57 Years and counting ... stand by
Did you watch the first round of this year's NHL playoffs?
I was amazed at the foot speed of the Jets and Avalanche and the skill of the Florida Panthers and their cast of goal scoring characters and the Edmonton's Oilers who seem to have another gear that they haven't had to call on yet.
And, if you stayed up late to watch the western conference,
you have to be impressed with Dallas and Vegas for the same reasons mentioned above.
Incidentally, in January, I selected Dallas as my "sleeper" to win the Stanley Cup. Tonight, in game 7 vs Vegas they won to move on in the tournament.
If they'd beaten Boston in game seven I don't know that my Leafs would have been able to play against any one of the next playoff opponents -- even the losing teams.
My Leafs are a very, very good American Hockey League team. It's the only honest way I can describe them following the 2023/24 season.
On-ice play, coaching -- especially the underachieving power play coach, Guy Boucher, and, of course, all the hockey office suits need to be overhauled. The next edition of my Leafs should be under construction for several months.
As a card carrying member of the Leaf brotherhood, it's very difficult to say but Leaf Nation has barely survived the past decade of "Shanaplan." The team president's rebuild plan was supposed to show us the way to that parade that everyone talks about.
Brendan Shanahan's history has included; providing a retirement destination for Tomas Plekanec, Patrick Marleau, Jason Spezza and Mark Giordano. I loved and cheered for each of them but wished they hadn't taken a space on the bench for a player who could have made a difference -- the way Knies is now doing with the Leafs -- he's getting a chance to play and learn the game and he'll be better next year and the year after. But, Shanahan is also responsible for sending Kadri and 50 + goal scorer, Hyman on their way.
Do you think Luke Schenn would have helped the Leafs as they entered the playoffs this year and struggled to assemble workable defence pairings?
I know it's highdsight, but do you think it would have been better to keep hockey savant, Lou Lamorello in the general manager's chair instead of Dubas who would go on to embarrass Shanahan and the Leaf franchise?
Brendan Shanahan has been a terrible disaster. As previously mentioned, the only way "Shanny" could have helped the Leafs was to pull on his jersey and skates and get out their on the wing with Matthews. And, don't get me started with the $50 million contract he insisted on paying his goofy buddy Babcock.
Fire Brendan Shanahan immediately.
Marner, Matthews, Nylander and Tavares are fabulous, entertaining hockey players. However, in my opinion, only Nylander and Tavares seemed to be equipped to provide a consistent playoff effort.
What's the value of a player who can deliver a 69 goal season if he can't produce offence when the real season starts. #34 was expected to put the team on his back when they needed it -- he didn't.
What's the value of a player who can dipsy-doodle his way through everyone's defence in the regular season? I expected our #16 to own Boston's defencemen but for seven playoff games he had trouble making a simple pass and setting up a proper scoring chance when it counted. I've always been a huge fan of #16 ... l thought he made everyone around him, better. His stick handling and his skating edges can't be matched.
If you remember ... they could never find another winger for Gretzky ... I often wondered how much better he could have been (points wise) with Marner on one side and Kurri on the other -- Gretz might still be playing.
It may be time for Marner to go.
A Google check of the Stanley Cup Playoff MVP list since Beliveau earned the first one in 1965, reveals a bunch of assassins.They were players who were considered "journeymen" during the regular season and could kill you all by themselves once the real season began. It's a very exclusive club. You'll remember, Duff, Nystrom and Gainey, Goring, Zetterberg, and Marchessault ... each killers from their respective NHL eras.
Gretzky and Yzerman and Sid and Lemieux and Bobby Clarke and OV and Orr and Messier are also on the list. They operated with outstanding talent and win-at-all-cost focus. If they had to put their team on their backs when it was needed, they just did it (Messier even said he was going to do it before his NY Ranger Stanley Cup winning game started). These players were made to succeed -- it's in their DNA.
Regrettably, the Toronto media and local game announcers often identify current Leaf players as superstars because of their regular season point scoring prowess. Nonsense.
It may be time to go to market with our 4 players who eat up the league mandated salary cap and collectively earn $45+ million a year.
How does a team like Vegas, using puck chasers and grinders win the Stanley Cup after only six years in business? Is it the decisive ownership? The top level coaching? The one-for-all team? The win at all cost player effort?
Toronto has often been sited as a difficult city to play in due to the distractions ... it's the centre of the hockey world ... every player has family and friends in Toronto ... it's Hockey Night in Canada ... it's the media centre for hockey.
What about Vegas.
Do you think they have any distractions?
What's the alternative? You know the old adage ... about doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result?
Gawd, I hope Keith Pelley has some answers.
... was anyone else bothered by the info-mercial that was created for the overtime segment on Hockey Night in Canada during Saturday night's game? The video was titled "The creation of Boston Pizza" the company is owned by the Leaf's general managers' billionaire father and is one of the program's biggest advertisers.
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
*Canada's largest companies, Ford, GM and Esso have been Hockey Night in Canada advertisers/hockey supporters for decades. Esso's connection is so deep, their 3Star gasoline product of the 1950s morphed into the 3 Stars-of-the-game feature at the end of every NHL game. Where'd those advertisers go, and why? Today, their very expensive advertising HNIC time slots have been taken over by "betting" companies.
*When the betting sites claim the Leafs are +135 and the Black Hawks are -105 ... do you have any idea what they are talking about and what the numbers mean, I don't ... and how you go about betting, even if you wanted to?
*A few Leaf games, last year and this year, were moved on to streaming platforms at a cost to viewers instead of being part of free commercial TV programming. How long will it take before access to Leaf games will only be through paid streaming?
*in the 1960s, I attended the parade for each of the Leafs' four Stanley Cup wins. I can guarantee that not one single Leaf jersey could be found on a fan during any Maple Leaf Gardens games, ever. Today, every NHL rink is loaded with home team jerseys or t-shirts or flags. Must be big business.
*Did you think you'd live long enough to see an NHL team in Seattle or Utah or a Stanley Cup champion in Vegas?
We’ll put Mike. Toronto can only live on the edge so long. It’s time playoff toughness!!!!
ReplyDeleteCan't argue with much that you've said. I think they should let Marner walk after next year. They should be able to get a few really good players for 11 plus million!
ReplyDeleteRight on, Mike
DeleteJim
I think the last three games in the Toronto /Boston series were some of the best hockey games I have viewed in years. As for Matthews, I think he showed considerable courage in supporting his team in game #7, even though it was evident he was playing under duress. I would not support major changes to the Maple Leaf on-ice roster; however, I agree that spreading the Mathew salary across three players (two defence and one forward or goal tender) could work well. Minor and not major surgery because without Mathews, the entire team played as a team knowing they had to if they were to remain in the series. The days of the single star, even having a winger or two who can feed him, will never trump the play of a balanced, focused TEAM. Furthermore, this wisdom is coming from a player who scored two goals for the Massey, Ontario Bantams in a game back in 1955. I know hockey!
ReplyDeleteUnderstood. I also have a spectacular junior career. While playing shinny at North Toronto Arena in the 90s, Gavin Kirk, the former captain of the Toronto Toros asked me "where did you play"? I said "The Jets". I didn't tell him it was my 8 year old team that played house league at Varsity Arena ... ya know, "The Jets".
DeleteBeing a Leaf fan has been a burden in that we are blinded by the hope of a great team no matter who is on the ice. Since Shannahan came to the team they basically did two rebuilds one at the front office coaching and support the other on the ice a few apart. The futility of this team can be summed up in my opinion to bad luck bad GM decisions. Go back to the Montreal Toronto bubble year the Leafs lost John T in the first period to a hit that he didn't see coming and keep him off the ice for the next few months. Had John not got hurt he would have contributed to that series like he always does and Montreal would have not made it to the finals period. The next goaltending was bad in that bad luck Campbell five hole type of goals cost them again. Last year Florida bites them in the ass with a few power moves to the net they couldn't defend. This year injuries again took the toll. To win the cup is more than who's the boss. The players we have are great players with an albatross around their neck that is the year 1967. In my humble opinion give them one more year. I agree we had the wrong Gm and we let go some great players Hyman being one. Keith Pelley isn't a hockey man he is a business man who like most of us thinks he knows hockey cause he watched it since he was a kid. If he is our only hope to win I might just be blowing smoke out my ass I don't think he has a clue what to do anyway. One more year of Shanny and all the coaches. I like the GM he does know hockey so a few things should change and change up some of the bottom six with the guys they have signed and coming in to the league. It hurts to be in love that all I got to say, one more year!!!
DeleteOne reader responded privately to my essay ... "every Leaf ticket subscription for the 2024/25 season should come with a therapy session". Shanahan was a gifted player - awesome even. He's had 10 years to make his "Shanaplan" work, it hasn't. If we were in Philly or New York, he'd be long gone. I would support hiring my high school shop teacher to run the franchise if he could get us closer to "the parade" (MT)
DeleteThanks for your excellent analysis Mike. I think you are spot on! I would also point out that in my opinion, as long as the shareholders of MLSE are recording record profits and increases in the value of the enterprise, there is little incentive to change. As most forensic experts investigating failures will tell you, just follow the money! (AP)
ReplyDeleteWell done
ReplyDelete"FOLLOW THE MONEY" ... I was thinking that same thing when you and I were watching that documentary on the creation of BOSTON PIZZA during game 7 ... was HNIC just just saying "thanks" to one of its big advertisers ... hoping they'll be around to spend more next season? (MT)
DeleteI recall years ago when Sundin was injured during the playoffs. As I remember, that Leaf team, led by Gary Roberts was having success during the Leaf's playoff run at the time. Then Sundin returned and the chemistry the team had under Robert's evaporated.This year's team, in games five and six ,reminded me of that Robert's led team.
ReplyDeleteWhen Matthews returned for game seven the chemistry and flow the team had also evaporated. Spot checking Matthews at different times on the P.P., inserting him into different line combinations, further hurt the team's offence. In my opinion Matthew's presence also diminished the forecheck and the physicality the team had in the previous two games. The result was a Bruin team able to spend more time attacking.
Hockey is a team game. No matter the status within the team an individual player should not be more important than team success. Matthews coming off an injury/illness should not have been inserted into a winning lineup. Who knows at what level that decision was made. My opinion, it was the wrong decision. Matthews' ability to thrive as a 69 goal scorer in a playoff series is questionable. Give the team the best opportunity to win game seven and start him in round two.
The Leafs were essentially doomed by an inability to get out of their own zone. How many icing calls in the third period alone? An unwillingness to just shoot the puck. Big fans of the high risk, low reward pass at both ends of the ice. The whole team was not buying into the win at all costs mentality. Lazy on the backcheck for some. Add to that difficulty in finding the shooting lanes in their own zone with more than a hockey stick to block shots.
I agree, changes need to be made from the front office and right through the lineup.
Hope springs eternal but it's wearing mighty thin amongst the fans
Wow!!! Who are you?
DeleteMe?
Couldn't have written it better myself.
Total ... full ... complete agreement on all points made. Nice go'n!
Ya ... let's do what he just said! (MT)
ALSO FROM THE WRITER ... In my essay, I mentioned that my Leafs look like a very good AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE team ... this essay about the Leafs received the most immediate, most engaged response from readers ... but not one reader commented on my comment ... "An American League team" ... people didn't see it ... understand what I meant or totally agree with it. (MT)
DeleteHey Mike. Great article.
DeleteHowever, I vehemently disagree with your Dubas vs Lamoriello evaluation.
Dubas' first big test came soon after his promotion to GM. After a long and contentious negotiation, a 21 year old William Nylander was signed to a 6 x $6.9million contract. The contract was heavily criticized by the Toronto sports media. Many argued that Lamoriello would not have made a similar mistake.
By comparison, Lamoriello's last 2 contracts were for Nikita Zaitsev (7 x$4.5million) and Patrick Marleau (3 x $6.2million). At the time, the Toronto sports media was not particularly concerned with paying huge dollars for a player's 38, 39 and 40 year old seasons. Their tradition of waging war on math and science has continued to this day.
Dubas was burdened with having to unload these 2 cap killing contracts.
The Nylander $6.9million contract just concluded this season and may have been the best cap value in the entire league in 2023-24.
Signing older players is typically very inefficient. However, there is a big difference between the Lamoriello and Dubas signings. Dubas convinced Spezza and Giordano play for $800K/yr. Both were effective players in their first 2 seasons with the Leafs and fantastic value.
Hope to see you again on the ice.
Cheers and GLG!
RW
Excellent points for comparison between the two hockey executives. It's understood that hockey suits make lots of good and bad decisions. However, Lou's resume includes being selected GM of the year (back-to-back) ... he's been a member of the HHOF for more than a decade and he has three Stanley Cup rings. Time will tell for Dubas but I wouldn't be surprised if in three years time nobody will be able to remember his name. (MT)
DeleteLeafs made a gritty comeback from a 3-1 game deficit, only to lose by the narrowest of margins in OT. Could have been hero’s, now bums, and now calls to burn the team to the ground. Looks like Marner is the designated goat - not sue how one guy made the difference. … wasn’t he a hero a few months ago when he broke ( or was it a tie) the Leafs consecutive points record? I guess that’s sports. Like many, I don’t know the answer. How can a team with so much talent fail to raise to the occasion when it counts the most? Secondary scoring?,defence? coaching? management? Willingness to put it all on the line? Whatever it is, it looks like this group (players, coaches and management) has run out of chances. What the team looks like next fall will be interesting. Life-long Leaf fan. CD
DeleteMT,
DeleteThis blog was really terrific! (The reactions of those players at the end are concrete evidence of that)!!
You know that I love the blogs, specifically when you write from you own hockey experience and share your emotions whether about players or the game! This one did hit that sweet spot.