I guess that's the number of years I've been a fan. Almost as long as I've been alive. Getting to watch hockey on Saturday nights with my dad, cheering for the Blue and White, waiting for the Peter Puck segment, waiting for the Leafs to win.
14
My favourite Leaf wore 14. Dave Keon. My mom hand sewed the number on the back of all my early Leaf jerseys. Lady Byng trophy, Conn Smythe trophy, 7 time All-Star, 4 Stanley Cups, Hockey Hall of Fame. The model of who I wanted to be if I played for the Maple Leafs.
I watch the Leafs now and can't believe how far the team has fallen. Year after year, time after time... I get more disappointed by the Leafs. Promises to be different, more truculent... just words conjured to bring hope to the faithful but hollow and meaningless. I watch the team play, I watch them win, I see them lose, I talk about the changes I would make.
The team on the ice has no character.
This thought hit me a couple of days ago when Pat Quinn passed away and tributes were all over the tv, radio and internet. Former players were talking about his presence, about how he carried himself, his character as a man. He was a great GM and coach and the Leafs were very good under his direction.
character *from dictionary.com
- the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.
- one such feature or trait; characteristic.
- moral or ethical quality:a man of fine, honorable character.
- qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity:
It takes character to face up to a bully. - reputation:
a stain on one's character. - good repute.
- an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.
The team on the ice has no character. It is very evident by their conduct on the ice this past week with the omission of a fan salute after their win against Tampa Bay. I get that the Leaf players were angry at fans for the booing and jersey tossing; I get that fans were angry at the leafs for a drubbing at the hands of the tanking Sabres and the strong Predators. In my opinion, the fans have a right to show their anger and disappointment, the Leaf players don't. The fans pay huge ticket prices to watch the team (I don't get to go to many games but I pay extra on my cable bill to have Leafs TV and get the extra Leaf games). Don't we deserve to have a good product put in front of us? Shouldn't we be able to set high standards for the team we watch? We're paying for the end product. We're paying for these multi-millionaire players to put an effort forward. The players don't have a right to disrespect the people who are ultimately paying their salaries. They don't have the right to snub the 20,000 fans in attendance in order to get even with the handful in attendance who threw jerseys no matter how loud the booing was, no matter how loud the "Go Raptors" chants were. The booing and chanting was in the past. The team was getting cheered and lauded for their efforts when the team chose to exact their vengeance.
Personally, I'm not a fan of the meaningless salute. I thought it was cool the first time I saw it and it really seemed to have meaning but with every team doing it there is no meaning behind it. I would be alright with the decision to stop doing it. Unfortunately, the Leaf players made the decision at the wrong time and used it as a way to get even with the fans. This points to the heart of the issue with the Leafs... my Leafs... they, as a collective, have no character.
The Leafs are lost. They truly need a rebuild. They need to get rid of the cancer in the locker-room and start moving forward.
If one looks around the league for examples of players a team can build around you see a list of guys that are always looking to improve, always wanting to make themselves better which leads to making those around them better. Crosby, Toews, Getzlaf, Weber, Stamkos, Suter, Perry, Staal, Giroux.... These are guys who, from what I've heard, work just as hard in the off-season to stay in shape, to improve their skills. They have character. They lead their teams by example. Young players coming up see these leaders and get caught up in the desire to be better and they start working just as hard; they develop character.
Who do the Leafs young players have to mirror themselves after? Phil ‘I skated 10 times maybe all summer’ Kessel. What a rolemodel!! My friend argues that Kessel wasn't hired to be a leader, he was hired to put the puck in the net. I agree with my friend on this one. That is the reason Kessel was signed to an 8 year contract, because he puts the puck in the net. An unfortunate side-effect is that he is still affecting the team with his attitude. In my opinion Kessel is the cancer. His signing of $8mil for 8 years was a dagger to the Leafs. My friend extols Kessel for his talent. He thinks that the point-per-game player is what the Leafs need and who the team should build around. I contend that, although Kessel has talent, he is a detriment to the team as a whole. I'm sure the Bruins GM, Chiarelli, figured this out and that is why he was willing to move Kessel. If Chara and the other leaders on the Bruins couldn't get Kessel to change his ways (Zdeno Chara: 'We tried' to address issues with Phil Kessel) then, no matter that he can bring a point-per-game, he had to go. The Leafs have a shambles of leadership and are now stuck with Kessel.
People talk about the team needing leadership. This is true. They need to find that player, the "one" player, that is a man of character. The one that will hold himself and the players around him accountable for their actions on and off the ice. Phaneuf isn't that guy. He isn't going to lift the team on his shoulders and lead them to the Stanley Cup. We have seen evidence of that since he was named captain. I like Phaneuf as a defenseman. I think the team has asked him to do too much and over-burdened him. Do the Leafs have a player on the current roster that can be the leader? Some say Lupul, others guess at Clarkson. I say no. If the Leafs had a leader he would have stepped forward to veto the decision not to salute. He would have faced down Kessel (we all know he instigated it... shouldn't do such a thing with a dozen cameras on you) at that moment and carried the team forward. The fans wouldn't have even known such a thing was considered but that would have been a true leader.
I'd like to see the Leafs trade Kessel, to get rid of the cancer, and Phaneuf, his time as captain is over, and start rebuilding this team. If the Leafs had an established leadership group I would agree with keeping Kessel but without any leadership, Kessel alone will fetch enough to build the team around. I could see the Leafs getting a quality starter, a top prospect and a first round pick from a team whose leadership is in place but just needs the sniper to get them to the cup. The Predators, Blues, Coyotes and Ducks could definitely use his services but do they have the pieces for a quality return? Phaneuf might find a fit with Edmonton or Colorado.
It's just time to do it right.
