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From: newman@bgsuvax.UUCP (Tim Newman)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey
Subject: The Leafs, a poor excuse for a professional hockey team
Message-ID: <180@bgsuvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Dec-84 10:50:15 EST
Article-I.D.: bgsuvax.180
Posted: Thu Dec 27 10:50:15 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Dec-84 05:49:31 EST
Organization: Bowling Green State University, OH
Lines: 28

The problem with the Leafs lies in that man who puts the Hamilton Tigercat
cheers on the scoreboard in the Gardens.
Until Harold Ballard dies or something, the Leafs are going to have to be happy
with last place.   
The entire Leaf team, with the exception of Vaive and Frycer, seems to be a
team of mediocre players.  What the Leafs need to do is trade 3 or 4 of their
average players for one good player on some other team.  Perhaps they could
trade someone to another team with a great need for forwards or
defensemen or whatever.  The Leafs also have 4 goalies with NHL experience,
so perhaps they could throw in a netminder in this sort of deal.
   Certain persons on the net were discussing the Leaf's "great" (?) young
defensemen.  Personally, I don't believe that either Gary Nylund nor Al
Iafrate is any good.
Nylund is a goon and Iafrate is blatantly average.  On every level of profes-  
sional hockey that Nylund has played on, he has done nothing but draw
penalties.  Iafrate, although touted as a great offensive defenseman on
Hockey Night in Canada, has never been a great scoring machine.
       The Leaf's problem is their defense.  Any team which is giving
up close to 5 goals a game is in serious trouble.  The Leafs should trade 
away these players (particularly Iafrate and Nylund) who are perceived
to be great defensemen but who are really only journeymen wallowing in
mediocrity.
	At any rate, nobody in the Norris can touch the Black Hawks.  The only
reason that they didn't win the division last year was because of injuries, and
it's the same thing this year.  Unless Chicago comes down with a rash of 
injuries, they've got the patsy Norris sewn up. 

						Tim Newman