9 Toronto Maple Leafs

For those lucky Torontonians with digital cable, there's now must-see Leafs TV, a channel devoted to the fortunes and history of a franchise that has crossed the line between civic passion and obsession. All Maple Leafs all the time—it's as if the station were airing music videos or cooking shows. You'd think there would be a finite number of times you'd want to watch fans tossing bouquets at standout goalie Curtis Joseph or listening to the story of Bobby Baun's fractured ankle during the triumphant 1964 Stanley Cup finals, but then you don't live in the 416 area code. Of course, if Toronto had actually won the Cup since '67 or even reached the finals in the post-expansion era, this wall-to-wall coverage might make some sense.

There seems to be an inexhaustible supply of next years for the Leafs, who at least are inching toward contention. After letting New Jersey escape in their seven-game, second-round playoff series last spring, Toronto tweaked its attack by assembling the deepest group of forwards in the East. The Leafs signed free agent Alexander Mogilny, who scored 43 goals for the Devils in 2000-01, and repatriated two players from Europe, Mikael Renberg, onetime Swedish team linemate of Leafs captain Mats Sundin, and Robert Reichel, a Czech who is back for his third NHL tour. Reichel, 30, gives Toronto a second-line center capable of easing the offensive burden on Sundin. The Leafs also have a creditable third line centered by newcomer Travis Green, as well as the league's most robust fourth line, which includes brothers-in-law Darcy Tucker and Shayne Corson.

Alas for Toronto, its defense is not as strong as its offense. The Maple Leafs' best puck mover, Tomas Kaberle, was embroiled in a contract dispute as SI went to press, and coach and G.M. Pat Quinn dealt feisty Danny Markov to Phoenix to acquire Reichel and Green. There also is no power-play quarterback, a job too demanding for a high risk-high reward blueliner like Bryan McCabe. Toronto is gambling that Aki Berg, the third player drafted in 1995, will finally emerge. If not, the burden of stopping opponents again will be on Joseph, who, despite consistendy strong work, has carried a team to a conference final only once.

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