Attention Leafs Fans: Your optimism will no longer be mocked

Fans of Toronto's professional sports teams have been described as "annoying," "overbearing," or even just plain "stupid" over the years, but the adjective that truly defines them is "optimistic."

It's this delusional sense of optimism that had Jays supporters buying World Series tickets after 40 games last season and Raptors fans practically feeding Bryan Colangelo grapes upon his arrival four years ago. It's also this optimism that kept Maple Leaf Gardens and now the Air Canada Centre sold-out despite 43 straight seasons without a Stanley Cup (well, that and the fact that Toronto is huge).

While Cubs (and previously Red Sox) fans are famously pessimistic, always sensing an impending doom no matter how good their team looks, Toronto fans always seem to believe it's their year despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. It's both humorous and endearing. It's also what makes Toronto sports fans great. They're like a more forgiving Elin Woods. "Who cares if you continually went out of your way to make me look naive and stupid, I still love you god dammit!"

I only bring this up because for the first time in I don't know how many years, I actually believe Leafs fans have reason to be optimistic. Why? Sit back, kick your shoes off and relax while I pour you a nice tall glass of Brian Burke Kool-Aid:

1. The Leafs are winning.  Late-season victories are usually counterproductive for non-playoff bound teams, but they have become vital for the Leafs. Going 7-3-1 since the Olympic break, Toronto now trails the Hurricanes, Islanders and Lightning by just four points with ten games to play, while sitting only five points back of the Panthers, who have a game in hand. Once almost assured of landing Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin with the Leaf's 1st round pick, the Bruins are now looking at the very real possibility of picking outside the top-five; a disaster for a franchise that can't seem to score goals. While Boston also owns the Leafs 1st round pick in 2011, there is no doubt the winner of the Phil Kessel trade will be determined by how Toronto plays in their next ten games.

2. Phil Kessel.  The punchless Bruins traded away any realistic chance of winning the Cup when they shipped Kessel to the Leafs. The two first round picks were a nice return, but for a team that's built to win now -- Zdeno Chara, 33, and Marc Savard, 32, aren't exactly entering their prime -- only Hall or Seguin could soften the blow of losing their top scorer. Meanwhile, the Leafs have the pure sniper they could never quite find when Mats Sundin was in town. While Kessel's obviously not in the class of franchise players such as Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, the 22-year-old's well worth the $5.4 million a season. Despite missing the first month of the year and playing with borderline beer leaguers, Kessel will again finish with more than 30 goals.

3. Dion Phaneuf.  Brian Burke acquired the Leafs next captain for virtually nothing. While Darryl Sutter and some similarly brain damaged Flames fans claimed the move provided them with financial flexibility, Calgary will actually be paying Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman and Nigel Dawes $850,000 more than they would have paid Phaneuf next season. And that's without Ian White, a restricted free agent who will probably command a salary in the $3 million range. In time, this deal will look every bit as uneven as the infamous Joe Thornton trade.

4. Salary cap space and trade chips.  According to the Toronto Star, a rumour at the trade deadline had Washington offering winger/centre  Tomas Fleischmann, defensive prospect Karl Alzner and a pick for Tomas Kaberle. Not quite Jeff Carter, but not too shabby. Given his recent history, Burke should be able to move Kaberle for a top-six forward in the off-season. The same article suggests that Burke will be able to leverage the Leafs ample cap space (estimated to be more than $12 million) to provide relief for a team in need like Chicago. Either way, whether he tries to get Patrick Sharp on the cheap, sign a big-time free agent like Patrick Marleau or Ilya Kovalchuk, or target a young, restricted free agent such as the Ducks' Bobby Ryan or the Sharks' Joe Pavelski (both members of Team USA) for a trade like he did with Kessel, Burke definitely has options.

5. Actual prospects.  For years Leafs fans have pinned their hopes on mediocre mid-to-late 1st round picks like Matt Stajan, Alexander Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. Now at least they're pinning their hopes on high draft picks like Nazem Kadri (7th in 2009) and Luke Schenn (5th in 2008). Not to mention Tyler Bozak, Nikolai Kulemin and promising young netminder Jonas Gustavsson, who's now learning from a Conn Smythe-winning goalie with a Cup ring rather than a lazy Finnish bum.

So, even though the Leafs currently sit second-last in the entire NHL, this season is very close to becoming an unlikely success. Last year at this time Toronto had an aging, mediocre lineup devoid of stars.

Today, they have a top-line winger, a hard-hitting defenceman displaying great leadership qualities, and the cap space and trade chips to add to an already young, promising team.

Reason enough for anyone to be optimistic, nevermind a Leafs fan.

(Steve Starr does not like the Leafs. As a Bruins fan, he's optimistic this article will spur on a 10-game losing streak. )

You can read this post with photos, or read more of Steve's blog, at:  www.thestevenetwork.ca