SLUMP BUSTERS

The story so far: Kessel scored two goals in Boston, busting not only his goal-scoring slump of 14 games, but also scoring for the first time against his former team, finally signaling an end to the Curse of the TopDraftPickserino (Burkerino?). 

The next night the Leafs beat the Sabres in Buffalo with a game-winning shorthanded goal coming from - of all people - Joey Crabb. This puts the Leafs only six points out of a playoff spot. Hell, even Pierre McGuire wasn't excruciatingly terrible tonight (though that's likely a subjective judgment on my part after having to suffer through Glenn Healy commentary earlier this week). Keep your eyes out for the four horsemen of the apocalypse, because this would be their cue.

(You're going to have to imagine the ghost as
the Sabres logo. My Adobe Photoshop trial
was up last week.)

Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to point and laugh at everyone who doubted Phil Kessel in the previous weeks (I'm looking at you, TSN). If you're a fan of poetic justice, take a gander at them apples:

Grabbo, and Kuli, and Phil - oh my!

That, ladies and gents, is an excerpt from the list of top goal scorers this season. And no, you are not suffering from the same blurred vision plaguing poor Armstrong, that is in fact Phil Kessel's name slotting in at #23, right above none other than Alex Ovechkin. But hey, shed no tears for Ovi - he'll always have his All Star memories.

But all is not perfect in Leafland; as he is apt to do, Burkey just had to open his big mouth. Once again the rumours around a Kaberle trade are intensifying and, much like every other time, it is being handled terribly.

Yesterday, a mere day after releasing a statement saying that all talks with Kaberle and his agent were to be kept private, Brian Burke confirmed to a radio show in Boston - unprompted, nonetheless - that he was in fact discussing a trade involving Kaberle with the Bruins.

Besides making me sick to my stomach for the brief period there seemed to be a chance that Kaberle could be traded before the actual game, I'm sick of Burke continuing to dangle him in front of the media as some sort of trade bait, even if he was just using it as a distraction from the terrible game that took place Saturday.

After a mediocre 2009/2010 season, Kaberle has stepped his game up and has been consistently showcasing why it is he is still considered one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the league. He had the assist on Kessel's go ahead goal tonight by doing just that, and man was it a beauty.

For the record, I would love nothing more than to see the Leafs resign him at the end of the year. However, with each additional publicized attempt of Burke's to get rid of the guy, I just get more and more desperate for the circus to come to an end. I don't want to hear another word about what may or may not happen from Burke about Kabby until he is actually announcing a transaction - deal or trade - that has been completed.

For all Burke's talk about respecting players, I'm not impressed. Kaberle deserves better than the pony show he's had to put up with these past few years and the idea of having him leave the organization after twelve long years under these circumstances is deplorable. Get your act together, Burke, and please learn to shut your damn mouth.

Disclaimer: Yes, I get increasingly sentimental about players the longer they're in blue and white. Deal with it.

Update: Burke actually did it. As of Feb 13th, 2011 Kaberle has been traded to Boston for Colborne, Boston's 2011 first round pick, and a conditional 2012 second rounder. Hold me...