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What Really Grinds My Gears…

Written by: admin on 26th June 2009

What Really Grinds My Gears... | read this item

You know what really grinds my gears hockey fans?

As a Maple Leafs fan I’m continuously reminded that the team hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967. All the people that rip this team seem to think the Leafs have had zero success since 1967. This is not exactly true. I don’t feel things have been that bad but I’m not one of the ageless wonders that witnessed the last championship and the ensuing drought.

My memories of the blue and white have been relatively limited. I was born in 1985. In this time I’ve witnessed some good playoff victories and some great moments. The 90’s provided some generally great entertainment, notably the 1992-93 squad that propelled the Leafs to one of the most exciting Conference Finals in recent history. The trump card in that series, Wayne Gretzky or officiating (take a pick), robbed the Leafs of their first Cup Finals appearance since 1967. Not only were the Maple Leafs robbed of a chance at the Stanley Cup in 1993, but more notably they were robbed of the chance of taking a Cup away from those dammed Montreal Canadiens.

With a Maple Leafs victory in 1993 we would be now be talking about how Montreal is on a 23-year drought (dating to their 1986 cup) however their current 16-year drought is still a pretty good feeling for fans of the blue and white.

The 90’s were also fun to watch because, after that dirty Gretzky high-stick on Gilmour in 1993, there was another berth in the Conference Finals in 1994. Again, the Leafs finished off with the same result.

There were a few ‘disaster’ years that followed these somewhat successful campaigns but the changing of the guard from Gilmour and Clark, to Sundin and friends (Hoglund, Berezin, Roberts, Thomas, Mogilny, CUJO) meant more playoff victories for the Maple Leafs. Just for the record, I am a firm believer that Sundin’s best ever winger as a Maple Leaf was good ol’ Stevie Thomas. Yes I remember Mogilny, who doesn’t remember that beauty and his wonky hip….but he was never a regular winger for big Mats.

If Toronto can somehow pull the trigger on one of the top two draft picks in the 2009 draft the team could be set

Under Sundin and friends the Leafs again were in the Conference Finals in 1998, 1999, and 2002, each as exciting as the last. The total of five Conference Finals from 1993-2002 are enough to make any team happy while showing their reputability and competitiveness but since it was Leafs a higher standard was demanded.

My period of time as a Maple Leafs fan is one where I can look back with fond memories.

As a university student in southern Ontario however I have yet to witness Maple Leafs’ playoff hockey. Thanks to a lockout and four straight years of mediocrity the Leafs are once again waiting for next season. The Maple Leafs success in this period is ultimately deemed as a failure because they did not win a Stanley Cup but lets not beat around the bush…being one of the top 4 teams in the NHL is an incredibly impressive feat. Just look at Philadelphia last year.

I’m not trying to argue that since the lockout Maple Leafs’ hockey has been all-out entertainment because the majority of this period has been brutal. I will, though, say these non-playoff years will be good for the franchise.

In the first three years of failure after the lockout the Leafs have drafted Jiri Tlusty, traded a first-rounder for Vesa Toskala, and drafted a beauty in Luke Schenn. These players will not immediately bring success but at least Luke Schenn is finally bringing the potential for future success to this franchise. Toskala and Tlusty have not been great since becoming Leafs but they could definitely still command good return on the market. This leads to the ultimate point, the Tavares and Hedman sweepstakes. If Toronto can somehow pull the trigger on one of the top two draft picks in the 2009 draft the team could be set up well for a run in two or three years, maybe even a playoff berth next season.

Winning the Stanley Cup is an achievement that many say is the hardest to win in sports. Having said that, I’m reminded again that it has been since 1967 that Toronto hasn’t had a Stanley Cup parade but with the way this team is starting to rebuild there is reason to be hopeful. More hope will come if the Leafs can trade up in an attempt at acquiring sure-fire superstars Tavares and Hedman but either way the future is bright even if the Leafs draft at the expected seventh position.

For OpenIceHockey.com, I’m Kyle Raby

Topics: 1967, berezin, clark, Conference Finals, cujo, gimour, Hedman, hoglund, Jiri Tlusty, Luke Schenn, mogilny, Monreal Canadiens, roberts, Stanley Cup, sundin, Tavares, thomas, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vesa Toskala, Wayne Gretzky High Stick