Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.3

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Earlier this summer, the Toronto Maple Leafs put out a mysterious message that a major announcement would be made but said nothing else about what was to be expected. Anyone who wanted to find out what it was all about would have to make their way to the Air Canada Centre at 11am on a Wednesday in the middle of the summertime, hardly a conducive time for most to make the trek. Nevertheless, several Maple Leaf die-hard souls made it out to hear the Maple Leafs had added a preseason game to their schedule in which all of the tickets would be given out, free of charge, thanks to Coca Cola. All those in attendance at the announcement were given free ducats.

A nice idea, despite the fact this game really wasn’t the charity from MLSE that it appeared to be on the surface. Coke bought all the tickets, so MLSE didn’t lose a penny, the money just came from a different source. Still, the willingness to give fans that rarely get to attend games the opportunity to see their favourite team in action was a noble gesture. Fast forward to the game itself and following its conclusion, it was reported that approximately one thousand seats went without occupants.

Maybe there are just not that many people who care to attend a Leaf game? Not likely. The tickets just got into the wrong hands. For those who had tickets to this game but didn’t feel compelled to use them since they had no real fiscal value attached to them should be ashamed of themselves. Anyone who holds any tickets to any Leaf games that they let go unused is missing a big opportunity to brighten the lives of those who can only dreaming of attending a game.

Say what you want but the fact still is, Leaf tickets are a privilege in Toronto. There are numerous children’s hospitals, big brother organizations and charitable institutions that would not have too difficult a time putting extra tickets to use. Not putting your extra tickets to use, that’s just despicable. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.2

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When Maple Leaf training camp commenced over the weekend, something was missing. For the first time since 1986, the Maple Leafs roster included neither Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour nor Mats Sundin. Each of those three men represented the core of the leadership in the Maple Leaf dressing room for a period of time throughout the last twenty two years and now that leadership will have to come from a new source. But who?

Nobody on the current roster has the talent level, experience, leadership ability and tenure, all requirements of a sound choice for the captain of any hockey team. A number of possibilities do exist but none of the candidates possess all four of those aforementioned qualities.

For young players without experience, it often rubs older veteran players the wrong way when a player early in his career is constantly telling him how to play. Without top level skill, a captain risks earning an “easier said than done” reputation among his teammates. To be a true leader, a player needs to earn the respect of his teammates, something difficult for those in their first year with a club to do. Those without good leadership ability, well, I guess that’s really the ante required to get your name involved in a discussion for the captaincy.

Matt Stajan and Alex Steen have developed as good leaders and core veterans but neither are top tier players with enough tenure to be able to back up getting on older underperforming teammates.

Tomas Kaberle, now the longest serving and arguably the most talent player on the roster, doesn’t possess the drive and desire to be the mouthpiece for a team that gets as much media coverage as the Maple Leafs do.

Pavel Kubina and newcomer Jamal Mayers are both vocal leaders but in Kubina’s case, like Kaberle, probably doesn’t have the interest for answering to the media and Mayers has no tenure nor top level skill.

At this point, the Leafs would be wise to opt for leadership by committee and rotate the C based on performance because clearly, it will take more than just one player if any success is expected this season. But hey, all that was just rigmarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.1

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Quite a stark contrast from just one year ago: as the Maple Leafs gathered to prepare for the 2007-2008 campaign, then Head Coach Paul Maurice proclaimed that his team would “make the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup.” Fast forward one year and you see that the current version of the Maple Leafs only sparsely resembles the version from 365 days ago and that includes the organization’s expectations. GM Cliff Fletcher did not try to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes when he spoke to a group of reporters earlier last week suggesting this would be a season that will likely be quite lean in terms of success and include many, as he put it, “rough spells”.

The Head Coach and General Manager from a season ago are long gone, Paul Maurice and John Ferguson Jr. now replaced with Ron Wilson and Cliff Fletcher. Mats Sundin likely will not be back but who really knows at this point. Former core players from years gone by including Darcy Tucker, Bryan McCabe, and the oft-injured Kyle Wellwood have all been shown the door. So what does all this leave Maple Leaf fans to expect this season?

Time for me to be frank: not much. If you convince yourself the Maple Leafs will be playoff contenders even just for a moment this season, you are indeed fooling yourself. But all this doesn’t mean there isn’t reason to stay interested. Take the approach of a junior hockey fan and focus on the development of the players that will hopefully one day comprise a new “core group.” Jiri Tlusty, Jeremy Williams, Robbie Earl, Nikolai Kulemin, Mikhail Grabovski, and Anton Stralman will all get the opportunity to prove that they are genuine NHL players and by the end of the season, we will have a pretty good idea of whether or not that is true.

If those players and other youngsters impress and show themselves to be capable NHLers, then this campaign will be a success. Accomplishments in Leaf Land will be measured in development and improvement, not playoff spots and Stanley Cups. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.