From The Branches

My dearest Jiří, It's been a week now and I still can't believe we've parted. Those dreams we had, the plans we made...all so much dust on the breeze. I saw you last night, in your fancy new clothes. A goal on your

* Sure Brendan Witt gets all the press, but Down Goes Brown wants you to know that hockey players get hit by moving vehicles all the time. * You know what Friday needs? More commercials. * Shhh. Jared's sleeping . * Yes, the Leafs lost, but there were still some positives in the

Oh, he's serious. Well that was fun, and sticks with what appears to be the Leafs recent penchant for lose one, win two. That means tonight's game against Boston should be a...oh. Crap. Maybe we should give this guy's dad a call and

A pretty kick-ass Leafs stocking. (available here. via images.footballfanatics.com) It's officially "holiday season" and I am in full swing.  Enjoy the links, and have some Leafs-nog (aka-beer.) * Down Goes Brown and Bloge Salming manage to make me feel better about the Leafs loss to

I'm still recovering from Millen's (correct) assertion that the Atlanta Thrashers are an "offensive juggernaut." That phrase seems counter-intuitive to the Thrashers entire history. I've been watching hockey for a long time and never in all those years have I heard that

Mr. and Mrs. blurr1974 say hello from California. Not pictured - bubba. (via product.images.fansedge.com) In my neck of sunny California, the mercury is dipping dangerously close to zero.  To compound the issue, there is a storm rolling in with a chance of showers.  Depending on how things

A classic anxiety dream. It's your first day in a new job, but your attempts to get to the office on time are thwarted at every turn. You're giving a huge presentation and suddenly you're in your birthday suit in front of all those

Ladies and Gentlemen, I come to you with a heartfelt request - a plea, if you will. Being an Englishman who spends most of his idle time on North American websites, I tend to take a fair about of good-natured flak about certain events that took place a long time

Last night was amazing.  Was it good for you?  It was good for me.  So good.  I've heard the commercials.  "Call a doctor if it lasts for longer than 4 hours" but ya know what?  I'm not calling any doctor.  Call me crazy, but

This is apropos of nothing, it just makes me laugh, and I'm drunk on night time cold medicine...(via kqe.de) * Sure, Keith Ballard gets all the press, but it's a little known fact that teammates inflict injuries on one another quite often. Don't

Gustavsson's buddies were so concerned they rushed straight to the hospital. (via www.cfnews13.com) * Steve takes apart Cox's latest article, a little bit at a time. Poor guy never really stood a chance. * Slava Duris brings the gift of maths with the breakdown of Leafs

* Are the Leafs infected with Blake-itis (woeful shooting percentages are a symptom) or the victim of the "visiting goalie channels the ghost of Georges Vezina?" Or worse, is it some ghastly combination of the two!?!? Hungry Leafs Fan doesn't know for sure, so he suggest one

...and it still knows how to pound.  It's the Monday after a long weekend and Frank Black is singing a song just for me. Let's just get to the links. * Steve is wondering what kind of return Niklas Hagman and Ian White could net the Leafs.

Oh, this little thing? Just something I threw together. On a beach. In November. * No better place to start today than round at Dr Steve's place - here covering the budding optimism in Leaf land. * It's a battle of the Leaf blogs over at NHL Arena.

Time for another foreign languages lesson today, me hearties. Our subject - Phil 'WHO ELSE?' Kessel. As I'm sure the countless Deutsche-o-phones amongst you will already know, Kessel is German for 'Kettle'. You see? Works perfectly. He's a device for heating things

Somewhere, in a land that time forgot, there is a place without wi-fi.  In this place, there is a home where there is not high-speed internet.  In this home is me, trying to figure out how exactly I can get this piece written, links collected and then posted, on a

The feel good vibe we're building here extended all the way down to Tampa Bay last night, and the result?  A Leafs win. Lots to like about the game, but even more to like about the links, so lets get to it.  Oh, and before I go, happy

Ain't that a relief? Say what you will about how he was obtained (actually, I take that back, let's not say) Phil Kessel has been as advertised. There's more to his game than just goals. He backchecks, he hits (I've seen it!

...and looks fantastic in the process.  The little man with the big moustache plays all out every night, and last night was no exception.  The rumour was that there were 19 NHL scouts at the game last night, and chances are #7 was on their radar. What has quickly come

Lost in all the hoopla that is the Leafs 4 win in a non-consecutive row streak, is the fact that Niklas Hagman continues to be awesome. As a card carrying member of the "Hagman for Captain" and "How Awesome is Awesome?" Niklas Hagman booster clubs, I

You know Vesa...when we said rally caps...actually - never mind. G'wan yerself, young man. * Oh we of little faith. The super duper soaraway shootout win over the Capitals is reviewed by Rock outta SoCal, Norman James Sports, Kavel's comics, Jared in ten words or

Barilkosphere - your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to somehow get from the left of the picture to the right.This task has already proved very difficult for some of the finest minds in the league. And also Ron Wilson. This post will self destruct in ten

Given the reactions in the post game thread, I'm fairly certain today's FTB will be written for an audience of just a handful of true blue Leafs fans.  I can understand how some people want to jump ship.  All summer long, we fans were being sold

Senor Blurr is out being a good dad at Disneyland so you get an original FTBer taking hold of the reins. Actually, as I write this, and use the powers of scheduled posting, he's trying not to swear in front of Bubba as the LA traffic lives up

There are somethings that can only be said by a Seinfeld episode. * The Zambonic Youth gang take a hot stove/round table approach to the season so far, and come to one conclusion: The Leafs may stink, but boy, they sure do love them all the same. Well, maybe a