John Ferguson

No Tears For The Ex–Leafs

TORONTO (May 25) — At some point late tonight, Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel will cross paths near center–ice at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. They will shake hands; likely embrace, and re–affirm their love for one another as friends… Read More

Should Matthews Sprout Wings?

TORONTO (May 22) — As part of his popular, weekend–notes column on Sunday, Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun posed an interesting question: “In watching [William] Nylander playing alongside Nicklas Backstrom [with Sweden at the World Hockey Championships], I couldn’t… Read More

Leafs Have Earned Playoff Shot

TORONTO (Mar. 22) — The math will sort itself out over the next 18 days and nights, finally determining whether the Toronto Maple Leafs partake in the Stanley Cup tournament for the first time in 13 years after a full… Read More

Is There A Cup Favorite?

TORONTO (Mar. 11) — Here’s a prediction for the 2017 Stanley Cup final that would have drawn loud gagging noises if made prior to the season: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Minnesota Wild in a battle of the two most–recent National… Read More

The Leafs At the Quarter–Pole

TORONTO (Nov. 24) — Over–achievement? Moderate achievement? And, does it really matter? These are questions that come to mind with respect to the Toronto Maple Leafs after 20 games of the 2016–17 National Hockey League season. Clearly, the team is… Read More

Goaltending Angst Intensifies

TORONTO (Oct. 25) — Yes, it’s true: There are fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs that have already written off Frederik Andersen as the solution to an interminable goaltending conundrum. After only four starts in the first two weeks of… Read More

Blue Jays Walking a Tightrope

TORONTO (Sep. 12) — As they careen through their most untimely slump in 29 years, the Toronto Blue Jays are saying all the right things and doing all the wrong things. Not since 1987 have the Blue Jays engendered such… Read More

Kessel Fooled Leafs Nation

TORONTO (July 20) — When Phil Kessel told Sportsnet–590 on June 15 that he would likely bring the Stanley Cup to our city, many figured his incentive was to stick it up the old wahzoo of Leafs Nation. The multitudes… Read More

Bernier’s Baby Has the Scoop

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (June 18) — Those newby children make for terrific pawns, don’t they? Can’t even say “da–da” yet and their fathers are heading elsewhere in the National Hockey League. What a wonderful world. For those unaware, Martine… Read More

Personnel Still Matters Most

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (July 22) – As Hall-of-Fame executive Cliff Fletcher might say: “Analytics Shmanalytics.” Time of course will tell, but the hiring of Kyle Dubas as assistant general manager would seem to be a progressive move by the… Read More

“By the Time We Got to Woodstock…”

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (July 16) – Jesus, I’m old. How many reading this remember where they were at 9:32 a.m. EDT 45 years ago today? If they were around 45 years ago today? I didn’t think so. At the… Read More

It’s Habs’ Year, Leafs Nation

(BUT, NOT TODAY) By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (May 17) – The 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs haven’t gone over particularly well here in the Big Smoke; not nearly as well, for example, as the Calder Cup tournament, where Toronto Marlies are… Read More

Kadri-Carlyle Will Not Work

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Jan. 6) – It appears all but certain that Maple Leafs general manager David Nonis will have to make a decision before the National Hockey League trade deadline this year: Nazem Kadri or Randy Carlyle. Should… Read More

The Sundin Question – Five Years Later

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Feb. 13) – Today is Mats Sundin’s 42nd birthday. He remains the Toronto Maple Leafs all-time scoring leader nearly five years after last donning the blue and white jersey. Though he has twice since been accorded … Read More

Farrell, Burke and Bountiful Deception

By HOWARD BERGER TORONTO (Oct. 23) – In the public arena, there is nothing so humdrum as denial. Whether in sports, politics, entertainment – any community, in fact, with widespread acclaim – denial is almost always affirmation. A stark reminder … Read More