TORONTO (June 5) — There was a time during my radio career when reporters would gather around televisions in the press box at Maple Leaf Gardens, then Air Canada Centre, to “cover” Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night In Canada. It’s true: a scribe from The Canadian Press would listen to Don Cherry, take notes, then file a story to the nationwide ticker. That’s how important Donald S. was back in the day. The rough equivalent, in the current era, is Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Such major news outlets as the Toronto Sun “cover” Elliotte’s 32 Thoughts podcast and write stories based on his information about the Maple Leafs. That’s how important the Friedge is.
How, then, did a reporter from rival TSN come up with one of the biggest stories involving Toronto’s search for a head coach? This post appeared last Sunday on ‘X’ (or Twitter): There is no validity to the rumours circulating that connect the Toronto Maple Leafs and David Carle, TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reported today. Initially, the news was surprising as the Denver University coach was the apple of John Chayka’s eye. But, Carle is happily entrenched out in Colorado and has rejected National Hockey League overtures in the past. It seems clear he wasn’t anxious to uproot his family and guide last season’s 28th place team in the NHL, even with the promise of a No. 1 pick in the draft. Remarkably, it wasn’t until today that Friedman echoed Johnston’s report, stating on his podcast that Carle was out of the picture with the Maple Leafs. To his credit, Elliotte quickly acknowledged the TSN bulletin (without attribution) by suggesting he had no information to confirm whether it was true or untrue.
Today, he chose Door No. 1.
This is not, of course, to sound critical of Friedman, who has long been the undisputed No. 1 hockey insider on the planet; a tag held previously by only one man: TSN legend Bob McKenzie. It’s true — as I’ve written — that Elliotte holds an immeasurable advantage over his colleagues, with first–hand information about the Leafs trickling down the Rogers’ pipeline. But, Friedman has earned such a privileged stance with the company and almost always breaks news about the club. During the romance with Carle, Elliotte did make it clear that the college coach was likely to stay put. But, he never confirmed as such until today. Nearly a week after Johnston’s unequivocal post. To be honest, since Rogers obtained 75% controlling interest in the Maple Leafs, I cannot recall another news outlet beating Elliotte to a significant angle. So, a very impressive feat by Johnston, the former C.P. scribe.
TSN HOCKEY REPORTER CHRIS JOHNSTON SCORED BIG THIS WEEK. Forbes Magazine Photo
NO CHOICE FOR CHAYKA: Not surprisingly, it seems clear that the new general manager of the Maple Leafs is operating amid one order from above: Hands off No. 34. Which, if true, is a foreboding circumstance for the Blue and White. Speaking, earlier today, at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, John Chayka told reporters “We’ve had several conversations with [Matthews] and his representatives, and what I saw was a happy captain — someone who’s got a lot of pride to be captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs; someone who wants to win in Toronto, which aligns with how we think about [the situation].” If Chayka saw a “happy” captain of the Leafs, he should have snapped a photo with his mobile device for visual evidence. Never in modern franchise history has a player wearing the ‘C’ appeared so abjectly miserable. And, that doesn’t include nearly a decade of disappearance in the Stanley Cup hunt; most–prominently during a half–dozen winner–take–all encounters in which he’s fired blanks.
If Matthews has “pride” as captain of the Leafs and wants to “win in Toronto”, when might he start showing it? Or, have the past nine playoff years been an illusion, as so many atop Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment care to believe. I’ve said it before and I’ll take it to my grave: the Leafs will win nothing as long as Matthews remains the figure around whom all others orbit. Perhaps an alternate circumstance would work for the No. 1 pick in 2016 — yes, look where Mitch Marner stands now that he’s clear of the Toronto Corpse–4 — but it will never happen here.
I suspect Chayka is savvy enough to see through the Matthews mirage, but can do nothing about it with his hands tied by Ed the Conqueror and Keith Pelley. Hanging on to Matthews at all costs (he may be worth half his $13.25 million salary) is clearly the plan at 60 Bay St. and One Mount Pleasant Drive. There’s not a smidgen of evidence that captain Auston can control an important playoff game, let alone a series, yet those jersey sales must still be brisk. Give me another reason why Chayka would wish to retain an overcompensated, underachieving veteran.
IMAGINE PUGILISTIC PATRICK BEHIND THE BENCH: Nothing could provide greater intrigue than Patrick Roy being hired my MLSE to replace Craig Berube. I haven’t always agreed with Roy’s tactics behind the bench — and he was an absolute boor, at times, with the media during his playing career. But, I can’t think of another person capable of lighting a fuse under the stale Toronto franchise. I don’t think he’s a particularly good fit for Matthews — there is likely no–such individual on Earth — because No. 34 doesn’t respond to challenging circumstances with the Maple Leafs. But, Roy would certainly spice up the Toronto hockey scene… and he is among the most–decorated playoff figures of our time (winning four Stanley Cups as a goalie; two with Montreal and two with Colorado). How could that negatively impact a dressing room that knows nothing about a legitimate Cup quest?
Another good choice — and more gentile — would be Peter Laviolette, the 61–year–old winner of the 2006 Stanley Cup in Carolina. Laviolette’s brief tenure in Manhattan was a disaster, which hardly makes him unique. The New York Rangers went 54 years (1940–94) between Stanley Cups and are working toward that number, again, with a 31–season drought. One championship in 85 years is blatantly Leafs–like. So, I’d give Laviolette a mulligan in the search for a Toronto coach. He thoroughly understands the game and carries a solid reputation.
CLIFF IS GONE: Just found out that Cliff Fletcher died this morning at 90. A blog will be dedicated to my years around Fletcher as the twice–GM of the Leafs. Suffice to say, though, that few people in the game, since 1967, have been so–widely liked and respected at the same time. Condolences to Chuck, Kristy, Jim and Linda.
DON’T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS, this is clever…
60 YEARS AGO IN The Hockey News
It was June 1966 and the Montreal Canadiens had won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, knocking off the Red Wings at the Detroit Olympia on a still–debated overtime goal by Henri Richard. The Hockey News, in that era, published monthly issues in June, July, August and September before returning to a weekly schedule. The June edition carried regular season and playoff statistics for all leagues, professional and amateur. The Boston Bruins, having been playoff spectators through the 60’s, looked forward to the arrival of Oshawa junior sensation Bobby Orr (Ontario Hockey Association scoring stats for 1965–66 at the bottom of this segment). And, much planning was underway among the six expansion sites (Oakland, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Minnesota) slated to join the league in 1967–68. The final year of the so–called “Original Six” lay ahead.
Among the expansion teams, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and “San Francisco” had filled their general manager and coaching vacancies while Los Angeles, Minnesota and Philadelphia were halfway there. Lynn Patrick would actually manage and coach the Blues for the first quarter of the season before turning over the bench to Scotty Bowman. Minnesota GM Wren Blair would ultimately name himself first coach of the North Stars.
Bobby Hull was the biggest name in hockey in the mid–60’s, winning the Hart Trophy with Chicago for the second concecutive year. He led the NHL with 97 points, 19 more than teammate Stan Mikita, and became the first player to eclipse the 50–goal mark, finishing with 54. No other player scored more than 31 in 1965–66.
Ken McKenzie was founder and publisher of The Hockey News. He provided a weekly notes column.
A number of future NHL players comprised the Central Hockey League champs in Oklahoma City.
Final scoring stats for all teams in the Junior OHA.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
Here’s a way out of the 34 mess. Chaykra should sit down with Pelley and bombard him with “data” supporting Matthews’ lack of playoff production and success. Show him how in games 5 and 7 against the Panthers (as an example) the conclusive evidence that Matthews was the first to disappear and jump off the boat. The rest of the team infamously followed that vanishing act. Then, tell Pelley to go to Ed the Conqueror with said evidence and gift him the Jim Collins book Good to Great (he should read it BEFORE gifting it). I’ve mentioned before on your blog this is one of, if not THE best book regarding the difficult and brutal truths about leadership. It outlines why some companies make the leap to “great” and others don’t. Companies or organizations that accept “good” as “good enough” will never make the leap to “great” because of a key principle – they don’t have “the right people on the bus”. And most who read this blog agree that Auston is not one of the right people. The Leafs have to make some brutally difficult decisions if they want to get past the 50 plus years of futility. The first one is getting the “right people on the bus” and this means the difficult decision of saying goodbye to Auston. If some of these key MLSE decision makers read this book and started acting upon on its tenets, we would slowly start to see tangible results and a path to one day achieving “great”.
good read you just get the feeling AM34 does not want to be on the LEAFS force feeding him the C was a huge blunder.i still hope for one of his team USA backers to come calling.
Nice Photo of Cliff. I didn’t know that he was a hipster back in the day.
As a leaf fan, I owe a debt of gratitude to him for bringing Doug Gilmour and Pat Burns to Toronto. It’s wild to remember how fast he turned the leafs around in such a short period of time.
Patrick Roy would tell it like it is, which would be a novelty in this town.
Lots of people in this town do tell it like it is, just not the ones who work for MLSE or most of the media. Patrick Roy might do so too, as did Craig Bérubé, which in the end will just get him run out of town as well.
totally agree Howard. AM34 and his previous coach did not get along how will ROY motivate him.i would like theLEAFS to at least interview JUSI AHOKAS that just won the MEMORIAL CUP with KITCHENER. they might have a good future Marlie coach if the big club promotes Gruden this year