Friday, December 09, 2005

Memories, of the way they were!

Brad and Jenny A, Ben and J Lo, Britney and Kev, all we've heard lately is couple after couple splitting up. And now Pat Quinn has put another couple on the outs, with two consecutive losses to contemplate the Leafs on ice boss has split up his defensive stalwarts Bryan McCabe and Tomas Kaberle. Alert the tabloids, call the papparazi, there should be film by eleven!

Quinn moved the two onto different pairings during practice on Thursday, giving Maple Leaf boardflys reason to gossip and swap theories. With Kaberle skating with Ken Klee and McCabe partnering with Alexander Khavanov, many observers were trying to factor in if the new pairings would help or hinder the Leaf defensive schemes.

Quinn for his part was suggesting it was just a practice move trying out a few experiments here and there, he's not sure if the new Leaf look will make it to the starting lineup against Dallas on Saturday night. The biggest issue may be how any change may affect McCabe who is off to a terrific start in the scoring department for the Leafs. With McCabe holding at 36 points and Kaberle pulling in at 22 points, perhaps Quinn is thinking that moving them apart will help spur on the rest of the defensive types to increase their output.

Of course for Toronto media types any little move in the Leafs camp is akin to preparing for the D Day invasion, so every single practice shift has some hidden meaning. It's all part of the nature of being a Leaf in Leafland.

It will be interesting to see what the good scientist Quinn comes up with when he leaves the lab Saturday afternoon and takes his place behind the bench. Unlike Ben and J Lo, or Brad and Jenny A, Cabby and Bryan may yet be re-united.

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