I wanted to preface this by saying that I was born, raised and still live in Toronto, but I'm not a Leaf fan.
After attending my first game at the Gardens back in the 80s, I started following the team closely and I have some great memories of Rick Vaive, Brad Smith, The Hound Line, Al Iafrate, Allan Bester and Kenny Wregget, among many others.
At the same time there was another team that caught my attention and really what young kid didn't love watching the high flying Oilers back in their peak? By grade three I had started getting frustrated with the Leafs and was trying to watch as much of #99 as I could - including the greatest hockey that I've seen to this day in the 1987 Canada Cup.
On August 9, 1988 I became a Kings fan. Gretzky putting on the silver and black jersey over his head somehow sealed the deal for me. I finally had a team of my own, one that was still very much carving out an identity, as opposed to the Oilers who had already built their legacy.
Throughout my life I have always followed the Leafs closely. Before TSN, before HNIC doubleheaders, and before NHL Center Ice if you wanted to watch hockey you watched the Leafs. And of course living in Toronto you become immersed in the Blue and White from September through to the day the Leafs are eliminated.
All that to say that I believe I have a great understanding of the team and its history, the organization and its place in the city.
And I've wanted to write this post for a while now - it was almost my first column on hockeybuzz back in December of last year, but I didn't want to be too controversial coming out of the gate. I think the timing is right now . So here goes...
TORONTO DESERVES BETTER
The Maple Leafs should be the New York Yankees of hockey. The passion for the Blue and White is unrivaled across the league. The desire for a championship is overwhelming. The track record is simply unacceptable.
Since Expansion in 1967..
0 Stanley Cups
0 Conference Titles
0 Art Ross Trophies (last won in 1938 by Gordie Drillon)
0 Calder Trophies (last won in 1966 by Brit Selby)
0 Hart Trophies (last won in 1955 by Ted Kennedy)
0 Norris Trophies (Never won)
0 Vezina Trophies (last won in 1965 by Bower/Sawchuk)
0 Players on the All-Rookie team in the last 10 years
0 Players on the First All-Star team in the last 30 years
1 Division title in 44 years
This city deserves to see some of the best players in the league wearing the Maple Leaf while still in their prime, not when they're skating off into the sunset (see Leetch, Brian and Francis, Ron).
Instead we get half-hearted efforts at making a run for the Cup by signing aging veterans, trading draft picks whenever there is a potential for a short-term improvement, and constant politics within the front office.
I have great respect for John Ferguson Jr. as a person and I really do feel for him for what he's gone through, both personally and professionally over the past couple years. He was put in almost an impossible spot without the experience, power or support system to succeed.
When Ferguson was hired I really thought he was going to be the one who would take the bold step in shedding their assets, stockpiling picks and prospects, and building from the ground up. Building the right way.
Instead the Leafs brought in more veteran players like Nieuwendyk, Klee, Leetch, Francis and Johansson, in the hopes of making that one last attempt at a Cup run before the lockout. But it didn't work out and the team was then ill-prepared for the salary cap world - unable to go after any of the elite players that were on the market as UFAs or through trades.
From there its been a constant cycle of making mistakes and then trying correct them. Belfour and Domi had been signed to extensions but were later bought out - moves that would count against the cap. Players were brought in, and most did not thrive during their time here. The list is unimpressive to say the least - O'Neill, Allison, Khavanov, Lindros, Aubin, Czerkawski, Brown, Richardson, Suglobov, Peca, Westrum, Green and Perreault have all come and gone.
Of course we all know about the goaltending saga. Toronto was blessed to have a great run from Potvin to Joseph to Belfour, which helped to cover up a lot of defensive deficiencies. Raycroft clearly was not the answer last year, despite the high cost to acquire his services and the three-year extension that was handed out. Obviously it will take time to fairly evaluate the Toskala deal, but I think it is safe to say that the 2 year, $8 mil extension was at minimum premature, given that he had never started more than 33 games in a season.
For me it's hard to get past the picks that have been dealt. Three first rounders (including Rask) in four years, along with two seconds - plus their second rounder in 2008. Now more than ever draft picks are absolutely critical. Look at teams like Ottawa, New Jersey, Detroit and Colorado. Strong drafting and development have led to immense success - reaching levels that Toronto fans can only dream of. Teams that win the Cup always get significant contributions from home-grown talent.
Many people still believe that it was Quinn who didn't see the value in young players and picks, while Ferguson was the one who re-stocked the franchise. In reality it was Quinn's regime that was responsible for Wellwood, Steen, Stajan, Antropov, Ponikarovsky, White, Colaiacovo and Kronwall. It is too soon to judge the picks that Ferguson has made but it's never too say to say that there simply weren't enough. The Leafs should have been stockpiling picks, not dealing them away.
In the end, Ferguson's legacy may be his inability or unwillingness to change the core of this team. Six of the Leafs' top nine scorers this season (and nine of the top ten from last season) were inherited from prior regimes. The team's two best players were brought in by Cliff Fletcher.
Instead of making bold moves and trading assets at their peak value, Ferguson has chosen to stand pat, re-signing players like Sundin, Tucker and McCabe and ensuring that due to cap constraints the team would not change drastically from year to year.
Had he dealt those players, those moves would not have been popular with the hard-core Blue & White supporters, but don't forget that the most unpopular move in the last 20 years has also been the team's best. After back-to-back trips to the Conference Finals, the Leafs traded Wendel Clark, who was coming off a 46-goal season in just 64 games. He had scored 19 goals and 36 points over the two playoff runs, the team's most successful run since the 1960s. Nobody liked the Mats Sundin deal at the time but long-term it was a brilliant move by a GM who was able to 'sell high' and gain a future Hall of Famer.
Not all the moves have been questionable. Ferguson was patient with players like Antropov and Ponikarovsky and it has paid off. He has held onto young players like Steen, Stajan and Wellwood. He re-signed guys like Kaberle and Tucker to long-term deals below their market value. Nieuwendyk was a fantastic addition in the short-term, while Peca could have really helped defensively had he stayed healthy.
But on the flip side there are moves that simply haven't worked out. I'm sure another team would have given McCabe a similar deal as a UFA but that doesn't mean it was the right move. He is an outstanding offensive talent, but for my money I want my top defencemen to be stars in their own zone, where he has often struggled. Kubina may have been a strong addition in the old NHL, but under the new rules and as a #3 defenceman he hasn't proven to be an elite player at either end of the rink - nowhere close to that actually. Raycroft may have been the least successful 37-win goalie in history. Time will tell on Toskala, Blake and Bell but all three of those moves bring huge question marks for me. Why was Toskala extended so quickly? Why was Blake given a 5-year deal at age 34? Why was Bell brought in, given his off-ice distraction and his struggles in San Jose?
Cap management should be a significant concern for the Leafs. Not only was the team hamstrung by cap space this summer but barring a significant move or moves it will get even worse before it gets better. Long-term contracts, no trade/movement clauses and even multi-year deals for depth players will make it difficult if not impossible for this team to get better before it gets worse. Much worse.
They've only had one trip to the playoffs under Ferguson. Goals against have skyrocketed by close to a goal a game since the lockout, despite increased spending on the blue line.
Enough is enough.
Toronto Deserves Better
I believe that the fans would remain patient through a rebuilding phase if the plan was mapped and communicated properly. More than anything they just want to win and quite simply this team is not a Cup contender. Not by a long-shot. They have little discipline and their defensive zone coverage is atrocious. I was only half kidding yesterday when I said that their defensive play resembles a kids soccer game where everyone is chasing after the ball at the same time.
I say tear it apart piece by piece and build it up from scratch.
It starts at the top - the Leafs need somebody in charge of hockey operations, who is responsible for presenting the long-term vision to the Board for approval and then executing that plan without interference.
Mr. Peddie has done a fantastic job at further growing the Maple Leaf brand in Toronto, including his work with LeafsTV and with the Condo project. But he's not a hockey man and the Leafs need a President who is experienced and has freedom to do as he sees fit. Only an elite outsider can make those demands, a Scotty Bowman, Bob Nicholson or a Brian Burke.
Whether the President is also the GM will depend on who is brought in. In my opinion it would be best to have those roles filled by two individuals, as there is power in numbers. Together those two will have the task of trying to strip this team down and acquiring as many picks as possible.
The fact is that most franchise players are found at the top of round one. Top picks aren't a sure thing but if you want a player that can challenge for a major trophy and help lead a Stanley Cup winner, this list is conclusive evidence that high draft picks are the way to go:
Crosby, Thornton, Pronger, Spezza, Heatley, Lecavalier, Ovechkin, Luongo, Jokinen, Niedermayer, Kovalchuk, Nash, Gaborik, Dipietro, Redden, Malkin, Staal, Marleau, Kariya, Fleury, Jovanovski, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Toews and Kane, Vanek, Kessel, Phillips, Eric and Jack Johnson...
Words cannot express how badly the franchise was hurt by trading the pick that would end up as Scott Niedermayer for Tom Kurvers back in 1989. Instead of adding Owen Nolan they could have drafted a player like Mike Richards, and maybe would still have Brad Boyes in the lineup. You can make a whole list of similar transactions but it will only add to the pain of Leaf fans. And of course hindsight is always 20-20.
In addition to their own picks over the next couple years during a rebuilding phase, it's important to try and add as many future picks as possible through dealing veterans.
Everyone should be for sale. Mats Sundin deserves a Cup. He may want it in Toronto but that isn't going to happen. I know he loves the city and the fans but he needs to be dealt for the sake of his career and for the franchise.
McCabe and Kubina are no brainers. At first glance they seem immovable, but if Burke was able to not only deal Fedorov but also land Beauchemin in return, anything is possible. It's a shame that McCabe wasn't dealt when his value was high but at this point shedding his contract would be enough. Kaberle is the team's most valuable asset and for the right price I'd be willing to move him too. Of course you need to carry enough vets to stay above the cap floor, so these deals obviously wouldn't all occur at the same time.
For the short-term (this year and next), anyone born in 1980 or later can stay, the others can go if any team is willing to deal for their services.
You start to build slowly around Stajan, Steen, White and Wellwood along with recent picks like Pogge, Tlusty, Kulemin and Stralman. Some will succeed and some will fail - that is the nature of prospects in the NHL. So the more picks and the more prospects that are added, the better shape they'll be. You fill the depth positions with hard working players and defensive specialists. You implement strong systems so that everybody knows their role and where they are supposed to be on the ice. More than ever and more than any other team you commit resources to scouting and player development. This is a huge areas where a team can build a competitive advantage in the Cap age. When the time is right you can augment with UFA signings by targeting the right players in the 27-28 range, or look at acquiring an elite young talent in the RFA market. Cap flexibility and extra picks will allow them to consider all the available options.
The next couple of months will be huge for the Toronto Maple Leafs. What they do or don't do will shape the franchise for years to come.
It's time to make a commitment to competing for, and winning the Stanley Cup. It will take time but with the right people and the right plan in place, it can certainly be done.
It's clear that what they've tried in recent history has not worked. Now it's time to go in a different direction.
After all, Toronto deserves better.
Toronto deserves the best.
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Today's game summaries are a bit abbreviated..
Calgary 5, Minnesota 3
Wild came on strong early and it sure looked like their undefeated streak would continue.
Great comeback by the Flames, scoring 5 straight to steal the two points. I wonder what Keenan said in the intermission?
Phaneuf drilled Skoula from behind but it was an open-ice hit so I guess that's ok?
Dion leads the league in hits with 36.
Minny's shot in the final minute was their first shot in the last 5 PP chances.
Wild fall for the first time in regulation this year.
Iginla is thriving under Keenan.
MIN - Rolston 4 (PP) (Bouchard, Belanger)
MIN - Parrish 3 (PP) (Johnsson)
MIN - Walz 1(Radivojevic, Gaborik)
CAL - Iginla 6 (Langkow)
CAL - Phaneuf 3 (PP) (Tanguay, Aucoin)
CAL - Tanguay 1 (Iginla, Langkow)
CAL - Tanguay 2 (Aucoin, Iginla)
CAL - Regehr 1 (Nolan, Lombardi)
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Detroit 3, Vancouver 2
Luongo was pushed out of the crease on the first goal.
Detroit outshot Vancouver 39-15.
Five hooking penalties in this one - gotta keep your sticks to yourselves boys.
Wings dominated the draws, winning 65%
Canucks' 4th line got ample ice time, except for Rypien who played just one shift.
Canucks couldn't generate any good chances in the final minute with Luongo out.
Someone's gotta figure out how to stop Holmstrom..
Vancouver needs to get back to playing strong D. Luongo's not enough.
Hasek once again didn't get much work.
DET - Ellis 2 (Samuelsson, Rafalski)
DET - Holmstrom 6 (PP) (Rafalski, Lidstrom)
VAN - Cooke 2 (Edler, Burrows)
DET - Holmstrom 7 (Zetterberg, Datsyuk)
VAN - D. Sedin 4 (PP) (H. Sedin, Krajicek)
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Florida 4, Philadelphia 3
Jokinen is now the leading goal scorer in Panther history. And he'd still be a King if it weren't for Gary Bettman.
Olli was dominant, with 10 shots on goal, scoring twice.
Greg Campbell also had a pair, his first two on the year.
Only six minors called in this one.
Flyers were outshot 42-23
Panthers won 60% of the faceoffs.
Philly battled back and was almost able to salvage a point.
FLO - Jokinen 3 (Bouwmeester, Zednik)
FLO - Jokinen 4 (PP) (Zednik, Murphy)
PHI - Lupul 4 (PP) (Richards, Timonen)
PHI - Carter 5 (Umberger)
FLO - Campbell 1 (Kreps, Allen)
FLO - Campbell 2 (Dvorak, Allen)
PHI - Kukkonen 1 (Lupul, Briere)
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Carolina 6, Buffalo 2
Brind'Amour just keeps doing it. He's amazing.
The population of Pominville was increased by two.
Mr. Yamaguchi had a huge third period with three points.
Carolina outshot Buffalo 43-21 and 16-6 in the third, four of which got past Miller.
Frankie Kaberle used to put up a lot more points.
Sabres took far too many penalties. Canes were on the PP for 16:12, compared to 7:16 for Buffalo.
Skinny Cam Ward is VERY tough to beat.
Kalinen and Gaustad left with injuries.
Sabres need a big tough D-man.
CAR - Brind'Amour 2 (Williams, Wallin)
BUF - Pominville 4 (Connolly, Hecht)
CAR - Whitney 4 (Brind'Amour, Williams)
BUF - Pominville 5 (PP) (Roy, Connolly)
CAR - Staal 7 (Hedican, Aucoin)
CAR - Hamilton 3 (PP)(Staal, Cullen)
CAR - Stillman 4 (Commodore, Hedican)
CAR - Hedican 2 (Stillman, Staal)
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Washington 5, Tampa Bay 3
Chris Clark finally scored - and then scored again.
Where was the Caps' D on Ward's goal?
Lecavalier picked up 2+2+5+10 for slashing, and instigating a fight. He then took off his skate and tried to chase down a couple Caps.
David Steckel scored his first NHL goal in game #20. He was drafted in the first round by the Kings back in 2001. In other news, I wonder where Jens Karlsson is tonight?
Ovechkin scored the empty netter to give him a three-point night.
Ranger had a big game, putting up 2 points and blocking four shots in 28:27.
Semin was in the building. He had 5 shots in almost 15 minutes.
Caps spread the ice time well - only three players were over 20 minutes and just two were under 14.
Tampa had way too many breakdowns tonight.
Brashear played just two shifts, totaling 2:12.
Pothier was a +4 on the night while Green was a -2 for Washington.
OV attempted 18 shots on goal - 10 were blocked and 2 missed the net.
Great all-around effort by the Caps.
WAS - Clark 1 (Ovechkin)
TB - Ward 1 (Richards, Ranger)
WAS - Steckel 1 (Ovechkin, Kozlov)
TB - Ranger 1 (SH) (Richards, Ward)
WAS - Laich 2 (Pettinger, Morrisonn)
WAS - Clark 2 (Pothier, Nylander)
TB - St. Louis 2 (Prospal, Darche)
WAS - Ovechkin 5 (EN) (Pothier)
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The Night in Numbers
Two-goal game:
Clark, Holmstrom, Pominville, G. Campbell, Jokinen, Tanguay
Three-point game:
Ovechkin, Hedican, Staal, Iginla, Tanguay
Two-point game:
Ward, Richards, Ranger, Pothier, Clark, Rafalski, Holmstrom, Connolly, Pominville, Williams, Brind'Amour, Lupul, Allen, G. Campbell, Jokinen, Zednik, Gaborik, Langkow, Aucoin
+5
Hedican
+4
Pothier, Brind'Amour
+3
Schultz, Bouwmeester
+2
Ward, Steckel, Wallin, Williams, Whitney, Stillman, Knuble, G. Campbell, Kreps, Phaneuf, Iginla, Langkow, Aucoin, Tanguay
-2
Lecavalier, St. Louis, Lukowich, O'Brien, Green, Miller, Roy, J. Smith, Timonen, Walz, Skoula, Schultz
-3
Vanek, Foy
-4
Lydman, Tallinder, Stafford, Mair
24+ minutes:
Ranger (28:27), Bouwmeester (27:50), B. Campbell (27:44), Richards (27:06), Lidstrom (27:00), Aucoin (25:28), Allen (25:20), Phaneuf (25:03), Poti (24:20), Ohlund (24:16), Tallinder (24:05)
10- minutes:
Paille (9:35), Letowski (9:34), Adams (9:23), Yelle (9:10), Sheppard (8:53), Ellis (8:38), Mair (7:42), Kalinen (7:27), Eager (7:20), Steward (6:50), Aucoin (6:49), Foy (6:40), Janik (5:58), MacDonald (5:50), Montador (5:26), Hudler (5:08), Tarnasky (4:54), McLean (4:42), Downey (4:25), Roy (3:32), Cote (3:28), Meter (3:25), Godard (2:58), Smith (2:55), Gagne (2:48), Fleischmann (2:38), Brashear (2:12), Peters (2:10), Boogaard (1:20), Rypien (1:02)
Injured: Simon Gagne, Kalinen, Gaustad
Faceoff Stars:
80% - Stumpel 8/10
78% - Langkow 14/18
77% - Zetterberg 10/13
73% - Kozlov 8/11
71% - Gordon 12/17
69% - Cullen 9/13
65% - Draper 11/17
63% - Brind'Amour 19/30
58% - Hecht 15/26
Faceoff Struggles:
20% - Walz 3/15
27% - Morrison 4/15
30% - Nylander 3/10
33% - Kessler 5/15
35% - Roy 8/23, Lecavalier 6/17
36% - Ritchie 4/11
38% - Staal 8/21, Briere 8/21
40% - Richards 6/15, H. Sedin 4/10, Dowd 4/10
42% - Richards 8/19
High Shots:
10 - Jokinen
8 - Iginla
7 - Datsyuk, Stillman
6 - Hlavac, St. Louis, Ovechkin, Zetterberg
5 - Semin, Lidstrom, Zednik, Rolston
4 - Clark, Hecht, Hedican, Bouwmeester, G. Campbell, Dvorak, Horton, Burns, Phaneuf
High Blocks:
6 - Ja. Smith
4 - Ranger, Gleason, Hatcher, Yelle
3 - Poti, Ohlund, Salo, Lydman, Schultz
High Hits:
6 - Lupul
5 - Jurcina, Richards
4 - Ohlund, Maltby, Lydman, Kotalik, Wallin
Goalies:
Luongo: 36/39 = 92.3%
Ward: 19/21 = 90.5%
Biron: 38/42 = 90.5%
Kolzig: 26/29 = 89.7%
Vokoun: 20/23 = 87.0%
Hasek: 13/15 = 86.7%
Miller: 37/43 = 86.0%
Denis: 24/28 = 85.7%
Kiprusoff: 16/19 = 84.2%
Backstrom: 19/24 = 79.2%
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Thought of the Day
I'll try to get to the Nashville story tonight. The clock is ticking and this one is getting more interesting by the day. Preds can likely get what they want from the Mayor if they're willing to commit to at least five years in Nashville.
I guess we'll see if those Boots really were made for walking..
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Nightly Awards
Jimmy Carson star of the night award: Olli Jokinen
Vitali Yachmenev rookie of the night award: David Steckel
Dmitri Khristich nightly leadership award: Rod Brind'Amour
Allan Bester goalie of the night award: Cam Ward
Aki-Petteri Berg top defenseman trophy: Brett Hedican
Bruce Shoebottom unsung hero award: Brian Pothier
Andre Racicot red light special award: Niklas Backstrom
Chris Kontos random scorer award: Paul Ranger
(NEW) Cam Neely breakout player award: Jay Bouwmeester
(NEW) Brian Savage Mr. October award: Eric Staal
(NEW) Gordon Bombay Shootout of the Night: Charlie Conway
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Nine games tonight. The Leafs need a big performance on the road. The Rangers need a goal against New Jersey. Bruins and Hawks faceoff in an Original Six matchup. Kings lose to the Stars. Wild and Flyers try to avoid losing two in a row. Jackets and Blues are two teams on the rise. Ducks try and get on track against Phoenix. The Preds and Thrashers may be one of those games we talk about for years to come.
Have a good one,
Danny -
[email protected] 
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