No Puff Of Smoke This Time

It was nice of Don Matthews to say goodbye this time.

In fact, everything was nice about Matthews in his third stint as Argonaut head coach and what was almost his last appearance on a CFL sideline.

He was friendlier, more accommodating, less disdainful - very different from what we'd come to know from The Don. He'd smile, tell jokes, sit and talk after games as long as anyone would care to sit and ask questions.

It was all very pleasant, a very different Matthews.

So was the record. Leaving the CFL with an 0-8 record in his final job, and with Wally Buono now certain to surpass Matthews as the league's winningest coach in the near future, made one long for the old version of Matthews, the hardnosed cuss who won football games.

During his final years with the Alouette organization, he frequently promised that when he was done he'd be gone in a "puff of smoke," and followed through on that, simply bolting town when, because of depression, he could no longer handle the responsibilities of coaching a pro football team.

We all assumed it would be the same this time, but it wasn't. He said goodbye - "colour me toasted" was the lively farewell line - and even gave an explanation, which basically was that he just didn't have what it takes anymore.

That was honest. And while it clearly shocked Adam Rita, Pinball Clemons and the Argo owners, it's the right thing for the team.

They thought Matthews would be able to turn a 4-6 team under Rich Stubler into a post-season threat, but it went the other way instead. Matthews tried to pull different levers - benching Kerry Joseph in favour of Cody Pickett, essentially dumping Michael Fletcher, pushing Kenny Wheaton out of the lineup - but none of it had much effect because the talent of the team couldn't sustain winning football any more.

All the important decisions that should have been made during training camp weren't made, and instead they occurred one-by-one as the season progressed, a lousy way to develop a football team.

In the end, Matthews certainly wasn't the problem. He just couldn't fix the problem, or problems. Today's zany exit - Rita said Matthews was coming back, then Matthews announced he was leaving - was symptomatic of an organization that's gone off the rails.
It wasn't a bad idea to bring Matthews back. It was a worthwhile gamble to turn a season around that just didn't work.

So he walks away, and good for him. He's had his time, and now, with a new partner and four-year-old child, he has time to enjoy his life in Oregon in the way he said he was doing before Rita lured him back.

After losing to the Alouettes several weeks ago, Matthews praised Montreal owner Robert Wetenhall for "thinking outside the box" and hiring NFL assistant Marc Trestman to run his football team.

It seemed he was subtly making a suggestion to Argo owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski.

A fresh, energetic face is what's needed. Surely the name Tom Clements will come up, a former CFL star who has been the quarterbacks coach of the  Green Bay Packers for the past three seasons. Somebody will mention Mike Riley, head coach at Oregon State, but that seems like a reach.

Most certainly, there will be calls for Pinball to go back behind the bench, but he doesn't seem to want that.

This team, with its market under direct NFL attack, needs to come up with an aggressive, new direction, and a new head coach will be only one part of it.

Back in 1977, a 38-year-old coach with an extensive high school and university coaching record in the U.S. joined the Edmonton Eskimos as linebackers coach, and quickly became defensive co-ordinator.

That was Matthews, identified as a brilliant young coach by the Eskies at the peak of that dynasty's power, a coach who went on to all kinds of CFL glory.

That's what the Argos must now do. Find that next bright young man.

 

It Couldn't End Fast Enough

What a nightmare that Argo season was.

Who would have thought the highlight was a Labour Day victory over Hamilton?

And then nothing. No more wins, a defence that crumbled and a lot of talk from management and coaching about supposed improvements that were virtually undetectable to the outside eye.

This season was Willie Wood bad.

So what happens now?

The Argos can at least take solace in the fact that crowds, surprisingly, didn't wilt as the year went on, although they clearly started playing with attendance numbers, making it sound even better than it was.

But next season could be different. For starters, if December's NFL game between Buffalo and Miami at the dome turns out to be a major hit, it's not hard to imagine that the Argos might seem like a poor entertainment investment in an eroding economy.

Owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski could wait, let the ruination of this season slowly evaporate, then begin planning for next year.

That would be risky. The Argos are still at least in the spotlight to some extent. This is football season, after all.

Cynamon and Sokolowski need to make some sort of public statement with their management/coaching group to indicate to their fans that they are as disgusted with this season as anyone.

It seems clear the structure currently in place, with Michael Clemons and Brad Watters at the top, and the football operation headed by Adam Rita below that, isn't functioning as effectively any more. The coaching staff now led by Don (0-fer-8) Matthews is in turmoil.

Seeing Clemons having to publicly deny meddling in Rita's sandbox isn't great P.R. for the team. Moreover, it's a fact that Clemons and Rita haven't seen eye-to-eye on a number of issues, and the precise job description of each within the team seems to have been muddled.

There's also the perception that Rita, Matthews and offensive co-ordinator Steve Burratto are a little too tight, forming a club within a club, as it were.

Clearly, Matthews shouldn't come back. His third stint as Argo head coach has been an unmitigated disaster, and all his loyalists who once played for him and now occupy media analyst positions have little solid evidence to prove otherwise.

Last night's fake punt debacle was just the icing on the cake.

Down the road, Hamilton has confirmed Marcel Bellefeuille as their coach for next season and has invested in a new franchise player - Kenton Keith - and a new quarterback, Quintin Porter.

People around the league believe that the Cats are ahead of the Argos in terms of developing a competitive team, and may be close to turning the proverbial corner after years of struggling.

It's bad enough for the Argos to be the second worst team in the east. Being the worst behind Hamilton would be nightmarish.

So next season begins now. Ownership needs to make at least one splashy announcement/decision to make the public understand that they view this season as unacceptable.

The status quo won't sell a ticket.

 

Thursday Mail Bag

NEWARK—Gotta love the Finns.

Dallas rode a bunch of ‘em to a strong playoff a year ago, and for my money, Niklas Hagman has been the best Leaf this season.

Now he’s the shootout man.

You’ve got to love the guts to try something new on a shootout like Hagman, son of Matti, did Wednesday night at The Rock. He did it with the game on the line, and he did it against the world’s best goaltender.

No guts, no glory. And Hagman got the glory 'cause he showed some guts.

The Leafs haven’t generally had many Finns over the years, so maybe it’s the combination of Hagman and good-natured goalie Vesa Toskala that has the Leafs exuding a new dressing room atmosphere this season. It all just feels a lot more relaxed without a few of the old vets around, less tense by a mile.

The four-year, $12 million deal signed by Hagman as a free agent last summer, meanwhile, so far looks hands down to be the best move made by Leaf GM Cliff Fletcher since taking over from JFJ.

Hagman, only 28, had a career 27-goal year last summer, but arrived in town seemingly determined to prove that was no fluke.

Call him the anti-Jason Blake.

Hagman brings the energy every night. Could he become a candidate for team captain as the season wears on? Could a Finn follow a Swede wearing the “C” in Toronto.

The other particularly noticeable Leaf in the wild win Wednesday night was rookie centre John Mitchell, who set up Alex Steen for a goal, no easy task, had two shots, blocked two shots and delivered his best performance of the season. Not sure what he is yet – second liner or fourth liner – but he’s starting to move his feet consistently and get involved.

In general, as messy as the Leafs looked Tuesday in losing to Tampa at home, they looked aggressive and never-say-die last night at the Prudential Centre – an arena with the strongest police presence outside on the street you’ll ever see at an NHL rink, by the way. Five straight games with 37 shots or more on goal is pretty amazing for a team that doesn’t have a first line or marquee attackers. They’re creating that offence with hustle and desire more than skill, leaving Jersey coach Brent Sutter to lambast his team as “lifeless” after the loss.

The next challenge? The NHL’s stoutest defence, owned by the New York Rangers.

Now on to this week’s mail bag:

Q: Hi Damien,

I have long hoped for the Leafs to have a single owner or a situation where 'hockey' people run the hockey team. It happened under Stavro for a short time but I think after what happened with the Raptors (Colangelo hiring) we are finally seeing this with the Leafs. Fletcher (Burke eventually, I believe) and Wilson have total control. Scratching veterans is a good example. It was so frustrating to see Chad Kilger or Darcy Tucker play 2 good games out of every 5. I think they’re headed in the right direction, don’t you?

John Fava, North Bay, ON

A: There are promising signs, John, but mixed ones, as well. After a night like last night in Newark, everything looks rosy. Clearly, Wilson has set a tone and grabbed the attention of every player on this team, Problem is, that’ll only get a coach so far. You might get Jason Blake, for example, wondering why he’s sitting out while Ryan Hollweg is maxing out his minutes despite some questionable on-ice decisions. That said, even Hollweg is responding to the coaching staff, as he played very effectively against the Devils. The hit with which he laid out Jersey’s Zach Parise, and the thumping he received at the hands of Mike Rupp was just another weird interpretation of hockey’s “code.”

Defensively, the Leafs are improved, or at least they were until Wednesday night. It’s their ability to generate all this offence, or at least all these shots, that is eye-catching. Partly they’re doing it with clean breakouts out of their own zone, and their overall team speed is clearly catching some opponents off-guard. It’s the energy they are delivering, however, that is largely producing the shots, an energy not seen with the Leafs on a consistent basis for some time.

I would agree that Fletcher does seem to have autonomy that JFJ was never granted. What will be interesting now is how that plays out over the course of the season when opportunities for the Leafs to add prospects and picks for some of their established veterans come up. Is this a team just waiting for Brian Burke?

Leafs vs. Bolts: Leafs lack a sniper like Vinny

Another toughie for the Leafs, another night when they win on the shot clock but can't score enough to make it mean more than that.

This is the way it's going to be all season, so get used to it.

The Lightning scratched and clawed to protect a 3-2 lead and make it stand up, while Ron Wilson tried every forward combination in the book in an attempt to at least get to overtime.

It was a rather disjointed game that included, oddly, four penalties for delay-of-game, an apt demonstration of why both of these clubs are likely to be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin next spring.

Hats off to Tampa goalie Mike Smith, the major acquisition for the Lightning in the Brad Richards deal with Dallas last winter. Smith has been nothing short of dazzling this season, vindicating new GM Brian Lawton's decision to sign him to a new contract before this season.

The difference in this game? The hands of Vinny Lecavalier, a player the likes of which the Leafs just don't own right now, and won't get without finishing low in the standings and high in next summer's draft.

It won't get any easier for the Leafs to score some goals Wednesday night against Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils.

Benching and juggled lines can only do so much. Getting much more offence out of this Leaf roster is akin to getting blood from a stone.

Leafs vs. Bolts: Two periods in the books

So, the Stamkos kid is finally on the scoresheet.

Can't say it was a beauty. Or even an assist at all. In fact, the second assist given to Steve Stamkos in the second period tonight off a goal by Vinny Lecavalier was at best phantom and at worst really makes you wonder about the legitimacy of the NHL record book. But hey, the kid needed a point after seven games without one, and the NHL always gives away these points like candy, so can't say it's terrible they gave one to the league's top draft pick.

Besides, Lecavalier's backhand goal was no phantom. It was a beauty, and Stamkos could've earned more points later in the period when a couple of good passes weren't converted by teammates.

As a blog reader astutely pointed out, Matt Stajan seems intent to pay homage to departed teammate Bryan McCabe by putting McCabe's name and former No. 24 on his hockey stick. How adorable. Maybe that's why he was benched earlier this season.

At any rate, it was the player acquired for McCabe from Florida who scored the Leafs goal in the second. Mike Van Ryn didn't exactly look like Guy Lafleur on the play, but he did just enough to block a cross-ice pass by Mikhail Grabovski and get just enough on his shot to float it into the Tampa net.

The Leafs were outshot 11-9 in the second, and now need to pick up their first win this season after trailing going into the third to extend their win streak to three. Tampa desperately needs this win, if only because co-owner Oren Koules is in the house watching, and it'll be interesting to see which team looks hungrier for the "W" in the third.

Leafs vs. Bolts: After 20 minutes

This, it's fair to say, is not the same Maple Leaf team that outskated the Senators and Bruins last week.

At least not yet. While they did pound 17 shots at beleaguered Tampa goalie Mike Smith in the first period, the Leafs find themselves behind 2-1 against arguably the league's worst team.

Both Tampa goals were the results of Leaf coverage errors. On the first, Jussi Jokinen was left completely alone on the edge of the crease staring at an empty net, and on the second Vinny Lecavalier outmanoeuvred Tomas Kaberle to cleverly corral a long lead pass from Vinny Prospal before beating Vesa Toskala with one of those tricky, one-handed, around-the-goalie dekes.

Matt Stajan did all the work on the Leafs goal, first banging a Tampa defenceman off the puck, then banging away at a loose puck in the crease.

The Leafs should get lots of scoring chances as the night wears on. Last season, Tampa was 11th best in the league under John Tortorella for shots allowed, giving up just over 28 per game. This season under Barry Melrose, the Bolts are giving up more than 37 shots a game, worst in the NHL. Right now, the Leafs are on pace for 51.

Still no points for local boy Steven Stamkos in the first, and wouldn't this be a great place for the kid to get on the scoreboard for his first time as an NHLer? He's skating on a line with Ryan Malone and Adam Hall, but still not getting the ice time from Melrose that GM Brian Lawton would like to see.

Among the Leaf scratches is defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo, and it sure looked like they could have used him on two unsuccessful 5-on-3 chances in the first period.

Toskala made his fourth start tonight, and eighth in nine games. Maybe Curtis Joseph gets the nod against Martin Brodeur Wednesday night in New Jersey.

Leafs vs. Bolts: A battle of last season's cellar dwellers

There's just not much left.

It's hard to believe, really, that the Tampa Bay Lightning were Stanley Cup champions just four years ago. The lockout came between then and now, of course, but all that's left with the Bolts is Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and some members of the medical and training staff.

New owners. New GM, coach and coaching staff, and an entirely different roster from the one which defeated Calgary to win the '04 Cup.

The new-look Lightning, re-made again last summer, make an intriguing challenge for the Maple Leafs tonight. Too bad Pat Burns isn't on hand to say hello to Barry Melrose.

Talk to you after the first period.

Better Or Not?

Once again, proof that there's nothing like a two-game winning streak.

That's if you're the Maple Leafs, of course.

This, needless to say, is part of the problem Ron Wilson faces as coach of the team. The Leafs knocked off Boston and Ottawa in succession last week, two solid victories over divisional opponents, and already there's talk all around that the club is clearly either improved or improving.

Voices on Hockey Night in Canada worried on Saturday that the Leafs might be becoming too good too fast. Luke Schenn (8 games played, 0 points, minus-3) has apparently not only proven he must stay in the NHL, he's being listed as a candidate for the Calder Trophy by various media pundits. The team, some suggest, is burdened with nine "proven" NHL defencemen. It goes on and on.

Just two victories in a row, and a 3-2-3 record, has produced all this.

People do seem to like the way the Leafs are playing, and that's fair, although at this time last year they were the NHL's highest scoring club. This year's team is clearly faster and seems to be more consistently industrious. Against a slumping Ottawa team on Saturday, the Leafs were first to the puck all night and outskated a Senators team that used to outskate the Leafs with ease.

But was that more of a measure of the Sens or the Leafs?

The Boston victory was impressive because it was a comeback win, and in three games last week, the Leafs allowed just six goals, certainly evidence of enhanced defensive play.

But two games in an 82-game slate don't prove much, and Wilson's dilemma, just as it was for Pat Quinn and Paul Maurice and those that came before, is that the city is as easily satisfied as the players. The bar has been set so low by decades without a championship that minor accomplishments are viewed as major ones. HNIC, desperate for the Leafs to do well to enhance it's ratings and with a strong pro-Toronto lean, wildly exaggerates the most meagre positive notes and treats every single member of the team like a star. On last week's show, one analyst suggested Mike Van Ryn was a "great" NHL defenceman.

None of the other five Canadian teams are viewed through the same rose-colored prism as the Leafs by HNIC. That's how players like Darcy Tucker managed to become marquee names.

This is what Wilson is up against. To make this team successful over time, he will have to find a way to overcome the atmosphere surrounding his team that allows a couple of wins to be portrayed as sure signs of progress. Already, you can imagine that he's fearful that the wild praise being showered upon Schenn, who does look like a solid NHL prospect, is going to go to the kid's head.

Last year, Jiri Tlusty scored twice in his first NHL game and folks were projecting him to be a top six forward. A year later, he's in the minors, but there's this belief out there that Schenn is somehow exempt from all of the landmines that trip up young players.

That the team is willing to burn a year of his entry level contract, needless to say, just demonstrates that the Leaf organization still doesn't understand the managing the payroll in a salary cap era is crucial.

But as usual, the Leafs are selling hope, not excellence. Spirit (not winning) is everything, goes the team's slogan.

So what would be measures of team improvement?

Play consistently well for a month. Get the team's goals-against average, now 11th overall, into the top half-dozen. Realize improvement in the league's 24th best penalty killing outfit. Enhance the team's offence, now 28th in the NHL with the 23rd best power play, to at least the top 20.

Some won't like this blog posting, and will say its the usual negative, glass-half-empty approach. This team was not expected to do well, and some will suggest three wins in eight games to start the season is evidence of a team that is over-achieving.

But isn't it about time Leaf fans and local media started looking at their hockey team realistically, rather than believing in the latest two-game win streak?

Nothing Has Changed

It's dangerous to listen to anybody but Mats Sundin when it comes to Sundin's hockey future.

Most everyone other than the man himself believes he's going to play this season, including his agent, despite the fact Sundin has never said any such thing. People seem to believe his absence from the game is similar to Ken Dryden's one-year absence from the crease of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s, that he'll be back simply because he's good enough to be back.

Since this all began last spring, I've only heard the sounds of a player who wants to retire, but can't quite bring himself to officially call it a day. He doesn't know if he can do it anymore, or wants to do it anymore. Perhaps unsaid is a desire not to do a Scott Niedermayer or a Brett Favre, not to retire and then unretire months later.

In an intriguing interview with The Star's Rosie Dimanno, Sundin continues to sound that way, at least to these ears. Interestingly, he indicated that while his family wants him to play and his agent wants him to play, he doesn't necessarily want to play.

Look, folks, this is a tough league to play in, and nearly impossible unless you're really into it. It's a difficult grind, and the demands of being the captain in Toronto are heavy.

The demands of being a significant player in New York or Montreal are pretty heavy as well.

Since this all started, I've urged people to listen to what Sundin says, not to media pundits or close friends. Don't imagine that dropping the puck in Stockholm or going to see his doctor means anything unless Sundin says it does. Far from enjoying all the conversation about his future, he likely wishes people would just imagine he was on a trip to Mars until he chooses to re-join the hockey fray. He's never wavered, and now he's certainly not saying his misses the game or the competition or the comaraderie.

He's always sounded like a guy who wants to retire, and never like a player who is dying to play again.

He just doesn't have the heart to break it to people.

Thursday Mail Bag

First the second-NHL-team-for-Toronto watch, now the Mats Sundin watch. Or at least more of it.

It’s been a week for phantom hockey stories in these parts, and the passion for the NHL and all things hockey is such that people get very, very excited. The second team story, of course, has been hanging around for decades, and right now it feels like the same with Sundin and his long-awaited decision.

Quit or play. Pick a team. That’s all people want to see happen now, which is why you get folks downright angry with the former Leaf captain, suggesting he shouldn’t be doing exactly what he’s doing, taking his time with an important life decision.

Me, I think any one of us would love to be able to sit back, take a few months off, kick back and decide if we wanted to continue working, and if so, where.

Wouldn’t that be sweet. So far from being ticked off with Sundin, I’m envious, and kind of impressed that he’s pursuing all of this at his own speed on his own timetable. That’s freedom we’d all love to have.

Now on to this week’s mail bag:

Q: Mr. Cox,

When a player is said to have a "reputation for poor conditioning," like Kyle Wellwood, is it simply laziness on the part of the player, or rather a euphemism for off-ice issues, such as excess? Was Ray Emery "poorly conditioned"? Was Theo Fleury? John Kordic? In an era in which players are given access to the best trainers and equipment, I find the notion of poor conditioning hard to believe.

Riley Sutherland, Montreal

A: Interesting points, and I think you’re right to some degree, that conditioning has become the convenient excuse in the modern era to replace “the flu,” usually the reason given to explain the absence of players who either didn’t want to play in the Philly Spectrum or were hung over from the night before. Today, sending players down to the minors for “conditioning purposes” usually means anything but trying to get them into shape.

I do believe that players are much better conditioned today than at any other time in history of the NHL. That said, there are always going to be those whose fitness is at the top level, and those whose fitness isn’t as good. Even with all the modern technology and training resources, it’s still largely up to the individual to push himself. That’s why I’m always suspicious of teams that blame injuries for hurting their chances. At least to some degree, the healthiest teams are usually also the fittest.