Apparently Mikael Tellqvist played a great game last night in the pre-season win against Ottawa. This enhances his chances (say that five times quickly) of winning the back-up job behind Raycroft. I feel bad for Tellqvist because I think it's unfair that he's been labeled as the guy who can't win in big situations.
Let's revisit the two games that gave him this moniker. He played poorly against the Canadiens when the Leafs were battling for a playoof spot last year. He didn't win them the games and therefore he choked when the pressure was on. Are we forgetting that the entire Leaf team was rancid for those two games? The team, behind Belfour, was on a losing streak and playing poorly. To lay the blame on Tellqvist was an easy out for the coaching staff and management. The reporters are the ones who have stigmatized Tellqvist, in my opinion unfairly, from just two bad games. I understand that he's not the second coming of Jacques Plante, but he's not as bad as the press makes him to be.
Let's see how he does this year and then you can judge the man. Just remember that this team isn't a whole lot better than last year's squad. I don't think they'll make the playoffs but that might be 39 years of frustration talking!
Track and field line judge Lia Mara Lourenco is helped after a javelin hit her in her foot during 'Brazil Trophy,' a national track and field competition, in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
