TORONTO (Aug. 22) — The run–up to training camp for the Maple Leafs began on Wednesday in entirely predictable fashion. Though Auston Matthews was courteous enough to donate some hours to a Brampton, Ont. charity — and made himself available to reporters for the first time since the team’s calamitous playoff loss to Florida — the captain spat out his usual, pre–autumn drivel. The media swallowed it and the ever–yearning fanbase likely also took solace in Matthews saying “I know we have a great team and great group of guys in the locker room.”

That should go a long way next spring, when Auston tries, for a tenth consecutive year, to show up for the first time in the playoffs. More gibberish: “Looking forward to getting started. Guys are going to have to take some steps, but I think that’s a good thing; a good problem to have.” It just never changes with Matthews. It never ends.

The smallest big–game player, by many lengths, in franchise history continues to display a profound lack of concern, culpability and general awareness for his (and the team’s) repeated failure in the Stanley Cup hunt. To comprehend that Auston is still getting chances, spring after disillusioned spring, with the same team is a flagrant indictment of the club’s ownership at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. Even if the Scotiabank Arena ticket patrons deserve some form of a regular–season clambake for getting price gouged every summer; this year’s unconscionable heist involving the farthest reaches of the upper deck. So, “how many goals will Auston score?” remains the most–extraneous question surrounding the Leafs; its utter irrelevance, after all this time, apparently fuelling the player’s detachment whenever he encounters the media. Nearly a decade after his first playoff flop, we’ve yet to hear anything along the lines of “I have to be so much better in important situations. It’s inexcusable that this continues to happen in the playoffs. I’m the captain and highest–paid player. It’s on me to lead my teammates to a different level when it matters… and I’ve failed in that regard.” Maybe even a variation of the famed and iconic exclamation from Nathan MacKinnon, a year prior to raising the Stanley Cup, in 2022, with Colorado:

“I’m going into my ninth year [in the National Hockey League] and haven’t won shit!”

AUSTON MATTHEWS COMMENDABLY LENT A FEW HOURS OF HIS OFF SEASON TO A BRAMPTON HOCKEY CHARITY THIS WEEK, BUT SPOKE AIMLESSLY, AGAIN, ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS.

Instead, Matthews, with compliance from loyal apologists in the media, hides behind bad luck, a bad wrist, mysterious ailments that occur only in late–April, “too many passengers”; everything, in fact, but inward reflection.

It’s not entirely his fault. Big–time athletes, today, are implored by agents to appear inane and robotic while addressing media. Auston is at the head of that growing class. Neither, as mentioned, is he culpable for the sheer naïveté and neglect of his employer, MLSE, which blindly accords him financial and symbolic wealth. How any hockey observer can rationalize Matthews earning a higher average annual value (AAV) than MacKinnon and Connor McDavid is mind–numbing; almost as bizarre as believing that a stitched letter ‘C’ on his Toronto jersey would motivate Auston to playoff heights unachieved. These accolades were again debunked, mercilessly, during the 6–1 home–ice decimations by Florida in Games 5 and 7 of last year’s playoff, during which Matthews was a total non factor. A novice hockey fan would not have recognized that he was in uniform for either match.

When he discredited “passengers” among teammates in the aftermath, without saying “myself included”, Auston perpetuated a career–long pattern of apathy and nonchalance. To suggest he doesn’t care whether the Leafs prosper in the playoffs would be foolhardy; someplace deep in his soul there must be anguish and embarrassment. Yet, none of it has ever been relayed to the people that pay his inflated salary and walk about wearing No. 34 jerseys. Always, it seems to be “we have a great group in the locker room”… or such words. Complete nonsense that belies everything which occurs after mid–April each year. And, still, MLSE keeps rewarding him.

Yes, this may seem like too harsh an appraisal of a shooter that scored 69 goals two seasons ago and has motored past all but Mats Sundin in career markers for the franchise — soaring beyond such legendary figures as Darryl Sittler, Dave Keon, Ron Ellis, Rick Vaive and George Armstrong. But, still, we continue wondering “to where does the regular–season brilliance disappear?” And, why would anyone expect the pattern to change after 10 years? This is my way of repeating what I have written conclusively here: that the Maple Leafs will never become a legitimate Stanley Cup threat with Auston as the club’s central figure. It simply cannot happen. Otherwise, strong indications would have presented long before now. The ubiquitous Core–4 (now 3) has been, without question, the preeminent playoff chokers in the 109–year history of the Toronto franchise. Matthews shocked the world (sigh) by suggesting “we’ll miss Mitch” during his media palaver on Wednesday, yet seemed assured the club would overcome the loss of his gifted line–mate. How? By virtue of the “great guys in the locker room.” Not by proclaiming “it’s time for me to step up and forget looking elsewhere for our playoff underachievement each year.”

If this is the posture of a true leader and captain, then I’ve been fooled by countless others during my hockey life. None of Sittler, Sundin, Lanny McDonald, Borje Salming, Doug Gilmour or Wendel Clark played on a Stanley Cup champion here in town, yet each attained his maximum level during the playoffs; underminded, always, by a lack of depth to challenge for the big prize. Matthews, Mitch Marner (now with the Vegas Golden Knights), William Nylander and (to a lesser extent) John Tavares have been Stanley Cup outliers in blue and white. And, it says here (again) that the pattern will continue, unabated, as long as Matthews wears a Maple Leafs uniform.

How anyone can still believe elsewise is truly confounding.

REMEMBERING A TORONTO NEWSPAPER LEGEND

This is overdue… by nearly a calendar year. While working a funeral service, last week, with a clergy friend, Allen Manly, I was told that long–time Toronto sports reporter Al Sokol had died last October, nearly two weeks after the passing of my father, Irv. Which instanly rekindled memories of attending Toronto Argonaut games with my dad, beginning in 1971. Known to everyone as “Albee”, Sokol had covered the Argos for the old Toronto Telegram in the mid–60’s before becoming a notable and significant reporter of amateur sport. After joining the Toronto Star, he replaced Ken McKee as Argos beat writer for the lamentable Canadian football season of 1972, when the Boatmen — much like this year — plummeted from Eastern champion and Grey Cup qualifier to a 3–11 record and last place. This led to the dismissal of coach Leo Cahill, who dominated the Toronto sports scene with his flair and candor, beginning in 1967. Cahill elevated a perennial loser into an exciting club that routinely packed the old 33,135–seat CNE Stadium. He acquired such legendary Argo figures as Bill Symons, Jim Corrigall, Jim Stillwagon, Joe Theismann, Leon McQuay and Gene Mack. There were only two professional clubs in the city back then. The Leafs were the winter (and sometimes spring) team while the Argos owned the summer and autumn months. Here are images in my collection as a tribute to Sokol and his accurate appraisal of the 1972 club:

 
WHILE WORKING FOR THE TORONTO TELEGRAM, WHICH CEASED PUBLICATION IN OCTOBER 1971, THIS ARGONAUTS MEDIA GUIDE FROM 1966 BELONGED TO FOOTBALL WRITER AL SOKOL.

SOKOL’S FRONT–PAGE STORY IN THE TORONTO STAR (ABOVE AND BELOW) ON THE DAY — NOV. 6, 1972 — THAT ARGONAUTS’ OWNER JOHN BASSETT FIRED COACH LEO CAHILL.

AL’S GAME STORY (ABOVE AND BELOW) FROM THE 1972 SEASON FINALE IN HAMILTON, DURING WHICH THE DEFENDING EASTERN CHAMPIONS WERE ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION.

THE ARGOS STILL HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AFTER A BIZARRE, LAST–MINUTE LOSS AT HOME TO OTTAWA IN THE CLUB’S FINAL HOME GAME. HERE WAS SOKOL’S ASSESSMENT.

EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM