TORONTO (Aug. 15) — The actual “Summer of Love” was 1967, when hippies and counter–culturists gathered in San Francisco, crowding the intersection of Haight/Ashbury while tripping on psychedelia in Golden Gate Park.
Simultaneously, 123 miles south of the Bay Area, occurred the iconic Monterey Pop Festival, featuring such legendary artists as Simon & Garfunkel, The Association, The Who and The Mamas & the Papas. And, of course, Scott McKenzie, singing his 1967 anthem “If you’re going to San Francisco…” Hockey wasn’t much on the mind of the revelers, even if a new local team, the California Seals, was close to debuting across the bridge, in Oakland.
Here in Toronto, the “Summer of Love” occurs every year… at or near Scotiabank Arena. It features an identical cast: president Brendan Shanahan; the general manager of the day (this time, Brad Treliving; previously, Lou Lamoriello and Kyle Dubas); possibly, the coach (Craig Berube showed up this week, scowling) and, of course, members of the ubiquitous Core–4. If it’s a trendy announcement, a bigwig from ownership (Larry Tanenbaum, Keith Pelley) might attend. The Leafs never require a franchise–altering reason to attract reporters like a powerful magnet, even in the heat and humidity of summer. Both of which had mercifully abated by Wednesday of this week. A quick advisory, sent out via email, was more than sufficient to pack the Real Sports Restaurant, adjacent to the club’s home arena. Whereupon the 25th captaincy in the annals of the Maple Leafs was stripped from John Tavares and handed to Auston Matthews. The smiles… the joy… the backslapping, as The Gang reassembled to lionize the greatest regular–season scorer in franchise history (heavy accent on regular–season). The words were different, yet the same (if that makes sense): along the lines of “we all love each other and want to stay together forever.” And, of course, “nothing [about the reason for the press conference] is comparable to our group’s undying resolve for a Stanley Cup championship.” The fact this group has gotten merely 25 percent of the way to such an achievement — and only once in eight attempts — matters not. “Just be patient. The tide will eventually turn.”
HAIL, HAIL, THE GANG’S ALL HERE. JUST ONE QUESTION: WHY WAS JOHN TAVARES, FORCED TO RELINQUISH HIS CAPTAINCY, SMILING WHILE THE NEW COACH (AT RIGHT) WAS SCOWLING?
Incredibly, this tiring narrative is swallowed whole by most members of the local media… then regurgitated to the forever–wishful fan base. As it was again on Hump Day — Shanahan, Treliving, Tavares, Berube and even Mitch Marner showing up to convince onlookers that the club has found its consummate leader. In the audience were former Leaf captains Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour, each of whom performed with incessant drive when the stakes increased. The antithesis of all other players in the restaurant. Still, it was a grand ceremony, befitting a future Hall–of–Fame sniper. Next spring, everything will be different. Forget that promise from 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The time has finally arrived, with the perfect figure atop the leadership pyramid (if I don’t remove the tongue from my cheek, I’ll swallow it). Patience is savagely a virtue in this hockey city. At some point after the 60th anniversary of the longest–ever Stanley Cup drought (2027), the plot might change. But, don’t wager on it.
As the quote confirms: “Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding; mutual confidence; loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.”
Undoubtedly, the definition of “Leafs Love.”
What do we never hear from this neighborly and affectionate clique? Such claims as “we have badly underachieved in the playoffs. None of us (to evoke Nathan MacKinnon) has won sh**. It’s totally unacceptable and we are all to blame. Ownership has been wonderful to us with lucrative (and unbefitting) contracts. We are beholden to the people at the top — and, especially, to our loyal fans, who deserve a profound apology for our impotence at Stanley Cup time. We should have taken property of this long before now. I guarantee everyone watching and listening that we will not spare an ounce of effort or energy to turn this thing around. It simply cannot continue.”
This would resonate with people who can afford to pay through the nose for Leaf tickets… and those without a hope of seeing the club in person, but who live and die with every shift on TV.
Instead, we get the usual empty nonsense:
“It sucks to lose.”
“It’s a bummer.”
“We will get this done.”
“We love playing together; that’s all we want.”
And, the rinse/repeat cycle continues. Incessantly. Unavoidably.
If you aren’t sick of it by now, you never will be.
CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY of long–time hockey executive Gilles Léger, who has died at 83. I got to know Gilles during his long association (1979 to 1995) with the former Quebec Nordiques, who relocated to Denver (in ’95–96) as the Colorado Avalanche; traded with Montreal for stellar goalie Patrick Roy, and immediately won the Stanley Cup. Léger was always around the media lounge and press box at Maple Leaf Gardens and the Air Canada Centre — an ever–present toothpick dangling from his lips; a friendly, engaging man who everyone liked. Prior to joining the Nordiques, Gilles helped run the Toronto Toros/Birmingham Bulls franchise in the WHA. The club played out of ancient Varsity Arena at the University of Toronto in 1973–74 prior to moving into the Gardens for two seasons. It relocated to Alabama in 1976–77. May Gilles rest in eternal peace. He was a fine gentleman.
MORE ITEMS FROM THE VAULT…
MY PROGRAM AND TICKET STUB FROM THE FIRST–EVER BLUE JAYS GAME: A 9–5 VICTORY OVER THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX AT SNOWY EXHIBITION STADIUM ON APR. 7, 1977. AND, TORONTO’S ROSTER (RIGHT) FOR THE HISTORIC OCCASTION. BELOW ARE OTHER ISSUES FROM THE INITIAL SEASON OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN OUR CITY.
PROGRAM FROM THE SECOND HOME OPENER: APR. 14, 1978, A 10–8 LOSS TO THE DETROIT TIGERS AT THE CNE.
MONTREAL CANADIENS MEDIA GUIDES FROM 1965–66 AND 1966–67. HAD THE CANADIENS NOT BEEN UPSET BY THE AGING MAPLE LEAFS IN ’67, MONTREAL WOULD HAVE MATCHED ITS STANLEY CUP RECORD (1956–60) OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE VICTORIES (1965–69). BUT, PUNCH IMLACH’S OLDSTERS HAD OTHER IDEAS.
IT WAS THE WORST SEASON, TO THAT POINT, IN FRANCHISE HISTORY. THE 1972–73 MAPLE LEAFS, HAVING BEEN DECIMATED BY THE UPSTART WORLD HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, PLUMMETED 16 POINTS IN THE STANDINGS AND MISSED THE PLAYOFFS BY THE SAME MARGIN. HERE ARE PROGRAM INSERTS (ABOVE) FROM GAMES AGAINST PHILADELPHIA (DEC. 2, 1972) AND BUFFALO (FEB. 14, 1973). AND, LINE–UPS, BELOW, FROM THE PHILADELPHIA GAME: A 2–2 TIE. THE FLYERS WERE ONE SEASON REMOVED FROM BECOMING THE FIRST EXPANSION TEAM TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP.
PROGRAM INSERTS, ABOVE, FROM TORONTO AT CALGARY AND B.C. AT TORONTO CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE GAMES IN 1970. LINE–UPS, BELOW, FROM THE B.C. ENCOUNTER, IN WHICH LEO CAHILL’S TEAM ROMPED, 50–7, AT CNE STADIUM. IF AN ARGOS FAN FROM THAT ERA, EVERY NAME ON THE TORONTO CLUB WILL BE FAMILIAR.
CFL MEDIA GUIDES THAT DATE MORE THAN A HALF CENTURY.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
The spin on the captaincy is given as…Tavares has not been stripped but has graciously handed it to 34. I’m guessing that tgis has come with an agreement that JT will be resigned. Hopefully at a much lower cap hit.
I think Tavares will sign elsewhere after next season.
“If you aren’t sick of it by now, you never will be.”
And in a nutshell Howard, this is why the results won’t change and they will not ascend to the finals. Not with the corpse four and their newly anointed leader, not with this new and improved coaching staff, and not with this management team. It has been noted that a longer run in the playoffs would net more revenue but to the board of directors that’s just gravy. They produce budgets and projections for all the business units. They choose a revenue figure and add a few percent increase yearly. Attain those marks and you’re a superstar. For the leafs, they likely budget the home games at near capacity and 3 playoff dates at capacity. With increases in ticket prices etc. they easily make or exceed budget so break out the champagne! Mission accomplished. The bureaucratic corporate ethos of Rogers and Bell (neither of which know anything about competition) permeates the leafs all the way to the ice. As Sean McIndoe noted; in leafland, hard or difficult things just aren’t worth trying, let alone doing. And along those lines I don’t expect Berube to last through his contract. Management will resign Marner and keep the band together, disposing of Berube as opposed to making a hard decision about any of their 3 flawed stars.
Tavares has one more year here until his contract is up. Then the core will be dismantled by one player. Signing Tavares has been a total failure for the Leafs. He seems to play by himself. They can’t find a line mate for him to play with, having tried Nylander for so long and nothing good ever happens with them. He’s not physical and he’s a poor defensive player. If he loses a face off in the offensive zone the opposing team will come down the ice in five seconds and produce a scoring chance. Would be a mistake for the Leafs to re-sign him but a chance for a breath of fresh air if he walks. Curious to see though, how new coach Berube will handle him and Morgan Rielly, the other Leafs disappointing star player. Will Berube help these two guys to succeed, or if he cannot, will he be honest like he can be, and call them out for being huge disappointments that brought the team down.
Tavares has been the least of the club’s problems. Look higher.
The club’s two biggest problems have been management and coaching. Dubas was very bad, Treliving is bad, Keefe was not good. I’m curious to see what Berube will do, what his system will be and how different this mostly same group of players will perform under him. Keefe said when the Leafs lost to Boston in the playoffs “Teams set the Leafs up to beat themselves.”. So true. But how exactly? And why don’t the Leafs counter? It’s pretty hard to do what the Leafs have done the last 12 years. Get so close and lose. Two games seven overtimes, four other games seven and game five to Columbus.
Yes, the Leafs have big management problems that cannot be masked with a few ho.hum off season moves. Stuck with the five core players and three new old age players signed long term. A recipe for being stuck with a mediocre team and nothing to do about it.
More great summer reading on the dock, really enjoying your articles!