Toronto Maple Leafs Post Mortem (and observations from the final weekend of the 2006-07 NHL Season)
Here are some thoughts on the Maple Leafs sad state of affairs after missing out on the playoffs for the second straight year. I know, I know, that was weeks ago - these are my thoughts written the Monday after the final weekend of the season - I’m finally posting them now and I’m awaiting your feedback, Milton. We’ve got all summer to assess the Blue and White…
I think it was fitting that neither the Leafs or Habs made it in after their ‘Alphonse and Gaston’ routine on Saturday. That was just a plain ugly performance by both teams in respectively, their most important game of the year. After the Leafs were unofficially eliminated by the Habs last year in a two-game sweep at the Bell Centre, and after a couple of painful losses there again this year, it felt nice to knock them out - but the big game was the Leaf loss in Long Island last week when they could have knocked out the Isles (I won’t mention the countless third period leads they surrendered this season either - the majority of which they lost in regulation, not even able to get the OT point). I would have loved to see some Leaf playoff hockey this year, but it’s probably just as well. I’m shuddering right now with thoughts of that horn going off in Buffalo as the Sabres slam goal after goal past the Leaf netminder of your choice (Raycroft, Aubin or cardboard cut-out).
At least the Flyers and Blooz have some upside - they’ve more or less begun cleaning out players and making some cap space. This Leaf team is in a terrible position. As we’ve discussed, Ferguson had the lockout and again last offseason to walk away from the McCabe’s, Antropov’s etc. and start really rebuilding. Instead, he starts filling up valuable cap space with Kubina’s, McCabe’s, Gill’s and in my mind, the most puzzling move - signing Raycroft to a 3-year deal. He has a great rookie campaign, then a terrible sophomore season, and Boston gives up on him. He’s a project at best, so you sign him cheap and make him prove he deserves a longer deal right? It doesn’t cost you a lot, you don’t have to commit long term, but if he regains his form, you got a top goalie for a steal and then you can sign him. So what does Ferguson do? He signs him right away to a hefty 3-year contract before the season starts. Beauty. Well, at least he acquired a capable veteran backup to push Raycroft… Nope. Didn’t do that either. Now this team’s screwed for years - not terrible enough to start stockpiling high draft picks, and mired in mediocrity with overpaid, underperforming players (did you see both McCabe and Kaberle doing their fish out of water impersonations on goals in each of the last two games? What the hell was that? These are your top defencemen?) with no cap room. To top it off, they’ll re-sign Sundin in the offseason and probably give him a no-trade clause. Perfect. He really performed like a 5-6 million dollar player down the stretch (yes, that was sarcasm).
Anyways, to make a long story short: get used to this roster Leaf fans. We’ve got Kubina, Gill, McCabe, Kaberle, Raycroft, Tucker, Sundin - the core of players that directed the team to a wildly inconsistent 9th place finish in the weaker Eastern Conference locked up for the foreseeable future. Guys like Pohl, Ponikakldkieiioaieurosky, Wellwood, Colaiacovo and White are nice pieces so far and a guy like Antropov will be replaced with a player of pretty much the same calibre. Let me look into my crystal ball…. hmmmm, I see a 9th-11th place finish for each of the next 3 seasons…. sounds exciting!
Do you think the board at MLSE can convince Bryan Colangelo to take on the Leafs as maybe a side project in his spare time? The blue and white could surely use some of his magic (women love him, men want to be him - he’s a modern day Austin Powers - oh, and a brilliant GM to boot). Hell, I’m starting to think Pat Quinn would even look good back in the saddle (I can’t believe I just typed that). Ok, maybe that’s extreme, but he did re-tool the Leafs after consecutive playoff misses in the mid 90’s into semi-finalists by signing CuJo and with an upstart roster with guys like Steve Sullivan, Danny Markov and the aforementioned Kaberle in his rookie year.
I guess that’s enough whining for now. I can say however, that I did truly cherish the Flyers being the NHL’s big pile of dung for an entire season. Before they rise from the ashes, at least I can say it was an enjoyable year of watching the Leafs sweep their season series and seeing other teams just continue to beat them down all season long. Their veteran players got worse (Gagne aside), and their young players regressed. They finished with their lowest point total ever, which is astonishing given the fact that when they were a fresh-faced expansion team in 67-68, they played ten fewer games per season and still finished with more points than this year. But, at least they have some cap space and draft picks, and some scouts that probably know their arses from a hole in the ground (more than I can say for the Leafs) - they have a chance to get better.
Enjoy the playoffs everyone,
Peace. Out.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:30 am
Gotta love the day after the leafs miss yet another post-season. The airwaves and print media is full of excellent chatter.
It’s true though, the leafs are in a horrible position and there appears to be no end in site to the mediocrity and poor decision-making down on Bay St. I don’t see a white night (Colangelo) riding into town to save this mess. Everyone will be hoping for big changes this summer in leaf-land, but the truth of the matter is that nothing will change, other than some minor tinkering with the line up prior to the next season. There is no-one with the guts to completely gut this team and rebuild from a fresh start, which is really what’s needed. This is one of the main reasons why I can’t stand the leafs. One day, I wish, people in this town will wake up to this madness and do what all fans in other cities do when their teams go down the drain - stay away from the games and stop lining these peoples’ pockets.
Next year, I predict the Flyers will pass the leafs in the standings and make the playoffs again. They’re a couple free agents away from rebuilding a successful team.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:31 am
Commitment and loyalty David, that is why Leaf fans keep coming back after 40 years of failure - commitment to the team, commitment to Toronto’s hockey team. Any failing team that loses its’ fans is simply a team with unloyal fans. If your dear wife (who just so happens to also be a loyal Leaf fan) did not poses these traits do you truly think she would have even gone on a second date with you (or do you even think she would have roughed out the entire first date with you!?). We Leaf fans put up with our dead-beat team, with year after year of being married to a slob of a team - a team that never says “I love you”, a team that hides in the basement (whether speaking of the Leafs in the basement of league standings, or a hypothetical husband who finishes the basement of their home to hide away to avoid daily interactions with his family, cats and teddy bears). The Leafs are indeed the dead weight in the Leaf-to-Fan relationship, but a true Leaf fan can never give up on them, I cannot utter the words “perhaps I need to start seeing other teams.” To death do us part - with fans dying in the stands becoming more and more of a threat!
good day sirs,
Steve
May 1st, 2007 at 8:35 am
Saturday’s Leafs/Habs was worse than a pee-wee game. Get used to it Leaf fans. Your core of McCabe, Kaberle, Kubina, Sundin, Tucker, and Raycroft ain’t going anywhere. Can you say out of the playoffs for the next 5 years?? I also love the whole “controversy” over Brodeur not playing on Sunday. As if they’re going to risk losing their meal ticket in a nothing game. Of course the Leaf nation thinks they’re being duped.