13 Toronto Maple Leafs

Given the outcry from the city's hockey columnists, you are forgiven for thinking that Toronto hired Sarah Ferguson, not John Ferguson Jr., as its general manager in August. The process was drawn out and dysfunctional, but hiring the former assistant G.M. of the Blues was a logical move. With a possible lockout looming after the expiration of the NHL's collective bargaining agreement next September, the league is likely to adopt some sort of salary cap or luxury tax, and that will put a premium on scouting and developing talent rather than simply buying it. As a minor league player, scout, agent, lawyer and front-office man, Ferguson, 36, has been apprenticing for this job practically his whole life.

He won't be able to put his stamp on Toronto immediately, however. This is an established team whose best players are on the back nines of their careers. Goalie Ed Belfour is 38 and wing Gary Roberts is 37, as is center Joe Nieuwendyk, a free-agent pickup from the Devils. Not so far behind are captain and center Mats Sundin, who's 32, and power winger Owen Nolan, who's 31. The ravages of time, and Nolan's cranky back, could undermine the Leafs, but Toronto has ample experience and character. "We have to go for it this year," says Sundin.

The problem is, the defense has more soft spots than a moldy peach. Steady Robert Svehla retired, leaving streaky Bryan McCabe, who's out for up to six weeks with a knee injury, perennially disappointing Aki Berg and free agent Bryan Marchment as the cornerstones. Then again, Belfour didn't need much help last year when he finished with a .922 save percentage. He could make Toronto dangerous in the shallow East.

Another plus is that the dressing room is tighter thanks to the departure of Shayne Corson and Jonas Hoglund. "I wouldn't say that players hated each other," Sundin says, "but things were leaking out of the dressing room that we were trying to sort out [internally]."

Still, in Leaf Nation, where a Cup was last won in 1967, history weighs heavily on Fergie. And we don't mean Sarah.

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