head coach: Mike Murphy

roster: C - Darby Hendrickson, Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley. LW - Fredrik Modin, Wendel Clark, Todd Warriner, Derek King, Kris King, Igor Korolev. RW - Mats Sundin, Sergei Berezin, Tie Domi, Mike Johnson, Martin Prochazka, Daniel Markov. D - Jeff Brown, Jamie Macoun, Dimitri Yushkevich, Mathieu Schneider, Jason Smith, Rob Zettler, Yannick Tremblay. G - Felix Potvin, Glenn Healy.

injuries: Nick Kypreos, lw (post-concussion syndrome Sept. 15, indefinite); Craig Wolanin, d (knee sprain Nov. 1, out for season); Jeff Brown, d (foot infection, indefinite); Wendel Clark, lw (knee, day-to-day).

transactions: 1/23/ - Per Gustafsson, d, sent to St. John's (AHL); 1/21 - Todd Warriner, lw, no longer on IR 1/14 - Daniel Markov, f, called up from minors.

standings:

Western Conference - Central Division
Team         GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   
Dallas       51  32  11   8    72  155  103
Detroit      52  29  13  10    68  160  117
St Louis     52  26  19   7    59  151  130
Phoenix      50  22  20   8    52  141  137
Chicago      50  20  21   9    49  121  117
Toronto      48  17  24   7    41  117  138

game results:

1/14 Buffalo     L 4-1  
1/21 at Detroit  W 3-0   
1/22 at Chicago  W 3-0   
1/24 Tampa Bay   W 5-2

team news:

by Jonah Sigel, Toronto Correspondent

On A Roll

Your eyes are not playing tricks on you, the results listed above are true. The beloved blue and white have put together three wins for the first time in a long time -- a real long time.

It seems, that for the present anyway, the Leafs have rediscovered that they truly are not a talented team and that in order for them to succeed they must clutch and grab and play as sound a defensive game as possible. Apparently coach Mike Murphy rediscovered this over the all-star break, because going into the break the team was dismal and coming out of it the team is borderline respectable.

Once again however, the team is faced with questions as per direction. Management has been content watching this team proceed through the schedule this season and for the first time they appear to be firing on all cylinders. The question then is what should management do? If this winning streak is nothing but an aberration or a fluke then the answer is simple: Stay the course and at the deadline deal whatever you can with the obvious exception of the young talent they have amassed. If the team does, however, put together a respectable second half, then perhaps some tinkering should be done.

It is widely known that Trevor Linden is available and the Leafs appear to be one of a few teams that may be willing to deal with crazy Mike Keenan. Keenan is going to want a mobile defenceman in return for Linden. The big guns that he is going to want simply aren't going to be available to him, so he may have to lower his sights on the likes of Mathieu Schneider, who has been rumored to be involved in several deals with the Leafs, including one for GM Bob Gainey. The question is how much more than Schneider would it take. If the answer is a first-round draft pick, ya hang up the phone. You do the same if Mike asks for any of McCauley, Johnson, Smith, Sundin or Markov (all the young talent). However, if the Leafs can put together a package with Schneider that does not mortgage any future then the Leafs have to make the deal. Time will tell.

Notes:

History buffs may want to check this out. In last night's playoff tilt between the Leafs and the Bolts, it was the first time in league history that two clubs met face-to-face with each team having a Swede as a captain... The Leafs are starting to push Mike Johnson for the Calder Trophy. Keep an eye on him and Yannick Tremblay as the season winds down.

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