that he wasn’t offering excuses. He would, however, like to work for a team that isn’t sold. Both times that happened, in Vancouver and in Toronto,  he lost his job soon after.

“The people that hired me hired Brian Burke,” he said. “Maybe the new guys don’t like that brand. Maybe they want someone who is a ...

July 5, 2013. That’s less than six months from now.

You can make a reasoned argument that anything that happens this season won’t influence the long term future of the franchise as much as what happens in early July.

Here’s why.

Everyone needs to add new players. The salary cap for 2013-2014 is $64.3 million.  Most teams will need deep cuts to comply.

Joffrey Lupul is the only significant Leaf players whose contract is up this season.

Each team has two potential buyouts. They must be used this summer or next.

Sour faces will abound ...