“We have all been here before… we have all been here BEFORE.”
— Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: Deja vu
TORONTO (Sep. 18) — When I was a kid, the most–famous and notorious athlete in this city was a Lebanese–American named Eddie Farhat. In his spare time, he worked for his family’s automobile business in Lansing, Mich. Otherwise, he wrestled professionally as The Sheik, an uncontained louse from Syria. Around the middle of 1969, promoters at Maple Leaf Gardens knew they were on to something. Everyone but Pierre Trudeau and Dave Keon was getting torched (sometimes literally) by this middle–eastern savage and his “manager” Abdullah Farouk (actually a little Jewish guy named Ernie Roth). Sunday night wrestling crowds on Carlton St. grew to more than 16,000 in the hopes of watching The Sheik finally lose. There was splendid advertising on Saturday afternoons and evenings with Channel 11 Wrestling out of Hamilton. Hosted by British grappler Lord Athol Layton, the headliners for the upcoming Gardens’ card would be interviewed. All the greats of the era — Whipper Billy Watson, Bobo Brazil, Haystack Calhoun, Tex McKenzie, The Mighty Igor, Bulldog Brower, Tiger Jeet Singh — told Layton how THEY were going to dethrone the Syrian wildman… and were predictably decimated in Toronto the following night.
This analogy from my youth surfaces every year, right about now, when the Maple Leafs and their dependable accolytes in the media claim that this is the year Auston Matthews puts on his big–boy pants and morphs into Mark Messier. Only to have that silly whim decimated like The Sheik’s wanton opponents every spring (or beforehand).
The mere notion that Leafs management needed to prove to Matthews its desire to win is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in sports. This player, gifted the ‘C’ in the ridiculous hope it would light his flickering flame, hasn’t the slightest ability to motivate teammates — by word or example. And, completely in spite of what they will tell you, publicly. Matthews, to me, is summed up in four words: Game Five. Game Seven. Until he hoists the Stanley Cup as captain of the Leafs, Auston’s career will be defined, justifiably, by his total disappearance in the fifth and seventh games against Florida two springs ago. When the Leafs were loudly derided by the least–reactive crowd in the National Hockey League en route to consecutive 6–1 poundings. Absolute replays of one another. While the captain lurked in the shadows, providing not a speck of leadership or offensive flair. Typical of his entire decade in blue and white, yet more demonstrable and unrefined. After which he so bravely called out “too many passengers” without even implying personal culpability. Then, Matthews appeared to quit on the team last season — everyone in the mainstream press buying into his annual spate of injury — and watched from the sideline as the Leafs plummeted to 28th place in the standings. Still, the team and so many in the media worship the ground beneath him.
It is truly among the most–astonishing and inexplicable circumstances in Toronto sports history.
STUFF (ABOVE AND BELOW) THAT I FOUND ON LINE ABOUT NO. 34. SOME RATIONAL. MOST UTTERLY PREPOSTEROUS.
Earlier this week, general manager John Chayka, who seems coerced into mouthing the party lines of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, offered a sincere and heartfelt desire for Auston to remain a Leaf until his final stride on the ice. Evidently, no one bothered to ask Chayka what prompted such a wish. So, he fell back on the “great and unchallenged leadership” of his captain. Upon reading those words, I sprinted to the medicine cabinet for Gravol.
I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat: Matthews couldn’t lead an army of ants to a picnic. Humiliating John Tavares by taking away his captaincy and giving it to Matthews ranks among the stupidest decisions in franchise history. Thousands of cognizant observers could have warned the club against it. And, probably did. Still, the geniuses at 60 Bay Street made the move; fortunate to have a confident and dignified person (Tavares) to play along with the charade. Forget that Matthews should have been sent packing after the 2021 playoff collapse against Montreal.
We all know that Brendan Shanahan would have offered up relatives before dealing the superstar playoff dud.
Why the organization — from Ed the Conqueror, down — remains beholden to Matthews cannot be explained.
Other than turning to Keith Pelley’s least–favorite subject: jersey sales.
That Auston claimed to be “extremely motivated” heading into training camp should be taken with a boulder of salt. He likes to score goals and whip up the crowd (home and away) during the relative slumber of the regular schedule. Then, he hides… repeatedly… and cannot be found during decisive Stanley Cup matches (all six of which he has gone scoreless). But, fear not. We still have the Chris Johnston’s of the world gushing over Gavin McKenna potentially skating alongside a “world–class goal scorer”, without a mention or implication of playoff negligence. It’s as if there’s no more hockey each year after Apr. 12. Only God’s gift from this summer may rescue the franchise as the Maple Leafs were completely underserving of the No. 1 draft selection. If McKenna can quickly mature into a front–line NHLer, as so many predict, the stench of Matthews in the spring may ultimately fade.
If the Leafs are still counting on Matthews to perform in the clutch, they’ll get precisely what they deserve.
Again.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
Leafs have no team toughness. Domi is out. Benoit and Carlo were traded for almost nothing and they were two dmen that were willing to fight. Today at camp Dakota Joshua is playing with the b squad and they’ve only brought in Zach MacEwen, a minor leaguer to help up front. So who is going to provide the toughness on this team? Morgan Rielly? John Tavares? Easton Cowan? Jack Roslovic? Leafs are going to be smacked around by Montreal game one of the regular season. One the scoreboard and physically too. They won’t have any answers. It won’t even be close.
It’s easy coaching backwards while looking in the rearview mirror.
Switching from Keefe to Berube was an unmitigated disaster. Hiring Treliving as GM, in retrospect seems bonkers, BUT….. At the time I also felt it was bonkers. I was optimistic they’d hire Hunter, Bergevin, or Chiarelli …..
Looking forward
I always loved your idea for Toronto to Bring in Gretz and Mess to run the team. In an imperfect/Trump AI world, they’d be GM & Coach, and I’d jack them full of steroids and Chinese Peptides and throw them back on the ice while putting David Ayers between the pipes.
I do like that Toronto went out and got the best available defenseman available to them. I also like that Keith Pelley shot his shot at Jon Cooper. Cooper is so damn charming I’m surprised that every other team in the NHL isn’t lining up to pick him up on the rebound when his contract runs out.
IMO McKenna, Easton, and defense is going to be key to the new way Toronto plays hockey. For the past 10 years, Toronto had trouble advancing the puck. They need to get up the ice quick as a bunny, and then start taking shots, sending it back to the defense for bombs away.
Rather than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, Toronto opted to throw them overboard. It’s going to be interesting to see how this all plays out.
Leaf land seems content with the Leafs. They are a bad team with little hope of doing anything or improving or having a bright future. The Leafs are now in their “proper place.” Montreal winning both games of the split squad series is a sign of what this season will be. Filled with losing, missed chances, sloppy play and aw shucks, nice try, too bad. The team and the media seem content with that. And the blowing up of it all and the new required direction and change of philosophy are yet years away.
have you ever heard of training camp? You are always so negative please cheer for another franchise. the LEAFS have players that have heart that were brought in.plus they still have the rightful captain on the team in JT.things should be better not cup worthy but better .
You’ll see. This team will make people want to wear paper bags over their heads. From game one.
Howard- I am by no means a Matthews fan at all- and my friends and I have been very disappointed at his lack of playoff successes over the last 10 seasons. I think he will bounce back this season in a fairly big way- not so much because of “Leaf pride” but by anger and maybe more of envy of a about a half dozen players in the NHL- some 6-8 years younger than him- making close to 20 million dollars per season now. Matthews I suspect – wants that big money in his next contract and the pride that goes with being a top earning player. Matthews will make decent money next contract( above 15 million per year) but not near 20 million dollars per year if he only gets 35 goals or less and if Leafs miss playoffs- or bow out meekly in the first round of the playoffs- this coming season.
I have to disagree with your assessment of game 7 against the Panthers 2 seasons ago. For the first time in many years – I finally went to a game 7 in Toronto. There have been a fair number of game sixes in Toronto- not a lot of games sevens however! Leafs went missing on a breakaway in the first minute or two by a decent save by now Leaf “Bob”- the Panthers put in place a really not seen in the series “ full court press” with 2 men deep forechecking in Leafs zone and both D men pinching hard at the blue line . Leafs could not compensate adequately and resorted to a chip and chase routine fron their own zone- akin to “ punting” the puck into the neutral zone or early Panthers D zone. Countless minutes of the puck being in the Leafs end in the first 2.5 periods meant for very very few Leafs scoring chances. Florida capably managed these “punts” with no “ fair catches” on almost all occasions. Borderline coaching by maybe an overrated coach Berube – could have been a factor in Leafs poor breakout pattern from their D zone that whole season.
Recall- that 24/25 Leafs team- during the regular season had a number of games when there were many minutes at a time where they could not get the puck out of their own end. There were games during that regular season where the Leafs were mostly outplayed or even for 50-55 minutes and their 5-10 minute cumulative bursts during the game- essentially won the game.
As such- game 7 against Florida in 24/25 was a team loss- and even I would suggest it was a coaching issue regarding breakout from D zone year long and a perennial problem for several of the last coaching regimes. Matthews was a passenger in that 24/25 misguided season- agreed. Leafs have been a wretched team in breakouts from their D zone- indeed over the last 10 years or more- and flaws in coaching, management, drafting and development have all had a role in this regard.
Matthews will have a most excellent regular season this coming season. How he fares in the hopeful playoffs- a different matter- and related to the players around him and the coaching style adopted by coach Hiller.
Your points about Matthews- being an overall disappointment in the playoffs over the last 10 or so seasons- absolutely fair as Ms correct. If the Leafs falter this season in a big way- and fair assessment puts Matthews at the top of the team in terms of disappointment- I would be very much in favour of moving on from him at the end of this coming season.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply.
it does not matter how many points he gets in the regular season. Please stop being a passenger when the team needs you the most in the playoffs. Big mistake removing the C from 91
I believe you have nailed Auston’s thought process as he has shown that it’s more about him than it is about the team. However I don’t think he will be able to execute the plan as he is mostly injured or playing to not get injured.
100% Howard
Only unknown is how many millions this fraud will demand, and Rogers will pay, to keep him here while we wait in line on line for the oxymoron called Rogers customer service.
Loved your analogy. Calhoun a personal favorite, btw.