The Maple Leafs In My Opinion

Some of you may remember that I wrote a piece about the captain, Dion Phaneuf, in an attempt to try and figure out why he gets so much hate. Well, Phaneuf talks have once again heated up in Leaf land following the sudden (but expected) trade of Phil Kessel to the Penguins. As Kessel and Phaneuf were part of the old core and one half of it was taken away, many fans assumed that the captain would shortly be shown the door as well. And for at least 93% of Leaf fans out there, I am sorry to report that Phaneuf will be a Leaf once again next year. Wait, that isn't bad news, that's great news (at least for me and the other 7% of fans). Allow me to explain why it is so. From the moment Babcock was hired by the Leafs back in May, it became clear that the organization was set to change the course of their future by stabilizing the bench for good. It was also meant to send a message to the players of the current Leafs team that it is truly now up to them to turn the team around.

            Most Leaf fans in Toronto know just how extensively the media can cover the hometown Maple Leafs. In fact, the coverage at times can be so extensive that there have been many instances in recent memory where sports journalists will focus their entire piece on one statement made by either the players or management.             This was very true throughout this past season, one which the team struggled mightily from January onward to become one of the worst in the National Hockey League (NHL). With such a poor showing on the ice, the media focused its efforts in disseminating statements made by the team at various points throughout the year. Whether it was by newspaper, television, or social media, a few choice words by certain people within the Maple Leafs organization managed to cause a stir in the nation's biggest city and beyond.             One of the earliest instances from this season occurred back during a local fundraiser when goaltender, Jonathan Ber