Measuring Memories

But will the Leafs get it right this time?

This is a team, ladies and gentlemen, that has tried mightily to match the Montreal Canadiens for sense of ceremony in recent years, and has almost always failed.

The closing of the Montreal Forum received raves.

The closing of Maple Leaf Gardens, by contrast, was a long-winded, confusing evening, with the punctuation point a curious white flag that was supposed to be representative of Leaf history, one supposes. Players milled about on the ice handing it to one another, seemingly uncertain when the ceremony was supposed to end.

The evening to celebrate Tie Domi's 1,000th game, meanwhile, has become a punchline to a great many hockey industry jokes, both for the bizarre nature of honoring Domi and for the proceedings which droned on and on.

Something simple and dignified this Saturday night to honor the heroes of '67 would make the most sense. Moreover, the Leafs have to try to pull this off without turning it into a lament for the the inability of the team to come even close to winning again.

Some have wondered why the team is doing this at all, essentially drawing attention to four decades of losing. Indeed, it's going to be a little uncomfortable for Leaf fans to "celebrate" the '67 Cup win with the opposition that night being the Edmonton Oilers, a franchise that wasn't even in existence when the Leafs last won it all but has been far, far more successful in the past quarter-century.

Still, if you understand Leaf history, you understand that not only was the '67 team never really recognized as a group, it wasn't until Cliff Fletcher's arrival in the early 1990s that former members of the team were recognized at all by the team.

So Saturday night's tribute isn't only long overdue. It's the right thing to do, and maybe, just maybe, it'll give a team that has lost its way in terms of winning Stanley Cup some hints about how it was done once upon a time.

Dave Keon, obviously, will be at the centre of it all. The '67 Conn Smythe Trophy winner was making the rounds of Toronto radio stations on Tuesday, and made it very clear he's returning not to be feted himself, but to be part of a team celebration.

One can already anticipate, however, a long ovation for Keon, the reluctant star, or at least the star who has been reluctant to be associated with the Leafs for many years. He has been back to both Maple Leaf Gardens and the ACC over the years, but just has been unwilling to participate in any kind of special night aimed just at him.

He remains unhappy with the way the Leafs "honor" jersey numbers and keep them in circulation rather than retiring them, so a Dave Keon night with his No. 14 raised to the rafters remains a distant dream for the most ardent Leaf fans.

Comments

[Andrew Spencer]

I didn't know Leafs fans were longing for the retirement of no. 14. I betcha most Leafs fans don't even know who Dave Keon is. When I think of Keon, I think of him in a Hartford Whalers uniform.

Frankly, if it weren't for the media annually reminding us that Keon refuses to return here for whatever disrespect he's suffered at the hands of Leafs Inc. who would even care? And really, has any old hockey player been disrespected worse than Carl Brewer? Will the Leafs be honouring Carl's no. 2? Nah. No media glare to worry about.

I agree with you Damien on the comment about the Leafs' celebratory nonsense being lame compared to the efforts of other clubs. That Domi presentation took the cake for being absolutely unnecessary and ludicrous. Not unlike Domi's tenure on the club itself, so it was a fitting end.

It'll be good to cheer for the old boys from '67. They deserve it. But what a pathetic thing for Leafs Inc. to do ... embarrass the fans, themselves, and current roster by reminding the country how few times we've won the Cup since before most of us were born. It'll be worth a good laugh if nothing else.

[chet skiba]

I have ben a Leaf fan for 50 years and will never change. I see a fragile spark emerging in this team ignited by the coming together of the very senior members and the many junior members.Coach Maurice seems to be bringing them together. The main problem seems to be the fan pressure on Razor. We have to lay off, let him do his job and let the team grow around him. It is one thing to learn how to deal with pressure as Eddie the eagle did in Chicago where the Cubs and Sox are king but another thing to learn to deal with it in the center of the hockey universe!! Let's cheer his play and support him as true Leaf fans.

[mark]

Keon should get over himself. As for the teams that retire jerseys...never to use the number again... I personally think it's kinda' dumb. Honour the players name, not the number. The number should be secondary. Besides, maybe an up-and-comer can be inspired a bit by wearing their idols number as opposed to staring at it in the rafters.