By STEVE SIMMONS 

There is blood still evident in Danny Markov's left eye, scar tissue all over his forehead, two scrapes across his cheeks, an open gash on his left arm, two scars below his lips. 

And he happens to think he looks just fine. 

"I feel very well," said the former Leaf, his face looking like a Halloween costume. "Life is good." 

This is no trick or treat. Just another odd decision by the Maple Leafs. They took a young defenceman who thought diving face first in front of an Al MacInnis slapshot was part of the job description and sent him to the Phoenix Coyotes. 

For Robert Reichel and Travis Green of all people. 

For one guy who wasn't playing in the league and another who was but nobody was noticing. 

Let's just say the Phoenix people are doing everything humanly possible not to be seen chuckling over this one. But as Phoenix assistant coach Rick Bowness said yesterday: "I've coached Robert Reichel and I've coached Danny Markov. Let's just say I like our end of the deal." 

He was trying to be nice. But as he talks about Markov, he speaks with a big smile on his face. 

That is a common thing with the Coyotes. Ask anyone about Danny Markov and you get a huge smile before you get a story, and always you get a story. 

"We're playing in Columbus the other night and Danny takes a shot between the eyes from Kevin Dineen," general manager Michael Barnett said. "He's there and there's this pool of blood and he needs 40 stitches across the skull and I'm worried it's some kind of eye injury. 

CRAZY NUT 

"The trainer calls up to me in the press box and tells me it looks pretty bad. This is a Tuesday night. The trainer tells me, 'I don't think he'll play Thursday but maybe he'll be ready or Saturday.' 

"And as he's saying this, he stops talking for a moment and says, 'Forget it, Danny just went back on the ice. That crazy (nut) went back on the ice.' " 

That crazy nut was sent packing from Toronto for two reasons, neither of which can be completely explained. The first was the Leafs' excitement over Reichel. They thought he was a big-time player just waiting to explode again. Turns out, they thought wrong. 

They also thought Markov, 25, was headed for the big explosion. Not on the ice, but off. While no one in management would come right out and say it, there was enough dirt spilled on Markov after he was traded to leave a trail heading west. Concerns were raised about his lifestyle, his supposed habits, his reliability. 

Stories he has never heard about. "I did my job," Markov said of his time in Toronto. "That's all that matters. 

"I didn't hear nothing about any problems. No one said anything. I never heard that from anyone (in management). I think I was fine." 

The Coyotes think he is fine as well. They wish they had more just like him. 

"(His lifestyle) is not even an issue," Barnett said. "It has never even come up. He has been a leader for us, on and off the ice. He has played like an all-star for us. But if you want to talk to somebody who really loves him, talk to Ricky Bowness. He's always talking about Markov." 

Bowness has heard the stories about Markov but believes none of them. 

"He has been an absolute joy, a huge addition for us," Bowness said. "There's no concern about him. He doesn't drink. He has been great. We trust him completely." 

Even if they don't always understand him. 

"He comes to the bench sometimes after a shift and he's all excited," Bowness said. "And he's trying to tell me something. And he's all excited and trying to get the words out and all I get is, 'Ricky, Ricky.' The rest of it, I don't understand a word he's talking about. But that's Danny. You nod your head and he just keeps talking. 

"What I love about him is that he plays with so much passion. There's just not enough of that in the league anymore. Players who have an absolute love of playing. We're in St. Louis the other night and he gets bloodied again. The trainer cleans him up and he has got two cotton balls stuck up his nostrils. Next thing, I look around, he's out on the ice and the cotton balls are still up his nose. He can't breathe, he's bleeding, his helmet is crooked, but he's out there. I just love the guy." 

And the Leafs traded him away for Robert Reichel and Travis Green. All in the name of progress.