The must-see Maple Leafs game? It’s only three weeks away
It’s enough to make you miss the days of the Canadian Division.
At least back then, for Maple Leafs followers, there was context, history, rhythm and often intrigue when it came to anticipating and caring about the NHL schedule. Seven teams to track. Four teams make the playoffs. Tidy and terrific.
These days? Let’s just say a return to “normal” hasn’t come with many spills and thrills.
It’s enough to make you miss the days of the Canadian Division.
At least back then, for Maple Leafs followers, there was context, history, rhythm and often intrigue when it came to anticipating and caring about the NHL schedule. Seven teams to track. Four teams make the playoffs. Tidy and terrific.
These days? Let’s just say a return to “normal” hasn’t come with many spills and thrills.
Perhaps you’re one of the few and the brave pumped about the Leafs inexplicably facing the recalibrating Columbus Blue Jackets for the third time in three weeks Friday. Otherwise, you’re more likely to find meaningful Leafs content over the next two weeks watching Toronto prospects Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan play for Canada at the world juniors in Gothenburg than you are following the team itself.
If Minten and Cowan shine, it would confirm that the Leafs might have two useful players in their development stream, unusual for a team that has drafted no higher than 15th in the last seven NHL drafts. We know the Leafs will be adding to their roster between now and the NHL trade deadline, and that Minten and Cowan are likely to be prospects coveted by other NHL clubs. That could leave GM Brad Treliving with tough choices. Are these two kids worth keeping no matter what player may be available?
The Leafs’ next two weeks will be filled with games against Ottawa and Columbus, two cellar dwellers, than another non-division game against Carolina, then non-conference contests against Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose (twice ) and Colorado. The TV networks, as they must, will sell each of these games as dreadfully critical. But only the Senators, really, have a lasting connection with the Leafs, and the aura of the Battle of Ontario died some time ago.
The Vancouver game in the third week of January, by contrast, will be compelling because of the historic relationship between the two cities. Vancouver despises Toronto, Toronto pays little attention to Vancouver. The Leafs once had a farm club in Vancouver. Vancouver’s first captain, Orland Kurtenbach, was a former Leafs farmhand. The Canucks blocked Toronto’s seemingly unstoppable path to the Cup final in 1994. Mats Sundin signed with Vancouver when the Leafs didn’t want him anymore. Roberto Luongo was “shocked” a decade ago when he thought he was going to be traded to the Leafs by the Canucks and it didn’t happen. And so on.
These are also two very good teams with painfully long Stanley Cup droughts who are hoping this might be their year. The Leafs haven’t won since 1967. The Canucks, founded in 1970, have never won.
