"Why stop at Bryan McCabe? Why not bring a few more Maple Leafs down to the Sunshine State with him, Wade Belak asked last night? "Caber would be a great addition to our team," Belak said from the Miami area last night, hoping that reports concerning McCabe's imminent trade to the Florida Panthers are accurate. "He's a great leader and a real warrior. We have a great goalie and a great defence that would be even better with him. "Now we have to work on Mats. Let's get the entire band back together, man! I'm all for that."

SORRY, WADE Memo to Belak: Mats Sundin is not going to sign with the Panthers. And, given the fact that the big Swede is leaning toward retirement, he may not be lacing up the blades for any other National Hockey League team this season either. On the other hand, it appears more and more likely that McCabe will be joining Belak with the Panthers next month as part of a deal that reportedly would see defenceman Mike Van Ryn, 29, come to Toronto. According to Sportsnet, the Leafs and Panthers already have the framework of such a trade in place. As reported by Sun Media yesterday, no deal will be made before Sept. 1, at which time McCabe is scheduled to receive a $2 million US signing bonus from the Leafs."