Colton Orr News

Phil Kessel is on the board, and the Maple Leafs appear to be on their way. Kessel picked up his first goal as a Maple Leaf in a 5-1 rout over the Detroit Red Wings, as Toronto won its second game in a row.

October was a month that the Toronto Maple Leafs would like to forget. They got off to their worst start in franchise history.

Two Leafs fans are sitting on a bench, drinking coffee. "You know what I think?" said one.

In the spirit of Halloween, I decided to create an NHL version to the Bobby "Boris" Pickett classic The Monster Mash.

Sabres goalie Ryan Miller makes one of his 33 saves on Friday against Maple Leafs right-winger Colton Orr.

Maple Leafs left-winger Niklas Hagman preyed on Anaheim's lack of discipline to pick up his second career hat trick.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are officially off to their worst start in history - 0-7-1 - but the only alarm bells going off are those among the fans and the media.

When it was over, when the Maple Leafs had become the final NHL team to hit the win column this season, a team official gave Jonas Gustavsson one of the game pucks to mark his first National Hockey League victory.

Has any Maple Leaf player actually exceeded expectations through the first eight games of the season? Other than Ian White perhaps, the answer is no.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not in contention for the title of All-Time Worst NHL Team.

Niklas Hagman concedes he fell victim to one of the oldest tricks in the book. The last time the Maple Leafs faced the Rangers, a 7-2 loss in Manhattan, Hagman heard someone shouting: "The defence is open, the defence is open." Assuming it was one of his teammates trying to help, Hagman blindly fired the puck back to the point.

Maple Leafs newcomer Mike Komisarek, right, is minus-4 with 23 penalty minutes in six games this season.

Colton Orr has fought four times this season. Jay Rosehill has fought twice. And three others have spent time in the penalty box for trading punches.

Jeff Blair Plenty of blame to go around for lousy Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson watches from the bench during their NHL preseason exhibition hockey game against Philadelphia Flyers in London, Ontario, September 17, 2009.

Who will be the next hero in win-starved Toronto ? We do not know yet. We are not even sure he is on the club's present roster.

The 0-5-1 Maple Leafs want to hit the reset button, says coach Ron Wilson. If the Leafs were a computer, Wilson would be turning it off, then turning it back on again.

It was a night to honour a belligerent and truculent Maple Leaf of the past. The tribute to Ted Kennedy was scheduled.

You want panic? We've got your panic right here, Toronto Maple Leaf fans, next to the generator and the rifle and the tinned food.

Was standing outside the hallway to the Maple Leafs dressing room prior to the game, hoping to talk to Colton Orr and saw Toronto coach Ron Wilson standing alone, walking down the hallway looking at the photos adorning the wall, mostly of rock and entertainment shows at the Garden.

The offence was non-existent. The defence was porous. The goaltending was not up to snuff.