This should really help with the Leafs plan for getting Kariya to "believe in them"

 

Belfour, Buds cut off talks

The Eagle won 24 games last season for Toronto and was the main reason the Leafs got past Ottawa in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

Sportsnet has learned talks between the Toronto Maple Leafs and star goaltender Ed Belfour have broken off and the veteran netminder is fully prepared to now test the free agent market.

Sources tell Sportsnet the two sides can't find common ground on the structure of a new agreement.

The Leafs now have until Thursday to decide whether or not they will submit one more offer.

The 39-year-old Belfour amassed 34 wins last season with a 2.13 goals against average. For his career, Belfour has a 435-281-111 regular season record with a 2.43 GAA.

I think if the Leafs don't sign Belfour or get a goalie of equal calibre they won't be as successful this year. With the Leafs defence they need a good goalie to back them up. Greg A

The Leafs must sign Belfour! They can't win without him. He deserves to be signed for what he has done in the past. He has at least two years left in him. steve

I hope the Maple Leafs are ready to test the Kidd vs Hasek rivalry in Ontario. knapster

Belfour's backup, Trevor Kidd, had a 6-5-2 record during the regular season with a 3.26 GAA.

Should Belfour and Toronto not be able to come to an agreement, the Leafs will be hard pressed to find a replacement of Belfour's calibre. With Dominik Hasek all but signed in Ottawa, there is little left in the free agent category.

Goaltenders Sean Burke and Byron Dafoe are two of the more prominent goalies that will become free agents July 1st, but both are believed to be past their prime and more suitable for backup roles at this point in their careers.

Other possible replacements for Belfour are the Blues Chris Osgood and the Hurricanes' Kevin Weekes. Osgood became expendable when the Blues traded for former Senators goalie Patrick Lalime, and Kevin Weekes is believed to be on the trading block and may be had for the right price.

Toronto also has heir apparent Mikael Tellqvist waiting in the wings for the No. 1 job but handing over the reins to an unproven goalie would be a very unpopular move for Leafs fans who are hungry for immediate success

"Toronto also has heir apparent Mikael Tellqvist waiting in the wings for the No. 1 job but handing over the reins to an unproven goalie would be a very unpopular move for Leafs fans who are hungry for immediate success."

Sometimes, I get the feeling that the Leafs are the Rangers waiting-to-happen.  A creaky old team without a lot of depth in their system with fans who want to win the Cup NOW, every year.  You'd think after decades of this misbegotten recipe, they'd learn . . .

. . . but the Rangers didn't seem to get it (and only now the appliance bulb over Sather's head is going on).

___________
Play hard, shake hands, drink beer.

"LA needs two hockey teams like Switzerland needs two navies" -- Norman Chad (from "My 10-Point Plan to Save Gary Bettman from Himself")

I hope Belfour doesn't retire, every time he's on a team I go to see play the backup starts.  I've never seen him play live.

________________________________________________________________
Don't make me angry.... you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.....