2011/2012 Season

“Only Elliotte Friedman Is Safe”

TORONTO (July 8) — It was an alarming bit of speculation from a media source familiar to everyone in the Canadian sports television industry: “We may not recognize the Hockey Night In Canada panel next season,” claimed this person. “Based… Read More

The Faulty Maple Leafs Myth

TORONTO (July 6) — It’s out there for all to see. In chat rooms, pop–up websites and even the most–credible newspaper columns: Will members of the Toronto Maple Leafs Core–4 accept less money in their forthcoming contracts so the quartet… Read More

McCown Will Have A Long Recovery

TORONTO (July 2) — The legendary voice of Prime Time Sports has been silenced. For how long, we do not know. Bob McCown, 71, is resting in hospital after incurring two, maybe three, strokes since June 15, when his alarming… Read More

Keeping the Charade Alive

TORONTO (June 27) — To the surprise of absolutely no one, the National Hockey League’s most–apathetic and complacent franchise is “running it back” for an eighth consecutive disaster in the Stanley Cup playoffs. If you’re a fan of the Toronto… Read More

Comparisons Are Rather Insulting

TORONTO (June 22) — Tragically for the Maple Leafs and their long–suffering fans, Auston Matthews will become the highest–paid hockey player of all time… probably in the next few months. Unwittingly, yet unavoidably, this will doom the Leafs to playoff… Read More

Lazy Leafs Refuse to Learn

TORONTO (June 16) — It isn’t often that a part–time employee puts full–time employees to shame. As such, the Toronto Star should consider dropping former Leafs winger Nick Kypreos from its freelance–writing budget. With the notable exception of Dave Feschuk,… Read More

Remembering the Leafs Radio Years

TORONTO (June 12) — A few stories, on a quiet day, from my 17 years (1993–2010) covering the Maple Leafs as a reporter for The FAN–590, Canada’s first all–sports radio station. I trust you’ll enjoy a laugh or two: TURBULENCE … Read More

The Leafs Need Some Courage

TORONTO (June 9) — Someone in the ever–evolving managerial structure of the Maple Leafs needs to grow a set. Very quickly. Whether it’s general manager Brad Treliving; his newly named assistant, Shane Doan, or a person above the fray in… Read More

Why Treliving Needs His Own Coach

TORONTO (June 4) — The Maple Leafs are long overdue to start operating with an established pecking order. For too many years in the post–1967 era, head coaches have been inherited by Leaf general managers. Which is contradictory to functional… Read More

One Leafs Scribe Told It Straight

TORONTO (June 2) — Among those in the mushy mainstream media who cover the Toronto Maple Leafs, three names stand apart. As I wrote here on Wednesday, I knew we could count on at least one of Steve Simmons (Toronto … Read More

Recalling My Demise At The FAN–590

MY RADIO CAREER ENDED 12 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK WHEN DON KOLLINS, PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE FAN–590, CALLED ME INTO HIS OFFICE AND SAID MY SERVICES WERE NO LONGER REQUIRED. FACT IS, THEY HADN’T BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I… Read More

Easy Path Ahead For Invisible Auston

TORONTO (May 31) — Come on. You didn’t expect Brendan Shanahan to make a bold hire, did you? Brad Treliving has the experience Shanahan was seeking in the “new” general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Given, however, the assuring… Read More

Be Very Careful With Mitch Marner

TORONTO (May 29) — There’s a weird paradox surrounding Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs: He is the player the club can least afford to lose… but can most afford to trade. Let me try and explain. As I’ve… Read More

Media Madness Envelops Leafs Land

TORONTO (May 27) — If it’s possible, the Toronto media market has gone wackier than ever in the past week. The parting with former Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has triggered waves of panic among those that were in his… Read More

It’s All Looking So Familiar

TORONTO (May 24) — As every year, there are innumerable off–season questions surrounding the beloved and bedeviled hockey team in this city. But, none bigger than this: Why is Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment wasting its time and money looking… Read More

Was Matthews Speaking Sincerely?

TORONTO (May 22) — This came out of nowhere on Sunday night from an individual that is well–connected to the Toronto Maple Leafs; someone who knows all the players, personally. It was one man’s opinion and must be considered with… Read More

The Shanahan/Leafs Conundrum

TORONTO (May 20) — Nothing productive can result from Brendan Shanahan seeking out and choosing the next general manager of the Maple Leafs. Which, oddly, still appears to be his task after nearly a decade of playoff oblivion as president… Read More

The Sad Legacy of Failure Continues

TORONTO (May 19) — Stafford Smythe, Harold Ballard, Steve Stavro, The Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Larry Tanenbaum: Companies and individuals that have primarily owned the Toronto Maple Leafs since the club, in 1967, played for and… Read More