The Leafs are coming back to life?
The Toronto Maple Leafs became my favorite team the day I discovered hockey. Those were the illustrious years of the sixties but they ended quickly. Expansion in 1967 and an aging line up decimated that glorious assembly of talent.
There was a short lived return to the upper echelon in the late seventies. Then the return of coach Punch Imlach combined with a vindictive Harold Ballard delivered a two pronged plundering of that fine squad. The eighties were devoid of even hope.
There was little to cheer about until Cliff Fletcher and Pat Burns morphed the perennial losers into a close resemblance to their former greatness. After a tragic elimination in the 1993 semi-finals the dark curtain soon shrouded our land again.
We need redemption from this misery. That demands a return of Lord Stanley's Cup. This will be a just reward to the millions of loyal Leaf fans (both living and dead) who have never wavered. Long live George Armstrong and may his competitive spirit once again engulf this great city.
Posted by Richard Walker
on December 3, 2009