TORONTO (Feb. 7) — No one is quite certain how the Maple Leafs, with a bevy of self–inflicted managerial wounds, can improve beyond the current National Hockey League season. Given a lack of leadership on the ice; a slow, aging blue line; injury prone goaltending and first–round draft picks likely relinquished until 2028, the immediate task is close to impossible. But, one factor is absolutely certain: the hockey club must get worse before it can get better. Just like at the beginning of the Shanaplan — more than a decade ago — but without the capital to select William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews in consecutive NHL drafts. Good luck to all involved.

The current schedule, with 25 games remaining after the Winter Olympics (beginning Feb. 25 in Tampa), is meaningful only for how it impacts the long–term future. Credit, I suppose, the Leafs for sweeping the Western Canada portion of their slate, thereby entering the Olympic break on a three–game win streak… and six points below the second wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference (having shaved a 10–point deficit). Truth be known, however, the club would have done itself a favor by losing in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. The remainder of this season should be dedicated to replenishing whatever future components are available at the trade deadline… and finishing as close to the NHL basement as possible. Getting into that bottom–five segment and keeping the “lottery protected” first–round pick imprudently gifted to Boston in the Brandon Carlo deal. Availing the club of a top prospect in this summer’s amateur lottery. No other course of action makes sense — certainly not yielding more picks and prospects to try and squeak into the 2026 Stanley Cup tournament. Even if a possible three playoff dates at Scotiabank Arena tops the list of objectives for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment — a.k.a. Rogers — which strives only for capital and profit margin. It’s true: MLSE/Rogers would rather the Maple Leafs lose in the opening round of the playoffs than try to stop the walls from closing in. The future relates only to the turnstile count at Bay and Lakeshore in the spring. That is, and has been for many years, the allegation from this corner.

It will be partially withdrawn if the tall foreheads at MLSE allow the general manager of the Leafs — we’ll assume, even if unconvinced, that Brad Treliving remains in place as of Mar. 6 — to let go of whatever roster elements are pursued by rival teams. Compile as many draft picks as possible for such players as Oliver Ekman–Larsson, Bobby McMann (neither will fetch a first–rounder on his own), Max Domi, Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, Scott Laughton, Dakota Joshua, Calle Jarnkrok and Carlo (obviously not all can be dealt; the Leafs still require 20 bodies per game). Hang on to Troy Stecher. Hang on to Anthony Stolarz. And, try like the dickens to persuade Morgan Rielly* that a change of scenery is all that can salvage his declining NHL career; requiring that he waive the final four years of movement protection in his contract. If such dialogue involves Matthews, the entire “turnstile” allegation will be rescinded. But, a July snowstorm in Phoenix is more plausible.
*There is chatter that the Leafs have asked Rielly for trade permission prior to Mar. 6.

Bottom line, Leaf zealots, is you’ve got to let this season go. Challenging for a bogus wild card spot won’t accomplish a thing beyond fooling ownership and management about the potential of this unsound and impaired roster.

From my perspective, the Leafs aren’t in the same playoff galaxy as any of Tampa Bay, Carolina, Montreal, Buffalo, Colorado, Minnesota, Dallas, Vegas or Edmonton. The lone objective, from Feb. 25, onward, should be to get into the draft lottery and prevent giving the Bruins a top–six pick. It can be accomplished only by removing the “untouchable” label from all roster components. This rapid deterioration, if allowed to continue, will cost MLSE more than three potential Stanley Cup dates in the coming spring. We could easily be looking at a Detroit or Buffalo–type playoff famine. Which, frankly, is what the past decade of Toronto hockey management has earned.

BUCK MARTINEZ WAS A PRO, HOWEVER… Yes, the tributes for Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez have been plentiful and justifiable, upon his retirement announcement Friday. Except for one argument — that he become the next media figure to be emblazoned on the club’s Level of Excellence. Under no circumstance should any baseball media person in this city receive such recognition ahead of Jerry Howarth, who spent more than 30 years in the radio booth — the first 22 alongside the late Tom Cheek, whose name already adorns the Rogers Center façade. We wish Buck well in retirement and, of course, in his ongoing battle with cancer. He’s been a class act from the moment, in 1982, that he pulled on a Blue Jays catcher’s mit. But, Howarth joined Cheek that same baseball season and became a household name during the World Series exhilaration of 1992 and 1993.

It is Jerry’s name, without question, that next belongs on the club’s ring of honor.

50 YEARS AGO TONIGHT — Maple Leaf Gardens

A celebration for Darryl Sittler was held at the Maple Leafs last home game before the Milan/Cortina Olympics, but tonight is the 50th anniversary of his 10–point splurge against Boston. It also falls on a Saturday, which is rare.

That night at Maple Leaf Gardens remains the most–memorable sports event I’ve attended. Not the most famous, as I was fortunate to cover — during my 23–year radio career — such moments as Donovan Bailey winning the 100–metre dash at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta; the first Winter Olympics that involved NHL players (February 1998 in Nagano, Japan); Sidney Crosby’s “golden goal” at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games; Mario Lemieux winning the 1987 Canada Cup tournament at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton; Team Canada breaking a 50–year gold medal drought by winning the 2002 men’s hockey tournament in Salt Lake City; Wayne Gretzky’s final NHL game, in New York… and any number of significant Leafs playoff matches (mostly Game 6 of the 1993 Stanley Cup semifinals in Los Angeles, featuring the infamous Kerry Fraser–Doug Gilmour–Gretzky affair).

But, no sports memory is more vivid or meaningful, personally, than Sittler’s record eruption against the Bruins.

At the time, we had two professional teams in the city: the Leafs… and the Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. The Blue Jays were still more than a year down the line; the Raptors, nearly 20 years. For that 1975–76 season, Dad bought a pair of Leafs tickets in Sec. 30 of the south–mezzanine Blues at the Gardens. Cost him $567.60 for 43 games (three in the exhibition schedule). During Sittler’s big night, however, I sat in the Reds (stub, bottom–right), two rows in back of the Golds, in the corner near ice level. Not understanding, yet, the value of hockey collectibes, I defaced the program cover (bottom–left) and line–ups (beneath). The Maple Leafs were much inferior to the Bruins, coached by Don Cherry, but absolutely clobbered the visitors, 11–4, in that surreal match. Every time the Leafs scored (or so it seemed), Gardens’ P.A. voice Paul Morris called out Sittler’s name. Six times, the Leafs captain finished plays; on four others, he helped set up the goal. Only George Ferguson’s marker (from Inge Hammarstrom and Scott Garland) at 11:40 of the second period did not involve Sittler. By that time, everyone in the old arena on Carlton St. knew the fellow wearing No. 27 in white was enjoying the greatest performance of his six years (to that juncture) in the NHL. What we didn’t know — and still couldn’t imagine — is that Sittler would reach double–digits and his 10–point plateau would remain unequaled in the next half–century.

Surviving, among others, Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, who combined for 4,580 NHL points.

 

It wasn’t the easiest time of my life. I had just been diagnosed, at 17, with Crohn’s Disease and remember feeling a bit strung out on medication, which only heightened the ethereal atmosphere in the arena. As a rabid fan of the Leafs in my teenage years, it was the ultimate experience. Nothing in the interim — during or after my career as a radio reporter — has topped that momentous night. Neither has anyone topped Sittler for points in one game.

NEWSPAPER COVERAGE

In February 1976, the Toronto Star had yet to publish on Sunday. So, print reaction to Sittler’s record–smashing night first appeared on Monday morning (Feb. 9). Much of the talk surrounded the comments of Leafs owner Harold Ballard, who openly questioned Sittler’s production and leadership just days prior to the 10–point game.

The late and legendary Frank Orr covered the match for the Star.

FRONT OF THE TORONTO STAR SPORTS SECTION (ABOVE AND BELOW) ON MONDAY MORNING.

 
MORE CHATTER (ABOVE) ABOUT BALLARD’S CRITICISM OF SITTLER PRIOR TO THE BOSTON GAME.

SITTLER’S RECORDS LISTED ABOVE; THE 11–4 GAME SUMMARY, BELOW.

FOR THE RECORD… It helps to have friends in high places. Though the Star didn’t publish until Monday, the Toronto Sun came out the morning after Sittler’s big game. My ol’ pal and mentor, John Iaboni, covered the match and I wondered if he had any images he could share.

As per usual, John came through:

EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM