It’s not a good sign when your closer gives it up twice in two tries. Jeremy Accardo blew his second save of the young season last night as the A’s came from behind and beat the Jays 6 – 3. Accardo plunked the first batter he faced and it was all down hill from there. He gave up 4 runs before he was yanked. He blew the save the day before as well. It’s been reported the Jays hope to have BJ Ryan ready in a week or so. The sooner the better.

There was good news however from a Canadian sports perspective as the Flames held off the Sharks and beat them 3 – 2 in the opening game of their playoff series. San Jose is favored to win but Calgary has always played them tough. Especially in the Shark Tank where the Flames won for the fourth straight time in the postseason. Hopefully they can make it 5 straight Thursday night.

As expected Sid the Kid and his fellow Penguins beat the Senators handily in their series opener. Marc-Andrea Fleury recorded his first career playoff shutout as Pittsburg won 4 – 0.  Gary Roberts acting like a kid himself but soon to be 42 set the stage early in the second shift of the game scoring the only goal the Pens would need. They did score three more with Roberts getting another one late in the game. This series could be over quick unless something happens and Ottawa has a major turn around.

Getting back to good news the Raptors got back to .500 for the season as they beat the Bucks 111 – 93. CB4 had a big game with a nice double double. He scored 32 and had 11 boards. Ex Raptor Charlie Villanueva led all players with a season high 38 points. Charlie V was traded for TJ Ford who had a decent game him self with 14 points in 22 minutes. That said I always liked Charlie and I still say he’d look great in a Raptors uniform. Nice to see ya Charlie.

BJ Ryan the Jays’ closer threw off the mound today and could face some live hitters next week. He’s raring to go and chomping at the bit. That is a good thing!

Young Canadian lefty Adam Loewen also threw off the mound throwing to live hitters for the first time since last May. He’s got a spot locked in the Orioles rotation providing he stays healthy. He said he felt good and really comfortable. That is a good thing as well!

Captain Mats had a chat with Trader Cliff Fletcher the Leafs interim GM the other day. Fletcher then had a lengthy meeting with Sundin’s lawyers. The only thing they could be discussing was some aspect of parameters regarding what it would take for Mats to waive his no trade. That is also a good thing!

Mikka Kiprusoff recorded his 1st shutout of the season as the Calgary Flames shut down the slumping Wings 1 – 0. He was definitely the star of the game making 38 saves. With the win the Flames moved into a 5th place tie in their conference with Nashville and San Jose. That too is a very good thing!

Les Canadiens took it to the Islanders in a matinee tilt in Montreal. The home side won 4 – 1 and the sold out house loved every minute of it. There was a playoff atmosphere in the building. Montreal is on a roll and can smell first in the Northeast. Speedy veteran Alexei Kovalev was the star of the game with a goal and an assist. The win put Montreal within 3 points of the front running Senators.

Those very same Senators played the Leafs latter in the day and they didn’t get any points.  The Leafs did as they won 4 – 2 so their reward was 2 points. The points don’t help their cause in the race for last but it was a well deserved win. Both teams have injuries and once again the Leafs new guys showed some extra spunk. They showed a little speed and went after pucks. Young Robbie Earl who’s 22 played his first NHL game for the Buds and also got his first point. He hustled all night and looks like an above average skater. He may be a keeper.

A player the Leafs didn’t keep was Owen Nolan who is doing his old thing for the Flames in Calgary. His old thing is playing like his old self. A power forward who can dominate a game. He had a hat trick the other night against the Sharks as well as a skate to skate punch up with San Jose tough guy Mike Grier. Nolan and Calgary are on a roll as they’ve won their last four leading into a Saturday night tussle with the Dallas Stars.  Both clubs are in 2nd place in their respective divisions.

Listening to the GM of the Atlanta Thrashers talking about maybe trading their second best player Marian Hossa because he is a feee agent at the end of the year he said he wouldn’t traded him for a 1st and or 2nd round pick. If he was to trade him he wants something back that will help his team this year. As is the Thrashers are only a couple of points out of first in their division. Their division isn’t that great and Atlanta is actually below .500 for the season but they have aspirations of winning their loop.

The Leafs on the other hand have a record that isn’t that much worst than Atlanta’s but they are last in their division. I'm not sure what Toronto's actaul aspirations are but currently they have a long way to go just to make the playoffs. If they were to trade   even their best player they should try to get something back that helps them in the distant future. Forget this year. A real top flight pick and a couple upcoming studs can go a long way in turning around a team’s fortune.

That Atlanta for example. Their best player Ilya Kovalchuck was the first pick overall in 2001. Six years later he’s a superstar. He’s been a star for a while now. A team like the Columbus Blue Jackets is on the rise because their top player is playing at a top level. Surprising enough the Blue Jackets are second in their division and 5 games above .500. Their best player is Rick Nash who was the first pick overall in 2002.

San Jose another team high in the standings actually has the first and second overall picks from the 1997 draft. They have their own pick Patrick Marleau who went second and then years later they traded for Joe Thorton who went first the same year. The point is real quality skill set guys that are impact players can make an impact in a somewhat short period of time.

The Penguins have had three impact picks in a row starting with Evgeni Malkin who went 2nd in ’04, followed by Sid the Kid first in ’05 and then Jordan Staal 2nd in ’06. They actually have the first pick from the ‘03 draft as well in Marc-Andre Fleury who was projected as an all-star caliber goalie back then but has yet to live up to the advanced billing for a few different reason. He has the talent but they rushed him a touch and at that time the team in front of him was brutal. He’s also been hurt a little.

Ottawa has a couple of stud 2nd pick guys in Jason Spezza who was taken 2nd in 2001 and Dany Heatley the 2nd pick the year before. Even on defense the Senators have top picks as Wade Redden was 2nd overall in ’95 and Chris Philips was 1st overall the next year.

 The Leafs do have a guy that was a 1st overall pick and that is captain Mats Sundin who was chosen number one way back in 1989. The thing is that's a long time ago and he’s also the guy that they have to trade to get the young guys they need to compete going forward.

If the Leafs can pull it off and get a couple developing young guys who struggle for a bit while the team hits bottom they could maybe luck out and get a top pick. A pick like Steve Stamkos or John Tavares, either of whom would go along way with turning the Maple Buds fortunes around. If the impossible happened and they got them both, who knows how far the Leafs could climb.