[Mess]

Leafs fans and Ferguson should look to the kids
By MIKE ULMER -- Toronto Sun

And so it falls to Leafs GM John Ferguson to see the truth.
Last night offered a perfect illustration, a window into the future of where the Leafs must go. They must ride the kids.

This is not a playoff team. Take a look at the standings, where the Leafs are nip and tuck to squeak into the final Eastern Conference spot.

It's tempting to think that when the injured, Lindros and Ken Klee and Alexander Khavanov come back, a nice team can be patched together for the spring.

Look again.

The Leafs aren't good enough, aren't fast enough, or tough enough and if the video from last night tells you otherwise, two wins in the club's last 12 games should straighten you out pronto.

Ferguson needs to recruit offers for Sundin. The Leafs captain has been a magnificent performer, but he deserves better. Better wingers. A new city. Should he like, he could return as a free agent the season after next.

In return, the Leafs could garner prospects and a draft choice.

The return will be less for Belfour, a free agent at year's end, but playoff hungry teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver and perhaps Colorado would upgrade their goaltending with him.

Allison would fetch even less but he can control the puck and play the power play with anyone. He has value.

In a new setting, Domi might rekindle his game and give a fledgling contender extra swagger. He can still play a limited role and while his skating seems to have deteriorated, he could be effective if used strategically.

Tucker you build around. Same with Steen and perhaps goalie Mikael Tellqvist.

The notion that Toronto fans won't accept a team out of the playoffs is a whopper. They endured it four times in the 1990s and four times in the 1980s. They're smart enough to see the difference between smudge and shinola.

Now, is the general manager?

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