By JIMMY D / Fantasy Hockey | Jimmy's archive

So the rumour mill has Toronto making serious inquiries about Brian Leetch.

I mention this in part because I delight in Leaf misfortunes and in part because the calls for Pat Quinn’s head on a platter (check out FirePatQuinn.com) only serves as half a meal for Leaf Nation.

Overrated and under-performing GM John Ferguson jr. should also be on the menu.

Because as trade banter heats up and teams start focusing on a playoff run, it’s time for either a) a dramatic overhaul involving roster moves or b) a serious moment of introspection which should lead to the realization that this team is a rancid meal that should be sent back to the kitchen.

I feel already sense the blue blood of Leaf fans starting to bubble just thinking about their team tanking and missing the playoffs. But instead of being buyers, a sensible Leaf management team would be sellers right now, peddling Jason Allison, Jeff O’Neill, Eric Lindros and others now so they can hit free agency hard this summer.

Hands up everyone who sees anyone using common sense in Leaf management? Not everyone at once now.

Fantasy hockey? Is Quinn safe?

There are observers who feel Quinn is bulletproof in Toronto. There are observers who feel he would already be sacked if not for the fact he is coaching Canada’s Olympic team and firing him now would make everyone look bad.

Whatever the case, an eight-game losing skid requires action and anyone who believes the return of Bryan McCabe solves any of the problems is probably delusional and suffering from salmonella poisoning.

Perhaps that’s why, as you watch for trades to shake up your fantasy team, you can bet on whether Quinn will stay or go. If you think he is safe, the FirePatQuinn site lists +1200 odds (meaning a $100 stake would return $1,200) on him making it through the season without resigning or getting fired.

Back to Leetch, the talented, aging and oft-injured blueliner who played 15 games plus the playoffs in 2003-04 for the Leafs after his long career on Broadway.

He was just activated from the injured list Sunday and would make swell icing for a team that already had their playoff cake prepared.

But Toronto? They need the whole cake, not just the icing. And if they do make a trade, how about someone who can back-check and who doesn’t find skating into the defensive zone a tiresome uphill climb.

Now Leetch back to the Rangers, that makes a lot of sense. The Blueshirts are overachieving, but thin on the blueline and Jimmy keeps waiting on some of these first-half Euros (yes, I’m talking about you, Petr Prucha) to tire when February and March roll around.

There are rumours aplenty and St. Louis – expected to be a busy vendor – peddled hot Mike Sillinger to Nashville Sunday. He is a nice fit for the Preds, saves the Blues some dough and puts a decent prospect - Timofei Shishkanov – in the Blues system.

There were rumours sprouting in the Los Angeles papers about Blues Dean McAmmond and Eric Weinrich heading west. The Kings are enduring injury woes and have room under the cap to make a move or two.

Car!! Leave kids alone, says Sid

The recent tempest-in-a-teapot debate over whether street hockey would qualify as a nuisance activity under new municipal rules got Sidney Crosby’s attention.
He apparently emailed the mayor alluding to his days of firing the orange road hockey ball around the streets of Cole Harbour and suggested the city shouldn’t shelve shinny.

It makes Jimmy wonder if the Halifax council should get back to other weighty nuisance matters such as leashing cats or maybe responding to Jimmy jr. complaints of dirty dogs dropping their doo-doo in our driveway.

Seems the neighbourhood pooches are particularly prolific around Jimmy’s house and little Jimmy lamented why the cops don’t do something about it (after he stepped in it on his way to the bus stop.)

Next week, we will take a peek at Daytona Speed Week as the Daytona 500 and the start of the 2006 NASCAR season.

We will also check out any pools or gaming action you can get into as Canada tries to defend its Olympic gold medal in hockey (not ice hockey, it’s hockey) in Turin next month.

In the meantime, spring training is just weeks away. Stay busy and stay lucky.

Jimmy D.