Toronto Maple Leafs: Adrift on a Rocky Sea of Uncertainty
The Toronto Maple Leafs dismal season went out, not with a bang but a whimper.
More accurately, the sound of choking sobs, emitted by the tens of thousands of fans who call Leafs Nation home, was the only noise heard coming from the bars and pubs lining Yonge Street. It signaled the end of the line.
This particular feat, missing the playoffs for three years in a row, has not been seen since Mackenzie King was the Prime Minister of Canada and The Jazz Singer was wowing the crowds as the first box-office hit movie.
There's a much different tune being played in Toronto these days: a funeral dirge.
It's not for lack of trying, though. At a time when a number of fans were falling off the bandwagon, demanding the team tank the season in order to secure a top draft pick, the Leafs made a valiant run in their attempt to clinch a playoff berth, falling short during a lacklustre match-up against the Boston Bruins.
With a couple of games left until the golf course beckons, there's another course to be charted for this franchise. Unfortunately, the Leafs ship is rudderless and the bridge crew is nowhere to be seen.
Mats Sundin's future with Toronto, and the game itself, is still up in the air. He'll tough it out the remainder of the season with the Leafs, a choice he made when he waived his no-trade clause. No regrets, he says, but no Stanley Cup ring either. What Leafs fans want to know is what he's got left in him and is it what's needed to lead this team in to the post-season? At this point, it seems unlikely. Ultimately, it will be up to him to decide what's next and, chances are, he'll force the team to take action on the GM front before making any commitment to take the helm once again.
Cliff Fletcher will not be that GM. He did the best he could with the hand he was dealt but when you're hamstrung by no-trade clauses, it's impossible to go all-in. After the John Ferguson Jr. debacle, it will be interesting to see who'll want the job. Who knows, maybe Fletcher will remain in the post if he's given carte blanche to clean out the dead weight.
That dead weight will include coach Paul Maurice. It is unfortunate, somewhat, for he has been unwavering in his devotion to his team, even in the tightest of tight spots. But the usually emotionless Maurice seemed completely dismayed after the loss to the Bruins. He couldn't even look at the cameras, avoiding the ever-seeing eye of Leafs Nation, peering through the lens in disappointment. In the end, he will be the one made to suffer for another lost season, the one who will ultimately walk the plank.
With the off-season beckoning, the leaders of the Leafs Nation are in limbo and the ship is adrift. It's no longer a question of 'what happened?' but 'what now?'
Hope for a compass.
