TORONTO (Sep. 6) – For the first time since 1997, it appears the Maple Leafs will have the task of naming a new captain, as Mats Sundin has offered no indication he’ll be returning to the club. And it can be argued that for the first time since George Armstrong assumed the captaincy in 1958-59, there is no obvious heir to the throne.
A Toronto player first wore the ‘C’ in the 1927-28 season, when Leafs’ founder and GM Conn Smythe bestowed the honor on Clarence [Hap] Day. The captaincy has since been a respected and cherished position on the hockey club – the custom interrupted only once, when owner Harold Ballard took it away from Rick Vaive in February, 1986, after Vaive slept in and missed a practice in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Leafs did not have a captain during the 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons, a period that ranked among the most unfulfilling and rancorous in team history. The custom resumed with veteran defenseman Rob Ramage in 1989-90 and has continued to this day.
There has been purpose and logic in the appointment of every captain during my lifetime, starting with Armstrong in 1959. He gave way to Dave Keon in 1969. When Keon was unceremoniously dumped by Ballard after the 1974-75 season, Darryl Sittler became the obvious successor, having grown into the best player and spokesperson on the team. Sittler’s Leaf tenure also ended in turmoil midway through the 1981-82 campaign and Vaive – only 22 years old, but well on his way to becoming the first 50-goal shooter in club annals – took over. Ramage gave way to Wendel Clark in 1991, and Doug Gilmour seamlessly assumed the role after Clark was traded for Sundin in 1994. Everybody knew Sundin would get the ‘C’ when Cliff Fletcher dealt Gilmour to New Jersey in March, 1997. But, the process of officially anointing Sundin dragged on much longer than expected during training camp, at Kitchener, the following September.
Now what?
With Sundin apparently out of the picture, and the restructuring Maple Leafs devoid of a front-line player, there is no palpable successor to the big Swede. The apparent quest for a new captain was the most popular theme in the e-mails I received for this column [I thank everyone that took part]. So, let’s get started, and hand the floor to Jason from Ottawa – the first to raise the subject.
Q. Hello Howard. I have spoken to several people – family, friends – about who should be the next captain of the Leafs. Most seem to think it should be Tomas Kaberle, as he is probably the best player, but I don’t believe he is right for the "C". I know Fletcher said Pavel Kubina would be a potential captain, but I’m not so sure – the Leafs tried to trade him last season. The two players I think will make good captains down the road are Alex Steen and Matt Stajan. Who do you think is the best choice to follow Sundin?
A. This is a bit of a conundrum, Jason. You correctly mentioned the most obvious members of the current Leafs team, but it doesn’t necessarily follow that any will be a particularly good captain. As you said, Kaberle is the most talented skater heading into the 2008-09 season, but he has never struck me as a leader. Nor do I feel he has any concept of winning after the wasteland of the past half-decade in Toronto. And, don’t forget, only Kaberle’s consent stood in the way of a trade to Philadelphia for Jeff Carter in February. There is merit in both Stajan and Steen, but only to a point. Certainly, neither player has performed his way to the captaincy and in my conversations with Stajan, I sense he almost fears taking over the leadership mantle from Sundin. That leaves Kubina as a logical and decent choice. Of course, he also blocked a trade [to San Jose] at the deadline, but he was one of the few players to step it up in the difficult second half of last season, and he’s both admired and respected by his teammates [including those that were purged from the club this off-season]. Pavel is a tireless worker who genuinely detests losing, and that also set him apart from a number of his fellow Leafs. There are two reasons why Fletcher did not trade Kubina when he had the chance this summer. First, new coach Ron Wilson considers the Czech native to be the cornerstone of the club’s defense unit; he pushed hard for Kubina to be acquired by the Sharks when he was still working in San Jose last February. And, second, it says here that Kubina will be granted the ‘C’ once it is determined, unequivocally, that Sundin will not return.
Q. Justin in Calgary writes: The Leafs would appear to have too many forwards and defensemen at the moment. Who do you expect to see on the opening night roster in Detroit?
A. That will obviously be determined by performance in the pre-season, and by possible injuries, but here’s my best guess, Justin, after perusing the roster: GOAL – Vesa Toskala, Curtis Joseph. DEFENSE – Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, Jeff Finger, Jonas Frogren, Mike Van Ryn, Anton Stralman. [Extras – Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo]. FORWARDS – Mark Bell, Jiri Tlusty, Alex Steen, Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Dominic Moore, Jamal Mayers, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Nikolai Kulemin, Jason Blake, Nik Antropov, Mikhail Grabovski. [Extras – Boyd Devereaux, Ryan Hollweg, Jeremy Williams].
Q. Chris in Hamilton writes: Howard, I’m a diehard Leafs fan who is holding out hope that the club is finally ready to build on a solid foundation. To that end, it needs to start assembling a core of young players that will be the nucleus for years to come. Of the players listed, who do you think has the most upside as a legitimate NHLer -- Jeremy Williams, Robbie Earl, or Jiri Tlusty?
A. I suppose that depends on your definition of a “legitimate NHLer”, Chris. And, on whether any of the abovementioned has the capacity to play a significant role on a contending team. To me, that’s the key. Taking up minutes on a bottom-feeder isn’t an accurate barometer of value in the NHL; not with offensive-minded players such as the trio you’ve isolated. The 2008-09 Maple Leafs appear to have a disproportionate number of third and fourth-line forwards, and an outright dearth of front-liners. So, it’s very possible that any or all of Williams, Earl and Tlusty will play more minutes than otherwise warranted. I’m interested in seeing which members of the current team can take their games to a level that would merit employment with a strong playoff contender. Tlusty seems to have the brightest potential, providing his scoring acumen develops, and it isn’t compromised once he learns how to play without the puck. Ron Wilson should be a good tutor for him.
Q. Mario in Georgetown, Ont. writes: Howard, love your work on the FAN-590 and your blogs on Hockeybuzz. I hate to do this, but here goes... as a Habs fan, I would love to see Mats Sundin in a Montreal uniform and I truly believe the Canadiens would be a great fit for him. Since you probably know Mats as well as anyone in the media, what do you think he’ll ultimately decide?
A. Thanks for the props, Mario, but I can assure you that I have no more intimate knowledge of Sundin than any of my colleagues in the Toronto press corps. Or, for that matter, any person in the front office of the Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders – all of whom want No. 13 on their side. The reason is obvious: Mats hasn’t tipped his hand to the slightest degree, owing to what he maintains is a virtual black hole in terms of desire to play for another season. I am thoroughly convinced of his strong emotional ties to the hockey public in this city, and I don’t believe his immediate future would be a topic if the Leafs had a respectable team. But, given the perpetual state of the Toronto franchise, there is simply nothing to come back to. And, the root of his indecision probably lies therein. “If I have no reason to play for the Leafs, is there any reason to continue playing in the NHL?” That’s what I believe he’s wrestling with. Doug Gilmour thinks Sundin will sort it out once the season gets underway, and once he gauges whether he still has a yearning for his normal routine. According to Gilmour, if two or three weeks pass and Sundin’s itch to play doesn’t increase, there’s a good chance the big Swede will pack it in. As with others, I can only harbor a guess. I believe Mats will return, and will sign with Montreal, the Rangers, or Philadelphia. If I had a gun to my head, I’d pick New York. And, believe me, the Rangers would have no difficulty creating space for him under the cap.
Q. Ian in North Bay writes: Howard, looking ahead to the trade deadline this coming season, who do you see on the Leafs that might bring a return in draft choices or futures?
A. That’s a good question, Ian, and one that I believe Cliff Fletcher is already pondering. You can exclude any of the young players the Leafs are banking on [Kulemin, Tlusty, Stralman, etc.]. Kaberle and Kubina will still be protected by their contract restrictions during the season, though Kaberle’s no-movement clause is lifted next summer. Mike Van Ryn and Alexei Ponikarovsky could be seen as assets by playoff-bound teams. If Jason Blake rediscovers his scoring eye, his contract will be a bit more appealing [in the realm of both performance and buyout], with only three years of term remaining. But, the hottest commodity, in my mind, will be Vesa Toskala. And the Leafs, I feel, will be apt to deal him if Justin Pogge shows legitimate signs of progress in the AHL. Toskala will have only one year left on a $4 million contract… a virtual pittance in today’s NHL. Should he play as well as he did last season, teams will be banging down the door to acquire him – if not at the trade deadline, then certainly next summer. By peddling Toskala, the Leafs will easily be able to add to their stable of young players and prospects.
Q. Chris in Seoul, South Korea writes: Hi Howard. I was wondering if you still believe Brian Burke will be coming to the Leafs and, if so, when? Aside from Burke's connection to Al Coates and Ron Wilson, why do you still think this will happen?
A. As you know, Chris, I sensed early in the spring that Anaheim would allow Burke to speak with the Leafs prior to the coming season. That notion wasn’t based on information, but rather on a gut feeling the Ducks would realize they had nothing to gain by insisting that a lame-duck GM fulfill the final year of his contract. Especially with experienced people such as Bob Murray and David Nonis also in the fold, and capable of taking over. Burke has had a five-year extension sitting on his desk since early last season. Though he obviously cannot say so, he wants to move east and he wants to run the Leafs. He also has no desire to work longer than necessary for Ducks’ CEO Michael Schulman, who strong-armed Burke into telling reporters, last April, that he’d return to the Ducks for his final year. So, yes, I’m mildly surprised that Burke hasn’t yet been permitted to speak with other clubs. By hanging onto him, Anaheim is merely delaying its own progress. I still firmly believe he’ll end up here in Toronto – at the latest, next summer, when his contract expires. But, Chris, it won’t be as a result of Al Coates’ presence. As much as I respect Al, I can assure you Burke was not going to extend his deal in Anaheim as senior advisor to the GM. Coates is with the Leafs because of his long history with Fletcher. And, you can be sure that anyone hired by Fletcher understands that long-term employment is at the behest of a new GM.
Q. Simon in St. Catharines writes: Howard, what do you think of the new centre-ice logo at Air Canada Centre? Do you really feel the Leafs needed to switch it?
A. I like it, Simon. For those that aren’t aware, a giant Leafs logo will envelop the centre-ice circle this season, replacing the old design, which had a pair of smaller logos flanking the checkered red line. Was it necessary for the club to do it? I’ll answer that by asking if it’s necessary for the Leafs to do anything beyond unlocking the doors to the ACC? But, I think you’ll enjoy the new look. One thing I don’t understand is why the NHL continues to insist the red line must bisect the logos. You might recall that for almost all of the years the Leafs played in Maple Leaf Gardens, the checkered line extending from the side-boards was interrupted by a small circle that contained the Leafs’ emblem. The line then continued on the other side of the circle to the far boards. Once teams began to paint giant logos on the ice – I think Chicago was first to do it when the United Center opened in 1995 – the league mandated that the red line be visible directly through the centre-ice design. That was understandable when the two-line offside was still in effect. Linesmen had to know, for certain, whether a player taking a pass from inside his own blue line was accepting it before he reached centre. But, now that the two-line pass is permitted, why mess up the logos by painting the checkered line through them? They would look much sharper without the needless marking. Perhaps the league feels the red line is still required to call icing. But, icing is like the phantom "out" at second-base on a double-play... umpires give lots of leeway. As do linesmen. An unobtrusive face-off dot could easily be added to the logo to mark the geographic centre of the rink.
Q. Jonathan in Medicine Hat, Alta. writes: Do you think if Sundin comes back, the Leafs will be a better team than last season? New coach. Hagman. Blake has a new coach. Tougher team. Better defense. Kulemin. Another full season of Antropov. Full season with Toskala. Pressure is off them.
A. No.
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