Turning Over a New Leaf(s): The 1988-89 Maple Leafs

[uWoHollywood]

With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, Leafs GM Jason Taylor reviewed his goaltenders’ statistics with great frustration. Not only was the starter’s role still up for grabs, but neither Ken Wregget nor Ed Belfour was having a halfway-decent season. Wregget was the more talented goaltender, but was maddeningly inconsistent; he was rarely able to have even 2-3 quality starts in a row before relapsing with a very poor showing. Ed Belfour was not as talented as Wregget, but it was nearly unanimous among Leafs scouts that Belfour was the top prospect in their system. Taylor and his brain trust scoured the league looking for goalies who were a) an upgrade over Wregget, and b) willing to move their starting goalie.

There were really only three options: Kelly Hrudy (NYI), Mario Gosselin (QUE) and Kick McLean (VAN). Taylor asked Torrey about Hrudey, and Torrey immediately refused; he had just signed a 4-year extension. Gosselin would likely be easier to acquire, but his inconsistency (albeit on a bad Quebec team) suggested it would simply be more of the same problems in net. That left Kirk McLean; his stat line may not be great, but he had been playing well of late despite Vancouver playing in a very tough Smythe division.



Taylor called VAN GM Pat Quinn and said he was interested in McLean (8-12-0, 4.51, .869), and Quinn immediately chuckled. “We’re in a rebuild, and McLean is only 22”. Taylor acknowledged and was blunt. “We have Ken Wregget (22-9-2, 3.59 and .872), who turns 25 in a few weeks. We would get a slight upgrade in net for the playoffs, and you’d get a goalie who is young enough for a rebuild plus another asset or two. Quinn mulled it over. “I’d want a 3rd round pick and one of your AHL defenseman, we’re a little thin on the blueline.” Taylor brought up Paul Stanton and Jeff Serowik, saying Quinn could have his choice. Quinn said he would want Serowik (5-18-23 and +5 in 55GP AHL); Taylor accepted the request, and offered a 6th round pick as a sweetener. Quinn replied “Come on, I don’t want a 6th. Make it a 3rd and you have a deal.” Taylor paused, then responded “Tell you what. I’ll make it a 4th rounder, but next year, not this year. And I’ll take any expensive contract you want to dump.” Quinn said “Any contract?”, to which Taylor was affirmative; Quinn named Charlie Simmer (3-2-5 and -13 in 32GP), who had been an absolute bust of a UFA signing. The deal was finalized. Vancouver traded G Kirk McLean, 22 and LW Charlie Simmer, 34 in exchange for G Ken Wregget, 25 , D Jeff Serowik, 22 and Toronto’s 4th round pick in 1990.



At a press conference the next day, all of the Toronto media corps was virtually screaming at Taylor for trading their best goaltender with less than 20 games left in the season. “Ken has done well for us this year; but as the old saying goes you have to give something to get something. We believe Kirk will be a great fit in net; he’s done well with Vancouver against some very tough competition. We are confident in his ability to adapt and succeed with our defense corps in front of him.” The Toronto Star asked about Charlie Simmer, and Taylor was a little blunt. “Mr. Ballard has given us the green light to spend a bit more freely this year. Charlie joined Vancouver as a free agent this past summer, but I think even he would agree he wasn’t quite lived up to that contract. We are able to absorb that cost better than most teams in the league. Charlie will be sent to Newmarket to help mentor some of our young players, and he’ll be high on our list of call-ups in case of injury.” After a few more questions, Taylor thanked the press corps for their time and left the podium.




Game 65 - 7-2 W @ NYR
Kirk McLean’s first test was a tough one but he was up to the task, stopping 26 of 28. Toronto shelled Steve Weeks for 7 goals on 32 shots, and the Leafs absolutely smothered New York defensively. The second line of Damphousse, Cullen and Marois combined for 5G and 4A while Brad Marsh had 3A and was +4.
C Pierre Turgeon’s 5-assist night helped the Sabres edge the Kings 8-7



On the trade deadline, the Hartford Whalers (28-33-3, 3rd in the Adams) decided they needed a change. Larry Pleau was fired, and replaced with junior hockey legend Brian Kilrea. He was widely seen as a good fit for the young Whalers.

[uWoHollywood]

Leafs GM Jason Taylor had already made his big moves. Now he wanted to clear some roster space just in case anyone meaningful went on the waiver wire. Taylor shopped some of his lower-end prospects, and Minnesota expressed interest in both LW Chris McRae (16-21-37, -3 and 283PIM in 55GP AHL) and C Tim Armstrong (23-35-58 and -13 in 57GP AHL).

Minnesota traded an 8th round pick in 1989 in exchange for LW Chris McRae, 23. Minnesota then traded a 7th round pick in 1989 in exchange for C Tim Armstrong, 21. Toronto’s AHL coaches advised that McRae could be disruptive in the locker room, as he had been made redundant by the acquisition of Kelly Chase from St. Louis. Armstrong was still somewhat unproven, but not thought of very highly by Leafs scouts. Taylor felt comfortable shedding both of their contracts.



While working the telephone for trade options, Taylor received word that Montreal LW Tom Chorske (18-20-38 and even +/- in 58GP AHL) was on the block. Taylor liked his scouts’ reports on Chorske’s defensive and physical game. Additionally, Taylor had inquired in the offseason about another Canadiens prospect: D Sylvain Lefebrve (4-34-38 and even +/- in 58GP AHL). Taylor approached the Habs, asking if they were interested in veteran depth in the form of LW Ken Berry (2-0-2 and -4 in 14GP) along with a prospect from Newmarket. Habs’ GM Serve Savard expressed interest in D Paul Stanton (6-30-36 and -3 in 56GP AHL), as he had previously approached the Penguins about Stanton. After some haggling on a late draft pick, the deal was finalized. Montreal traded LW Tom Chorske, 22 and D Sylvain Lefebvre, 21 in exchange for D Paul Stanton, 21, LW Ken Berry, 28 and Minnesota’s 7th round pick in 1989 (acquired in the Tim Armstrong deal). Both Chorske and Lefebvre were welcomed by Taylor, and advised to report to the AHL’s Newmarket Saints.



Taylor also reached out to the New York Rangers, inquiring about Rangers rookie RW Tony Amonte (18-31-49 and +1 in 47GP IHL) and veteran G Bob Froese 8-7-2, 3.72 and .869). Taylor liked Amonte’s two-way game, and wanted a veteran like Froese available in case his two young goalies faltered. NYR GM Phil Esposito knew the Leafs had LW Paul Gagne (28-30-58 and +4 in 57GP AHL) stashed in the AHL; Gagne had been a 20-goal, 40-point player with New Jersey before losing two seasons dealing with a back injury. Esposito asked for Gagne and a 3rd. Taylor countered with a 6th round pick in 1991 and prospect Todd Krygier (16-28-44 and -6 in 57GP AHL), and that seemed to clinch it. The New York Rangers traded RW Tony Amonte, 18 and G Bob Froese, 30 in exchange for LW Paul Gagne, 27, LW Todd Krygier, 23 and a 6th round pick in 1991. Taylor then put Froese on waivers, hoping to sneak him through during the trade deadline madness (and it worked).




Game 66 - 6-5 L v CHI
The Leafs were down 4-1 after 25 minutes, then scored 4 goals in the next 20 to make it 5-4. Unfortunately the Hawks scored twice in a 4-minute span to take back the win. Darren Pang was bad but Ed Belfour was worse, stopping just 21 of 27. The first line played well, with Leeman/Olczyk/Courtnall scoring 2 points each, but there weren’t a lot of strong performances aside from those three. This game was also CHI D Bob Murray’s 1,000th NHL game. Even though he played for a division rival, the MLG faithful gave him a polite ovation when it was announced before the game.

NHL News:

• LAK RW Dave Taylor reached 900 points (in 810 games)
• LW Luc Robitaille’s 3-2-5 night helped the LAK tie PHI 7-7

Game 67 - 6-4 L @ HFD
Hartford outshot Toronto 37-25, and jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 8 minutes in. Toronto rallied with four straight goals in the 2nd, and entered the 3rd period up 4-3 only to see things fell apart. Kevin Dineen tied it 4-4, and Carey Wilson scored with just 50 seconds left. Wilson then added an ENG with 4 seconds left to clinch. Vincent Damphousse’s 2G 1A night was stellar, but many other Leafs struggled. HFD D Grant Jennings somehow managed 3A in the win. Neither Kirk McLean or Mike Liut were helpful in net for their teams.

The Leafs got some good news at practice; Wendel Clark, the team Captain, would be able to resume skating! He would still be recovering for several weeks, but he would be putting on skates for the first time all year.

With Freddy Olausson returning, Steve Konroyd fully expected to go to the press box. But instead Craig Muni was informed that he would sit out. By Taylor’s estimation, since the start of Feb, Muni had 7 good games and 8 bad ones. Taylor was losing patience, and wanted to go with the veteran Konroyd for now. Phil Bourque also took his place back on the 4th line, with Doug Smail joining David Volek in the press box.

[CanuckJohnny]

Been following along. This is really well done!

[uWoHollywood]

Thank you so much, I appreciate the feedback!

[uWoHollywood]

Game 68 - 4-1 L v QUE
Two straight losses to sub-.500 Adams Division teams is not a great look. Toronto outshot Quebec 48-27, and it was tied 1-1 after the 1st. Mario Gosselin, apparently hearing the Leafs traded for McLean over him, took it personally and played a near-perfect game with 47 saves. Sean McKenna had an assist for his new team.




Game 69 - 6-2 L @ STL
Cliff Ronning and Brett Hull each had 2G and 2A, with Hull also getting his 50th goal of the season. Russ Courtnall had both Leaf goals, but no one played a very strong game, and the Leafs have now dropped four straight. Belfour only stopped 30 of 36, while Greg Millen saved 26 of 28. After the game, STL D Paul Cavallini was given a 5-game suspension after a nasty collision which saw him receive a 5-min interference major.



To make matters worse in the loss to STL… Leafs’ star C Ed Olczyk suffered a concussion and would be out for four months. Which basically means the Leafs have lost their #1 C for the playoffs, and AFTER the trade deadline. Peter Stastny will take the #1 C slot, and the Leafs called up RW Danton Cole as a depth forward.


Game 70 - 5-3 W v DET
The Leafs snap their skid, as Peter Stastny decided to show his new teammates what he can do in an offensive role: 1G, 3A, 3 SOG and even 2 hits. His linemates also did well: Leeman had 2G, while Courtnall had 3A. Belfour was decent, stopping 23 of 26. After the game, Freddy Olausson’s knee was sore from a bad collision; he is expected to miss a week

NHL News: C Brent Sutter went 1-4-5 in the NYR’s 10-3 drubbing of WSH


Game 71 - 9-3 W @ WPG
Toronto outshot the Jets by a shocking 42-15 margin. Mike Hough had 1G and 2A, while SEVEN other Leafs had 2-point nights. McLean didn’t look great in giving up 3 on 15, but he certainly did better than Dan Berthiaume, who only stopped 4 out of 11 before getting yanked. And in another injury blow, Greg Pawslawski strained his achilles tendon, and will miss 2-3 weeks.




Game 72 - 6-3 L @ MIN
Leafs were outshot 34-20 and trailed 4-1 after one period. Vinny Damphousse had 1G and 1A, as Ed Belfour (6 goals on 34 shots) and the rest of the team laid an egg. Norm Maciver had 3A for the North Stars in a decisive win.

NHL News: Ray Sheppard went 1-4-5 for BUF in a 6-3 win over HFD




Game 73 - 8-6 W v WPG
Run-and-gun hockey. In the first period alone, the Leafs went up 3-3 and the Jets tied it 3-3. The teams traded goals for the rest of the games, but Toronto never trailed. Mike Bullard’s 2G 1A night was Winnipeg’s highlight. Russ Courtnall (1G 3A), Peter Stastny (3A), Gary Leeman (2G 1A) and Craig Muni (3A) all had strong nights. The less said about the game’s goaltending performances, the better.



NHL News: Petri Skriko went OFF, notching 6A for VAN in an 8-3 win over NYI


Game 74 - 4-2 W @ PHI
A hard-fought win on the road against the #1 team in the league. Not bad! Steve Konroyd put Toronto up 3-2 with 5 min left, and then Mike Hough sealed it on an ENG with just 4 seconds remaining. Peter Stastny had 2A, and is determined to make sure the top line doesn’t stumble; he is now 3-8-11 in five games since taking over for the injured Ed Olczyk. Ed Belfour turned in a stellar performance, stopping 28 of 30.

NHL News: Jari Kurri went 3-2 for EDM in their 7-3 W over LAK




Game 75 - 8-3 W v VAN
Toronto dominated Vancouver, outshooting them 43-21 and scoring four goals in the game’s first 6 minutes. Virtually the entire team played well, with the highlight being the 2nd line of Damphousse (2G 2A), Cullen (1G) and Daniel Marois (1G 2A).




Game 76 - 8-2 L @ DET
The Leafs turned in a clunker, thanks in large part to Glen Hanlon stopping 34 of 36. Belfour was chased after giving up 7 on 31. Steve Yzerman (2G 1A) and Gerard Gallant (4A) led the Wings to victory. To add literal insult to injury, Daniel Marois strained an abdominal muscle and would miss 2-3 weeks. With Minnesota 6 points back (but with a game in hand), this couldn’t come at a worse time. Mark Recchi was called up from Newmarket to help ease the loss of Marois (and Gary Leeman, who was day-to-day).


Game 77 - 4-1 L v DET
Greg Stefan decided to take a page out of Glen Hanlon’s book and stonewall the Leafs, stopping 30 of 31. Toronto dropping both parts of a home-and-home is making their Norris division lead even more tenuous.

NHL News: Michel Goulet reached 900 points with QUE 763 GP



Here we go. The Leafs are only up on the North Stars by 3 points, whom they play tonight. This is a must-win game if the Leafs want to win the division. But GUESS WHO’S BACK… The Captain himself, Wendel Clark. And Gary Leeman is healthy! Clark is a natural LW, but Taylor asked him to play RW in Daniel Marois’ spot. Clark agreed, as long as he was allowed to hit anything that moved in a Minnesota uniform.


Game 78 - 4-4 T v MIN
And absolutely nothing was solved standings-wise. The teams traded goals all game, with Kelly Kisio tying the game on a clutch goal with 3 minutes left. Belfour did his best, stopping 34 of 38. Don Beaupre was just good enough, saving 26 of 30. Wendel Clark had 1A and 2 hits in his first game of the season, and was ALL over the offensive zone.



C Pierre Turgeon and G Tom Barrasso, both from BUF, were POTM


Game 79 - 4-3 L @ STL
Toronto blew a 3-2 lead heading into the 3rd, and Sergio Momesso scored the winner with 4:44 left. Gary Leeman tried his best with 2G and 1A, but Vincent Riendeau’s 28 saves on 31 shots allowed the Blues to take the game. The silver lining however is that the North Stars had lost the prior evening, meaning Toronto would finish first in the Norris. This would be the Leafs’ first time winning a division in 26 years (going back to 62-63)!




Game 80 - 11-1 L @ CHI
Ouch… the Leafs must have been hungover from celebrating the night before, because none of them showed up tonight. Outshot 40-15, and only Wendel Clark turned in a strong performance. Rick Vaive stuck it to his old team with a hat-trick, while another ex-Leaf in Steve Thomas had 1G and 3A. And with Detroit losing on the last night of the season, Toronto would be playing these same Blackhawks in the playoffs.

March (and Early April) Lookback

• In March (and early April), the Leafs were 6-9-1 with 69 GF and 78 GA. The Leafs had a 4-game losing streak in early March, and then finished on a brutal 0-4-1 streak (with all of those games against Norris division rivals).
• Toronto’s final record was 43-31-6 with 345 GF and 326 GA. They finished the regular season 1st in the Norris Division and 6th overall. The media and fans were behind them, but their streakiness meant serious risk to a meaningful playoff run. And playing without Star C Eddie O definitely left the team shorthanded: Olczyk was 2nd in the league in assists before he was hurt.

Some other details about the Leafs’ Regular Season:

• 23-14-3 at home, and 17-16-7 on the road
• 6th in offense (4.31 GF/G) and 2nd in shots for (33.83/G)
• 13th in defense (4.08 GA/G) and 7th in shots against (29.44/G)
• 17th (5th-worst) in PP (17.8%)
• 9th best PK (79%), but their 22 SHG was 7 ahead of 2nd-place MIN
• Toronto sold out all 40 home games (101% attendance), and 15 of 40 away games

Other Highlights:

• Peter Stastny did well after arriving in Toronto, going 3-15-18 in 17GP; but he had an ugly -13, which caused some concern.
• Kirk McLean was… not very good. He went 4-4-0 with a 4.47 and an UGLY .839. Coach Taylor would likely be starting the playoffs with rookie Ed Belfour in net, and Captain Kirk on the bench.
• Gary Leeman had 48G (and 39A) in 67 games; had it not been for injuries he would have certainly scored 50 goals.
• The Leafs had good offensive performances from the top 2 lines, with 5 of the 6 forwards scoring at least 22 goals.
• The checking line was a very pleasant surprise, with Dave Reid (23-31-54), Ron Wilson (17-35-52) and Mike Hough (13-30-43) all turning in decent production considering their role as a shutdown line.

Other Key Callouts:

• Gary Leeman finishing 13th in goals with 48, 13th in PPG with 16 and 15th in GWG with 6
• Ed Olczyk finishing 16th in assists despite missing 11 games
• Ron Wilson and Dave Reid both tied for 1st with 7 SHG EACH
• John Cullen (2nd, 31G), Zarley Zalapski (4th, 28) and Daniel Marois (5th, 22) were among rookie goal-scoring leaders
• Among all rookies, Zalapski was also 4th in assists (39), 2nd in points (67), 2nd in +/- (+23), 1st in PPG (13), 1st in PPP (30) and 1st in shots (295)

Now it was time for the playoffs… and for Toronto to show what if they were a young team on the rise, or an inexperienced group to be pushed aside.

[uWoHollywood]

After a solid regular season Jason Taylor was up for GM of the year AND coach of the year, while Zarley Zalapski was a finalist for Rookie of the Year!

ROUND ONE MATCHUPS
Norris Semi-Final 1: Toronto (92p) vs Chicago (77p)


Norris Semi-Final 2: Minnesota (89p) vs St. Louis (80p)


Smythe Semi-Final 1: Calary (103p) vs Vancouver (66p)


Smythe Semi-Final 2: Edmonton (94p) vs Los Angeles (80p)


Adams Semi-Final 1: Montreal (90p) vs Hartford (71p)


Adams Semi-Final 2: Buffalo (83p) vs Quebec (71p)


Patrick Semi-Final 1: Philadelphia (105p) vs New York Islanders (78p)


Patrick Semi-Final 2: New York Rangers (95p) vs Pittsburgh (80p)


Taylor prepared his playoff line-up. Greg Paslawski was healthy and would return to the line-up. Todd Gill was day-to-day, so Craig Muni would replace him (for now). Ed Belfour was going to be the starter for Game 1, and Taylor would see how things went. Daniel Marois was almost recovered, so Taylor would have to reshuffle the lines once he was back. Ed Olczyk would be missed, but Peter Stastny was a professional. Let’s see how this plays out!



Chicago had won their last four games against Toronto, including two blowouts (11-3 and 8-1). Overall, Chicago won 6 of 8 regular season games, despite the Leafs finishing much higher in the standings. No one knew quite what to expect.




Round 1 Game 1 - 7-3 W v CHI
Toronto scored four straight goals to take a 5-1 lead, and never looked back. Chicago closed it to 5-3 with 3 minutes left, but Zalapski and Wendel Clark each scored in the last two minutes to put it away. Ron Wilson (3A) and Dave Reid (1G 1A) gave the Hawks fits, while Randy Carlyle and Gary Leeman had 2G each. Ed Belfour was excellent in net, stopping 30 of 33.

NHL News: Mats Naslund went 4-2-6 for MTL in their win over HFD




Round 1 Game 2 - 5-4 W v CHI (OT)
Chicago was up 3-0 heading into the second, but the Leafs rallied to go up 4-3 with 12 minutes left. Doug Wilson silenced a rowdy Maple Leafs Gardens crowd, tying the game with just 2:48 remaining. But an unexpected hero saved the day: Greg Paslawski scored the OT winner a mere 1:20 into the extra frame, assisted by linemates Doug Smail and Phil Bourque. Peter Stastny powered the Leafs offense in regulation with 3A, while Zalapski scored 2G. Belfour wasn’t great, stopping 23 of 27, but he was able to keep pace with Darren Pang (27 of 32). Toronto would now take a 2-0 series lead back to Chicago, where they would face a very hostile crowd.




Round 1 Game 3 - 5-3 L @ CHI
Goaltending was the story here. Ed Belfour allowed 5 goals on 25 shots, while Darren Pang stopped 30 of 33. David Mackey was Chicago’s unlikely hero with 3A, while Rick Vaive and Steve Larmer each scored 2G. The Leafs’ checking line was uncharacteristically weak, which allowed Vavie and Larmer to light up Belfour. Kirk McLean may get the start in Game 4 after that poor showing.

Todd Gill was ready to play, sending Craig Muni to the press box. And Taylor confirmed to the media that McLean would get the start in Game 4, as Belfour’s performance had declined each of the last two games.




Round 1 Game 4 - 4-3 L @ CHI
Both goaltenders played well; McLean stopped 33 of 37, while Darren Pang saved 28 of 31. Toronto was up 3-1 with 24 minutes left. Unfortunately, Chicago scored with just 3 seconds left in the 2nd, and then Steve Thomas scored twice in the 3rd to send the series back to Toronto all tied up at 2-2. John Cullen’s 2G and Doug Smail’s 2A were the high points, but the Toronto media was in full-on panic mode at the series now being a best-of-three.


Round 1 Game 5 - 5-2 W v CHI
The Gardens was ROCKING, with a sellout crowd cheering the Leafs’ every move… and Toronto did not disappoint. The Leafs never trailed, and smothered the Blackhawks: Denis Savard (1G 1A) and Steve Thomas (4 SOG, 5 Hits) were the only bright spots. Darren Pang was so-so, stopping 31 of 36. But Kirk McLean was utterly brilliant, with 31 saves on 33 shots. Six different Leafs had two points, with Gary Leeman in particular showing why he is Toronto’s top winger: 1-1-2, +2, 4 SOG, 1 blocked shot, and 2 hits. He played a phenomenal and complete game. Toronto fans nervously awaited Game 6 in Toronto, hoping they wouldn’t see a Game 7 back in Toronto. Some bad news came after the game: Steve Konroyd bruised his shin blocking a shot. He would miss up to a week, so Craig Muni would take his spot on the 3rd pair.




Round 1 Game 6 - 5-4 W @ CHI (OT)
Only one name mattered on this night: Russ Courtnall. Courtnall played a near-perfect game, and assisted on ALL FIVE Leafs’ goals! Darren Pang did his best trying to steal it for Chicago, saving 48 of 53 shots. This was a nailbiter: 2-1 CHI after 1, 3-2 TOR after 2, then 4-3 CHI with 13 minutes left. With just 3 minutes remaining, Peter Stastny tied the game up 4-4. The first overtime period was intense, but no one scored. The second overtime, and the series, ended as every Leafs fan dreamt of: an overtime, game-winning and series-clinching goal by The Captain, Wendel Clark. Peter Stastny was also a hero on this night, scoring 2G and 1A. The dejected Blackhawks returned to their locker room, while the Leafs celebrated on the flight back to Toronto.

NHL News: The Quebec Nordiques had blown a 3-1 series lead, allowing Buffalo to tie it. To make matters worse, Nordiques’ Captain Joe Sakic suffered a season-ending injury, and would miss four months.

Three days later, the first round was officially complete, and the NHL was ready to kick off the 2nd round. Here’s how the first round played out:

ROUND ONE RECAP
Norris Semi-Final 1: Toronto (92p) defeated Chicago (77p) 4-2 in a very tight series
over

Norris Semi-Final 2: Minnesota (89p) beat St. Louis (80p) 4-1
over

Smythe Semi-Final 1: Calary (103p) stomped Vancouver (66p) 4-1
over

Smythe Semi-Final 2: Wayne Gretzky led his new Los Angeles Kings (80p) over his former Edmonton Oilers (94p) teammates 4-3, with LA overcoming a 3-2 deficit
over

Adams Semi-Final 1: Montreal (90p) narrowly defeated Hartford (71p) 4-3; the Whalers came back from being down 3-0, but the Habs managed to win Game 7 to avoid the upset
over

Adams Semi-Final 2: Buffalo (83p) beat Quebec (71p) 4-3, with the Sabres overcoming a 3-1 deficit
over

Patrick Semi-Final 1: In a massive upset, the New York Islanders (78p) took down 1st-Overall Philadelphia (105p) in a 4-1 shocker
over

Patrick Semi-Final 2: The New York Rangers (95p) beat Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins (80p) 4-2, setting up an all-NY matchup
over

Toronto Round One Summary
The Leafs' first line is delivering in spades, and any concern around Stastny replacing Olczyk has evaporated. Stastny, Courtnall and Leeman combined to go 10-16-26 in the 6-game series. The second line of Damphousse, Cullen and Clark supported them well, collectively going 5-11-16. Zalapski is playing beyond his years, tying Leeman with 5G. Kirk McLean has been excellent since taking over for Games 4-6, with a 2.89 GAA and .907 PCT (both 3rd among playoff starters).




Next up: Minnesota!

[uWoHollywood]

ROUND TWO MATCHUPS
Norris Division Final: Toronto (92p) vs Minnesota (89p)


Smythe Division Final: Calary (103p) vs Los Angeles (80p)


Adams Division Final: Montreal (90p) vs Buffalo (83p)


Patrick Division Final: New York Rangers (95p) vs New York Islanders (78p)


Toronto Round Two Preview

• Daniel Marois had returned from injury, but Clark had taken his spot on the 2nd line. This meant either Doug Smail or Greg Paslawski would have to sit: in the end Taylor chose to take Pawlaski out of the lineup, largely to avoid either him or Marois playing on their off wing.
• Minnesota had given Toronto fits all season, and nearly caught them in the standings. The Leafs won 3 of their first four meetings, but Minnesota won 3 and tied the 4th of their final four games. Overall, Minnesota was 4-3-1 against Toronto in the regular season.
• The North Stars were powered by star wingers Dino Ciccarelli (55-42-97) and Brian Bellows (45-52-97), centered by Neal Broten (66P in 60GP; he missed 7 weeks with a lacerated spleen). Minnesota also made a pair of solid pick-ups from the NY Rangers in C Kelly Kisio (10-26-36 in 36GP for MIN) and D Norm Maciver (7-23-30 in 35GP for MIN). Don Beaupre was an All-Star goaltender, going 35-21-5 with a 3.63 GAA and .885 PCT, and had been even BETTER in the playoffs (4-1, 3.21, .904). Bellows led the team with 8 points in 5 first round games. The downside (for them) is that Ciccarelli would miss Game 1, and POSSIBLY Game 2 with dizziness.

Round 2 Game 1 - 3-1 L v MIN
Minnesota came out strong, outshooting Toronto 35-24. Toronto led 1-0, but the North Stars scored twice midway through the third and then clinched on an ENG with 9 seconds left. McLean was absolutely phenomenal, stopping 32 of 34, but the Leafs were not able to solve Bellows, Broten and Brian MacLellan (with Bob Rouse and Curt Giles helping shut down the Leafs in the Minnesota zone).
The morning of Game 2, Toronto got word that Steve Konroyd was ready to play. He would line up alongside Todd Gill on the 3rd pair, with Craig Muni sitting out. Unfortunately, Daniel Marois had bruised his shin and would need time to recuperate, so Greg Paslawski was put back into the lineup.


Round 2 Game 2 - 5-4 W v MIN
Minnesota again outshot Toronto 29-20, but the Leafs were able to put 5 of 20 shots past Beaupre. The game was tied 2-2 after the 1st, and no one scored in the 2nd. The North Stars made it 3-2 just 58 seconds into the 3rd, but Toronto scored three unanswered goals (including a pair of SHG by Dave Reid and Randy Carlyle in 27 seconds on the same Minnesota powerplay). Igor Liba made it 5-4 with 5 minutes left, but the Leafs held on for the win. Freddy Olausson was the star for Toronto with 1G and 1A, 3 SOG, 4 blocked shots, 3 hits and 2 takeaways. Just a brilliant all-round game. Dino Ciccarelli returned, but failed to have an impact for Minnesota.




Round 2 Game 3 - 4-3 L @ Min
This officially became a nasty series: three Leafs’ penalties in the first 12 minutes, with the third PP giving the North Stars a 1-0 lead. Bob Rouse and Brad Marsh fought a few minutes later, followed by Dino Ciccarelli and John Cullen whaling on each other with 4 seconds left (each getting 5 and 10). Toronto scored 3 goals to end the 2nd with a 3-2 lead, but Brian Bellows and Curt Giles each scored midway through the 3rd to win the game. Todd Gill fought Dave Gagner to try and re-energize the Leafs, but to no avail. Kirk McLean was very good, stopping 34 of 38; but Don Beaupre was phenomenal, with 39 saves on 42 shots. Kisio, Ciccarelli and Bellows each had 2 points; Minnesota’s core was just on fire tonight. Todd Gill had 3A in a losing effort, but a rare off night by the first line helped solidify the loss.




Round 2 Game 4 - 4-2 W @ MIN
Peter Stastny absolutely unleashed on Minnesota, scoring a hat trick on just 3 SOG. Leeman and Courtnall also combined for 5A, while Don Beaupre just could not solve the Leafs’ first line. Kirk McLean again turned in a fantastic performance, stopping 27 of 29. Ron Wilson also turned in the defensive performance of the season, helping keep Ciccarelli and Broten off the scoresheet. 1-1 after 1, the Leafs scored twice in the second (including a Damphousse SHG), and the third period started with Toronto up 3-2. The Leafs then held Minnesota to just 5 shots in the 3rd period, and Peter Stastny scored an insurance goal on the PP with 2:30 left. And just like in Round 1, the Leafs return to Toronto facing a best-of-three. Some other positive news: Daniel Marois was back. Given that Paslawski played quite poorly in Game 4, Taylor chose to put Marois back in the line-up.




Round 2 Game 5 - 4-3 W v MIN (OT)
Toronto outshot Minnesota 47-34, and Beaupre did his damndest to steal the game with a 43-save effort. Fortunately McLean was also up to the task, stopping 31 of 34. The North Stars scored twice in 32 seconds to end the first period up 3-2, but Doug Smail tied it up 1:17 into the second period. Both teams combined for 30 shots in the 3rd, but neither goalie would let one in. And then 6:17 into Overtime, veteran Doug Smail scored his second of the night to give Toronto the 3-2 series lead. Toronto was able to muzzle Ciccarelli (1A, -2) and completely shut down Bellows. The Leafs had solid-to-very-good performances across the board, but the 4th line were the heroes tonight: Smail 2G, Marios 2A and Phil Bourque 1A. Back to Minnesota!


Round 2 Game 6 - 3-2 L @ MIN
The Leafs outshot the North Stars 36-26, but a fired-up Beaupre stopped 34 of them. McLean was good-but-not-great, allowing 3 goals on 26 shots. Toronto was also disappointing on the PP, going 1-for-5. Down 3-1 with 14 minutes left, the Leafs turned it on with 17 SOG in the 3rd… but Beaupre stopped 16 of them to hold on for the win, and tie the series 3-3. Minnesota’s stars played well, but Don Beaupre is the reason his team lives to fight another day.


Round 2 Game 7 - 4-1 L v MIN
The North Stars led 2-1 after 1, and that was as close as Toronto would get. Mike Modano put the Stars up 3-1 with 17 min left, and Ciccarelli officially ended the Leafs’ season on an ENG with 36 seconds remaining. Don Beaupre was nearly-unbeatable, stopping 25 of 26. The Leafs were arguably the better team in this series, and got very good goaltending from McLean; but Don Beaupre showed everyone why he is one of the best goaltenders in the world. The Maple Leafs Gardens faithful gave the team a standing ovation, proud of the effort their team showed in this series.




With the Conference Finals about to begin, here’s how the second round ended up:
ROUND TWO RECAP
Norris Division Final: Minnesota (89p) narrowly beat Toronto (92p) in a hard-fought 7-game series
over

Smythe Division Final: Calary (103p) easily handled Los Angeles (80p), winning in five games
over

Adams Division Final: Buffalo (83p) took down Montreal (90p) in six games, overcoming a 2-0 deficit with four straight wins
over

Patrick Division Final: The favoured New York Rangers (95p) defeated the New York Islanders (78p) in seven games, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit
over

Toronto Round Two Summary
Two factors were vital in the North Stars’ victory over the Leafs: Don Beaupre’s world-class goaltending, and Minnesota being able to cool off the Leafs’ first line. Leeman and Courtnall had 5 points each in the series, while Stastny had 4 points. Not awful, but not good enough. Would Ed Olczyk have been a difference maker here? Unfortunately we will never know.

Other April Updates:

• Wendel Clark (8th), Ed Olczyk (13th) and Peter Stastny (18th) were among the best-selling jerseys in the month of April
• GM Jason Taylor nominated ex-Leaf Garry Unger for HOF consideration

[uWoHollywood]

ROUND THREE RECAP
Campbell Conference Final: Calary (103p) beat Minnesota (89p), overcoming a 2-1 deficit
over

Wales Conference Final: Buffalo (83p) upset their cross state rival New York Rangers (95p) 4-2
over

STANLEY CUP FINAL
Stanley Cup: Calary (103p) vs Buffalo (83p)

• Game 1: BUF wins 5-3 in CGY
• Game 2: BUF wins 6-4 in CGY
• Game 3: CGY wins 7-2 in BUF
• Game 4: CGY wins 6-4 in BUF
• Game 5: CGY wins 5-4 (OT) in CGY
• Game 6: CGY wins 7-4 in BUF

The Flames came back from being down 2-0 to take out the upstart Sabres in six games, making Calgary the 1989 Stanley Cup Champions!
over

[uWoHollywood]

Wendel Clark (7th), Ed Olczyk (13th) and Peter Stastny (16th) were among the best-selling jerseys in the month of May


Leafs GM Jason Taylor voted for Brad Park, Darryl Sittler, Tony Esposito and Garry Unger to enter the Hall of Fame

Taylor also had to examine his roster,as he had several contracts expiring. Decisions would need to be made.

#1 - G Bob Froese, 30

Froese will become a UFA. Curtis Joseph was now on par with Froese’s level, pushing Froese further down the depth chart. And Froese was already upset at not getting a shot with the Leafs after the trade deadline. Both Taylor and Froese agreed to let Froese go.

#2 - D Borje Salming, 38

Salming will become a UFA. Salming had experienced a resurgence; his 12 goals in 42 games were his highest total in seven years, and he was playing at a 50-point pace before he fractured his knee. He told Taylor that recovery was extremely challenging, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to play. Taylor said he would abide by whatever Salming wanted; he was open to bringing him back, but wanted Salming to decide if he was up for another NHL season at 39 years old.

#3 - D Steve Konroyd, 28

Konyord will become an RFA. Taylor felt Konroyd had been disappointing overall; his preference was to give Craig Muni another chance on the 3rd pair. He wasn’t sure if Konroyd was his ideal 7th defenseman. Taylor told Konroyd he and his agent could explore offer sheets; if neither of them liked their options, they could explore a new contract in the Summer. But Taylor would qualify Konroyd to maintain Toronto’s rights.

#4 - D Brad Marsh, 31

Marsh was Extended. He wanted to increase his salary from $135k to $240k, and he wanted a 2-year deal. Taylor really liked Marsh’s play and his influence in the dressing room, but would prefer a 1-year deal. Taylor offered a $250k, 1yr deal and Marsh accepted.

#5 - LW Phil Bourque, 26

Bourque will become an RFA. Toronto qualified him to maintain his rights. Taylor liked Bourque’s hard-nosed style, and the fact that he contributed 6 points in 13 playoff games from the 4th line. However, Taylor was interested in giving an NHL look at a few Newmarket Saints players (Tom Chorske, Kevin Stevens and Danton Cole). Taylor told Bourque he liked him, but wasn’t 100% sure he could promise him a full-time role; he would likely be a sub for injuries. He advised Bourque he could explore offer sheets, but that Taylor may end up bringing him back in the Summer.

#6 - C Doug Shedden, 27

Shedden will become an RFA. He played decently in the AHL (25-34-59 and 132 PIM), but Taylor had no interest in giving him a shot at the NHL. However, Taylor wanted to hang on to him just in case someone offer sheeted him in the Summer.

#7 - C Peter Stastny, 32

Stastny was Traded. He had no interest in renewing, and wanted to test the market. Taylor was disappointed, but understood. Stastny advised that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay in Toronto, return to Quebec, or consider something new altogether. Taylor contacted Quebec GM Martin Madden, and mentioned that Stastny was going to hit the market; Taylor wanted to know if Madden wanted to take a shot at renewing his contract before he became a UFA, and Madden said yes. He offered young D Steven Finn, 22. Taylor’s scouts felt Finn could reasonably compete with Craig Muni for the #6 D spot, which would in turn allow Taylor to explore trade options for Steve Konroyd. Taylor accepted, and Madden began working with Statsny’s agent on an extension.

#8 - LW Charlie Simmer, 35

Simmer will become a UFA. He was expensive and his best days were clearly behind him; Taylor wished him well and thanked him for helping the young forwards on the AHL Saints learn from an all-star.

#9 - LW Doug Smail, 31

Smail will become a UFA. He had been a great fit for Toronto’s 4th line. However, Smail wanted a huge salary increase (from $117k to $270k) AND a 3yr deal. Taylor only wanted to renew Smail for one year, given his age. But Smail wouldn’t budge from his desire for a 3-year extension. Taylor asked what it would take to get him on a 2-year deal, and Smail said $330k, take it or leave it. Taylor’s shoulders slumped; that would make Smail the highest-paid player on the Leafs behind only Gary Leeman, and Taylor couldn’t justify that cost for a 4th-line player. He agreed to let Smail become a UFA, and thanked him for his contributions to a wonderful season.

#10 - C Mitch Wilson, 27

Wilson would become an RFA. Similar to Shedden; no room on the Leafs for him, but could be an offer sheet target or trade asset.

And there we have it! From the core Toronto roster:

• Peter Stastny traded back to Quebec
• Brad Marsh extended
• Phil Bourque qualified
• Steve Konroyd qualified

A few days later, Taylor approached Smail with an ask; would he be open to a trade to another team giving Smail time to explore a contract with them ahead of July 1? Smail said he would only be interested in going to a true contender, someone who had a legitimate chance at a Cup. Taylor called Bobby Clarke, GM of the Flyers; Smail wasn’t going to re-sign with Toronto, but still wanted a shot with a contender. Would Clarke be interested in an exclusive negotiation window for the last two weeks of June? Clark said yes, and offered a defenseman from his farm team; 22 y/o D Murray Baron. Taylor, looking at the thin blueline in Newmarket, accepted the offer.

Next up: the NHL awards and the end-of-season interview with Leafs' owner Harold Ballard.

[uWoHollywood]

Close but not quite for Toronto in the NHL Awards. Zarley Zalapski narrowly missed out on the Calder for Rookie of the Year; instead it went to C Joe Sakic of QUE (40-45-85 and +10 in 75GP). Jason Taylor also lost out on both nominations to bitter rival Minnesota; Jack Ferreira was GM of the year, and Pierre Page was Coach of the year. This would definitely add some fuel to the fire for Taylor next year.

Toronto didn't have any presence on the post-season NHL All-Star teams.


But Zalapski did proudly represent Toronto on the NHL All-Rookie team.


A few other changes happened with other teams. Boston shockingly fired longtime GM Harry Sinden, and replaced him with ex-Bruin Mike Milbury. Milbury then immediately fired coach Allen Gibson and replaced him with Lou Nanne. Coaching changes also hit Vancouver (Bob McCammon was replaced by Red Berenson) and New Jersey (Jim Schoenfeld was fired to make way for John Ferguson).

Overall, Leafs owner Harold Ballard was happy with how the season played out. He was actually eager to see how Leafs GM Jason Taylor would build on this for next year!





That's it for now; I hope you've enjoyed it! Any feedback is welcome, both positive and constructive. I'm 50-50 on continuing this save, or perhaps trying another period (maybe 72-73 when the WHA comes on?). Either way, thanks for reading!

[CanuckJohnny]

Good job so far. Interested to see how next year plays out if you continue