The hockey world loses a legend

RIP Pat Burns, you will be missed.

Last night it was announced that former NHL bench boss, Pat Burns, had died after losing his battle with cancer.

Pat Burns finished his NHL coaching career having been the bench boss of Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New Jersey.

Each stop along the way he made an impact having won the Jack Adams award as the leagues best coach with Montreal, Toronto and Boston. In his final coaching stint with the New Jersey Devils he finally won his first and only Stanley Cup championship.

Burns has yet to be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and this year there was much debate as to whether or not he should be ushered in so he can enjoy the honour before passing on. He was not elected and I am hopeful next year the Hall of Fame selection committee will make the right decision and  Pat Burns will be forever enshrined.

I'll never forget the 92 and 93 season's for the Toronto Maple Leafs with Pat Burns behind the bench. Southern Ontario had been awakened once again to the power of the Maple Leafs. The franchise was reborn after a dull era. Pat Burns played a major role in this success.

Nazem joins the turmoil

After their first four games of the season the Toronto Maple Leafs were the best team in the NHL. Now, eight games later they are in the bottom three.

So what happened?

The defense has been OK, special teams have been poor and the offense has be non-existant.

In an attempt to stir up some sort of spirit amongst Leaf players, Brian Burke decided to call up the teams number one prospect Nazem Kadri.

After one game, and about 18 minutes of play, Kadri was fairly non-existant. He didn't do much good, but he didn't do much bad either. The only gasp was a late game three on one play where Kadri mis-handled the puck and was unnable to make a play.

Only time will tell if the Leafs can climb out of their slump, calling up Kadri though seems to be a step in the right direction.

He can play at this level and soon enough everyone will see it.

Leafs blow it against the Sabres

Last nights Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Buffalo Sabres is a prime example of why it is so hard to be a Leafs fan.

With a comfortable 2-0 lead at one point in the game, the Leafs managed to find a way to fall apart. The Sabres were without star goaltender Ryan Miller and offensive forward Drew Stafford. Despite this, the Sabres managed to get the game within a goal before pulling their goalie with under a minute remaining.

This is the moment where my blood starts to boil.

The Sabres manage to apply pressure, and with only a few seconds remaining, Johan Hecht (who had not scored yet this season) manages to tuck the puck past the outstretched pad of Leafs starting netminder JS Giguere. WHY!!!

There goes two points, to a team in our conference. In our division.

Ok it's not over yet, Toronto can still pick up a pair in OT.

The game undecided after OT then heads to a shootout.

I hate shootouts, mainly because I know the Leafs aren't stacked with goal scorers.

Of course in the end after falling behind then coming back, the Leafs manage to lose.

One point when it should have been two, haven't heard that story before.