head coach: Mike Murphy

roster: C - Steve Sullivan, Jamie Baker, Darby Hendrickson, Brandon Convery, Jason Podollan. LW - Sergei Berezin, Wendel Clark, Derek King, Kris King, Todd Warriner, Mark Kolesar. RW - Mats Sundin, Tie Domi, Fredrik Modin, Mike Craig, Mike Kennedy, Mike Johnson, Kelly Chase. D - Matt Martin, Jamie Macoun, Dimitri Yushkevich, Mathieu Schneider, Per Gustafsson, Craig Wolanin, David Cooper. G - Felix Potvin, Glenn Healy, Marcel Cousineau.
*-Unsigned free agent.

injuries: None.

transactions: 07/03 - Signed unrestricted free-agent forwards Derek King (Carolina) and Mike Kennedy (Dallas). 07/07 - Signed free agent left wing Kris King (Phoenix) to a four-year contract. 07/08 - Signed free agent goaltender Glenn Healy (NY Rangers) to a three-year contract. 07/21 - Re-signed restricted free-agent Sergei Berezin to a multi-year contract. 08/01 - Signed center Kevyn Adams; signed defenseman Mattias Ohlund to an offer sheet. 08/12 - Signed defensemen Matt Martin, Rob Zettler and left wing Todd Warriner to one-year contracts. 08/20 - Named Ken Dryden general manager; Bill Watters assistant to the president and general manager of the St. John's Maple Leafs of the American Hockey League; Anders Hedberg assistant general manager and director of player development as well as assistant general manager at St. John's; Mike Smith associate general manager and Al MacAdam head coach of St. John's. 08/21 - Agreed to terms on a multi-year contract with right winger Tie Domi. 09/08 - Invited free-agent forward Igor Korolev to training camp.

standings:

1996-97 FINAL RESULTS
RECORD:     
 OVERALL      30-44-8
 HOME         18-20-3
 ROAD         12-24-5        
POINTS:             68 (23rd)
GOALS SCORED:      230 (17th)   
GOALS AGAINST:     273 (22nd)
POWER PLAY:      15.5% (14th)
PENALTY KILLING: 82.0% (19th) 

game results:

PRE-SEASON RESULTS
9/13 at Montreal        T 5-5   

team news:

by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief

LET THE REBUILDING BEGIN

Head Coach Mike Murphy said he has three goals for the upcoming season. The first is to cut the goals allowed by 50. The second is to be a .500 club. And the third is to make the playoffs. Well, zero out of three ain't bad. The Leafs finished dead last in the Central Division last season with a record of 30-44-8, ending up 13 points out of a playoff spot. They also gave up 273 goals, which tied them for 22nd worst in the league. So why so much optimism from Mr. Murphy? Let's investigate.

OFFENSE: This Could Be Exciting Stuff

The Maple Leaf offense will be one of two extremes. At one end there will be lots of young talent, and at the other a bunch of old guys and thugs. Let's start with the talent.

Leading the skill parade is center Mats Sundin. The Big Swede has emerged as one of the league's most dominant offensive performers. His effortless stride and overpowering wrist shot helped him pile up 41 goals and 94 points last season, good for seventh place in league scoring. He's the kind of player you can build a team around.

Sundin's left winger for a large portion of last season was rookie Sergei Berezin. The 25-year-old earned a spot on the NHL's All-Rookie Team with his 25 goals and 41 points in 73 games. Berezin is just fun to watch play. He's fast, creative with the puck, and is capable of making a highlight reel whenever he takes the ice. He could be a weapon.

If Berezin doesn't lift fans out of their seats, there's a good chance little Steve Sullivan will. Acquired from New Jersey in the Doug Gilmour trade, Sullivan is an exciting playmaker that darts all over the rink. He posted five goals and 16 points in his 21 games as a Leaf last season and should build from there. There's no question he has the talent to be a scorer in this league, but at only 5'9", 155 pounds, he may not have the size. The only way to find out is to play him. The Leafs will give him every chance possible to show his stuff. LCS is hopin' he comes through.

Sundin, Berezin, and Sullivan should create plenty of excitement in Toronto. And they're going to have to get it done, because there's not much help around them. The club hopes that youngsters like Todd Warriner, Brandon Convery, and Darby Hendrickson can step up and create some offense. All three can really motor. While they could provide added flash, the Leafs are hoping fellow youngsters Fredrik Modin and Mike Johnson can develop into serviceable power forwards.

Toronto dipped into the free-agent market to sign 30-year-old Derek King, who scored 26 goals for the Whale last year. King has a great shot, but he's never really scored as much as he should. At least he'll be a veteran presence up front. Speaking of veteran presence, Wendel Clark definitely brings that to the mix. Clark's wrist shot is good for 30 goals if he can stay healthy, which is never an easy task for Wendel. The club also signed Kris King from Phoenix to provide even more leadership. King has been a captain in the past and is a great role player to have around. He loves to check, will drop the gloves, and gives it his all on every shift. He'll be a good role model for the youngsters. And as if Clark and King weren't enough of a physical deterrent, the Leafs also have Tie Domi and Kelly Chase on the payroll. At least no one will be taking liberties with the young talent.

DEFENSE: Schneider the Key

Without a doubt, Toronto's best defenseman is Mathieu Schneider. He's a fabulous skater, moves the puck like a champ, has a big shot, and isn't scared to mix it up a little bit. Toronto's defense was crippled last season when Schneider missed all but 26 games with a torn abdominal muscle. The injury required surgery but he should be good to go when the puck drops October 1. The Leafs need him to be in the lineup to have any chance at success.

Schneider will man one of the points on the power play with the other being anchored by newcomer Per Gustafsson. The 27-year-old Swede was acquired from Florida this summer and has the skills to be a threat from the line. The only other blueliner with any offensive talent is Russian Dimitri Yushkevich. He's a good skater that likes to hit, but the four goals and 14 points he put up last year were pretty lame. He can do more.

The pure defensive end of things will be handled by Jamie Macoun and Craig Wolanin. Both are veteran stay-at-home guys that are good at what they do. Matt Martin is also a pretty reliable guy. And Jason Smith, who was brought over in the Gilmour trade along with Sullivan, is a big strapping lad that can hit and handle the rough stuff in front of the net.

GOALTENDING: Healy Provides Relief

Felix Potvin got off to a miserable start last season, but by the end of the year he was back to his normal self. Truth be told, he actually had one of the best seasons of any goaltender when you consider the factors involved. The Cat led the NHL in appearances (74) and minutes played (2,471). He also faced an average of 34.2 shots per game, the most of any goaltender. That's quite the workload.

One reason he had to play so much was that the club didn't have a whole lot of confidence in rookie backup Marcel Cousineau. The club addressed that problem over the off-season by signing perhaps the preeminent backup in the league, Glenn Healy. That means Cousineau is beat. With Healy on board, Potvin can cut back to about 55 games. That added rest should pay off in the long run.

GEE, THAT'S SWELL

* Sundin is one of the game's true offensive superstars.

* Berezin and Sullivan should provide excitement.

* Club is strong in net with Potvin and Healy.

TROUBLE

* Young forwards will be susceptible defensively.

* Schneider is the only real good defenseman on the team.

* Toronto isn't exactly the easiest city to play in while undergoing a rebuilding process.

1997-98 OUTLOOK: After that quick examination of the Maple Leaf squad, now do you see why coach Murphy is so enthusiastic? That's okay, neither do we. The Leafs have some good young talent that should be fun to watch, and new GM Ken Dryden will keep the team improving, but there's still a long way to go.

PREDICTION: Sixth in the Central and out of the playoffs.

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