TORONTO (Feb. 10) — It would be the rough equivalent of Benjamin Netinyahu inviting Kim Jong Un to moderate peace talks in the Middle East. Or, Donald Trump having the Bidens and Clintons to the White House for a casual dinner. Then, a movie. Such has been the divide between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brad Marchand, the veteran forward partly responsible for the longest Stanley Cup drought. Marchand has been a key figure in four eliminations of the Leafs from the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs: 2013, 2018, 2019, 2024. Each series advancing to a winner–take–all Game 7 at the TD Garden; the visitors entirely devoid of an antidote for Bad Brad.

As the National Hockey League pauses for the 4–Nations Face–Off, Toronto remains sorely in need of a couple of “pricks” who can play the game. The club is still too soft and benign to endure four rounds of Stanley Cup slog. Skill, as always, is plentiful but at the interminable expense of sandpaper. No current Leaf is adept at getting under the skin of rival players. Which remains an essential component of playoff success. Brad Marchand has burrowed into the organs of opposition skaters throughout his 16–year career. He wears only one Stanley Cup ring (from 2011) but has routinely and systematically helped to overwhelm the Maple Leafs when it matters. Put Marchand in the opposition jersey and the pattern might easily turn. Would the Leafs, therefore, exit their lusty comfort zone and make the Bruins listen to a proposal for Badgering Brad, slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July? Pending, of course, that Boston general manager Don Sweeney plans to begin re–tooling before the Mar. 7 NHL trade deadline. At the 4–Nations break, the Bruins are out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but only one point behind Detroit for the No. 2 wild card berth. At no juncture this season has Boston resembled a Stanley Cup contender. It may be the perfect time to unload a 36 year old with an expiring contract.

I want to, as always, quantify any such idea involving the Leafs with management’s refusal to disturb the nucleus of the roster. The Leafs don’t make big trades. They don’t have to. Not in a market where the dean of hockey writers isn’t even moved to suggest a potential closing swap. These were Lance Hornby’s words in a Toronto Sun article posted late Sunday: The targets are hardly secretive. A third–line centre, a big winger, the always popular depth defenceman, but for the first time in years, not a goalie. Another free pass to the hockey club. As such, we’ll get the typical, Ilya Lyubushkin–type deal that won’t make a scintilla of difference once the playoffs begin. Were an individual in the Leafs’ hierarchy fed up with the unmistakable pattern each spring, perhaps there would be an attempt to actually win something. Instead, the idleness and indifference of management has evidently worn down even the longest–serving beat writer in town. So, lots will need to change before the Leafs stray outside the lines.

Imagine, however, Marchand taking the ice in mid–April alongside William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Morgan Rielly. Rather than driving the aforementioned to distraction. Though the blue line still requires an elite component, such a playoff warrior as Marchand could alter the complexion of the Maple Leafs. Far more–so than the “big ticket” items mentioned by Hornby, including Brayden Schenn (St. Louis), Brock Nelson (New York Islanders) or Scott Laughton (Philadelphia). Other than Schenn, who won the 2019 Stanley Cup while playing for current Leafs coach Craig Berube, what have Nelson or Laughton achieved in the spring? Marchand, by comparison, has been one of the most–irritating skaters in the game for more than a decade — so often at Toronto’s expense. If you can’t beat a player, why not bring him to your side? The Leafs won’t always be in position to attempt a closing trade. They are, right now, and have been since prior to the pandemic. With no apparent enthusiasm to help a core of veterans that cannot get it done after the regular season.

Isn’t it time to break the futile pattern?

If Sweeney is willing to have trade dialogue involving Marchand with a Division rival, he’ll ask the Leafs for a first–round draft pick and either Matthew Knies or one of Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten. Which, of course, will induce palpitations among zealots of the Blue and White. But, ask yourself this… and honestly: Would the Leafs be better–prepared to pose a Stanley Cup challenge this spring with Matthew Knies in the line–up? Or, Brad Marchand? With either of Cowan and Minten? Or, Marchand? This is all about acquiring a short–term necessity — maybe even a rental — for a player that may or may not help the Leafs toward the end of the Core–4 era. And, for a draft pick that will be near the bottom of the opening round, well outside the lottery group. Yes, it involves taking a chance, which the Leafs haven’t done since the Wendel Clark–for–Mats Sundin multi–player swap at the 1994 NHL draft in Hartford. Before that, it was the record, 10–player deal with Calgary (January 1992) that brought Doug Gilmour to the Maple Leafs. We’re talking more than three decades ago, folks. That’s the committment Leafs management has accorded its uber–tolerant patrons. So, I ask again: Isn’t it time to break the futile pattern?

Imagine the notorious No. 63 doffing black and gold for blue and white. Marchand would need to grant permission, with Toronto among eight NHL destinations presented to Sweeney as part of a modified, no–trade clause. But, why wouldn’t Bad Brad want to come north and boost the team he has most–helped to destory in the playoffs?

It would represent a new challenge for him… and, maybe, a new era for the Maple Leafs.

Standing pat guarantees the same result as the past eight springs.

That is all we know for certain.

MAPLE LEAFS LEGENDS — FLATTENED

Somehow, I was able to rescue it. When, in 2018, I found this spectacular rendering of the Top 100 players in Maple Leafs history (commissioned for the club’s Centennial season of 2016–17), it was hopelessly damaged; folded like a cheap accordian. You can see, in the above image, the number of creases. Rather than discarding the item, I took it home for an experiment. I straightened it as best I could and laid it underneath three of my giant, bound books containing copies of The Hockey News. For the better part of seven years, the poster remained under more than 10 pounds of pressure. If I needed one volume of the books, I replaced it with another. Finally, this week, I retrieved the poster, which measures 23.5 x 18 inches, and laid it upon my work desk. As you can see, it is largely flat. Replete with faces and names that are instantly recognizable to followers of the Blue and White.

Some close–up images, here:

FRONT ROW (left to right): George Armstrong, Mats Sundin, Ted Kennedy, Dave Keon, Syl Apps, Darryl Sittler, Charlie Conacher. SECOND ROW: Reg Noble, Jim Thompson, Cecil (Babe) Dye, Rick Vaive, Clarence (Hap) Day, Red Horner, Sid Smith, Bob Davidson. THIRD ROW: Ron Ellis, Lanny McDonald, Max Bentley, Harvey (Busher) Jackson, Frank (King) Clancy, Joe Primeau, Allan Stanley, Bob Pulford. FOURTH ROW: Gary Leeman, Walter (Babe) Pratt, Dave Andreychuk, Ian Turnbull, Tomas Kaberle, David (Sweeny) Schriner, Paul Henderson, Phil Kessel. TOP ROW: Nick Metz, Howie Meeker, Vincent Damphousse, John Anderson, Wally Stanowski, Gaye Stewart, Eddie Shack, Bill Ezinicki.

FRONT ROW (left to right): Wally Stanowski, Gaye Stewart, Eddie Shack, Bill Ezinicki, Errol Thompson, Bill Derlago. SECOND ROW: Al Iafrate, Jim McKenny, Alexander Mogilny, Mike Walton, Dave Ellett, Gus Bodnar. TOP ROW: Jack Adams, Cy Denneny, Tie Domi, Wilf Paiement, Russ Courtnall. 

FRONT ROW (left to right): Syl Apps, Darryl Sittler, Charlie Conacher, Doug Gilmour, Walter (Turk) Broda, Felix Potvin. SECOND ROW: Clarence (Hap) Day, Red Horner, Sid Smith, Bob Davidson, Dion Phaneuf, Borje Salming, Leonard (Red) Kelly. THIRD ROW: Frank (King) Clancy, Joe Primeau, Allan Stanley, Bob Pulford, Dick Duff, Bob Baun, Norm Ullman. TOP ROW: Tomas Kabrele, David (Sweeny) Schriner, Paul Henderson, Phil Kessel, Dave (Tiger) Williams, Steve Thomas, Bob Nevin, Bryan McCabe.

FRONT ROW (left to right): Terry Sawchuk, Curtis Joseph, Johnny Bower, Wendel Clark, George Armstrong. SECOND ROW: Lorne Chabot, Ed Belfour, Frank Mahovlich, Tim Horton, Reg Noble. TOP ROW: Harry Watson, Bill Barilko, Carl Brewer, Gord Drillon, Irvine (Ace) Bailey, Ron Ellis.

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