LCS Hockey - Team Reports - Toronto Maple Leafs

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head coach: Pat Quinn

roster: C - Mats Sundin, Darby Hendrickson, Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley. LW - Fredrik Modin, Steve Thomas, Todd Warriner, Derek King, Kris King, Igor Korolev, Garry Valk. RW - Sergei Berezin, Tie Domi, Mike Johnson, Martin Prochazka, Steve Rice, Nikolai Borschevsky, Lonny Bohonos. D - Sylvain Cote, Dimitri Yushkevich, Mathieu Schneider, Jason Smith, Daniil Markov, Dallas Eakins. G - Curtis Joseph, Felix Potvin, Glenn Healy.

transactions: Gonesville: Rob Zettler (Nashville). Charlie New Guys: Garry Valk, Steve Rice, Steve Thomas, Dallas Eakins, Curtis Joseph.

1997-98 results:

Record...........30-43-9, 69 PTS, 10th Western Conference 
Goals Scored.....194
Goals Against....237
Power Play.......11.4% (25th)
Penalty Killing..86.6% (6th)

GEE, THAT'S SWELL

* Mats Sundin is one of them superstar guys.

* Mike Johnson is a potential star, as long as he avoids the dreaded sophomore slump.

* "The Chef", Nikolai Borschevsky, is attempting a comeback. You the man, Chef...

* Steve Thomas is way past his prime, but Stumpy's still a good character guy that should lead the young Leafs by example.

* Curtis Joseph is fun to watch in net.

* Club should get a boost from whatever arrives in return for Felix Potvin.

GRIEF

* The ongoing Potvin situation could serve as a distraction.

* Team desperately needs a second line center to play behind Sundin.

* Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley, Fredrik Modin, Darby Hendrickson, Todd Warriner, and Sergei Berezin all have great talent, but have to learn how to do more with it. They need to step up and prove that they're capable of shouldering some of the scoring load.

* Mathieu Schneider still needs signed.

* Changing conferences could take quite the adjustment, especially for a roster loaded with so many inexperienced players.

1998-99 OUTLOOK: The Leafs have plenty of young talent, but it's still a year or two from maturing into anything significant. Rebuilding is never easy. It's going to take time. The process could be accelerated, though, by a timely windfall in the pending Potvin trade.

PREDICTION: Fifth in the Northeast.