Last season, Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Wade Belak was traded to the Florida Panthers at the deadline. Most Leaf fans were sad to see Wade go simply because he was a fan favourite, but he also was a team player and a great leader on and off the ice.
Paul Maurice must not have liked Wade. He had a habit of listing Belak as a healthy scratch. For example, last season when the Leafs visited the Ducks at the Pond, Belak fought George Parros and won, giving his team some clear momentum. After that game, Belak was a healthy scratch for the next 10 games.
In Florida, it was a different story. Belak played every game for the remainder of the season—one night, even getting 10:04 minutes of ice time. Florida also had a better winning percentage with Wade in the line-up than they did when he wasn't.
If they continue to play Belak during this upcoming season, it could very well be a solid season for him. He will probably put up about 10-13 fights, as well as get some points when he can. Jacques Martin, the general manager of the Florida Panthers, said that Belak was a great addition to the team. I think so too.
It was sad seeing him leave Toronto, but this was better for Wade. I wish him the best of luck next season, and I will be following him when I can.
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2 months ago
great article, rob
2 months ago
Great article! Best of luck to Wade. We'll miss him in Toronto, his jokes got us Leaf fans through all the problems are team was having.
One of the best players to interview in the league imo.
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