Leaf Nation ignoring their stars?

During the first two months of a fantasy season any player that shows any signs of being productive is generally snapped off the waiver wire.

Players like Aaron Voros, Louie Erikkson and Trent Hunter are generally snapped up and sent packing within a couple of weeks.

Which is why I am surprised at the lack of love for God's team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Outside of Vesa Toskala and maybe Nik Antropov, Leaf players have been left to sit on the waiver wire with big numbers.

Did Ron Wilson and Cliff Fletcher really sell Leaf Nation on them being that bad?

Since when did Leaf Nation become so cynical and realistic? In days gone by any Leaf fan with a pulse would be snapped up instantly off the waiver wire, yet here we are 16 games into the "lost season" and there are Matt Stajan, Mikael Grabovski and Alexei Ponikoravsky sitting on the waiver wire without a home.

Stajan (10% owned) is on an 82 point pace. Grabovski (13% owned) the rookie and Alexei Ponikoravsky (16% owned) are on pace for 60 points yet not a sniff? What is going on?

When you actually study things closely though it should not be a surprise. When Leaf Nation is spoonfed delusions of grandeur by the local media they usually buy it. I have to hand it to MLSE, spoonfeeding misery was a masterful stroke and seems to have worked to dampen the stench of marijuana that usually envelops the Air Canada Center.

Ron Wilson is a defensive minded coach and sooner or later Vesa Toskala is going to show up for the season. I would be shocked if any of the three broke the 60 point barrier this season, but hey, you never know. Gary Leeman once got so motivated for a season he scored 50 goals.

THAT IS PROOF that projections are worth shit.