by Barry Stagg
February 1999
Maple Leafs Fly High
February 13 will be the night the Toronto Maple Leafs play their last game at venerable Maple Leaf Gardens. A week or so later they will hit the ice at the new Air Canada Centre, a slapshot or so south of the Skydome in downtown Toronto. The move to the flight powered hockey rink, nestled up to the Gardiner Expressway, is a metaphor for the successful season the hockey team began in October. Nothing but bleak and unsuccessful prospects were forecast for this hockey team before the season began. With a cast of supposed hasbeens, neverweres and a few bright lights, it appeared that the Toronto Maple Leafs were once again descending into that infernal dungeon previously occupied by the Harold Ballard teams.
However, the Leafs, with no warning whatsoever, have gone on to have a very successful season, to this point. As this column is written, they are about to play back-to-back games with the Boston Bruins who are led by former Leaf coach Pat Burns. The meeting of the two Irish warriors, Burns and Quinn as coaches, will tell a lot about the Leafs chances for season-long success as teams get into playoff mode.
A team like the Boston Bruins is set up for playoff performance. They work a defensive system somewhat akin to that used by the New Jersey Devils in years past. Jacques Lemaire coached the Devils to one Stanley Cup and many playoff victories using a simple, consistent defensive system.
The Leafs, in marked contrast to the playing style of coach Pat Quinn, are an offensive force. Quinn was a well known tough guy and a nemesis of the Boston Bruins in the Bobby Orr era. I am certain that many a veteran Bruins fan will remember the infamous incident when Quinn laid out superstar Orr in an unconscious lump on Garden's ice when Orr made the mistake of sweeping up ice in one of his classic rushes without taking time to notice the large frame of Quinn standing sturdily in his path. It was a case of the immovable object meeting the resistible force. The force that Orr was, as rushing defenseman, ran into a virtual brick wall.
The Leafs will rise or fall on offence and their Swedish leader, Mats Sundin, will determine their fate one way or the other. If Sundin can continue to score at the rate that has him in the top ten in league scoring then the Leafs can go far. The goaltending of Curtis Joseph will win some games but Sundin and his linemates must be able to score against even the best defensive teams.
This is a year that could see a foundation put down in Toronto for a long term revitalization of Toronto hockey fortunes. Stable ownership, competent management and a coach with vast skills and a significant personality can all add up to a return to a level of performance that the Toronto Maple Leafs last attained in the 60's.
Now if the Toronto club could only transfer some of its new found ability to win down to the farm team in St. John's then the hockey fortunes of the organization would be that much better especially for the long suffering fans of the St. John's Maple Leafs. The team in Newfoundland simply has not played up to expectations even when the Toronto club has studiously avoided any call-ups to fill in for injuries. Perhaps this new year and the enthusiasm being generated out of the Air Canada Centre will help the farm club as well.
Look for former Toronto goalie Jeff Reese to give the Newfoundland Leafs a boost by way of veteran ability and poise as well as steadying the dressing room with his experience and memories of difficult times past.
Until next month: Be proud, be prosperous.