Perhaps I am a Jinx and a Look at Other Strange Leaf Injuries

No sooner than I heap praise on the unexpected team leader in Matt Stajan, he goes down with a strange non-hockey related injury.

Toronto has had it's fair share of strange and/or ill-timed injuries or other maladies over the years. Here's a look a few:

Doug Gilmour
In his first game back after being traded to Toronto at the deadline in 2003, Gilmour had a career ending knee injury in the second period versus Calgary. Gimlour was clearly in the twilight of his career, however, he had scored 11 goals and added 19 assists in 61 games. Now I'm not saying he would have been the difference maker, but that series against Philadelphia was dreadful and Gilmour certainly could have provided a veteran and leadership presence on a team that managed to lose those traits as soon as the post season began.

Karel Pilar
Once a promising young defenseman, Pilar was well on his way to a solid NHL career. He wasn't a tower like Pronger, or as naturally gifted as Lidstrom, but he had all the tools to be a great player for many years. Unfortunately, in 2002, Pilar was diagnosed with a viral heart infection that was the undoing of his career. He missed too many games in some of the most important years in a defenseman's development. He managed to fight through the infection, recover and return to the AHL in an attempt to recover his career. He may have done it, if it wasn't for a relapse of the same virus that ultimately put an end to his efforts.

Luca Cereda
A player drafted 24th overall by Toronto in the 1999 entry draft, Cereda was touted as one of the smartest players in the draft and could have been a fantastic grab at 24th. But much like Pilar, Cereda succumb to a heart infection that eventually ended his career. He missed an entire season in 2000-01 recovering from heart surgery. He was added to the list of 'what could have been' when he went back to europe in 2004 before retiring in 2007.

Mikael Renberg
December 28th, 2002, while getting ready for a game, Renberg was tying his skates just as he did every game when a small blister on his hand broke. The next day he had a raging infection, high fever and his hand swelling dramatically. Quick work by the team doctors and hospital staff controlled the infection and Renberg recovered within a two weeks. Staphylococcocus Aureus is the medical term for a staph infection. Renberg was lucky. If he waited much longer, it's likely his hand would have been amputated, and at worst, he could have died.

Ed Belfour
Belfour had a simliar, yet not quite as serious infection as Renberg, earlier in the year when he cut his finger on his skate eyelet.

Mark Bell
Just when Mark Bell was beginning to show limited signs of returning to his Chicago Blackhawks form, he got into a fight with Ryan Malone and had his orbital bone shattered. Three months later Bell returned with a full face shield protecting his surgically repaired face and he proceeded to destroy Alfredsson in the hit that I had been waiting for ever since Alfredsson hit Darcy Tucker from behind in the playoffs, separated his shoulder, then scored the tie-breaking goal. See the hit here.

Bryan Berard
Marian Hossa managed to change the face of the Toronto defense corps for years to come when he proceeded to scoop out Berard's eye with an uncontrolled follow through. Careless use of the stick they call it. Thus began my hatred for Marian Hossa. You can read all about it. Berard was a fantastic talent that had great potential as a puck moving defenseman with a great shot and sound defensive awareness. He would never be the same after this. Sorry for poor quality, it was all I could find in my 30 seconds of youtubing.

I'm sure there are many other odd injuries that relate to the Leafs that I am forgetting about. If you can think of any, throw them in the comments. I'd love to have a refresher.

You can read a similar list as it relates to all sports over at Bitter Leaf Fan.

Don't look now...

Our much maligned local boy Matt Stajan is leading our Leafs in scoring.

Stajan is currently tied with Antropov with 29 points, including 20 assists. At some point between last season and this one, Stajan has channelled his inner Adam Oates and become a playmaking specialist. He's doing a lot of things right at both ends of the ice and has been a genuine treat to watch this year.

Stajan has had a rough go of it since his first year in the NHL under Pat Quinn. While arguably being a victim of the Leafs patented 'Rush the youngster to the NHL scheme' (ala Jeff Farkas), Stajan has toiled with relative mediocrity and 4th line filler status for much of the past few seasons. He has been a victim of fan animosity on more than one occasion for his soft play in the corners and lack of offensive production.

But this season has changed for him. He has put on some weight and has begun to get his nose dirty in the rough parts of the ice; The corners and the front of the net. Stajan is always there working hard, digging and getting those pucks loose for his shooter linemates to bury goals. The ones that dont' go in, Stajan is one of the first there as johnny on the spot banging home the rebounds.

Much like Antropov and Ponikarovsky, it appears Stajan has grabbed the bull by the horns and taken full advantage of Sundin's departure.

Stajan has been one the most improved forwards in the NHL this season and in a season full of positives, has been one of the brightest.

Apologies for my absence. I hope to be back in full gear.