TORONTO (Nov. 23) — Hold one hand close to your face and read the following sentence through the gap between your fingers. It’s a chilling prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Yet, undeniable at the quarter–mark of the National Hockey League season: Were the Jack Adams Award presented today, Craig Berube would be NHL coach–of–the–year. Intending no disrespect toward Jolly Jack, who built the dynastic Detroit Red Wings teams of the 1950’s with Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk and Red Kelly, the trophy named for him is largely a curse. Recipients can look at their careers behind the bench and recognize the achievement as an early death knell.
With half his team on Injured Reserve, Berube has adroitly guided the Maple Leafs to seventh place in the overall standings at 12–6–2 for 26 points in 20 games. Perhaps not eye–popping figures, yet remarkably impressive given the long and indefinite absence of Auston Matthews. A little birdy suggested to me, on Friday, that the captain is battling an ailment more–common in the NHL a quarter–century back in which a strained groin muscle spreads into the lower abdomen. It can be debilitating for a hockey player, whose skating motion is derived from maneuverability in that mid–portion of the body. If this is, indeed, the malady sustained by No. 34, it explains why he’s been sidelined since Nov. 3. And, why he is now skating — gingerly — apart from his teammates.
Less–simple to explain — even if astoundingly common — is Toronto’s 6–1 record so far without Matthews. The team could have crumbled on Wednesday night after Zach Whitecloud demolished Matthew Knies with an open–ice thump in the neutral zone. Nearing the midway mark of regulation time. Knies wobbled into Sick Bay to join teammates Matthews, Max Domi, Max Pacioretty, David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok. Still, the Leafs kept battling and earned a decisive, 4–0 triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights — hardly a pushover in the West.
It was afterward, however, that Berube showed his character. He could have railed against the Vegas defenseman for a “careless hit” and “targeting the head”. Or, at referees Eric Furlatt and Kendrick Nicholson for refusing to call even a minor penalty. Instead, the Maple Leafs’ coach (a bruising old pro, himself) may have begrudgingly admired Whitecloud for a throwback maneuver in today’s sanitized NHL: a blue–liner stepping up pugnaciously in the neutral zone against an opponent watching the puck. “It was a hockey hit,” said Berube, “the kind that has been around the game forever. [Knies] was in a vulnerable position. The guy was on him from behind and it’s a tough play. But, it’s hockey. That’s part of the game.” A lesser person might have spent hours and days crying “poor us” and blaming the officials for compromised vision. Maybe, if the Leafs had lost the match, their coach would have erupted. Instead, the players buckled down and continued to perform effectively. Not since Pat Quinn joined the Leafs for the 1998–99 season has the club so–quickly responded to a “new” coach. In one year, the Big Irishman authored a massive, 28–point improvement. Roger Neilson took over from Red Kelly in 1977–78 and Toronto ascended by 11 points. In both cases, the Maple Leafs qualified for the Stanley Cup semifinals.
Could that be a harbinger for the current group?
VEGAS DEFENSEMAN ZACH WHITECLOUD’S SKATES WERE BOTH ON THE ICE WHEN HE MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH MATTHEW KNIES. HE WAS STANDING STRAIGHT UP AND HIT KNIES IN THE CHIN WITH HIS SHOULDER… ONLY BECAUSE THE LEAFS PLAYER WAS BENT FORWARD, LOOKING AT THE PUCK. AS SUCH, THE OFFICIALS CORRECTLY SPARED WHITECLOUD A MINOR PENALTY. SPORTSNET IMAGE
It is human nature for pro athletes to exert more energy while playing shorthanded. Which is precisely what the Leafs are accomplishing in this spate of injury; a credit to Berube. The surge, however, is not infinite. Once the dog days of January and February arrive, a banged–up team will begin to wither. So, the Leafs had best make hay in this still–early portion of the season. The club is gifted, right now, with a light schedule — playing only six games in 17 nights (Nov. 13–30). A rare Saturday off, tonight, gives way to the first visit to Scotiabank Arena, tomorrow, by the Utah Hockey Club, the former Arizona Coyotes. The easy sked will offer much healing time before the Leafs return to the slog: playing four games in six nights (Dec. 2–7). If Matthews went to Germany to check on a stomach/groin injury, he’ll have to be circumspect when he returns to action. So will the club’s medical staff, as such ailments are rife with recurrence. The Leafs need their top scorer healthy for the stretch–run and playoffs.
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…
I was going through my condominium locker this week and had to chuckle when coming upon a scrapbook I made during the 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Leafs, still in the Western Conference, took on Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull and the St. Louis Blues in the opening round. Toronto winger (and future media mogul) Nick Kypreos fell upon Grant Fuhr in Game 2 at Maple Leaf Gardens, tearing a ligament in the goalie’s knee. The Blues turned to journeyman Jon Casey and didn’t miss a beat, vanquishing the Leafs in six games. Unlike today, the 1995–96 Leafs were mediocre, finishing two games below .500 at 34–36–12 for 80 points. So, losing to Gretzky and Co. was hardly a shock. Coach Nick Beverley, who replaced Pat Burns in early March, tried every trick up his sleeve to motivate his players… famously calling them “nimrods” after a loss in Game 3 at St. Louis. Once the series ended, the headlines and accusations from media were almost precisely as they are with today’s much–superior team.
Have a look for yourself:
WEEKEND THOUGHTS: Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star wrote a typically poignant column this week, wondering why the Leafs were “treating sport like a state secret.” Which brings to mind something of a beef I have with the term “insider” to describe a hockey journalist possessing good contacts. Several here in Canada come immediately to mind: Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet), Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun (TSN). All are terrific at providing information and commentary… but none are on the “inside” with management. Otherwise, a reporter sitting in the same room as Brendan Shanahan and Brad Treliving would have broken, in advance, the impromptu visit by Matthews to Munich. Instead, the trip to the Rhineland was revealed after the fact — as you’d expect from writers and broadcasters who are never part of the hockey club’s inner sanctum. You cannot be an “insider” if you’re an “outsider”, which includes all members of the fifth estate… even with the Leafs majority owned by the media divisions of Rogers and Bell. As for management guarding the Matthews injury as a “state secret”, understand that withholding or twisting accurate information is the only direct measure of control for the hockey club against the dastardly media. It is therefore deployed under the guise of protecting a player. Currently, however, the media climate in Toronto is one of loyalty and compliance (as it must be given ownership). There is rarely a fire for the team to extinguish. Unlike the days depicted above, in the 1996 scrapbook… No, that wasn’t a misprint. The entire Leafs payroll in April 1996 was $33 million… What cannot be minimized is that the Leafs of the Shanahan era have provided followers with an entertaining and prolific team for nearly a decade now — minus the caveat: playoff prosperity. Still, hockey is big business here in town and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has offered Leafs fans a heck of a lot more than Harold Ballard and Steve Stavro (even if Stavro presided over the Pat Burns—Doug Gilmour playoff juggernauts of 1993 and 1994)… No element has been more critical to the Leafs, thus far, than the solid goaltending of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll. Observers have referred to Stolarz as a revelation for the Leafs. But, Jack Campbell accomplished as much — if not more — coming out of the pandemic. Just not in the playoffs (familiar refrain, huh?). Remember the cries of “Sooooouuuppp!” whenever the puck went near Campbell?… I vividly recall the anticipation and excitement (with dollops of anxiety) when legendary closers Tom Henke and Duane Ward entered a game for the Toronto Blue Jays. Back in the World Series years (1992, 1993). Not since that duo, and that time, have I noticed fans at Rogers Centre more enthralled than when local boy Jordan Romano took to the mound, vying for a save. The stadium rocked. That is undoubtedly why baseball zealots around here are feeling saddened today after the Blue Jays refused to tender Romano a qualifying contract offer, rendering him a free agent. A season–long injury spelled the end for Romano in his home town… The Dopamine high from the Argos winning the Grey Cup last Sunday can be extinguished by gazing at the club’s list of free agents. Other than quarterback Chad Kelly, practically the entire roster will be up for grabs. Included is Nick Arbuckle, the journeyman pivot who earned MVP honors in the 41–24 Grey Cup romp over Winnipeg. Also: Ka’Deem Carey, the 1,000–yard rusher; star receiver Damonte Coxie; kick returner–extraordinaire Janarion Grant; virtually the entire defensive front: Robbie Smith, Jake Ceresna and Jared Brinkman; defensive backs DaShaun Amos, Tavarus McFadden, Royce Metchie and Robert Priester (whose 61–yard interception return off Zach Collaros, late in the fourth quarter, cemented the Argonaut title); punter John Haggerty. And, most–ominously, the leader of the defense and pulse of the team, linebacker Wynton McManis. With a modest salary cap of $5.25 million in the Canadian Football League, it is impossible to retain a championship roster. Last season, Argo stalwarts A.J. Ouellette, Javon Leake, Boris Bede, Adarius Pickett, Jamal Peters and Qwan’tez Stiggers departed, leaving the club particularly vulnerable to the pass. The Argos yielded gobs of yardage through the air before settling down at the most–opportune juncture: the beginning of October. Down the stretch and through the playoffs, newcomers Benjie Franklin and Priester made themselves known. McManis was possessed. Sadly, we can expect lots of turnover, once again. Unless free agent players heed the words of Ryan Dinwiddie, who, in a TV interview with TSN’s Matthew Scianitti after the Grey Cup, questioned those quick to leave the record–tying, 16–2 club of 2023. “Maybe this will show the advantage of staying with, or joining, our program,” said the coach. We shall see… In past years, the Argos could count on player personnel director John Murphy to unearth substitutes for those lost to free agency. He was the best–kept sports secret in town. Evidently, however, Murphy and the club had a falling out late in the season. He is not expected back. And, will be very difficult to replace… Tonight will mark 10 years since Pat Quinn died in Vancouver of liver complications. The Hall–of–Fame coach and GM left us on Nov. 23, 2014 at age 71. Eight days later, on Dec. 2, Habs legend Jean Beliveau passed away in Montreal.
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