Most Leafs’ fans are getting excited with the possibility of a playoff berth for the first time since the lock-out, and who can really blame them? While I think it is Burke’s intention for the team to make it to the post-season this year, I have also heard the GM mention on several occasions that the cup is his primary target, and a first-round exit is not his goal.

With this in mind, I bring up the idea of whether the Leafs should be sellers or buyers come trade deadline? While you can make a strong case for both at this point, I myself am leaning towards seller. I understand the pain of ‘giving up on the season’ but that scenario may be the best for the Leafs in the long run. Here are my reasons for considering it:

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I left Hockeybuzz as a ref and a poster last week because I found the conversations so repetitive, the same fights over and over again, I needed to get away. I couldn’t join in the conversations as hard as I tried to get in them. I started to feel like an outsider at times. I took so much abuse in Personal Messages from people that were banned that it wasn’t worth it any more. I did however meet a lot of great people and I’m glad I can call them friends on that site.  Some posters from HB came here from time to time to comment on the blogs, but I knew it was time to move on. I shared some good stories and I will miss those. So what does that have to do with this site?

Working from home, taking care of my daughter and being on HB had really limited my time that I could be on Leafs 4 Life. I started L4L for you guys, I have incurred all the expenses to host and maintain this site mainly because of my love for hockey and the Leafs. I will keep this site going but I need some help, not in the monetary sense but in the blogger and participation way. We need to grow this just a little more. So I need you guys to start writing some blogs or helping me attract some people who would like to contribute some content. I basically need you guys to help do some recruiting.

I will update all new additions to the Leafs organization, stats, etc… to this site and keep that part current. Please help me out with the rest, I would really appreciate it.

As some of you may know I have a new addition to my family who needs some extra attention right now, she is my main priority as my wife and I are trying to get her acclimated to her new life with us. It’s been two of the greatest weeks of my life with Kaitlyn mixed in with a bad week at HB. To all the regulars here, I thank you for sticking with the site, to all others who may be passing by, please let me know if you would like to blog or even to just join the site and leave a comment. In time we can build a solid community of great posters and bloggers. Thanks for reading.

-LeafMan-

Pregame:

Toronto is about to step into HSBC Arena for the 2^nd time this week. There is no doubt in my mind that Buffalo is going to be craving for a win against the Leafs considering the recent slide they have seen in the standings and the fact that the team they used to be able to write off as a win in their schedule, has finally started showing up to play.

Buffalo is an interesting team to look at, as a Toronto fan. With the new owner, the pressure to win has intensified to the level of all other NHL franchises that spend to the cap. The fans are getting irritable with their lack of success, considering that with more cap space last year, they produced similar results to this point in the season.

I predict much of the same from this team as we have seen from the Leafs over the past 10 years (until recently). Money will be spent to the max each year, and the prospects will start flowing out of the system for players that can help now.

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The Dion Phanuef trade was a thing of genius for Brian Burke. He got a top 4 d-man, our leader, our captain in Dion plus a great up coming d-man in Aulie for basically expendable parts WITHOUT giving up any picks or prospects.

This trade really helped shape the Leafs.  It’s quite obvious that the Leafs are lacking maybe that one piece of the puzzle to push them over the hump & into the playoffs.  Not if  but when Buffalo & Washington get their A game going, the Leafs as they are today are going be in real danger of falling further in the East.  Hard to believe but even with the log jam on the Leafs D,  they not only need an upgrade for a top 6 center but they need  to get  shutdown D man.  We have the offensive  guys in Liles,  Franson & Gardiner. Phanuef, Schenn & Aulie are the shut down guys but  Schenn is inconsistent, Aulie needs to still develop & Phanuef is hot & cold. I  see Gunnarsson as the odd man out if a trade happens.

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