The Leafs went 3-8 on the shootout last year and missed the playoffs by what, two points? This year, the Leafs are 3-7 in shootout games and remain life and death to make the post-season. That’s too many points left on the table for such a desperate club.
Management continues to insist that no overhaul of the team is needed. This is despite that fact that the core of the team couldn't make the post season last year and the same core is struggling to qualify this year. So if you are just fine-tuning then why not acquire a shootout specialist so you can get those few extra points you need to grab a playoff spot.
What would one of Petteri Nummelin (6 for6 in shootout); Mikko Koivu (8 for 13); Erik Christensen (5 for 8) or the ever-deadly Jussi Jokinen (5 for 9) cost the Leafs? These aren’t the big names that get thrown around in trade talk hype or as prime off-season acquisitions, yet they’re helping to put those much-needed shootout wins on the board for their respective teams.
At a collective 6-13 lifetime in the shoot-out, something certainly has to give. Poor Alex Ponikarovsky is dead last in the NHL shoot-out this season (0 for 7) and yet Maurice keeps calling his name and sending him over the boards. Quinn was criticized for doing the same thing last year.
12 years ago
