Howard Berger: Alyn McCauley Remembers 2002

Man, it's been 10 years since then already. I really hope we get back to the playoffs soon.

omg

Hey Howard, What's EI pay these days?

Howard Berger: Alyn McCauley Remembers 2002
- hberger

It's a shame that no one remembers Alyn McCauley.

Hey Howard, What's EI pay these days?
- Mr_Smokey

more than welfare

McCauley, Roberts, Corson, Tucker, Sundin, Mogilny, McCabe

These were hockey players

And everybody is crying over concussions. If that guy can remember 10 years ago after getting his bell rung like he did one year, then all of these other guys are a bunch of phonies.

Howard u failed to mention the real reason the Leafs bowed out to Carolina in 02. The Leafs got the semi-finals on the back of Roberts who had amazing chemistry with McCauley. Things immediatley changed after Sundin was inserted back in the lineup along side Gary Roberts in game 2. It was obvious that the chemistry on the Leafs was not the same. Gary had taken the team under his wing, he basically became the captain without the C. Obviously the rest of the team had taken a liking to having Gary as their leader. Gary was the chief & the rest of the trrops follwed his lead. When Mats returned for game 2, it killed the chemistry. Now I know Mats is the captain & if he's ready, obviously u put him back in the lineup, but why break up the amazing chemistry of Gary & Alan? Quinn as the coach & Mats as the captain should have known better. With the Leafs up 1 game to 0, the Leafs had time on their side to at least try something different. Why not insert Mats as a 2nd line center for game 2? This way we could ride the momentum pf Gary & Alan for as long as we can. Than if say the Leafs lose games 2 & 3, ok than, put Mats back up with Roberts on the #1 line.

I think it was pure stupidity on Quinn's part to seperate the Gary & Alan line that was on fire. The fans know all this to be true, why does the media & players ignore this fact? The Leafs lost the series in 02 cause they broke uo the Gary/Alan line, simple as that. I'll tell u this, that seires proved that Roberts was 100% better suited to be captain than Sundin. Gary was leading that team in 02 right to the finals, than when Mats returned, the team became a row boat without a rudder.

Mats lost alot of respect from fans after that series. I think in that 2002 off season, Leafs should have traded Sundin, which back than they had no NTC to deal with & they would have got a king's ransom for Mats. Than put the C on Roberts jersey.
I mean with the Leafs 3 wins away from the Cup final in 02, if Mats was such a great leader, when he returned in game 2, he would have lead the Leafs right past the Canes.

Howard u failed to mention the real reason the Leafs bowed out to Carolina in 02. The Leafs got the semi-finals on the back of Roberts who had amazing chemistry with McCauley. Things immediatley changed after Sundin was inserted back in the lineup along side Gary Roberts in game 2. It was obvious that the chemistry on the Leafs was not the same. Gary had taken the team under his wing, he basically became the captain without the C. Obviously the rest of the team had taken a liking to having Gary as their leader. Gary was the chief & the rest of the trrops follwed his lead. When Mats returned for game 2, it killed the chemistry. Now I know Mats is the captain & if he's ready, obviously u put him back in the lineup, but why break up the amazing chemistry of Gary & Alan? Quinn as the coach & Mats as the captain should have known better. With the Leafs up 1 game to 0, the Leafs had time on their side to at least try something different. Why not insert Mats as a 2nd line center for game 2? This way we could ride the momentum pf Gary & Alan for as long as we can. Than if say the Leafs lose games 2 & 3, ok than, put Mats back up with Roberts on the #1 line.

I think it was pure stupidity on Quinn's part to seperate the Gary & Alan line that was on fire. The fans know all this to be true, why does the media & players ignore this fact? The Leafs lost the series in 02 cause they broke uo the Gary/Alan line, simple as that. I'll tell u this, that seires proved that Roberts was 100% better suited to be captain than Sundin. Gary was leading that team in 02 right to the finals, than when Mats returned, the team became a row boat without a rudder.

Mats lost alot of respect from fans after that series. I think in that 2002 off season, Leafs should have traded Sundin, which back than they had no NTC to deal with & they would have got a king's ransom for Mats. Than put the C on Roberts jersey.
I mean with the Leafs 3 wins away from the Cup final in 02, if Mats was such a great leader, when he returned in game 2, he would have lead the Leafs right past the Canes.
- GCHonda

Spot on analysis! Put the flame suit on.....the fanboys are reving up!

And everybody is crying over concussions. If that guy can remember 10 years ago after getting his bell rung like he did one year, then all of these other guys are a bunch of phonies.
- weirdoh

This is both an ignorant and horrible statement. For shame

Let's be honest about all this nostalgia too, while we're at it - if the leafs had closed out that series with Carolina, the same team would have won the cup.

That '02 team in Detroit was unbeatable, best team assembled since the Oilers/Pens dynasties before it, and no team has been built that good since.

Howard u failed to mention the real reason the Leafs bowed out to Carolina in 02. The Leafs got the semi-finals on the back of Roberts who had amazing chemistry with McCauley. Things immediatley changed after Sundin was inserted back in the lineup along side Gary Roberts in game 2. It was obvious that the chemistry on the Leafs was not the same. Gary had taken the team under his wing, he basically became the captain without the C. Obviously the rest of the team had taken a liking to having Gary as their leader. Gary was the chief & the rest of the trrops follwed his lead. When Mats returned for game 2, it killed the chemistry. Now I know Mats is the captain & if he's ready, obviously u put him back in the lineup, but why break up the amazing chemistry of Gary & Alan? Quinn as the coach & Mats as the captain should have known better. With the Leafs up 1 game to 0, the Leafs had time on their side to at least try something different. Why not insert Mats as a 2nd line center for game 2? This way we could ride the momentum pf Gary & Alan for as long as we can. Than if say the Leafs lose games 2 & 3, ok than, put Mats back up with Roberts on the #1 line.

I think it was pure stupidity on Quinn's part to seperate the Gary & Alan line that was on fire. The fans know all this to be true, why does the media & players ignore this fact? The Leafs lost the series in 02 cause they broke uo the Gary/Alan line, simple as that. I'll tell u this, that seires proved that Roberts was 100% better suited to be captain than Sundin. Gary was leading that team in 02 right to the finals, than when Mats returned, the team became a row boat without a rudder.

Mats lost alot of respect from fans after that series. I think in that 2002 off season, Leafs should have traded Sundin, which back than they had no NTC to deal with & they would have got a king's ransom for Mats. Than put the C on Roberts jersey.
I mean with the Leafs 3 wins away from the Cup final in 02, if Mats was such a great leader, when he returned in game 2, he would have lead the Leafs right past the Canes.
- GCHonda

Agree.

Only problem is, there's NO WAY Toronto would have beaten Detroit in the finals that year. So that kind of renders all of this moot.

But I see your point and agree: Sundin was a great player, no question. He was just not a great leader.

Let's be honest about all this nostalgia too, while we're at it - if the leafs had closed out that series with Carolina, the same team would have won the cup.

That '02 team in Detroit was unbeatable, best team assembled since the Oilers/Pens dynasties before it, and no team has been built that good since.
- TommyDeVito

Absolutely true. That team was the bomb.

thanks for the memory Howard!....that was the last true feeling of being a winner that this franchise has had.

Another "down memory lane" blog

Agree.

Only problem is, there's NO WAY Toronto would have beaten Detroit in the finals that year. So that kind of renders all of this moot.

But I see your point and agree: Sundin was a great player, no question. He was just not a great leader.
- jnwood2517

Toronto would have been slaughtered by the Red Wings in 2002.

Sundin was a great leader by example but he didn't have that extra gear. You see other players from his era, guys like Sakic, Yzerman etc. who all seemed to have even more to give during the playoffs. Sundin was a respectable player during the playoffs but he simply didn't have enough talent to make up for the lack of talent around him.

Howard u failed to mention the real reason the Leafs bowed out to Carolina in 02. The Leafs got the semi-finals on the back of Roberts who had amazing chemistry with McCauley. Things immediatley changed after Sundin was inserted back in the lineup along side Gary Roberts in game 2. It was obvious that the chemistry on the Leafs was not the same. Gary had taken the team under his wing, he basically became the captain without the C. Obviously the rest of the team had taken a liking to having Gary as their leader. Gary was the chief & the rest of the trrops follwed his lead. When Mats returned for game 2, it killed the chemistry. Now I know Mats is the captain & if he's ready, obviously u put him back in the lineup, but why break up the amazing chemistry of Gary & Alan? Quinn as the coach & Mats as the captain should have known better. With the Leafs up 1 game to 0, the Leafs had time on their side to at least try something different. Why not insert Mats as a 2nd line center for game 2? This way we could ride the momentum pf Gary & Alan for as long as we can. Than if say the Leafs lose games 2 & 3, ok than, put Mats back up with Roberts on the #1 line.

I think it was pure stupidity on Quinn's part to seperate the Gary & Alan line that was on fire. The fans know all this to be true, why does the media & players ignore this fact? The Leafs lost the series in 02 cause they broke uo the Gary/Alan line, simple as that. I'll tell u this, that seires proved that Roberts was 100% better suited to be captain than Sundin. Gary was leading that team in 02 right to the finals, than when Mats returned, the team became a row boat without a rudder.

Mats lost alot of respect from fans after that series. I think in that 2002 off season, Leafs should have traded Sundin, which back than they had no NTC to deal with & they would have got a king's ransom for Mats. Than put the C on Roberts jersey.
I mean with the Leafs 3 wins away from the Cup final in 02, if Mats was such a great leader, when he returned in game 2, he would have lead the Leafs right past the Canes.
- GCHonda

I remember thinking the same thing at the time.....I thought "there goes our momentum and our messing with Carolina's line matching strategy"

I remember thinking the same thing at the time.....I thought "there goes our momentum and our messing with Carolina's line matching strategy"
- JIMI-JAMES

That theory has never made any sense. Not in 2002 and not today either. You have to go with your best players and their best player was Sundin. McCauley did an amazing job but it wasn't going to last forever. People quickly forget that Sundin was the guy who was scoring last second goals to force OT. Four out the six were 2-1 games, three of them in OT.

Quinn as the coach & Mats as the captain should have known better. With the Leafs up 1 game to 0, the Leafs had time on their side to at least try something different. Why not insert Mats as a 2nd line center for game 2? This way we could ride the momentum pf Gary & Alan for as long as we can.
- GCHonda

http://www.nhl.com/ice/pl...&view=log&season=20012002

http://www.nhl.com/ice/pl...&view=log&season=20012002

McCauley played between 24 and 25 minutes in game 2 and 3.

Sundin played between 16 and 22 minutes in game 2 and 3.

Even in game 4, McCauley played 1 more minute than Sundin. It wasn't until game 5 and 6 that Sundin played more. McCauley was given the chance you say he never got and he didn't perform. Sundin on the other hand, had a goal and four points in five games.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8462105&view=log&season=20012002

http://www.nhl.com/ice/pl...&view=log&season=20012002

McCauley played between 24 and 25 minutes in game 2 and 3.

Sundin played between 16 and 22 minutes in game 2 and 3.

Even in game 4, McCauley played 1 more minute than Sundin. It wasn't until game 5 and 6 that Sundin played more. McCauley was given the chance you say he never got and he didn't perform. Sundin on the other hand, had a goal and four points in five games.
- Unholy_Goalie

wings were stacked that year and our third best D in the playoffs was Karel Pilar
Cujo would have had shell shock if we had advanced.

wings were stacked that year and our third best D in the playoffs was Karel Pilar
Cujo would have had shell shock if we had advanced.
- ky678468

The Red Wings were beyond stacked. Shanahan, Fedorov, Yzerman, Lidstrom, Robitaille, Hull, Hasek, Larionov. That was a team that was so stacked, Holmstrom and Datsyuk were role players. That's not a hockey team; that's an All-Star team. Bowman behind the bench to boot. It wouldn't have even been close.

Sundin

The Red Wings were beyond stacked. Shanahan, Fedorov, Yzerman, Lidstrom, Robitaille, Hull, Hasek, Larionov. That was a team that was so stacked, Holmstrom and Datsyuk were role players. That's not a hockey team; that's an All-Star team. Bowman behind the bench to boot. It wouldn't have even been close.
- Unholy_Goalie

Time for the Leafs to fire their scouts and hire the red wings scouting staff.

Time for the Leafs to fire their scouts and hire the red wings scouting staff.
- TheMadNavigator

Time for the Leafs to spend less time and money on plugs like Komisarek, Connolly, Lombardi and Armstrong and more time and money on a fleet of scouts.

Imagine that 15 million dollars per year spent wisely?