LIAMBAS GETS TRYOUT WITH LEAFS

Michael Liambas, who was suspended twice in two different leagues last season, is getting a tryout with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Liambas was suspended from the OHL for the season after a brutal hit on Ben Fanelli that left him with skull and facial fractures.  Fanelli still hasn't returned to hockey.  After Liambas found a league that would tolerate his Slap Shot style (IHL), he went about a month before getting suspended again.  This time it was for a hit from behind that resulted in Jason Lawmaster rupturing his spleen and spending four days in the hospital.

For those that don't know a lot about hockey, the IHL is nowhere near the NHL.  However, Toronto General Manager Brian Burke sees something in Liambas that may make him a bonafide player at the NHL level, apparently.  It can't be his actual hockey playing ability.  The guy had 5-goals and 8-assists in 124-games at the major junior level. 

The NHL is a league based on a combination of size, skill, and speed.  Liambas has none of those qualities.  But, I guess he fits the mold of 'truculent', a term Burke has often used as being a characteristic he would like his teams to have.  Still, this is an awful message.  No matter how you spin this, there is no way you can sell me on the merits of giving Liambas a shot at the National Hockey League.  He's dangerous and offers zero qualities that a team in the NHL should be looking for.  We see, all the time, a skilled player get, essentially, black balled from the NHL because he can't skate or isn't big enough.  Well, I can't speak for Liambas' skating but I know he's not big enough (5'9") so why go the extra mile for this guy?  He doesn't deserve it.  Even if you throw out those two suspensions from last year, you can see plenty of video on the man's style on You Tube.  No respect for the fellow player whatsoever.

Burke isn't exactly a guy who appears to have respect for the rules, despite what he may say.  Burke is the man that seemed to take Brad May everywhere he went.  May was once suspended for 20 games for slashing another player across the nose.  May was also charged for assaulting a police officer.  May is also better known for being the player who allegedly put a bounty out on Steve Moore.  In 2007, May punched an unsuspecting Kim Johnsson in the face during game four of their playoff series. He got a 3 game suspension.