The Tavares Cup!

With there being virtually no chance of the Leafs making the playoffs this year, I think it not to be rash to suggest that the last stretch of the season is a competition between who can be the worst team possible and get that #1 pick in this year's draft, barring a successful draft lottery.

Who will be the Biggest Loser? Like golf, the Tavares Cup is all about who can rack up the lowest score. Let's take a look at the competitors:

True Cup Contenders:

New York Islanders

Atlanta Thrashers

Toronto Maple Leafs

Colorado Avalanche

Runners Up:

Ottawa Senators

Tampa Bay Lightning

Thanks for Coming Out:

Los Angeles Kings

Phoenix Coyotes

Nashville Predators

Right now we sit five points ahead of the Atlanta Thrashers, who occupy 29th place, and 13 points ahead of New York. This is actually much, much closer than I expected. Once the Leafs got off to a .500 start in the first month or so, I thought we might have to settle for anywhere from the 8th-15th pick. Seems like we're at least going to try to make a run at the Cup.

But what's this? The Islanders and Thrashers seem to be making some big moves to worsen their rosters for a Cup run. The Thrashers recently traded Schneider to Montreal and the Islanders traded Comrie and Campoli to the Senators. This proactivity by these two teams means that they're serious about winning the TC this year, and the Senators are not. And I couldn't be happier that our divisional rival still thinks it can make the playoffs. Make it happen, Burkie.

Brian Burke celebrating the Leafs first Tavares Cup in franchise history.