News getting worse as two players want out

At the beginning of the season, Jamal Mayers and Garnet Exelby were two components who were being counted on to inject some much needed muscle and grit into a decidedly soft Leaf lineup.

Mayers is a versatile forward who can play any of the forward positions and averaged 12 goals per season and 103 penalty minutes in the three years before signing with the Leafs prior to the 2008-9 season. Since then he has played on the bottom two lines in Toronto and has produced only 21 points and 158 penalty minutes in 113 games as a Leaf. His belief is that he wants to provide some depth and toughness on a contending club. So, he has asked for a trade out of Toronto.

For his part, Exelby has been the good soldier in his first year with the Leafs despite playing in only 32 games, during which time he has three assists and 40 penalty minutes. He has not really asserted himself as the rugged blueliner whom they acquired in last season’s trade with Atlanta. He, too, has asked to be dealt.

As the trading deadline approaches, the Leafs have a number of other players who may be playing out the string with the concluding 28 games that remain on the schedule.

Recently, it has become quite obvious that coach Ron Wilson is exasperated with his players and may have lost the room by now, too.

One is left to wonder how many of the Leaf players really want to a part of a lengthy rebuild in Toronto.

It surely can’t be much fun in the Leaf dressing room these days.

Up next, they go up against Team Canada’s top two goalies in Martin Brodeur and the Devils tonight in New Jersey, followed by a home date against Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow night.

Fun…Wow…

Tags: Garnet Exelby, Jamal Mayers, Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs