Leafs Watch

By DAVE FULLER -- Toronto Sun SICK OF HOME: Maple Leafs general manager/coach Pat Quinn may never have seen an NHL schedule he particularly liked.
So no one was surprised when the coach continued to harp this weekend about the overwhelming number of home games the Leafs were scheduled to play during October.
The club played nine games at the Air Canada Centre compared to just four away. By this time next week, the numbers will be a little more balanced as a result of games in Carolina (Wednesday), Washington (Friday) and New Jersey (Saturday).
"(The schedule) was heavily front-loaded," Quinn said after the Leafs on Saturday improved their home record to an NHL-best 7-1-1.
"It was the league's decision but I don't like it. We'll pay for it at the end (when just seven of the Leafs' final 20 games will be at the Air Canada Centre). I obviously don't like that either."
Presumably, Quinn would have been a lot more critical had his Leafs not gone 4-0-1 in their just-completed five-game home stand.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: There are few things Quinn hasn't seen in the world of hockey, but he knew nothing about hockey in Kazakhstan until Nik Antropov parachuted into his life.
While Russians and Swedes and Finns are notoriously skilled players, the majority tend to shy away from the physical side.
Antropov, on the other hand, has a edge to him which is rare for a 19-year-old forward playing in the NHL -- regardless of nationality.
"I don't know that I'm surprised," the coach said of Antropov's physical side. "Surprise is usually built around some kind of expectation that you've already formulated or you have a concept in your mind about what this guy is going to be like.
"I don't think any of us had an idea of a player coming out from Kazakhstan. We hadn't seen any before."
Still, Quinn found reason to be encouraged after Antropov maintained his poise during a fight-filled exhibition game in Chicago -- his first as a Leaf.
"We hadn't seen him before and so many times when you go to camp the 18-year-old or 19-year-olds look real good while the veteran guys are finding their way," Quinn said.
"We were more interested in finding out what the right situation was for him. Was it junior? Was it minor pro? Was it back home? We weren't sure the NHL was going to be an answer to it. But as the camp went on he just kept jumping up in front of our eyes all the way."

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