For years I have been amused, delighted, informed and appalled by rantings of those privileged to be named as part of the ‘barilkosphere.’ Their opinions might not always be fresh and at times stray from accurate, but they never fail to entertain. JFJ, Cliff Fletcher, Paul Maurice, Matt Stajan, Vesa Toskala, Andrew Raycroft, Mats Sundin and all the other usual scape goats are often featured. But what about the Marlies? Yeah, what about the Marlies?

I can’t tell you how many times I read “Call-up the frat pack,” “Tlusty should be a Leaf,” or “Bury Blake’s contract in the AHL!” Devereaux was a star when he finished the 08/09 season off with a Leafs hat trick, but did anyone hear of how he performed on the Marlies to deserve the call-up? Most felt Carl Gunnarsson was promoted to the Leafs from the middle of nowhere, only because they hadn’t heard of his domination on the Marlies powerplay. And remember Jonas Frogren? Yepp, he’s on the Marlies - and a defensive stalwart, at that.

I have been developing my relationship with the Toronto Marlies’ players and personnel over the past year, and now it’s time to share it with all of you.

This is it. This is your all-access pass to the Marlies. This is your behind-the-scenes look at the prospects you may have forgotten. And if there’s playoff hockey in Toronto this season, this is where it’ll be discussed. We’re spreading a little bit of the blue-n-white love down to the Marlies.

It’s MarliesHQ – please bookmark.

- Clayton Hansler (Editor)