My Leafs

Ya, The Glory Years ...

The Leafs just had their 2nd most successful points year in team history. Very entertaining. But, this year's players don't seem to understand that playoffs are different. Playoffs are war. 

QUESTION: Would it be possible to copy the model that management for the Seattle and Vegas team uses going forward for my Maple Leafs? Those expansion teams don't have 4 superstars but they seem to be successful. Very, very successful. 

The two "new" expansion NHL clubs remind me of the Herb Brooks coached 1980 USA Olympic team which defeated the star-filled Russian team. The Yanks were like a high school team playing a pro team. But, they won.

Do the folks in Seattle and Vegas know about the Herb Brooks  Miracle on Ice magic? The post-playoff interviews with the Leaf coach and "Core Four" was nonsense. Exactly the same as the comments from the other teams, like the Rangers ... "I'm disappointed... I was sure we'd go deep ... we have a great club ... I want to be back with this group next year blah/blah/blah. 

Tavares is special. He had a terrific regular 2022-23 season. He's part of the very unique history of Leaf captains. Many of them were monster players.  John's post-series comments revealed nothing ...   just political-save-your-ass babble. I don't think his co-captains would have approved of the way he handled himself on behalf of his teammates.

Nobody in the Toronto "Core Four" said, "I wasn't good enough". 

Incidentally, have you seen or heard anything from team president, Brendan Shanahan? Actually, I'm still waiting to hear from him about the mind-boggling Leaf loss to the Habs three years ago.

The fabulous lead guy in Edmonton scored more points himself than the entire Leaf team during the playoffs. He and his super duper  buddy were just moved to the golf course by an EXPANSION team -- from Las Vegas?

What's that again?

I say ... enough's enough. Send Shanahan and his "Shanny Plan" packing and take Dubas with him and trade guys with nice hair ... hire someone from the Seattle or Vegas team and steal the secret formula for success and find some team grit ... did I mention that I really liked the Darius Kaspiritus style of grit?

Ya. Get some guys like him.

Or, maybe a "Gudas"? 

FYI ... I need to vent. I have an appointment with a therapist on Friday - it's a double session. She is a 60-year-old psychiatrist from Ecuador who speaks little English and doesn't know anything about hockey but has good listening skills. She was recommended to me by a Boston Bruin buddy who's still having trouble sleeping.