Mixed emotions saddle Pony

PHILADELPHIA-Alexei Ponikarovsky is in a unique situation.

As he gets his offence in gear, he may be increasing his trade value on a Maple Leafs team that is bent on reinventing itself. A tough thought for the winger when his preference is to remain in Toronto.

"It all depends on how our management looks at it," he said after a 4-1 loss last night. "Basically, I go out and play and whatever happens, happens."

With his third goal in the last four games, Ponikarovsky last night passed Nik Antropov for the team lead in goal scoring with 14.

Ponikarovsky's ability to score consistently and a relatively modest contract - he earns $2.24 million (all figures U.S.) this season - would make him an easy fit for a contending team looking for another big body up front. But it is that size and his strength in cycling the puck that makes him a player general manager Brian Burke might like to keep as a building block. He has another year on his Toronto deal at $2.5 million.

Ponikarovsky would rather not go anywhere. He lives in Toronto year-round and he met his wife, who is also Ukrainian, in Toronto. They have three children and are entrenched in the community.

He also has the personality to deal with living in a hockey hotbed, with an ability to shrug off rumours and criticism.

"Being in Toronto, there's always a lot of pressure. Over the years you learn how to deal with it. For me, I just have to go out on the ice and produce," he said. "If you get sour and stuff, it's not going to help your team and it's not going to help you."

But he also understands that he might have to move at any time.

"I'm not really nervous. Basically, it's a part of the business. I can't control what's going to happen there," he said. "The only thing I can control is my game so I just try to do my best on the ice."

Ponikarovsky is on pace to score 25 to 30 goals this season, which would be a career high. What makes that interesting is that the left winger often, in the past, played with centre Mats Sundin but now the 28-year-old is finding his touch with Matt Stajan in the middle, largely by driving to the edge of the crease.

"My job basically is to get in front of the goalie and use my body there," said the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder. "I go hard for rebounds and try to get the puck out from the corner and create chances for my linemates."