2007–08 Toronto Maple Leafs season

The 2007–08 Toronto Maple Leafs season began October 4, 2007. It is the 91st season of the franchise, 81st season as the Maple Leafs.

2007–08 Toronto Maple Leafs
Division5th Northeast
Conference12th Eastern
2007–08 record36–35–11
Home record18–17–6
Road record18–18–5
Goals for231
Goals against260
Team information
General ManagerJohn Ferguson Jr. (To Jan. 22)
Cliff Fletcher (interim)
CoachPaul Maurice
CaptainMats Sundin
Alternate captainsTomas Kaberle
Bryan McCabe
ArenaAir Canada Centre
Average attendance19,434 (103.3%)
Team leaders
GoalsMats Sundin (32)
AssistsMats Sundin (46)
PointsMats Sundin (78)
Penalty minutesPavel Kubina (116)
Plus/minusMats Sundin (+17)
WinsVesa Toskala (33)
Goals against averageVesa Toskala (2.74)

In an effort to return to the playoffs in 2007–08, the Leafs made two significant moves during the off-season. The first was to acquire goaltender Vesa Toskala (along with Mark Bell) from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for three draft picks.[1] Toronto also signed free agent Jason Blake to a five-year, $20 million contract. Blake reached the 40-goal mark for the first time in 2006–07.[2]

With the Leafs struggling in the Northeast Division, the future of John Ferguson Jr.'s tenure as general manager has been widely debated after club president Richard Peddie admitted that hiring Ferguson was "a mistake".[3] According to TSN, the Leafs asked former Toronto general manager Cliff Fletcher to serve as interim general manager early in January.[4] On January 22, it was announced that Ferguson's time with the club had ended, as the board of directors at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment voted to make a change. Fletcher was named interim general manager of the team.[5]

Defenceman Tomas Kaberle was selected to represent the Maple Leafs and the Eastern Conference at the 2008 All-Star Game in Atlanta, Georgia.[6] He hit all four targets in four shots to become the winner of the accuracy competition.

Regular season

On October 8, 2007, newly acquired winger Jason Blake announced that he had chronic myelogenous leukemia, a treatable form of cancer. He continued playing during treatment.

In mid-November 2007, Jiri Tlusty was caught in a scandal when nude photos of him appeared on the Internet. Tlusty apologized for this incident and admitted that he made a mistake.

The Maple Leafs struggled on the penalty kill during the regular season, allowing an NHL-high 77 power-play goals.[7]

Divisional standings
Northeast Division
GP W L OTL GF GA Pts
1z – Montreal Canadiens82472510262222104
2Ottawa Senators824331826124794
3Boston Bruins8241291221222294
4Buffalo Sabres8239311225524290
5Toronto Maple Leafs8236351123126083

Conference standings
Eastern Conference
R Div GP W L OTL GF GA Pts
1 z – Montreal CanadiensNE82472510262222104
2 y – Pittsburgh PenguinsAT8247278247216102
3 y – Washington CapitalsSE824331824223194
4 New Jersey DevilsAT824629720619799
5 New York RangersAT8242271321319997
6 Philadelphia FlyersAT8242291124823395
7 Ottawa SenatorsNE824331826124794
8 Boston BruinsNE8241291221222294
8.5
9 Carolina HurricanesSE824333625224992
10 Buffalo SabresNE8239311225524290
11 Florida PanthersSE823835921622685
12 Toronto Maple LeafsNE8236351123126083
13 New York IslandersAT823538919424379
14 Atlanta ThrashersSE823440821627276
15 Tampa Bay LightningSE823142922326771

Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NE – Northeast, SE – Southeast

bold – qualified for playoffs, y – division winner, z – placed first in conference (and division)

Playoffs

For the third straight year, the Leafs did not qualify for the playoffs.

Schedule and results

October

Record: 5–5–3; Home: 3–4–2; Road: 2–1–1

Game #DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
1October 3Ottawa4–3TorontoOTRaycroft19,4760–0–11
2October 4Toronto2–3OttawaToskala19,8570–1–11
3October 6Montreal3–4TorontoOTToskala19,4761–1–13
4October 9Carolina7–1TorontoToskala19,2241–2–13
5October 11N.Y. Islanders1–8TorontoRaycroft19,3192–2–15
6October 13Pittsburgh6–4TorontoToskala19,4792–3–15
7October 15Toronto4–5BuffaloOTRaycroft18,2172–3–26
8October 18Florida2–3TorontoToskala19,3493–3–28
9October 20Chicago6–4TorontoRaycroft19,3143–4–28
10October 23Atlanta5–4TorontoSOToskala19,2103–4–39
11October 25Toronto5–2PittsburghToskala17,0514–4–311
12October 27Toronto4–1N.Y. RangersToskala18,2005–4–313
13October 29Washington7–1TorontoToskala19,3165–5–313

November

Record: 4–6–3; Home: 1–1–3; Road: 3–5–0

Game #DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
14November 2Toronto2–3New JerseyToskala14,5235–6–313
15November 3Toronto3–2MontrealToskala21,2736–6–315
16November 6Toronto1–5OttawaToskala19,6136–7–315
17November 9Toronto3–0BuffaloRaycroft18,6907–7–317
18November 10 †N.Y. Rangers3–2TorontoSOToskala19,5037–7–418
19November 13Montreal4–3TorontoOTRaycroft19,5957–7–519
20November 15Toronto2–5BostonRaycroft16,3737–8–519
21November 17Ottawa0–3TorontoToskala19,5968–8–521
22November 20Boston4–2TorontoToskala19,4418–9–521
23November 23Toronto1–3DallasToskala18,4098–10–521
24November 24Toronto1–5PhoenixRaycroft17,1908–11–521
25November 27Montreal4–3TorontoSOToskala19,6088–11–622
26November 29Toronto4–2AtlantaToskala14,0319–11–624

December

Record: 6–5–2; Home: 3–2–0; Road: 3–3–2

Game #DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
27December 1Pittsburgh2–4TorontoToskala19,53410–11–626
28December 4Nashville1–3TorontoToskala19,40011–11–628
29December 6Toronto6–2N.Y. RangersToskala18,20012–11–630
30December 8Boston2–1TorontoToskala19,44112–12–630
31December 10Tampa Bay1–6TorontoToskala19,45413–12–632
32December 14Toronto4–0AtlantaToskala16,42414–12–634
33December 15Toronto1–4MontrealToskala21,27314–13–634
34December 18Toronto2–3CarolinaOTToskala17,04514–13–735
35December 20Toronto1–2Tampa BayToskala19,13114–14–735
36December 22Toronto2–1FloridaOTToskala18,50015–14–737
37December 26Toronto3–4N.Y. IslandersOTRaycroft15,30115–14–838
38December 27Toronto1–4PhiladelphiaRaycroft19,72715–15–838
39December 29N.Y. Rangers6–1TorontoRaycroft19,40815–16–838

January

Record:5–8–1 ; Home: 4–2–0; Road: 1–6–1

Game #DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
40January 1Tampa Bay3–4TorontoSOClemmensen19,34716–16–840
41January 3Toronto2–6PittsburghClemmensen17,07416–17–840
42January 5Philadelphia3–2TorontoRaycroft19,41216–18–840
43January 9Toronto0–5AnaheimToskala17,17416–19–840
44January 10Toronto2–5Los AngelesRaycroft18,11816–20–840
45January 12Toronto2–3San JoseToskala17,49616–21–840
46January 15Carolina4–5TorontoToskala19,44417–21–842
47January 17Toronto3–2BostonSOToskala13,90718–21–844
48January 19Buffalo2–4TorontoToskala19,43619–21–846
49January 20Toronto2–3New JerseyRaycroft15,29119–22–846
50January 23Washington2–3TorontoToskala19,47920–22–848
51January 24Toronto1–2WashingtonToskala14,09420–23–848
52January 29St. Louis3–2TorontoToskala19,36320–24–848
53January 31Toronto2–3CarolinaOTToskala15,15920–24–949

February

Record: 8–4–1 ; Home: 5–3–0 ; Road: 3–1–1

Game #DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
54February 2Ottawa2–4TorontoToskala19,54321–24–951
55February 5Florida8–0TorontoToskala19,43021–25–951
56February 7Toronto4–2MontrealToskala21,27322–25–953
57February 9Detroit2–3TorontoOTToskala19,51023–25–955
58February 13Toronto0–1BuffaloToskala18,69023–26–955
59February 14NY Islanders5–4TorontoToskala19,22723–27–955
60February 16Boston3–4TorontoOTToskala19,48124–27–957
61February 19Columbus1–3TorontoToskala19,34725–27–959
62February 21Buffalo5–1TorontoToskala19,46725–28–959
63February 23Atlanta1–3TorontoToskala19,39026–28–961
64February 25Toronto5–0OttawaToskala19,86127–28–963
65February 27Toronto4–3FloridaSOToskala14,55728–28–965
66February 29Toronto2–3Tampa BayOTToskala20,64128–28–1066

March

Record: 8–5–0; Home: 2–4–0; Road: 6–1–0

Game #DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
67March 1Toronto3–2WashingtonToskala18,27729–28–1068
68March 4New Jersey4–1TorontoToskala19,50729–29–1068
69March 6Toronto8–2BostonToskala15,48330–29–1070
70March 8New Jersey2–1TorontoToskala19,46930–30–1070
71March 11Philadelphia3–4TorontoOTToskala19,50731–30–1072
72March 12Toronto3–2PhiladelphiaToskala19,64232–30–1074
73March 15Buffalo6–2TorontoToskala19,46232–31–1074
74March 18Toronto3–1NY IslandersToskala13,13433–31–1076
75March 21Toronto4–1BuffaloToskala18,69034–31–1078
76March 22Toronto5–4OttawaToskala20,18335–31–1080
77March 25Boston6–2TorontoToskala19,56235–32–1080
78March 27Toronto2–4BostonToskala16,65935–33–1080
79March 29Montreal2–4TorontoToskala19,58436–33–1082

April

Record: 0–2–1; Home: 0–1–1; Road: 0–1–0

Game #DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
80April 1Buffalo4–3TorontoSORaycroft19,28836–33–1183
81April 3Ottawa8–2TorontoToskala19,46636–34–1183
82April 5Toronto1–3MontrealRaycroft21,27336–35–1183

Playoffs

On March 27, 2008, the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated from postseason contention for the third straight season following a 4–2 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Player statistics

Final stats[8]

Skaters

Goaltenders
Regular Season
Player GP GS TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Vesa Toskala66643837332561752.741824.9043054
Andrew Raycroft1916965295633.92509.8761000
Scott Clemmensen32154110103.9062.8390000

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Maple Leafs. Stats reflect time with Maple Leafs only.
‡Traded mid-season.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Awards and records

Records
  • On October 11, 2007, in an 8–1 victory over the New York Islanders, Mats Sundin scored his 390th goal as a Leaf, and earned his 917th point in a Leaf uniform breaking Darryl Sittler's team record as the all-time points and goals leader.

Milestones
Regular Season
PlayerMilestoneReached
Tomas Kaberle600th NHL GameOctober 3, 2007
Darcy Tucker1,200th NHL PIMOctober 9, 2007
Matt Stajan100th NHL PointOctober 11, 2007
Andy Wozniewski1st NHL GoalOctober 11, 2007
Bryan McCabe1,500th NHL PIMOctober 13, 2007
Mats Sundin1,000th NHL PIMOctober 13, 2007
Nik Antropov200th NHL PointOctober 18, 2007
Pavel Kubina600th NHL GameOctober 18, 2007
Wade Belak400th NHL GameOctober 20, 2007
Chad Kilger100th NHL GoalOctober 20, 2007
Anton Stralman1st NHL GameOctober 23, 2007
Jiri Tlusty1st NHL Game
1st NHL Goal
1st NHL Point		October 25, 2007
Ian White100th NHL GameOctober 27, 2007
Jason Blake300th NHL PointNovember 2, 2007
Jiri Tlusty1st NHL AssistNovember 2, 2007
Mats Sundin400th Goal with the LeafsNovember 27, 2007
Scott Clemmensen1st NHL Win with the LeafsJanuary 1, 2008
Anton Stralman1st NHL GoalMarch 21, 2008

Transactions

The Maple Leafs have been involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season.

Trades
June 22, 2007
 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Vesa Toskala
Mark Bell		 To San Jose Sharks
1st round pick in 2007 (Lars Eller)
2nd round pick in 2007 (Aaron Palushaj)
4th round pick in 2009 (Craig Smith)
February 26, 2008
 To Toronto Maple Leafs
5th round pick in 2008 (Jerome Flaake)		 To Florida Panthers
Wade Belak
February 26, 2008
 To Toronto Maple Leafs
3rd round pick in 2008 (James Livingston)		 To Florida Panthers
Chad Kilger
February 26, 2008
 To Toronto Maple Leafs
2nd round pick in 2008 (Jimmy Hayes)
5th round pick in 2009 (Andy Bathgate)		 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Hal Gill

Free agents
PlayerFormer teamContract Terms
Jason BlakeNew York Islanders5 year, $20 million
Scott ClemmensenNew Jersey Devils1 year, $500,000
PlayerNew team
Yanic PerreaultChicago Blackhawks

Claimed from waivers
PlayerFormer teamDate claimed off waivers
Dominic MooreMinnesota WildJanuary 11, 2008

Draft picks

Toronto's picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio.[9]

Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
3 74 Dale Mitchell RW  Canada Oshawa Generals (OHL)
4 99 Matt Frattin RW  Canada Fort Saskatchewan Traders (AJHL)
4 104 Ben Winnett LW  Canada Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)
5 134 Juraj Mikus D  Slovakia Dukla Trenčín (Slovak Extraliga)
6 164 Chris DiDomenico C  Canada Saint John Sea Dogs (QJHML)
7 194 Carl Gunnarsson D  Sweden Linköpings HC (Elitserien)

Roster
2007–08 Toronto Maple Leafs Roster
Goaltenders

Defensemen

Wingers

Centers

See also

References
  1. Leafs get Toskala and Bell from Sharks, TSN.ca, June 22, 2007
  2. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=212474&hubname, TSN.ca, July 1, 2007
  3. Peddie: Hiring Ferguson was a mistake, TSN.ca, November 27, 2007
  4. McKenzie, Bob, Leafs ask Fletcher about interim GM job, TSN.ca, January 14, 2008
  5. Sources: Ferguson's tenure as GM over, TSN.ca, January 22, 2008
  6. 2008 Eastern Conference All-Stars Archived July 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, NHL.com
  7. https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2008.html
  8. "2007–2008 Regular Season Stats – Points – Toronto Maple Leafs – Statistics". Toronto Maple Leafs. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  9. 2007 NHL Entry Draft Results nhl.com
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