My Wish List Part 9: Why I Want Matt Frattin on the Buffalo Sabres

May 12, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing

(39) takes the puck away from Boston Bruins right wing

(68) as defenseman

(24) gets tied up on the play during game six of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Poor Toronto.

After digging themselves into a 3-1 hole against their Northeast Division rivals the Boston Bruins, they managed to climb out of their grave and actually held a 4-1 lead in the third period of game 7 before the wheels completely fell off.  My heart goes out to the Leafs tonight – that loss is going to haunt them during the offseason – but now that they’re dead and buried, it’s time to loot their corpse!  A grisly image, I know.

So: you wanna know why I would like – no, LOVE – to see Matt Frattin of the Toronto Maple Leafs play for the Buffalo Sabres.

That’s easy – watch:

Then watch this:

And then, lest you think Frattin is a one-trick pony, watch this:

You might want to watch that last video about ten or twenty more times.  I mean, are you kidding me?  How did he make that pass?

Frattin is only 6’0″, about 200 lbs., but he is one hard-hitting SOB.  For God’s sakes, the dude was teeing up Zdeno Chara during their first-round grudge match!

“I moved him a couple times,” Frattin said of his hits on the big man as he prepared for Monday’s Game 3. “You have to – that’s how you wear a guy down.” (Courtesy of The Globe and Mail.)

Frattin gives up nine inches and fifty-five pounds to Chara, so of course he went at him.  Yikes.  Either he’s suicidal or absolutely fearless.  Either way, I’ll take him!

May 13, 2013; Boston, MA USA; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Matt Frattin (39) backhands the puck on Boston Bruins goalie

(40) during the third period in game seven of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Like I said earlier, though, Frattin is not just a locomotive looking to jump track.  He scored 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in just 26 games this season, losing a month due to knee problems and then struggling to regain his form for the remainder of the regular season. Had he not been injured, Frattin probably would have been nipping at Nazem Kadri‘s heels – not bad company, considering that Kadri was the Leafs’ second-leading scorer this season.  Frattin’s got skills, folks, with some silky-smooth soft hands and incredible speed.  It’s almost not fair, then, that he also possesses the ability to knock a man’s fillings out, and the grit to win battles along the boards.  He still has yet to play a full season in the NHL, but I get the feeling that is about to change.   If I’m right, and he does play a full year, I’ll buy the first person who calls me out a Fansided t-shirt if Frattin doesn’t score over 50 points.  You read that right!  He’s one of the reasons why Toronto is going to be right back in the thick of the playoff hunt next year, which is why I would prefer he suit up for the Buffalo Sabres.