2013

Don’t Get Spoiled, Leaf Fans

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 17) – Okay, let’s get the obvious out of the way. There has been; is, and always will be fear and trepidation among fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It is in-bred for those of … Read More

Why Can’t Leafs Win the Stanley Cup?

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 15) – I know. You think I’m nuts. The headline of this blog is surely a sign that I’ve gone over the edge – into the deepest part of the lake. But, hang on a … Read More

Casey Sounding Like Burke

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 14) – It is forever lost in semantics – the blurred line between objective and expectation – and is apparently unique to the pro sporting landscape in this city. We take you to Sep. 8, … Read More

Maple Leafs-Red Wings Anomaly

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 11) – For fans of the Maple Leafs, there have been many strange and wonderful happenings in the lockout-shortened 2013 season. Nothing, however, is quite so bizarre as the Leafs standing a full six points … Read More

Pre-Expansion Battle Looming

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 9) – Cue the history books. With nine games left in the regular season, it appears rather likely that Toronto Maple Leafs will hook up with either Boston or Montreal in the opening round of … Read More

Reimer’s Best Hour

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 8th) – While re-establishing himself as a legitimate No. 1 commodity in the National Hockey League, James Reimer has turned in a bevy of dazzling performances this season – particularly since Randy Carlyle stopped … Read More

Leafs Will Survive Without Lupul

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 5) – Though I completely understand how vulnerable fans of the Maple Leafs are feeling today, I am here to tell you that Joffrey Lupul’s absence – likely to be prolonged – will neither consume … Read More

“Thank you Miikka!”

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 3) – It is a virtual blessing for the Maple Leafs that Miikka Kiprusoff chose to stay put in Calgary – averting potential destruction of the environment that has enabled Leafs to become one of … Read More

Hockey Publication Sale

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Apr. 2) – Attention serious hockey collectors with a chunk of disposable income: there are some rare and valuable items below that can be yours… for $2,300.00 CAD. NHL media guides and record books dating to … Read More

Playoff Standing Important to Leafs

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 30) – I think it should be obvious now that Maple Leafs are worthy of qualifying for the Stanley Cup tournament in the Eastern Conference. There is virtually no let-up in this team and it … Read More

Hockey Autographs (and Happiness)

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 29) – Between 1964 and 1971 – from Kindergarten through Grade 6 – I was fortunate to attend Wilmington Avenue Public School. It was a five-minute walk from my house along a narrow path … Read More

Vultures Pounce on the Best

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 28) – Boy, how quickly in our tear-down society was it revealed that the incomparable TSN hockey panel jumped to conclusions in the Jarome Iginla trade watch. Aaron Ward Tweeted early this morning (12:05 to … Read More

Leafs Made the Playoffs This Week

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 26) – Though points are bogus and skewed in the overtime/shootout era, Maple Leafs will finally bust their seven-year playoff drought this spring after ending an interminable plague against Boston, garnering three of four points … Read More

My Ten Worst NHL Moves – Part 2

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 24) – After posting Part 1 of my blog – that listed what I consider the five worst transactions in my time watching the NHL – I received a few emails wondering why Quebec trading … Read More

Kadri Not Surprising Me

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 22) – No, I neither predicted nor believed that Nazem Kadri would be among the top ten scorers in the National Hockey League at any point this season, let alone the two-thirds mark. I also … Read More

Carlyle Mishandling Goalies

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 17) – We can argue, from sunrise to sunset, whether the Maple Leafs have a legitimate No. 1 goalie. For myriad reasons, James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have neither corralled nor embraced the starting role … Read More

My Ten Worst NHL Moves – Part 1

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 16) – I got around, the other day, to reading a book by Dick Irvin – published in 1993 – and called BEHIND THE BENCH. Irvin interviewed 28 NHL coaches about their experience in the … Read More

Delirium to Dismay in Leaf-Land

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Mar. 13) – My goodness, have hockey fans in this town become spoiled. Maple Leaf zealots watched their team fold last season and plummet toward the National Hockey League basement. Any one of them would have … Read More