NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
Can’t lie, as a guy entering his 7th year as a hockey fan, let alone a Toronto Maple Leaf, I am still learning the language of hockey. I am all in on the team and sport this season and have started this weekly series to share my thoughts on the team and season. Last season sucked: 32-36-12, an 8th-place finish in the Atlantic Division is not the standard, as we missed the playoffs. Since then, we have flipped pretty much everything except the logo and pride in our squad. Enter John Chayka as GM, along with Jim Hiller behind the bench; this is a whole new roster, nothing like the ones from seasons past. Playoff talk is real, with 84 games to show we belong and need to be feared around the NHL. Are the playoffs a guarantee? Hell no, but a fresh start, a hungry group, and a lot of hope have Leaf fans buzzing.
The first name I am watching is captain Auston Matthews, with questions bubbling after a very quiet season. How he answers them will be a fun and interesting watch. William Nylander and Matthew Knies give our group real firepower; the vet John Tavares, who turns 36 this season, brings experience and hustle. Two kids on my radar are Easton Cowan and, duh, the number one pick Gavin McKenna, who is a Whitehorse, Yukon native son. Him playing for the Leafs is like something out of a movie for real. Looking at the back end, we have newcomer Darren Raddysh, who is coming off a 22-goal, 70-point year in Tampa, paired with the usual suspect Morgan Rielly, with Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes.
Tonight we have the Frozen Frenzy, as the Leafs visit Utah and take on a tough Manmoth team with a late puck drop. I am far from an expert, but here’s what I’ll be watching. First, the start: a loud home crowd can get you rattled and off your game quickly. So we need to settle in asap. Second is that the stars need to see Matthews, Nylander, and Knies set the tone off the break; they can play with anyone and need to show it. The third thing will be new faces: McKenna. Keep that confidence up; the line of Raddysh and Rielly is still new, and each shift they learn more about each other. Finally, goaltending and discipline. Whoever gets the call in the net will have a big say on the winner, and let’s try to stay out of the penalty box.
Why did a kid from the Washington DC area pick this team as his favorite? They are one of the original franchises of the sport, and that history matters to me. I believe Canada is the Mecca of hockey; when I looked for the heart of that, I kept landing on Toronto. Win or lose, this city lives and breathes the Leafs. I respect that, and as a sports fanatic, I love that. Generations of families have passed down that passion, and as the Stanley Cup drought rolls on, they still love the team. 1967 was a long time ago. When the Leafs are good, hockey gets louder, and when they struggle, everybody has something to say. As a newer fan, it’s an honor to jump into these conversations. I am bringing my questions, excitement, and my honesty to every game this season. Welcome to “Between the Blue Lines.” Let’s go, Leafs.
