TORONTO (Sep. 11) — If you fear the local media has lost its love for the Maple Leafs, try and relax. It’s been proven, time and again during the Core–4 (now 3) era, that no amount of playoff misadventure can dissuade the loyal subjects on TV/radio and in print. Virtually all begin their season’s coverage with tales of fantasy… and ardently stand clear of the legitimate issues that have crippled this team, spring after lost spring. As with the club, itself, nothing matters except the 82–game regular schedule. That’s why Auston Matthews is still the captain and “leader” of the Blue and White. The media that comprises the National Hockey League’s easiest city in which to lose cannot change its posture. Which is thoroughly acceptable to newspaper editors and sports directors — all of whom evidently strive to avoid push–back and aggravation from the almighty colossus at Bay and Lakeshore.

Ubiquitous in early to mid–September are stories that pose “questions” about the upcoming season. Two–such articles have thus far been submitted — by Sportsnet (Sonny Sachdeva) and the Toronto Sun (Terry Koshan).

Again, it must be noted that the Leafs own and control 100% of Sportsnet and have no financial stake in any of the three local newspapers (the Sun, Star and Globe and Mail). Given the Maple Leafs, apart from a handful of players, are comprised of middling, interchangable components that are replete in the bloated NHL, my interest centered on Matthews, the playoff outlier that has held back the hockey club more than any figure in modern franchise history. His magnificent regular seasons have been obliterated by consistent no–shows in April and May, particularly with a series on the line. In case you aren’t aware, or need a reminder of arguably the ugliest stat–line in Leaf annals, here is the rundown on the captain in career Game 7 situations (courtesy statmuse.com):

I ask, rhetorically: Can it get any “smaller” than this? Zero goals, three assists and a minus–4.

As such, I was interested to see how close to the top of their stories Sachdeva and Koshan mentioned the only numbers that should truly matter to the Maple Leafs and their fans. Sachdeva, not surprisingly, didn’t go near the subject. His paycheck and Matthews’ are signed by the same company. Koshan did allude to the diminished playoff numbers, but he completely bought the injury excuse from this past May… without, of course, offering an explanation for the other eight springs of incompetence. Or, the mind–boggling marvel of Matthews becoming disabled primarily in Games 5 and 7 of Stanley Cup rounds. In fact, Terry was so hung up on Auston’s failing body that he posted a full story, on Wednesday, reviewing the captain’s tale of injury woe since 2017. It borders, in my view, on dishonorable the way the media kowtows to Matthews, swallowing whatever he and the team put forth as an alibi for the latest no–show in the spring. I remember covering the 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs for The FAN–590 and watching Steve Yzerman hobble on one leg through 23 games. Still, he managed six goals and 23 points, helping Detroit to its third NHL championship in six years. After nearly a decade of glaring playoff decline, you’d think that newspaper reporters, in particular, might choose to wade a bit deeper into the  Matthews phenomenon.

Again, look at the above chart. It’s all due to injuries? Numbers like that do not lie.

Interestingly, reader comments to Koshan’s injury opus were revealing:

“Excuses already? Before training camp?”

“Oh my Lord, who writes this stuff? Matthews must be injured already, off the bench and on to Germany for ???”

“Claimed last year he was battling injury, but he played in the 4 Nations Cup instead of resting. He wasn’t going to miss that. His loyalty to fans and the team that pays his salary was secondary.”

“If he hits anyone, it must be by accident. What did Marner and Matthews do against the Panthers? Nothing.”

“The only injury that stands of for Leafs Nation is ‘effortless'”. I’d rather see someone who has true captain qualities. A captain leads by example. Does a hangnail count as an injury?”

Fans of the Maple Leafs aren’t stupid. If they act with delusion, how can you blame them when the media constantly ignores or twists the actual narrative? What was Koshan attempting to prove with his Wednesday story? That nine years of Matthews underachieving in the playoffs is a fluke? Terry knows better. Trust me.

TSN is starting off similarly. Which is rather disappointing given that Canada’s first all–sports TV network has a wonderful opportunity to temper its flag–waving for the Blue and White. The network’s parent company, Bell Canada Enterprises, no longer holds a financial interest in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment after Ed the Conqueror swallowed its 37.5% share over the summer. Rogers now controls MLSE with a 75% ownership stake.

So what did TSN feature during its supper–hour Sportscenter on Wednesday? A fluff piece about whether Matthews is still the “scariest” goal scorer in the NHL. Only, of course, in the regular season, with FanDuel dropping the Maple Leafs forward to second in Rocket Richard Trophy odds behind Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton.

Network original, Gino Reda, asked Matthews’ former Leafs teammate, Frank Corrado, for his opinion:

“One down year.” Again, no mention whatsoever of the playoffs and why the highest–paid player in the sport last season ($13.25 million, about to be eclipsed by Draisaitl’s $14 million salary) cannot get it done after mid–April.

It’s as if the media has become inured to Matthews’ gag routine every spring. What other excuse is there for purposely burying the topic in every discussion of the now 10–year veteran? Understandably, his Leaf “colleagues” on Sportsnet dance around it. Such is the peril of the most–egregious conflict–of–interest in Canadia media history: a national sports network being owned by the most–popular team in the country. What chance do the on–air people stand of presenting a balanced narrative? Same with baseball on Sportsnet (but way more over the top).

Even level–headed opinion about the Leafs and Blue Jays must be viewed through the prism of club ownership. But, TSN and the local newspapers? That’s inexcusable. And, spare me the garbage about Leafs fans not wanting to hear or read about the “negative.” That isn’t the responsibility of an independent journalist. Never has been. Never will be. Toronto hockey fans are more–than savvy enough to cope with accurate assessments of the team.

That the media wants no part of it is contemptible.

FROM THE VAULT…
My History of the NHL Guide & Record Book
Part 1: 1961–83

Our wonderful digital age has seen the rapid death of actual hand–held items of information. No more–so than in the NHL, where the annual Guide & Record Book hasn’t been published since the 2017–18 season. Until 1984–85, the Guide was the size of a pocket book: 5 x 7 inches. Here are the earliest items in my collection:

MY OLDEST GUIDES COINCIDE WITH THE THREE CONSECUTIVE STANLEY CUP TITLES WON BY THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS UNDER PUNCH IMLACH, BEGINNING IN 1961–62.

THESE GUIDES, IN MY CUPBOARD, SPAN THE FINAL SEASON (1966–67) OF THE SIX–TEAM NHL; THROUGH THE EARLY EXPANSION ERA AND INTO THE WAYNE GRETZKY YEARS. THE 1982–83 / 1983–84 ITEMS WERE SEPARATE BOOKS, AS THE INFORMATION WAS TOO VAST FOR A SINGLE VOLUME.

IN THE LAST YEAR OF THE SIX–TEAM LEAGUE, THE NHL MOVED AWAY FROM ITS TRADITIONAL BLACK COVER FOR THE GUIDE. AND, IN 1969–70 CAME THE FIRST ACTION PHOTO (BOSTON AT MONTREAL). THE 1970–71 ISSUE FEATURED GORDIE HOWE IN HIS FINAL SEASON WITH DETROIT. AND, THE FOLLOWING YEAR DEPICTED THE FIVE NHL SHOOTERS (MAURICE RICHARD, BERNIE GEOFFRION, BOBBY HULL, PHIL ESPOSITO AND JOHN BUCYK) WHO HAD SCORED AT LEAST 50 GOALS IN A SEASON. TODAY, THERE ARE 99–SUCH PLAYERS.

MOVING INTO THE MIDDLE–70’s WERE GUIDES FROM THE FIRST OF THE 1967 EXPANSION TEAMS TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP. PHILADELPHIA PREVAILED IN 1973–74 AND 1974–75.

THE ABOVE GUIDES COINCIDED WITH THE STANLEY CUP DYNASTY OF THE MONTREAL CANADIENS (SCOTTY BOWMAN, KEN DRYDEN, GUY LAFLEUR et al), WHICH SPANNED FOUR CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1976–79). THE 1979–80 EDITION (AT RIGHT) FEATURED LOGOS OF THE 21–TEAM NHL, EXPANDED, THAT SEASON, BY THE FOUR SURVIVORS (EDMONTON, HARTFORD, QUEBEC, WINNIPEG) OF THE OLD WORLD HOCKEY ASSOCIATION.

IT WAS MOSTLY WAYNE GRETZKY ON THE COVER OF THE EARLY–80’s GUIDES. EXCEPT FOR 1981–82 (ST. LOUIS GOALIE MIKE LIUT) AND 1983–84, WHICH FINALLY COMMEMORATED THE FOUR CONSECUTIVE STANLEY CUPS OF THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS. AS MENTIONED, THE LATTER TWO YEARS WERE SPLIT INTO A PAIR OF VOLUMES.

EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM