Shooting for Success

It's an interesting time for folks who cheer for the Maple Leafs.

A look at the roster and the competition suggests going back-to-back - '67 AND '07 - is a pipe dream.

But if the Carolina Hurricanes can the win the Stanley Cup and the Edmonton Eskimos can miss the CFL playoffs for the first time in 34 years and - just maybe - the Detroit Tigers can capture the World Series all within the same 12-month period, well who's to say what's possible?

But you have to wonder if something less, something more of an individual nature, might go a long, long way to giving Leaf fans a real belief the team is moving in the right direction under JFJ and Paul Maurice.

How about a scoring title? Haven't had one of those since Gordie Drillon in 1938.

Or a Rocket Richard Trophy? The silverware didn't exist back then, but Frank Mahovlich led the league in goals with had 48 back in '61, although Boom Boom Geoffrion scored two more to lead the league.

Then, there's the Hart Trophy for MVP. Ted Kennedy was the last Leaf to grab that trophy back in 1955.

Based on today, of course, Martin Havlat's going to win all three.

Just kidding.

But it's not hard to imagine the impact it would have on the city if Mats Sundin could find his way to one of those coveted awards this season.

He's shooting more and playing more like a goal-scorer, and the team is apparently looking like a club that could surprise in the standings and with the amount of offence it can generate.

Don't remember those predictions from last year than Jonathan Cheechoo was going to win The Rocket. So surprises do happen.

Nothing would be as big, of course, as winning the Cup. But if Sundin could have such a spectacular season that he would find one of those trophies on his mantle, they'd probably be willing to hang his jersey immediately from the rafters, so starved is this franchise for something resembling recent success.

As of today, the most interesting question for Leaf-aholics might be this; if you were to rank the captains of the post-George Armstrong era in order of their impact on the city and the team while they wore the "C", how would you rank them?

For me, it would go like this:

1. Darryl Sittler.

2. Mats Sundin

3. Doug Gilmour

4. Dave Keon

5. Wendel Clark

6. Rick Vaive

7. Rob Ramage.

Comments

[jkr]

I have always appreciated your realism when it comes to the Leafs & I can understand that there is some excitement generated by their recent play. But please, when a column mentions Stanley Cup or major individual awards after just five games, it sounds too much like those call in shows.

There are so many ebbs and flows to a hockey season. Let's wait a few months at least.

[Tom Hope]

I think the main reason Doug Gilmour is more highly regarded in this city is because when the Leafs went to the semi-finals in 93 and 94, it was on Gilmours back. Most recently, when the Leafs went to the semis and lost to Carolina, Mats wasn`t even playing.

But I do agree with your list.

[Mike F]

1) Doug Gilmour
2) Mats Sundin
3) Wendle Clark
4) Daryl Sittler
5) Dave Keon
6) Rick Vaive
7) Rob Ramage

I'll say this... Sittler and Keon were really before my time.

Mats is the man... doesn't get the credit he deserves for playing in this town.

[Stephen Burtch]

I find it a tad absurd how quickly the greater horde of employed Leaf analysts have gone from saying the Leafs need a "winger" for Mats and worrying over how FEW goals they'll score, to suddenly wondering if Mats will win the scoring title, and thinking the Leafs will have goals aplenty. Entirely, horribly, absurd. I on the other hand stated quite clearly at the end of it last season that scoring was NOT the Leafs problem, Defence and Goaltending would be. I recommended signing Kubina and Raycroft, and NOT re-signing McCabe (or the guy skating in cement - Hal Gill). Why is it too much to expect analysts to actually analyse the league accurately??

As far as the Captain Rankings, I'd say the following makes more sense to me:

1)Dave Keon, 2) Mats Sundin, 3) Darryl Sittler, 4) Doug Gilmour, 5) Wendel Clark, 6) Rick Vaive, 7) Rob Ramage

[Carla]

Nah. Step back from the emotion of this past weekend’s events. Both Gilmour and Clark had more impact on the city and the team than Sundin has had. That’s not to say that can’t change, of course, since he’s still playing…

But here’s my ordering, and I must say that I find it difficult to decide on the order of #2 & #3. I could easily flip the two names. They are both revered in this city—in a way that Sundin isn’t (yet!)—and carried the team on their backs:

1. Sittler
2. Gilmour
3. Clark
4. Keon
5. Sundin
6. Vaive
7. Ramage

[Julian]

If Mats was from Kitchener, Kingston, or Kelvington then he would be revered in this town.

The most common (and idiotic) criticism I hear about Mats is about his leadership. Well I think it says something that a country that could choose Nick Lidstrom or Peter Forsberg instead chooses Mats Sundin to be it's captain.

He is not only one of the greatest leafs to ever play for the franchise but he is (as you pointed out) a hockey pioneer. Toronto has been blessed to have Mats as their captain for the past 9 years and a player for 14. He will be sorely missed when his time in Toronto is over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mats_Sundin
http://bitterleaf.blogspot.com/2006/10/captian.html