I really hate to put any blame other than squarely on the shoulders of Brian Burke, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are victims of the Canadian hockey market. And before I get criticized for rehashing old arguments, I came to this conclusion when talking about the Ottawa Senators’ farm system.
Strange linkage, I know.
But I was having a conversation this weekend about John Muckler vs. Bryan Murray. Anybody who knows me, knows that I am a fervent supporter of Murray. I truely believe that he will build this team into a contender for years to come. But Muckler was probably the better GM for a Canadian market.
See, in Canada there are inexplicably high expectations placed on our hockey teams. The result is often knee jerk reactions that even the most cynical GMs can’t avoid.
The goaltending situation in Ottawa is a classic example. Because of our inability to accept mediocrity, we require a immediate solution. Cue Martin Gerber. Had we embraced the idea that perhaps we might have to suffer for a few years, we could have easily spent that money elsewhere on an, oh I don’t know, Zdeno-sized contract.
Montreal is another example. I have no doubt that Carey Price was going to be a good goaltender in this league; maybe even a great one. But now I have to use the past tense when I talk about what Price could have been. The fact is he was rushed into the starting role because the rabid fan base of Montreal wanted a solution.
And really, the list doesn’t stop there. Justin Pogge, Ray Emery, and Jeff Droin-Deslauriers can all fall into the category of goaltenders ruined by a Canadian market. In some cases they were ruined because they were rushed in as an instant hero. In others, because an agressive fan base required that a proven veteran be brought in instead.
I’ve only used goaltenders here, but the same can be said for defence and forwards. Although in most of these cases, it is because AHLers can’t crack NHL lineups because they are not proven yet.
The bottom line here is that despite our complaints about coaching or GMs, the flaws in our favourite teams tends to fall on our own shoulders, and our unadulterated passion to accept nothing but the best.
Stay classy, Canadian hockey fans. Maybe 2010 is finally our year!
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter. I know, I’m finally on Twitter!
Fix the title.
Done. Thanks :)